Hasta La Creative!

Last week I posted various movie taglines that I enjoyed from the last two decades. One thing I realized about these taglines is that they aren’t very compelling if you don’t have any prior knowledge of the movie. Particularly the puns. Pun-intended taglines come off as awkward and persuade you to raise an eyebrow (kind of like this guy ~_^ ). Overall, there were actually very few from last week’s list that would lure me into watching that movie based on its tagline alone.

Anyhoo, here are the corresponding movies to last week’s taglines:

“Five good reasons to stay single.” (1994) -Four Wedding and a Funeral

“Vampires. No Interviews.” (1996) -From Dusk Till Dawn

“Before you die, you see…” (2002) -The Ring

“Earth. It was fun while it lasted.” (1998) -Armageddon

“On May 6th… See Paris Die!” (2005) -House of Wax

“Love is in the hair.” (1998) -There’s Something About Mary

“See Our Family, Feel Better About Yours.” (2007) -The Simpsons Movie

“Even a hit man deserves a second shot.” (1997) -Grosse Pointe Blank

“From the brother of the director of Ghost.” (1994) –Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult

“The Lucky Ones Died First.” (2006) -The Hills Have Eyes

“When it comes to love, sometimes she just can’t think straight.” (2001) -Kissing Jessica Stein

“A life misunderestimated.” (2008) -W.

“Be All That Someone Else Can Be.” (1999) -Being John Malkovich

“He loves her. She loves him not.” (2005) -Just Friends

“He Was Dead… But He Got Better.” (2008) -Crank 2: High Voltage

Don’t beat yourself up for missing them as I chose some pretty tough ones. Now that you’re all warmed up, here comes a second batch of movie taglines. The twist? These are the really bad ones.

“He stole the money…and he’s not giving it back.” (2003)

“Rocky shows he’s a champ…and wins!” (1979)

“Size does matter” (1998)

“You will believe a cow can fly” (1996)

“The wait is ogre” (2008)

“Twelve is the new Eleven” (2004)

“Everything that has a beginning has an end” (2003)

“The saga is complete.” (2005)

“It could happen to you!” (1997)

“Cowabunga, it’s the new turtle movie.” (1991)

Good luck with these! That second and last one you may never guess. Be sure to look for my next post (or IMDb) for the answers.

Tommy Liu, the man, the legend (to be) wields his pen of creativity against the injustice of mediocriety plaguing the world as the Creative Officer at Supercool Creative & Marketing Director at SpotZero where he also manages the blog. Click here to view some of his battles (he doesn’t always win).

Did you hear the one about the 15-year-old who decided to run his own study on the media consumption patterns of teenagers? It’s quite the research… er… story… lesson.

Ben Kellogg of Group SJR forwarded me the article after we had spoken about an entirely unrelated subject. To be quite honest, I didn’t jump right on it… my laptop had died, losing files, email contacts, and programs. I just kept resetting the email reminder. Until today.

Matthew Robson, a 15-year-old intern working for Morgan Stanley, conducted a media study called “How Teenagers Consume Media.” The conclusions caused a bit of an uproar, mainly because one teen does not represent all teens. Yet, it could also be said that the overall observations coincide with many teen media habits. The teens I know, for instance, would rather be online than in front of a television. Either that or doing both… watching TV and surfing the Web, interspersed with texting. Although there is absolutely no statistical backing for a survey of one, we can draw some general inferences from Robson’s writing.

General conclusions for the study include:

• Most teenagers are not regular listeners to radio, instead opting for online streaming services
• Most teens watch television, but frequency varies by season. Additionally, now that TV shows are webcasted as well, there’s less worry about missing an episode
• Teens do not read traditional papers because “they don’t have the time” (I am sure they have the time… it’s just that papers don’t rank highly on the priority list)
• Console gaming, interestingly, is not of interest to teenagers… and the main factor is cost. Costs for consoles and games are beyond most budgets; however, multi-player, interactive online games are popular
• The Internet is where teens interact socially, conduct research for school, create videos, IM, and otherwise connect to others… except for Twitter. Matthew states that teens do not use Twitter*
• Teens love music, but are not paying for it
• Viral marketing is enjoyed and supported by teens
• They do not use directories unless it’s online, etc.

*According to the graph below from Sysomos, teens comprise 30% of Twitter users:

This is directly in contrast with Robson’s assessment.

But hey, he is 15 years-old, and while he may be intelligent, his judgment is missing the crucial benefit of time. However, Morgan Stanley should not be lacking in the judgment column… or, in retrospect, maybe that’s exactly what they are missing…

Jeff Louis: Strategic Media Planner, Brand Project Manager, Writer & Blogger. Unlike the all the other blog writers for Talent Zoo, Jeff is cute and nice. Tweet him @jlo0312. Just kidding about the nice part.

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.

After a long time in the making, The KDU is finally back online and bigger than ever. We now hold a collective website to showcase the very best of the KDU’s work in a well balanced, beautifully planned and direct way.

It’s been 5 long years put together in one place for you to see the highlights of what’s been going down in the KDU trenches. HOTTTTT STUFF!

