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Jun 09

Craigslist Battling Image Nightmare

Posted in: Uncategorized

Secretly, did America realize that there was a seedy underbelly flowing just below the surface of craigslist? Certainly, in major metropolitan areas, some of the advertising was suspect, especially in the “Erotic Services” section. Plus, there were the third-page stories of good folk getting ripped off by advertisers. But there was no real cause for major safety concern. That’s changed in the last couple of weeks as the online classified service has fallen under both public and judicial scrutiny.

Is this a case of karma finally catching up to the site, or is craigslist simply having a bad couple of weeks?

Not including the “first” craigslist killer, Philip Markoff, craigslist has been rocked by scandal, and the list is as diverse as it is unsettling:

Korena Roberts is to be arraigned for murdering a woman, and possibly her baby, after meeting them on craigslist to sell baby clothes

A North Carolina man was charged with using craigslist to find someone to rape his wife at knifepoint

Eric Claiborne, of Georgia, was charged with “offering” a seventeen year old girl to engage in prostitution

Ester Amy Fischer, author of American Courtesan, writes a tell-all article about selling sex on craigslist in The Huffington Post

Wichita, KS, craigslist rapist, David Gage, was found dead in his cell prior to his trial

Granted, blame cannot be attributed to the online classified service for these occurrences. (There is no implicit danger in searching for baby clothes.) However, be assured that the company’s ethical standards are under scrutiny as both a corporate and community citizen. Following the negative press and public concern, it is quite possible that craigslist will no longer be the hip, “freeconomy” advertising site it is today. On the other hand, it may take more than a couple of harmful stories to topple the internet classified giant; according to Alexa.com, craigslist.org ranks 24th globally, and falls into 8th place in the United States, behind Google, Yahoo, Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, MSN, and Windows Live.

craigslist Founder, Craig Newmark

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.

Jun 08

That’s Just (Grape) Nuts!

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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.) grapenuts-pie-2-blog 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.

Jun 06

Boone Oakley Advertising: Creativity Isn’t Words. It’s Action.

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I’ve written a couple times on Beyond Madison Avenue about the difference between agencies that talked about being creative, or social, or cutting edge, and then comparing them with those that actually were.
There are certain errors that will keep me from visiting your site, your blog, or your agency ever again.

Number One: You state that you’re a large creative muckity-muck. I go to your site, and it is under construction. Nothing works.
Number Two: Misspellings. One every once in a while is tolerable. One on your homepage, in an ad, or on your resume is where we part ways.
Number Three: Professing your prowess in a certain medium, client category, or emerging media, and then not being able to back the statement up with verifiable proof. Don’t say that your agency excels in social media if you don’t have a blog, a Twitter account, or even a Facebook page.

One of the agencies I wrote about was Lisa P. Maxwell. They claim to know social media. Then they prove it by having live webcams showcasing all of their employees working. Check it out at lisapmaxwell.com.

This weeks award goes to Boone Oakley. Although they sound like a cheap wine, they have the creative juice that most marketing directors wish they could tap as their own. Boone Oakley has their entire agency, including creative, produced as a series of YouTube videos. The best thing about their YouTube “website?” Functionality. Click on the link for collateral work, you are whisked to another video showcasing their collateral work.

Thus, there are a series of several videos, and I watched every single one. In one fell stroke, they’ve not only debuted their agency (as well as taken some well-deserved shots at big agencies) but they have creatively shown their creativity. Don’t tell me how many awards you have or that your agency was voted “Most Creative” in 2006. Show me how that spirit is lives and works today. Below is the first video along with one of the the linked videos.

This is one of the videos that is available under “Work by Medium.”

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, leave a reply or follow the links: www.linkedin.com or www.twitter.com.

Jun 05

Can Automotive Advertising be Bailed Out?

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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.

gm-uminstitute

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.

Jun 05

Bad News is Still News

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burning The conflicting information that comes out of the ad industry is indicative of the great spinners that exist: one day a company is done, and the next it is top of the heap. And it’s not all the ‘media;’ a good portion of the chaos is simply due to the fact that all of the players are twirling from one extreme to another.

