One of the recurring themes by some of the high-level speakers at the 2007 AAF National Convention was the crazy money being spent to snatch up web related ad companies. Another was how to monetize their newley discovered new media vehicle: the web. Yeah, you read me right- they are all rushing to figure out the metrics to quantify the ad buy on the web. Sorry guys- smart advertisers don’t need a third party to tell them if a campaign is working- they get really good stats (much better than Nielsen, the MPA or any other “validation company” ever provided) they have web stats and sales to evaluate.
What is even more sad- was so few of them really had a clue what Web 2.0 is, how it worked, or what it meant to them. Still worried about the silly notion of “control”- they sort of missed the Cluetrain Manifesto back in 1999 while they were busy buying up Web 1.0 companies.
Not only are most ad agency sites not much more than bad brochureware in Flash, most of the excitement about the web is still in an “how do we continue doing business the way we did, only using the web” instead of realizing- your business model is totally broken, start thinking purely about being branded content creators that makes it as earned media- never paid. Yeah, you can try to talk a client into placing ads through DoubleClick- (and get laughed out of the room. Or start talking a language of opt-in, immersive, brand experiences that the consumer builds their personal brand by combining in a unique way.
The endorsers of tomorrow aren’t LeBron James, Oprah or Britney Spears (heaven help us) but every single customer who choses to affiliate themselves with your brand and others- and none of it is under your control.
It’s probably not clear to most people attending the Ad Conference how this post came- since this is a pretty far stretch from most of what was talked about (although I’m looking forward to reading the autographed copy I picked up of Carat Americas, CEO David Verklin’s “Watch This Listen Up Click Here“).
But, this post about a post by Dave Winer- who was the guy who made the cutting edge of Web 2.0 possible (while most other people were still trying to figure out how to install AOL on their computers) about the new digital divide between those who get Web 2.0 and those who don’t:
Dave Winer: “It’s Time for Web 2.0 to Stop Being Exclusive” @ WEB 2.0 JOURNAL
A war of words has broken out in the world of Web 2.0 - between the software developer Dave Winer - who created or was a lead contributor to several of the most popular XML dialects and APIs related to web publishing such as RSS 2.0, XML-RPC, OPML, and the MetaWeblog API - and the founder of O’Reilly Media - the newly self-proclaimed “technology transfer company.”
Winer’s beef? “We need to get all hands involved in what we used to call Web 2.0,” he laments. “It’s time for it to stop being exclusive, and it’s way past time for one company to be controlling who’s supposed to participate.”
Winer’s contention is that events such as “FOO Camp” are harming the greater good, which is to make software easier, better, scalable, more reliable, and more secure, and instead turning Internet technology into an elitist world where it becomes a question not of what you know but who you know.
In Winer’s view, the very future of computing is at stake:
“We need to start doing some real investing in technology, not the BS that passes for technology investing that’s been going on for the last decade.”
In other words, what Winder fears is another Nasdaq run-up, followed by the inevitable explosion:
“But what I do want is to avoid a bloody mess,” he says. “We have work to do here. We have a bubble-pop to avoid.”
Brooklyn-born Winer, who is also the author of one of the first ever weblogs…
The bold italics were added by me- to highlight the big leap ad people need to make- it’s time to start doing real investing in your creative departments, training, molding, challenging your teams to learn how this new paradigm needs to work. It’s time for all of you to get more than six measly pages indexed in Google for your site (like McCann’s site- note McCann bills itself as the largest US agency).
Like it or not, ad agencies today are the buggy whip manufacturers of the turn of the last century. It’s an attention economy, but only for those who understand that it has to be earned, not bought. The more you understand all this, the more Howard Luck Gossage becomes relevant: “People don’t read ads, they read what interests them- and sometimes it’s an ad.”
Well said Howard, too bad you aren’t still here. The bubble’s about to pop, and the sad part is- most won’t understand why.
One of the recurring themes by some of the high-level speakers at the 2007 AAF National Convention was the crazy money being spent to snatch up web related ad companies. Another was how to monetize their newley discovered new media vehicle: the web. Yeah, you read me right- they are all rushing to figure out the metrics to quantify the ad buy on the web. Sorry guys- smart advertisers don’t need a third party to tell them if a campaign is working- they get really good stats (much better than Nielsen, the MPA or any other “validation company” ever provided) they have web stats and sales to evaluate.
What is even more sad- was so few of them really had a clue what Web 2.0 is, how it worked, or what it meant to them. Still worried about the silly notion of “control”- they sort of missed the Cluetrain Manifesto back in 1999 while they were busy buying up Web 1.0 companies.
