CBS Looks to the Past for a New Branding Initiative
CBS just crossed over into the brand extension zone. Or rather, they are making it easier for consumers to re-enter The Twilight Zone. In June, CBS Consumer Products unveiled “Television City.”
An executive at CBS said: “Television City will become the umbrella title for all our classic TV shows…will offer marketers…the ability to engage millions of consumers.”
With distinctive packaging and signage programs, this initiative offers classic TV series to both consumers and retailers:
The Twilight Zone, Cheers, Mighty Mouse, Beverly Hillbillies, The Little Rascals, Dynasty, The Love Boat, Taxi, and Rawhide.
Expect to see the first products under the “Television City” banner in 2009.
Source: www.worldscreen.com
Christine Babick is a marketing strategist and linguist specializing in marketing language, website text, “emo copy,” and cause and relationship marketing. More…
Grammar Girl
Just to dispel any myths, even professional writers have to turn to their resources sometimes to check a grammar rule. Most of us have grammar reference books lined up on our bookshelves or sitting on the desk in our office. I have also found some great online tools to utilize when in need or just to keep fresh on my grammar skills.
One of the most entertaining and, at the same time, useful resources that I have run up against is Grammar Girl. The Grammar Girl site allows you to subscribe to her podcast or RSS feed, receive the transcripts to the podcast or subscribe to her newsletter. So, whichever technology option you prefer, Grammar Girl has it for you! On a daily basis, Grammar Girl chooses a grammar topic or question and tackles it completely. She gives you the options from all possible angles.
So, whether you are a professional writer looking for an answer to your grammar puzzle or just a grammar freak, Grammar Girl is the site to check!
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/
P.S. Did I mention that Grammar Girl’s responses are always quick and dirty - not long and rambling? I mean, who has time for long and rambling?
Image is Everything
Aren’t those pretty bottles? I sure think so.
I haven’t tried the product yet, but every time I see the T.V. commercial, I make a mental note to pick it up next time we’re at the store.
Oh, and these breakfast bars? So good! And their quirky, fresh name just seals the deal for our family.
Heinz Pulls The Plug On Gay-Friendly Commercial
Sure, a picture like this one might evoke some outrage by a few overly conservative people. But seriously, a mayonnaise commercial being pulled off the air in the UK because two men are kissing is somewhat of a joke, especially since the UK has honored “partnerships” since 2005. I am curious how many commercials that are heterosexually racy in nature get pulled from the airwaves in the UK?Folks it’s 2008, have you seen Will and Grace, Queer as Folk, The L Word or shows like Family Guy and All-American Dad? Gay characters and images are on your TV already, a 30-second Heinz commercial isn’t going to hurt anything except Heinz’s relationship with the gay community in the UK.
Check out the commercial here to see what the fuss is all about.
Can marketing go too far?
Having grown up watching Jacque Cousteau and Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, I have always found watching television programs on foreign lands and how indigenous animals live there to be fascinating. But seeing how Animal Planet markets its documentary series on meerkats, it seems that, nowadays, learning about about the animal kingdom isn’t rewarding enough.
“Meerkat Manor” is a series that promises to be about more than some critters surviving in the South African desert. In this show, you’ll see love, jealousy, betrayal and vengeance. To help sell this show, the meerkats are given interesting names like Zaphod, Houdini, Maybelline and Rocket Dog. Their actions are personified with human characteristics. In addition, their daily lives are edited into a highlight reel of adventures and tragedies. To make these critters more marketable, the main subjects are part of a group called “Whiskers” while neighboring meerkats who aren’t part of the original group belong to a clan called the “Commandoes.”
It’s understandable that Animal Planet wants more viewers to tune in to their show. But turning an animal-life documentary series into a dramatic, action-packed reality TV show is just plain wrong. Animal instincts cannot and shouldn’t be tied into human emotions. Judging animal actions using society’s moral code of conduct is ridiculous. If Animal Planet wants to be a credible expert on animals, they would do better to present animals as they are and not market them as participants of the “Real World.”
