Hasta La Creative!

Don’t trust Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, and Justin Day. Don’t trust robots. Don’t trust reviews.

Trust your new distance,” care of a new TaylorMade SLDR driver.

According to TaylorMade, many golfers have yet to experience the phenomenon of low-forward center of gravity (CG), which is at the foundation of SLDR’s performance. Low forward CG greatly reduces spin, and when coupled with a high-lofted driver creates the ideal conditions for distance: high-launch and low spin.

As technology in sports equipment continues to advance (and players with it), the challenge for brands is getting this new gear in people’s hands. You have to sample these products, and feel their power.

Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade’s director of product creation for metalwoods, says “We know there are golfers out there who don’t trust our science or what tour players do. So we’re encouraging these golfers to trust their own distance. That’s why we’re putting the SLDR Guarantee in play.”

TaylorMade is so confident golfers will add 10-to-20- yards to their drives, they’re offering money back to anyone who buys the club and finds it lacking.

Commercial by: Zambezi
Song by: Etta James

The post For $399, You Can Trust Your New Distance Off the Tee appeared first on AdPulp.

Dockers Alpha Khaki line is for young bucks with style, which helps explain this click-to-buy video featuring British hip-hop artist Tinie Tempah wearing Dockers.

The fact that this content-meets-celebrity-endorsement is underscored by a song called “Don’t Sell Out,” now that I can’t explain.

“We wanted to blend art, content and commerce to create a video people want to watch, and the Dockers element doesn’t seemed forced,” says Moksha Fitzgibbons, head of sales and marketing at Complex Media, which acted as creative director on the campaign.

According to Complex, the video has seen 1.5 million views since it was launched on October 1, 2013.

The post Rapper Does Magic Trick, Turns Old Man Pants Into Something Sexier appeared first on AdPulp.

Hello Barstow. This hardscrabble town in the California desert is home to Levi’s new art project on rails, for the day. Following Barstow, it’s on to LA and and then San Francisco, which will wrap up an epic cross-country journey.

According to Levi’s, Station to Station connects leading figures and underground creators from the worlds of art, music, food, literature, and film for a series of cultural interventions and site-specific happenings.

Last week when the train stopped in Minneapolis, musicians Patti Smith, Eleanor Friedberger and No Age performed. Yesterday in Winslow, Arizona, Jackson Browne, who co-wrote “Take it Easy,” was literally standing on a corner.

The train, designed as a moving, kinetic light sculpture, also broadcasts unique content to a global audience via Soundcloud. And there are lots of little films being created, like this one:

Without question, Levi’s is once again making its mark.

Watch the story unfold on Instagram.

The post Levi’s Art Happenings Go Station To Station appeared first on AdPulp.

Once upon a time sales promotions were made from cardboard. They were flat, two-dimensional and lacked engagement. In short, promotions were boring. Thankfully, the promotions industry has outgrown its awkward years.

Thanks to an influx of technology and the social interaction that it facilitates, sales promotions are now smart, connected, participatory events with multi-media campaign support. For example, Frito-Lay recently crowd-sourced new product development via a consumer-generated content promotion called “Do Us A Flavor.”

Note how the old meets the new in this promotion. A “submit your favorite recipe” contest with a one million dollars prize is old as the hills. The pun headline too. What’s new is the amplification through social media, the social voting mechanism and the “15 seconds of fame” granted to, or forced upon, the winner.

One of the primary obstacles in promotional marketing is people tend to believe they will not win. I think a focus on the winner helps break down objections a bit. Knowing that the winner of Lay’s recent contest is a librarian from Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin, helps others see themselves in her $1 million richer-shoes.

If only they had thought of “Cheesy Garlic Bread flavored potato chips” first!

Previously on AdPulp: Promotions Continue To Mutate Into Consumer Generated Social Motions | Location-Based Promo Makes Perfect Sense For Big City Daily

The post Promotions Rock When They’re Also Participatory Multi-Media Events appeared first on AdPulp.

