Hasta La Creative! artworks Archives

Jul 02

The Largest Rollout in Starbucks History, or the Economically-Oblivious Coffee Company

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Yesterday marked the largest rollout in Starbucks history. The three-year project is complete and ready for the public. What was implemented? Not a price reduction.

Starbucks is redoing its food menu in an effort to offer “real” food (i.e. no artificial flavors, dyes and trans-fats). The bakery case is getting a 90% overhaul.

What brought on this sudden rollout? Mayhaps it’s the fact that McDonald’s has been promoting its McCafe like crazy. Perhaps it’s the chain’s 8% sales and 77% earnings drop since last quarter. Either way, I think Starbucks is taking the right steps in the wrong direction.

I am speaking as a consumer and a Starbucks’ fan. My qualm with Starbucks is not the lack of “healthy food options” — it’s the lack of money in my pocket after one visit to the place. Damn, people, give your consumers a break! I realize that the government is not calling our economic times a crisis, but I’m sure that there are more individuals than not who are feeling crisis-like symptoms. No one’s asking for a handout, but a hand would work. Why do you think McDonald’s is doing so well? Value. It keeps its prices down. Even now, when all food chains are struggling, McDonald’s is gaining in sales.

In an ironic turn of event, McDonald’s rolled out a “premium” offering of their own. Sticking with their strengths, they’ve rolled out a Premium burger. Though currently available in select markets as a promotional item, the burgers will eventually be offered nationally in three varieties: Deluxe (topped with mayonnaise, yellow mustard, a slice of tomato, lettuce, red onion rings, sliced dill pickles and American cheese slices); Bacon & Cheese (topped with ketchup, yellow mustard, red onion rings, sliced dill pickles, three bacon slices and American cheese slices); and Mushroom & Swiss (topped with mayonnaise, sautéed mushrooms and Swiss cheese slices). McDonald’s is keeping the National launch under wraps, yet somehow publicized their “test” launch on the same day Starbuck’s attempts to re-invent itself. I smell a mole in the coffee.

I really hope that Starbucks succeeds with all this effort because I would hate to lose my Tall Mocha Frappuccino’s in a Grande cup, extra ice, and no whip.

Rena Prizant is a Copywriter, Ad Creative and mammal in the Chicago area, professionally word playing since 2002. Rena writes smart, engaging, dynamic copy for a broad range of mediums and industries; and loves helping start-up’s get their branding feet. Visit www.RenaPrizant.com or Twitter WriteLeft.

Jun 30

Rumor – Microsoft Selling Razorfish

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Oh gossip, the greatest communication tool ever (next to Twitter, of course). But enough about that. You’ll never believe what I just read.

Microsoft may be selling off Razorfish, as reported in The Wall Street Journal. A mere two years after the purchase, rumors are spreading about a sale to WPP. The clues?

RF employees have still not been switched over to Microsoft benefits (I know large corporations are slow, but two years?).
The RF office in San Francisco was instructed not to order new business cards (how will the employees remember who they are?!).

So, what are we thinking? Are the rumors true? In any case, MarketWatch did confirm that Morgan Stanley has been hired to find a buyer. Publicis, who supposedly plans to acquire additional digital ad agencies, has been mentioned as a possible candidate.

From the looks of the market, Razorfish is being marketed at about $600-$700 million, which is a drastic loss for Microsoft, which paid roughly $3.5 billion just two years ago.

Microsoft’s economic crisis investment advice: buy high, sell low.

Jun 30

Lock up the Tech Guy… and Other Ways Not to Scare off Your Clients

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Tech Guy I have been writing on a freelance basis and have gotten to sit in on some rather interesting meetings with clients. I am no stranger to client meetings – I have successfully pitched multi-million dollar campaigns to clients, but nothing prepared me for what I saw this week when I sat in on a pitch meeting.

The meeting was between a small Internet development company and a business coach. Being the web company’s writing consultant, they thought I could lend some credibility to the subject of blogging, so I went, hoping that I could add some value to what was sure to be a mind-blowing session. Instead, the meeting was overtaken by the SEO expert, who was as loud as he was pushy. Horrified, I watched the client’s head practically spin as the SEO guy argued that what the client wanted was absolutely wrong.

Admittedly, I am a stickler for etiquette, but I also feel that there is a fine line between assertive and rude. So, as a public service, here a list of how to hold a pitch meeting without scaring away your client.

