Tag Archives: Marketing

The Transparency Angle

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What’s even real these days? It may or may not be a question that’s crossed your mind recently, but it is causing a stir in companies and ad agencies.  Transparency and authenticity are in, and flashy propaganda is on its way out.  It’s no surprise that businesses continue to refine the concept of authenticity for the purpose of marketing strategy.  What could be more lucrative than to convince consumers that a product can bridge the disconnect between modern civilization and reality, especially in a society constantly seeking meaning?

Chick-fil-A is one company that is now taking the advertising approach of transparency, inviting customers for behind-the-counter tours at all of their locations.  This blazes the path for their upcoming menu improvements, such as salads with more nutrient-rich ingredients focused on harnessing the concept of authenticity in their food offerings.

However, restaurant chains aren’t the only ones using this strategy.  Dove, a brand owned by Unilever, started the “real beauty” campaign in 2004 in the hopes of expanding the definition of beauty and promoting self-esteem in women of all shapes and sizes.  This week the company released a video to tell women “you’re more beautiful than you think” by comparing how women view their own beauty with how strangers view them.  This type of advertising goes beyond showing the consumer how authentic a product is; it makes the audience consider the authenticity behind their own self-image.

The Authenticity Hoax, a book by Andrew Potter, takes apart the ideal of the “authenticity” that we’re all striving for.  He looks at the areas of our lives where we feel connected to experiences, the world, and nature, and how society has lost the true meaning of authenticity in the process of seeking it out.  In his conclusion he says, “we are trying to find at least one sliver of the world, one fragment of experience, that is innocent, spontaneous, genuine, and creative, and not tainted by commercialization, calculation, and self-interest.”

The minute authenticity became a brand in and of itself, people wanted to have it, and companies are more than happy to sell it.  Dove may highlight the reality of the average woman versus the size zero models in many other ads, but that doesn’t mean they’re not capitalizing on some other ideal.  Authenticity is the new thing to have.  The problem is, just as Potter points out, authenticity is pretty much a false goal.  Chick-fil-A can show its customers where they make the food, but that doesn’t mean anyone’s life is more real because they ate a chicken sandwich that wasn’t frozen.

- Ally Walton

Google Takes Over Mobile Advertising with Admob

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The online advertising market is growing but not only when it comes to computers. Facebook is no longer the only company with mobile ad news.  Google recently launched a new system for advertising within mobile cell phones and smart phones, “AdMob: solutions for mobile advertising and the monetization of the most recognized and reliable name in the field of mobile advertising, also known as Google”.

This new system presents solutions for advertisers who want to promote their brand and acquire new customers by advertising on mobile phones, solutions for agencies that want to expand their advertising campaigns to mobile platforms, and solutions for application developers who want to add Admob as a platform for distribution and monetization. The AdMob-AdWords integration also makes it easier for small and medium sized businesses to spend on Google mobile ads.

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Admob uses an advanced algorithm of ad selection that allows businesses to contextualize and optimize advertising revenues (similar to Google AdSense). Inserting ads is very easy and can be done without a WordPress plugin, which is usually used to create a mobile version of the site. All a business has to do is simply enter the code in the website page that is generated with Admob to automatically fill in the “banner” advertising within the site.

“This is about enabling scale for industry,” said a rep for the company. “Anybody that’s buying performance media through AdWords can now very easily add mobile display to campaigns. We have a lot of customers that buy search and desktop display through one interface. Now they’re adding mobile display to that.”

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As Google grows stronger in the field of mobile advertising, they are claiming their spot in this fast growing sector. In fact, connecting ad platforms has been a focal point for Google this year, as they are enhancing their mobile ad targeting capabilities.

Admob is a tool that should not be underestimated. In fact, the company’s mobile display ads appear in more than 300,000 apps on phones, establishing themselves as the world biggest mobile advertising company. I think this is a smart move for Google as it seems that everyone in this world now uses smartphones on a daily basis. Companies can easily target consumers at any time of the day because our phones are always with us. Furthermore, brands can stay at top-of-mind awareness because consumers can see their advertisements whenever they use an app. By offering this advanced mobile advertising technology, Google is maintaining their spot as a major technological powerhouse, and helping clients meet their advertising needs.

