I am a writer. I write ad copy, journalism, poetry, fiction, and essays—not necessarily in that order. Because I am a writer, I want to laugh at the idea that a machine can do what I, or what any writer does for a living. Sure, a machine can spit out words, I get that part. […]
The post The Machines Have Moved In. The Machines Have No Feelings. appeared first on Adpulp.
Direct to Consumer (DTC) is H O T Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that Nike is in the midst of a reorg. The announcement comes as part of Nike’s “Consumer Direct Acceleration” plan, which execs in Beaverton call a “digitally empowered phase” of the company’s strategy. In other words, retail is reeling and the company has […]
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I want to explore one of the secret dangers of working from home, a real and present danger that no one talks about. The danger is exposure to bad TV, bad commercials, in particular. If you watch cable news in the middle of the workday, even for a short time during lunch, you’re screwed. Apparently, […]
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Colle McVoy is a masterful designer of holiday cards. Every year the Minneapolis agency sends me something new and every year I marvel at the idea and the elegant execution of the idea. This year a small package arrived. Inside the package, I found four beautiful holiday-themed coasters that also act as ornaments for the […]
Is political marketing grassroots marketing, mass marketing, direct marketing, or relationship marketing? It depends. If you are on a candidate’s email list, it’s direct marketing, straight up. Let’s have a look… I am on Beto’s list and other’s, so I receive these kinds of “sky is falling” email pitches nearly every day. Anyone on these […]
The post The Sky Is Falling, No Seriously, The Sky Is Falling appeared first on Adpulp.
Cadillac Canada has partnered with renowned Toronto chocolate maker Brandon Olsen on a direct mail campaign that puts a decadent twist on the standard test drive invitation. Working with its lead agency Red Lion, the automaker tucked away keys to new Cadillac CT6s inside the hugely popular “Ziggy Stardust Disco Egg” from Olsen’s trendy Toronto […]
The post Define Drivers: Keys To A New Caddy; A Bespoke Chocolate Egg; Dinner at La Banane appeared first on Adpulp.
Email marketing is more science than art. For many small- to medium-sized businesses, email marketing is also a mystery. The person in charge of managing campaigns has to work to segment lists, design templates, create A-B tests, track click-throughs and KPIs, plus plan and execute the content delivery. When this is your task list, you […]
The post Droga5 Pulls MailChimp from Email Marketing’s Black Hole appeared first on AdPulp.
I love this long copy ad from the Ogilvy & Mather archive. It’s endowed with more attitude per paragraph than I’ve seen in years. Clearly, this ad is from another time. #OgilvyArchive #TBT David Ogilvy and the Ogilvy culture View full print ad: https://t.co/qnCUgJwYbP pic.twitter.com/3YxJTpDRo0 — Ogilvy & Mather (@Ogilvy) May 18, 2017 While dated, […]
The post David Ogilvy Loved Fire-Eaters And Golden Geese appeared first on AdPulp.
Portland is known the ad world over for Wieden+Kennedy and Nike. But there is another Portland lurking beneath the Swoosh. It’s mostly a tangled world of small shops fighting for table scraps and relevance beyond Oregon. Mostly, I say, because there’s yet another unheralded Portland agency world that is thriving. Three of Portland’s five largest […]
The post Portland’s Direct Response Agencies Are In The Money appeared first on AdPulp.
The bean counters truly are in charge of OgilvyAmp, the new WPP unit dedicated to data-driven decision-making. Todd Cullen, who joined Ogilvy & Mather last year in the new post of global chief data officer, will lead OgilvyAmp. He said the goal is “using data to inspire creative work or creative thinking.” According to The […]
The post Data Informs Strategy And Creative (Don’t Fight It) appeared first on AdPulp.
Holiday Inn’s new all-digital campaign, “Journey to Extraordinary,” seeks to tell captivating stories that bring the customer journey into focus. Before you say, “Oh great, another customer testimonial,” consider that customers prefer to hear from one another, and that the brand’s job in “building community” today is all about enabling these interactions. Okay, let’s meet […]
The post Wherever Your Journey To Extraordinary Takes You, Holiday Inn Is There appeared first on AdPulp.
Advertising is alive. As such, the industry evolves, sometimes as dizzying speeds. If you doubt me, please take a look at the following exhibit, a series of Sunbeam Bread TV spots from 50+ years ago. The announcer says, “Buy energy-packed Sunbeam bread” with such enthusiasm, how could our grandmothers have put up any resistance? I […]
The post Fresh, Tempting Sunbeam — The Bread You Need For Energy appeared first on AdPulp.
