So here's a question: What is the best way of advertisers to spread their message?
By getting the consumers to spread it themselves!
If user generated content can work for the digital space, then why not in more traditional methods instead?
Your's Irish Bar came up with a classic way of ensuring that their inebriated clientele would spread the word of not drinking and driving.
Drunk people are usually the bravest when it comes to karaoke and building on this concept, popular songs were modified to include lyrics that advertised the fact that the singers were drunk, what better way to spread the word?
A simple and yet impactful campaign.
Have a look at the silliness below:
Drunken Karaoke singers make the best advertisers
Greenpeace rise against 'the Capitol' Zara Hunger Games style
What would you do if protesting against a large organization seems to be rather in-effective?
Why make a video of course!
Greenpeace has been protesting against the harmful chemicals used in Zara clothing as part of their 'Detox' campaign. To aid their efforts, a video was put together in association with Free Range Media.
Video is the voice of the future and there is no better way to go viral with a message. So besides the big names in the game, how can can a video help?
The video created as part of the Detox campaign, was quite a creative venture. It borrowed the concept of the Hunger games, where a lone heroine from an exploited colony rises up against 'the Capitol' (Zara) to protest against the use of harmful chemicals and the pollution it causes all in the name of fashion, perpetuated by unknowing citizens. While the Hunger games is not directly referenced, any viewer who has seen the video can relate to it.
Done up in an anime style, the video is a fun watch and although not directly related to the campaign (or The Hunger Games) does get the point across via a feisty little heroine in her quest for justice.
Good thing Greenpeace won the protest.
Fifty Shades of a Book Delivery
It's the simple truth ... Sex sells. Marketers have often exploited this by incorporating suggestive and erotic themes into the visual element of ad copy to increase dwell time and engagement.
However this is the first time I have noticed an erotic theme to be used to sell books for a good cause.
Good Books have in their advert used extremely suggestive visuals (animated) and audio to promote their store while highlighting their charitable offering. While unusual, upon further thought it makes perfect sense.
The biggest readers of books, believe it or not are females, and in their lifetimes must have read plenty of fictional romances, which is still one of the most popular sections of any library and lets not forget the most popular book of the year Fifty Shades of Grey.
As this concept is popular and familiar with Good Books customers and readers, then utilizing an old theme in a fresh and un-conventional way is a rather unique method of introducing a fresh and unique brand concept.
And readers are still riding high from their last reading of Fifty Shades, so they are sure to get the reference. What do you think?
Donate a Condom
#1share#1condom is a great initiative by Durex for World Aids Day. For every person who shares a tweet with the hashtag #1share#1condom or share Durex's Aids image or video (seen below) on December 1st, Durex will donate one condom. The target set is 2.5 million condoms representing the 2.5 million who were newly infected with HIV in 2011.
What I love about this campaign, is that it is a great initiative and generates awareness for a worthy cause. By encouraging people to tweet & share, not only are they encouraging people to spread the word, but it is being done for a good cause, making the task a little more easier and rewarding for everyone involved.
While an excellent CSR program, it seamlessly combines offline & online marketing. By donating condoms, durex is increasing brand awareness through traditional methods, but by marketing through online and social channels, it is more cost effective, targeted and increases user engagement online, through increase in mentions, likes & YouTube views.
Making it overall a very successful campaign across all fronts. #1share#1condom.
John St/ Buyral - Digital Marketing the effective way
When there are over 72 hours of video uploaded every minute on YouTube, it is not an easy task for a video to go viral. Just as competitive is the marketing & advertising industry, especially with new agencies being set up who specialize in digital. So how does an agency display its creativity and explain its offering, all while distinguishing itself from the competition?
The John St. way!
John St. are a talented marketing agency with a digital skill set. In order to position themselves as a creative and successful agency who pride themselves on customer satisfaction, they put together a campaign which not only displays their innovation but effectively communicates their competency as a digital agency with a result oriented approach.
I call this the 'clicking' campaign. The video, which is the central feature, and in uploaded on YouTube, their website and campaign microsite, displays employees of a fictional company 'Buyral' whose sole purpose is to click on videos to increase views and guarantee the virality of the video. The simple business model being the greater the investment, the greater the clicks, and the video goes viral.