Not only are most ad agency sites not much more than bad brochureware in Flash, most of the excitement about the web is still in an “how do we continue doing business the way we did, only using the web” instead of realizing- your business model is totally broken, start thinking purely about being branded content creators that makes it as earned media- never paid. Yeah, you can try to talk a client into placing ads through DoubleClick- (and get laughed out of the room. Or start talking a language of opt-in, immersive, brand experiences that the consumer builds their personal brand by combining in a unique way.
The endorsers of tomorrow aren’t LeBron James, Oprah or Britney Spears (heaven help us) but every single customer who choses to affiliate themselves with your brand and others- and none of it is under your control.
It’s probably not clear to most people attending the Ad Conference how this post came- since this is a pretty far stretch from most of what was talked about (although I’m looking forward to reading the autographed copy I picked up of Carat Americas, CEO David Verklin’s “Watch This Listen Up Click Here“).
But, this post about a post by Dave Winer- who was the guy who made the cutting edge of Web 2.0 possible (while most other people were still trying to figure out how to install AOL on their computers) about the new digital divide between those who get Web 2.0 and those who don’t:
Dave Winer: “It’s Time for Web 2.0 to Stop Being Exclusive” @ WEB 2.0 JOURNAL
A war of words has broken out in the world of Web 2.0 - between the software developer Dave Winer - who created or was a lead contributor to several of the most popular XML dialects and APIs related to web publishing such as RSS 2.0, XML-RPC, OPML, and the MetaWeblog API - and the founder of O’Reilly Media - the newly self-proclaimed “technology transfer company.”
Winer’s beef? “We need to get all hands involved in what we used to call Web 2.0,” he laments. “It’s time for it to stop being exclusive, and it’s way past time for one company to be controlling who’s supposed to participate.”
Winer’s contention is that events such as “FOO Camp” are harming the greater good, which is to make software easier, better, scalable, more reliable, and more secure, and instead turning Internet technology into an elitist world where it becomes a question not of what you know but who you know.
In Winer’s view, the very future of computing is at stake:
“We need to start doing some real investing in technology, not the BS that passes for technology investing that’s been going on for the last decade.”
In other words, what Winder fears is another Nasdaq run-up, followed by the inevitable explosion:
“But what I do want is to avoid a bloody mess,” he says. “We have work to do here. We have a bubble-pop to avoid.”
Brooklyn-born Winer, who is also the author of one of the first ever weblogs…
The bold italics were added by me- to highlight the big leap ad people need to make- it’s time to start doing real investing in your creative departments, training, molding, challenging your teams to learn how this new paradigm needs to work. It’s time for all of you to get more than six measly pages indexed in Google for your site (like McCann’s site- note McCann bills itself as the largest US agency).
Like it or not, ad agencies today are the buggy whip manufacturers of the turn of the last century. It’s an attention economy, but only for those who understand that it has to be earned, not bought. The more you understand all this, the more Howard Luck Gossage becomes relevant: “People don’t read ads, they read what interests them- and sometimes it’s an ad.”
Well said Howard, too bad you aren’t still here. The bubble’s about to pop, and the sad part is- most won’t understand why.
The breakfast speakers at the AAF National Convention today were inspiring- not so much in what they’ve achieved- but in how things have changed and that the size of your ideas is the new currency.
Andy Berndt, co-president of Ogilvy NY, and Jonathan Mildenhall, the VP Global Creative and Communications Development for the Coca-Cola Company sat on the dais- and basically looked at each other and traded barbs- how does a guy who worked at a bunch of small creative agencies get to be the Co-President of Ogilvy? And, how does a guy who worked at a bunch of boutique UK firms like BBH and Mother- end up as a VP at Coke?
And the answer is: having the vision, understanding the new equation, and lastly, being really nice, down to earth guys. Neither of these two were close to gray hair (although Jonathan doesn’t have any- so it’s hard to judge) - but this is far from the gray haired, old school oligarchy that used to rule in Corporate America.
What was even cooler, they let a junior creative- Tristan Kincaid moderate and showcase the work for Fanta. A new campaign that screamed “refreshing” in a way- that wasn’t screaming- a great example of making ads that people would want to watch.
In their discussion about how Ogilvy and Coke WORKED TOGETHER on this new creative it became clear that the middle man account exec is being stripped out of the process by smart marketers- who want direct interaction with the creative team. And, along with this new way of working- they also skipped the client dictated creative brief- and just said- “Solve the problem.”