We’ll also be having our own personal blogs soon so keep your eyes open for any new intel.

TRUST

And now, from the lighter side of advertising…

Kush Support is a company that manufactures and markets what they call “breast supports.” These are not your surgically prepped and sterile packets of silicone or saline installed at the local cosmetic body shop. Nor are they fitted items of clothing meant to hold everything in place during duress.

No, the supports were developed to help women pregnant women, women with implants or large breasts, and women with wrinkles in the bust area get a full night’s rest. The inspiration behind the Kush came when founder, Cathinka Chandler,

“began to notice the appearance of wrinkles in my cleavage area. No matter how much I used creams or exercised, the creases didn’t go away.”

I think for most, that would be called “aging.”

Made out of lightweight plastic with a slip-resistant outer layer, Kush is inserted between the breasts to maintain a shape that is “more natural” for women that sleep on their side. Unfortunately for the Kush, the supports are fairly suggestive in appearance…and the ads depict smiling women with phallic shaped objects stuffed in their nightgowns, just smiling away. To make matters worse, a “small” Kush (only for nursing, pregnant, or women with implants) starts out at $55.00!

Of course, this story could not be totally complete without a goofy tagline: Kush Support – A Natural Rest for the Breast. At this point, it is up to the ladies suffering from this silent epidemic: Is the Kush a “bust-saver,” or just plain busty…busted?

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.

Ditar uma moda não se restringe apenas ao mundo fashion. A marca de roupas britânica, Harvey Nichols, sempre promoveu campanhas super criativas e não convencionais, se comparadas às demais campanhas de varejo de moda. Seus anúncios sempre sugerem “lutas” entre mulheres por causa de suas liquidações. É basicamente essa a moda na comunicação da marca. Os últimos anúncios formam uma paródia ao game “Mortal Kombat“. Mas o que difere realmente a comunicação da Harvey Nichols, além de seu visual e conceito inovador, é a sua proposta como um todo. Dificilmente é colocado preço nos anúncios. E todos eles contam alguma história, lúdica geralmente. É assim que a marca acredita chamar atenção do público-alvo.

As peças vistas na sequência formam a campanha CatFight criada para eles em 2007. De lá pra cá, a agência DDB de Londres vêm fazendo todo esse trabalho criativo se tornar referência no todo mundo.

:: Via NotCot e Nostars.biz

Antes de dar continuidade ao post, quero deixar claro que este não é um post pago. Acontece que, no horário do almoço, peguei o jornal O Estado de São Paulo para dar uma folheada. Uma capa falsa logo me chamou atenção. A nova campanha do jornal – “Qual o valor do seu Conhecimento?” é uma das mais bem amarradas e coerentes dos últimos tempos, realizadas no Brasil. Simples saber o porquê. O difícil é compreender profundamente a tão complexa situação que a mídia e os veículos estão enfrentando com o advento da internet e das mídias interativas, cada vez mais presentes em nosso dia-a-dia. Para um veiculo originário do meio impresso e com grande credibilidade, como o Estadão, a tarefa de se adaptar perfeitamente aos hábitos de consumo da informação de seus leitores/assinantes, é algo além da integração e da convergência dos meios. É necessário entender e contemplar estas pessoas. O Estadão assume que sabe que informação, hoje em dia, é gratuita. Por isso, questiona: Qual o valor do seu Conhecimento? Ou seja, do que vale toda a informação gratuita que você coleta, se não te agrega conhecimento.
Por isso, a capa falsa do jornal, veiculado hoje, apenas para assinantes, vêm com um cupo, para ser recortado e levado até o Masp (Museu de Arte de São Paulo). Neste cupom, o assinante tem de dizer “quanto vale uma visita ao Masp”. Sim, quanto você acha que é necessário pagar para obter todo aquele conhecimento que será adquirido ao visitar o museu que está com uma fantástica programação cultural: Vik Muniz, Manuel Vilariño e Arte na França são algumas das atrações atuais.
O verso da capa revela por quais os meios você pode obter o conteúdo – como, quando e onde você estiver. Fica claro que a qualidade do trabalho e do conceito é pura integração de criação + planejamento na arquitetura desta campanha. Na sequência, você pode ver o verso do anúncio, conforme contei agora. A campanha também envolve meios como: rádio e televisão. Confira abaixo o comercial, e se, também muito bem executado, pode ser vistoa baixo. Confira. A criação é da Y&R.

Minimalist but efficient print campaign for this painting brand using Grafield, the pink panthe and Omer Simpson. "We match any color." Advertiser: Comex Advertising Agency: BETC Euro RSCG, Paris, France Creative Director: Stéphane Xiberras Art Director: Flavie Macaigne Copywriter: […]

Top creative print campaign for Walkman that puts the outside sound off. Advertiser: Sony Walkman Agency: Saatchi&Saatchi Frankfurt/Bucharest ECD: John Pallant, Roger Kennedy, Burkhart Von Scheven, Thomas Kanosfky CD: Jorg Riommi, Daniela Nedelschi Copywriter: Irina Popp Art Director: Lucian […]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.