by Next Wave Team | May 8, 2007 | Ad Agenices in Dayton, OH, Advertising, Advertising Case Studies for The Next Wave, Creativity, Dayton Bombers Advertising, Everything You Want to Know About Advertising, How To Select An Ad Agency, Low Budget Advertising, Practical Marketing 101, Secrets of Great Advertising, The Craft Of Advertising
There is a secret to great advertising- and it’s not the size of the agency or the number of awards on the wall. It’s not how hip the creatives are, or how cool the offices or even how big the budget is. And even though you could argue that the quality of the account planning can make all the difference in the world- it’s not what makes great ads.
What makes great advertising is the same thing that makes great leaders, great athletes, great scholars – basically great anything, and it’s one word: passion.
If the people coming up with the ad have a passion for the task at hand- and know the product and who they are trying to reach- you will end up with advertising that doesn’t suck- the kind that actually brings in the big bucks- without costing big bucks.
It’s taking what you have- and turning it into something that is a bit more than advertising- it’s a conversation that you just can’t turn away from. It’s a battle cry that resonates and won’t go away- be it “Where’s the beef” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug75diEyiA0 or “Whazzzup” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GWrrTpJ1eU- it sticks in your head like peanut butter to the roof of your mouth.
When you are in the business of advertising, and know a good ad from a bad ad, you can tell when you do something great- because you can’t get it out of your head either.
So, here’s the latest in the saga of pulling rabbits out of the hat for the Dayton Bombers- a client that no matter how vexing the time frame, budget, material to work with- brings out the passion from us at The Next Wave.
It comes from two things: we love ice hockey and, we love it when underdogs are kicking ass and taking names. The Bombers are in Florida right now- about to play the first 2 games of the semi-finals before heading back for 3 possible games at home. We were asked to put together a poster for the games- over the weekend- so far, everyone who has seen it has loved it. We hope you do too.
Come to the Game Saturday night- and maybe you can get one too.
by Next Wave Team | May 6, 2007 | Advertising, Brand Relevancy, Creativity, Differentiating Your Brand, Everything You Want to Know About Advertising, Guerrilla Campaigns, Marketing & the Web, Practical Marketing 101, Public Relations in the Web 2.0 world, The Craft Of Advertising, Viral Marketing
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:
Woman expresses indignation at quote on Starbucks cup
By Margo Rutledge Kissell Staff Writer
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.
by Next Wave Team | Apr 10, 2007 | Ad Agenices in Dayton, OH, Advertising, Careers in Advertising, Everything You Want to Know About Advertising, Future of advertising, Great Ad Agencies, Hot New Creative Agencies, How To Select An Ad Agency, Marketing & the Web, The Craft Of Advertising
When I first started in this business, a very smart group of people were just breaking the national scene; Fallon, McElligott, Rice opened in 1981 in Minneapolis Minnesota- far away from Madison Avenue and the whole “ad scene.”
It seemed almost as stupid as opening a small ad agency in Dayton Ohio in 1988- the only difference was that these people had all worked at some bigger agencies, and weren’t starting from scratch.
In fact, most agencies start by mitosis (splitting of cells). And, it seems it’s happening again, as some former Fallon people are hanging their own shingle, taking Fallon’s star client; United Airlines with them.
Personally, I find this repugnant. It’s called biting the hand that feeds you. If you can do such great work for the client on your own, why can’t you do it for the company that brought you? I’ve never met Pat Fallon, but, I’ve met some of the people he’s mentored in this business; Luke Sullivan, Sally Hogshead and former business partner Joe Duffy, three of the classiest, nicest, most talented people in the ad world. (Note, I’ve also met another former Fallon/Duffy employee who started his own thing- that was a total jerk, but very talented as a one-trick pony). So, while I’m sure these guys that Ernie gives kudo’s to are all nice guys, I’m wondering what Pat Fallon has done to deserve having so much business and talent- slip out the door lately?
Ernie Schenck Calls This Advertising?: Rhapsody In Minneapolis
Barrie D’Rozario Murphy’s star just went from on the ascent to full zenith mode with United Airline’s decision to go with the fledgling but oh so talented Minneapolis shop, thus ending a long-standing relationship with beleagured Fallon. Am I surprised? Yes. Am I surprised? No. Bob Barrie and Stuart D’Rozario and the work they did for United when the airline was in its darkest hour continues to be one of the classiest and tasteful campaigns in the business. So while I honor all that Fallon has done for United, these guys deserve much of the credit.
