Careerbuilder Surprises “AdLand”

First, Current TV put it’s RFP out to everyone on Twitter. Now, CareerBuilder (CB), a company with no less than five Super Bowl ad appearances, has dumped its agency and gone “public.”

Wieden-Kennedy, CB’s most recent agency, did not lose the account to another agency, but to the general public. CB is asking for the creative 25-second spots via a promotional drive that will be on their website. The winning spot will air in the upcoming Super Bowl (February of 2010). cb-promo-ad

“For a brand like CareerBuilder, which is about helping people get to their next great position, this made sense for us, and with the situation [the country is] in economically,” says Richard Castellini, the company’s chief marketing officer.

CareerBuilder, like any company that chargers employers to advertise job postings, has lost money during the tough economic climate, reporting a 27% revenue loss during Q1 2009. By removing their agency, CB will save about 20% in annual marketing costs.

However, the gambit comes with risks. Although Frito Lay’s recent Super Bowl spot contest was won by two brothers over several highly creative shops, one spot certainly does not an advertising strategy make. In the short-term, though, CareerBuilder is most likely looking for a few good advertisers…

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: linkedin.com or twitter.com.


Some CEO’s Don’t Like Being Pointed Out

welcomaboard_ad_largeSearching for the often controversial, but always relevant subjects to use for BMA.com, sometimes you find a gem. As you may have seen (depending on your market), Jet Blue has been taking very directed shots at CEOs using several snappy commercials are truthful AND funny. This is what is commonly known as “Sarcasm.” I have been accused of being sarcastic before…by family, friends, coworkers, teachers, etc. So, I thought I’d better know what the word meant.

Anyway, I decided to see if the aviation industry, especially CEOs that chartered or took company/ private jets for their air travel found the ads humorous. That would be a “NO: They were not amused.” In fact, they were almost hostile. I stole this reply off of an aviation pubs blog responses:

Andrew,jetblue2

I watched the vidoes of the new ‘CEO’ JetBlue commercials.
I am a CEO…and I don’t think they are ‘funny’ nor ‘clever’. As for being well timed…I viewed them just prior to my scheduled departure…on my plane. David will regret paying for this nonsense.
Please find something else to write about…maybe something related to ‘news’ in our industry. 
                                                                                        -Name Withheld (by BMA.COM)

OWCH!  Sounds like someone didn’t get their yearly stipend! Granted, most Warren Buffets of the world are not flying coach, so these spots are meant to be facetious. However, a CEO that’s under pressure may (obviously) react differently. The Jet Blue site has quite a few funny CEO jabs on it. Go to: www.welcomebigwigs.com.

 


 
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 Twitter, or look him up on LinkedIn.

Craigslist Steps Up–Kind of…

cl-womanCraigslist is dropping the “erotic services” portion of it’s site due to pressure from impending lawsuits and a murder linked to the site.

Unfortunately, the fix is nothing more than lip service. The category will simply be renamed and Craigslist will charge an additional fee for its use. Additionally, Craigslist employees will monitor posts before they appear online, something for which Craigslist has been criticized since adult advertising on the site started. Police in numerous states have used Craigslist as a tool to set up prostitution ”stings” and the fact that sex is available on Craigslist is well-known. Is Craigslist worried?10501890-2

Probably not. According to Craigslist attorney, Eric Brandfonbrener, appearing in federal court for a hearing on [an Illinois] lawsuit, told U.S. District Judge John Grady that the site would change to satisfy the lawsuit:

“My expectation is that it will be moot,” Brandfonbrener told the judge. [Illinois] attorney Daniel Gallagher said he remained skeptical. “They’ve made promises to attorneys general in the past,” Gallagher said, noting that
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal had brokered an agreement with the site in November to crack down on prostitution ads after being contacted about several complaints about photographs depicting nudity. “I’m not going to take their word for it, we want to see action.”

The best thing to come out of this is that if you are searching for sex, AshleyMadison.com is now available! Ashley Madison is an adult service that encourages adults to have affairs, and their tagline says it all: Life is Short. Have an Affair.™ Unlike Craigslist, however, Ashley Madison guarantees that if you are not knocking boots, or at least hooking up by your 90-day anniversary, they’ll refund you $249.00 (the cost to join?). In April, Ashley Madison began advertising in Chicago, and although many US stations have refused to air their ads, some Chicago stations are running the spots. Ashley Madison’s newest innovation is that members can Have An Affair Anywhere, a mobile phone service that allows members to hook up while traveling.

But, a Guarantee! And to think of all money I wasted on drinks…

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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312.

Bicultural? Um…Maybe.

drpepperlogoDr. Pepper has kicked off a program known as Vida23, celebrating la vida23, “a flavorful, bicultural life to the 23rd power.”
A mobile dance club/studio and arcade, plus a new song written for the program, will be touring American cities.

“Just like the unique 23 flavors Dr Pepper, Vida23 is designed to give consumers more out of every day,” said Monica Morales, Dr Pepper brand manager, Hispanic market. “Hispanic young adults are living the best of both worlds – they’re bicultural and bilingual. Unlike previous generations, today’s young Latinos literally have one foot in each culture and Vida23 celebrates their way of life.”

The song, “LA LA LA Life/Vida23,” was written and performed by Cucu Diamantes and Andres Levin, founding members of the fusion band Yerba Buena. The song could be described as African-rooted Latin music + hip-hop + Soul/R&B. The song can be heard over the air, or during Dr Pepper spots.

picture12Vida23 is meant to embody the bicultural lifestyle using Club23, Dr Pepper’s dance club on wheels where fans can play games, dance, and upload photos. Beginning in Dallas on May 15, Club23 tours the country, hitting locations such as LA, San Antonio, Phoenix, and Sacramento. Club23 dates and locations are available at www.Vida23.com.