Andy gave this fantastic quote, to which I can’t attribute yet- “Give us the problem to solve- not the solution to decorate.” More insight on how one of the worlds premier brands is solving their marketing problems.
These guys realized we are in the day where both of the following statements are true:
Everything is an ad
Nothing is an ad
They are looking for a cultural platform- not an ad campaign, and are willing to look anywhere- and to anyone for inspiration.
Volkswagen was a dying brand in the US. The culprit was poor quality. Customers had been fooled into buying a Jetta or Passat on the idea that they were getting “Precision German Engineering” at a bargain beerhaul price. When the cars didn’t deliver quality- they moved on to more reliable brands.
Enter Kerri Martin, the marketing exec that built BMW Mini’s success in the US with über hot agency, Crispin Porter +Bogusky.
All of a sudden, people are ignoring the fact that VW is still at the bottom of quality- at least their ads are interesting- showroom traffic picks up- and so do sales. But, alas, not enough for the big boss: Adrian Hallmark. He doesn’t understand the Crispin “Factory” approach to advertising- where’s the unifying tagline he asks- and fires Martin. All of a sudden, VW ads are once again boring.
Price and Product boring. Like a frickin laundry list- “Three V-dubs for under $17,000.”
And quickly- we’re back to talking about the wrong thing: price.
Once again, Mr. Hallmark is changing directions- now, hoping a feel good campaign with a tagline “When you get into a Volkswagen, it gets into you.”
Hmmm…. like under your skin, when you are taking it back to the dealer for the tenth time to get the same thing fixed (a former employee was constantly having problems with his Jetta).
Mr. Hallmark said the carmaker decided to “save our gunpowder” for national ads until the second part of the year.
VW spent just $19 million in measured U.S. media in the first two months of 2007 and $241 million in calendar 2006, according to TNS Media Intelligence. Volkswagen follows a winding ad road
February 2006: Introduces “Fast” doll online and in ads featuring lab-coated German “engineer” and the line “Unpimp mein auto.”
April 2006: Introduces jarring “Safety Happens” push, showing Jettas getting slammed into by other vehicles.
May 2006: “Low-ego emissions” for Passat shows drivers in other German cars shouting arrogantly into megaphones.
May 2006: TV spots feature a lederhosen-wearing spokesman next to a white Jetta, saying, “Stereotyping is stupid.”
June 2006: Rabbit spots show two cars — one white and one black — multiplying like bunnies.
October 2006: Free-guitar incentive for buyers of Jettas, Rabbits, GTIs and Beetles; TV spots feature Slash and John Mayer.
February-May 2007: “Three V-dubs for under $17,000” touts versions of Beetle, Jetta & Rabbit.
One thing is for sure: Crispin is being patient, but a $300 Million dollar client can do that to you. The only thing VW could do to guarantee an improvement in it’s marketing is take Hallmark out of the drivers seat and bring back Martin.
At least she has a track record of delivering sales.
note: we’ve written about almost every one of the above campaigns- except the Price and Product idiocy in past posts.
McCann trademarked this phrase in 1926, and it’s as important today as then: Truth Well Told ® and it should be a cornerstone of any ad, not just the great ones.
This TV spot from Element 79 Partners in Chicago, is actually one of a series called “Origins” and it will serve us well for an example of what makes great advertising.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=vpfzBMj8T58
Gatorade is a category leader, and may as well have invented the sports drink market. From a leadership position they understand they need to make a connection with their target market- but not beat their chests. This is a key ingredient that car companies would do well to learn. Nobody likes a braggart- and this applies to your advertising as well. They have taken the story of their products beginnings and turned it into a near mythological tale- if you have history, if you have a story, take it and use it.
Up until watching these spots, the connection between Gatorade and the Florida Gators wasn’t obvious to me, it was just a trade name that spurred a whole bunch of other ‘ades- with the exception of the original one- Kool Aid® which totally missed this market segment. (Right now, anything with the word “Gator” in it might hit a sore spot in our home state of Ohio- thanks to two national championship losses to Florida this year). Element 79 has managed to do several versions of this same story- and still keep them different. Unfortunately, I can’t find the other treatments to share with you.
But, the key to realize is that it tells the story, solidifying the category leading position, and can be done several different ways. Both good ingredients.
Another key ingredient is to play with the familiar. This spot uses both familiar music- and familiar sports stars, stories and even the announcer (sorry I don’t have his name).
While hit music, star athletes and well known personalities are all great to have in a campaign, this one does it without making them upstage the product. Although I love Michael Jordan in so many of the ads he did- they often ended up being more about him than the product.
