Hasta La Creative!

In a world where clutter is king, advertisers everywhere are doing their best to break through the noise. A word of advice (or three) — keep it simple.

That’s exactly what Australian agency Cummins Nitro did in their campaign for Tourism Queensland.

Challenged to “create international awareness of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef” and drive tourism there, the local agency executed a campaign that placed classified ads in newspapers across the globe. Unusual? Not if you’re looking to fill a position for “The Best Job in the World.”

The job profile called for an island caretaker whose responsibilities would involve menial jobs like cleaning the pool and feeding the fish. The chosen employee would also be expected to blog weekly about their adventures on the island. Throw in a rent-free three-bedroom villa, a roughly $8,800/month salary and… BAM! One fan-freakin-tastic job.

Now, in an economic recession when thousands are looking for gainful employment… who wouldn’t love a 6-month paying gig feeding fishies on a tropical island, right?

This simple idea sparked an international movement. News and media sources picked up on the incredible job offer, millions of people flocked to the campaign’s website — islandreefjob.com — and by the end of it, over 34,000 people from 200 countries had submitted 60-second videos about why they should have the best job in the world.

Cummins Nitro put the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef back on the map. And if that wasn’t enough — they have racked up in Cannes this week, picking up three Grand Prix awards in the PR, Direct and Cyber categories thus far.

And the lucky bloke who got the job…?

A Brit by the name of Ben Southall, who reports for duty next Wednesday, July 1st. You can read more about Ben’s adventures at bestjobben.com.

Deanna Lazzaroni is a self-professed sponge of creative advertising, armed with enthusiastic vigor to tackle the challenges of the mighty marketer’s world. She’s ripe for the picking at deannalazzaroni.com.

The first time I went to Cannes, my agency booked me into a villa. A villa in the South of France! You can imagine how excited I was. Alas, though my trip had many high-points, said villa was not one of them. The accommodation was a warren of un-air-conditioned cubbyholes dug into the side of a hill, many kilometers away from town. The property did have an outdoor Jacuzzi.

Unfortunately, it was almost constantly inhabited by a group of drunk,
sunburned Germans. Vile in every way, I never went near them or it. I did, however, befriend a mouse-cat that had found its way into my room every night. In the end, if you’re in your hotel room, you’re either ill, making love, sleeping or dead. I wasn’t any of those.

On that maiden voyage I also had to sing for my passage. Leo Burnett had asked a planner and me if we could make a presentation based on one of the agency’s proprietary tools: the Brand Belief System. Of course, I said yes. They were offering a villa, for Christ’s sake! Our big presentation was slotted for midweek at 10 a.m. This being my first visit to Cannes, I had no idea how late people stayed up (all night) and how late people slept in (until noon). Every advertising professional from Europe or America was still in bed.

Unbelievably, the main auditorium at the Palais des Festivals was not
empty. Instead, the seats were filled with the only people who hadn’t drunk themselves comatose the night before: Asian advertising students. That was the good news. As well as the bad news. Few of the hundreds in attendance spoke English as a primary language. Of course they understood the fundamentals pretty well; the only problem was my partner and I had created a presentation rich in colloquial ideas and speech.

We spoke of cults. Challenged belief systems. Made reference to western deities. The entire thing flew over their heads like a 747. When it ended, we received obligatory applause from the polite Asians but no one asked questions. Like bad sex, it was over quick and the awkwardness malingered.

And so, Gentle Reader, I now begin my fifth visit to the International
Advertising Festival in Cannes. I work for a different agency. And I am
staying at a nice hotel. Instead of making speeches, I will be blogging.
Won’t you join me?

Steffan Postaer is Chairman and CCO of Euro RSCG Worldwide Chicago. He just completed a novel about God and Advertising and posts regularly on his blog, Gods of Advertising.

If you’re looking for another reason to cry yourself to sleep tonight over this whole “recession” thing, here’s a whole nine minutes chock-full of reason.

Warning: The following video may lead you to question your allegiance to the media world as we know it. (Or cling to it for dear, dear life.)

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Okay, so if you’re anyone in the advertising or media industry, you might have gotten a chuckle or two out of that rather painfully long parody of a Don McLean classic. (And I think the creator, Terence Kawaja, had intended for such a response.) The video, which was recently shown at Federated Media’s Conversational Marketing Summit in NYC is too long, in my opinion. And yet, despite its length, lack of editing, and downright dismal outlook on the future of media — I find it rather inspiring.