Other promotions that will run later in the year include Tu Ride23 and Familia23. The Tu Ride23 promotion will give consumers a chance to win a car, and Familia23 awards a huge party to a family submitting a photo of themselves enjoying Dr Pepper while explaining how they live their life to the fullest.

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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312..

Health Care For Everyone

In the United States, there are currently over 44 million people with no health insurance. HealthJustice is introducing five TV spots featuring B.J. Hunicutt (Mike Farrell) of the hit televisions series M*A*S*H. Mr. Farrell has graduated from TV doctor to author and activist. HealthJustice produced a series of five ads with B.J. speaking to doctors and nurses about “Single Payer” health care.

What is Single Payer Health Care?

Single-payer healthcare is the payment of doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers from a single fund and is one of the systems used to provide Universal Healthcare. A bill has been introduced to Congress, H.R. 676, that outlines the “health care for all” strategy.

The Campaign

There will be five ads in rotation coordinated with a nationwide calling, emailing and faxing campaign to Congress and the White House. As of Friday, May 8th, over 25 thousand faxes, 2000 voicemails/phone messages and numerous emails had been sent to Congress and the White House, all requesting single payer health care.

The campaigns and the TV ads are funded entirely with donations to HealthJustice, typically less than $100 each. Seed money came from Physicians for a National Health Program and from the Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care. 

Who Pays?

In short, we do. Although there are no specifics, the bill does cover where funding would originate:


The bill is hitting at an opportune time as more and more Americans find themselves without jobs and health care. For more information, or to get involved, visit www.1payer.net.

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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312..

Nielsen Ratings for the TV? Can they be Trusted?

television

A Brief History

Being from the media world, it is easy to forget that not everyone knows what media-philes talk about when they say things like CPP, CPM, Impressions, etc. Likewise, it’s fair to assume that not everyone understands what Nielsen does, or why they do it.

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So, here is a quick definition: “Nielsen Ratings are audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States.” There are two methods for obtaining the information; the first is automatic and uses a device hooked to your TV. The second is what is known as the diary method…exactly what it sounds like. Families are chosen nationwide and fill out diaries regarding what they watch, and when, the process is for them to write it down. If you have never participated, it is a royal PITA (Pain In The Ass). The diary system is antiquated multifold cardboard pages, and Nielsen actually hypes the fact that this is a great system, asking viewers to write down every network they watch. If I remember correctly, one of the larger problems that we had was trying to figure out shows recorded on DVR. Did Nielsen update the diaries from the1930’s, when they started? It doesn’t look like it. Obviously, the diary method needs to be replaced, but for now, it’s what we have.

Glitches In The Gears

Nielsen’s problems stem from two main sources:

  • They are the ONLY game in town.
  • When mistakes are made, they impact the entire TV industry…from the
    networks and agencies to clients.

Last week, Nielsen had another infamous “server” problem and was not able to deliver ratings for four days. So, many think “big deal.”

Believe it: it is a HUGE deal. Ratings determine prices for spots. They also report how each show does on an overnight basis. Thus, when Nielsen could not provide ratings for four days last week due to a the malfunction, that left media planners and buyers with nowhere to turn for optimizing their clients TV buys, potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of “unknowns. To put it into perspective, the television industry relies on $60 billion in ad revenues yearly…all depending on Nielsen.

Unfortunately, Nielsen also announced that the data provided by People Meters (hooked to TV’s in Nielsen households) underrepresented the number of viewers actually watching TV.tv-heads

Nielsen says it’s “working around the clock” to fix things and get back on schedule, but the networks who use the numbers to help set ad rates and schedules are, not surprisingly, pretty upset. The system failure “couldn’t
have come at a worse time,” NBC research boss Alan Wurtzel told The New York Times. “This comes at a particularly tough time of year because all of us are making evaluations about bubble shows and time periods and so forth.”

Forward on Three Legs

Improvements do not seem to be coming soon…Nielsen has been laying off employees to keep expenses low. Those jobs have been outsourced to Tata, and India-based consultancy. How Nielsen expects to fix everything that is broken with the five people still working at the company remains to be seen.

But until then, are we to take ratings with a “grain of salt?” Not only late, but incorrect?

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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312..

Sex Easy To Find On Craigslist

Craigslist may face criminal action in South Carolina unless the online classifieds service stops running ads the state says promote prostitution and pornography, the state attorney general’s office said Thursday.

picture1Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster probably never guessed that his name would be involved with murder, a sociopath, and angry Americans. After all, he simply ran a classified ad website…what kind of trouble could he get into?

Well, he may spend time in the big house if he is not careful…although it is highly doubtful. However, he has taken his share of legal and  public flogging, so much so that he has responded via the Craigslist blog: 

“When critics rush to tar craigslist as especially dangerous, it’s important to put things in perspective,” he writes. “Craigslist users have posted more than 1.15 billion classified ads to date, easily 1000x the combined total ever posted to the print publications involved in all of these ‘print ad murders.’”

In its “terms of use” section, Craigslist says it is not responsible for ads on its sites. Which is basically the same as the disclaimer that smoking can kill you on the outside of the cigarette box.

craigslistart

Sex on Craigslist is not hard to locate: Just go to the “personals” and look for the link that says “misc. romance and casual encounters.” Now it is true that Craigslist is not the first public “portal” that has been used for people trying to hook up for sexual activity…MySpace, Chat Rooms, AOL…they have all been exploited for sexual purposes. With any service that is used to put two people together that have never met, there is a good chance that the person you meet may not be the person that was portrayed. It’s one of the pitfalls of personal “online” branding: we have the ability to be who we want to be.  

