The Dawn of a New Ad Age
I subscribe to Ad Age Daily and you should too. Why? It’s free, it’s full of the latest info about the business and it can also be a great source of inspiration. Sometimes I glance at the headlines and I’m done, but yesterday, it was just full of great stuff: not one but three articles about genuine big idea campaigns and a super smart column from the always brilliant Sally Hogshead.
I know this post is going to violate a crucial tenet of blogging, i.e., brevity, but this one’s worth it. So settle in, get a cup of coffee and a low-carb snack, and read on.
Great Article #1 What Accountants Can Teach You About Using Social Media, is about H&R Block’s smart foray into the world of MySpace and Facebook profiles, YouTube postings, Twitter, widgets and even a virtual tax office in Second Life, with everything built around one of the smartest positions I’ve seen in a long time: I got people.
Great Article #2 Amstel Light Now Proudly Dutch and ‘Dam Good’ falls under the read it and weep category for me because Amstel is a brand I worked on, and they’ve finally got it right with their new positioning: Dam Good Bier.
Dam Good Bier is a perfect example of the difference between a tag line and an actionable position: Amstel’s last tag was Live Tastefully, which wasn’t about the beer at all, and worse — put the onus on the consumer. Gee, thanks for giving me another problem to solve Amstel, I think I’ll have a Bud.
Amstel’s new position states unequivocally that this is, well, dam good bier. Which it is. It also speaks to the Dutch heritage and addresses a concern in people’s minds about light beer not tasting good — all in three words! And the client was smart enough not to insist that the word Light be in there, which would have put Amstel right back into the light category and sucked all of the juice out of the campaign at the same time. As soon as I read the words I knew that this was going to become a fun catch phrase that, every time it’s repeated — and it will be repeated — will also make the statement even truer. Wow. Kudos to The Richards Group for coming up with it and selling it, and to Amstel for buying it.
Great Article #3 Burger King Seeks Loyal Subjects is great because it shows how a strong position can extend to every part of your business. In this case, it’s the bane of every fast food restaurant’s existence: hiring people. Burger King has created such goodwill with people, that it can position their jobs differently.
The last bit of wisdom comes from Über-Creative Director and Careerist Sally Hogshead (you do have her book Radical Careering and read Hog Blog don’t you?) in her column Sacrifice Many for the Sake of One Brilliant Idea, where Sally talks about the life, death and fate of the big idea — a fitting end to a day of big ideas.
Steven Stark is a freelance creative director and writer who lives for the thrill of the big idea. You can see his work and read his other musings at www.stevenstark.net.
Who’s Texting Who?
Who doesn’t love text messaging?
What a great way to get a quick message across, the perfect way to avoid voicemail and email and a great way to get a speedy response!
Even marketers have begun using text messages to accomplish all of these things! To promote reality TV show Big Brother 2008 in
According to Trendhunter, the campaign installed Blue-tooth transmitters in over 20 bus shelters around town and the transmitters automatically sent two anonymous messages to any bluetooth enabled phones in the area.
The first message was tailored specifically for the local location, with something along the lines of “Im watching u.
The second message is received 30-40 seconds later with the reveal, reading “Big Brother is back. 7PM weeknights on TEN”.
What do you think about receiving text messages from marketers? What do you think about the “stalker like” approach of this particular text message marketing?
Source: Trendhunter
Underground Mole
So - I don’t know - maybe a month or so ago, as I was zoning out on my evening dose of entertainment brain fluff, I noticed the above image flash onto the TV screen. Seriously, it was there for, like, a nano second.
What was that? What just happened here? What’s going on? And why am I instantly thrilled by the thought that one of my favorite reality series may actually be reappearing sometime soon?
Then it happened again. That unmistakable logo on the screen. With my husband sitting next to me. We turned to each other with a curious look.
Yeah - I’ve seen that before. I thought it was a mistake - a clip that wasn’t supposed to run yet.
But it kept coming up, again and again. It’s no mistake.
Sure enough, now we all know. We’ve seen the commercial. It’s official.
The Mole is back.
I gotta hand it to ABC. Their clever marketing sure peaked my household’s interest, as I’m sure it did in other’s. Tricky advertising for a tricky show.