This is true for any online distribution model, where greater the investment, the higher the chances of viewership, leading to an increase in company KPI's, but while this sounds rather dry and boring, John St. are able to communicate the idea in an extremely fun and engaging way, the video in itself being an absolute delight to watch.
So this translates to me as: If you want your marketing campaign to be innovative, creative, engaging and cost effective all while meeting company goals, then go with Buyral... oops I mean John St.
Old Spice - Stop trying
Old Spice have created another ad, as seen below.
To state the obvious the ad has no purpose, does not make sense and cannot possibly reclaim the fame of bygone ads. Are Wieden+Kennedy losing their touch?
Enough said.
Here's is their latest one, rather than working on something good they are just churning them out
Seriously Old Spice, stop trying too hard.
Ethnic Playboy - the Bunny in a Sari
When you hear Playboy what comes to mind?
To me its nudity, women, and more nudity..... and of course the bunnies.
So what happens when you introduce such a flamboyant brand into a conservative market such as India? It can either be a massive success or a dismal failure.
The Playboy magazine in-itself cannot be obtained in India, but that does not mean the brand is not well known and popular. The lack of availability of its reading material has not stopped Playboy from investing about $37 million within the Indian market by planning to open a range of clubs, hotels, fashion cafes across the country within the next 10 years, all of course to Indian standards, which means the introduction of a more suitable and conservative bunny.
Localisation of a brand is always an important strategy especially when entering new markets, with different cultural backgrounds and sensitivities, but how will this affect the success of a brand whose recognition is built around the exact opposite attributes of the country it is hoping to invest in.
The people of India are quite familiar with the Playboy brand and its values, and based on their knowledge, they would have a certain standard of expectations which would not be delivered within this more ethnic framework, which will certainly affect the success of the brand within the country.
While it is always great to expand and localise, perhaps it is not a great idea to launch in a country whose values are not aligned with that of the brand, as this can lead to an overall disappointing experience for customers and the brand alike.
Ref: Who's Sari Now? by Mark J Miller on BrandChannel
The anti Coca Cola ad
What is one of biggest causes of obesity in children? Sugary drinks namely fizzy drinks and colas.
And what is the biggest name in Cola and the no. 1 brand in the world? Coca - Cola.
And who is their lovable mascot? The Polar Bear.
So if the Center for Science in the Public Interest wanted to show the effects of consuming too much sugar then how else to show it but on the iconic Polar Bear.
This ad depicts all the side-effects of too much sugar and diabetes on the Polar Bear, the well known mascot of Coca Cola, leaving no doubt that it is an anti ad.
With colorful animations and enticing music this ad aimed at kids discourages them from consuming too much fizzy drinks, and is a definite dig at the largest brand in the world. View the ad below
Nokia takes on Apple
It seems that when every brand wants to launch a new mobile product, be it either a phone or a tablet, a comparison has to be made to Apple and its followers.
Apple enthusiasts are usually portrayed as mindless zombies all following the same command 'Buy Apple' but considering the majority of the people to own an iPhone or iPad and the target customers for other brands how would they react to being called as such?
Basically what every other brand such as Samsung or Nokia are doing are referring to their own target market as mindless, un-thinking individuals who just follow the masses, so are they meant to listen to the ad and switch allegiances?
The concept of comparing to Apple does nothing to the individual brand, as rather than bringing out the benefits it just puts the competitive brand down, as well as the concept is being over-used.
Here's hoping for more originality. Have a look at Nokia's ad for the launch of Lumia:
Which social media site drives the most traffic and has the highest conversions?
Which social media site drives the most traffic for retailers online? And which one makes the most money?
These are both important questions any social media manager would like to know while deciding company social strategy.