Mr. Buckmaster does have a valid point in that predators have found prey via other methods, and not just Craigslist. However, when newspapers used to run classified advertising, there were no pictures of naked women, no promises of sexual gratification-and if there were, they were veiled as something else entirely.
picture11

It’s really nobody’s fault anymore. Craigslist is just another company that is not responsible for the indirect damage they’ve enabled. The CEOs of banks, automakers, mortgage lenders…it’s not their fault, either. Let the public beware! After all, they were just trying to make a little money. So some people died. Other’s lost their life savings. It’s not our fault.

However, as the world becomes interconnected, some sort of responsibility must be taken by those that provide the means. We assume that others are as ethical (for better or worse) as we are, and it is not too much to ask for a little corporate responsibilty, as well. If someone was hurt on your property although being warned prior to the fact that danger existed, there would still be culpability inolved for having something of danger exposed to the public.  

It’s not that I think Craigslist is guilty; rather, I feel that they should take some of the responsibility. Yet, the fact that Craigslist has entirely blamed everyone but themselves, and has even researched other murders that have happened via classified ads seems a bit caustic and a little too casual. Luckily, the killer was caught quickly…maybe at the beginning of a serial killing spree. What would Craigslist have done if there were ten murders?  
 

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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312.

Google Takes To Broadcast, Touts Chrome

Google, Google, Everywhere…

There’s probably not a day in our lives for the last five years that we have not come in to contact with Google in some way or another; a very charismatic and sticky brand, here is where we daily find Google:  from trade pubs (IT, Advertising, and Marketing) to our home and work computers, Google has become a brand that has become a staple of our day to day online interactions. There are, of course, purists out there that use other search engines simply because they are not Google…but they are few and far between.

google-logos-customGoogle excels in bringing brand extensions to the user…thus, they are able to capture non-search users with Google Reader (an RSS Feed plugin). They never stop innovating, which is most likely the reason for their success. Some of the company’s newer products include Google Health, Google Finance, Google Labs (very cool), Google Blogs, and even a program for purchasing TV advertising nationally using the AdWords utility. And recently released, there is Google Chrome.

Will Chrome Be The Gold Standard?

Google Chrome is the company’s answer to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Compared head-to-head with IE8, my choice would be Chrome. It’s super fast, does not use a ton of memory, “hangs” infrequently, and is extremely simple to use. It does have drawbacks: no zoom, no status bars, and managing bookmarks is a challenge. Other than that, I dig it. I also have IE8, which has a ton of features, but thus it’s never really worked correctly…

As Seen On TV

But the real reason that Google Chrome is in the headlines is for another reason entirely: Google Chrome has the honor of being the first Google product to be advertised on television (although search has made “appearances” in other advertiser’s spots).

Touted as an experiment, Google states that they will use the Google TV Ads system, which includes cable systems and networks that allow Google to sell some of their inventory. Echostar’s Dish Network and NBC Universal cable networks like CNBC, Sleuth and Chiller are some of their available networks. The entire endeavor will be low cost.

Google started a marketing campaign for Chrome last month in which it commissioned 11 videos from small creative firms that were initially posted and promoted on YouTube. Recently, Google started placing those videos on websites through ad buys, including an expandable ad on the front page of the New York Times’ website.

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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312.

Not Feeling Screwed? You Should Be.

Best Week Ever

Late last week, Chrysler filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and Omnicom’s BBDO Detroit was listed as the second-highest unsecured creditor, with some $58+ million in outstanding invoices. Most of the dollars are believed to be for spot TV buys placed when Chrysler opted to dump it’s national advertising to save money. The Chapter 11 filing gives the carmaker time to restructure under government protection from creditors. So, while Chrysler does NOT have to pay their creditors at the moment, they will still receive cash infusions from Uncle Sam. Now that is what I call the American Dream!
chryslerbldgLike a spoiled child whose parents are too weak to say the word, “NO,” Chrysler now finds that they are in great shape: safe from creditors and still receiving their billion dollar allowance. Chrysler, of course, is not celebrating…or are they? The automobile company may not be dancing, but they are acting as if they’ve got America by the short hairs. Sadly, with backing from Obama, they do. Thus it’s no surprise that Chrysler is launching a national, prime-time TV, newspaper, and digital campaign set to hit the public on May 11th, 2009. The tagline for the campaign is, “We’re building a new car company. Come see what we’re building for you.” This move back to the national advertising arena must mean Chrysler does not need to worry about reducing expenses anymore. Whew!

What Do You Mean You Want The Money?

Well, no, that’s not the truth. The real story is that Chrysler does not intend to repay dollars borrowed from private interests priorwebuildad-copy2 
to government intervention. The private “investors” are unlikely sources; the University of Kentucky, Kraft Foods’ retirement fund, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, pension funds, and teachers’ credit unions. The Obama administration is not going to let that happen, and has even berated the companies that were willing to bet on a loser (Chrysler) as “a small group of speculators” who “endanger Chrysler’s future by refusing to sacrifice like everyone else.” This, despite fact that the terms of the agreement state that lenders would be repaid first should bankruptcy became a reality.

The Final Straw

In a last “screw” you from the government and Chrysler, it is now being reported that taxpayers will never see a single dollar of the billions lent to Chrysler. From Monday’s bankruptcy hearings:

“They’re offering financing with a low likelihood of being repaid,” said Robert Manzo, an executive director for Capstone Advisory Group LLC, according to the Associated Press. As part of its Chapter 11 reorganization, Manzo wrote Chrysler expects the U.S. Treasury to forgive a $4 billion bridge loan the automaker received during the Bush administration, a $300 million fee on that loan, and the $3.2 billion in financing the Obama administration approved last week to help the company stay afloat while it is in bankruptcy.