Keep the pressure and drama to a minimum. Let’s remember that the clients are always right, even if you don’t agree. Why? They’re paying you.
Keep the geek-speak to a minimum. Yes, this means to keep the tech guy as far away from the clients as possible, unless the clients are into that sort of thing. The clients don’t really need to know the technicalities of what you do and why, unless they specifically ask. They’re experts at what they do, which is why they pay you to do what you do.
Keep it friendly. You can’t go wrong with a meeting over coffee or lunch. The clients’ defenses will be down and everyone involved will be in a good mood.
Do your homework before the client arrives. Sure, it’s cute to ask what the clients have implemented in the past and why it didn’t work, but don’t you think they will see through that and wonder why you’re not better prepared? Respect your clients’ time.
Learn to think like a CEO. You’re asking the clients to make one hell of an investment, so learn to speak their language. Sell your work using a business case rather than a creative argument.
Admit when you don’t know all the answers. Clients are more likely to hire the agencies that say, “We have the people that will help you figure out the solutions,” rather than those who say, “Here’s what wrong with you. Let’s fix it.”

Sara Barton is a copywriter, social media strategist, and avid blogger who is in search of her next opportunity. Contact her via twitter, LinkedIn, or her blog.

Jun 30

Below The Radar: Active International

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What do you call a company with agency capabilities that is not an agency, but only offers “agency services” as part of a whole range of other services? Enter Active International, a “Corporate Trading Company.” If your company happens to be within the Forbes Top 1000, you may know it by name.

Not me. While talking to them on the phone, I felt like a complete idiot. Active International has made significant media buys, ranking them with, or close to, the top media spenders in the industry. Not only did I not know what it is, I had not the slightest bit of familiarity with its business model.

So, feeling like a dolt, and yearning to find out how uninformed I was compared to my peers, I sent e-mails out to a number of my contacts to see if they had heard of Active International. Out of twenty, sixteen came back negative. The last four did not reply. Feeling a bit better about myself, I started to do a little research that led to my understanding.

Active International functions as a corporate trading partner. Corporate trade is loosely based on the concept of barter, exchanging one commodity for another much needed commodity. Barter sounds relatively archaic; something used in feudal economies. Corporate trade, however, is commonly used in many companies among the Fortune 1000.

EXAMPLE

42-17073705 Megalithic Foods has a line of products that is doing very well in the market. However, its Rhino Buddy Crackers, in production for the last two years, isn’t very popular and the factory has been operating poorly. Thus, Megalithic plans to shut down the factory and take a loss. At this point, Active International enters and assesses the situation. It looks at the distressed assets (the factory and remaining inventory) and determines if there is a potential for redistribution. Let’s say that in this case, the potential exists, and Active makes an offer to Megalithic Foods to take the factory and the inventory.

If the offer is approved by both parties, the deal is finalized and Active acquires the distressed inventory. In Megalithic’s accounting books, the income is listed as a “trade credit” to be used as needed. After employee wages and benefits are paid, the next largest expenses for corporations are advertising and promotion. Megalithic decides to pump up its ad expenditures via the trade credits. Luckily for Megalithic, Active International has an elite team of media professionals available to easily implement a large-scale media buy.

How large? Past transactions show that Active International has placed spots in high profile shows and special events such as the Super Bowl. Although it continues to acquire assets, it has evolved into a diversified marketing and business solutions provider.

Active International is not only able to provide its clients with a solution to a problem, but it is also available to reinvest those trade credits where the client needs the most help, including media, supply chain, storage, etc. This is a fantastic example of a company that has based itself in solutions, and not problems. Foresight and progressive thinking enable them to provide clients with services an agency cannot: fulfilling one goal while eradicating another.

If you’d like to find out more, there are websites available that will provide basic information, such as Corporate Trading Tips. Adweek also ran an article regarding corporate trade that can be found online in its December issue, called “Tricks of the Trade.”

Or, contact Active International directly via its contact page.

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.

Jun 29

Googler’s Defense: “We’re Not That Big”

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google_logo-small Google, the leader in Search Engine technology, handles approximately 66% of all search engine traffic. So much, in fact, that when Michael Jackson died and his name spiked, Google thought that it was a coordinated attack.

Much like AT&T did two decades ago, Google is fighting back over anti-trust allegations although no formal investigation is underway.

Dana Wagner, the Googler known as “senior competition counsel” explains in the New York Times that “competition is just a click away.”

Google has been on the PR warpath, partially due to regulators watching its every move. Other tech companies such AT&T, IBM, Intel, and Microsoft suffered much of the same thing when it became apparent that there was no “real” competition. Google is clearly the leader in the search category, and it’s possible that the only “competition” may be from the US Government’s possible intervention. In November of 2008, the Justice Department killed a deal between Yahoo and Google due to concerns over market domination. But who is kidding who, right? Google already owns the market.

GoogleMountainView There are other investigations taking place. The Justice Department is investigating Google’s hiring practices and the Federal Trade Commission is researching the ties between the boards of both Google and Apple. But nothing’s been aimed at the heart of Google.