RichRelevance conducted a comparison study and benchmarked performance of Facebook, Twitter and Pintrest of traffic and retail sales from nearly 700 million shopping sessions an found the following results:
- Facebook dominates in driving the most traffic
- Pintrest drives more revenue per session
- Pintrest (11%) had a much larger session share than Twitter (3%), images work much better to drive traffic than text
- Facebook had the largest page views per session and the highest same session conversion
Therefore while both channels are important, their strategic relevance depends on overall social strategy and how these channels fit within it.
The full infograph can be be viewed here 'Who's driving shopping traffic for retail sales?'
Angry Birds: How far can you stretch a brand?
How far can you stretch a brand?
Angry Birds is set to release its latest installment 'Angry Birds: Star Wars' the 5th special edition after the success of the original game. But how far can it be stretched out? While the game itself is quite popular, by trying to re-create the success of the original is the brand name at risk?
Most of the special editions, while moderately successful, have not been able to re-create the same bang as the original, therefore resulting in rather creative extensions such as Angry Birds Rio, which is based around the popular movie Rio. This combination works rather well as the both protagonists are of the feathery kind, however the latest launch of Angry Birds Star Wars is rather perplexing. Is it just related to Angry Birds Space, or are Rovio getting a bit desperate and employing the bigger names in Hollywood (with a significant following may I add) to revive the game? There may be a lot in common between those who play Angry Birds and those who are Star Wars fans but how far and many movies and extensions will be employed before the brand is allowed to rest?
The danger of employing too many releases too soon, fragments the angry birds experience and the overall brand, cluttering what was once a clean experience. Let's hope Rovio don't loose the brand essence with too many editions. Let's see how long Rovio can keep this up for. Here's a look at the trailer for Angry Birds: Star Wars, I can't wait to see what the gameplay will be like.
Social Metrics - Quality vs Quantity in the Cola Wars
The effectiveness of social conversation usually revolves one key topic Quality vs. Quantity of followers and which is more important to measure social success.
There are many arguments for and against both, but this can be illustrated using a classic example of the Coke wars.
Coca Cola and Pepsi have been battling it out since time immemorial , and now with the advent of digital this has just moved to a different sphere, the social world.
Crisp Social put together a nifty infograph on the 'Epic Battle of the Bubbles', where it compared the performance of both brands in key areas (winners in bold):
- Total Fans - Coca Cola 51 million vs Pepsi 8 million
- Engagement Days - Coca Cola 51 days vs Pepsi 73 days
- Engaged more than once - Coca Cola 25% vs Pepsi 48%
- Engaged with Page - Coca Cola 0.8% vs Pepsi 5.3%
- Mobile Engagement - Coca Cola 35% vs Pepsi 52%
However while it's all fun to look at percentages, it is the actual numbers which make a difference so here is my take on it:
- Total Fans - Coca Cola 51 million vs Pepsi 8 million
- Engagement Days - Coca Cola 51 days vs Pepsi 73 days
- Engaged more than once - Coca Cola 12.75m (25%) vs Pepsi 3.84m (48%)
- Engaged with Page - Coca Cola 4m (0.8% ) vs Pepsi (4.24m) 5.3%
- Mobile Engagement - Coca Cola 17.85m (35%) vs Pepsi (4.16m) 52m
It is next to impossible to say which metric is better, as they both work together. A large of quantity of followers is essential but as long as they are of high quality. This will certain affect the overall quality of engagement with the brand.
What is integrated advertising?
So what is Integrated Advertising?
The advertising landscape is changing. Previously all advertising was one way where the message was broadcasted to the consumers. Changing technology and the development of the internet have led to new mediums through which advertisers can target consumers. Digital marketing activities have a more focused approach where different consumers can be targeted directly and strategically. Consumers also have the ability to generate free advertising through social media. But while there are pros to new mediums, it also has its cons. With so many new channels, consumers have become adept at multi-tasking usually using multiple devices at the same time, therefore there is no guarantee of an ad being viewed by the consumers. Attention is divided which also has an affect on the overall remembrance of the ad.
So what is the solution? Integrated Advertising which is basically "combining several media channels and tools under one big idea to produce a greater experience for the consumer". In doing so by using multiple channels to showcase the same message, it is not only has a higher chance of being viewed but it reinforces the message for the consumer.