CNN did confirm that the Obama Whitehouse stated that it did not expect Chrysler to repay the money. It’s interesting, but Bernie Madhoff went to prison for less than this.

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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312..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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312.


Truth in Advertising

burger-winceTruth in advertising is, by some, considered an oxymoron. Like “deafening silence” or “clean coal.” Yet, each day commercials run that make outrageous claims, but nothing seems to be done about them. For instance, the ShamWow; the announcer pours a can of cola out on the table in a big pool. The camera cuts to the announcer as he asks, “Are you catching this camera-guy?” The scene cuts back to the table and half of the mess is mysteriously missing. 

The government agency in charge of false advertising is the Federal Trade Commission, and there are several pages on their website dedicated on spelling out what are, and are not, deceptive practices :

Under the Federal Trade Commission Act:

  • Advertising must be truthful and non-deceptive;
  • Advertisers must have evidence to back up their claims; and
  • Advertisements cannot be unfair.

What makes an advertisement deceptive?

According to the FTC’s Deception Policy Statement, an ad is deceptive if it contains a statement – or omits information – that:

  • Is likely to mislead consumers acting reasonably under the circumstances; and
  • Is “material” – that is, important to a consumer’s decision to buy or use the product.

The FTC is also concerned with the roles that celebrity spokespeople play in selling products, and has instituted changes to “Tuides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” If a false claim is made by a celebrity, the FTC will hold the advertiser responsible for the misleading claim, but also expert and celebrity endorsers. new_salt_truth_in_advertising-fcilyx-d-wince

Additionally, celebs cannot state that they love bacon and have it everyday for breakfast when they’ve never eaten bacon, nor would consider it as food. The same is true for the “magical time” continuum on TV: there has to be a reasonable semblance to the the truth. If Joe’s Bleach states that a stain will be lifted in thirty minutes, the trials have to be relatively close to this timeframe (ie, it can’t take a day). Celebrities will also be liable for what they do not say; if a professional  baseball player shows up on a talk show and plugs a product, he has to state that he is a paid sponsor for the product. 

With the proliferation of commercials on TV, it’s apparent that the FTC cannot enforce these statutes; however, Kellogg’s Cereal recently settled out of court due to claims that Frosted Mini Wheats boosted a child’s attention span by 20 percent versus children that did not eat breakfast at all.

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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312..

It’s No Depression, But I’m Gettin’ One….

massmediaworld-customI have a love/hate relationship with the aggregators that provide the news feeds to my lap top. I’ve been using two…one that is on my desk top that is on pretty much all the time. It works well, but some of the sites that I want feeds from don’t load correctly. So, I also have my feeds set up on iGoogle, and Google Reader. Actually, looking at it new light, it’s not the aggregators; it’s the state of the advertising industry that has my panties bunched up in a wad. Just to give you an idea of what we, as an industry face, I went back in time and pulled some of the juicier headlines from the last couple months:

TV Revs to Decline 21% in Two Years


TV revenues are expected to plunge below the $20 billion mark beginning in 2009. The past six years have showed that TV revenues remained steady, in the area of $20-$22 billion. The  BIA 
states that 2009 will show a 20% or greater decline, dropping to $17 billion. The forecast does not call for the TV industry to recover until 2012.

Media Industry Job Cuts Soar 57%

The number of job cuts in corporate America between January and April was up 9 percent from the same time period last year. In the media industry, job cuts are up 57 percent over last year, according to a survey from consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Although analyst’s state that it’s not time to panic, what is it time for? Tea & Crumpets? (These statistics are from 5/2/2008)

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Media Jobs Disappearing

The job market for U.S. media employment has dropped to it’s lowest point in 15 years. Much of this has to do with the dying throes of newspaper industry, as well as the automotive and housing industry “set-backs”, which were not what would be commonly known as beneficial. However, one bright spot is that the market consultant profession gained the bulk of new jobs last year, according to AdAge. Media positions are low compared to levels in 2000. It’s estimated that newspapers, nationwide, have cut 25% (1 of 4) positions since 1990, when newspapers made up half of the media jobs available in the U.S.

Analysts Expect More Major Media Company Cuts to Come

The U.S. Labor Department reported that some 530,000 jobs were lost in November of 2008 which, at the time, brought the unemployment rate to 6.7%. The media industry did it’s best ensuring the numbers were high, as Viacom and NBC combined to chop 1400 postions.

Viacom and NBC both cut jobs last week. Viacom dumped 850 workers, while NBC cut jobs at its NBC News and broadcast ops in an ongoing effort to hack a total of 500 jobs. And those cuts are just the tip of the iceberg, says Barclays Capital analyst Anthony DiClemente (via Mediaweek). “Further work-force reduction announcements should be expected from the other large-cap media companies,” he says.

WPP to Trim Thousands, Ogilvy Already Feeling the Knife

WPP announced that they would be cutting around 7,000 jobs worldwide. The media giant employs approximately 100,000 people. The U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain were cited by the company as markets under pressure, writes Reuters. The cuts have already begun. Adweek reports that WPP’s Ogilvy Group reduced 10% of its staff today. The cuts affected Ogilvy & Mather, OgilvyOne, Ogilvy Interactive and OgilvyAction. 

Omnicom Group is bracing for cut-backs, estimating that 3,500 of its 70,000 workers will get tossed.

Conclusions

The competition is fierce, to say the least. Right now, even receiving a phone interview is a victory. There is a lot of demand, and zero supply. The bright light at the end of the tunnel is that advertising and media professionals tend to be extremely flexible, strategically creative, and work well under pressure–all huge assets. Think progressively, and be bold; after all, what is the worst that could happen?