The clearest indicator? The daily newspaper. In one story, the industry is ensconced in secret meetings regarding the monetization of free information; the next story shows how out of the black they have fallen. Blood Red. After a week of flurried activity regarding the newspaper corps, silence. And perhaps that is the real news.

Moody’s debt analyst scrutinized the industry today and was able to supply a single fact: no business, as usual, for newspapers. Known as generators of content, it would be fitting for a large portion of operating expenditures to be allocated to reporters, editors, managing editors…anything or anyone that remotely touches the printed word. Pencils. Computers.
Nope. A mere 14% of the cash operating expenditures are levied against content creation, the SINGLE purpose for which a newspaper exists. Seventy percent supports distribution and corporate. The final 16% is spent on the sales and sales support side of the business. Talk about the inverted pyramid! It’s the 30/70 rule, where 30% are bread winners and the remaining 70% are dough boys.

“Ultimately, we expect the industry will need to reverse the vertical integration strategy through cross-industry collaboration and outsourcing print production and distribution processes,” said Puchalla. “Although newspapers may lose some of their in-house control over press time, they would also release resources to beef up investment in content and technology.”

Reverse vertical integration? NO. Newspapers need readers, ad sales, and a method to make money from online content. “Reverse vertical integration” sounds like something heard in Rocket Science Class. That, and the word ‘monetize’ must erased from the data banks.

Jun 04

It Ain’t Crosby

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Bing was on last night, and no, it’s not Bing Crosby.

Microsoft, tired of watching Google cash in on the search engine game, has been testing their super secret search engine for some months now under the ultra-secret name, Kumo. (It is hard to believe that these people make money, isn’t it?) Along with the huge product release comes the equally huge budget, rumored to be upwards of $80 Million, although Microsoft would not confirm.

“We’ll have what I would call a big budget — big enough that I had to gulp when I approved the budget,” said Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, who unveiled Bing at a technology conference in Carlsbad, California, run by the All Things Digital tech blog.

The spot, code named “Manifesto,” was on prime time television last night. While the visuals are sometimes a bit confusing, the Google-gauging “one-liners,” such as “we don’t need queries and keywords if the bring back questions and confusion,” and “from this moment on, the search overload is officially, over” are loud and clear.

The creative kudos go to JWT for coming up with a very cool spot. However, it is not known if they came up with the name, and as everybody knows, part of winning the online new product introduction game is coming up with a goofy, yet memorable name. Such as “Bing.” Your search is done.

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.

Jun 03

AIDS Rate In DC Rises, Campaign Begins

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Like or dislike President Obama, there is one thing certain: His plate is FULL. Dealing with two wars, Gitmo, health care reform, a recession, and the largest corporations in the US filing for bankruptcy on a weekly basis, it is doubtful that the President will notice another crisis until it hits him in the face.

The Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will launch a public service campaign this week comparing the extremely high rate of AIDS in Washington, DC, with the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. The number of cases from last year to this have increased by 40%, a fact that has not been addressed by the media or the government. The AHF has used a series of print ads, a 30-second television spot, bus kiosk ads, and a website, ChangeAidsObama.org as part of the month-long campaign. Sixty bus shelters are slated for the new effort.

The campaign, “AIDS is DC’s Katrina,” points out the Bush administrations seeming indifference to Hurricane Katrina was detrimental to his Presidency. When the news broke that Washington, DC’s aids rate was higher than that of developing African nations, the AHS criticized President Obama for his silence. This campaign is meant to push him into action. The AHF is not placing the blame on the Obama administration, but rather the Center for Disease Control (CDC) for implementing a plan three years ago to prevent the spread of AIDS that has failed miserably as the epidemic has worsened.

207thm

The PR Newswire issued a release today from the AHS with the criticism;

To address the growing epidemic, the CDC issued revised guidelines for HIV testing in September of 2006. It its revised guidelines, the CDC recommended the testing of all people ages 13-64 in routine health care settings such as emergency units, community clinics, etc.; unfortunately, nearly three years later, these testing guidelines have not been widely implemented nationwide at the same time when our rate of new HIV infections has increased 40% from 40,000 new infections annually to 56,000.

The video, seen below, is already on YouTube and is going to be released on other online video channels before hitting the airwaves.