…unlike other technology giants in years past, Google has not been accused of anti-competitive tactics. But the investigations and carping from competitors and critics have Google fighting to dispel the notion that it has a lock on its market, even as it increases its share of search and online advertising.

However, Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, stated;

“Google search is an absolute must-have for every marketer in the world.”

Google’s lawyer, Mr. Wagner, agrees that the company is a great success. He also noted that the environment is turbulent and highly competitive. Further, he said that Google wasn’t looking for sympathy, but simply telling its side of the story.

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.

Jun 19

The Year the Media Died… Billboard Hit or Broken Record?

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crying If you’re looking for another reason to cry yourself to sleep tonight over this whole “recession” thing, here’s a whole nine minutes chock-full of reason.

Warning: The following video may lead you to question your allegiance to the media world as we know it. (Or cling to it for dear, dear life.)

Okay, so if you’re anyone in the advertising or media industry, you might have gotten a chuckle or two out of that rather painfully long parody of a Don McLean classic. (And I think the creator, Terence Kawaja, had intended for such a response.) The video, which was recently shown at Federated Media’s Conversational Marketing Summit in NYC is too long, in my opinion. And yet, despite its length, lack of editing, and downright dismal outlook on the future of media — I find it rather inspiring.

I will tell you that I am the last one you will find riding through town shouting, “The media is dying! The media is dying!” (Hell, there’s plenty of cynics and even a twitter account out there for that.) No, it is much more my style to stand up as a proponent for the future of media, and of advertising for that matter, than flood the — uh, media — with dying media talk.

The reality is that times are a-changing. And whether you perceive it as dying or evolving, traditional media is undoubtedly ADAPTING to the changing world we live in today. Advertisers are finding new and innovative ways to craft clever media plans that not only suit their strategy, but also fit nicely into their client’s pinched budgets.

It’s easy to blame “the digital revolution” for the demise of “traditional media.” But honestly, is it so treacherous to want the best of both worlds?

… Where digital and traditional combine to produce true creative harmony. Where the consumer is always top-of-mind. Where agencies are held more accountable to their clients. And where the Wanamakers of the world actually get the results they desire.

Oh yeah, and where people start talking about the new ways advertising and media professionals are rewriting the rules of the game, instead of listening to the same old song on repeat.

So tell me — how are YOU changing the game?

Deanna Lazzaroni is a self-professed sponge of creative advertising, armed with enthusiastic vigor to tackle the challenges of the mighty marketer’s world. She’s ripe for the picking at deannalazzaroni.com.

Jun 18

The Cricket Theory

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They don’t have a cool name, like Razor Burn, Cloud Nyne, or inVisible. In fact, they sound like an accounting firm. Thankfully, they’re not into accounting. What they are into is corporate survival, and other things that will make your accountant giddy.

Atlanta-based Nolen & Associates is proof-positive that contempt prior to investigation is foolish. Judged solely by name, they’d never be classified as an agency that is boldly progressive, unafraid of saying “no.” Yet, that’s exactly what they are, and they have a simple message: Market through the tough times and emerge stronger.

And that, in a nutshell, is Cricket Theory. They call it a brochure, but it’s so much more…

Available on the Nolen & Associates site, The Cricket Theory is tightly written, steeped in fact, and delivers a powerful message:

“Make as much noise as Possible in Dark times. You will be remembered when it is Light Again”

The Cricket Theory becomes less theory and more fact as various case histories and studies are highlighted. Yet, the marketing budget is the first to get cut during economic uncertainty.

The Cricket Theory is a short, insightful tool that disproves this practice in a convincing, yet subtle, manner.

Over their 23 years in operation, Nolen & Associates observed as companies eliminated entire marketing plans out of fear. Yet, it was a fear rooted in uncontrollable, intangible factors.

So, the agency searched for information to determine which strategy performed better; shouting in the face of recession, or silent waiting.

The result: companies that “Chirp Loud” and “Chirp Often” come out ahead of those that remain quiet…both during, and following, a recession. There are a couple reasons for this;

“When your message is one of the few reaching the audience, your odds are much better for a greater return on your marketing and advertising dollar. When the upturn does come around– and it will – and your prospects and customers are looking to increase spending, your company (or your brand) will likely be the first one that comes to mind…”

Perhaps the most interesting fact listed in The Cricket Theory is that, contrary to popular belief, spending actually increases during a recession.

crickettheory2 The Cricket Theory has become part of Nolen & Associates’ DNA, and is a testament to their progressive nature; while other’s founder, one agency has a plan to enable success during the best, and worst, of times. And no, it’s not your agency.

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.

