tantramar

More Please

I saw this in Williamsburg. More social comment on the actual ads please, no simply around then. Fantastic.

Lots At Stake

This ad for Trueblood is just perfect. Sometimes ambient ads get right to the heart of the matter (sorry).

See more on my Flickr set

Clever Doctor

I read recently about the latest development in the Guns 'n' Roses / Dr Pepper marketing event, which is the best piece of marketing I've seen this year. I wrote about it previously here. Basically Dr Pepper said they would give out a can of Dr Pepper to every American (except Slash and Buckethead) if Chinese Democracy (their new album) was released this year.

A release date has been announced - November 23rd and Dr Pepper have confirmed they will be honoring their statement of Dr Pepper for everyone in the U.S. of A. You can go to a website, register and get sent a can. Simple.

It actually only occurred to me today how clever this whole idea was (sorry I'm a bit slow). They couldn't loose. By making the initial announcement they show themselves to be 'into music' but not through to some lame 'collect 10 labels' campaign. Connected through an actual insider element of music that had people talking.

So back to the promise. At most they'll give away 300 million cans. But how many Americans will actually go on the site? 10%, 5%? I think 2% would be amazing and that would be 6 million people drinking Dr Pepper! They shift around 730 million cases of Dr Pepper (inc diet) each year. 6 million cans is only 250 000 cases. A lot of this extra spend could be cut from their sampling budget which is what they're actually doing here anyway. And then think of all the addresses they are collecting of people who have requested a can of Dr Pepper. Oh my God, that's a seriously good mailing list! How much money is that worth?!

And then think of the number of column inches they got when they started this 'campaign' in the music press as well as general press. And then again a huge amount at the end of the year when G'n'R don't release the album or even more inches if they do release it. A double win. And no advertising spend (to my knowledge). Amazing.

Possibly the best bit of band wagon jumping I've ever seen. 10 points.

The Ambient Rules

For some time I've been collecting the best ambient ads I saw around and storing them on my Delicious account. which is dumb, as Delicious is about the worst online visual resource. Flickr however, is one of the best, so I have moved them into their own set.

If I worked in advertising I would be doing ambient ads (or rather trying to), they are far and away (in my opinion) the most inventive form of advertising. Enjoy.

Branded and Tagged

This is a nice little idea from Noah Brier.
You simply write a word that reminds you of the brand in question. While the brand world doesn't excite me terribly this is a beautifully simple idea carried out in a flawless manner. 10 points.

I've noticed that Noah has had some pretty good ideas over time. He's inspiring me to get my pen and pad out.

via Faris

10 Down

Profero, have some of the smartest folk in advertising I've met. They are doing tremendously well, perhaps obviously and they have always been very nice to me, despite the fact that I've technically never worked for them. Because they are currently celebrating being ten years old, they had a big party and invited me. I drank, I danced, I'm sure I said dumb things to lots of people and I came back with a t-shirt.

I have no recollection of this item. If it belongs to someone please let me know.

I think Team Awesome might have been there too!
Thanks Wayne, Nick and all Profero crew. Good luck for the next ten...

And of course thanks to Jamie for the invite.

Just Blew It

Everyone seems to be getting quite excited by the new Nike ad. I don't like it at all. It reminds me of a weak version of the Smack my Bitch Up video. Nike football ads used to be like this:

Nice

Brave Brands

For my money, brands don't play that close to the edge. Generally, a pretty safe standard approach to marketing or advertising is adopted and I understand that. But every now and then...

Dr Pepper went a little nuts just the other day. I expect you read about this. They're going to give every American (in the US or the world?) a can of Dr Pepper on the condition that Guns 'n' Roses release their new album; Chinese Democracy this year!

G'n'R started making the album in 1994, so it's taken a while and so far has cost over $13M. How is this possible? Well if you've read anything about W. Axl Rose it makes sense, he's a little awkward.

Dr Pepper said they would give a can to everyone except Buckethead (ex G'n'R guitarist) and Slash (ex G'n'R guitarist). Axl then said he'd share his can with Buckethead. Slash, would then be the only American not getting a Dr Pepper - this is all too nuts. Honestly who came up with this?

Well...

        Dr Pepper's Marketing Director Jaxie Alt said: "It took a little patience to perfect Dr Pepper’s special mix of 23 ingredients, which our fans have come to know and love. So we completely understand and empathise with Axl's quest for perfection – for something more than the average album.

It'll be interesting to see this play out, especially as I read that they have finished the album now. It's claimed that this isn't any kind of joint venture between companies but who really knows the answer to that one?

Then if that wasn't crazy enough Flickr just offered to buy (potentially) thousands of people donuts! This is today!