-Sasha De Vecchi & Julia Tompkins

How Kotex Got Almost 700,000 Impressions with their Pinterest Campaign

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In the past few years, Pinterest has been the protagonist of a real-life international explosion, a phenomenon with incredible numbers constantly growing worldwide. The steady growth of their users, combined with the social media’s careful attention to what is now clearly a new platform of communication, has led many brands to explore and take advantage of this viral sensation. Kotex, a famous feminine hygiene brand owned by Kimberly-Clark, partnered with the lesser-known (at least until now) Israeli social media agency Smoyz, for the first Pinterest-based campaign that finds expression in the initiative “Women’s Inspiration Day.” The creative talents of Smoyz searched and analyzed thousands of boards of women who eagerly use the social media site, until they finally selected 50, the muses who would then become the medium itself for the campaign.

Once the “muses” were selected, they analyzed all of their boards on the website trying to find out what inspires them, after which the brand created individually personalized gift packages with the products they wanted decorating them with different styles that would capture each one’s attention. The 50 users selected to receive the packages did not have to do anything but re-pin Kotex’s original invite. How did this tactical advertising strategy go? Well, the numbers speak for themselves: 50 sent packages, 2284 interactions and almost 695 thousand impressions.

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This marketing experiment was a huge success, a buzz that then involved several other social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, not to mention the amount of traffic generated to the brand’s websites. Both Kotex and Smoyz did a great job at carefully taking advantage of Pinterest’s peculiarities, such as females’ natural predilection for this specific social media, which holds about 68% of female users. Their careful demographic analysis combined with the use of the website for the production of gifts that were “tailored” around the user was refreshing and original.

For quite some time now, Kotex has been conducting strong content advertising strategies, starting from their very own official site, which is home to a fairly populated online community. In fact the brand has already hosted several successful initiatives such as the campaign “Stand Up for What’s Real.” The campaign is primarily targeted at young women between the ages of 14 and 24 and it is aimed at helping women to talk about a subject that is usually viewed as taboo. Overall, this campaign certainly opens an interesting new chapter when it comes to online marketing by once again demonstrating how the dynamics of communication, thanks to the new media, are increasingly moving towards a more “tailor-made” approach.

 

- Sasha De Vecchi

Reaching New Heights in Creativity

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How many billboards do you take notice to on your daily commute? I honestly could not recall the last one I saw or what it was promoting. I am sure I am not alone in this realization. These strategic advertisements are lined down the highway like dominoes, yet many do not even double take to see what they have to offer. That is the point, right? To be noticed? I am sure that advertisers do not spend thousands of dollars on outdoor advertising just to have it passed by without a second thought. However, surprisingly 71% of drivers notice billboard ads according to an article entitled The Strange Impact of Billboard Advertising. With that being said, agencies have some ammunition for their brands if executed correctly. Even though we may not remember every advertisement we pass, we are subconsciously taking it in. The challenge is to effectively present your brand so that they work as effectively as they are intended to. Here are a few that are quite bold and competitive:

Okay, so we know, statistically speaking, they work well but the question is: what makes billboard advertising effective enough? The whole purpose in this choice of advertising is not to be informative, I mean we only have about 4 seconds in the drive by to take it all in, but rather to create a lasting impression of the brand. Stephen Littlejohn puts it well in his textbook on “Theories of Communication.” In chapter 7 he discusses the idea of ‘Message Reception and Processing.’ This theory implies that a communicator has 2 levels of intent: informative intention and communicative intention. Informative intention hopes that the audience is made aware of something and communicative intention being that the audience realizes the purpose of it. That is the goal with outdoor advertising. Within a matter of seconds the viewer should be visually made aware of the brand or product. Then, the advertiser has hopes that they made a big enough statement that they remember the brand, even if it is triggered in the depth of our sub-conscious somehow.