Jun 17

We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Awards

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awards

It’s that time of year again – Cannes is coming. Does the lure of hardware, sunshine, and glamour call you like a siren song? Are you dying to add a trophy to your office or brag to clients that you were nominated the umpteenth time for an award? If so, perhaps you’re in the wrong business.

Don’t get me wrong – I love awards. I have a box in my basement, full of old trophies and ribbons from high school standing as a monument to a time in my life when I lived for my work (at the time, my work was drill team, but you get the idea). There is nothing I like more than being singled out for being the best. Now that I’m a lot older and, hopefully, a little wiser, I’ve finally gained some perspective and would like to bring you back to reality, even if for just a moment:

Is the client happy? We must never forget that this business is always about “them” and never about “us.” What good does it do your client if the critics like your creative, but the client is not seeing much of a return on his/her investment? Clever is good. Profitable is better.
Are you doing good work on all of your campaigns, or on just one spot? It’s so easy to focus on only one commercial or campaign and pull out all the stops. Are all of the clients in your portfolio receiving the same consideration? If not, then it’s time to stop playing favorites and get back to work.
When pitching clients, how often do awards come up? Be honest. Do you spend more time talking about yourself than about what you can do for the client?
Define good work. I’ll bet if you ask 20 different ad professionals what good work is, you’ll get 20 different answers. Yet, we let a panel of, say, 10, determine what the best work is? No thanks.
Awards don’t always equal good work. I believe that for every award-winning agency, there are at least 10 non-winning ones that are doing as good, if not better, work. I had the great fortune to work for a small shop that routinely churned out great work. We never won awards for it, though. Why? We never entered. We knew that we turned out kick-ass work that got results for our clients, and that was all we needed to know.

Sara Barton is a copywriter, social media strategist, and avid blogger who is in search of her next opportunity. Contact her via twitter, LinkedIn, or her blog.

Jun 17

Do You Subscribe To “No News is Good News” As A Rule?

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no-news-is-good-news2x Is no news truly good news? A common phrase, it reportedly stems from King James I of England, according to Dictionary.com. The phrase, by definition, means, “Having no information means that bad developments are unlikely, as in I haven’t heard from them in a month, but no news is good news.” Or, it could mean they were eaten by lions.

Today, no news is better than most news, especially for the ad industry. The current trade news has been built on lay-offs, agency closings, and executive shake-ups. Unfortunately, there are not enough agencies deeply imbedded into the economic flow of the US Economy to warrant a government bail out…unless a catchy new “American” jingle will help the United States re-brand; The National Anthem doesn’t seem to get much respect or on-air play these days, other than leading off sporting events.

Scanning from publication to publication, news of the economy is built on both optimistic and pessimistic outlooks, the simplest method for stating, “We really don’t have a clue at this time regarding the length, or lasting effect, of the current economic conditions.” If there is nothing to say, then quit writing about it.

Today, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) announced that the economic freefall is far from over:

“…[PwC] not only don’t see a recovery soon but actually think ad spending will continue sinking, such that by 2013 it will be below where it was last year, at $174 billion versus $189 billion. That’s a decline of 1.7 percent per year. Global spending will sink even more.”

Zombies Ahead

Foreboding news. Yet, it’s not the economy being singled out as the root cause; rather, the report states that the switch to digital, due to measurability and targetablity, will rise above media seen as ineffective and inneficient.The usual suspects, newspaper and magazines, are likely to take the largest losses. However, the PwC report mentions television as a declining resource.

The internet will continue to grow as an ad medium, according to the report. “The internet’s share of

total U.S.ad revenue will rise to 19 percent in 2013 from 13 percent in 2008.” Which leads back to the original question: “Is no news good news?”

The answer? No news can be fantastic news for some mediums, while the same silence signals the death knell for others.

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, so leave a comment or follow the links: linkedin.com or twitter.com.

Jun 14

Does The Ad Industry Need A Scandal, Too?

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INTRO
For the 2008/2009 Year in Advertising Review (if there were such a thing), most of the pages would be filled with stories on Social Media Marketing, lay-offs, the automotive industry’s effect on the ad industry, and the economy. With much of the hard news skewing negative, now is not the best time to face a scandal, albeit a small one.

Based on a story released in The St. Petersburg Times (Florida), as well as their website TampaBay.com, it is been reported that a scandal is nearing hurricane force in the Sunshine State. Worse yet, it’s a political scandal. Finally, to top it all off, it involves a prominent Tampa Bay ad agency, a federal inquiry, and the FBI.

THE PLAYERS

Buddy Johnson was the Hillsborough (County) Elections Supervisor. Reportedly, prior to re-election he hired Schifino Lee to launch a “Voter Education Campaign” to the tune of $40,000. In February of 2008, Mr. Johnson found out that he would be facing “tough competition” on what was purported to be an easy re-election. The Voter Education campaign, scheduled to end in March 2008, was extended.