One thing is certain: Pleasing all the people all the time is impossible. For the President, pleasing anyone at this point seems like unlikely.

Jun 02

This Recession Will End.

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nortonhd_cincinnati_recession101_future There are some pretty unbelievable resources available online at no cost. Everything from whitepapers to completed slide shows, covering any topic imaginable. Some of the better ones are put out by professional groups in support of advertising agencies and efforts. These include the Advertising Media Internet Center (AMIC), the 4A’s, and the Outdoor Advertising Association of America. nortonhd_cincinnati_recession101_talent These organizations also fund and run many of the Public Service Announcements.

On May 5th, the OAAA’s public service campaign was a shot in the arm to all worrying where the next paycheck will be coming from, or if there is a next paycheck. Named Recession 101, the billboard campaign is simple, as if printed on a piece of notebook paper and tacked to a 14′ x 48′ out on the highway. The messaging consists of a simple reminder: some day, the recession will end.

It is not the greatest, most creative campaign ever done, but it is timely and truthful. Look on it as a shot in the arm to keep away all of nortonhd_cincinnati_recession101_talent the bad stuff coming from television. The great driving force behind it is the idea of looking up during adversity rather than down. Moving forward instead of complaining. In an apt message, the OAAA states:

The campaign is about America and resiliency. The recession has hurt one of America’s greatest attributes-it’s unshakeable optimism…Recession 101 isn’t selling anything other than the American Spirit.”

And it’s about time we returned to the American spirit and optimism. The entire campaign is available here.

Jun 01

Is There A Future For Advertising?

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A research study was sanctioned late last year regarding the “crisis” in advertising. With the invention of the DVR, were consumers still viewing television? Was word-of-mouth the only advertising that worked? What unforeseen problems would crop up when the newspapers went out of business? Were we, unknowingly, the last defenders of Babylon?

The Wharton School, in cooperation with the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), launched an exhaustive study that culminated in 21 papers that will be published in the ARF Journal in June 2009. The study, aptly named “The Future of Advertising Project,” was launched to refute what ARF Chief Research Officer called:

“a lot of mythology from an echo chamber I was hearing about how TV isn’t working because of DVRs and the Long Tail and declining audiences” when he assumed his post last year. “It just sounded like a lot of assumption without being factually informed,” he said.

The collected research does bear some bad news, one nugget being that “empirically.” TV advertising is a loss for most companies. In contradiction, the study also shows that TV performs at the same or higher levels, than it did ten years ago for the heavy TV spenders. Other learning’s include the fact that 22% of word-of-mouth marketing stems from traditional advertising, DVRs have little impact in regard to ad recall or brand favorability, and that magazines are more effective than TV commercials and online ads at creating “intent to purchase.”

The main item the initial studies uncovered is that more research is necessary, especially in the face of rapidly growing social networks. Yoram “Jerry” Wind, Lauder Professor of Marketing at Wharton, stated “The major concern about the decreased impact of TV advertising is not founded,” he said. “TV is still very effective. At the same time, there are a lot of things we don’t know.” reaper

With that, it does not seem that we know significantly more today with research, than we did yesterday without research. Check back later, hopefully we’ll have something for you…

May 31

Sense of Humor Refreshing

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Boost Mobile , the prepaid division of Sprint Nextel, is unleashing a series of spots that play off of the the “Unwronged” spots featuring Danica Patrick. I am so glad that some advertisers still have a sense of humor because I am about tired of hearing how all of these companies that were started during the Great Depression want to comfort us. Not that we don’t need a pick-me-up every once in a while, but enough is enough.

The creative is aimed at supporting a new $50 a month, “Monthly” Unlimited’ offering from Boost. The commercial features the Motorola Clutch i465, Boost Mobile’s first phone with a computer keypad. The creative was developed by Boost’s advertising agency of record, 180LA.

When I first saw the spot, I thought that it would run a couple of time and then get pulled due to some sort of perceived offense. I am happy that I was wrong.

Although a bit far-fetched (Danica Patrick using prepaid cellular service), the overall creativity is refreshing. We are all aware of studies conducted during economic crises, and how the companies that spend through the storm emerge stronger on the other end.