What does this mean for advertising? In order to make the impression on people that they hope for, advertisers have to aim to be engaging, bold and informative all at the same time. The brands and products are resting on a visual representation…telling a story. Some of the ones seen today have accomplished just that and have been very beneficial to maintaining their brand names.  For example, the creative “Peapod” allows those on foot to access an interactive screen when they need to complete a quick grocery shop. Shopping on the go has never been easier. Image

The target audience for this display is those who lead busy lifestyles and don’t permit much time to complete daily necessities. This type of shopping is entertaining and even seems enjoyable. The user-friendly screen only requires a smartphone, the free ‘Peapod’ app, and a quick wave over the bar code to scan the image above it. Instant groceries are right there, only a scan away.

Needless to say, advertising is making some huge improvements in their promotion of products via billboard ads. The article 40 Absolutely Brilliant Billboard Ads displays images of some of the most recently developed billboards which have been highly effective.It seems that Outdoor Advertising is finally reaching new heights in creative presentation, communicating to the public that they are something worth looking at!

-Katelyn Alston

The Galaxy S4

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What could be better than Siri you ask? Apple better watch out because they may have recently developed a new top competitor. Samsung’s newest phone the Galaxy S4 is soon to be released at the end of April 2013. The Galaxy S4′s, or GS4, dimensions and weight are slightly larger than the iPhone5, but so is the screen size for those who like to see a bigger picture.

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The GS4 processing speed is 1 .9GHz with the Android 4.2.2 operating system, which is considerably faster, than iPhone5’s processing speed of 1 GHz on the iOS operating system. To see a table of more comparisons, click this link. When it comes to the camera, GS4′s Super AMOLED panel at 441 pixels per inch is significantly denser than iPhone5’s 326 pixels per inch. The GS4 camera also has crazy new features such as the recording of front and back cameras at the same time.

So what new technological features does the Galaxy S4 have that could really disperse the iPhone fanatics? When choosing between the Galaxy S4 and the iPhone5 the design, display, apps, and processing system are all based on individual preference, but the Galaxy S4 interface is just on a completely new level. PC mag.com states, “Android features a much more customizable interface for advanced users, which lets you configure your phone exactly how you want it.” The interface has a feature called Air Gestures, which includes motion sensors of hand movements to control the display with out even touching the screen. They have Smart Stay, which tracks your eyes to tell if you are looking at the screen. If you are watching a video, Smart Pause will automatically pause the video for you when you look away. Smart Scroll will check when you are reading a scroll up and down when you tilt the device.

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This April we will all be able to see for ourselves if the iPhone has a real competitor; and if Samsung’s new features using hand and eye sensors are handy to use on a day-to-day basis or just plain creepy!

-Kelsey Raskob

S.O.S.

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The night has progressed and you are about to make your move when the inevitable question arises, “do you have a condom?” This is the premise that Durex has based their new campaign on. The S.O.S. campaign is an “app powered” one-hour condom delivery service discreetly operating between 4pm and 4am. When one first runs across this ad they may think it is a parody, but this is a service that already exists in certain cities, such as Dubai. The company plans to further expand the campaign to more cities. In today’s busy world, everyone loves a delivery service. How else would we get our last-minute pizzas, packages, flowers…condoms? The new Durex campaign, launched by the Buzzman firm, is ingenious and definitely outside the realm of normal advertising. The unique aspects of this campaign clearly exemplify why this firm has been credited with the development of captivating campaigns in the past. Future endeavors should not be far behind when examining their exciting new usages of message, labels, and systems.