Schifino Lee Advertising and Branding, founded in 1993, has a well-rounded client list: Jaguar, AT&T, Mobley, Seminole Hard Rock Casino, Gunn Allen Financial, The Reproductive Medicine Group, and WellCare Health Plans. Absent, however, is political experience; yet, it’s often the best creative that wins, regardless of the competition’s experience. In this case, the agency was awarded the account.

THE STORY
Buddy Johnson realized that he was in the fight of his political life; in February 2008, the former County Commissioner, Phyllis Busansky, filed to run for the same position and had surpassed Johnson in campaign contributions by March. Schifino Lee was retained to keep voter education at a premium. The campaign, paid for by county taxpayers, originally started to “educate voters” about an optical voting system that was idiot-proof. The debut of the system provided Johnson’s office the excuse to hire Schifino Lee.

But getting Johnson’s name and image in front of voters was a main goal from the outset, said the owner of a marketing firm who was hired by the elections office to conduct an outreach campaign for Hispanics.

whoisbuddyj The $40,000 educational campaign turned into a $640,000 re-election campaign, sixteen times the original amount, and ads began to focus on Buddy Johnson, rather than education. The campaign ran the media gamut, from campaign buttons and stickers to television spots and online ads. Few of the ads had anything to do with voter education. The agency claims they simply followed their client’s requests and handed files over to investigators. The agency also provided copies to The St. Petersburg Times. While all information at this point is speculation, The Times mentions the following:

• Schifino Lee won the contract in a no-bid process
• Many of the ads were political in nature, but about Johnson
• Several pieces were identical [but charged individually]
• Some of the pieces were never used, and had little or no value

An article by Johnson that was ghost-written by the firm was never published. A two-page flier cost $1,854, but there is no indication it was ever used. Another flier told voters how to fill the oval on the ballot. “Completely,” it advised, a tip that cost taxpayers $765.

The Federal investigation was launched to review various aspects of Mr. Johnson’s management of the county’s elections office, and there are estimates that he overspent by $2.35 million before losing the race.

Rather than heaping insult on top of injury, it’s quiet possible that Buddy Johnson will receive insult on top of felony.

Please remember that all parties are presumed to be innocent until jailed.

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, so leave a comment or follow the links: linkedin.com or twitter.com.

Jun 11

Social Media is NOT Advertising – and Other Words to Live By

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I have been around the marketing and advertising block a time or two and I’ve seen some changes – some great and some not-so-great. However, with the advent of social media, I have seen a series of trends that I find truly disturbing: over- or underestimating social media’s importance. So, as a public service, here are three trends to avoid.

Scary Trend #1 – Not Giving Social Media Enough Credit.
While I think it’s great that many companies are jumping into the social media fray, there are some who think that social media is “for the kids,” so they underestimate its importance as a communication tool. They hand over the social media reigns to an intern in order to give him/her some “busy work,” rather than realizing the ramifications of a social media strategy that is not carefully planned. If you’re going to incorporate social media into your marketing campaign, do so deliberately. Don’t blow it off or do it halfway.

Scary Trend #2 – Giving Social Media Entirely Too Much Credit.
Some companies (and I’m not naming names!) have decided that since social media is so popular, it should take the place of an integrated communications strategy. They eliminate the rest of their marketing plan and hire a social media guru to do what an entire marketing department has not been able to do, thus setting up said guru for failure. Social media is merely one tool in your arsenal, but it does not take the place of an integrated strategy.

Scary Trend #3 – Too Much To Soon
If you’re at all active in social media, you know this scenario all too well: you start following a company on a social media site because you like the brand. Next thing you know, you’re bombarded with promotional messages, product information, and generic messages, much like getting stuck in the corner at a party, talking to some blowhard who only wants to talk about himself. If you don’t want to engage your customers in a dialog, then skip social media and buy some spots, already.

Sara Barton is a copywriter, social media strategist, and avid blogger who is in search of her next opportunity. Contact her via twitter, LinkedIn, or her blog.

Jun 09

Self-fulfilling Economy?

Posted in: Uncategorized

graph1 As Americans, there is a love/hate relationship that exists with the media due to one of two things: over portrayal (senseless beating to death of a subject) or non-portrayal (glossing over a story to move on) of news. Both tend to upset the news-hungry public, but over portrayal nears that point where news becomes culture for a short time. A couple of examples: Octo-Mom, Jon & Kate Gosselin, LiLo’s drug rehab, relapse, rehab, and relapse.