May 30

Newspapers Hope Secrecy Breeds Success

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newspaper_3 Psst. You. Yeah, you. Keep it down, this is a secret…In Chicago last week, newspaper management-types from several different mastheads met to work out details on what will most likely turn out to be the most difficult monetization of any of the mediums. Unlike social sites that need to determine the best strategy, newspapers are starting with negative yardage. Their challenge? Charging for something that was free. newspaper27 And that is a challenge at which many would balk.

In essence,

the papers are trying to figure out how they can charge people for news on the Internet after largely giving it to them for the past 10-15 years. They have to do this so they don’t have to shut down when print advertising revenue gets so low that they can’t afford to stay in business anymore.

And, like newspapers tend to do, the story was leaked and printed by The Atlantic.

It looks like some things won’t change…

May 29

Do Atheists Believe in Advertising?

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Once upon a time, I thought that I was an Atheist (the position that deities do not exist). But, I was confused: I was an Agnostic (there is no verifiable proof of a God). Now, I think that I’m simply a believer.

This all came flooding back today as I drove through the Loop on my way to lunch. I had just left a meeting outside the city, and was driving, trying to pay attention without much luck. It’s illegal to use cell phones while driving here, so there went half my entertainment. The other half, the radio, was playing alternative rock. Bored, I started people watching while caught in stop/go traffic. I watched as people scurried about as I patiently cut off a honking cab that was edging in between my car and a bus. It was then that I noticed the banner on the side of the bus, and I stopped watching the cab and thought “Huh. I wonder what they are advertising.” The bus and my car were stuck together two blocks later and I exclaimed aloud;

god_bus_0206

“Those are the Indiana Atheist ads!”

The Indiana Atheists (IA) picked up the idea from atheists in Canada and London, where pro-Atheist bus campaigns have already run. In London, a month-long, 800 bus onslaught was derived by a London comedy writer that saw Christian ads being displayed on public transportation. Ariane Sherine, self-proclaimed atheist, came up with the slogan, “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” The story was picked up by Time as one of the top religion stories of the year.

Unfortunately, the Indiana Atheists were late hitting Chicago

The pious have been buying ad space from the city’s decaying, cash-strapped public transportation system for a while. One recent religious ad read, “ISLAM. Got questions? Get answers. FREE Quran & Literature,” followed by a toll-free telephone number.

Chicago was not the first target sought by the IA; Bloomington, IN, turned the advertising down. Thesecond target was South Bend. Pro-religion bus ads had already run in South Bend, so the city had little choice when it came to ad acceptance.

Why do the atheists advertise? There is no message, no real group solidarity, and their self-stated goal is that they are not out winning converts. Are they branding?

According to Roy Speckhardt, Executive Director of the American Humanist Association;

“…you don’t see [atheists] having a caucus in Congress or anywhere else. It’s a group that’s been in the closet. People are afraid to ‘come out’ to their families and say they don’t believe in God.” The ads are designed to show lonely atheists that they do not walk alone — and they can go on disbelieving.

Although I bleed CMYK, it seems to me that donations could be spent in a much more effective manner to tell lonely atheists that they are not alone. People that are “good without God,” could start up a shelter to feed the homeless, help the poor pay bills, or buy groceries for a hundred families. The message would actually be stronger (doing good without God) due to their actions. Add that to the fact that news outlets are searching for “feel good” stories, the IA would; help a needy family; send their message, and; generate positive public relations. A Win-Win-Win.

My one question, “How did they determine that cadres of closeted atheists were searching for solace? Did I miss ‘60 Minutes,’ or something?”

May 28

Levi Strauss Takes A Stance

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vintagelevisad

Across the country, along with celebrating Memorial Day, Levi’s is once again breaking out their white clothing line. It is now officially OK towear white shoes, white pants, and even a white belt, if necessary. However, to some Levi’s stores, not only does white symbolize Memorial Day, “the correct day” to begin wearing white, the white knot,symbolizing solidarity for gay marriage is also on display in many stores.

Developed by Frank Voci, a digital media consultant, as a response to Proposition 8’s passage last November,the White Knot for Equality is a white ribbon tied in a knot.