Here’s to you, Mrs. Robinson.

This new spot from 72andsunny debuted on Mad Men last night.

The Graduate, starring Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman debuted in 1967.

Previously on AdPulp: Giving Young Hungry Guys What They Want and Internet Hotties To Sling Burgers

The post Heidi Klum Is A Smoking Hot Mama Who Eats Burgers With The Boys appeared first on AdPulp.

We’ve seen the ads of diet plans, workout equipment, regimens, and a slew of other lose-weight-and-look-great supplements. These ads have two things in common: attractive actors/models with desirable physiques and fine print that reads “results not typical.”

Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission issued a new set of guidelines to remove the ubiquitous phrase “results not typical” from all advertisements. Advertisers now have one of two options:

1) Reveal that a spokesperson lost weight (or inches) by working out regularly, eating a balanced diet, and using their product.

2) Reveal that despite the significant amount of weight the spokesperson lost, the average person will lose far less using their product.

Endorsers such as Valerie Bertinelli, Kirstie Alley, Dan Marino and others may not be too pleased with this ruling as they can now be out of a job. However, this is a win for consumers, as advertisements are forced to be more truthful, putting the consumers’ weight-loss goals in realistic perspectives.

I’m just glad the FTC regulated the phrase and not the hard-bodied models. No one would win in that scenario.

Tommy Liu, the man, the legend wields his pen of creativity against the injustice of mediocrity plaguing the world as the Executive Integrated Producer at Supercool Creative & SpotZero where he also manages the blog. View some of his battles here (he doesn’t always win).

Justin Timberlake is not one to let the grass grow under his feet. An extremely popular solo artist, he’s also launched several “brand extensions” of himself that have been well received by critics, fans, and the public. His first new venture was Tennman Records, which began in 2007. Then, in February of 2009, he and best friend Trace Ayala announced William Rast, a clothing line that “is an extension of you.” Unlike most new designer lines, William Rast not only gained notice, but also received praise from the fashionistas.

His latest venture? 901 Silver Tequila.

901 Silver is either named in tribute to the area code in which Timberlake grew up (Memphis) or for “that moment when your evening ends but your night is just beginning.” However, more than the Timberlake name is attracting attention. The tequila has been reviewed favorably by those who know tequila. According to the NY Daily News:

Timberlake’s new tequila, called 901, passed the sip test – and then some – among three New York tequila aficionados with very discerning tastes.

What makes 901 Silver Tequila unique is the method they chose to kickoff the first major promotion. Known as 901at901on901, and translated to 9/01, at 9:01, on www.901.com, it’s an invite to the public to creatively craft  ”The Big Idea” to aid the launch of this relatively new brand. The winner will become Executive Vice President of Big Ideas for 901 Silver Tequila.

To the victor go the spoils, which include the lengthy job title, a trip to Vegas (round-trip airfare for two, hotel stay and, of course, two tickets to the Justin and Friends concert), VIP access to all parties, $25,000 in “bonus” money, plus the chance to show off his or her creative skills among an elite group of people.

According to Kevin Ruder, President of 901 Silver (Timberlake is CEO):

We like to incorporate consumer feedback as part of our normal business practice at 901 Silver. We’ve turned that premise into a contest.

The following video outlines the challenge:

The contest ends on November 30th and the winner will be chosen by a panel of experts on December 4, 2009.

Jeff Louis: Media Planner, Brand Project Manager, blogger, and aspiring writer. Please leave a comment, follow him on Twitter or check LinkedIn for his profile. As always, thanks for reading.

As most know, I’ve been writing about innovation in the face of adversity; our industry’s changing, the economy’s sucking the breath out of  good companies, and, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, the bubble won’t break until at least 2013. That’s four years of this. Tired of the bad news, we thought that we would task this highly creative industry to either show us your stuff, or keep your mouth shut. Talking the talk is easy. Prove to us, and the industry, that you’ve got the creative mojo and win some free publicity.

