May 30, 2008

Bushnell: A million bucks for a Bigfoot.

Bushnell makes all kinds of yummy optics and cool electronic gadgets. From binocs, to laser range finders to GPS units to scopes to trail cameras. You know what a trail camera is don't you? You attach it to a tree somewhere deep in the forest and it waits patiently until it senses movement. Then it clicks off a few frames. The idea is to photograph nature without all that human intervention stuff. Sometimes the results are pretty interesting. Like the photo of the raccoon who decided to take a ride on the back of the boar.

Now comes the report that Bushnell seems to be preparing to offer a cool million to the first person who can capture indisputable proof of the Sasquatch with one of their trail cameras. As noted, the Sasquatch is an advertising favorite and probably deserves a spot here.

In any case, a tip of the hat to our friends at Bushnell. The promotion is coming soon. The buzz is starting now.

Posted by John on May 30, 2008 at 01:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Brave New Marketing , Consumer Content , Marketing to Men , Pop Culture , Science , Sports

April 29, 2008

Why all the fuss about Miley?

The photo is off brand. Plain and simple.

The article, if you read it, lays out the Miley brand perfectly: A young superstar with a head on her shoulders and involved, loving parents to help her avoid the famous flame-outs of her tween predecessors. An all-American success story.

But the photo has blazed through all media.  Some shock (though a summer day at any neighborhood pool is more revealing) Some anger. Mostly just disappointment. It's weird that a 15 year-old can command so much jabber. But this isn't a 15-year old. This is a billion dollar brand.  And the keepers of that brand, the Cyrus collective and, yes, Disney, sure should have seen this coming and told Leibovitz to simma' down.

All girls grow up. But parents with 9, 10, 11 and 12-year olds of their own are fighting to ensure it doesn't happen too fast. Miley, 15, was a strong ally. But the photo gave them reason to wonder. There are some theories that suggest this is all by design. But it's clear now that it was not yet time for a brand extension.

So, we're left with a cautionary tale as to why people like us, people who work with brands, need to think long and hard about what we encourage those brands to do. Powerful brands come with powerful promises. Breaking those promises brings consequences. That said, we're pretty sure this brand isn't going to be withering for long.

Posted by John on April 29, 2008 at 08:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Branding

March 31, 2008

When creatives get bored before consumers do.

I've always liked the Whiteboard ads. Yeah, yeah, I know a lot of you too-cool-for-schoolers are haters but I think the campaign is smart, differentiating, and appropriate for the brand. Top it off with the fact that is sells pretty hard, too. I've also always felt there was a real charm to the simplicity of the spots and the clever illustrations. But a great deal of that goes away, for me anyway, once you add the animation and the extra characters in with Azula.

So, here's the question I'm posing to people who know or would like to posit: Did the campaign need to evolve for message or did the creatives simply get bored before we (or at least I) did?

Posted by John on March 31, 2008 at 09:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Television , The Creative Life

February 11, 2008

Will Ferrell smells like a turtle cage.

Will Ferrell + Old Spice + Semi-Pro Co-brand + user participation = pretty fuckin' awesome. Check it. You really gotta hand it Old Spice and WK. This is one helluva brand renovation that's underway. Irrelevant and cheesy to irreverent and, gulp, potentially cool. One can almost drop Old Spice in the shopping cart without shame.

Posted by John on February 11, 2008 at 10:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Marketing to Men , Movies , Pop Culture , Product placement

November 06, 2007

Bee Movie posts $39.1 million. Almost breaks even.

In its opening weekend, Seinfeld's and DreamWork's Bee Movie grossed $39.1 million.

By my rough calculations that won't quite pay for the amazing amount of advertising and promotion activity that was placed behind this movie. This would include TV, print, cinema, sponsorships and the very confusing Bee Movie shorts on NBC prime time.

American Gangster (nice name) grossed $46.3 million. And it did that in 1000 fewer theaters.

I can't guess how many impressions Bee Movie was putting out there but, whatever the number, my money says this property was actually overexposed.

Which begs the question: Did Bee Movie actually advertise itself out of part of its audience?

Note: Had the producers had been really smart, they'd have added some cause marketing into their plan and joined the genuinely crucial effort to save our bees.

Posted by John on November 06, 2007 at 07:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Current Affairs , Entertainment , Movies , Opinion

October 25, 2007

Sony is so one note.

A teaser video for Sony's new generation Walkman products. The actual spot debuts tomorrow in the UK but should be online first.

The spot, created by Fallon, is billed as "the first ever ‘monophonic’ advert..."  Seems 128 musicians will play only one note at a time to reconstruct an original music piece created by Hollywood music director Peter Raeburn.

I'm a sucker for these stunt demonstration spots.

Posted by John on October 25, 2007 at 08:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Music

October 05, 2007

Arnold exposes the focus group.

Watch this and remember why you get paid to do what you get paid to do. The opening to the 2007 Hatch Show from Arnold.

Spotted at Ernie's blog.