Levi Strauss & Company has long supported equal rights for gays. Headquarted in San Francisco, Levi Strauss is to sponsor a programming block on MTV-owned Logo channel, and was involved in marketing “Milk,” the movie featuring the life of gay civil rights leader, Harvey Milk.

“We always try to connect to the energy and events of our time,” said Erica Archambault, Levi’s director of brand marketing and public relations. “What’s the pioneering spirit of today? A lot of people are rallying around marriage equality and fighting for that and so many individuals within our company feel so strongly about it.”

Before the Banana Republic (and knockoffs) revolution, Levi’s were the jean to wear.
However, their stance on this controversial issue may cause Levi Strauss to lose market share from the conservative side of America.

On the other hand, they are raking in a ton of publicity.

May 27

Twitter To TV?

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Twitter is proposing a TV competition series depending on your source.

The social-networking service said Monday it has teamed with Reveille productions and Brillstein Entertainment
Partners to develop an unscripted series based on the site, which invites 140-character postings from members around the world. The show would harness Twitter to put players on the trail of celebrities in an interactive, competitive format.

The only problem with this proposal is that the show would get phenomenal ratings and people would love it, but only for a while. Twitter will not only be our “amazing” communication forum, but our favorite reality TV show, too! To me, it sounds like a bad idea, if not a boring one.

However, Reveille has an impressive stable of shows, so “Twube” (I made that up) might be a hit. The producers have brought us “The Office”, “Ugly Betty” and “The Tudors” (Showtime), plus reality program “The Biggest Loser.” Supporters state that the series will show the TV-viewing world the immediacy of Twitter. And Brillstein Entertainment is no slacker either.

“Twitter is transforming the way people communicate, especially celebrities and their fans,” said Reveille managing director Howard T. Owens, who expects the new project to “unlock Twitter’s potential on TV.”

When I have tried to talk to a celeb, they never answer. I’ve even “befriended” LiLo like four times! I don’t want to be the
bearer of bad news, but when Ashton Kutcher found out about the proposed project, he was not happy. In fact, he was Punk’d! Mashable reported that Ashton tweeted,” Wow I hope this isn’t true. I really don’t like being sold out. May have to take a twitter hiatus.” Was that a threat?

Ashton, however, does not have to worry. Twitter denied everything regarding a “Twittervision” spectacular.

Now, on the really down side: It does not make sense for Twitter to have a TV show. Either they become a mode of communication, or stay a novelty; and I LIKE Twitter. I just wonder when we’ll start seeing consortiums for 169 characters because some one figured out that this was the optimal number. I don’t know if you use Twitter a lot, but I use it daily, but mainly for picking up information: It is not only a good learning and news tool, but it can be funny as well. Maybe it’s just me, but the conversations that I have had on the almighty Twitter have been, well, trite and quick. Some people never respond when you answer their question, and others are 2 – 3 Tweets and out.

I have, however, picked up freelance work via Twitter while TV has only provided me with poor eyesight.

May 25

My Ad Can Kick Your Ad’s Ass!

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With the Summer heating up, and the economy moving like sluggish sewage in July, Advertising Age reports that the Summer of 2009 is going to be “cruel.” It reminds me of Bananarama.

According to Adage.com:

Attack ads have been on the rise for the past year, but comparisons are getting sharper, responses are growing testier, and an increasing number of ad battles are ending up in court. Just don’t expect a letup, because they’re also working.

If you decide to run an attack ad, Ad Age has provided helpful tips to keep agencies out of trouble. (It’s almost as if Ad Age is egging on agencies for a Summer of heated battles to alleviate boredom…”Here! Take this knife!” Hmm.)

However, it’s good advice…Sara Lee filed suit against Kraft Foods last week over taste test ads between Oscar Mayer and Sara Lee’s Ball Park Franks. According to Sara Lee, Ball Park Franks have suffered a blow from which they will never recover. (Now THAT’s advertising!) Unfortunately for Sara Lee’s legal team, Ball Park is outselling Oscar Mayer in grocery stores nationwide. My guess is that this case will be over before it starts. (Please keep in mind that I am not a legal analyst.)