Yes, these are “celebrity” examples, but unfortunately, it happens with the “real” news as well. Take for instance the automotive and banking bailouts. The fall of Fannie May and Freddie Mac. Bernie Madhoff. How many times did news anchors need to go over the fact that the Chairmen for the Detroit automakers flew in private jets to the Senate Subcommittee hearings? Definitely not 10,000.

The same holds true for the advertising industry, and yes, the economy. Yesterday, June 8, 2009, AdWeek ran a story encompassing a RSW/US survey of 200 marketing and 100 ad agency execs. (RSW/US is a lead generation and business development firm.) The survey showed that agencies were more optimistic than prospective clients regarding the economy and the advertising business for the remainder of the year.

Agencies participating in the survey, released in mid-May, included Leo Burnett, Mindshare and Bailey Lauerman. Clients included Ford, GE, Kraft, Lego and Lenox. While 51 percent of each group said that the second half of the year would see at least some continued falls in ad spending, more agency respondents (42 percent) felt the economy had already hit rock bottom and would therefore start to improve over the rest of the year than clients (35 percent).

Seventy-six percent of agencies felt that the number of new business opportunities would rise in Q3 and Q4 of 2009. absolutmayhem

Today, Media Life reports that Q1 2009 spending was beyond horrid. Like someone couldn’t have pulled their head out of their #$$ to figure that one out. At this juncture, it is safe to assume that corporations have cut back, or totally scrapped, their advertising spend for 2009. If this is not clear to everyone, please ask your neighbor to explain it to you. The point being? No one really knows what will happen yet, or how the economy is really doing. There are educated guesses on how far down the auto industry will take the nation, but it’s still just a guess. Is respite coming quickly? No one truly knows. Thus, the time for speculation is over, and if there is to be some haphazard guessing, please don’t print it in a magazine.

Today, Media Life reported the following:

Ad spending plummeted 12 percent during first quarter

Total first-quarter ad expenditures off $3.8 billion

Local Sunday supplements, biggest spending dip, off 37.7 percent

Thirteen of nineteen media tracked saw double-digit declines

Spot TV down 28.9 percent

National magazines dropped 20.6 percent

Local newspapers fell 14.3 percent; spot radio was off 9 percent

Online dropped 3.4 percent (not including search)

Network TV, the largest category, was off 4.8 percent

Automotive spend fell 27.7 percent, or $723 million

The single category that did do well? Quick-serve restaurants. Hey, depression causes the munchies!

Unless there’s an answer to this debacle forthcoming, there’s just no reason to report or talk about this subject anymore. Let it go and move on to something else.

Jun 05

Can Automotive Advertising be Bailed Out?

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of days, you’re well aware of GM’s bankruptcy protection filing. To assuage the buying public, GM has unveiled a commercial explaining “the new GM,” guaranteeing a leaner, greener company that makes better cars than ever before.

gm-uminstitute

I’m all for corporate transparency, but I have to wonder if the “Reinvention” spot is enough to save the troubled automaker. I think it’s safe to say that public distrust in the automotive industry as a whole is high – especially when auto officials are arriving in private jets to beg the federal government for bailout money.

How does this spot bode for the future of automotive advertising? Is it enough to entice consumers to buy American again?

I think it’s a step in the right direction, but I also think that it signals a change in the way automakers and dealerships place their ad buys. Existing on a campaign of print and broadcast is not enough anymore. If companies want to win the automotive war, they need to regain credibility with the public by actively engaging them. After all, you have to at least shake someone’s hand before you reach for their wallet.

Sara Barton is a copywriter, social media strategist, and avid blogger who is in search of her next opportunity. Contact her via twitter, LinkedIn, or her blog.

Jun 05

“G” Thing vs. EA Sports: Integrated Branding

Posted in: Uncategorized

nba finals I couldn’t help but to express my utter annoyance of brands that put all their hard earned money into sponsorship options without that sponsorship/product placement being truly relavent.

Key example: Watching the NBA Finals you have Gatorade’s “G-thing” plastered all over the bottom of the screen and courtside. I wonder, how much did they pay for that lil’ splish splash?

What was there? Oh, just the logo no deeper relavance to the finals than that. Yeah, yeah, I know your saying well Gatorade’s a “sports” drink and it’s a “sports” playoff, it should be there. I totally agree but that’s Marketing 101, it’s time for brands to go deeper.

Like EA Sports for instance is present during these same finals but they integrated their brand in a smooth, non-”G”akward way. The commentator was placed virtually onto a court while a computer EA Sports generated Kobe Bryant was playing against commentator as he shows how to play defense against Kobe , gives pointers, things to watch for, etc–all in this virtual world–NOW THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKIN’ BOUT!!! Woohooo imagine that, complete relevance, showing the brand goods, and not pandering to me–it’s no dream world, that’s real branding baby!

