The Underlying “1984″ Elements in Apple’s PC Switcher Banner Ad

The above screenshot of the New York Times homepage shows a video banner ad for Apple.  In the ad, PC and Mac observe PC users as they enter Apple stores and make the switch to a Mac.  PC and Mac engage in the usual, light-heartedly competitive banter that is expected of these ads as PC neurotically stresses over its current users deciding to purchase Macs since an upgrade to Windows 7 would involve needing to transfer all their files to the new operating system anyway.  PC mentions Mac ranking first in customer satisfaction and then appears in one of the “PC Switcher” surveillance monitors to physically stop consumers from entering the Apple store.  The banner doesn’t veer away from the iconic and oft parodied style of TBWA’s “Mac vs. PC” campaign, but it does seem to reference the company’s classic 1984 ad in a way that kind of portrays Apple as a hegemonic power.

Like the 1984 ad, a continuous stream of people are seen marching walking towards Apple stores.  The placement of the white, seemingly glowing Apple logo at the top, center of the screens is remarkably similar to the image below, where the drones stare mindlessly at a giant, illuminating screen.  The 1984 drones are nameless and indistinguishable from one another, compared to the silent and faceless, yet diverse (demographically speaking) consumer masses approaching Apple stores.  I mention demographics because I’m pretty sure that showing men and women of various races was strategic. 

Much of PC and Mac’s attention is on the surveillance monitors, which not surprisingly  depict the some-what robotic consumer arrivals to Apple stores in a drab, army green hue.  It’s as if these consumers are relegated to a separate world that is more similar to the cold, lifeless existence portrayed in 1984 than the casual and bright minimalist setting “Mac vs. PC” ads are normally set in.  The most obvious similarity of the banner ad to 1984 is the theme of being watched.  It’s unclear if the viewer is supposed to believe that PC setup the monitors, but that is beside the point because the visual inclusion of the monitors screams “big brother is watching you.”  In addition, both PC and Mac act a voyeurs of computer-buying habits as they both observe commerce in progress.  In attempts of curbing switches to Apple, PC enters the world of the monitored and becomes monitored himself as Mac watches in a non-threatening indifference as if to say, “Go about your business.  Pretend I’m not here,” all the meanwhile paying close attention to the unquestioning devotion that his cool facade created.

Does ‘30 Rock’ Promote or Mock Windows?

In the above scene, Jack and several writers diligently work with an engineer to design a microwave that will increase GE’s revenue.  The Microsoft Windows logo is visible on the engineer’s laptop, which is unusual considering that the majority of Windows-based computers are branded with the manufacturer’s logo (i.e. Dell, HP).  Even more unusual is that 30 Rock frequently features Apple products–both Jack and Liz use Apple computers.  In the past, the show has even disclosed Apple as a promotional sponsor in its credits.  Naturally, the Windows occurrence has invited speculation as to whether or not it was a paid-for placement.

The episode in question, “Into the Crevasse,” aired on October 22nd, which is also when Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows 7, was released.  The laptop placement is not merely a coincidence as Microsoft has announced an extensive integration deal with Fox’s Family Guy.  Before pulling out of sponsoring a commercial-free airing of the raunchy animated series, Microsoft praised the “subversive and unique humor” of Family Guy.  Microsoft was obviously open to experimenting with its brand integration so it’s certainly plausible to believe that the company approached 30 Rock with a sponsorship offer. 

Even though the Microsoft-branded laptop is a fictional product, it promotes the company and serves to remind viewers of Windows 7.  In that sense, it’s a typical product placement, but I believe Tina Fey and the other geniuses over at 30 Rock cleverly included subtle commentary that portrays Windows in a negative way.  Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but the Windows laptop was used by the engineer to create a mockup of microwave that had the potential to save GE from financial ruin.  Instead, the engineer, following the suggestions of Jack and the writers, designs a Pontiac Aztek,  which has been credited as being one of General Motors’ biggest mistakes.  As the Aztek appears on the screen of the Windows laptop, I can’t help, but feel that the presentation of a notably failed product, implicitly highlights Microsoft’s shortcomings.  Ultimately Jack’s pursuit of creating an innovative microwave was a failure and that failure was executed on a Windows-based laptop.  Jack’s failure can even be associated with that Windows laptop.  The writer’s, who are normally inundated with ideas, are only able to offer Jack and the engineer half-brained suggestions.

This episode, hardly featured any Apple products — I actually, only spotted one Apple occurrence.  Apple computers, which are associated with creativity, were lacking as were innovative suggestions to solve GE problem.  Sure, I realize this whole plot point was meant to poke fun at GM, but it critiqued Microsoft as well.

Generic Cereals = Real Life Product Displacement

According to The Daily Mail, Kellogg’s plans to laser its logo on individual corn flakes.  The drastic and peculiar plan is meant to emphasize the Kellogg’s brand name in a cereal market flooded with cheaper generic options, which they refer to as “fake flakes.”  

Helen Lyons, Lead Food Technologist at the company states, “We want shoppers to be under absolutely no illusion that Kellogg’s does not make cereal for anyone else.  We’re constantly looking at new ways to reaffirm this and giving our golden flakes of corn an official stamp of approval could be the answer.  We’ve established that it is possible to apply a logo or image onto food, now we need to see if there is a way of repeating it on large quantities of our cereal. We’re looking into it.”  [via: The Daily Mail]

I’ve debated whether generic brands are forms of product displacements and ultimately decided that they are since they mimic packaging and naming conventions of their brand name counterparts.  In the midst of a recession, consumers often buy generic products to save money.  As generic/store brands improved in quality, consumers realize that when they purchase brand name cereal, they are just paying for advertising.

