I always thought that the man who lived down the street was different. Old Bill liked to wear dresses and gum boots (at the same time) and existed on the edge of the community. He was called a number of things (kids can be cruel) but he was certainly one of a kind.
What's so great then about being different? For one thing it makes you stand out from the crowd. As Bill clearly demonstrated this isn't in itself always a good thing. If your brand strategy is to be different it has to be relevant. Are you different because you are better? The leaders in any market are those that push the boundaries, often by doing things differently.
Most of us would like to do things differently but are constrained by imaginary barriers. "The client won't go for it," or "We can't afford rock the boat." The companies and leaders that stand out are those with a strength of purpose and a belief in what they are doing. For an agency thinking differently and challenging convention can be risky in the short term but can pay off in the long run. There will be sacrifices and hard calls but clients will appreciate the integrity and conviction.
Being different also means constantly having to evolve. As your tactics become successful others will quickly follow. Backed by research and strategic thought and implemented effectively a different approach that challenges convention can have a huge impact. Some of the most successful companies of our time have 'thought outside the box' and capitalised on the platform doing things a bit differently created.
Being different requires continuous effort and a thick skin for when the detractors put their 2 cents in. It can however make your product/ company/ brand stand out from the crowd. Perhaps Old Bill never got it quite right but he was certainly a pioneer and he'd be happy to know that others were following his lead.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
If you're happy and you know it clap your hands.
If it seems quiet it is probably because not many people are clapping these days. For those 'lucky' individuals who still have jobs the increased work load due to colleague redundancies and in some cases voluntary pay cuts have somewhat reduced job satisfaction levels. The uncertainty of the economic situation is adding to the stress but at least the weather is nice...
A number of companies have recently introduced campaigns which have a feel good factor. Some of these include Bank West's "Happy Banking" campaign, the Cadbury Gorilla and the Heineken Fridge (well, it made me feel good). As we know in difficult times it takes a brave brand to step away from their tried and trusted methods but those that get it right will be rewarded. Let's hope that the happy trend continues in 2009 and we get to see more original ideas and great ads.
I would love to have been in the meeting when the Gorilla idea was pitched... Just in case you missed it here it is. Bet it makes you smile.
A number of companies have recently introduced campaigns which have a feel good factor. Some of these include Bank West's "Happy Banking" campaign, the Cadbury Gorilla and the Heineken Fridge (well, it made me feel good). As we know in difficult times it takes a brave brand to step away from their tried and trusted methods but those that get it right will be rewarded. Let's hope that the happy trend continues in 2009 and we get to see more original ideas and great ads.
I would love to have been in the meeting when the Gorilla idea was pitched... Just in case you missed it here it is. Bet it makes you smile.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Are there rules for corporate blogs?
I subscribe to a number of blogs for various reasons. Some of these reasons include:
- to keep up to date with the latest marketing news
- to challenge my thinking with various points of view
- to be entertained
- to learn
I could add several more reasons to the list but at no point would I add:
- to receive continual updates on the various capabilities of a company
Having recently subscribed to ***** blog I have read 3 postings this year telling me how good they are and what they can do for me, the client. These postings are interspersed with some great articles but they have lost me as a follower. Is it wrong to promote your services on a blog or are there no rules? Does anything go? It is quite apparent that more than 1 person in the organisation contributes to the blog. There is the easy writing style and considered opinion of the article writer and then the structured boring corporate updates.
Is this another example of a company trying to use new media but in a traditional way? Will the company accountant ever be happy paying someone to write down their thoughts with no obvious return?
Social media start up, The Population has 3 blogs on their home page each of which are the thoughts and opinions of their authors and not necessarily those of the company. They are varied, informative, entertaining and have minimal self promotion. As a result they are more believable and taken as a whole show the company favourably. Is this the way forward?
What then makes a great blog? Are there unwritten rules? Should one person be solely responsible or can several people contribute to a single blog? I guess there is a blog out there that can tell me...