In retrospect, it seems obvious. To get cats to pay attention to your direct mail, just soak the damn fliers in catnip—and watch the kitties lose their minds when the mail arrives.
That's what Vancouver agency Rethink did recently for a cat litter client. As seen in the video below, the engagement with the marketing is undeniable—and pretty cute to watch also.
Owners have been targeted through their pets' olfactory senses before, of course, though in somewhat grosser ways—like the old Animal Planet ads that smelled like urine, placed at the foot of lampposts in the U.K.
Credits below.
CREDITS
Client: Bulk Cat Litter Warehouse
Agency: Rethink Canada, Vancouver
Creative Directors: Ian Grais, Chris Staples
Art Director: Leia Rogers
Copywriter: Bob Simpson
Designer: Lisa Nakamura
Account Manager: Marie Lunny
Print Producer: Cary Emley / Sue Wilkinson
Printer: Metropolitan Fine Printers
Editor: Chris Nielsen
Cats: Mona, Bella, Ommie, Jojo, Paul, Linus, Malo, Taika,
Riley, Gracie, Prince Ruv, Bagheera, and Pebble
     |
More than 50 percent of consumers who own smartphones used them to scan at least one quick response code in 2012 alone, according to eConsultancy.com. Studies have confirmed that quick response codes have become one of the newest marketing tools available that can effectively connect prospective consumers to brands and manufacturers. Viewed by many as a major upgrade and enhancement of the standard bar code design and structure, it is very easy to assume that all of these codes are exactly alike, especially since they share key similarities. However, there are actually several different types of codes that have been used by different companies and brands over the years.
Model 1 and 2 Code
The original quick response code is known as the QR code. At its largest size, this particular code is capable of storing close to 1,200 numerals. When Model 2 was released, it was evidently clear that it was an enhancement and overall upgrade from the original structure. Instead of reaching the maximum size of 73 x 73 modules, Model 2 QR codes were capable of being extended to 177 x 177 modules and retained over 7,000 numerals.
Micro Code
Although the Model 1 and 2 codes are able to retain a substantial amount of information within them, the overall size of the actual code does not provide very much flexibility. Therefore, the Micro code was developed as an alternative. Since it was capable of hosting only one detecting pattern for its integrated orientation, business owners and marketing specialists were able to print it much smaller than even before. Even though it is very small, it can still hold a maximum of 35 numerals within it.
iQR Codes
The “I” class of QR codes was the very first to have a versatile design that could either be generated as a square or a rectangle. Therefore, business owners and marketing specialists were able to have more flexibility when it came to discreetly featuring these codes within their advertising and promotional materials. For example, a rectangular code is big enough to be clearly visible to the average consumer but small enough to not become a visual eyesore. Theoretically, the maximum size (422 x 422 modules) can retain close to 40,000 numerals, according to QRCode.com.
SQRC Codes
One of the major differences of the SQRC code design is that it comes with a reading restricting function that efficiently stores confidential information. For obvious reasons, this is definitely not something that you would want to place on your marketing materials or promotional advertising. However, it is an efficient way to relay important information to your employees. Even though the structure and formatting of the code is different than other codes that are designed for public use, the visual appearance of these QR codes is exactly the same.
LogoQ
The final type of QR code that is currently being used right now is known as the LogoQ. This particular code has the most distinct look and appearance out of all other types primarily because of the logo that is engrained within the center of the colorful code. Instead of sticking to the usual pattern of black and white pixelated lines and boxes, the LogoQ can consist of logos, illustrations and even letters as well. Even though it may seem that these codes are the easiest to hack, breach and compromise, they were designed with proprietary logic which essentially prevents those cybercrimes from occurring.
Same Appearance, Different Codes
Therefore, it is clear that not all QR codes are the same even though the majority of them are very similar in appearance. Before you embark on a journey and decide to use them for your own brand marketing strategies, it is imperative for you to understand the differences and select the code type that is the most suitable fit for your specific needs.
This is a guest post.
The post Identifying the Different Types of Quick Response Codes appeared first on AdPulp.
Em conferência de imprensa em Nova York, o Instagram acabou de anunciar uma nova função, que permite o envio de fotos e vídeos diretamente para um amigo ou para um grupo específico.
O Instagram Direct oferece uma opção no momento de compartilhar a foto. Você pode escolher se ela vai aparecer para todos os seus seguidores, ou apenas para as pessoas que definir. Após o envio, além dos likes e comentários, será possível saber quem viu a imagem.
