It’s hard to compare these two campaigns since they’re so completely different, but since I could make a rhyming title out of it, I figured I may as well try.
The first commercial below is from Virgin Mobile in an attempt to rebrand themselves from the “pay-as-you-go” phone to one that can stick with you throughout your life, no matter how crazy it gets. It’s a great commercial, and I love all the different scenarios it plays out; however, I’m wondering how the phone itself, with its late launch, will be able to compete with already established smartphone brands, especially the iPhone, Droid, and Blackberry. It seems that it’s most likely playing into the affordable-but-still-useful segment, where they’ll be contending against Boost Mobile, MetroPCS, and Go Phones. Either way, I can’t wait to see how the campaign plays out, and how effective it will turn out to be for them.
Next up, Nike’s new spot from the now-legendary Weiden + Kennedy. We all know the agency is amazing, and after its sweeping victories at Cannes last month, I can only assume they’ll keep doing the incredible work that’s gotten them as far as it has. In keeping with that is this commercial, featuring Lance Armstrong racing up a mountainside, driven by the voices of cancer survivors announcing their goals, hopes, and dreams. It’s a goosebump-inspiring spot, and you have to watch it to get the full impact.
I wanted to take today to post some of the winning campaigns from the currently ongoing ad festival, Cannes. It’s one of the most well-recognized advertising festivals in the world, and those who have already won have displayed campaigns that demonstrate the best in creativity, effectiveness, and impact on consumers. Enjoy!
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.
Here’s a fantastic new spot from Nike, part of their campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
In my opinion, it’s the best spot they’ve ever done. Here’s a great article both interpreting the spot and giving information on how Nike, initially a small company based in Oregon, has managed to build their soccer empire. Kudos to director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, along with Wieden + Kennedy, for putting together this multi-million dollar masterpiece.
This week was full of fun, creative ads made by fun, creative people. Puma’s new environmentally-conscious campaigning, along with Microsoft’s new social-networking phone and a cool way of looking at art through Samsung all tell the stories of their respective new products in new ways. Many examples are bel0w. Enjoy!
1. For this week, I have to give the number one spot to the Wall Street Journal article discussing the rise in corporate relationships to musical groups, and the subsequent symbiotic relationship between them. The most notable example of this, as the article states, is the Black Eyed Peas, who have done spots for brands ranging from Apple to Honda, and beyond. The group’s leader, will.i.am, concentrates all his efforts on establishing these relationships with brands, which have served in turn to help catapult BEP to the fame they see today (as of now, they’ve sold out 22 concerts just in the United States, on a 100-concert worldwide tour). It’s an interesting phenomenon, as fans are no longer wholeheartedly condemning these groups as “sell-outs” when they see a sponsorship; instead, they’re beginning to take the view that the brands who align themselves with these groups must have a certain personality, and must be meant for the specific fanbases of the groups which they choose to sponsor. A notable example is Lady Gaga, whose roles as Creative Director for Polaroid and a product developer (along with Cindy Lauper) for Mac has helped revamp both brands as relevant and even iconic to those who love her music. I’m interested to see the development of this trend, especially as it pertains to bands’ relationships with their fans over social media sites.
The Peas Generation
2. I have to give major shoutouts to PUMA this week, for their environmentally-friendly campaigns featuring their new efforts to replace shoeboxes with shoebags, and their partnerships with the United Nations to celebrate the 2010 Year of Biodiversity just in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It shows not only that the company is committed to helping the environment, but also that they’re focused on making their brand the best it can be. Check out the ads below.
3. I love Microsoft’s introduction commercial for their new Kin phone. Since the phone is based off of filtering social networks to make it easier for people to communicate, they’re doing the quintessential social-media event: sending a girl with over 800 friends across all platforms (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.) on a quest to “filter” her real friends from her online friends. She meets everyone from ex-boyfriends to Andy Samberg, and has all sorts of interesting experiences on her documentary-style adventure. Check out the spot below.
4. Samsung’s new campaign for their 3D television has us looking at old styles of art in new ways. The video itself is creative, humorous, and surprising, and definitely gives a fantastic look into the world of 3D- what’s really going on behind our TV sets? Created by The Viral Factory, this spot shows us what we’ve been missing in the great works of Da Vinci, Manet, Seurat, and Vermeer.