The Kellogg’s laser idea is an attempt to give their corn flakes cereal a label of prestigiousness.  As I’ve stated many times when discussing product displacement, even if a brand is tweaked, consumers will still identify the greeked product with the brand referenced.  Based on Lyons’ statement, it seems Kellogg’s is worried that product displacement is working too well because consumers assume that all corn flakes are made by Kellogg’s.  Click here for another example of a “generic” cereal.  Can you guess the brand name cereal being reference?

Ghost Whisperer’s Alt World 2: A Case Study on Product Displacement and Engagement

The above image is one of the most viewed pictures in my Flickr photostream. The majority of viewers find the image by conducting keyword searches for “Alt World 2,” a fictionalized interpretation of the virtual world application, Second Life. In the “Ghost in the Machine” episode of Ghost Whisperer, Melinda is shown how to create an avatar and navigate through a virtual environment in order to catch a child predator. The Alt World 2 interface and its function closely resembles Second Life’s, but since the plot addressed the dangers of online worlds, it’s only natural that Second Life would want to avoid being mentioned or featured in the episode.

A behind-the-scenes clip, previously available on CBS.com, detailed Alt World 2’s creation process and featured the director and designers discussing their inspiration for the animation and graphics. What I find particularly interesting, are the viewer inquiries as to whether or not the Alt World 2 game exists in real life. Here, a Ghost Whisperer viewer identifies Second Life as an Alt World 2 substitute and reminds another fan about the dangers discussed on the show. At MIT’s Futures of Entertainment 3 conference, Ghost Whisperer Executive Producer, Kim Moses, touted the show’s transmedia storytelling ability as successfully connecting viewers to its content. Through the use of webisodes, books, message boards and fan fiction, Moses has laid the foundation to engage audiences. When I refer to engagement, I am referring to the resulting audience behavior, recall and participation after watching the program. It’s understandable for viewers to wonder if Alt World 2 is a real game given Ghost Whisperer’s presence across various media forms. Seeking out information regarding Alt World 2 is a form of engagement because it illustrates an interest in the show’s content that extends beyond the initial television airing.

I’m sure some Ghost Whisperer viewers are familiar with Second Life, but given all the outlets fans have to discuss the show, it’s completely plausible for them to believe that the Alt World 2 exits. Although an actual Alt World 2 gaming platform never came to a fruition, audience reaction to it demonstrates that product displacement can engage viewers and pique their curiosity. Fans that searched for Alt World 2 probably viewed it as another medium to connect with the Ghost Whisperer world. The episode featuring Alt World 2 originally aired October 2008, but searches for it appear on my Flickr stats almost everyday. Alt World 2 is a great example of a product displacement that really resonated with viewers. It’s a shame the game wasn’t developed into an actual social networking platform. I’m pretty sure Second Life was never approached to be included in the episode, but Alt World 2 presents the company with an opportunity to create virtual environments specifically for television shows.

Unbranding Fashion: Strategically Ditching the Logo

PSFK recently wrote about Freshjive’s initiative to remove its logo and brand name from its clothing and inner labels.  The blog refers to Freshjive’s latest design approach, which consists of plain black labels that only detail the garment’s size encased in a white frame, as an anti-branding campaign.  This is a misreading of the streetwear company’s strategy, which is to unbrand itself in order to create a new identity or establish a different kind of relevance within the fashion industry.  Freshjive’s owner and designer, Rick Klotz, states, “Throughout the years I’ve become uncomfortable with this business of branding and brand identity. I’m not the type of person that buys something for the brand name.”  He goes on to describe the presence of logos on clothing as an anathema to individualism.  

 

Consumers are steadily becoming more critical of branding and Klotz is cleverly flattering his fanbase for their resistance to advertising.  Freshjive is great example of product displacement emerging as an effective marketing strategy in the real world  (See my post on Starbucks).  Klotz essentially unbranded Freshjive to create a new, poignant identity that appeals to its discerning clientele.  By unbranding Freshjive, Klotz has created an opportunity to distance his brand from rival companies and re-encode what his label stands for.  He admits the minimalist garment labels are a form of branding and in a comment on PSFK writes, “I am aware it’s not a “pure” non branding move. But I still believe the process of taking the logo/name off the labels (while still retaining the label) is a step in a good direction, and in the least creates awareness and further critique.”  

 

On that note, one element that is present in many instances of fictionalized product displacements on television is the use of parody.  It seems Klotz intends on parodying iconic logos and warns branders, “Careful when building an influential logo, as I just might use that influence through some further graphic manipulation, and throw it back out into the market like a brick bashing through a window.”  Klotz’s removal of Freshjive logos coupled with his intention to mock other brands for the sake of raising awareness to branding, situates his fans as both ad busters and consumers.  This rather unique combination that capitalizes on media literacy and skepticism.

 

via: PSFK

Unbranded Campaigns: Leaving Something to the Imagination

In July, Starbucks opened three new coffee shops in Seattle which noticeably lacked its iconic branding. One of the unbranded, remodeled stores will simply be known as 15th Ave Coffee and Tea—a strategy executives are using to capture a more community-oriented feel. Essentially, Starbucks is trying to present itself as a neighborhood coffee shop instead of a corporate conglomerate that ruins small businesses. Critics have referred to the shops as “Stealth Starbucks” and while this sort of marketing is rather subversive, we really shouldn’t be surprised that it has emerged. In an environment in which consumers are bombarded with brand messages and have developed a hyper-awareness and distain for perpetually invasive marketing, companies need to soften their approach. Displacing the familiar slogans, and visual cues that are synonymous with a brand may be a risky move, but several marketers are going this innovative route.