It doesn’t have to be “ads” or “campaigns.” It could be your business model, an engaging strategy, how you changed the way you purchase media, social media tactics, recession-proof tactics, or even a small, “Hmm, I wonder…” question that turn into a creative leap. Something like what Guy Kawasaki, owner of Alltop, just engineered.

Alltop gives its clients, prospects, vendors, and friends both business cards and business stickers. However, Guy admits that while he freely gives out cards, he’s reluctant to hand out stickers to promote the brands because they could be used to deface property; plus, he did not want to “burden” others with his branding efforts. And there is always the chance an Alltop sticker might end up plastered on the toilet of a rank rest stop on I-70. Can you say, “negative brand association?”

Then he had an “A-Ha” moment: could the business cards and business stickers be combined? He emailed one of his friends, who happened to own StickerGiant, to find out. He asked this friend, John Fischer, if a business card could be printed on the back of a sticker, and if anyone had done this before. John answered that, yes, it could be done but, no, it had never been requested. So, Guy requested his friend to check into it.

Writing on Open Forum, Guy describes his thought process:

“Psychologically, a stickercard is a powerful concept. By applying the teachings of Robert Cialdini, I hope that it engenders reciprocation and consistency. That is, since you’ve given someone a cool sticker, the person feels like they should reciprocate by sticking it somewhere visible. (Did you donate money to Hare Krishna because one of its followers gave you a flower?) Then, once the stickercard is stuck, the person is more committed to the company, product, or service. That stickercard on laptop is a declaration to the world that they like the what it stands for. To be consistent, they must stick to their positive opinion of your company, product, or service.

The process, or how the idea comes alive, doesn’t have to be a masterpiece. It’s the idea that matters, and whether or not it works.  At any moment, Guy Kawasaki could have stopped and said, “This is stupid.” Instead, he followed through. His tweet tonight stated that the stickercards was his best idea ever.

His best idea ever… and he’s had a lot of ideas. To take it a step further, the first thing he did with his new “invention” was share to it, which speaks highly of his character. He sent out the tweet and a link. StickerGiant made a video. And the stickercards went from idea to product in a week. Be warned though, StickerGiant charges $500 for 500 cards. At least Guy has character.

If your company has something that makes “the cut,”  send it my way. Until that time, leave a comment… it will raise your social media score.

Jeff Louis: A Strategic Media Planner and Brand Project Manager for both B2B and B2C accounts, he is fascinated by past participles, brands, and innovation. Please contact him on Twtter or LinkedIn.

AdWeek and Harris recently released a poll asking those not involved in the advertising trade what they thought of advertising’s “relevancy.”

The results show that most find that our jobs, as a whole, are rather irrelevant.

Advertising’s down, no doubt, and now Adweek’s heaping salt on the wound!

Well, Mr. and Mrs. America, let’s look at a life without advertising. A life of relevance.

First of all, without advertising, we would not have free access to television. Advertisers in essence pay for the shows we watch by running commercials. By the same logic, the web in that state would not be as comprehensive as the one we experience now. Radio would be a paid service with subscribers. Programs and shows with relatively lower ratings would be immediately slashed since they would no longer be able to support themselves.

The cultural art form of advertising would be lost.  The circle of life would be disrupted.  Just as life influences advertising, ads influence culture.

Without advertising, creatives would be cubicle-bound and non-imaginative. Serious. Boring. Sex would not sell, and neither would honesty. No one would fight for the cause. PETA would consist of two guys fighting for animal rights, and no one would care. Animals wouldn’t be cool to wear. Or not wear. Or own.  Times Square would be dimly lit. Your favorite beer would be just “BEER,” as the term ‘generic’ would dominate store shelves. Color would be sparse. Trendsetters would be trend-less. No brands, no logos, no icons or spokespeople. No sexy models, sexy shows, or suggestive commercials. We wouldn’t know who to vote for, or why. Four hour erections? Who’d need the pills, let alone use them? No body-image, no silicone implants, no tummy-tucks. No Jon & Kate. Michael Jackson would just be another singer. No Hollywood trailers, stars, starlets, tramps, red carpets, or blockbuster openings. No E! TV, no TMZ. No Paris, Lindsay, Nicole, or reality TV. No Tila Tequila.