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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312

Newspaper Begs for Customers-Says No Digital Sundays!

ajcsunday-site-logoThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) has launched a campaign begging consumers to have a digital-free Sunday. The paper, owned by Cox enterprises, rolled out the over $1 million campaign this week with the tagline “Unplug. It’s Sunday.” The campaign is to promote the Sunday newspaper as a way to escape the ringing of cell phones, e-mail notifications, IM, and all of the other digital devices that “clutter” our work weeks. Instead of reading the news on an RSS Feed, we can lug out the seven pound paper and spend some quality time getting newsprint on our fingers. Nice. The campaign is slated to run for the remainder of the year.

Perhaps the funniest (or dumbest) thing about this story is that Cox Enterprises chose a digital agency to lead consumers back to print. The AJC tapped IQ Interactive, an Atlanta digital agency. Weirdly, we can digitally view this couple reading the traditional newspaper, which is like Xeroxing a mirror (don’t do it, you’ll go back in time). The fully-interactive microsite gives off that  ”peeping tom feel,” staring into someones home from a bay window. A couple is sitting on the couch reading the paper, and “Tom” can move from room to room, opening cabinets, running water, and even taking bread from a shopping bag. Voyeurism does have its advantages…

ajc-website

There are other media components to the campaign, including; print, TV, radio, online, point-of-purchase, direct mail, and out of home.

“It’s about how to reposition the newspaper,” said Tony Quin, CEO of IQ Interactive, the independent Atlanta digital shop
that created the campaign. “We came up with the idea as a counterpoint to the digital cacophony that exists in everyone’s
lives. Sunday is the day to relax and do something different than you do the rest of the week.”

The AJC has fared no better than the rest of the newspaper industry; the paper’s circulation dropped twenty percent in the last year for weekdays and Saturdays, and seven percent on Sundays. Earlier this year, the AJC cut 30% of the news staff.

The takeaway: although the marketing team will be gone next year after this debacle, they did show foresight by using forms of media that actually reach the consumer. Just another bullet point for the ol’ resume.

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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312.


If You Had $100 Million?

This is an excerpt of an early 2009 interview with a McDonald’s Coffee-Banger Street Lieutentant who asked to be kept off the record. I asked him what he would do with $100 Million…

“A hundred million? We’d use the-playersit to knock Starbucks the *&^% out! Yeah! We’re tired of that punk chain hanging around. Don’t they know who we are? We are Mac-Don-Olds! MacD. Or Big Mac, to our friends. And that Starbucks been runnin things for too long. I thougAwright man, so here’s the story. Starbucks been cornerin the coffee business for a while now, you know? And for us, that was too long. They lost their focus. Got sloppy. Opened too many stores. Charged too much. People got tired of goin there, ya know? So, other shops started hanging out on their turf, right? Dunkin’ Donuts. 7-11. Caribou. They all make a pretty mean brew. And, you know what? A dude don’t have to wait in line for no 20 minutes at those other places, or use fancy terms that don’t make no sense! A grande means small! What? All them other places produce quality product…and it’s all about gettin’ caffeine into the blood, right? Mmm. I can feel it now.ht we had ‘em a couple months back, but they hung on like a booger. But we got the credibility, ya know?fourbucksisdumb2

We were just watchin, you know, playin’ it safe for a while, but then we got tired of those little coffee-bangers running around…this is our turf. They was ruining da whole coffee business! We are Mac-Don-Olds. King of all these streets! Why not let the real King take over? We brought in all the heads, the bosses, and met out at Hamburger U. It was decided to sock it to ‘em! Free Coffee Mondays. Everywhere. Give it away, earn their trust, then sell it, sell it, sell it! All the way to the bank.

(KFC tried to do it with chicken… Chicken? Who wants to walk around with a chicken breast in their hand!? Man, give ‘em a Coke! But not a hunk of chicken!)

Anyway, Starbucks started runnin’ around, not sure which way they was goin’…sending out crazy messages that they weren’t “special,”  just a regular cup of Joe. What regular coffee costs $4? Well, they cut their own brand apart, right out from underneath their own-selves. Punks! But, they still here. So, now we gonna finish it, And, after we’re done with Starbucks, we goin’ after that creepy-King-looking %*&!)$&@#+)$ that plays with sponges…”

And there you have it…McDonalds once again to make the streets a virtual coffee war zone. AdAge printed a story this morning, speaking with Neil Golden:

“I assure you that we’re going to be surrounding the consumer with very relevant messaging,” said Neil Golden, chief marketing officer, McDonald’s USA. He said the initial ads “will pulse on and off very strongly through the summer, with sustained weight well into 2010.” 

The fast-food chain won’t state how much they’re going to spend overall, but the goal is to add $100 billion to the bottom line in 2009. With McDonalds on the prowl again, the other competitors are circling the wagons for the upcoming battle.

Starbucks, after directionless floundering a month ago, finally responded by running full-page newspaper ads designed to tell their story and to warn consumers not to “trade down.” This marks the first branding campaign of any weight in years, and comes six months after  Wieden & Kennedy quit the account, citing that Starbucks did not seem receptive to driving the brand forward.starbucks-revised-bag

One  has to wonder at the recent choices made by Starbucks, and their new agency, BBDO. They’ve closed 600 stores, cut  1000 jobs, and sent out conflicting messages that stated “we are like everyone else” but “we are still the premium  choice.” To top it off, they choose newspaper, a medium that is failing in its own right, to deliver their messaging?

 Time will tell if Starbucks is able to survive in the long-term, but one thing is certain: McDonalds is coming. Again.

 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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312.