5. Portland agency Wieden + Kennedy has been dominating the scene this week on AdAge’s Viral Video Chart. From Nike’s “Earl and Tiger” spot to Old Spice’s “Flex,” the agency has the viral-video thing down. Below are some more examples of the agency’s ingenuity as it pertains to Nike- “Music Shoes” shows the stunt of turning Nike’s new Free Run+ shoes into musical instruments through their flexibility and endurance power; and, just for fun, I posted my favorite spoof of the “Earl and Tiger” commercial. Hey, at least it got noticed, right?
In one of the coolest stunts I’ve ever seen Nike do, Wieden + Kennedy Tokyo created an online film in which running shoes turn into musical instruments. A promotional film for the Free Run+, the video showcases the shoes’ flexibility and dynamic nature in an entirely unrelated subject. Nevertheless, I’m sure the film will do wonders for the brand (especially after their release of the controversial Tiger Woods spot), and the shoes themselves.
On another note, Puma has created a spot that showcases their new form of packaging- the “Clever Little Bag.” The spot resembles several in which type and music are used to engage consumers, but instead of merely presenting information, this one shows the valuable ways in which Puma’s new packaging system will help the environment and reduce the company’s own use of cardboard. Check it out below.
I just found this article on the Huffington Post, showcasing 12 of the funniest parodies of the Tiger Woods commercial launched by Nike on Wednesday. It’s pretty awesome, and just because today is Friday, I figured I’d post my two favorites. Enjoy.
This week has been quite a doozy for the ad industry. From the retirement of Bob Garfield to AdAge’s YouTube day, the ad world is changing- and lots of people are pointing it out. That said, this week’s review showcases this changing nature through what I’ve covered this week, as well as the always-fun commercials that have made it a joy to blog about. Enjoy!
1. Number one for this week has to be, as cited above, AdAge’s takeover of YouTube on Wednesday, if only because I got entirely too excited about it. The reason for the curating, according to AdAge’s Michael Learmonth and Ann Diaz on YouTube’s Biz Blog, was to showcase the profound effect that YouTube has had on the ad industry. As they cite in their introductory video, ads are no longer judged on their attractiveness during regular television programs; instead, they’re judged by the mass public on their “virality” (I just made up that word). If your ad is entertaining enough, people will watch it on YouTube. This already prevalent and still growing trend is evinced through both AdAge’s Viral Video Chart, as well as the sharing of videos on other social media sites. YouTube has not only become a central player in the world of commercias; it’s become a central figure in the world of social media and sharing as well. Because of that, it’s extremely important that advertisers realize this impact, and take advantage of it.
2. Though this doesn’t hold much importance for those of you reading this who aren’t as involved in the happenings of the ad world, Bob Garfield turned in his final column on Monday. The ad critic has been a huge factor in the growing popularity of AdAge, and his AdReview column- as he explicity points out- has made or broken several client-agency relationships, and the overall perceptions of several ad campaigns. In his going-away column, he cites his favorite and least-favorite campaigns, along with what he got right, wrong, and in-between. We will always miss his sometimes-nice, mostly-mean, ever-controversial critiques of our campaigns.
3. On Wednesday night, Nike released its first spot featuring Tiger Woods since before his crash-induced scandal. The spot, which features a voice-over recording of Tiger’s late father, Earl, has the golfer staring blankly into the camera while flashbulbs go off around him. It’s gotten mixed reviews and plenty of news coverage, and while it doesn’t necessarily tout Nike’s brand, it nevertheless shows their support of the golfer, who helped shoot the company’s golf business to the level it’s at today. Yet another courageous effort by Wieden + Kennedy, the spot has certainly garnered, and will probably keep, the attention of the public.
4. Speaking of Wieden + Kennedy, their newest ads in the Old Spice campaign feature actor Terry Crews shouting his way through 16 hours of Odor Blocker protection. Though not as great as “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like,” these ads nevertheless have a certain oh-so-manly charm to them. I’m excited- and slightly scared- to see the next installment in this campaign.
5. Last, but not least, clothing brand Uniqlo has come out with a fun way of getting consumers engaged in their products. Through UTweet, Twitterers can input their Twittle handles (non-Twitterers can put in some fun keywords), and treat themselves to a video compiling all of their Tweets, made just for them along with a downloadable icon, options to Tweet/share your video, or order a Uniqlo tee-shirt. It gets a little old after the first time, but it’s extremely cute and is a great way to get people talking about the brand. Watch mine here, and then go make your own!