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Great copy!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The dangers of social media
It seems that 2009 will be the year for social media. Well, at least according to many of the lists of predictions I have seen. Companies are turning to social media experts to help them make the most of the opportunities afforded by My Space, Facebook, Bebo, YouTube et al. The issue as I see it however is that by definition they are social and not corporate properties. People (consumers) use them for their own purpose and fulfilment. To enter in to this space a company has to be very careful not to impose on the individuals space and enjoyment. Those companies which crack this domain however will have a huge advantage over their competitors.
Not done properly though social media can damage a brand as consumers become irritated and lose trust in the brand message. Recently Hamilton Island discovered the perils by posting a fake application video for their "Best Job in the World" campaign. Their fake application was passed off as a genuine application and it was this that irritated the public. They have however issued a full and unreserved apology stating "WE MESSED UP AND WE'RE SORRY" on their site.
They do have the advantage of offering $150,000 AUD for 6 months work on a tropical island which would make most 'slip ups' forgivable. In this case the extra free publicity probably worked to their advantage.
A second example is the now infamous 'man in the jacket' campaign. This was the story of a girl looking for love by trying to find the man who left his jacket when they "met" in a Sydney cafe. From the first media reports sceptics believed it was a hoax. When the video clip was accompanied by a website the murmurs grew. It was developed by Naked Communications as a viral for the launch of a new menswear line of a large Australian retail company, which has previously sold only womenswear. In this case the girl in the ad repeatedly denied that it was a hoax when questioned and it was this that led to so many negative comments against Naked and the retailer. At present the retailer as far as I am aware hasn't been named but I think they may well keep their head down and distance themselves from an ill conceived campaign.
Not done properly though social media can damage a brand as consumers become irritated and lose trust in the brand message. Recently Hamilton Island discovered the perils by posting a fake application video for their "Best Job in the World" campaign. Their fake application was passed off as a genuine application and it was this that irritated the public. They have however issued a full and unreserved apology stating "WE MESSED UP AND WE'RE SORRY" on their site.
They do have the advantage of offering $150,000 AUD for 6 months work on a tropical island which would make most 'slip ups' forgivable. In this case the extra free publicity probably worked to their advantage.
A second example is the now infamous 'man in the jacket' campaign. This was the story of a girl looking for love by trying to find the man who left his jacket when they "met" in a Sydney cafe. From the first media reports sceptics believed it was a hoax. When the video clip was accompanied by a website the murmurs grew. It was developed by Naked Communications as a viral for the launch of a new menswear line of a large Australian retail company, which has previously sold only womenswear. In this case the girl in the ad repeatedly denied that it was a hoax when questioned and it was this that led to so many negative comments against Naked and the retailer. At present the retailer as far as I am aware hasn't been named but I think they may well keep their head down and distance themselves from an ill conceived campaign.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The T Mobile Dance
Saatchi & Saatchi's latest ad for T-Mobile. Filmed at London's Liverpool Street station, where 350 dancers performed routines as commuters passed through the concourse. Thoughts?
Monday, January 19, 2009
Bushisms and Cheap Furniture
Love him or hate him George W was always good for a quote. In the last days of his presidency lists of these so-called bushisms are everywhere such as here and here. Obama starts his term in the midst of a recession, the continuing threat of the GFC and following the bar set by George Junior. It shouldn't take much to look good...
With the inauguration looming IKEA have launched an experiential campaign by putting up an Oval Office replica in the main hall of Union Station. The display will go up on January 12, and a mock motorcade carrying furniture strapped to the roof on the 15th and 16th will make its way through the D.C. area.
The replica, complete with “Secret Service protection” will be open to commuters, who can try out the presidential chair, which along with all the other furniture will be from IKEA, of course.
Posters for the coming event are prominently displayed in D.C. transit areas, and buses trains, and billboards also carry the message. Consumers can enter a sweepstakes where three lucky winners will take $1,500 in IKEA gift cards.