This is the way to integrate brands beyond the mind numbing (in frankenstein voice) “we will repeat…repeat…repeat…repeat…and you will buy…buy…buy !”

——–

Jinean Robinson is a CCIO (Chief Creative Infections Officer) who has been in the communications industry for over 8 years, specializing in creative strategy and implementation, 360 branding communications, and brand development. Join her at http://twitter.com/germllc or her firm’s website at http://germonline.com/

Jun 02

This Recession Will End.

Posted in: Uncategorized

nortonhd_cincinnati_recession101_future There are some pretty unbelievable resources available online at no cost. Everything from whitepapers to completed slide shows, covering any topic imaginable. Some of the better ones are put out by professional groups in support of advertising agencies and efforts. These include the Advertising Media Internet Center (AMIC), the 4A’s, and the Outdoor Advertising Association of America. nortonhd_cincinnati_recession101_talent These organizations also fund and run many of the Public Service Announcements.

On May 5th, the OAAA’s public service campaign was a shot in the arm to all worrying where the next paycheck will be coming from, or if there is a next paycheck. Named Recession 101, the billboard campaign is simple, as if printed on a piece of notebook paper and tacked to a 14′ x 48′ out on the highway. The messaging consists of a simple reminder: some day, the recession will end.

It is not the greatest, most creative campaign ever done, but it is timely and truthful. Look on it as a shot in the arm to keep away all of nortonhd_cincinnati_recession101_talent the bad stuff coming from television. The great driving force behind it is the idea of looking up during adversity rather than down. Moving forward instead of complaining. In an apt message, the OAAA states:

The campaign is about America and resiliency. The recession has hurt one of America’s greatest attributes-it’s unshakeable optimism…Recession 101 isn’t selling anything other than the American Spirit.”

And it’s about time we returned to the American spirit and optimism. The entire campaign is available here.

Jun 01

Is There A Future For Advertising?

Posted in: Uncategorized

A research study was sanctioned late last year regarding the “crisis” in advertising. With the invention of the DVR, were consumers still viewing television? Was word-of-mouth the only advertising that worked? What unforeseen problems would crop up when the newspapers went out of business? Were we, unknowingly, the last defenders of Babylon?

The Wharton School, in cooperation with the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), launched an exhaustive study that culminated in 21 papers that will be published in the ARF Journal in June 2009. The study, aptly named “The Future of Advertising Project,” was launched to refute what ARF Chief Research Officer called:

“a lot of mythology from an echo chamber I was hearing about how TV isn’t working because of DVRs and the Long Tail and declining audiences” when he assumed his post last year. “It just sounded like a lot of assumption without being factually informed,” he said.

The collected research does bear some bad news, one nugget being that “empirically.” TV advertising is a loss for most companies. In contradiction, the study also shows that TV performs at the same or higher levels, than it did ten years ago for the heavy TV spenders. Other learning’s include the fact that 22% of word-of-mouth marketing stems from traditional advertising, DVRs have little impact in regard to ad recall or brand favorability, and that magazines are more effective than TV commercials and online ads at creating “intent to purchase.”

The main item the initial studies uncovered is that more research is necessary, especially in the face of rapidly growing social networks. Yoram “Jerry” Wind, Lauder Professor of Marketing at Wharton, stated “The major concern about the decreased impact of TV advertising is not founded,” he said. “TV is still very effective. At the same time, there are a lot of things we don’t know.” reaper

With that, it does not seem that we know significantly more today with research, than we did yesterday without research. Check back later, hopefully we’ll have something for you…

May 30

Newspapers Hope Secrecy Breeds Success

Posted in: Uncategorized

newspaper_3 Psst. You. Yeah, you. Keep it down, this is a secret…In Chicago last week, newspaper management-types from several different mastheads met to work out details on what will most likely turn out to be the most difficult monetization of any of the mediums. Unlike social sites that need to determine the best strategy, newspapers are starting with negative yardage. Their challenge? Charging for something that was free. newspaper27 And that is a challenge at which many would balk.

In essence,

the papers are trying to figure out how they can charge people for news on the Internet after largely giving it to them for the past 10-15 years. They have to do this so they don’t have to shut down when print advertising revenue gets so low that they can’t afford to stay in business anymore.

And, like newspapers tend to do, the story was leaked and printed by The Atlantic.

It looks like some things won’t change…

May 25

My Ad Can Kick Your Ad’s Ass!

Posted in: Uncategorized

With the Summer heating up, and the economy moving like sluggish sewage in July, Advertising Age reports that the Summer of 2009 is going to be “cruel.” It reminds me of Bananarama.

According to Adage.com:

Attack ads have been on the rise for the past year, but comparisons are getting sharper, responses are growing testier, and an increasing number of ad battles are ending up in court. Just don’t expect a letup, because they’re also working.

