It’s back, and it’s better than ever.
There’s been quite a bit going on this week– from questions over BP’s ability to save its brand, to the launch of iPhone 4G, to the FIFA World Cup, and beyond. That said, this week’s review covers all of those listed above as well as a couple other important advertising accomplishments for the week. Enjoy the World Cup, and have a great weekend!
1. Number one for this week is, of course – and not for any good reason- the oil spill. I’d like to highlight BP’s PR agency handling the crisis, Brunswick, for doing a (literally) catastrophic job. BP itself may be doing the best they can to plug the spill, but I’ve heard talk from several advertisers- professional and students alike- stating, “I think I could have handled this better.” BP’s recent complaint to Twitter about the satire account @BPGlobalPR has only increased the contention over the situation. I wonder if it will ever be possible for BP to save its brand, even after the problem destroying the Gulf has been resolved.
2. Drawing the attention away from the oil spill is MINI Cooper’s recent challenge to Porche. In a humorous video, MINI CEO Jim McDowell challenges his previous employer (Porche) to a duel on the Road Atlanta, to take place on June 21. As far as I know, Porche hasn’t yet responded to the challenge except to accept; but MINI’s campaign is winning already, with an interactive Facebook page that allows users to watch the live streaming of the race on the day, as well as allowing them to “sign the petition” and view the formal challenge. Will the smallest car best the fastest? If so, what will happen to Porche’s image? We’ll see, a week from Monday.
3. The below commercial speaks for itself, so I won’t say much about it except that Nike’s “Writing the Future” spot for the FIFA World Cup, in addition to being the most expensive commercial ever made, is probably one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s an understatement to say that it’s worth watching.
4. The iPhone 4G was introduced on Tuesday at Apple’s WorldWide Developers Conference, and has already come under fire for its capabilities. Advocates of the latest generations of other smartphones such as the BlackBerry and, most notably, Droid have already released statements stating that Apple’s newest phone only measures up to the first generations of the above, and would be lucky if it even shared half of the same technology that these phones have. However, what they’ve failed to recognize is the prevalence of Apple’s brand in our culture, which is why it hasn’t lost its market share yet (as, time and time again, they’ve predicted it would). Check out this AdAge article describing the new phone, and don’t forget to read the comments.
5. Last, but certainly not least, is an extremely entertaining viral campaign for Hi-Tec. Infamous’ water repellant shoes. You thought it was only possible for religious icons to walk on water? You were wrong. Check out the below videos for info on the campaign, and this post for details on the effects that it’s had on people and local newstations alike.
Theories of Perception 