I will tell you that I am the last one you will find riding through town shouting, “The media is dying! The media is dying!” (Hell, there’s plenty of cynics and even a twitter account out there for that.) No, it is much more my style to stand up as a proponent for the future of media, and of advertising for that matter, than flood the — uh, media — with dying media talk.

The reality is that times are a-changing. And whether you perceive it as dying or evolving, traditional media is undoubtedly ADAPTING to the changing world we live in today. Advertisers are finding new and innovative ways to craft clever media plans that not only suit their strategy, but also fit nicely into their client’s pinched budgets.

It’s easy to blame “the digital revolution” for the demise of “traditional media.” But honestly, is it so treacherous to want the best of both worlds?

… Where digital and traditional combine to produce true creative harmony. Where the consumer is always top-of-mind. Where agencies are held more accountable to their clients. And where the Wanamakers of the world actually get the results they desire.

Oh yeah, and where people start talking about the new ways advertising and media professionals are rewriting the rules of the game, instead of listening to the same old song on repeat.

So tell me — how are YOU changing the game?

Deanna Lazzaroni is a self-professed sponge of creative advertising, armed with enthusiastic vigor to tackle the challenges of the mighty marketer’s world. She’s ripe for the picking at deannalazzaroni.com.

They don’t have a cool name, like Razor Burn, Cloud Nyne, or inVisible. In fact, they sound like an accounting firm. Thankfully, they’re not into accounting. What they are into is corporate survival, and other things that will make your accountant giddy.

Atlanta-based Nolen & Associates is proof-positive that contempt prior to investigation is foolish. Judged solely by name, they’d never be classified as an agency that is boldly progressive, unafraid of saying “no.” Yet, that’s exactly what they are, and they have a simple message: Market through the tough times and emerge stronger.

And that, in a nutshell, is Cricket Theory. They call it a brochure, but it’s so much more…

Available on the Nolen & Associates site, The Cricket Theory is tightly written, steeped in fact, and delivers a powerful message:

“Make as much noise as Possible in Dark times.  You will be remembered when it is Light Again”

The Cricket Theory becomes less theory and more fact as various case histories and studies are highlighted.  Yet, the marketing budget is the first to get cut during economic uncertainty.

The Cricket Theory is a short, insightful tool that disproves this practice in a convincing, yet subtle, manner.

Over their 23 years in operation, Nolen & Associates observed as companies eliminated entire marketing plans out of fear. Yet, it was a fear rooted in uncontrollable, intangible factors.

So, the agency searched for information to determine which strategy performed better; shouting in the face of recession, or silent waiting.

The result: companies that “Chirp Loud” and “Chirp Often” come out ahead of those that remain quiet…both during, and following, a recession. There are a couple reasons for this;

“When your message is one of the few reaching the audience, your odds are much better for a greater return on your marketing and advertising dollar. When the upturn does come around– and it will – and your prospects and customers are looking to increase spending, your company (or your brand) will likely be the first one that comes to mind…”

Perhaps the most interesting fact listed in The Cricket Theory is that, contrary to popular belief, spending actually increases during a recession.

The Cricket Theory has become part of Nolen & Associates’ DNA, and is a testament to their progressive nature; while other’s founder, one agency has a plan to enable success during the best, and worst, of times. And no, it’s not your agency.

Jeff Louis: Strategic Media Planner, Project Manager, and New Business Account Coordinator. His passion is writing. If you would like to get in touch with Jeff, please leave a reply or follow the links: www.linkedin.com or www.twitter.com.

Beyond Madison Avenue: The site’s title could double as our mission statement, as it’s not just the headlines we look for, but that which lies beyond. Or, better yet, it’s the news that the others missed.

Talent Zoo is the only site of its kind on the Internet. It’s unique and yet friendly. It carries an air of superiority, but is humble. Why? Talent Zoo plays a part in an important decision: where will you find a great job? Or, where will you learn the most and contribute to the team? (Realize though, that when applying, it’s all about them, but secretly, in your deepest heart, you know it’s about you. And they do too.)