Recently, Coca-Cola launched its “Open Happiness” campaign which consists of a song and music video that do not mention/show the company or any of its products. The campaign seems to be a hit with consumers (mostly outside the U.S.) and according to Umut Ozaydinli, Coca-Cola’s global music marketing manager, “the lack of an in-your-face Coke message is “one of the key reasons” consumers have shown interest in the song” (via: NYT) While not entirely an example of a self-displacement and unbranding, Pepsi began a campaign in Argentina encouraging Argentineans to refer to the brand as “Pecsi.” Pepsi is essentially promoting the “bastardizing [of its] brand name” (via: Naked). The soft drink company is not taking its branding too seriously and welcomes consumer interpretations of its brand. It’s not to say that companies engaging in self-unbranding and displacement are relinquishing control of their corporate identity to consumers—I think it’s quite the opposite.

Starbucks, Coca-Cola and Pepsi are all taking proactive measures to remain relevant and competitive. These companies are catering to an audience whose persuasion knowledge is developing and is perhaps no longer easily susceptible to traditional marketing. Persuasion knowledge involves the interpretation of how people respond, interpret and react to persuasion and influence attempts (Friestad and Wright 1994). Ad messages, whether they occur as billboards, commercials, product placements or banner ads, are losing their effectiveness because of over-saturation. Marketing in general has become rather ubiquitous and invasive, which has resulted in the formation of a hyper-aware audience that sees through and ignores most campaign strategies. As audiences grow jaded and savvy, perhaps the next way for brands to successfully engage them, is by creating ads that do not look like ads. Marketing plans will need to emulate the covertness of Starbucks and Coca-Cola, but also entertain audiences on a personal level.

Works Cited

Friestad, Marian and Peter Wright.  “The Persuasion Knowledge Model: How People Cope with Persuasion Attempts.” Journal of Consumer Research.  Vol. 21, No. 1. (June 1994).

Product Displacements Explained, Part 2: Functions of Parody & Satire

In “Product Displacements as Catalysts to Engagement,” I assert that fictionalized displacements can generate better recall and purchase intent than even the most thoroughly planned brand integration strategies. I like to think of product placements as a form of hybrid advertising that situates itself within narrative content, but does not directly identify its paid-for sponsorship of a program. A key factor of product placement is integration, which is usually intended to occur as seamlessly as possible. The majority of casual television viewers are not conditioned to watch out for brand integrations and as the number of placements increase, these carefully placed products just contribute to the clutter of an already ad-saturated environment. Of course, there are brands capable of successfully integrating products into shows in clever, stylistic ways that increase recollection and engagement. However, most brand integrations risk alienating viewers, especially as audiences become defensive against constantly being marketed to.

What makes fictionalized product placements so conducive to positive and memorable engagement is perhaps their utilization of tongue-in-cheek humor of parody and satire. The real brands portrayed in displacements, specifically fictionalized ones, are usually iconic and commonly known. Fictionalized displacements are created using similar phrasing, slogans and visual identifiers as their real world counterparts. While fictionalized displacements typically mimic the most identifiable characteristics of real brands, there is always something “off” about them. Even if a product displacement is not a parody and only functions as a fictionalized stand-in, viewers are able to sense and even identify “off” content. Viewers are required to actively analyze and decode meanings of a product displacement. In a way, viewers interact with fictionalized product displacements more so than standard brand integrations because they are required to connect their cultural knowledge to media messages presented.

Parody and its cultural references are usually common knowledge. As Jonathan Gray states, “Parody’s only prerequisite is a limited degree of textual and genre awareness,” however, recognizing the parodical nature of product displacements makes viewers feel media savvy. Once they notice a fictionalized displacement and can identify the actual brand it’s meant to portray, audiences are inclined to believe they are in on a joke and not susceptible to the lure of marketers (Gray 235). Most fictionalized displacements are mildly amusing and give the impression of critiquing the portrayed brand. An episode of The Simpsons titled “Mypods and Broomsticks,” which featured a company called Mapple, (an Apple stand-in) mocked the computer giant’s products, advertising, corporate culture and CEO. After losing an angry mob of Mapple employees seeking revenge, Bart Simpson, who made fun of the company’s pricing and sheep-like followers/customers, states he was chased for shining, “…a harsh light on modern society.”

Although Apple would not agree to be portrayed so negatively, Apple, as well as other companies, stand to benefit from satirical mocking. Fictionalized product displacements represent distorted mirrors of national life and cultural identity. I have encountered the majority of these displacements in sitcoms, which presents a great opportunity for adventurous brands to experiment with their identity and be parodied. In sum, “jokes make us laugh, many viewers are likely to seek out parody, and few of [them] are likely to feel imposed upon in the way [they] might react to more overtly didactic messages” (Gray 234). While recognizing and identifying a fictionalized product displacement requires prior knowledge of cultural meanings, advertisers can use parody and satire to “re-encode” those meanings (Gray 231).

Works Cited
Gray, Jonathan. “Television Teaching: Parody, The Simpsons, and Media Literacy
Education.” Critical Studies in Media Communication. Vol. 22, No. 3, August
2005, pp. 223/238

Televisual Function of Antennas After the DTV Transition

As households across the country say goodbye to the antennas protruding from their television sets, and replace them with digital converter boxes, we theoretically end an era in which those metal rabbit-ears aided in establishing characters’ identities. In February, when the transition was originally scheduled to occur, 5.1% of households were unprepared. When the DTV transition deadline arrived on June 12, 2009, only an estimated 2.5% of the 114.5 million television households in the U.S. were completely unready for the signal switch from analog to digital. Since the transition was first announced viewers have purchased converter boxes en masse. With that said, the DTV transition was a shared cultural experience–one that is likely to be memorable given all the on-screen reminders and converter installation demonstrations broadcasted by local network affiliates.