No PSA’s warning that your brain on drugs was scrambled. Or that kids shouldn’t smoke crack and that crack kills. Rather than axing the marketing budget first, corporations would axe employees. And that would be just fine, because there would be no PR effort, no big news story, therefore no downside.

Life would go on, but it would be bland and tasteless. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and MySpace: no need for them.

Take a picture of the Cold War-era Russia and apply it to a life without advertising. Cold. Drizzling. Muddled.

The link to this study is now unavailable.  Was the issue so unimportant that Adweek pulled the article? Or was the study published on the wrong day?

Luckily, I printed it:

In an AdweekMedia/Harris Poll last month, respondents were given a chance to say they don’t feel strongly about the industry one way or another, and nearly half of them took it. Asked to characterize their overall impression of “the advertising industry in general,” 47 percent said it’s “neither negative nor positive.” Predictably, those with a negative view of the business (9 percent “very,” 28 percent “somewhat”) outnumbered those with a positive view (2 percent “very,” 15 percent “somewhat”). (The total exceeds 100 percent due to rounding.)

If such numbers count as not-so-bad news for the ad business, responses were less positive on the question of whether consumers find advertising relevant to their lives (”By relevant,” Harris told respondents, “we mean how it connects to things that are ongoing in your daily life”). Given the effort put into aiming the right ad at the right target, the numbers here were pretty lackluster. Eight percent of respondents said advertising is “very relevant” to their lives, and 42 percent said it’s “somewhat relevant.” Thirty-two percent termed it “not that relevant” and 14 percent “not at all relevant,” with the rest unsure.

Can you say “OUCH!”?

Jeff Louis: Strategic Media Planner, Project Manager, and New Business Account Coordinator. His passion is writing. Reach out and touch him: www.linkedin.com or www.twitter.com.

It’s one of those tough predicaments: your client wants to be the spokesperson for your new TV spots…well, his new spots. He’s the man driving the company-the brand-no matter how much time you’ve put into it.

A very charismatic and charming man, unfortunately he’s “got a face for radio,” standing 5′ 5″ tall with wispy hair that seems to start in his ears and wind it’s away around the back of his bald head. From the looks of it, the ears have never seen a trim. (Yummy…)

CEO's Melon

You weigh the options; he’s definitely not stupid, so the whole “we need a perfect fit for the brand persona” BS angle is dead. In his mind he’s part of the brand’s image, and he is to an extent, just not the TV extent. If you tell him that, the account won’t be in jeopardy, but the relationship will be strained. Then again, saying that he’s the perfect fit is a straight-out lie. Plus, you’ll pay for it in terms of reputation and credibility. Slinky’s will start showing up in your office…to remind you of your backbone. So, what to do?

If you are thinking correctly, you’ll head down to Media and see if they can dig up research on the effects of CEO’s in TV commercials. (That’s what I’d do.) They won’t have the information, but they’ll have an idea on where, and how, to get it. Remember to always love your media department…

In this case, they provide you an Ad Week poll done on LinkedIn. According to the  Ad Week article:

When a company uses the CEO in its advertising, do you find the message more credible, less credible, or does it make no difference? Overall, “makes no difference” won a plurality, with 49 percent of the vote. But “more credible” beat “less credible” by a wide margin, 36 percent to 14 percent.

The poll addresses other CEO characteristics such as age, company size, gender, etc, and is available on LinkedIn.
So, unless there’s another way out of it, it looks like your spots will revolve around the CEO. Yet, it could be worse…you could be working with kids and goats…

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.