Saatchi & Saatchi have put together this lovely little video to demonstrate the entire concept. Obviously the question of where an agency fits in to the entire process is questioned but as Saatchi & Saatchi state the agency is the navigator who makes sure the message and delivery is consistent across all channels.
While it is certainly possible for a company to launch an integrated campaign in-house they may not always have the resource to do so, so therefore with a little bit of education, humor and fear Saatchi & Saatchi make the case for an agency.
Kelloggs: The Importance of the Start
There are few ads that I see these days which make me go 'Aww' or just 'Wow', and Kellogg's I'm happy to say did just that. Building on the Olympics theme, the key point of the message was not to focus on how we end something, but how we begin which ties in very well with their positioning of Kellogg's being the ideal breakfast choice.
The ad has an emotional appeal targeting mum's who want their kids to have the perfect start to the day, but by using a maternal touch it added a strong resemblance to P&G's 'Thanks Mom' campaign. Of course it certainly helped to base it on US swimming champion and record breaker Rebecca Soni as well.
See the heart warming ad below:
Be key free with Ford
Ford's Key Free Technology, a simple way of unlocking your car without any keys, rather the car automatically unlocks upon detection within a certain proximity.
But how do you depict the value of this technology? the time savings, ease of use etc?
Well all Ford did was create an App that allowed you to use your smartphone to log in to your social accounts Facebook, Twitter etc via Bluetooth. Just put in your log in details and once, and the phone does the rest whenever its within proximity of the desktop!
What I love about it is that it is amazingly simple, useful and still depicts the value of the technology all while staying to the true essence of the product... a genius idea!
P&G : A Family Affair
P&G is taken quite a parental spin on its products and the Olympics.
While its 'Thanks Mom' campaign is doing great, it was nice to see this lovely little commercial for Gillette and Here's to Dad. It features several well known athletes who acknowledge the role their father's have played in their lives, and while Mum's are given most of the credit in raising us, it's good to see father's being acknowledged for their role especially in the sports arena which ties in rather well with the Olympics, so Here's to Dad.
Coca Cola: Reasons to believe in India
Coca Cola arguably the world's best brand has one of the best branding strategies. Why focus on the product when you can focus on the value it brings?
That is in essence the 'Open Happiness' campaign. Coca-Cola is currently trying to make some headway into the Indian market, which is one tough market to crack, with strong competition from Pepsi.
So the 'Open Happiness' campaign has been taken one step further backed up by a significant increase in investment, with Coca Cola's corporate citizenship program.
It's not just what a product can do for a person, but what a company can do for a country, see the video below:
Re-branding London & New York
What's in a name?
Well if London is to be believed then not much, as the landmark will remain the same. For those confused, I am referring to the change in name of London's 'Big Ben' to 'Elizabeth Tower'. Is it so easy to re-name an icon of a city, especially since the tower had been constructed in 1859? Majority of the populace don't seem to agree and with good reason. A city's icon is its symbol, by changing the name, its history is being affected.
Sure 'Elizabeth Tower' is a noble undertaking for a well respected Monarch, and 'Big Ben' may not make much sense but is it wise? Perhaps this is a decision which needs more thought than a simple show of hands in the Parliament.
For more information London's Big Ben to be renamed Elizabeth Tower
Removing the Heart from NY
The classic I <3 NY campaign has been one of the most timeless success stories of all time. It has often been confused as a promotion for New York city rather than NY State, so to freshen things up, the state decided to relaunch the campaign except asking people to replace the heart with things they love about NY.
What an amazing idea! It's fresh and completely relies on user generated content (UGC). It is just dis-heartening to see the <3 removed.
It would have been a great idea, perhaps if not tampering with the existing campaign which is after a classic. Ref: I (Blank) New York: Iconic Campaign Gives Its Heart Away
McDonalds photo shoot: Honesty in Advertising?
Is honesty the best policy when it comes to advertising?
McDonalds' tested that question when it decided to answer one of their fans questions (and I'm sure this is not the first time they have been asked that) of 'Why does my food look different in real life than in advertisements?'