For decades, antennas were synonymous with television and fuzzy reception was commonplace. But as cable subscriptions increased during the 1980s and even more so in the 1990s, the depiction of antennas in network programming came to symbolize the lack of cable television. When in the past, a scene in which a character adjusts an antenna was unmemorable and merely included for verisimilar purposes, contemporary shows utilize antennas as a visual cue to establish the socioeconomic status of characters. The screenshot above, which prominently displays antennas in the foreground, is from My Name is Earl, a sitcom featuring a former small-time thief and his trailer park-living ex-wife that’s set in the redneck town of Camden.

Married with Children frequently used the antenna to identify the Bundys as lower-middle class, but also used it to comment on Fox’s weak signal strength and position among the other three established networks. It became an on-going joke on the show where Al Bundy would instruct his family to “assume to Fox Network viewing positions,” and they each would contort themselves while holding antennas and aluminum foil in the air. (Click HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE for examples.)

Now that the DTV transition has literally turned the television antenna into a relic with no function or purpose, how will it be featured on future shows? While antennas are far from reaching the depth of obscurity and uselessness equated with rotary phones, any visual presence of rabbit-ears in a show set during present-day, would likely incite discussion about anachronism. Granted, television shows take liberties in storytelling, but for the millions of people that actually had to spend money on a converter and wait for their $40 government rebate, an use of an antenna may seem completely implausible.

DTV transition data [via: Nielsen]

Industrial Purposes of Unbranded Product Displacements

The 2008/2009 season was marked with a great deal of uncertainty as automotive spending, the largest ad category for network television, steadily decreased. However, desperately needing to reach customers more than ever, the Big Three (Ford, Chrysler and GM) actively sought pricey brand integration deals. General Motors invested heavily in NBC’s quickly cancelled spy series, My Own Worst Enemy. As Brian Stelter notes in his New York Times article, integration deals are very risky and when a show is cancelled, a brand’s exposure from its product placements is as well.

In addition to being a primary sponsor of NBC’s reality show America’s Toughest Jobs, Chrysler signed an elaborate partnership with Fox’s Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles that included heavy in-program integrations of its Dodge Ram truck. The package also promoted Dodge Ram’s “Never Back Down From a Challenge” vehicle giveaway and featured blatant Dodge branding on all Sarah Connor websites and promotional materials. Dodge Ram was a very good fit for an action-packed show like Sarah Connor and even ranked second in a list of most-recalled hybrid ads (via: Nielsen).

Since Chrysler, was the exclusive automotive sponsor of the show, Sarah Connor provides great examples of techniques used to cover up competitor logos and brand names. I refer to this process as unbranding. It’s more likely for audience members to recall product occurrences In this scene, the “Chev” in Chevrolet were blackened as Cameron walks by a van. This image shows the unbranded grill of a Chevy Suburban that was digitally altered in post production. I was able to identify the SUV during a brief shot in which the Suburban brand name was (probably accidentally) visible. These examples of demonstrate how unbranding serves as a technique to enhance the advertising effectiveness of Chrysler vehicles by eliminating any presence of competitors.

In early December, as the magnitude of the automotive industry crisis was becoming even more apparent, Chrysler announced that it may not survive after 2009 and would probably file for bankruptcy. It was during this period that Chrysler product placements in began to deviate from the established norm. The “Earthlings Welcome Here” episode of Sarah Connor Chronicles, which aired December 15, 2008, signaled what I can only speculate was the end of Chrysler’s integration deal with the show. The episode does not contain any Dodge Ram occurrences, but does feature Sarah Connor driving a Jeep Liberty. The majority of shots where the Jeep brand name and logo were visible, occurred in a split second and would probably not be noticed by a casual viewer.

As I’ve noted above, unbranding is used by networks and studios to eliminate the presence of rival companies and increase brand recall. Essentially, unbranding helps eliminate the clutter and influence of brands that are not primary advertisers of a show. Viewers are more likely to remember and engage with a brand/product if it’s presented by itself. “Earthlings Welcome Here” demonstrates another industrial function of unbranding, which is to prevent giving advertisers free publicity. While Chrysler make have initially paid for a season long integration package, it’s quite possible that the company pulled out given its dismal financial state. Many of the Jeep Liberty scenes in “Earthlings Welcome Here” feature Sarah Connor driving down long, windy, empty desert roads. These are the types of images you would expect to see in a car commercial.

While I’m sure when this episode was filmed, it’s fairly clear that Chrysler’s Jeep brand was supposed to be heavily promoted, as evidenced by the title character’s (Sarah Connor) repeated use of the SUV. In addition, the Jeep Liberty was given a lot of screen-time, that was however, negated by it’s logo being digitally removed. I have include two images in my Product Placement Flickr set I believe illustrate an intended lingering visual duration of the Jeep Liberty. In this image, the Jeep is moving directly towards the camera, but there is no trace of the Jeep brand name. Several seconds later, just as Sarah Connor is visible behind the wheel, it becomes obvious that the Jeep brand name and logo were deliberately blurred out. This scene consisted of one continuous shot and would have surely generated high recall from viewers if Jeep was not displaced by the show’s unbranding efforts.