S.O.S. (short for “Save Our Souls”) is globally recognized as a distress signal. Viewing the YouTube commercial on Durex condoms it is evident that the sense of urgency, emergency, distress (if you will) associated with an S.O.S can easily be transferred to something less immediately life-threatening.  It was genius to associate their entire campaign on the premise that this product and service is not only a service people may want, but a good they most definitely NEED!  The name itself alerts potential consumers of this product to the fact that it could be important for their lives.  Buzzman of Paris is the firm credited for the original development of this campaign, which may explain why Paris is the leading city in votes for implementation of delivery service (or is it because Paris is truly the city of love)?  Either way there is definitely potential for geographic growth.

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http://www.sos-condoms.com/

Not surprisingly, YouTube is a vehicle for advertising both the product and service.  Social media is being adopted by most modern businesses as a way to connect with audiences on a personal level which allows them to identify and solve the needs and wants of their target audience. The sensual and provocative usage of filming in the commercial fits perfectly the “edginess” that the campaign strives for, while remaining appropriate to the standards of social media. Not only does this medium provide unlimited amounts of information, it builds brand image and is yet another way to gain valuable information about its consumer.  A win-win for Buzzman,Durex and the customer!

Retailing is the sales of goods and services from businesses to the end users. Durex, in this retail plan, concentrates on its brand image and loyal consumers for selling the product itself (the condom) but this plan furthers the retailing process by integration of a new supply chain of their product.  Rather than purchasing their products by the counter at a pharmacy, or even online, the timeliness and personal service is considered.  Why should pizzas be the only show in town?  Condoms have hit the big time in this retail venture.  It should be interesting to see how this takes off.  The worst-case scenario is that Durex gets people talking, and their condoms “protect” Buzzman’s reputation for fresh ideas.

- Zach Abramo, Callie Fenlon, Lauren Habig,  Alexandra Huss, Michael Nunes,Daniel Schaefer

The Old and The Reckless

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The commercials from last Sunday’s Super Bowl have been flooding social media sites as they get passed around by friends. The Taco Bell “Viva Young” commercial has been  particularly popular with over two million views on YouTube. The commercial starts with a nurse at a retirement home putting an older man to bed. Then the old man sneaks off with friends to acquire the life of the young and, of course, “Fourth Meal” at Taco Bell.  This unusual group of pranksters are seen pool hopping, lighting firecrackers and even getting down in the clubs. The group building up a hunger ends their night at the Taco Bell Parking lot, and walking back to the retirement home as the sun rises. The song “We Are Young” by Fun, is played in Spanish (of course)to maintain brand continuity. Interestingly, that particular song became popular during last year’s Super Bowl; when it appeared in a Chevy commercial.

While watching the game, a friend said “talking babies and crazy old people always make the best commercials”. It is interesting to me that the most entertaining commercials are based on events that do not happen often (or at all!) The concept of “old folks” having partying hard and reliving their youth is entertaining and hilarious. This idea has been used before; the artist Modestep released a music video for their song “Sunlight”. This video was posted on YouTube on July 3, 2011 and has over twenty-two million views. The Modestep video has the same idea as the commercial but is not censored by the FCC. The Taco Bell commercial is a “clean” version of this music video as much of the material is not suitable for U.S. television. It Is remarkable to see music culture influencing the types of commercials we see.

The stylistic features of the commercial and music video are similar. Certain aspects, such as the shot angle and exposures, are close to the same. The idea of the older people going crazy and partying hard that Taco Bell portrays take you by surprise, particularly while considering that most of the commercials promoting their unique concept of “Fourth Meal” have been targeted to their younger consumers (who are more likely to be up late). This commercial appears to actively debunk the stereotype that elderly people are typically in bed by nine. It is interesting to see the commercial feature a group of people who may or may not consume Taco Bell given the primary target audience of most Super Bowl ads. Is this an opportunity for Taco Bell to expand to more mature (or not-so-mature) markets or just another opportunity to entertain the younger population at the expense of the older one? Regardless it is a reminder to “Live Mas” and while doing so, fill your hunger with Taco Bell.

- Zach Abramo, Callie Fenlon, Lauren Habig,  Alexandra Huss, Michael Nunes, Daniel Schaefer, Dann Williams