Caso você receba uma imagem ou vídeo direto de alguém que segue, será exibido normalmente no seu feed. Se for de alguém que não segue, aparecerá um pedido antes, e o usuário decide se aceita ou não.
Através do Instagram Direct, é possível enviar imagem/vídeo para até 15 pessoas de uma vez. Apesar da possibilidade disso ter função de chat, não é permitido mandar apenas mensagem de texto, apenas responder com uma nova foto.
Outros usos incluem o envio privado de imagens para concursos, utilizando hashtags, e, claro, recebimento de mensagens de anunciantes.
Post originalmente publicado no Brainstorm #9
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My favorite NFL team plays home games at Century Link Field.
The communications technology company also has a large presence in Omaha, my hometown. Therefore, I want to like Century Link, but a print ad like this subtracts several points from the “brand love” scorecard.
Worse than the say-nothing-to-no-one use of stock photography here, are phrases like “visionary cloud infrastructure” and “hosted IT solutions.” This copy is dead on arrival.
Sure, somebody somewhere does care about such things. Send these very fine buyers direct mail. When you opt to run a magazine ad or a TV spot, you’re speaking to a mass consumer audience who has little knowledge of, or concern for, your visionary cloud infrastructure and hosted IT solutions.
In this case, the problem is even worse given that Century Link is also a consumer brand, providing broadband, entertainment and voice services to millions of consumers across the U.S.
Say you are watching NFL football and you see this B2B spot:
Now compare and contrast the above with the following consumer offering?
The consumer spot appeals to me. What will I do with my gig?
The post One Brand, Multiple Markets: Century Link Turns In Rough Mix appeared first on AdPulp.
Digital advertising will account for 22.7% of all worldwide ad investments this year, or about $117.60 billion — up 13% compared with 2012, according to estimates from eMarketer and Starcom MediaVest Group.
I’m not certain this is a good thing. Unless, brands and their agency partners clearly know what they’re doing with all that money.
I posted this new Adobe commercial from Goodby Silverstein & Partners on my friend Bob Hoffman’s Facebook wall. Hoffman is a champion of common sense and logic in the face of much digital advertising speculation. Recently on his Ad Contrarian site, he pointed to a Solve Media study that claims 46% of the viewership reported by websites seems to be fraudulent. That’s a lot of ghost traffic.
As someone with feet in both the media and marketing worlds, I can say it’s not all that simple to say exactly how many people are visiting your site, where they’re coming from and if they are real people or not. Yes, there are tools aplenty, but tools are biased. How you choose to measure something impacts the data and flavors the results.
If we can’t trust the data, or the people who willfully manipulate it, what or who can we trust in terms of getting value for our ad dollars? We can’t trust the traditional ad guys who are invested in making TV. We can’t trust the digital demigods either. This is not a good situation for the ad business, nor for the clients who need to trust someone to help them reach their communications objectives.
My take is create a media plan that makes sense for your particular business situation. I often drive by a large lot of shiny Airstream campers, and I think here is a company that desperately needs well-made TV to tell the story of weekends in the mountains. Naturally, a client like this would also be well advised to develop its digital assets. Thus, the divide between TV and digital is a false divide. Companies need to spend on both TV and digital and apply the best metrics available to each, while keeping in mind that persuasion is an art.
The post Whether Perpetrated By Bots or By Babies, Click Fraud Is A Crime appeared first on AdPulp.
Direct marketing has a unique effect on people. It causes a kind of fervor in someone viewing your product for the first time, one so strong that the person becomes enthralled and will actually give information or a credit card number to a random website on the Internet just to get something. It almost seems like a far-fetched concept but marketers across the Web are making it work day after day with simple methods and thorough execution.
Creating your own direct marketing firm comes down to whether you have an analytical mindset to crunch numbers.
Copy is Key
The headline is the first point of contact you have with a customer. Before images load on a Web page; before customers can click the “buy” button, they see your copy. So it better be great copywriting. Never write rom a blank slate. Take some time to research your competition and review the ads they are writing to see what works and where their budgets are going.
Your headline should touch upon some of the topics in your copy which should be covered extensively in your landing page. If you are selling weight-loss supplements, your headline should get to the root of the issue: losing weight. “Need Help Losing Weight?” It begs for a “yes” response, provoking users to click deeper into your material. Then your benefits should help sell the product: it’s easy to use, it works quickly, it doesn’t require tons of exercise. Put them in bullet points, and keep your paragraphs short and punchy.
Outsource Work
If you aren’t a technical person, hire someone who is. You can find a developer to build a landing page for under $200 online. Hiring from websites requires some finesse, so ask for work samples. Always search the candidate’s name so you can see other samples of their work that they may not have shown you. Use Skype to conduct interviews over video with candidates that are not in your state or home town.