If they get 20 000 people in the group on Flickr, then donuts will be given out in San Francisco. So far it doesn't look good on the numbers. But Flickr are standing by their pledge:

While you have not yet reached your goal of 20K members, we at FlickrHQ have heard of your noble efforts and seek to answer your cries for justice.

Save the date: Wednesday, April 16th, 11:00am at a donut shoppe TBD in downtown San Francisco. we will purchase one (1) free donut for every We Demand Donuts group member who shows up.* (*While supplies last.)

This is not a joke.

Let glazed and jelly-filled freedom ring!

(I sincerely apologize for those members who are not local to the SF Bay Area, but the combination of a greasy donut and a postal envelope is a very sad thing indeed, and would be an affront to Donutkind.)

I don't like Dr Pepper (as a drink) but now I respect them a bit more as a brand and I would pay a little more attention to something they might do in the future as a result. Goal achieved? I think so. Gestures are stronger than billboards.

photo credits:
left: addadada
right: Darwin Bell

Offensive Marketing

I just recieved this in an email:

Buzz marketing techniques illegal from May, 2008

In the United Kingdom certain activities will become a criminal offence on 26 May 2008 when the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations becomes effective.

Seeding positive messages about a brand in a blog without making it clear that the message has been created by, or on behalf of, the brand will be an offence.

Using "buzz marketing" specialists to communicate with potential customers in social situations without disclosing that they are acting as brand ambassadors will be an offence.

Seeding viral ads on the internet in a manner to suggest you are an ordinary member of the public will also be an offence.

-------

Good grief.

Advertising Pulling Strings

Back in the day Jim Henson's Muppets made a lot more than just the Muppet show. They made lots of commercials for various brands. YouTube is a flutter with them and by in large they're brilliant. Check these two. I want to see more ads where people get killed for not using a brand. Great.

McGarrys Sausage

Wilkins Coffee

Pretty good huh! If someone doesn't use your product, shoot them.

Kermit Looking Supreme

Supreme does it again. It's so easy for them.
Supreme is where Fonzie goes when his hair goes out of wack.

Leave It To Beaver

Liking this one...

Nonsense Take Action

My friends at Nonsense London have just created this fun campaign for ActionAid. ActionAid are working to try make things better for developing nations in the way they trade with developed nations. They are also trying to establish laws that make multinationals accountable for their actions and effects on local communities.

In this campaign they want as many people to take this pledge as possible to make the government take notice:    

 "Many people around the world who produce goods for UK supermarkets endure exploitation and poverty.
I want Government regulation to tackle this problem so I know no-one has suffered producing the goods I buy."

So Nonsense made this little interactive viral to promote the pledge. Here's mine:

You can choose the voice of Bill Bailey or Katey Brand and use different costumes such as a banana, cashew nut or pear. You can embed or email the campaign you create, around to whomever you choose. It's pretty nicely done. Well done chaps.

Rob from Nonsense also has a pretty tasty blog as well...

Mixed Messages

Nike seems to be confused at the moment. They have just produced some shoes (model: Nike Trash Talk) from shoe waste material which has been recycled, that's good right? Well yes, it is.  They are exploring other ways to work and be less wasteful with their materials. But last week I was in Nike Town (a fairly unpleasant experience) and I found myself in the customer services department, which is on the third floor. This is what I saw:

Nike recycle old shoes and turn them into basketball courts. This was something they started a while back and was featured quite well in the press. The argument whether this is worth doing is not the issue here for me it's the fact that this big perspex box is away from all their customers. On the third floor (customer services) there is nothing else. No one is going to see this box or know they can give their trainers back. Why isn't it in the foyer of Nike Town for all to see? When I buy a new pair of Nikes, why am I not told about the service - that I can drop the shoes back when they are worn out?

How complicated must the internal politics be that one day they can make sustainable shoes and the next day they hide away another sustainability service in the depths of their shop?

Politics, Politics, Politics.

Supposedly if you go to http://nikereuseashoe.com/ you can find the nearest shoe drop off point but I got fed up with looking for it.

Still Innocent? : Good Job Alert

Innocent, those smooth talking smoothie making folk are looking for a scribe. Dan, taller than you think he's gonna be, Germain mentions what he's after on his blog:

...we need someone who can come and write lots of classic innocent stuff. That means that this person will be writing everything from ads to pack copy to books to blog posts to everything else that we have to write.

So there you go, if you live in London or Hawaii (and fancy the commute) this is the sound of opportunity knocking. More details on the innocent job section.

I see this a bit like, you are Luke to his (Dan's) Obi Wan. Sadly, I think I'm more of a Lando. Plus of course my literacy levels are around that of an 8 year old Bolivian kid so I'm out.