There is also a website where consumers can design their own oval office. Embrace Change 09
With the inauguration looming IKEA have launched an experiential campaign by putting up an Oval Office replica in the main hall of Union Station. The display will go up on January 12, and a mock motorcade carrying furniture strapped to the roof on the 15th and 16th will make its way through the D.C. area.
The replica, complete with “Secret Service protection” will be open to commuters, who can try out the presidential chair, which along with all the other furniture will be from IKEA, of course.
Posters for the coming event are prominently displayed in D.C. transit areas, and buses trains, and billboards also carry the message. Consumers can enter a sweepstakes where three lucky winners will take $1,500 in IKEA gift cards.
There is also a website where consumers can design their own oval office. Embrace Change 09
According to IKEA, President-elect Obama’s commitment to change and fiscal responsibility is very close to IKEA’s philosophy of practical and affordable furniture for all.
It might be a while before we know how successul Obama is as President but IKEA are certainly pushing their case to help him on the road to financial recovery.
Source: About.com
Sunday, January 18, 2009
What is Success?
When I was at school getting an 'A' in Maths was seen as a success. My parents were delighted as this meant that I had got at least 75% of the questions correct. Moving on to University achieveing 50.1% was a success. Friends and family congratulated me on getting my degree despite there being a chance that I only understood half of the course. Upon starting work in an accountants office it was not entirely a surprise to learn that getting a set of accounts 80% correct was not considered a success...a few years ago that would have got me and A+ instead of unpaid overtime.
Success therefore would seem to be a matter of perspective. What an agency considers to be a successful campaign may be a failure in the eyes of a client. It may win awards and generate column inches in the trade press but did it increase sales? Did it achieve the objectives of the brand? A response rate of 1 in 100 may be a failure in the eyes of one client and beyond the wildest dreams of another. It all depends on how you look at it.
The next time you pick up a brief from a client it may be worth spending a bit more time establishing what they would consider to be a success rather than trying to crack the 'big idea'. A sampling campaign may not be original or exceptionally creative but when the client wants their product in the hands of potential customers it might be just the ticket.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Best Global Brands - 2008 Rankings
Interbrand have released their 2008 Global Brand Rankings. The top 10 are relatively unchanged other than Google coming in at 10 from 20 last year. After a turbulent 2008 it will be interesting to see which brands strengthen in 2009 and which ones are the big losers. Other notable companies in the top 100 are Apple 24 (33), Merrill Lynch ! 34 (22), Ford 49 (41) and H&M new entry this year at 22.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
What is experiential marketing?
Wikipedia defines experiential marketing as a marketing methodology that attempts to connect consumers with brands in personally relevant and memorable ways. Studies have shown that this approach is more memorable and builds better brand knowledge than any other form of marketing.
The brand experience is not defined by one particular marketing channel and in fact virtually any medium can be utilised as part of an experiential campaign. The key to a successful experiential campaign is that all touch points contribute to a positive user experience of the brand.
In order to be successful an experiential campaign has to be memorable and engaging and convey the brand message. To ensure this is the case an experiential campaign should be considered early in the brand planning process to ensure that the campaign not only complements other activity but is presented in a relevant environment. This may be a proprietary environment such as the V Festival to a sampling campaign to the relevant audience.
With the advent of social media and an increasingly media savvy public it is increasingly important for the health of a brand that all interaction provides a favourable opinion. Handing free product out at train stations isn't necessarily the soltuion.
The brand experience is not defined by one particular marketing channel and in fact virtually any medium can be utilised as part of an experiential campaign. The key to a successful experiential campaign is that all touch points contribute to a positive user experience of the brand.
In order to be successful an experiential campaign has to be memorable and engaging and convey the brand message. To ensure this is the case an experiential campaign should be considered early in the brand planning process to ensure that the campaign not only complements other activity but is presented in a relevant environment. This may be a proprietary environment such as the V Festival to a sampling campaign to the relevant audience.