Luckily, Advertising Age does have access to a legal team, and below are there tips to stay out of trouble. However, I have also embellished on their recommendations:

1. Don’t name your competitor
Just make it brutally obvious who they are.

2. Stay positive
You could say “You’ll save money at Joe’s coffee.” Or you could be honest, “One cup at Bobs place, or a weeks worth at Joe’s. You decide.”

3. Back it up with science
Numbers are very useful for making your point. Manipulate.

4. Have a contingency plan
If you get sued, release the most offensive spot. They’ve already sued, what’s next, name calling?

5. Don’t steal your competitor’s claims.
As if! Belittle their claims, cast them in false light, but don’t steal them.

May 24

Ideas Ingenuity Overcome $$

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“No one is buying right now. Business will come back in Q4. It’ll get better. Our clients aren’t spending at the moment.”

Is that what you are hearing from agencies? Is that what management is saying? That’s like me stating that I can’t get a job because no one is hiring. But companies are hiring, and businesses are making money. The reason that your clients aren’t spending ad dollars is because they’re scared. Scared brings out their conservative side.

Fear, unless it’s for your life, is not the best basis for decision-making. Fear is an anxious state. Think back on the all the right decisions you’ve made and determine how many were based on fear. Probably not many.

So, while many businesses have their heads in the sand, others are using ingenuity to overcome. Enter The Taco Maker:

The Taco Maker, a Puerto Rico-based fast-food chain, ran a combination radio and mobile-marketing promo in which they gave away free burritos.

The Taco Maker and their agency, BxP, created a character named “Juan Maker” who made radio appearances to talk to local DJs about free stuff. The broadcasts were all recorded and then made into ten 60-second spots that offered a free one-pound burrito to Taco Maker aficionados that texted in the correct answer after hearing the spot.

The agency declined to specify the price of the promotion, but said it cost less than $50,000. For that amount, the agency was able to track consumer response by station, time of day and even DJ. The company focused its ad dollars where they were doing the most good in real time.

Five-thousand texts and 2500 burritos later, the chain reported a 21% sales increase for the region where the promo took place. Hmm, that is so weird.

May 24

Priceless My Ass

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The newest “Priceless” ad shows a young father and his son doing what young father’s and sons do: spending quality time together. It begins with the boy filling up a water glass for his father (no bottled water here) and walks through how the boy helps his father become a better man by showing him how to save the environment by purchasing low-wattage light bulbs and choosing paper over plastic at the grocery store.

Honestly, I have always enjoyed the ads, (and the parodies) feeling that the campaign was well thought-out and made an impact. Until now.

This is a picture of my actual credit card letter that came in the mail prior to President Obama’s “reform” of the industry.

But it doesn’t matter anyway…the whole reform is a scam:

So notwithstanding today’s Obama ballyhoo, companies can and will continue to charge basic rates up to 30 %. Congress could have regulated interest rates limiting them to a few points above prime. But Obama and the Democrats (and, of course, the Republicans almost all of who take contributions from credit card companies) hypocritically caved in.

Raising Your Family With Good Moral Values: Priceless. For Everything Else, There’s Visa/Master Card.

May 23

Not The Snuggy!

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“Well,” he said, ” at least the economy looks to be turning around.” I nearly spit up…luckily the cat was still asleep. What? Who was this guy? Ahh-just another analyst on late night TV. One of the ones that don’t make it to Evening News. Credible at times, totally off-kilter at others. Think “Ross Perot.” The economy is in such a state that when the market closes “up” at any point during the week, it’s breaking news. “We’re sorry to interrupt this program, but the Dow has just closed at it’s highest point this week, and the S&P shows signs of breaking even. Tune in to Channel 6 News tonight to hear about this exciting historic development.”

Unfortunately, with the economy, or lack thereof, many advertisers have been forced to reduce their spending, which means only one thing: More Informercials.

But wait! There’s More! If you act now, you can catch the Discovery Channel’s reality show about infomercials!. It’s called Pitchmen, and stars none other than Bill Mays. I watched it for the longest half hour of my life the other night, and two weeks later saw the product that was featured on the reality show in an infomercial. In fact, I wonder if they run infomercials during the reality show about infomercials. It would make sense…but we would have to change the show type from reality to surreality. Pitchmen would not the sole surreality member; Date My Mom, Rock of Love and Shot at Love with Tila Tequila would fit in the category as well.