I, for one, cannot wait until that first episode on June 2nd.
Firefox Extensions Can Alter Your Web Traffic Reporting
I start this post assuming that you have analytics in place on your website, the single most important thing for tracking your traffic. I highly recommend Google Analytics – free and powerful.
It is common knowledge that no two analytics programs will have the exact same numbers, but there is one thing they will agree on – they will undercount the number of visitors to your site using Firefox.
A significant portion of Firefox users have added the NoScript add-on to their browser. This is one of the top-10 most popular extensions for Firefox. This extension blocks any javascript calls that the user doesn’t approve of. Blocking javascript causes Urchin, Google Analytics, Webtrends, etc to not work. These tracking services never see the traffic because NoScipt blocks it.
The best way to figure out the real traffic to your site is to also look at your own weblogs on your server. Most hosting packages should come with a weblog analytics tool at no extra charge. The hosting company I have used since 2001 provides access to our internal stats and we routinely compare to Google Analytics.
If you don’t have access to your weblogs, request it or change hosting companies. This information is crucial when creating media kits to send to potential advertisers because your traffic volume is one of the key decision points.
David Mullings is co-Founder and CEO of Realvibez Media, an integrated media and entertainment company focused primarily on
Even Stylish Shoes Can’t Make Dry Legs Look Good!
Lux Silk Nourishment used this very creative outdoor campaign to promote silky skin from using their products.
In Jakarta, India, the bark on these trees was used to represent dry skin and the shoes added were doing their best to make them look good. Maybe this goal wasn’t reached, but the advertising strategy used by Lux sure drew a lot of attention!
Source: Ads of the World
Anti Smoking Goes Interactive
We see the anti-smoking ad campaigns every where we turn; yet they seem to have little effect on smokers.
QUIT realizes this as well and will be attempting a new approach to advertising and marketing with launching an Interactive Poster Campaign.
According to Trendhunter, the ads have been put up in place of public ashtrays around London. Each ashtray box features an image with a cut out in the shape of lungs… as people use the ashtray, they see the lungs fill with ash and cigarette butts.
Targeting all smokers with the campaign, Steve Crone of QUIT says, “The campaign has been designed to make smokers think about the effects of their habit, and most importantly signpost them toward the help available if they do want to quit. ”
Do you think the shock factor will be effective?
Source: Trendhunter
I Want a Mac
This spot is yet another interesting approach to highlighting the creative tools available on a Mac. Apple does an excellent job of leveraging the creative appeal of its computers and operating systems to a generation of consumers who like to generate content. The tide is shifting in favor of Apple and their creative toolset.
I’ve been a PC user for years, but the time is coming, very soon, where I will be joining the Apple bandwagon.
compliments of american copywriter
Deceptive Drug Ads?
Like the Jedi Force, marketing is not inherently good or evil. When well-executed, it is influence. It is powerful. I remember first seeing Merck’s and Schering-Plough’s Vytorin ads(both print and tv) and thinking that they were quite clever and effective. But sometimes, the law decides that it needs to step in. Three pharmaceutical companies are facing scrutiny at a hearing that deals with deceptive television ads.
The ads in question are Merck’s and Schering-Plough’s Vytorin, Pfizer’s Lipitor, and Johnson & Johnson’s Procrit commercials. And what’s deceptive about them?
The Lipitor ad features the inventor of the artificial heart. Doesn’t sound like too big of a deal. But the only problem is that he appears to be dispensing medical advice—and he’s not a practicing physician. The commercial for Vytorin was pulled after a study revealed that it doesn’t lower cholesterol any better than an older generic drug. And Procrit, which treats the anemia related to chemotherapy, represented itself as a way to deal with “cancer fatigue.”
Head of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce investigative panel, Democrat Bart Stupak, called for tighter restrictions on direct to consumer ads, saying “Pharmaceutical companies should consider it a privilege to be allowed to air DTC ads in this country…We should make sure that pharmaceuticals companies conduct themselves responsibly.”
Representatives from the companies–as well as several Republican lawmakers–say that the ads motivate consumers to get more information and see their doctors. Republican John Shimkus of Illinois also brought up the point that the FDA has not had the chance to crack down on these ads since they’ve been granted the power to do so earlier in the year.
