Hasta La Creative!

A recent video making the rounds detailed a young woman who, after having a one-night stand and becoming pregnant, decides to find the father. It spawned some rather funny follow-ups (the ex-boyfriend, below, etc.) but outraged many, and it was removed from YouTube.

After many comments on the video, it was finally announced the video was a gimmick to entice people to visit Denmark. While the company might have had the best initial intentions, it fails to spark my interest to visit. In fact, it actually makes me want to stay far, far away.

However, the advertising agency Grey said it was a hit, and it did create quite a bit of buzz, although, not the best kind.

“It is the most successful viral advertising ever,” said Peter Helstrup, Director of Grey Copenhagen. “We have cut through the media clutter. It has cost us the same as a 30-second commercial, aired a few times on TV2.”

Viral videos are always a great marketing campaign, but why did they think this situation would make someone want to visit Denmark?

“Karen’s story shows that Denmark is a free place with space for you to be who you want,” VisitDenmark CEO Dorte Kiilerich said in a news release. “The film is good exposure for Danish self-sufficient and dignified women. We’re telling a nice and sweet story about a modern responsible woman that lives in a free society and takes responsibility for her choices, and she uses a modern and social media.”

Really? This is actually hilarious, but can you really label it a sweet story? If she was responsible, then having a child without a father wouldn’t have happened, correct?

VisitDenmark went a new route with their marketing, and although it may have had the best of intentions, they missed the mark. Do I want to visit a place where it’s advertised I can become impregnated? It doesn’t give me the best of impressions of the country.

Megan Green is a freelance propagation planner who has had her work published on PR News Wire, as well as many other outlets. Contact her on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or at megankategreen@gmail.com.

I know there are not many people who would say they like watching infomercials, but we can learn plenty from them. Think about it: every time you hit a channel showing an infomercial, you stop, even for just a second, to watch. No matter what the product is, the commercial pulls you in.

Wikipedia defines infomercials as “long-format television commercials, typically five minutes or longer.” They also originated as an alternative to sign-offs on stations between two and six a.m. Now infomercials are broadcast throughout the day, targeting certain audiences for certain products.

The basics play an integral part in these commercials, things such as repeating the message or product name at least three times per commercial (think back to high school classes in which teachers taught through repetition). What else can we learn from infomercials?

• Enthusiasm – This is what pulls you in. I’ve never seen someone get so excited about a cloth that can clean up spills. Think about emotions and how easily they rub off onto someone. Not only does enthusiasm make the person happy, but it also excites these consumers enough that they buy a product someone else seems to get so much joy out of.
• Consumer advocates – Advocates have more power than most advertising companies give credit for. As I’ve noted before, Griffin Farley, from 22squared, puts it best when he says, “Don’t plan for the ones you reach, plan for the ones they [advocates] reach.”
• Show them, don’t tell them – There’s always a lot of action in these commercials that grabs your attention. Showing a ton of pictures, before and after, gives the consumers something to compare and store in their minds.
• Needs – These commercials directly target specific consumer needs. While most commercials already do so, infomercials have the broadcast time to really dig deep and get to the viewers’ desires (think about the weight loss commercials). They intertwine the message with what really matters to the audience.

Next time you’re channel surfing and come across an infomercial, take a second and really watch it. You may learn something.

Megan Green is a freelance propagation planner who has had her work published on PR News Wire, as well as many other outlets. Contact her on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or at megankategreen@gmail.com.