The site for Barrie D’Rozario Murphy is www.bdm.net (and like most recent Fallon spin off agencies- it’s in Flash and can’t be found).
While I try to keep up on the superstars of advertising (sometimes it gets a little difficult), I have to wonder: of the great ad agencies in this country- which agency would get the honor of being the best breeding ground for superstar talent? Which agency has spun off the most “hot shops”- and, where are the best places to hone your skills?
I’m also wondering how clients like United, can believe that a small start-up can take over a major account and do a truly better job, just out of the gates. Fallon has demonstrated over the years that they “get it” and are as forward thinking as any agency on the planet.
Is loyalty absolutely impossible in the advertising world anymore?
Any thoughts?
by Next Wave Team | Apr 1, 2007 | Advertising, Advertising humor, Brand Relevancy, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Differentiating Your Brand, Everything You Want to Know About Advertising, Great Ad Agencies, How To Select An Ad Agency, The Craft Of Advertising
APRIL 1, 2007: Ad Age: In a strange turn of events, former Crispin Porter + Bogusky LA Office Managing Director, Sally Hogshead landed the Miller Lite and Miller High Life accounts, previously at Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Miami. When asked if putting a $100 million dollar plus account in the hands of a SWAT CD, instead of a traditional agency, Miller CMO Randy Ransom replied, “we tried Man Laws, it seemed to make perfect sense to go with a woman to lay down the new laws. We believe Ms. Hogshead has a unique and radical brand positioning strategy to make Miller Lite and Miller High Life the number one choice of the serious beer drinker.”
Ad Age has learned that the brief centered around new packaging for Miller products- instead of trying to compete with the traditional 12 oz, 20 oz or 40 oz sizes, Miller has decided to adopt the hogshead as the new unit of popular measure. A hogshead is a barrel that holds 62 gallons. Miller declined to comment, but in the secret brief that was leaked to Ad Age, Miller realized that if they sell one hogshead per beer drinking household, there isn’t room in the refrigerator for any competing brands. Miller has yet to confirm the account move on their beer blog- although they did confirm the split with CP+B.
Package design will be handled by IDEO, and in a radical move, Miller will only be sold online, delivered same day by new FedEx Buzz Delivery.
Said Ransom, “We don’t know why we didn’t think of this earlier, Super sizing has done wonders for the soft-drink business.”
Budweiser refuses to comment, but is now introducing the 10 gallon jug in selected test markets.
by Next Wave Team | Mar 27, 2007 | Creativity, Design, Differentiating Your Brand, The Craft Of Advertising
There is a printing craft that has taking a beating from Laserprinters, digital presses, direct to plate and inkjet imaging-it’s the old school, hot type letterpress studio.
When I was in Paris a few years ago- I stumbled into an old shop that still was composing type by hand- and it was a joy to look at ink pressed into paper.
I just found a site that is a guide to letterpress shops- and thought I would share:
D*S Letterpress Guide
Welcome- what you’ll find here is a working guide to some of the best letterpress studios in the country (as well as a few abroad).
The guide is meant to be searched by the following categories: State, City, E-commerce Enabled, Custom Work and Pre-Made work. You’re more than welcome to read down the center column as you would with a blog but the list is much more useful when organized by search results.
If you know of any letterpress printers around Dayton OH- please add them to the letterpress guide- and drop a comment on this site.
Unbelievably, the Letterpress guide makes no reference to Hatch Show Print, the coolest place for band posters this side of Mars.
by Next Wave Team | Oct 4, 2005 | Advertising Case Studies for The Next Wave, Design, Everything You Want to Know About Advertising, How To Select An Ad Agency, Low Budget Advertising, The Craft Of Advertising
Sometimes things happen beyond your control. Sometimes they are good things, and sometimes, they are not so good. We have done award winning posters for the 2nd Street Public market for the last few years. People want to steal the posters. One woman told me her boss decorated his living room based on our color scheme for a poster- and had it framed on the wall. We’ve talked about selling copies of the poster, that’s the difference between good and great.
As Howard Luck Gossage said “people don’t read ads, they read what interests them- and sometimes it’s an ad.” These posters are interesting, people read them- well, we’ll let you pick-
this year, before we were scheduled to be done with the poster, another publication was going to press and a page was donated- as was the labor, there is a saying, you get what you pay for… so compare:
The “Free” poster or:
The Next Wave poster. (click on image to enlarge)
What do you think?