If you’re familiar with Talent Zoo, then you know they have some fantastic writers that present factual, timely, and helpful articles to aid you during your career. Talent Zoo also owns Offset Media, a site consisting of four blogs from industry professionals (Beyond Madison Avenue, Digital Pivot, Beneath the Brand, and 12pt Type).

My main gig with Talent Zoo is writing for Beyond Madison Avenue (BMA). After looking at what I was writing in comparison with every other marketing blogger, I decided that I needed to take a new direction with my part of BMA. That, or sink into mediocrity, which is never the best positioning these days. After mulling it over for a week or so, I decided on “the new endeavor.”

My own mission statement is: separate the wheat from the chaff, the hot shops from the not shops, and the blusterers from the listeners. This will take me some time – to find and verify everything –  but in the end, I think it will be worth it.

Here’s The Deal

So, has your agency, your company, or shop stepped beyond the advertising-creative field to become an inspiration?Do you do it differently? How?

If you, your company, your shop, etc, has a unique business concept, outstanding campaign, or an innovative idea to share with the readers at Talent Zoo and Beyond Madison Avenue, send it my way. The only thing I ask is that you are prudent with your selection. If your idea is ho-hum, one day it may get written. It it’s good, probably next week. Earthshattering will be written tomorrow if everything works out. It’s all going to depend on volume.

First, PLEASE review the idea so that you can provide three or four salient points that you’d be proud to show other industry professionals. What was the challenge? Why did you/your agency go down this road? Why was it successful? What made it unique?

For instance, Right Brain Design was built on an innovative business model: instead of a brick and mortar agency, they were actually a network of at-home professionals that combined, as needed, to meet a client’s needs.

Lisa P Maxwell offered clients complete and total access to their employees, and understood that to promote social media to their clients, first they had to be social media consumers. Thus, all of their employees are connected to the outside world via personal web cam.

Boone Oakley went an entirely different route: their whole website is comprised of a series of YouTube videos. The videos are interactive: and viewers can navigate through the entire video site. Here is an example that ran in the original post:

A New York City purse designer, Rachel Nasvik, stashed hand-made bags throughout NYC at various locations and then sent clues to their followers (fans, mailing list, interested parties) about how to find the bags. Not only was this a great example of  gaining followers by giving away free merchandise (nice free merchandise), but it also showed that a campaign could consist of nothing more than a great idea, merchandise, and a clever advertising plan.

The bene: Not only will your company be mentioned on the site, but it will also go to my Facebook page (read by 6 adoring fans), my mother (not kidding), and  will be sent to my Twitter followers 2x/day. Additionally, the blog will be sent to LinkedIn groups for which it is appropriate (ie, a TV campaign would not go to Social Media 2.0). Plus, there is what ever you decide to do with it…send it to clients, block the site, etc.

Thus, this small effort on Beyond Madison Avenue will cross a lot of eyeballs.

Although there’s no official name for this effort, my working title’s been “SHOW me, don’t TELL me.”

Or, in playground terms, “I double-dog dare you…”

So, this is a chance to shine. A chance to promote your efforts above the rest. We’ll even use your quotes if you want.

And there ain’t nuttin’ better than free publicity on a scorching summer day, ‘cept maybe a Popsicle…

What, you may ask, do I get out of this? Hopefully a “good job” or a “thanks” or a “great job, but you misspelled dinosaur.” All of that, and the fact that it makes me feel good. Plus, if content is king, I don’t want the same content as all of the other bloggers….

And there you have it.

Please pass this on.

Jeff Louis Strategic Media Planner, Project Manager, and New Business Account Coordinator. His passion is writing. If you would like to get in touch with Jeff, please leave a reply or follow the links: www.linkedin.com or www.twitter.com.

“Are you right or left ‘brained’?” (Not sure? Take a  test to find out.)

The right brain/left brain theory was pioneered by psychobiologist Roger Sperry in the 1960s. His research postulated that the right eye and right hand were connected to the left brain (actually, the left lobe), and vice versa. Each lobe interprets information in a different manner; the right lobe is visual, processing information intuitively, while the left lobe is an analytic, sequential processor. Although unproven, testing has shown that visually creative people tend to be “right-brainers.”