An Analysis of 30 Rock’s Slanket Occurrence

My Product Displacement blog was the subject of an AdFreak post which identified Slanket as a real product. Slanket was featured in an episode of 30 Rock in which Tracy Jordan debates presenting it as a gift for his wife. I was not aware that Slanket was an actual product and the predecessor to the now infamous Snuggie. Given all of the attention that Snuggie has received in recent months, I naturally assumed that the Slanket occurrence was another ingenious 30 Rock parody. I’m glad that AdFreak pointed out my mistake because it illustrates my assertion that fictionalized product displacements require audiences to draw upon a shared cultural knowledge. The frequency of Snuggie’s cheesy infomercial became an economic indicator during a period in which networks were forced to slash commercial rates because traditional companies were drastically reducing their ad spending. It was in this environment that the Snuggie sold over 4 million units and emerged as not only a successful business, but a pop culture symbol as well.

Given 30 Rock’s notoriety for parodying products–both fictional (Sabor De Soledad) and fictionalized (WideBalance)–it’s understandable that viewers would mistake Slanket for a fake product. As Emily Nussbaum pointed out in her New York Magazine article about the sitcom’s SoyJoy integration, 30 Rock often leaves viewers wondering whether products are real or not. The show, which held brand integration deals with Snapple, Verizon and NBC’s parent company, General Electric, has been criticized for its ubiquitous use of product placements. Most recently, Tina Fey came under fire after McDonald’s was heavily featured during a Valentine’s Day episode.

What made the Slanket occurrence so memorable and funny was Liz Lemon wearing the robe and blurting out, “It’s not product placement, I just like it” in an obviously very tongue-in-cheek response to critics. Although the Slanket is indeed a real product, because Snuggie situated itself in our national consciousness, it ultimately functions as a fictionalized product. Afterall, Slanket’s inclusion on 30 Rock emphasizes the robe’s absurdity rather than its necessity. In addition, Slanket’s blatant inclusion and its metafictive reference as a product placement, serves as a way of downplaying 30 Rock’s legitimate brand integration deals as one huge joke that helps the show retain its artistic and comedic integrity. Regardless of whether Slanket was a real product or a fictionalized displacement, it provided viewers with a hyper awareness of brand integrations while also allowing them laugh at how marketing campaigns are executed.

Product Displacements Explained: Part 1

Product displacement typically occurs when a studio or broadcaster want to avoid giving a product/brand free publicity. Displacement is also used when companies refuse to allow their brands and logos from being shown, especially in scenes and story-lines that portray their products in a negative way.

There are TWO types of product displacements I have identified:
1) Fictionalized and 2) Unbranded

Fictionalized
I use the term fictionalized rather than fictional because it’s a verb and implies/emphasizes that action was deliberately taken to “greek” an actual product or brand. There are many fictional brands used in scripted shows such as, Dunder Mifflin in The Office, Krusty-Os and Duff Beer in The Simpsons, Dharma Initiative in Lost, and of course, Acme in Looney Tunes.

Fictionalized brands differ in that they reference actual companies. For example, the characters in Scrubs frequently gather at a coffee shop called Coffee Bucks. The name, decor, menu and logo of Coffee Bucks are obviously modeled after the Starbucks franchise. Fictionalized product displacements are created by referencing recognizable characteristics of real brands. (See TitTat Bar example from My Name is Earl).

Unbranded
Unbranded product displacements use real products in scenes, but the brand names and logos are deliberately and strategically covered up.

There are two ways to unbrand a product:

1) A product can be unbranded digitally in post-production when traces of its logo or brand name are pixelated, blurred or erased. This is considered “digital alteration.” Pixelated brand names and logos are very obvious in music videos and reality shows, but less so in scripted programs. (See Jeep example in Sarah Connor.)

2) When a product is unbranded during on-set filming, it is physically “obscured.” The process of obscuring often times utilizes objects (ex: gaffer’s tape) to displace products. (See Dell example1 and example2 from NCIS).

To unbrand an automobile, the manufacturer’s emblem on the grill or hood of the car is usually popped out and removed. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has great examples of this practice since it had a brand integration deal with Dodge, but utilized a lot of Chevrolet vehicles during chase scenes. (See Chevrolet example1 and example2 in Sarah Connor).

Product Displacements Explained: Part 2 will address product displacements in a more cultural and societal context. Much of the discussion will focus on the use of parody and satire in fictionalized displacements.

Please take a look at my essay “Product Displacements as Catalysts to Engagement.” Also, check out the Product Displacement tumblr for more examples. I have also created a Product Placement Flickr set with a comprehensive selection of screenshots.

How Product Placements Work

Three Methods of Product Placements via: NYT

There’s a great New York Times article that details the integration process of several products into the plots of top-rated programs.  The increasingly popular strategy of weaving brands into shows has drawn attention from the FCC, which is set to decide whether such sponsorship deals should be disclosed during product placement occurances.  (See “FCC to Monitor Product Placements“)  FCC commisoner Jonathan Adelstein suggests the use of on-screen crawls in a minimum-sized font.  What does this mean to IAG?  Stefanie Cliffords

Sitcoms as Venue for Media Research Industry Criticism

I have long stated that sitcoms serve as a venue for media industry criticism because of their use of parody and satire.  I believe that Married With Children started this trend by taking swipes at what market researchers claim to know about audiences and the television ratings system.  In “The Goodbye Girl,” Kelly takes a job at TV World, a television-themed amusement park.  Her job is threatened when she receives “low performance ratings” and three viewer complaints that could lead to “cancellation.”  Her boss is named Mr. Nielsen, which is an obvious reference to Nielsen Media Research. 

The trend of media industry criticism has continued with the ABC season premiere of Scrubs.  At the very end of the episode, J.D. notices an unhappy couple to which Elliot responds, “The Nielsens didn’t like their ratings.”  This was a clever reference to NBC dropping Scrubs from its Thursday night lineup.  With the media and research industry in flux, I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of this creative commentary. 

