Hasta La Creative!

For people who want to make the right moves in advertising, it would be only normal to find them cramming to find the right books on how to make advertising work to their advantage. Most people turn to the usual educational marketing and advertising books, but the difference really lies on a book that focuses mainly on advertising prowess.

Such is the highlight of this book simply called “The History of Advertising”. Once you hear it, it may seem that it is a book made for a college student. But the real essence of any subject, advertising in this case, really lies on the focus of books that are available in the market today.

Divided into sections by decades, this book explores the legendary campaigns and brands of advertising’s modern history, with specific anecdotes and comments on the importance of every campaign. You will find the picture of the camel that originated the Camel pack, the first Coca Cola ad, and even how artworks by masters such as Picasso and Magritte have been used in advertising.

(Source) Design Directory

Technorati Tags: advertising, coca cola, picasso, magritte, marketing, books

After a long hiatus from the movie theaters for no good reason, I’ve returned, seeing several pre-summer blockbusters in the past few weeks. One thing, in particular, that’s stuck out in my mind has been a definitely noticable increase in ads, with a surprising number of auto makers pushing for my attention (albeit my attention is pretty much on the screen regardless).

As several articles I’ve been browsing through today point out, my perception of an increase in theater ads isn’t just my imagination. A pretty interesting AdAge article by Jean Halliday points out that movie theater ad sales are quickly rising across the board, capturing the attention of auto makers:

Screenvision’s revenue in the segment for the first half of 2008 is almost double what it was in the first half of 2007, said exec VP-sales and marketing Mike Chico, who said he expects to sell out 2008 inventory in the third quarter, which is unusual.

Which basically translates into more high profile ads showing up in theaters, and more interesting creative being done in longer formats, like the full :60 version of the Dodge Journey waterslide spot that’s been all over broadcast TV (in :30 form) of late.
So while part of me is tossin’ back the popcorn waiting impatiently for the movie to start, the other part of me is glad that big-budget advertisers (and the subsequent big-budget ads) are going to be showing up more and more in the theaters. Because while I’m a captive audience starting blankly at a mind-numbing screen, there might as well be something enjoyable for me to stare at.

We all remember the Campbell’s Chunky Soup commercials with Donovan McNabb and his oh-so-adorable mother and even Matt Hasselback and his mom. This September, LaDainian Tomlinson takes the reigns in the newest spots that will follow a day-in-the-life of the football star. However, this isn’t Tomlinson’s first appearance in the Campbell’s spots, he appeared last year among an all-star cast. As you patiently await the coming football season, check out previous commercials here and watch the oldie-but-goodie below.  (Source AdWeek)  

Technorati Tags: Campbell’s Chunky, soup, NFL, football, LaDainian Tomlinson, TV, sports

As far as health is concerned, advertising can make a difference. Today, most people are being oriented on the health risks that come their way and for most pharmaceutical companies, there is still a part of the market that they can penetrate when it comes to pills that help you sleep.

But while it may indeed be a risk since people are being wooed away from relying on medical tablet means towards solving their problems, it is apparent that it is a short time deal. People are wiser these days but as long as advertising draws in the sales, then why not?

“Pharmaceutical companies pour a tremendous amount of money and effort into these ad campaigns,” said Michelle Dockhorn, a Rockhurst University assistant marketing professor who has worked in pharmaceutical sales and marketing. “A popular campaign takes a monumental effort. They do a lot of brainstorming to understand the target market and what will make them buy the drug.”

(Source) Kansascity.com

Technorati Tags: advertising, sleep, sleeping pills, health, marketing, pharmaceuticals, sales

We all know for a fact that paying immediately for all ads that we have produced would need payment in the worst way. All companies including the advertising agencies need to financially resolve their current standing and while some of them may not be as liquid as many would hope large companies would be, the alternative mode of payment today has been in the form of offering company shares.

If you think about it, what will you do with shares in these times where it seems that everyone is in need of cash? Further, it may be risky to take shares in lieu of cash for advertising services and if concerned parties tasked in business and advertising projects are concerned are not careful, they may end up in the losing end.

ONE of India’s leading newspapers launched an unusual advertising drive last month. “Money cannot buy our integrity” read a front-page slogan in Daily News & Analysis (DNA), a Mumbai daily. “Make the headlines tomorrow.