My icon from UTweet
That’s all for this week. See you on Sunday, and have a fantastic weekend!
A day before the start of the Master’s tournament, Nike lauched a spot that features the golfer staring blankly at the camera while being posed questions from his late father, Earl Woods.
Last night, Nike, who has been one of the pro-golfer’s most constant supporters throughout his scandal, became the first risk-taker to introduce Woods back into the world of golfing. In part because its entire golf business is so closely related to him, Nike never considered dropping their main sponsor- unlike former backers Accenture and AT&T.
The commercial not only throws into light the public’s unrelenting contempt for the golfer in light of his many affairs, but it also shows the ordeal from the side of Tiger himself- the questions, the disappointment, and most of all, the shame. As a re-introduction, this commercial serves to spark at least the beginnings of forgiveness for the golfer, which perhaps will be amplified according to how he performs in the tournament.
A big risk for Nike, but nonetheless one that might actually pay off. Kudos for courage. Check out the spot below.
Lately, with the Super Bowl, the Olympics, and countless other upcoming world-wide sports events, the prevalence of sports marketing has been taken to a whole new level. New campaigns by Nike, ACIS, K Swiss, Proctor & Gamble, and many more have ruled the television sphere, inspiring couch potatoes everywhere to get out there and “just do it,” “have an awesome day,” get a “sound mind, sound body,” and the like. Aside from the industry’s obvious attempts to get the general public off of the couch while still having them buy their products and interact with their brands, it seems that sports marketing is increasing like never before. Or maybe we’re just starting to notice it.
These ads seem to fall into three respective categories: that of sports as catharsis and stress relief, that of sports as fun with those we love, and that of hard-hitting, emotional inspiration- sports as a representative of the power we all have to push through the barriers in our lives.
Take, for instance, this ASICS commercial, which launched a global campaign by the company in February, and exhibits the first type of athetic ad.
The ad touts the “cleansing power of sports” as that of a stress reliever. Running is a good example of this because of the cathartic sense of stillness that the physical activity of running (monotonus, enduring, rhythmic) gives them. The runner can think through his/her problems, or not even think at all, running towards a solution and away from the problem. Thus, the path to a “sound mind, sound body” is paved with ASICS running shoes.
Next up, we have K Swiss, who’s recently launched commercial, “Awesome Day,” touts the second type described above.
The commercial shows just how much fun the outdoors is, and how we can enjoy it in our own individual ways (using K Swiss, of course). Go play catch with your kid, skateboard around the street, run, surf, work out, play tennis with a flaming ball, play Dance Dance Revolutions, and be good at everything because you’re wearing K Swiss shoes. It shows everyone’s sense of fun in multiple anecdotal ways, and makes us all wish that we were having just as awesome of a day, with just as cool of a song accompanying us. Let’s just go do stuff.
The third, last, and perhaps (though I hate to say it), the most redundant characteristic of an athetic commercial is the concept of overcoming challenges in inspirational ways. Nike excels at this, and their ads always succeed in putting me in awe of the emotional and physical strength that the athletes featured in the commercials exhibit. Take this commercial that they aired during the Olympics, called “Human Chain.”
The concept of filming every aspect of a movement and putting it together in this way is nothing short of astounding. All of the athletes demonstrate the massive amounts of concentration, purpose, and determination that is needed in order to succeed in any athletic endeavor, and especially in the ones in which they are participating in the ad. However, I have to wonder if this method of advertising, which Nike is famous for (showing famous athletes performing spectacular tricks and feats), brings a sense of superiority to the brand – along the lines of ,”Well they can do it, so why can’t you? Obviously, it’s because you don’t have Nikes.” Along with the brand’s premium pricing and egg-on slogan “Just Do It,” I think this message is exactly what they’re aiming for. And that’s why this method works for them.
What do you think about the prevalence of sports advertising, and what does its increasing presence say about our society? Are sports marketers pushing their products because people are lazy and not buying them in favor of chilling at home, or are they pushing them because people are becoming more athletic? Or, on an entirely different note, are they pushing them merely because it’s the season? It’s difficult to say, but I think the cathartic, fun, barrier-breaking athletic industry is on a roll.
Theories of Perception 