Technorati Tags: Jacque Cousteau, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, Animal Planet, Meerkat Manor
Mad About Mad Men
Mad Men, in case you haven’t seen it, is an original series that started last year on AMC, about a New York City advertising agency, set in 1960.
The first season was fantastic: great writing, acting and art direction. And for those of us in the business, it’s also a journey back in time to an era where going to work at an ad agency, for men, meant wearing a suit (even creatives!), smoking a pipe and drinking the proverbial three martini lunch.
For women, it mostly meant being chased around the office by suit wearing, pipe smoking, drunken letches, but that’s part of what drives the series: dealing with the changing times the 60’s ushered in. The agency is a conservative place of business, but the characters that inhabit it are all being driven by issues like equal rights, freedom of expression and the need to question authority.
The added appeal of the series for me is experiencing an agency that predates computers, cellphones, and email. The IBM Selectric typewriter was the high-tech gadget in the office, hand-drawn boards were the presentation medium of choice, and people met face to face instead of firing off endless voice- and e-mails.
The new season doesn’t start until July, but I’m writing this now to beat everybody else who will be blogging about it next month, and to tell you that if you haven’t seen the first season, see it before the second season starts. You’ll enjoy it — particularly with a martini.
Steven Stark is a writer and creative director who is mad, but only in the good sense of the word. You can see his work and read some of his other musings here.
Out of the Mouths of Babes
My 5-year old daughter tells me that she had a picnic with the neighbor girls yesterday and that they snacked on “milk’s favorite cookie“.
A Comcast technician came to our house about a month ago to fix our wiring. At one point during this time, my daughter heads upstairs, telling me: “I just told the Comcastic guy that I’m going to play in my room now”.
We had to return something to Staples several weeks ago. My daughter took the opportunity to ask an employee: “Where are you ‘That was easy’ buttons?”
About a year ago, when my daughter was just beginning to read, we passed a strip mall on our way home from her preschool. From the back seat, I hear her exclaim: “T-Mobile. Stick together!”
Yep - there it was. A T-Mobile store was right there, among several other retailers.
Hmmmmm…. I can’t say that I or any other adult I know can recite these product tag lines so easily. But one thing’s for sure… the kids are definitely paying attention to advertising!
The battle of the brands on American Idol
The current American Idol competition is a good example on how a brand helps sell a product. In this case, the person is the brand. In the recent show, both finalists came off as talented young artists. Yet one singer seems to have a bigger advantage over the other. How is that possible? Let’s look at the two.
David Archuleta is your classic boy-next-door. Clean-shaven, energetic, sincere and honest. His wardrobe is typically plain and sometimes, downright dorky. He is very personable and comes across as a very vulnerable person. In his performances, Archuleta shows his yearning to be accepted by the audience. He delivers heart-felt renditions of the songs he sings.
David Cook is more of alternative rocker type of guy. In the beginning, he sported a soul patch, but now he’s grown it into full-on stubble. He wears jeans, black T-shirts and the occasional leather jacket. On the last show, he finished his outfit by wearing an orange wristband to show his support for hunger awareness. On stage, Cook sings as if he’s reading the lyrics from a teleprompter while strumming his “AC” branded guitar. He’s got the image down pat but his performances lack the passion, the anger or the lust that typically comes from rock and roll music he plays.
So which brand do you think has the ability to break out in the music industry? The innocent, baby-faced teen crooner? Or the clichéd wannabe alternative musician? If you asked me, my money’s on Archuleta. A performer who’s always giving on the stage is a far better brand than one who plays with a sense of entitlement.
Technorati Tags: American Idol, David Archuleta, David Cook
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.
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.
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
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.
Gary Coleman and Wife Head to Divorce Court
Former child star Gary Coleman and his wife headed to reality TV show Divorce Court in a bid to save their seven-month marriage, says SFGate.com.