TNT Going Commercial-Free with Leverage’s Product Placements

 

TNT will premiere its new original series Leverage this Sunday, Dec. 7.  The show, starring Timothy Hutton, will be presented courtesy of heavy in-program placements for Hyundai Genesis, DirecTV and Hewlett-Packard.  The brands have been described as supporting characters and will help drive the show’s plot, demonstrating the evolving, complex and often times, subversive nature of brand integrations. 

Leverage is another indication of the television industry embracing a throwback approach to minimizing production costs by recruiting single sponsors  (think Texaco Star Theater).  This ad model was popular and successful during television’s early years, but with the proliferation of segmented audiences, it seems extremely risky especially if a program generates less than desirable ratings.  General Motors recently partnered with NBC to feature Chevrolet vehicles throughout the short-lived My Own Worst Enemy.  The Camaro and Traverse vehicles didn’t play an important role in the show’s plot, but they served as way to amplify the dichotomy of Christian Slater’s characters/split personalities.  As Brian Stelter illustrates in this NY Times article, when a product-heavy show is canceled, the marketing campaign is as well.  Click here for images of product placements in My Own Worst Enemy.   

TNT and its advertisers hope Leverage dodges the proverbial cancellation bullet by attracting an engaged audience through various integrated marketing campaigns.  In addition, TNT has launched interactive features like LeverageHQ.com where viewers can join the Leverage team, complete missions related to the plot and compete to win $100,000.  Hyundai seems to have a lot riding on the program.  Dodge has also sponsored limited-commercial programming with Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, in which its Ram truck has been heavily featured in the show.  Click here for images of product placements in Sarah Connor.  

 via: Commercial Alert

What’s in a Name? Flip Video

I posted the following comment on Rob Walker’s Murketing blog. 

In reference to Flip Video, I’m surprised there hasn’t been any discussion over its name. “Flip” is a derogatory term for Filipinos and I know the product’s name is in reference to how the USB device flips out, but I’m just a little surprised that there has never been any uproar over its name. Don’t get me wrong, I love the name and the camera, but I just wonder if at any point during the development process, if anyone stopped to think that it might be offensive. The name could have really backfired (think Chevy Nova).

I would like to add that what interests me most about Flip Video’s name is the lack of a backlash that could have potentially turned very ugly for Pure Digital Technologies, the company that owns Flip products.  Given all the means of broadcasting discontent on a multitude of social media outlets, I’m surprised that no one expressed any outrage or criticism.  Johnson & Johnson recently pulled a Motrin ad after one mother complained about it on Twitter.  The ad, seen here, is not overtly offensive, but it struck a nerve with several mothers leading to the pharmaceutical giant to issue apology after apology.

The ad was on the Motrin website for 45 days before receiving a storm of negative attention. Flip Video, in comparison, has been on the market since May 2007, but, as far as I know, not one discussion over its potentially controversial name has emerged. In a response to my comment, Rob Walker stated that he hadn’t come across anything about Flip’s name in regard to race and he even wrote an article about the digital camera in his Consumed column for New York Times Magazine.

I’m sure when Pure Digital Technologies was bringing Flip Video to market, it copytested Flip ads through the roof, yet the name still managed to slip by.  As I noted in my comment, I’m well aware that the name describes the built-in USB arm and is not meant to be offensive in anyway.  The term “flip” is not disparaging to a minor sub-culture, but rather, it is a hateful, derogatory word geared towards an entire race of people.  So, how is it possible that nobody has yet to express their concern?  I’m curious to know whether people have reached out directly to Pure Digital Technologies over this issue and if so, what their response was. 

 

Married With Children Finds a New Home on TBS

I have almost every released season of Married With Children on DVD, but I still preferred watching episodes on F/X because they included the signature “Love and Marriage” theme song.  F/X stopped broadcasting reruns midsummer, but TBS has picked up the slack and began airing the show in September.  SpikeTV also purchased rights to MWCand the two cable networks agreed on timeslots to broadcast the sitcom.  According to Sitcoms Online, MWC is the only new show TBS has purchased for 2008.  SpikeTV and TBS have rights to the show for five years, so we’ll be seeing a lot more of the dysfunctional Bundy family.       

In addition to being the greatest sitcom ever created, MWC has a global appeal and is a highly profitable and marketable license property.  Click here for a NYT  article discussing MWC’s popularity in Russia. 

MWC’sairdates on SpikeTV are bit unclear, but TBS airs three consecutive episodes of MWC beginning at 5:30am.  I’ve never looked forward to waking up at the asscrack of dawn until now.  WHOA BUNDY!

via: Sitcoms Online

Apple’s iPhone 3G Encourages App Store Sales

With the unveiling of its iPhone 3G and App Store on July 11, Apple is positioned to influence how companies provide mobile services and software to consumers.  Many web-based utilities have been available for free because of ad-supported content, but the launch of the App Store proves users are more than willing to pay for applications such as games, ringtones and GPS.  Because mobile media is so new and even the Internet’s ad-model is highly scrutinized and debated, Apple may prevent mobile marketing from ever leaving the ground.  iPhone users are extremely media savvy although they make up only 0.5% of mobile subscribers, ”Their behavior is a window into the future of mobile media consumption”  (via: Nielsen).  iPhone users are heavy media consumers with considerable spending and word-of-mouth power.

Even though the use of mobile media increased tremendously in 2007 with 87 million subscribers, marketers have yet to figure out a way to profit from their ads.  Mobile marketing only generated $500 million in revenue last year and, many developers do not want to roll the dice and risk coming up craps  (via: Time).  However, in such a segmented media environment mobile remains an excellent way for brands to increase their reach and consumer engagement.  The issue that many marketers fear is the audience resentment, annoyance and backlash that resulted from pop-up ads.  In order to keep up with continuously evolving media usage, marketers have to experiment with ways to communicate with consumers.  Many people would gladly accept the inclusion of ads for mobile applications that entertain and them make life easier.

