Category: Beyond Madison Avenue
Summary: Agencies like making their business cards as creative as their pitch decks. But individual ad executives found that those rectangle cards — that specify their name, title, contact information (perhaps with a cool design) — have no place in their networking efforts.
Sung Chang, evp and chief creative officer for agency…
How big could virtual reality become for auto marketing? Here are some clues: Toyota agency Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles has a 35-person VR team that is developing virtual showrooms. Infiniti — which began testing virtual reality last year — is getting more aggressive, including striking a new ad deal with The New York Times that includes VR. And this week, Mitsubishi is debuting a program allowing potential buyers to test features on its new Mirage G4 using their smartphone, a laptop and an interactive video.
The initiatives come as automakers seek to lure tech-savvy millennials whose car-shopping habits are digitally-driven. Real-world test drives remain highly relevant — Autotrader found that 88% of shoppers would not buy a car unless they took it for a test drive, according to its latest “Car Buyer of the Future” study, which surveyed 4,002 consumers. But auto marketers are using VR as a way to lure younger buyers into dealerships to take those test drives with online marketing that goes beyond static words and images and staid promotional videos.
“Virtual reality is the sleeping giant that could be another disrupter to significantly improve car shopping, the test drive and brand as well as dealer experiences,” Joe Richards, director of research and market intelligence for Cox Automotive, said in an email. Cox, which owns car-shopping websites Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, recently began studying how automakers can effectively use VR for a forthcoming report.
As Donald Trump’s official nomination approaches in Cleveland, a lifelong Republican comes to terms with a strange new party.
Kim Kardashian West released snippets of a conversation between Kanye West and Ms. Swift in which he appears to get her support for lyrics that refer to her.
Sending process work to AutonomyWorks gives agencies and marketers the chance to move their own teams onto work that is more strategic. At ad tech firm Centro, reports for digital campaigns and screenshots of digital ads used to take up to 20% of entry-level workers’ time, according to Scott Neslund, exec VP-client services. Now AutonomyWorks handles those tasks, giving media associates more time to do research and possibly bring more insights to a client’s media buy, or to improve their accuracy by spending more time on other tasks.
“It was actually a problem for us to retain people at certain levels because the work wasn’t entirely what they expected,” said Mr. Neslund. “Associates feel like their jobs have pivoted more to what they want it to be versus what it had to be.”
Both he and Christine Bensen, senior VP-media of digital marketing agency iCrossing, said their companies are proud of outsourcing some business to AutonomyWorks. Along with getting good results, they feel like they are making a difference in people’s lives.
School’s out, but that’s not the case for Gap Inc. as the beleaguered apparel chain scrambles to regain its footing during the all-important back-to-school season. The retail giant has been under consistent pressure to reverse sliding sales, though it has seen recent glimmers of progress.
Over the course of its 47-year existence, $16.2 billion Gap Inc. has endured many ups and downs. Core to the struggle is an identity crisis, both in merchandise and marketing, as well as in brand voice. At a time when consumers are awash in messaging and apparel choices, many are searching for strong values reflected in the retailers they choose to shop. Gap simply hasn’t passed the test. Instead, the company has frequently stepped too far away from its best and most successful brand personalities: wear-to-work at Banana Republic, basics at Gap and fun yet whimsical products at Old Navy, said experts.
“At the end of the day, what does Gap stand forwho are they?” asked Mark Cohen, director-retail studies and adjunct professor of marketing at Columbia Business School. “The only thing that resonates for them is 40% off the entire store, and that’s not even that exciting for many consumers.”
Brands aren’t waiting for Pokmon Go to activate its promised in-game advertising, not when the craze is white-hot today — and could burn out tomorrow.
Marketers from T-Mobile to Simon Malls are capitalizing on the smartphone game, which sends players roaming the real world to catch virtual creatures like Jigglypuffs and grab virtual objects.
Niantic, the Google spinoff that developed the game, says it will let marketers pay to become locations that will attract players. It will charge marketers by the visit, the way search ads charge per click.
Editor’s Note: In the past few years, marketers and agencies have grown comfortable taking stands about sometimes controversial topics, including mass shootings and terror attacks. But in the wake of recent police-related shootings and the attack on police in Dallas, the industry was mostly silent. It’s understandable. Race in America is still the toughest thing for us to talk about. We often talk about talking about it — let’s have a conversation, let’s raise awareness. But we thought we’d reach out to a few African-American industry leaders and ask their thoughts on recent events. Their answers were refreshingly frank and honest. In print, we ran excerpts. Online we’re running their answers at length.
Below are the answers from Jimmy Smith, Chairman-CEO and CCO of Amusement Park Entertainment. (Here are the answers from Translation’s Steve Stoute, 135th Street Agency’s Shante Bacon and MING’s Tara DeVeaux. This might make some people uncomfortable, but you say you want to have a dialogue, there is the only way to start: by listening. — Ken Wheaton
Editor’s Note: In the past few years, marketers and agencies have grown comfortable taking stands about sometimes controversial topics, including mass shootings and terror attacks. But in the wake of recent police-related shootings and the attack on police in Dallas, the industry was mostly silent. It’s understandable. Race in America is still the toughest thing for us to talk about. We often talk about talking about it — let’s have a conversation, let’s raise awareness. But we thought we’d reach out to a few African-American industry leaders and ask their thoughts on recent events. Their answers were refreshingly frank and honest. In print, we ran excerpts. Online we’re running their answers at length.