It appears, in spite of their short tenure, the couple is already on the brink and are hoping advice from Divorce Court’s Judge Lynn Toler will turn the tide.
The issue being reported is that Coleman’s 22 year-old wife, Shannon, claims the actor acts like a five year-old, throwing temper tantrums when he doesn’t get his way.
Coleman, on the other hand, insists his wife doesn’t listen to him: “If I have to throw something or break something, that’s what’s going to happen.” His wife indicates that sometimes those objects are aimed in her direction.
I’d say that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If eHarmony’s Dr. Neil Clark Warren is correct in his assertion that compatibility is a significant factor in what makes a marriage work, this couple certainly doesn’t have much going for them. MainStreet.com reports they don’t even engage in sex. Could it be that maybe, just maybe, they should have never tied the knot in the first place? As Homer Simpson is fond of saying, “D’oh!”
While I take no pleasure in the thought of any couple going through divorce (I’ve been there, done that and it’s not pretty), and as much as I’d like to hope this couple makes it to their first anniversary, barring a miracle I don’t see it happening. What do you think?
PS: The first episode featuring Coleman and his wife Shannon airs Thursday, May 1.
Urban Vernacular Makes Its Way Into the Mainstream
For the past several years I’ve noticed the increasing use of urban lingo in the mainstream. I have noticed this particularly in evening newscasts. It is not uncommon to hear a news anchor or reporter say, “Can you tell us what went down?” or even “My bad.”
I distinctly remember the first time I heard the word “Bling” used outside of a Hip-hop video. It was an entertainment reporter describing a celebrity’s jewelry, of course. “Bling” has since made it’s way into everyday conversation from small town to expansive city and even has it’s own entry in the Webster’s Dictionary.
Most recently, I’ve encountered several television ads with slogans that reflect this trend. As tax season came and went, I’m sure you caught wind of H&R Block’s newest campaign, “You Got People.”
I’m interested to know if this use of urban vernacular was meant to attract an urban or younger, more hip audience or if the creative team simply overlooked this angle and went with “You Got People” to achieve a clear, culturally relevant phrase to express H&R Block’s new direction.
Another ad that has caught my attention with its distinct use of popular lingo is the newest installment of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority commercials, which have evolved from the familiar “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” to “Your Vegas is Showing.”
In what other ways have you noticed urban vernacular influencing mainstream ads?
Would you buy a car from…
I came across a great series of commercials for a new car dealership a while back. Its a dealer group in Norwell, MA. The Clay dealerships and their agency Boathouse Group get it. They understand how to disarm the buyer by poking fun at the retail auto industry and in the process gain an enormous amount of exposure not only locally, but internationally.
In a nutshell, the spot features a slightly overweight car salesmen, explaining the unseemly tactics traditional dealers will use to get your business. Why does it work, they get your attention as the guy disrobes while describing how Clay will show you the naked truth about the pricing for the car that you’re looking to buy.
The 4 spots debuted on YouTube.com last April and appeared on local cable. The spots are also supported by a website that lets you play a little game that help dress the nearly naked salesmen. Unfortunately, this microsite is no longer directly available from the Clay Cars home pages, but we’re giving you the key to the back door. Enjoy.
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Jimmy Kimmel Show to Use Live Ads
In a throwback to yesteryear and the early days of television, Late Night with Jimmy Kimmel will air live commercials. The idea is to trick viewers into watching the ads rather than TiVoing through them.
I’m old enough to remember live commercials, including the infamous Timex spot where pitchman John Cameron Swayze attached one of the watches to an outboard motor propeller blade and turned on the motor. Needless to say, it ended in disaster leaving Swayze to talk his way out of it. But, it got people talking! And isn’t that the idea?
In an effort to pay homage to live commercials, here’s that very one for your viewing pleasure…
Hulu Has Greatest Appeal to Boomers
You’d think younger people would be the ones most attracted to Internet television, right? That’s not the case with Hulu, so says Silicon Valley Insider reporting numbers from Hitwise.