If you have not seen or heard about the benefits of a ShamWow or a Snuggy yet, stay up past 10 pm and you will. These two spots are on so much that they should be put up for a People’s Choice Award.

You’ve probably heard this before, but let just in case: Everything seen on TV…even the news…is not the whole truht. Some things are fit for consumption, others are not. Take ShamWow and Snuggy: First, the ShamWow is a damn sham(e); if you’ve ever watched the spot, you’ll know what I mean. And in surreality, the spokesman for the ShamWow.

It seems that the intrepid host for the magical cloth was jailed for punching out a hooker when she bit his tongue, causing it to bleed profusely.

As if that weren’t bad enough, the Snuggy, according to The Consumerist, has been found to be guilty of coming apart in the wash!

But wait! There’s More!

May 21

Microsoft Really Did Bite Apple

Posted in: Uncategorized

One month ago, I posted a column regarding Microsoft finally taking a crack at Apple (after two years) in the “I’m a PC, I’m a Mac” war waging on TV. I did take some comments from Apple users regarding how “stupid” PC users were, which is to be expected. I suppose it either shows fierce brand loyalty, or that Apple owners need to take some time off.

The agencies for which I have worked used both…a testament to the strengths of each platform. I do applaud Apple for putting the smackdown on Microsoft regarding customer service. If you’ve ever had the misfortune of trying to get anything out of Microsoft that is not available on their web site, good friggin’ luck. There are a billion steps to go through, and no easy way to do it. In fact, even if you do get through, the answer is usually not the one that fixes the problem. Such is the empire of Darth Gates.

Microsoft didn’t make much of an effort to fight against Apple’s Get a Mac campaign when it launched 2006. Finally in 2008, Microsoft announced a $300 million ad campaign to fire back. The company’s first few bullets shot at Apple appeared ineffective, beginning with some quirky commercials starring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates, followed by a friendly campaign called “I’m a PC.” Microsoft’s latest Laptop Hunter commercials are the fiercest yet, delivering sarcastic lines such as “I guess I’m not cool enough to be a Mac user” that appear to be echoing in the chambers of consumers’ brains.

Wired reports that Microsoft’s “Laptop Hunters” spots are, indeed, hurting Apple.

Based on the chart for A18-34, Apple clearly dominated the race until late March when Microsoft started trending up. However, this information needs to be taken with a grain of salt as it merely shows the “Value” perception of PC’s being higher. Apple still leads on quality and reputation. Microsoft also overtook Apple in “Satisfaction” and “Willingness to Recommend.” Other than that, the needle did not significantly change. Yet, it’s still a bruised Apple.

The best thing to come out of this “war” is that it clearly illustrates that advertising does, indeed, change perception. (Whew!)

May 20

When The Going Gets Tough, Go Guerrilla

Posted in: Uncategorized

posters

If you’re anything like me, “change” is a word that has been overused of late. Well, unfortunately, it’s going to happen again: Change. Change. CHANGE!

Change the way you think. Change the way you act. Look at your client from another angle. Ask someone else what they see. Don’t rely on what you think you know, go and find out what others know.

Our industry beat the phrase, “Think Outside the Box” into the ground, but now-really-it’s time to think outside the box. If you wait for your clients to come to you, it’s too late…trust me, others have great ideas, just like you do. The only difference is that they’re acting on theirs. So, Refresh. Renew. Revitalize. Do something…something is always better than nothing.

Try Guerrilla! It’s relatively inexpensive. You can target geographically. It’s tactical. It makes a splash. It may get you in trouble, but it gets the message out…and PR is PR, right?

Granted, it won’t be perfect for every client, but you have at least one that would benefit. Automotive? Entertainment? Packaged Goods? Think it’s not for your clients? Think again: MSN, Yahoo, Carmex, Disney, Activision, CBS, TBS, New Balance, Absolut, AT&T, New York Sports Clubs, Pepsi, and tons of new movie releases have all recently used some form of poster advertising.

You’re there because you’re creative. So, be creative.

Hasta La Creative!

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