Right Brain Design, located in New York, is much like any other Madison Avenue ad shop, with one major exception: The agency does not physically exist. There is an agency website that seems authentic, and the client list includes work for actual companies, including; Estée Lauder, HSBC, JCS Tradecom, RPD Media, and HartLee Industries. However, there isn’t an employee profile page, nor is there a nifty contact page including directions from major airports.

So, what’s the deal?

Right Brain Design, founded in 2000, is an agency without walls. Although the agency technically “exists” in New York, it’s really a global web of advertising and marketing professionals. Yes, global. The innovative business model was implemented by Catherine Wachs, the agency’s Creative Director and Principal. Prior to Right Brain, Ms. Wachs spent her career creating and producing work to promote some of the nation’s best-known brands including: Ruby Tuesday Restaurants, Kraft Foods, Advil, Gold Bond, Dannon, Breyers Ice Cream, IBM, and many others. She has served agencies of various size, ranging from smaller, creative boutiques to WPP.

So, why Right Brain Design?

“[A]gencies are becoming giant dinosaurs that take up a lot of room and cannot adapt their business models quickly enough for this new economy. Whereas it took a large team to do a national advertising…it now takes only a few people narrowcasting…”

Narrowcasting is the process of sending information to a specific group of people, such as a fertilizer company targeting an online gardening community. The best examples of narrowcasting are electronic mailing lists, where messages are sent to individuals who subscribe to the list. Yet, this is but one of the agency’s unique traits.

Right Brain Design’s success partially stems from their unique ability to build customized, strategic teams equipped to meet diverse client challenges. The scope of work determines which creative disciplines are engaged, streamlining processes and eliminating waste. Thus, Right Brain Design maintains a high degree of flexibility over agencies that lack creative advertising services or are unable to compete on an economic level. Communicating mainly via Skype and IM, the agency’s overhead is minimal, increasing client ROI in comparison to agencies with real estate.

After nine years of operation, it seems that Right Brain Design’s right-lobed thinking was the right approach, putting them right on course for continued success.

Jeff Louis: Strategic Media Planner, Project Manager, and New Business Account Coordinator. His passion is writing. If you would like to get in touch with Jeff, please leave a reply or follow the links: www.linkedin.com or www.twitter.com.

Recently, London documents implying “a global arrangement involving kickbacks, bid-rigging, discounts and client over-billing”” by Grey Group will now be sealed forever. Seems a pissy ex-employee took some documents and brought them forward to make a case, but of course because of the oh-so protective non-disclosure we all sign mum will now be the final word.

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Jinean Robinson is a CCIO (Chief Creative Infections Officer) who has been in the communications industry for over 8 years, specializing in creative strategy and implementation, 360 branding communications, and brand development. Join her at http://twitter.com/germllc or her firm’s website at http://germonline.com/

As Americans, there is a love/hate relationship that exists with the media due to one of two things: over portrayal (senseless beating to death of a subject) or non-portrayal (glossing over a story to move on) of news. Both tend to upset the news-hungry public, but over portrayal nears that point where news becomes culture for a short time. A couple of examples: Octo-Mom, Jon & Kate Gosselin, LiLo’s drug rehab, relapse, rehab, and relapse.

Yes, these are “celebrity” examples, but unfortunately, it happens with the “real” news as well. Take for instance the automotive and banking bailouts. The fall of Fannie May and Freddie Mac. Bernie Madhoff. How many times did news anchors need to go over the fact that the Chairmen for the Detroit automakers flew in private jets to the Senate Subcommittee hearings? Definitely not 10,000.

The same holds true for the advertising industry, and yes, the economy. Yesterday, June 8, 2009, AdWeek ran a story encompassing a RSW/US survey of 200 marketing and 100 ad agency execs. (RSW/US is a lead generation and business development firm.) The survey showed that agencies were more optimistic than prospective clients regarding the economy and the advertising business for the remainder of the year.

Agencies participating in the survey, released in mid-May, included Leo Burnett, Mindshare and Bailey Lauerman. Clients included Ford, GE, Kraft, Lego and Lenox. While 51 percent of each group said that the second half of the year would see at least some continued falls in ad spending, more agency respondents (42 percent) felt the economy had already hit rock bottom and would therefore start to improve over the rest of the year than clients (35 percent).

Seventy-six percent of agencies felt that the number of new business opportunities would rise in Q3 and Q4 of 2009.