With the advent of social media and an increasingly media savvy public it is increasingly important for the health of a brand that all interaction provides a favourable opinion. Handing free product out at train stations isn't necessarily the soltuion.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Sub Prime Mess
This video is a great explanation for the sub prime mess and how it all started. Brilliant!
"Credit Crunch"
Have there been 2 words more over used since the millennium bug? Everyone from my taxi driver to my barber has suddenly become a financial expert. "Business is tough...it's the credit crunch you know" These words were spoken by a man who charges me $10 for a 2 minute hair cut. I guess he genuinely believes it too having read all of the hype in the newspapers. Perhaps people's hair stops growing with the worry of their Super falling faster than a bride's nightie...
It does make you wonder though how much of the current economic problems (or should that be recovery?) are/will be due to people changing their behaviour in reaction to what the press say they should be doing rather than living their own life as they previously managed.
Firstly, it was "sub-prime" and now "credit crunch" is the favourite. The list of companies going under in 2008 looks like continuing in to 2009 with many high street favourites in the UK teetering on the brink. For some it is unfortunate circumstances and an inability to renew their loan positions with the banks. Undoubtedly for others it has been an excuse to clear out some dead wood or cover up bad management. Woolworth's in the UK went under after a proud 100 year trading history blaming the credit crunch. I have a suspicion that their long term growth plan of charging more for an ounce of pic and mix than gold may have had something to do with it...
From a marketing point of view it will be interesting to see which brands step up and embrace the new market conditions as an opportunity and which will cut their advertising budgets as the first of a range of savings measures. These savings are no doubt introduced by the beancounters as a short term solution with no thought for what it will do to the brand in the long run.
There was a great quote in BRW recently from Gregory Will, private companies partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers which says it all - "One lesson from the survivors of the downturn of the early 1990s is not to slash marketing and advertising or research and development. Customers will always look for confident companies. If regular advertising or marketing stops suddenly, companies lose sales by not being front of mind and they undermine confidence. Advertising signals to the market that all is going well and there will be no issues."
It remains to be seen whether Australia can talk itself in or indeed out of a recession and which companies will grow stronger as a result but in the meantime I am going for a hair cut. I might get some advice on my margin loan position while I am there...
It does make you wonder though how much of the current economic problems (or should that be recovery?) are/will be due to people changing their behaviour in reaction to what the press say they should be doing rather than living their own life as they previously managed.
Firstly, it was "sub-prime" and now "credit crunch" is the favourite. The list of companies going under in 2008 looks like continuing in to 2009 with many high street favourites in the UK teetering on the brink. For some it is unfortunate circumstances and an inability to renew their loan positions with the banks. Undoubtedly for others it has been an excuse to clear out some dead wood or cover up bad management. Woolworth's in the UK went under after a proud 100 year trading history blaming the credit crunch. I have a suspicion that their long term growth plan of charging more for an ounce of pic and mix than gold may have had something to do with it...
From a marketing point of view it will be interesting to see which brands step up and embrace the new market conditions as an opportunity and which will cut their advertising budgets as the first of a range of savings measures. These savings are no doubt introduced by the beancounters as a short term solution with no thought for what it will do to the brand in the long run.
There was a great quote in BRW recently from Gregory Will, private companies partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers which says it all - "One lesson from the survivors of the downturn of the early 1990s is not to slash marketing and advertising or research and development. Customers will always look for confident companies. If regular advertising or marketing stops suddenly, companies lose sales by not being front of mind and they undermine confidence. Advertising signals to the market that all is going well and there will be no issues."
It remains to be seen whether Australia can talk itself in or indeed out of a recession and which companies will grow stronger as a result but in the meantime I am going for a hair cut. I might get some advice on my margin loan position while I am there...
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