Once you have a good candidate, assign them a test task to assess their work habits. What is their turnaround time like? Do you require edits on their work? Be sure to leave reviews of the candidate, providing a fair assessment of their contract work.
Hire Smart People
Rich Gorman, a leading direct marketing guru, frequently talks about hiring people smarter than you. If you’re an “A” student, you’re focused on doing the work it takes to get that “A.” It comes naturally because you’re in your element. For the rest of us, there is learning how to adapt with the resources we have. That usually requires us getting more out of the tools we work with, which is why one good hire is worth five mediocre ones. A bunch of average workers in a room are not going to build great products. You need to delegate important and technical tasks to people qualified to do them. That means putting in time to research your candidates, and paying people what they’re worth.
Take Action
If you spend too long thinking about something, you’ll never be able to execute. Keep a notebook with you where you can jot down ideas that you have. Try to pick one of those ideas and work on it for a day, a week or a month. See how far you can go with something before you convince yourself it won’t work. The smartest entrepreneurs know that success is elusive.
This is a guest post
The post 4 Essential Tips for Direct Marketing Heroes appeared first on AdPulp.
OK, everyone. Say with me now. Ready? 1…2…3…deep breaths. Relax. It’s not world war III (or Z). No animals were harmed in the making of this ad. There’s no nudity. But, OMG…it is rape-y. At least according to U.K.-based Rape Crisis. The cause group believes an ad for London cab company, Data Cars, which shows a woman caught in the rain, implies she is a rape victim.
Wait, what? Hello? It rains in London. A lot. Whenever it feels like it. When you least expect it. And, just like the ad’s concept, when you aren’t dressed for it. So a poor woman is caught in a downpour while dolled up in a nice dress on her way to a party, a cab company decides to use that imagery to explain the importance of using a car service in questionable weather…and they get accused of implying the woman was just raped?
No, she wasn’t just raped. She’s wet. She’s cold. She’s pissed off her dress is getting ruined by the rain. And, yes, she wished she had called a car.
Rape Crisis spokesperson Katie Russell said the ad (a postcard mailer) was “a really unfortunate and misguided piece of advertising. The best case scenario, giving the company the benefit of the doubt, is that they’re not aware of the associations that the image on this postcard conjures. The worst case scenario is that they’ve knowingly used scare-mongering, sexist and victim-blaming imagery and messaging in a cynical marketing ploy.”
So wait. Every picture of every woman walking in the rain implies the woman was just raped? Have we really become that PC or exponentially over-sensitive to the point we see bad things everywhere we look? Can we no longer see things for what they are? In this case, a poor woman caught in the rain wearing a nice dress?
Defending the ad, Data Cars Manager Les Chapman told the Mail his inspiration for the image in the ad was seeing his daughters come home drenched after being caught in the rain while out on the town.
In another example of people seeing things that are simply not there, one person tweeted, “Check the bruises on her arms. That’s what bothered me. “Use our cabs- or u gonna get RAPED!”
Seriously? Really? Bruises? Where? It’s called a shadow, silly.
Anyway, the back of the post card, which you can see below, quickly and clearly gets to the point of the mailing’s concept. The copy begins, “Hey Girls. You should look just as great coming home as you did going out, so don’t gamble on the weather.” Simple and straight to the point messaging that aligns perfectly with the image on the front of the card.
Mountain out of a mole hill.
Front of postcard:
Back of postcard:
The buzzword “consumer generated media” has gone away, as buzzwords will. But the facts remain. When brands help people do cool things, it can be a powerful approach to earning good will.
According to Adweek, something as simple as a brand-provided post card (and the postage to send it) can make a difference.
Through Aug. 15, Hyatt Hotels is encouraging guests to personalize up to two complimentary postcards via a Facebook app that’s available on Postagram and Hyatt House’s pages on Facebook.
The offer is aimed at guests, but anyone can use it to send two free postcards.
Chris Walker, VP of brands for Hyatt House and Hyatt Place said, the campaign helps guests “keep up with friends, colleagues and loved ones while they’re on the road, which can often be tough to do.
“Most direct mail is boring stuff,” said Matt Brezina, CEO of Sincerely, which owns Postagram. “What we are doing is different because it’s personalized. What’s more, it’s personalized by someone the recipient actually knows. It’s not just from some company.”
The post Postagram And Hyatt Hotels Team Up For A Consumer-Generated DM Campaign appeared first on AdPulp.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