Below are the answers from Steve Stoute, founder and CEO of Translation. (Here are the answers from Amusement Park Entertainment’s Jimmy Smith, 135th Street Agency’s Shante Bacon and MING’s Tara DeVeaux. This might make some people uncomfortable, but if you want to have a dialogue, this is the only way to start: by listening. — Ken Wheaton
Similarly, Kohl’s is also banking that its philanthropic partnerships will resonate with customers looking for a strong brand message. The Menomonee Falls, Wisc.-based chain is running a cash-back coupon campaign to support AdoptAClassroom.org at the end of July. The company’s back-to-school campaign, “The School Year Starts Here,” began Sunday and includes a 30-second spot highlighting deals like 15% off.
Overall, back-to-school spending is expected to be on par with last year, though more research will be reported this week. The National Retail Federation found through a recent poll that 54% of households with school-age kids are planning to spend the same amount this year as last year. After a particularly rough first quarter, clothiers have a lot at stake this summer.
Editor’s Note: In the past few years, marketers and agencies have grown comfortable taking stands about sometimes controversial topics, including mass shootings and terror attacks. But in the wake of recent police-related shootings and the attack on police in Dallas, the industry was mostly silent. It’s understandable. Race in America is still the toughest thing for us to talk about. We often talk about talking about it — let’s have a conversation, let’s raise awareness. But we thought we’d reach out to a few African-American industry leaders and ask their thoughts on recent events. Their answers were refreshingly frank and honest. In print, we ran excerpts. Online we’re running their answers at length.
Below are the answers from Shante Bacon, founder and CEO of 135th Street Agency. (Here are the answers from Amusement Park Entertainment’s Jimmy Smith, Translation’s Steve Stoute and MING’s Tara DeVeaux. This might make some people uncomfortable, but if you want to have a dialogue, this is the only way to start: by listening. — Ken Wheaton
What’s your personal take on what’s happened with the shooting by police officers and the shooting of police officers?
Friends and family celebrated Howard Bell’s 90th birthday the other weekend at his longtime summer place at Deep Creek Lake in western Maryland.
Some of his old compatriots from advertising also showed up for the festivities, including David Bell, Wally Snyder and Rick Squire. I was there to document it all (or at least most parts).
Rick, who ran the American Advertising Federation’s Cleveland office before retiring to become organizer-in-chief of local golf outings and other fun events at his winter condo in Naples, Fla., where he pals around with Howard, emceed the proceedings.
It seems like everyone is going live. Whether your dad is showing off his barbecue skills or BuzzFeed staffers are exploding a watermelon, real-time video has become the latest social medium of choice.
The norms are still taking shape, especially as Facebook and others assess how to handle recent unexpected, visceral content like Philando Castile’s final moments after being shot by a police officer.
But the ability to connect so immediately and urgently will continue to attract usersand marketers trying to reach them.
Hosted by the Time Inc. magazine brand and presented by longtime sponsor Coca-Cola, the annual three-day cultural celebration is one of the largest live events of the year. Arriving shortly after doors opened July 1 at 10 a.m. at the massive Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, home to the festival’s brand-friendly daytime events, photographer Will Widmer and I weren’t quite sure where to start, or if words and pictures could even do it justice.
“This is pretty overwhelming,” Mr. Widmer said. “Indeed, it is,” I replied, wide-eyed with notepad and iPhone-turned-recorder in hand. The weight of it all made me want to return to my editor in New York with a five-word report: “You had to be there.”
Birth of Essence
Editor’s Note: In the past few years, marketers and agencies have grown comfortable taking stands about sometimes controversial topics, including mass shootings and terror attacks. But in the wake of recent police-related shootings and the attack on police in Dallas, the industry was mostly silent. It’s understandable. Race in America is still the toughest thing for us to talk about. We often talk about talking about it — let’s have a conversation, let’s raise awareness. But we thought we’d reach out to a few African-American industry leaders and ask their thoughts on recent events. Their answers were refreshingly frank and honest. In print, we ran excerpts. Online we’re running their answers at length.
Below is the response of Tara DeVeaux, president at MING Utility and Entertainment Group. (Here are the answers from 135th Street Agency’s Shante Bacon, Amusement Park Entertainment’s Jimmy Smith, Translation’s Steve Stoute. This might make some people uncomfortable, but if you want to have a dialogue, this is the only way to start: by listening. — Ken Wheaton
Tara DeVeaux: My first instinct when asked to contribute to this was to say no. For the same reason I have yet to mention anything about #BlackLivesMatter, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile or the shootings in Dallas to anyone I work with.
Direct Marketing, Design
Wmf
Advertising Agency:TBWA, Singapore
Chief Creative Officer:Edmund Choe
Executive Creative Director:Gary Steele
Creative Director:Jimmy Neo
Art Directior:Lawrence Hu, Weilun Choong
Photographer:Jimmy Fok, Calibre, Renie Teo, EG+ Worldwide
Art Buyer:Jean Abideen
Studio Manager:Andrew Yeoh
Production Manager:Patrick Chong
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