Next week, the FDA will hold its own hearing regarding the ads.
The only other country to allow drug companies to promote ads to consumers is New Zealand. I’m curious what other Beneath the Brand readers think about the issue: if drug companies should be able to market directly to consumers with or without restrictions—or if they should be allowed to market DTC at all. It’s not a cut and dry issue.
Marketing folks are a creative bunch—one run through the Vytorin ad will tell you that. But there are ways to help connect consumers with quality products and services without deception.
Read the whole article at Reuters.
Leading With Insight
Matthew Milan at Critical Mass posted a very interesting presentation to slideshare call Leading with Insight. It is a thought provoking look on how critical it is to be insightful and use it as means to inspire and lead. The presentation gives clear instructions on how approach things in a manner that is thoughtful and creative. Can you and your brand use insight as a guiding principal to identify solutions and provide solutions that are truly amazing?
I would have liked to be in the room when this presentation was delivered.
Here’s looking at you, Jeff.
There are times when I mention to people that I work in advertising that I get “the look.” “The look” is that facial expression that says, “Oh, you’ll do anything to make a quick buck.” While I can see how some commercials, direct mail and promotions can be viewed as being less than wholesome, I’ve always thought of my job as adding value to a brand. Building relationships. Communicating product benefits. Creating a dialogue with consumers. My work is ultimately about promoting good will not bad feelings.
A few days ago, I got an earful when Jeffery Pollack, Commissioner of the World Series of Poker® (WSOP), announced changes to the largest and most historic poker tournament in the world. Pollack introduced “enhancements” to the Main Event by altering the tournament structure.
In the past, the WSOP Main Event ran with few breaks until one person ended up with all the chips. It was a marathon no-limit hold’em game with a huge prize pool.
This year, the tournament will only be played until nine players remain (known as the “final table”). Then, the game will be suspended for four months. In November, these nine players will reconvene to play the final table.
The reason? To create more promotional (read: sponsorship) opportunities for ESPN, Harrah’s casino and maybe the players. ESPN thinks they can better hype the most famous tournament in the world by promoting the action leading up to the final table (on their network, of course) and making celebrities out of the nine players (regardless of their wishes).
Following this news, many poker players have been chastising Harrah’s, ESPN and the Players Advisory Council for breaking tradition and turning the Main Event into even more of a circus. Most feel delaying the outcome of the tournament will inconvenience and possibly endanger the players, create opportunities for collusion and change how the players will play after having more time to study the game and their opponents. Some compare the changes to playing three quarters of the Super Bowl, stopping the action and then playing the final quarter three months later.
In this case, I have to agree with the average poker player who thinks this is a bad idea. Since players are the ones paying the $10,000 entry fee, they should have a say in any program changes. Manipulating the most prestigious poker tournament to better suit the sponsors is a blatant violation of good brand stewardship. Bastardizing the Main Event to squeeze out some more promotional dollars does little to boost the WSOP brand’s integrity.
I imagine the next time I see Jeff Pollack, I’ll be the one giving “the look.”
Technorati Tags: anything to make a quick buck, Jeffery Pollack, World Series of Poker, poker tournament, WSOP Main Event, ESPN, Harrah’s
Obama, Clinton & Chisholm
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton represent a changing of the guard in presidential politics. Yet, the concept of a black American and a woman running for the highest office in the nation is still novel to some. Look around. This is a historic moment. Regardless of who wins the primaries, politics will be a little bit different from now on. This important moment was made possible in part by the audacity of individuals who personified the change they sought. Mavericks have a natural tendency to stand out from the crowd. But when they inspire others who in turn inspire others, they can fuel movements that resonate long enough to affect tomorrow’s leaders. If you look closely enough at the Clinton and Obama campaigns you can see the legacy of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. Nine elections ago, she was Barack and she was Hillary.
I’ve got no credit at Ad Age.
I still remember the day I heard about Hal Riney passing away. As a student of advertising, I can recall the initial launch of campaigns like “It’s perfect. It’s Perrier.” and “It’s morning again in America.” So, I was saddened by the news and sought comfort online from advertising’s trade publications.