Turns out, 47% of the traffic to the site, a joint venture between NBC Universal and News Corp, comes from people 55 and older. Only 17% of visits come from the crowd you would expect, 18 to 34 year-olds.
Tune into Hulu and what are you likely to see? Episodes of 24, The Office, 30 Rock and House, to name a few. Actually, despite the fact that, as the Insider says, it’s network TV, there is enough to please just about any viewer. (More movies though. Give me more movies!)
Regarding programming, Silicon Valley Insider says, “Hitwise’s numbers really shouldn’t suprise anyone because viewers of network TV in general are older, and Hulu consists largely of TV shows from NBC and Fox. Also, since Hulu’s closed beta test ended March 11, the Hitwise data covers mostly those invited to test the service, meaning media industry-types who also skew older.”
As to movies, the list isn’t bad and includes such titles as The Big Lebowski, Ice Age, The Jerk and Sideways. Quite a variety of genres are represented actually. Still, there are about as many movie clips as there are full-length films.
I guess time will tell as to how well Hulu stands up against the likes of Blinkx, which just launched its own broadband TV service called Blinkx BBTV and the almost ubiquitous YouTube.
As for me, whenever I need a break from work (or from watching HGTV, TLC and Nancy Grace with my spouse…and please don’t tell her I said that), you’ll likely find me tuning into Hulu.
Networks Welcome Back Gnu Shows Following Writer’s Strike
ABC says “It’s time to dream again.” NBC is welcoming everyone back with a familiar 70’s theme song. CBS showcases a large African antelope called the ‘gnu’ saying that it has all “gnu” shows. (Weird, I know.)
As scripted shows return to television following the end of the three month writer’s strike, the big 3 seem to be in a celebratory mood and hopefully optimistic. There is a sense that viewers are hungry for new episodes of their favorite shows and, as such, they should do well in the ratings.
They have reason to be. The landscape of shows - mostly reruns and reality shows - was pretty barren and this resumption of “real” programming is a welcome relief, at least to the networks. Whether it will be for the viewers remains to be seen.
Click here for a run-down of the upcoming schedule.
Bravo: Glitz and Glam Reality TV
Years ago I worked as a house parent at a group home for emotionally disturbed children in New Orleans. One afternoon, several of the kids and I were watching television when one asked, “Is that real?” I wasn’t sure what they were referring to, so they pointed to the television. I realized that this child didn’t know the difference between make-believe and reality, at least insofar as where the line was drawn on TV.
Had that child asked that question today, I’d have to possibly answer in the affirmative because, in the case of channels like Bravo, “reality” television is what it’s all about. Bravo has five such shows covering everything from top chefs to super-models with some glamorous housewives thrown in between. If you like glitz and glam, Bravo is the channel for you.
One person who loves all things celebrity is my friend Reed Dunn. Aside from being a celebrity maven, he is an avid blogger who talks about Bravo reality shows on Reality on Bravo. (Not only that, he covers one of the most popular reality shows, American Idol, on his Watching American Idol blog.)
It’s not unusual for Reed to score interviews with these rising stars and I’d put his opinion and analysis up against any Hollywood journalist.
If you love reality TV, you’ll likely love Bravo… and I bet you’ll like Reed too. Let me suggest you give him a “read.”
Hulu.com Launches to the Public Today
How many of you watch television on your computer? Lots of people do these days, and now they have another outlet, Hulu.com.
The site has now come out of private beta and launches to the public today. It sports episodes from 250 TV shows as well as 100 feature-length movies. NBC, Fox, MGM and Sony are just some of the companies providing content for the new site.
The site is advertising-driven, with 15 and 30 second ads that can’t be skipped. Also, even though average folk can’t upload content (Hulu ain’t YouTube after all.), they can download it for use on their blogs and Web sites.
Now, while my wife has the remote fixed on HGTV, I can finally watch something else. Thank you, Hulu!
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