Which brings up the next trick to making a great tv spot: cool by association. In and by itself, Gatorade is just a drink. Once you connect it to the mythos of sport, and particularly championships, you’ve planted a brand statement that speaks to the innermost desires in all of us: the dream of greatness. If you can make someone believe that your product will make them great, better looking, smarter, richer, sexier etc. you have done your job.
Telling your story in :30 or :60 seconds is a major accomplishment. Most TV commercials can’t do a fraction of what this spot does- typically a spot is good if it hammers home one salient point- this one is coup de grace for the category of sports drinks. If you can’t tell your story in your spot- can you at least get their attention and make them curious enough to go to your website?
Budget also plays a part in your formula for a great tv spot. Some of this was archival footage, other parts were shot to look that way- but, always remember, if you don’t have a big budget, go for a big concept (I’ve been told that this is a mantra at Crispin Porter + Bogusky).
The last secret to getting the best results for your TV commercial- put it on your site, put it on YouTube, let as many people have access to it as possible. Let your customers talk about it- discuss it- analyze it (just like what we’re doing here) the days of “controlling” your message are over- your customers are now at the helm. When you post it- remember to add a lot of descriptive text, since search engines have no idea what a video file contains. For this spot we would suggest: The history of Gatorade, Gatorade tv commercial, origins of gatorade, the story of gatorade and how gatorade was part of the Florida Gators sports success - get the idea?
If you have more questions about how to make great tv spots on a big or little budget, or on how to get them seen by the most people- ask us. We’ve got plenty of good ideas on how to make your brand stand out and your message heard.
Call this round 5,839,493 in the continuing saga of letting customers generate your content. While everyone thinks they are an expert on advertising, few really are. While we live in a society that has the attention span that makes the 40 yard dash seem like forever- attempts to capture attention “by any means possible” are backfiring left and right.
Some may still believe that “Any press is good press”- but that was when newspapers ended up in birdcages instead of online forever.
When you start mixing religion with your brand- be aware, you could either lose or gain customers- and it may be permanent. Several times a year “Hobby Lobby” runs full page ads about Jesus- Christmas, Easter - and it makes me wonder how many Jews, Hundus, Muslims, Buddists etc. choose not to shop there every time.
When it comes to controversy as a marketing tool, it’s ok when you you are the upstart- but if you are the market leader, you are taking chances- here is the article about how God and Starbucks went on a collision course here in the flyover states:
SPRINGBORO — – Michelle Incanno was an admitted Starbucks addict.
She’d buy the company’s coffee beans every week. Whenever she’d get the chance to drop by a Starbucks, she would, placing the same order every time: a large, house brewed coffee with nonfat milk and two Splenda. When the Seattle-based chain opened a drive-through near her Springboro home, she was in java heaven.
That was until she got an unexpected jolt last week from her coffee cup.
Printed on the cup was: “Why in moments of crisis do we ask God for strength and help? As cognitive beings, why would we ask something that may well be a figment of our imaginations for guidance? Why not search inside ourselves for the power to overcome? After all, we are strong enough to cause most of the catastrophes we need to endure.”
It is attributed to Bill Schell, a Starbucks customer from London, Ontario, and was included on the cup as part of an effort by the company to collect different viewpoints and spur discussion.
“As someone who loves God, I was so offended by that. I don’t think there needs to be religious dialogue on it. I just want coffee,” said Incanno, a married mother of three who is Catholic.
She wasn’t satisfied with a company disclaimer saying the quote is the author’s opinion, not necessarily that of Starbucks. It invites customers to respond at www.starbucks.com/wayiseeit.
Starbucks spokeswoman Sanja Gould said the collection of thoughts and opinions is a “way to promote open, respectful conversation among a wide variety of individuals. “
But Incanno said her Starbucks days are over.
“I wouldn’t feel right going back,” she said.
This morning- it was the “most popular story” at the Dayton Daily News site- which means it will be making the rounds- and eventually becoming sermon fodder for the fire and brimstone set- and possibly setting off yet another Starbucks boycott.
I went to the Starbucks site- and couldn’t find this quote on the site (btw- the site wasn’t very web 2.0) and am already wondering if this had been pulled because of complaints already.
Often times agencies look for “hot, young, talent” to “spark” their creativity- and with many of the big agencies isolated from “mainstream America” by being in the major meccas of advertising- sometimes the sensibilities of business get overlooked.
No matter what your position on religion, it’s best to check it for being a universally accepted theme before allowing it to make it into your advertising.
Note: a quick Google of this phrase only brings up the Dayton Daily News article. I’m sure that will change soon.