Rather than simply stating it is due to the wonders of photography and photoshop, McDonalds went quite creative with a video which demonstrated the entire process.
What were people's reactions?
Well on a personal level I found it to be quite a bold and striking move. A fascinating watch, the video depicts the whole process not forgetting to mention that all the ingredients used were the same as in the actual burger.
Most companies are secretive and hush - hush but McDonalds through this video embraces what social is about through its complete transparency, plus why hide something clearly everyone knows, that an advert is only an ad after all. See the complete McDonalds ad below:
Although this brings to mind the question, if its not ethical for models to be photoshopped, is it ethical for advertisements to enhance products for their sale? Or should they come with a disclaimer as well?
See Asia like the Asians... do you find this ad racist?
This Ad by Multipass Travel Agency in the Ukraine has stirred up a debate on it being racist.
I personally am not a fan of the creative or the execution...what do you think?
Shoes Shoes Shoes, A Cinderella story
What do women like? Shoes Shoes Shoes ... and guys.
'Shoes Shoes Shoes' is also the name of a Malaysian independent shoe retailer who combined both these likes into one of the most clever campaigns seen.
The concept: What if you could get a guy according to your taste in shoes, while simultaneously getting a discount on shoes?? too good to be true? or so I thought but perhaps having a live man on display in the storefront would convince the disbelievers otherwise.
The video below describes the whole campaign.
What I like about 'Shoes Shoes Shoes' the most, besides their amazing name which would do wonders on SEM, is their ability to identify a need of their customers and promptly come up with a solution that adds value to the brand, increases engagement & sales, all while satisfying their needs and the needs of men who are now presented with more opportunities to date.
If you were to meet your future husband after he got you a pair of shoes wouldn't you want to shop there forever?
Virgin ... can it do no wrong?
Most companies by now would have diversified into a family of brand names each according to a set category but Virgin, and I have sung their praises before, have managed to successfully apply the same brand across a wide variety of products.
While water purifiers may seem a bit random at best, I truly believe that Virgin deserve to be included in the list of best of global brands due to their sheer ability of adapting their brand from just a name to a lifestyle choice and maintaining its image through what may come.
Pepsi vs. Coca Cola ... the battle rages on
What better way to get consumers to try your product than the classic taste test?
Of course I never expected that this would be take place between age old rivals Pepsi & Coca Cola. In the day of multi-million dollar advertising, and superbowl commercials, it is still humbling to see that the most effective way of converting people is through the modest yet effective product sampling.
I wonder what will Coca Cola will have to say to that?
Of Kittens & Firemen
What do women like?
Kittens & Firemen seems to be the obvious answer, or at least that's what Sauza Tequila are going for with their Axe effect ad.
Using a combination of adorable sexiness, this ad hopes to appeal to women, and while sure it's cute to see, but does it really sell tequila?
It does not reflect very well, that Sauza believe that their target audience will react by just displaying what they believe all women like, maybe after a few shots first....altho I may be biased to admit I might just toss my fictional cat up a tree :-)
Lynx / Axe for Men and Women? Unleash the Chaos!
So what happens Lynx (or Axe as some people know it) decide to launch a fragrance designed for both men and women? Chaos it seems, as seen in their latest campaign 'Unleash the Chaos'.
Why this sudden foray into unisex fragrances? Was the male market not sustainable? Or is it plain market expansion?
Either way they realized that attractions work two ways and should be capitalized on. But what does this mean for a brand who built its platform solely around men with their USP being attractiveness to women? Needless to say Lynx (or Axe) will have to aggressively push their brand to balance this gender in-equality.
Does this herald a move in brand position? How successful this strategy is needs to be seen as they enter an already highly competitive and segregated women's fragrance market where the concept of a product attracting the opposite gender is not a new one.
Buy a Cannes Lions Grand Prix
This one is a bit different than my usual posts.
I came across this video in which a Russian copywriter, Euginy Danilov, desperate for a job in an ad agency put together an extremely clever way of obtaining one.
An amazing piece of personal branding, resulting in a variety of job offers at almost no cost.
While an amazing effort I only hope he can keep his promise!
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