If you decide to run an attack ad, Ad Age has provided helpful tips to keep agencies out of trouble. (It’s almost as if Ad Age is egging on agencies for a Summer of heated battles to alleviate boredom…”Here! Take this knife!” Hmm.)

However, it’s good advice…Sara Lee filed suit against Kraft Foods last week over taste test ads between Oscar Mayer and Sara Lee’s Ball Park Franks. According to Sara Lee, Ball Park Franks have suffered a blow from which they will never recover. (Now THAT’s advertising!) Unfortunately for Sara Lee’s legal team, Ball Park is outselling Oscar Mayer in grocery stores nationwide. My guess is that this case will be over before it starts. (Please keep in mind that I am not a legal analyst.)

Luckily, Advertising Age does have access to a legal team, and below are there tips to stay out of trouble. However, I have also embellished on their recommendations:

1. Don’t name your competitor
Just make it brutally obvious who they are.

2. Stay positive
You could say “You’ll save money at Joe’s coffee.” Or you could be honest, “One cup at Bobs place, or a weeks worth at Joe’s. You decide.”

3. Back it up with science
Numbers are very useful for making your point. Manipulate.

4. Have a contingency plan
If you get sued, release the most offensive spot. They’ve already sued, what’s next, name calling?

5. Don’t steal your competitor’s claims.
As if! Belittle their claims, cast them in false light, but don’t steal them.

May 24

Ideas Ingenuity Overcome $$

Posted in: Uncategorized

“No one is buying right now. Business will come back in Q4. It’ll get better. Our clients aren’t spending at the moment.”

Is that what you are hearing from agencies? Is that what management is saying? That’s like me stating that I can’t get a job because no one is hiring. But companies are hiring, and businesses are making money. The reason that your clients aren’t spending ad dollars is because they’re scared. Scared brings out their conservative side.

Fear, unless it’s for your life, is not the best basis for decision-making. Fear is an anxious state. Think back on the all the right decisions you’ve made and determine how many were based on fear. Probably not many.

So, while many businesses have their heads in the sand, others are using ingenuity to overcome. Enter The Taco Maker:

The Taco Maker, a Puerto Rico-based fast-food chain, ran a combination radio and mobile-marketing promo in which they gave away free burritos.

The Taco Maker and their agency, BxP, created a character named “Juan Maker” who made radio appearances to talk to local DJs about free stuff. The broadcasts were all recorded and then made into ten 60-second spots that offered a free one-pound burrito to Taco Maker aficionados that texted in the correct answer after hearing the spot.

The agency declined to specify the price of the promotion, but said it cost less than $50,000. For that amount, the agency was able to track consumer response by station, time of day and even DJ. The company focused its ad dollars where they were doing the most good in real time.

Five-thousand texts and 2500 burritos later, the chain reported a 21% sales increase for the region where the promo took place. Hmm, that is so weird.

May 20

When The Going Gets Tough, Go Guerrilla

Posted in: Uncategorized

posters

If you’re anything like me, “change” is a word that has been overused of late. Well, unfortunately, it’s going to happen again: Change. Change. CHANGE!

Change the way you think. Change the way you act. Look at your client from another angle. Ask someone else what they see. Don’t rely on what you think you know, go and find out what others know.

Our industry beat the phrase, “Think Outside the Box” into the ground, but now-really-it’s time to think outside the box. If you wait for your clients to come to you, it’s too late…trust me, others have great ideas, just like you do. The only difference is that they’re acting on theirs. So, Refresh. Renew. Revitalize. Do something…something is always better than nothing.

Try Guerrilla! It’s relatively inexpensive. You can target geographically. It’s tactical. It makes a splash. It may get you in trouble, but it gets the message out…and PR is PR, right?

Granted, it won’t be perfect for every client, but you have at least one that would benefit. Automotive? Entertainment? Packaged Goods? Think it’s not for your clients? Think again: MSN, Yahoo, Carmex, Disney, Activision, CBS, TBS, New Balance, Absolut, AT&T, New York Sports Clubs, Pepsi, and tons of new movie releases have all recently used some form of poster advertising.

You’re there because you’re creative. So, be creative.

Hasta La Creative!

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Does The Ad Industry Need A Scandal, Too?

Social Media is NOT Advertising – and Other Words to Live By

Self-fulfilling Economy?

Can Automotive Advertising be Bailed Out?

“G” Thing vs. EA Sports: Integrated Branding

This Recession Will End.

Is There A Future For Advertising?

Newspapers Hope Secrecy Breeds Success

My Ad Can Kick Your Ad’s Ass!

Ideas Ingenuity Overcome $$

When The Going Gets Tough, Go Guerrilla

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