Not one to let an advertising opportunity slip away, Google is set to enter the mobile industry with Android.  The platform is supported by 30 companies many expect its features to be free and primarily ad-supported.  Google has even invited developers to create applications through the Android Developer Challenge, in which the company is offering $10 million in prizes.  The Apple approach seems more appealing to developers because creators receive 70% of the sales.  A recent Nielsen insight report states, “…leading companies have an opportunity to leverage the capabilities of the iPhone and other media-centric handsets in a way that demonstrates innovation and addresses a market of cutting edge early adopters.”

Mobile marketing presents unique challenges and difficult to measure results, however the monetization model of the landscape may soon be defined by either Apple or Google.  Both are companies that consumers hold in high regard and enjoy interacting with and will surely create dynamic applications.  By the way, where is Microsoft in all of this?

via: “1+1=3: Mobile as an Extension of Traditional Consumer Marketing” available from ARF.

Walmart Unveils a New Logo

No that’s not a typo in the blog title.  Walmart recently replaced its widely recognizable logo and ditched the star and hyphen.  It seems Fox News (along with perhaps other major media outlets) must not have received the memo, because as I began this post, the network flashed a caption that included the hyphen.  The retail monster giant has been plagued by media coverage of its business practices and poor treatment of employees and like many companies concerned with their image and reputation, Walmart is attempting to improve its public perception.  This is quite a feeble and poorly executed attmept I must say.  Branding company Lippincott is reportedly behind the new logo, but this information has yet to be confirmed  (via: Brand New).  I guess the agency doesn’t want to be associated with this mess.  Click here for an artist rendering of a sign to be used at a test store in Memphis.

The rebranding effort will also include the “Save Money. Live Better” slogan, which replaced the long-standing “Always Low Prices” in 2007  (via: Huffington Post).  The old navy blue, sans serif logo was introduced in 1992 and used a five-point star as a hyphen–perhaps for patriotic effect.  Click herefor a Walmart logo timeline.  The color is definitely softer and is meant to represent the company’s supposed commitment to environmental responsibility.  The font is no longer in all caps, which Brand New points out, “…helps humanize Walmart with a name that reads more like John, Albert, Sarah or Wilbur.”  The new design seems to be very Web 2.0 influenced.  Click here to see examples of Web 2.0 typography and let me know what you think.

A press release from Walmart states, “This update to the logo is simply a reflection of the refresh taking place inside our stores and our renewed sense of purpose to help people save money so they can live better,” but does not explain the significance of the asterisk-like starburst.  Brand New commenters have brilliantly compared the starburst to an asshole, which pretty much sums up the suites that run the company. 

On a side-note, I once was deducted a whole grade point for a paper that I wrote about Walmart because I failed to include the hyphen.  Also, the Fox News report on Walmart was about the retailer being named the largest company in the world.  It must have been a slow news day, because I always thought that was common knowledge. 

WPP & GfK Engage in a Tug of War over TNS

Over the past couple of months WPP Group has made three bids to take over market research company TNS.  In May, TNS rejected WPP’s, an ad agency conglomerate, $1.9 billion offer shortly after announcing it was in discussion to merge with GfK  (via: Adweek).  On July 9 WPP placed a $2.2 billion hostile takeover bid for the research firm.  Hours later, TNS ended its merger talks with GfK.  GfK is not backing down though and is raising funds to make counteroffer  (via: Adweek).  And so the battle begins.  It should be interesting!

Bravo and Oxygen Advertise to Advertisers

This Spring I’ve noticed a lot of subway posters for Bravo and Oxygen advertising the quality of their audience.  I’ve spotted these ads, which are obviously aimed at media planners and buyers, all over the NYC subway system; not just in prime media stations like Prince St. or Rockefeller Plaza.  The pictures I’ve posted above were taken at the Forest Hills/71 Ave. station in my Queens neighborhood, which to my knowledge, is not exactly a major hub of planners.  Granted New York is the advertising capital of the world, but it’s a bit unusual to see posters touting high engagement and ROI occupying the same space as ads for movies, radio stations and Skechers. 

I first became aware of Bravo’s “Affluencer” campaign when I saw a banner for it included in a Jack Myers newsletter, which directly targets media professionals.  Soon after, the “Affluencer” ads appeared on almost every major media and marketing-related website just in time for the May upfronts.  The neologistic term “affluencer” was coined by Bravo’s president, Lauren Zalaznic, to describe the network’s highly coveted audience of “affluent” and “influencial” viewers.  It makes sense for Bravo and Oxygen, which are both owned by NBC, to promote their trend-setting audience, but why did the networks create such public ads for all the world to see? 

I don’t think people generally like viewing themselves as rating points or pawns in a greater marketing scheme, but the Bravo and Oxygen ads seem to frame consumerism in an empowering way.  Although geared towards planners and buyers, the posters also help the public identify themselves and define their media habits.  Being described as “engaged” and “cable’s best audience” does wonders for a viewer’s self-esteem and serves to add a sort of creditability to their taste in television.

Ray-Ban Project Colorize

Ray-Ban recently launched a campaign for their new line of Wayfarer sunglasses.  The Project Colorize ads and products were designed by five New York artists (Tara McPherson, Scott Alger, Queen Andrea, Ron English, and Toofly) and have been featured in Marie Claire.  The billboards, which will run in New York, are expected to 16 million impressions each month (via: Adweek).  To kick off the promotion, Ray-Ban sponsored a stunt near Herald Square in which paid actors donned their Wayfarers to stare at one of the billboards (via: Style Wise).  Click here to see a couple of pictures from the event. 