Today, Media Life reports that Q1 2009 spending was beyond horrid. Like someone couldn’t have pulled their head out of their #$$ to figure that one out. At this juncture, it is safe to assume that corporations have cut back, or totally scrapped, their advertising spend for 2009. If this is not clear to everyone, please ask your neighbor to explain it to you. The point being? No one really knows what will happen yet, or how the economy is really doing. There are educated guesses on how far down the auto industry will take the nation, but it’s still just a guess. Is respite coming quickly? No one truly knows. Thus, the time for speculation is over, and if there is to be some haphazard guessing, please don’t print it in a magazine.

Today, Media Life reported the following:

Ad spending plummeted 12 percent during first quarter

Total first-quarter ad expenditures off $3.8 billion

Local Sunday supplements, biggest spending dip, off 37.7 percent

Thirteen of nineteen media tracked saw double-digit declines

Spot TV down 28.9 percent

National magazines dropped 20.6 percent

Local newspapers fell 14.3 percent; spot radio was off 9 percent

Online dropped 3.4 percent (not including search)

Network TV, the largest category, was off 4.8 percent

Automotive spend fell 27.7 percent, or $723 million

The single category that did do well? Quick-serve restaurants. Hey, depression causes the munchies!

Unless there’s an answer to this debacle forthcoming, there’s just no reason to report or talk about this subject anymore. Let it go and move on to something else.

Jeff Louis: Strategic Media Planner, Project Manager, and New Business Coordinator. His passion is writing, contributing to BMA as well as freelancing. He’d love to hear from you, so leave a comment or follow the links: linkedin.com or twitter.com.

With the tagline “That Takes Grape Nuts,” Post Cereal has gone and targeted men in its latest campaign for the tooth-busting cereal. (It is interesting to note that the cereal contains neither grapes nor nuts, but is made of something much heartier: pebbles, bits of glass, and peach pits.) The campaign is based on fifty web “shows” playing on TheGuysManual.msn.com that depict scenes of men making mistakes and getting coached on how to get out of them. Tips include how to deal with beating your boss at golf, dealing with a co-worker/girlfriend’s success at work, and what to do when babysitting your boss’s kids. The advice could be seen as helpful, and somewhat funny, but it will never surpass the advice spewed by Jimmy and Adam on “The Man Show.” Grape Nuts, celebrating their 111th birthday as a mainstay of the Post brand, has lost market share year after year and now owns less than one percent. Post Cereal, owned by the likes of Phillip Morris and Kraft, landed at Ralcorp in 2008.

We need to bring it back to life in a relevant way,” says Kelley Peters, the “insights” director who charts Grape Nuts psychographics for Ralcorp’s $5 million resuscitation attempt. Her target: men 45 years-old and up. “Men aspire to it,” she says. “It’s strong and stern, the father figure of cereals.” Her marketing chief, Jennifer Marchant, points out: “It tends to break your teeth sometimes.”

If the campaign is successful, Grape Nuts will help to define a new breed of man…a man with grape-like nuts. Impressive. Now if they could only define a Grape Nut.

Jeff Louis: Strategic Media Planner, Project Manager, and New Business Coordinator. His passion is writing, contributing to BMA as well as freelancing. He’d love to hear from you, so leave a comment or follow the links: linkedin.com or twitter.com.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of days, you’re well aware of GM’s bankruptcy protection filing. To assuage the buying public, GM has unveiled a commercial explaining “the new GM,” guaranteeing a leaner, greener company that makes better cars than ever before.

I’m all for corporate transparency, but I have to wonder if the “Reinvention” spot is enough to save the troubled automaker. I think it’s safe to say that public distrust in the automotive industry as a whole is high – especially when auto officials are arriving in private jets to beg the federal government for bailout money.

How does this spot bode for the future of automotive advertising? Is it enough to entice consumers to buy American again?

I think it’s a step in the right direction, but I also think that it signals a change in the way automakers and dealerships place their ad buys. Existing on a campaign of print and broadcast is not enough anymore. If companies want to win the automotive war, they need to regain credibility with the public by actively engaging them. After all, you have to at least shake someone’s hand before you reach for their wallet.

Sara Barton is a copywriter, social media strategist, and avid blogger who is in search of her next opportunity. Contact her via twitter, LinkedIn, or her blog.