By paying for it,” it added, in reference to some other papers’ supposed tendency to give favourable coverage to firms that place advertisements. That charge is hard to prove.

But an increasingly popular practice is exposing Indian newspapers to growing conflicts of interest: accepting payments for ads in the form of shares in the advertiser’s firm.

(Source) Economist.com

As far as advertising is concerned, getting the message across is one thing but considering the logical intelligence of the viewing market to which it is aimed at penetrating is another. In short, there are some advertisements that really do not care if their ad campaigns make sense or not. A simple word or two is all that matters for endorsing companies, normally terms that associate their brand to the consumer’s mind.

But while imagery is one thing, it is apparent that there are a lot of ads that do not make sense at all. Some call them wasted money and opportunity while others look at simply creating an image towards placing brand awareness for products and services.

With these tactics in mind, many people will agree, is it really for strategic management or plainly for conning people into intellectual proportions on the whole advertising paradigm.

We all have our personal advertising bugbears. I am frequently dumbstruck by the portrayal of young men as henpecked morons, perennially outmanoeuvred by their vastly superior girlfriends. And I can’t be the only person bothered by the ambulance-chasing personal injury adverts – the “no win, no fee” propaganda packs of the compensation culture.

(Source) theblog

Technorati Tags: advertising, brand, paradigm, imagery, money, brand awareness, smoking, fish hook

Have you ever tried to spend on an advertising campaign without even mentioning the brand of the product or service even once? It seems like a poor way to advertise and spend tons of dollars for promotional practices but apparently LG Electronics has a lot of things in mind.

Scarlet, an advertising campaign launched by LG Electronics features Malthe as the sexed-up, butt-kicking, red-eyed heroine “Scarlet.” There’s no mention of LG _ or even a prominent image of the TV itself _ in the advertising materials or commercials.

Now if that is something that seems like poor advertising then I don’t know what is. But fooling people and getting their attention in a different manner is perhaps the initiative. So what gives?

“To be honest, the most difficult thing for me on this campaign was to convince myself and my bosses to really own this idea,” says Lee. “To spend money without letting people know about our brand is really, really risky, right? But that’s the idea of this. We need a breakthrough idea to change the rules of the game.”

(Source) The Washington Post

Technorati Tags: scarlet, advertising, lg electronics, branding, marketing

As far as advertising is concerned, you would be surprised at the things that most companies would come up with to get attention and this one is really something that is similar to them. This new print-ad gimmick is for readers to take camera phone pictures of icons and ads and send them to a certain number. They will in turn get more information from the advertiser concerned.

If you think of it, it is quite a long shot and seeing people wasting their time taking pictures and then getting information of these products does seem strange at this point.

Wait a second. Haven’t we seen something like this before?

Ah yes, the CueCat, a handheld device that scanned special barcodes to save you the trouble of typing in a web address, which was introduced in the year 2000, pretty much failed that same year, and are now as hacked as Roombas.

(Source) Jossip

Technorati Tags: advertising, cuecat, print-ad gimmick, camer phones

We all know that the key towards making advertising work is to find ways to get attention. Apparently, this has been in the mind of people who have let out their creative artistry towards various means such as goods and transport media images that can really draw attention.

For some, this may seem funny, but the thing is, you are getting the attention which is important in any advertising and promotional gimmick. Laugh at it or like it, the fact remains that the key here is baring the ideas of modern advertising the people will use for larger market awareness and penetration needed by businesses today.

Technorati Tags: advertising, transport media, promotional gimmick, market awareness

Familiar to most people who invest a lot in advertising is the fact of sponsoring events that are held on certain periods of time. This includes concerts or even sports events that draw a crowd to which provides a good medium for exposure particularly for brands that are still on the rise.

Aggressive giant companies like Coca Cola, Nike and Nokia do this. We can see their endorsement at various points in time. Notable among them include being seen over the NBA, the World Cup and concerts from known artists such as Christina Aguilera and Michael Jackson.

These events are held at various points of the world and the advertising support is something that makes them happen. With that in mind you can imagine the sum needed to finance these events and the returns expected from them on the chosen target market.

You can read something related to this here at the Business Week

Technorati Tags: advertising, nokia, nike, coca cola, world cup, NBA, Christina Aguilera, Michael Jackson