Thou Shalt Not Twitter!

twitter_iconI’ve come to the conclusion that although I think I am radical, the truth is that I must be pretty conservative. It is most likely a product of aging, but that’s only a small percentage of why I think I am a conservative. (I did like George Bush for a while…but it was only months) I don’t take huge risks. Plus, I think that Twittering in church is ridiculous. But, Time reported that churches are indeed embracing Twitter:

Voelz and David McDonald, the other senior pastor at Westwinds Community Church in Jackson, Mich., spent two weeks educating their congregation about Twitter, the microblogging site that challenges users to communicate in 140 characters or less. They held training sessions where congregants brought in their laptops, iPhones and Blackberrys. They upped the bandwidth in the auditorium. (Finding God on YouTube)

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It’s not that I believe that Twitter is in any way malicious or wrong, it’s just that, like cell phones while driving, it takes your eye off the ball. People attend church for a reason; to make them feel better, to be closer to God, be a part of a community, or hear something that will aid them during life’s stresses. How can anything of value be heard if members are too busy playing with cell phones? Might as well have them bring in iPods and watch a movie a baseball game.

I am a huge fan of Twitter, Social Media, and new technology. However, I would not DARE to send text messages or answer my cell phone at a staff meeting, during a training presentation, or in front of the CEO. What is not acceptable at the office is okay at church? Hmm.

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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312.

Recession Marketing: Spending Will Make You Stronger

Introduction

Is it good business practice to reduce or eliminate marketing expenditures during a recession? The logical answer would be “yes,” as the revenue stream reduces to a trickle. History, however, has shown this practice to be counterproductive, even detrimental, to long-term success. Weathering the storm is certainly a priority, but the objective is to get back to port safely after the storm abates. History, with nothing but facts on her side, has never been proven incorrect. One thing is certain: Making decisions based upon awareness is good practice; basing them on fear is not.

A Tale Of Two Cereals

In the early twenties, both Kellogg and Post Cereals were not sure that they would overcome cream of wheat or oatmeal to the popular breakfast foods of the day: a hearty cooked breakfast, cream of wheat, or oatmeal. The two companies fought one another for market share dominance until the depression hit.

Each company took a different path. One braced for the economic storm, cutting marketing budgets, reining in expenses, and laying off workers. The other stepped into the storm, doubled advertising expenditures, aggressively took advantage of radio advertising, and focused all their strength behind a single product. By the early 1930s, the economy had fallen to it’s lowest point, yet one company showed a 30% rise in profits. Which cereal company came out ahead?

The answer: Kellogg Cereal, with their top-selling product, Rice Krispies. A bold decision made during crisis defined Kellogg Cereal’s future, and they’ve maintained industry dominance for the past seventy-five years.

But That’s Just One Case Study…

Okay, so that’s a single success story. A fluke. An anomaly. Fortunately, there are numerous examples: In February 1930, four months after the historic market crash, Henry Luce launched an expensive, “irreverent, and vibrantly-colored arsenal of human interest stories.” At $1.00 per copy, it was more than many could afford, and it kicked off with 30,000 subscribers. Seven years later, Fortune’s circulation was at a half million, and the company was in the black. Kraft Foods is another example. Kraft realized that consumers were downtrodden and needed something to help them through the depression, not to mention that Kraft’s mayonnaise sales were plummeting. So, Kraft decided to launch a new product called Miracle Whip (a dressing/mayonnaise) at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933. “A sandwich just isn’t a sandwich with out the TANGY ZIP of Miracle Whip,” was the tagline for the new product, and six months after launch, Miracle Whip was outselling every single brand of dressing and mayonnaise available.

It’s Innovation, Stupid!

Innovation is the key. Kellogg Cereal focused on one product and doubled their marketing expenditures. Fortune filled a niche that was missing from The Wall Street Journal. Kraft introduced a new product. Other examples: Revlon,a start-up cosmetic company, introduced a classy polish for fingernails. Within years, they were the most well-known cosmetic company in the world. Two brothers began a company that marketed the first car radio successfully, and began a company later named Motorola. In England, a man came up with books that were affordable for the masses by making them entirely out of paper (no hardcovers). The man became the founder of became Penguin books, and “paperbacks” sold exclusively through Woolworths. Texas Instruments, Hewlett-Packard, basketball, The Pittsburgh Steelers, Allstate Insurance: all rooted in the depression. Studies completed during recessionary periods show that this was not a fluke; the same results are seen for companies that innovate and stay on course through the tough times: they emerge stronger and more profitable than those that remained static.

In a study of 600 business-to-business companies, McGraw-Hill Research found that businesses that maintained or increased their advertising expenditures during the 1981-1982 recession, averaged higher sales growth during the recession and in the three years following. By 1985, sales of aggressive recession advertisers (those that either maintained or increased spending) had risen 256% over those that cut-back on advertising. (Innovating Through Recession)

A few years ago, a small book came out; “Whatever You Think, Think The Opposite,” written by a former Saatchi and Saatchi Creative Director named Paul Arden. The book is a guide that points out that one of the most dangerous practices in life is playing it safe.

The first page is emblazoned with this quote: “It’s the wrong way to think, but the right way to win.”  That leaves two paths from which to choose: the safe, well-traveled path, or the road less taken. The latter may be treacherous, but it will certainly be more fun: afterall, how often does a company get a chance to reinvent themselves?

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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312.

Life Is A Rock, But The Radio Rolled Me

Some people never learn. They’re in hot water today for the same reasons that earned them a seat in principals office every week as kids: Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Most have erred at one time or another, but this is post-1984, significant only because George Orwell miscalculated: “Big Brother” is not the government, but is, “We The People.”