Naturally, I turned to Advertising Age to read up on Hal and relive the glory days. After reading an opening paragraph, I clicked “Full Article” to find out more. And that’s when it hit me. “The article you have chosen costs 1 credit.”
WHAT? One credit?
I have to pay to read an obituary? Ad Age wants to charge me for an article that eulogizes an advertising iconoclast? The very man who helped reshape the industry, which this publication is supposedly devoted to? Where’s the compassion? Where’s the journalistic integrity? Where’s the good will?
Now, I know that newspapers and magazines are suffering from declining advertisers and readership, and they need to find new sources of revenue. But charging people to read an obituary is nothing less than outrageous.
I can see how Ad Age would want to charge online viewers for original content or words of wisdom written by well-respected columnists. But asking them to pay to read about the passing of a renowned adman is just plain wrong.
This kind of content control reeks of greed. It redefines Ad Age’s brand from a supporter of the community to that of an industry leech. On that gloomy day in March, Hal Riney wasn’t the only advertising legend that passed on. My belief that us ad guys are all in this together also died.
RIP Hal.
Technorati Tags: Hal Riney, “It’s perfect. It’s Perrier.”, “It’s morning again in America.”, Advertising Age
Google, Art and Subtly
This past weekend in the meatpacking district of NYC, Google promoted their collaboration with artists for iGoogle by projecting imagery on the side of buildings and creating a tented lounge that included computer stations on the street. Google event marketing manager Lorin Pollack staged this 3-day event starting Thursday May 1. Imagery was produced by various artists including,?Tory Burch, ?Coldplay, ?Oscar de la Renta ?Dolce & Gabbana, ?Michael Graves, and my favorite Jeff Koons and were projected for 4 hours each night.
Although I watched these projections for about 10 minutes on Saturday night, I had no idea this was a Google project. I didn’t learn what this was about until I “Googled” it Monday morning.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1UJF4aK1s0
Talk about subtle.
I am all for low-key marketing events and ones that celebrate the art rather then the brand but frankly I am amazed that I had no idea who produced this. Not a Google logo in site.
It’s too bad that I was not impressed and that it looked like an old fashioned slide show from a 35mm carousel with cuts to black between and no real moving video, just stills ala Ken Burns style or at least that was my perception.
But for a company that does almost no promotion, advertising etc. here I am talking about them!
What Do You Share
Here’s an interesting video compliments of Punk Planning via paul isakson. It’s a bit over 3 minutes but worth the watch.
The video is a nice presentation on the online experience and what it means for a lot of people. It’s also poses an interesting questions for brands and how they communicate with individuals. In the past, it was about control and mass communication. Today, it’s about empowering people and allowing them to share their thoughts and experiences, not those given to them by traditional marketing.
The interesting quote that grabbed me was about 2:30 into the bit. “Why are people drawn to these communities? They want to socialize and get recognition for the work they do.” We want to be recognized for who we are and what we do. You are what you share.
50 Greatest Commercial Parodies
Nerve.com has posted the top 50 commercial parodies of all time. It’s a hysterical collection of spots from a variety of places that will give you a good run down memory lane as well as a solid belly laugh on occasion.
Does your brand have enough confidence in itself to be the punch line in a joke every now and again? If I am ever a brand manager, I hope that my advertising is good enough to be made fun of. Check out the full list over at Nerve.com
Not Just Another Cooking Show
Branding each of the shows on The Food Network is crucial to keeping us coming back and not just saying, “another cooking show?” Their branding is conscious and effective, from the logos right down to the atmosphere of each kitchen.
Starting with the powerhouse 30-minute meals with Rachel Ray, the angle here is fast meals, made by someone just like you–but better. Her logo’s font looks like a futuristic courier new, an efficient, get-the-job done workhorse. But there’s a serif on the “i” that extends backwards instead of the dot that should be there, tipping us off to the fact that this is not your average cooking show. What we will actually be watching is a fiery and charming woman conduct a three-ring circus for a half-hour that miraculously ends with a bombastic and tastefully twisted comfort food. Her kitchen also suggests this. It’s organized, efficient, with crayon inspired colors.
Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller projects the attitude that if you are methodical, you will be able to keep the chaos of the modern world at bay. With a little planning and pre-prep on the weekends, you can quickly create three healthy and delicious meals during the week for your family. Her logo is an all caps, serif font on ruled paper that resembles a schedule. No nonsense here. The logo is warmed up by her handwritten name. Once we come into her kitchen, we know that kids “live here.” Her counter is cluttered: dishes in the drainer, scattered appliances, thermoses, bowls of fruit, a cookie jar. The color palate of her counter-top items are pastel and rainbow colored, like a child’s toy box. Through rather fussy looking “mom” curtains we see a lush back yard. Her dishes are classic to the extreme: few surprises, nothing spicy, and all kid-friendly.
To get an idea of the tone of Guy’s Big Bite, just picture a bunch of guys sitting around and shooting pool in their rec room. Guy, with bleach blonde hair, tattoos, and skater style guides us through meals that blend nostalgic fun with big flavors, such as fried pepperoni lasagna with a grape soda cocktail. He’s a big kid–just take a look at his kitchen with its racecar-inspired fridge. Just beyond the open kitchen we see a bar and a pool table. His logo is done in a poster-style font that narrows at the top of the letters–making them appear monumental and also suggesting in a Star Wars-type way the fun that we will have during his half hour.
Much like Guy’s concoctions, Tyler’s Ultimate revolves around the dishes that we remember from childhood. But this is not your mom’s nostalgic cooking. Nope—it’s much more masculine than that. This time they are THE BEST. Ever. Tyler’s meals are not really about speed. He creates the ultimate foods by starting with classic dishes: enchiladas, chicken cacciatore, chicken salad sandwiches–and uses fresh, quality ingredients in big portions. Again, the logo tells the whole story: it gives us a sense of “back when” by clicking around like old film. The font also looks like vintage letterpress. The masculine factor is evident in the block style font and calligraphic elements recalling tattoo art. Additionally, Tyler’s kitchen is truly a kitchen for a dude. The low key tomatillo-green tiles and gash of exposed brick wall recede and provide the perfect backdrop to highlight the utensil-heavy no-nonsense kitchen. This workshop feel extends all the way to the foodservice dishwashing hose in the sink.
Are all toys going virtual?
Will all toys soon have a digital component?
Lego seems to think so!
Can you believe that kids spend over 5 billion hours playing with Legos each year? This number could triple or even increase 10 fold with the launch of a new massive multiplayer online game called Lego Universe.
The idea of these virtual worlds of toys is not a new idea, however they are becoming more and more popular and Lego is following right in step.
You buy the traditional toy, the Barbie, the Legos, the stuffed animal Webkinz, and register the code it comes with online. This registration allows you to enter into an online world where kids play with a virtual version of their real life toy and interact with other kids around the world.
Lego Universe, will have characters who can buy Lego bricks and other tools for building. However, whereas in games like WebKinz the virtual characters have to earn their money through virtual jobs, the Lego characters “earn” their currency through time spent playing, Trendhunter describes.
Not revealing too much info on the details of the game, Brian Booker, the game’s designer says, “Aside from just playing games or trading and socializing, the story allows minifigs to team up—and that’s when the real adventuring begins. If the teams of little LEGO people are successful in their endeavors, they’ll uncover new zones where they can have new and different experiences…”
Lego Universe will also differ in the fact that rather than winning or beating an opponent, players build capital by spending time in the game. “The more a child plays, they collect more coins and more bricks. The more you play, the more you get to build things,” Hansen said.
Can you imagine what kind of addiction this will lead to?
Source: Trendhunter, Reuters
What are your thoughts on virtual toys? Does it encourage spending too much time online and not enough time outside? Are these toys educational?
Who’s behind the PR?
In a recent Adweek article, Hunter College professor Stuart Ewen criticizes a viral campaign created by students at Hunter College for a class project. This successful campaign featured Heidi Cee, who was duped into paying a reward for her lost handbag that wasn’t hers. Instead, it was a knock-off. Using MySpace and Facebook, Heidi begins a quest to find this dishonest person and inform everyone who will listen about the horrors and dangers of counterfeiters. She hosts events on campus and even creates a YouTube video.