Posted by John on October 05, 2007 at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack (1)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Brave New Marketing , Entertainment , Opinion , Pop Culture , Super Bowl Stuff , Television , The Creative Life

October 01, 2007

When your own brand takes you to task.

Some in the development community are miffed about the current state of affairs with third party apps on the iPhone (Apple has it locked down). There are several sides to the story. We remain confident that Apple will open up the iPhone platform eventually. In the meantime, you just gotta love the pressure applied by the weight of Apple's own brand.

Noted at Scobleizer

Posted by John on October 01, 2007 at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Branding , Brands , Classics , Current Affairs , Opinion , Pop Culture

September 25, 2007

Dear Apple Media Planners...

Dear Apple Media Planners:

I am clearly in your target audience for the new iPod Nano. I love Apple products. I own two iPods. I'll pop for an iPhone eventually. I work exclusively on Macs. I am a brand zealot. And, demographically I must still fit because, despite the fact I really haven't watched that much TV as of late, I have been exposed to the new Nano TV commercial 98,412 times. And this is the problem. I quite enjoyed the spot the first 78,767 times. But, as of today, I think if I have to listen to that snippet of the hip, mellow vibe that is 1,2,3,4 by Feist again I will throw a brick through my new Vizio. Jesus, peeps. Is it too much to ask that you actually look at your plan and think, "Hmmm, this is a really big buy, lets make sure to let the creatives know that we should make at least a couple of spots." I believe the weight you've put behind this single execution is, in a word, inhumane. The spot has gone from ingratiating to grating and it's all your fault. All I'm asking for is a little bit of variety. A couple of executions. Maybe even three. Really. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

JJ

Posted by John on September 25, 2007 at 08:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Branding , Current Affairs , Entertainment , Music , Opinion , Planning , Pop Culture

September 23, 2007

Tug's Logos.ppt

One of these logos was created by an Art Director. The other, a Copywriter. (Yes, in PowerPoint.) I think you know which is which. Go Chiefs. Go Peg Legs. Go Overs. Go watch some football.

Posted by Tug McTighe on September 23, 2007 at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Branding

July 08, 2007

Sprint Ahead is pretty Good(by).

The new Sprint Ahead campaign sure is pretty. Cheers to the visual peeps at GS&P.

I also like the anti-technology idea of "magic." There's a lead anthem for the campaign which has appeared  in print but doesn't seem to have made it as a spot. Too bad. I think it's stronger than the spot above. Nonetheless, the convention of the campaign seems to have legs for days. The best of this campaign is yet to come.

Posted by John on July 08, 2007 at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (21) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Design , Opinion

July 02, 2007

Amazing Integration

We've all heard about the bold move that 7-Eleven and Fox agreed on a while back to promote the new Simpsons movie and thought it was cool. But if you haven't seen the level of detail they've gone through to bring the Kwik E Mart to life, then you haven't lived (today). Here's a nice set of Flickr photos covering the entire store.

Mega big-time props go out to Fox, 7-Eleven and FreshWorks (and anyone else that had a hand in this) for pulling off what should be considered the best example of bringing a brand to life.

Can you imagine the brainstorming sessions that went into this? Lovely.

Posted by SethyG on July 02, 2007 at 05:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Brave New Marketing , Current Affairs , Food and Drink , Movies , Pop Culture , Television

June 27, 2007

The iPhone's most important feature? The Brand.

The iPhone is partly about the features, but kids, it's mostly about the brand. And this is what seems to be lost on many of the folks in technology land. After all, the iPod wasn't the first, and one could argue, never the best MP3 player around. Especially for the dough. Many say the N95 is superior to the iPhone. In terms of the technology that may be true. In terms of the brand, however, the N95 isn't even in the same ballpark. The tech sites will be aflame with debate on Saturday. Few, however, will note that the iPod isn't really a piece of technology. It's a piece of self-expression. And that's why people will part with their money.

Posted by John on June 27, 2007 at 07:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Branding , Brands , Current Affairs , Pop Culture , Web/Tech

April 06, 2007

Mom Your Ride.

I think it's interesting to see a viral aimed at someone other than young males. I also like that this isn't a warmed over commercial. Clearly created just for YouTube. Unfortunately, this hits way too close to home for some of us. Best line? "Don't even think about it, I got kids."

Posted by John on April 06, 2007 at 09:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Brave New Marketing , Marketing Trends

January 10, 2007

Hey Steve Jobs, your iPhone is ringing, it's the CES. Ooops, they just hung up.

The question is, how many of you are going to hang up on Sprint and Verizon to move over to Cingular to get your greedy little hands on what may go down as Apple's biggest, most insanely great product ever?

That's right. As amazing as it sounds, Steve Jobs and the Apple folks have changed the game again. First the iMac. Then the iPod. And now this. Seriously, in the words of SHS, they are the most unsheeplike company in the world. And in the words of Callahan Creek, everything they do makes a wave.

Perhaps the most incredible thing about this annoncement is that they also changed the name of their company from Apple Computer to Apple, Inc. That's right, while they continue to make computers and operatinig systems, what they're really about is creating kick ass electronic prodcts so consumers can enjoy their computerrs, the world wide web and their digital lives more.