Americans seem relatively tense, and there is not much forgiveness for calculated or accidental misstep, most likely due to several coinciding events: big business mistrust (banking, housing, automotive), scam artists (Bernie Madoff), and a struggling economy. Today, the slightest of mistakes could spark a ruckus. Just ask Carrie Prejean, the “I missed it by that much” Ms. America contestant. Ms. Prejean learned a brutal lesson on the world stage; sometimes it’s better to lie if you want to win…at least that’s what we want to teach America’s children (heavy sarcasm implied). She made a choice based on her personal morals and First Amendment rights, and took a beating. 

Polar opposites using the First Amendment for profit, such as Howard Stern and Jay Severin, have also stated controversial things in public. However, they do it for ratings and money. Both radio personalities are actually very different in message, methodology, and delivery; yet one common element binds them: when they go on-air listeners either tune in or turn off. This week, Jay Severin was suspended from WTKK in Boston for making racially biased comments regarding Mexicans, stating that the major imports from Mexico were venereal disease, women with mustaches, and the swine flu. He then went on to state that Mexicans were “primitives.”

severin

Boston's Jay Severin

From there, the plot is as easy to follow as a daytime television drama:

A. DJ offends a person, or group of persons, publicly
B. Offended group calls radio station in “flood of protest”
C. DJ is suspended or fired; station backs DJ or backs off
D. The First Amendment is mentioned several million times
E. “Oppressed“ groups rehash incident for weeks
F.  DJ fades away or returns in a different market 

The usually talkative Severin was silent when questioned by reporters, directing them to his attorney, who stated, “It would certainly be unfortunate if someone was suspended because some people didn’t like what he said.” Sounds like Mr. Severin needs a new attorney.

Shot Dog, Wife.

Lost His Dog, His Wife, & His Freedom

The radio business has been volatile in the past week as San Antonio-based radio giant Clear Channel announced further staff reductions (1950 were cut in January) that would include on-air personalities. Additionally, a popular Florida DJ for Clear Channel was arrested for shooting his dog…unfortunately the bullet ricocheted off his dog, hitting his wife in the head. Both the wife and dog are expected to recover, and the DJ is expected to go to jail.

<strong>Jeff Louis</strong> is a 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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312 

Marketer: Brand Thyself

personal-branding1I’m part of a great movement, a swelling tide of humanity that Like-it-or-Not has become un-engaged with that thing called work. Another unwashed, unkempt food line patron, or the bearded man begging for change. I’ve been labeled by the media: UN-EM-PLOYED.

I am not complaining, rather, explaining an “awakening” (whatev!).

Unemployment is humbling and life altering, one day a contributor, the next, not so much. In between panhandling, emailing resumes that no one sees, calling people that cannot help you, and begging those that will not, there is actually some time to think. What could I have done better, how should I have positioned myself, and why didn’t I take that job last year at that other agency? I have also started reading more.

Occasionally, a book will come along and floor me with it’s brilliance, shake me out of my stupor. Like icy water. Well, guess what? That book has not come out yet. However, I did read a fantastic article on how to brand yourself so that you can avoid getting laid off…a little too late for me. The article is short; the writer part of my LinkedIn “circle.” From brief “run-ins” with him via email or in seedy chatrooms, he seems to walk the walk. His name is Dan Scwabel, and you can follow him on LinkedIn, Twitter, VisualCV, and JobFox (I am actually proud of myself—I am part of all four, although only two have been finalized).

Here are Dan’s Top Ten Suggestions:

1. Become an invaluable asset to your colleagues, professional
network & clients
2. Position yourself as the go-to-person for a specific skill
3. Gain self-confidence and rise to the occasion
4. Focus on social equity, not just monetary equity
5. Build contact lists before you need them
6. Go on a branding spree by advertising it everywhere
7. Make your brand so visible that people can’t avoid seeing you
8. Become so remarkable that complete strangers talk about you
my favorite
9. Be a content producer, not just a consumer
10. Have an “endorsement mindset”

Last but not least, and possibly one of the most important things to keep in mind, is the power of positive endorsements. Collect endorsements throughout your life like you would collect baseball cards. You are the chief marketing officer for the brand called you, but what others say about your brand is more impactful than what you say about yourself.

I am better for reading it…additionally, now I know who I am going to pester all week…

Jeff Louis is a 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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis, or twitter.com/jlo0312.

Don’t Miss This Press Release!

no-broken-heartAre you tired of dating games? Does developing a healthy partnership seem impossible? Are all the best ones already taken, or playing for the “wrong” team?
Do you find yourself awake in the middle of the night, alone with a cat you don’t remember buying and your favorite late night TV, with one question burning in your mind?

“If I’m so successful, good-looking and smart, why am I still and lonely?”

Your friends tell you that it’s just a “matter of time” before the “right one” comes along, but secretly you wonder if you’re flawed. Your “friends” are all hooking up while you look for that special guy everywhere, everyday. It’s starting to take a toll on your sanity, your work…
dating
Well, I am not a Relationship Coach, but I play one on BMA, and if there’s one thing missing in your dating life that you use daily in your professional life, it’s a plan…a chart to tell you where you’re going, and how to get there. If you’ve had thoughts of inadequacy, and “what’s wrong with me, I’m hot?” I’ve got fantastic news for you: There’s a new dating site that is going to change your life forever. It’s an interactive platform called YourDatingPlan.com, and although there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this economy, you can join for FREE for a time as part of this limited offer.

Announced today via PR Newswire, YourDatingPlan.com has heralded the launch of their site that will change the way that single people will end your dating drama for good. Might as well delete the loser names out of your iPhone…you won’t be going back there anymore!