But something is rotten in Denmark. On May 16, 2007, Heidi confesses that she is not a real person but a class project that was sponsored by Coach and the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition. Here’s where it gets interesting.
Soon after the campaign was over, Professor Ewen (who did not teach the class) was shocked to learn that this course was sponsored by an outside organization. So much so, that he filed a complaint Hunter’s senate academic freedom committee. But that wasn’t enough. To combat this immoral education, Ewen embarked on a PR campaign of his own. On February 15, 2008, he hosted a seminar (which he helped organize) called “Where the Truth Lies: A Symposium on Propaganda Today.” And today - ONE YEAR LATER - he continues to promote his indignation in news articles and blogs. As well as the aforementioned Adweek article.
So, let me see if I get this right. Last year, Hunter College offered a course where college kids were given financing and an opportunity to create a program for a real client with a real problem which can give them real world results and experience. And this is bad because…?
It seems to me that Ewen, a self-proclaimed expert on PR, either doesn’t understand how the real world works or… maybe he does.
By the way, his book, PR! A Social History of Spin, is available at a bookstore near you.
Technorati Tags: viral campaign, Heidi Cee, International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition
Making the best of my spam
In my office e-mail, I typically find 40 junk e-mails a day. Our IT guy tried tightening the screws on incoming e-mails which eliminated these communications, but it also filtered out too many e-mails coming from outside vendors and family. So I requested that he let them fill my inbox.
As a copywriter, I appreciated the creative thinking that went into many of the posts. So I searched for a way to make the most of my spam. Inspired by Reunion’s “Life is a Rock” and Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” I decided to create a Spam Song using mostly headlines (with misspellings and typos). I encourage you to create your own Spam Song and post it.
My Spam Song
Bomb her womb from your huge cannon!
We offer business loans up to $1 million
Change your garden tool into a POWER DRILL
Five results of using a blue-pill!
A couple of inches never hurt anyone
Top Rated Online Casin0 - We’re serious about fun.
Your girl will be happy to see this large love gun!
Perfectly crafted timepieces. Your satisfaction
Your health
Your order
The Dance of Love
Your account
[no subject]
Extra income
Top Designer Shoes 60% OFF Gucci
Feel your male superiority
You are nominated for a Ph.d
safe and secure online pharmacy
Herbal science comes to your rescue!
There is an ecard waiting for you.
tired of someone else telling you what to do?
it’s possible to have a 9-inch member too
Investor Alert
congratulations
dr. roland james
Replicas
blue pill
More Vegas games
Cheap luxury gifts for your girlfriend
Bend her over just like Beckham
HALF OFF Chanel Prada Dior
Fast shipping from our drugstore
Incredible results just in few weeks!
See her get instantly geeked!
Respond now to be debt free
100% Money Back Guarantee
Technorati Tags: e-mails, inbox, Spam Song
Musing on communication
How this for ironic. I was researching/surfing (sometimes this is a blurry line) on 2 items today, both forms of communicating and both so different in their delivery, Twitter and Crane’s. I guess I am compelled to communicate both electronically and the old fashioned way. As I was looking through the Crane’s website at it’s various designs for correspondence cards, I was thinking; what does this design say about me and who I am? What sublet (or not so subtle) messaging will I be expressing by sending thank you notes with a flower motif vs. the palm tree? How do these choices effect how people see me and my personal marketing message?
And on the other hand Twitter- I am so intrigued by this new form of communicating but (not unlike this blog) it begs the question- Will anyone really care what I am doing? Is that just my insecurities coming through or am I really just questioning the value of so much detail? Why am I so anxious about customizing my IM availability message or my Facebook “what are you doing now” message? Maybe because I spend many a meeting with my company President reminding him we need to streamline our message, keep it clean and not confuse the clients; that people don’t read, they won’t pay close attention to the message.
So which came first, the information overload or the inability to focus? Did this happen because of the barrage of 0 and 1s that come at us? Or did we as marketers (or individuals or capitalists) simply respond to the way people actually absorb information?
Well it’s 2008 and it’s the era of hyper connectivity and information accessibility. So why not put it out there?What’s my 20? My office in New York, and what am I doing? Blogging, or simply, putting it out there.
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