I tell you, Apple may be the coolest company in the world. (They might also be the smartest, too.)

After all, I have no earthly idea how you hijack the news coverage of the Consumer Electronics Show. I just know that they did.

Posted by Tug McTighe on January 10, 2007 at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (13) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Branding

January 07, 2007

Bruce Campbell. Old Spice. Holy Shit.

Dear Old Spice: You put Bruce Campbell in a new commercial that broke (I think) this weekend. You'll be happy to know the spot jumps off the screen. The ship gag is great and will demand Tivo rewinds. Campbell is effortlessly cool which has to be good for the brand. A big AC shout out to you and the agency for the effort (and if anyone knows who the agency is let us know). I couldn't believe the spot was for you. I really wanted to learn more, and I wasn't alone. Every Bruce Campbell fan in the universe started googling the spot this weekend. Blogs like this one already have a substantial conversation going on. But the video isn't featured on your Web site. And, as of this writing, it's nowhere to be found online. Pony up and pay Bruce so you can take advantage of the free eyeballs and pass along. Fast. You don't want to miss out on the, gulp, buzz about Old Spice?! Someone hand me a chainsaw.

P.S. If anyone locates a video link let us know.

Update: AC reader DJ_Lovecraft alerts us that the magnificent bastards are behind the effort. The manly microsite is here. Still awaiting a video link. Cheers to W+K and P&G.

Update #2: Tom and Jeremy have located a new YouTube link here.

Posted by John on January 07, 2007 at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBack (1)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Pop Culture , Television

December 11, 2006

American Girl freaks me out.

The impending birth of a little girl drew my wife to investigate the American Girl superstore just off Chicago's Michigan Ave. I tagged along.

I had heard of American Girl. I knew there were some dolls, some books and, I figured, some other merchandise. A successful little brand, I thought. Yeah, successful? You bet. Little? Not so much. Those blessed with female children probably already know that American Girl is not so much a brand as an empire. For those of us still a little in the dark, let me put it in perspective for you: There were, (by visual estimation) at least three times as many people milling about the three (or was it four) floors of the American Girl store than there were checking out Apple's showplace on the Miracle Mile.

The AG store was a serious scene. I was incredulous upon entry into the place.

There was a doll hair salon, a doll hospital, a cafe, a theater (with live shows), American Girl furniture and clothes. Oh and let's not forget the beauty merchandise (brought to you by the folks at Bath and Bodyworks). Most of the other guys in the store had the same dumbfounded look as I did. This is a world we just never knew existed. The dolls themselves cost about $90. Add the clothes and furniture and movies and books and you can drop several pretty pennies on the concept without trying very hard at all. This is a premium brand.

What it all adds up to is a total brand experience for moms and daughters. Seeing it in action was truly amazing. So many brands would kill for the stuff that was happening in that store.

What interests me most about the American Girl phenomenon is that this is a brand that, as far as I can tell, isn't all over TV. This fact is made more interesting by the fact that the company is owned by Mattel (the makers of Barbie). American Girl is, however, a powerful direct marketer. We didn't sign anything at the store but, I fear, our mere entry into the edifice will earn us an American Girl catalog. AG is old news to many of you, I'm sure. But it was an eye-opener for me. I am always happily surprised to discover powerful brands lurking just off my radar. It reminds me once again that we all can get a little too myopic about what's really going on out there in the world (for instance, nobody in the store seemed to care who Wal-Mart's agency is or isn't). In the meantime, I'm opening a new savings account for American Girl purchases. If I start now, it'll ease the pain the day that my daughter discovers this brand.

Posted by John on December 11, 2006 at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Branding , Current Affairs , Entertainment , Opinion

November 13, 2006

Very, very, very rewarding!

By now, you've likely seen Victor and Roman quirking their way across your screen and proclaiming that Citi is, "Rewarding. Very, very, very rewarding!"

Talk about standing out from the flock.

Thanks to some great copy and the direction of Jared Hess, the spots are impossible to miss, impossible to ignore and practically impossible to forget (rewards are "tiger fast"  and "no madness can stop Citi's rewarding ways" are lines that occur to me unaided). We here at AC, can't help but tip our caps to the writers involved ("I will do it restrained by this restraining device"). Oh, and the casting in and of itself is something to marvel at.

Despite the executional deliciousness, not everyone is on board with the strategy behind the campaign. Indeed, this is a big change in tone from "Live Richly." A quick scan of the information at hand didn't give us an indication of Live Richly's ultimate fate. We welcome clarification. In any case, Citi has a huge spend behind Victor and Roman. Credits to Fallon and Atmosphere BBDO.

Posted by John on November 13, 2006 at 08:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack (2)
Categories: Advertising , Branding , Brands , Television

November 07, 2006

Australia has top 'country brand' appeal.

We at American Copywriter take great pride in what our podcasts and riffs have helped create for The Land Down Under. Talk about ROI. In all seriousness, this is quite an excellent accomplishment for our friends across the Pacific.

Posted by John on November 07, 2006 at 07:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Categories: Branding