Sound too good to be true? It’s not; this is the real thing. What’s their magic method? An individual blueprint written out, to lead you to the Nirvana relationship you’ve been missing. Go to your computer right now and login to www.YourDatingPlan.com and sign up now. Once on the site, you’ll answer a series of questions from which the site will create your customized, step-by-step dating program. The questions have been rigorously tested and, when answered honestly, will be optimized and “scientifically processed.” Once the numbers have been crunched, the result will be a detailed action plan that you’ll be able to follow. The plan is catered specifically for you, taking your needs, situation, and personality into consideration.

YourDatingPlan.com is perfect no matter what stage of your life you are in – beginners in the dating world, people taking another stab at love by re-entering the dating scene or if you are just not happy in your current dating life. No more depending on friends for the answers…

We all know that there’s no such thing as a “free lunch” anymore, but the great thing about love is that it’s always been free! Now love is free with a step-by-step methodical way to reel that love home to you.

Jeff Louis is a 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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312.


Stop Watching Me!

google_earth_car_crashRemember that song, “I always feel like, somebody’s watching me, and I get no privacy…?” Well, stop inviting people to watch you, and maybe they will. George Orwell’s 1984 has gotten a little too close for comfort these days, except that big brother is not the government or the media, it’s “We, the People.”

Think before you write, do, or say anything in the public eye(s)…and that includes on your computer. You can be social, just not too sociable: What you say can and will be used against you in the courtroom of life.
In the latest incident of it’s not reality, its Virtual Reality (VR) a Swiss woman, complaining of a migraine, left work “sick” and was sacked when she showed up on Facebook later that day.

She said the company had created a fictitious Facebook persona which become “friends” with her, allowing the company to monitor her online activity. Her suspicions were raised when the “friend” suddenly disappeared after she was fired, the woman told 20 Minuten daily. But the company says it followed a simple logic: that those who are well enough to use Facebook with a migraine are well enough to work with a migraine.

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If you think about it logically, it’s better to assume that you are being monitored… Every credit transaction, every search result, every phone call…it’s all tracked somewhere. The Man always triangulates off cell signals and pulls data off the hard drive.

This latest incident has generated online warnings from social bloggers regarding the protection of your account. The trick is to separate your real friends (the ones that would help you move a body) from your friends (those that might show up to help you move) from your acquaintances (those that wouldn’t move out of your way on the train). If you want to protect yourself from unwanted scrutiny, read Facebook Fail on Mashable.

Jeff Louis is a 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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312.

Will MySpace Be Lost In Space?

robinsons-robotLike the Robinson’s robot from Lost In Space, someone has obviously been warning “The Suits” at MySpace “Danger! Danger! You are losing users!”  To MySpace’s credit, they listened, and have introduced new user features (Profile 2.0), revised their music section, and launched a “connect” feature. They also announced that they had ousted their CEO to bring in a former Facebook exec, Owen Van Natta. (No one is quite sure what happened to ever-friendly Tom…)  Additionally, MySpace is offering a beta version of MySpace Local which provides some of the functionality of Twitter, like; “Where can I get a great Tuna Sandwich in Kansas City?”

To be honest, other than the music search on MySpace, it’s been dead to me. And the music portion, until lately, wasn’t the simplest to use: if you sift through enough crap, you could find a among the shattered glass: One listen to A Fine Frenzy and you’ll know what I mean. However, the newly revamped music features on MySpace are far better than what they had, and leagues beyond anything Facebook has to offer. myspace_logo088-copy

Yet is it too little, too late? Should MySpace have made these changes mid-year 2008 when they knew Facebook was coming on hard? Facebook overtook MySpace as the largest Social Network in existence, and it’s not showing any sign of slowing down. (My mother, in her 60s, recently added a Facebook account to keep up with the “kids;” we are all over thirty.)  So, Facebook’s growth, in addition to the growth rate of Twitter (1300 percent from 2008 to 2009) leaves MySpace with difficult challenges to overcome. (See the graph, below, courtesy of Compete.)

Will MySpace Lose Their Space?

It’s doubtful in the near term, but it will depend on Van Natta’s leadership, innovation, and speed. MySpace will also need to rollout MySpace II carefully, not offending current users but also regaining previous members. The other huge benefit for MySpace: it’s owned by NewsCorp, the same company that owns Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Post. With that kind of breaking-news potential backing the site, it’s possible that MySpace may emerge as a combination between Digg and Facebook, with an awesome music application, online dating services, and the Twitter-like MySpace Local application.

Another hurdle for MySpace is to overcome its “ghetto” feel when compared to Facebook. Facebook is branded thoroughly on every page of the site whereas MySpace has multiple skins that can tombe utilized; some from third party vendors that cause the pages not to load correctly or even hang your browser. Additionally, MySpace is not positioned like Facebook in regard to the “employment” factor. Facebook is setup to “brand” yourself to potential employers…which means that tend to keep it clean of profanity in the headings, as well as use actual names rather than online IDs. But, then again, maybe that is part of its charm. Facebook has experienced their share of problems; they’ve disenchanted some of their members with sweeping changes to their privacy policies (although later rescinded), and have changed the user interface, much to the chagrin of many. In fact, many demand that the “old” Facebook be brought back. Finally, Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, seems to be a wild card that holds the future of the site in his hands, as evidenced by the mysterious departure of Chief Financial Officer, Gideon Yu. Yu’s departure was the latest change of several in the upper ranks at Facebook, “whose employees and investors are anxious about Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg’s plans for the social-networking site.”

MySpace’s biggest challenge is to implement their changes quickly; not only to maintain their 130 million current members, but to also reel in former users that broke rank. MySpace and Flixter were the only two Social Networking platforms to lose users from 2008 to 2009.

Jeff Louis is a 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: linkedin.com/in/jefflouis or twitter.com/jlo0312.