Wayfarers are back in a big way.  I just purchased a pair over the weekend.  Although, I love the Project Colorize styles and was really looking forward to getting the ones designed by Tara McPherson, I opted to get a more subtle color.  Last year, Ray-Ban introduced its Never Hide campaign, which emphasized consumer involvementthrough its online community and gave a lucky few the opportunity to feel like super-models.  If you attended the Project Colorize marketing stunt, please send me pics or tell me your thoughts.  It would be much appreciated!        

Apple Product Placements in Wall-E

It seems Wall-E  has taken product placements to new heights with its many references to Apple.  Pixar, which made the animated film, used to be owned by Steve Jobs (via: NYT’s “Wall-E: An Homage to Mr. Jobs“.  There are many subtle and clever nods to Apple products and SlashFilm.com is currently keeping track of them.  Click here to add to its growing list of Easter eggs.       

During Economic Crunch, Viewers Cancel Cable

Click here to view Mediaedge:cia’s CEO, Lee Doyle discuss the growing trend of consumers canceling their cable service due to hard financial times.  During his presentation at the ARF conference, Doyle notes that “economically challenged” viewers are turning to online video entertainment and no longer consider cable television as a necessity.  He goes on to state that a whopping 40% of commercials are not being fast-forwarded by consumers with DVRs and attributes this to Americans’ “conditioning” to advertisments. 

Doyle pretty much described my television viewing habits to a T.  I watch a lot of television and have subscribed to digital cable and DVR service for years.  Recently, however, I cancelled my Showtime and Starz! subscriptions to save money.  I found that between watching videos online and catching up with my recorded programs, I just didn’t need the extra channels and expense.  Also, skipping ads gets to be kind of annoying and often times I even forget that I’m not watching live TV.  I guess I’m one of those “passive” viewers that Doyle described.

(via: 3 Minute Ad Age: June 27, 2008)

Nike Releasing Back to the Future Marty McFly Sneakers

AHHH!  My jaw just dropped and my heart skipped a beat.  After years and years of anticipation and campaigning from fans, Nike will release the sneakers Marty McFly wore in Back to the Fututre: Part II.  However, the sneakers look NOTHING like the pair seen in the classic film.  There has undoubtedly been a lot of hype about the shoes, but Nike really dropped the ball by making them, as PSFK’s Dan Gould states, “…just a limited edition Hyperdunk that’s inspired by the movie version”  (via: ”Nike To Finally Release Back To The Future Sneaker“).  I feel absolutely cheated. 

I wasn’t expecting the McFlys to tie themselves, after all, it’s 2008 and flying cars are nowhere in sight.  I was however, hoping that Nike would keep the authenticity of the original design.  This is really a “don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining” moment.  My Puma El Roos look more like the McFlys than that slab of leather Nike is set to drop.    

In recent months, HBO has been airing the Back to the Future films, which I’m sure not only increased demand for the sneakers, but also introduced them to an entire generation collectors.  I’m sure many people will be clamoring to get these, but I will not be one of them.  No official release date has been set, but they are expected to hit shelves sometime this Summer  (via: slashfilm.com).    

FCC to Monitor Product Placements

The Federal Communications Commission may begin taking steps to regulate the growing use of product placements on television shows.  According to a World Advertising Recesearch Center report, the FCC wants broadcasters to make it easier for viewers to know when they are being marketed to.  The number of “embedded advertisments” increased 13% in 2007 (via: Reuters) and are commonly seen as a way to reach elusive viewers in a TiVo-filled world.  Currently, programs are only required to disclose sponsors at the end of show, to which commisioner Jonathan Adelstein states: 

  ”You shouldn’t need a magnifying glass to know who’s pitching you. A crawl at the end of the show shrunk down so small the human eye can’t read it isn’t really in the spirit of the law.”  (via: WARC’s “FCC TO REVIEW PRODUCT PLACEMENT RULES“)

A strick ruling from the FCC could require programs to post notices before or after a product placement occurance.  Its unclear how this will be done without disrupting show content or if it will even be welcomed by viewers.  It’s no secret that most marketers have taken to product integrations to improve brand awareness and receptivity.  While the inclusion of real products/brands adds to a program’s verisimilitude, certain tactics can be rather deceptive.  

Product placements are real hot-button issue and marketers and studios have come under fire from not only the FCC and watchdog groups, but the Writer’s Guild of America as well.  For years, the WGA has asked the FCC to regulate the use product placements because it views the weaving of ads into storylines as unethical and impedes on the creative process. 

I worked for a company that monitored engagement with product placements in prime-time shows and have written extensively about the topic in the past.  I can’t wait to see how this develops.          

Uniqlo’s Award-winning Uniqlock Case Study

 Click here to watch a results presentation of Uniqlock, a widget designed to connect bloggers to the Uniqlo brand.  I particularly like the screen-shot of the Google search results for “uniqlock.” 

TBS Promo Invades Your Space

During a recent episode of Family Guy on TBS, Bill Engvall appeared on screen with a remote control and paused the show.  Engvall then proceeds to promote the new season of his show as Family Guy remains frozen in the background.  What the audience didn’t know was that when Engvall appeared, the show had begun a commercial break.  In the past, TBS has wonderfully and seamlessly integrated commercial content into its programming, (the “Very Funny” ad campaigns, for instance) but this time the cable network sought to be deliberately intrusive. 

In his Ad Agearticle, Brian Steinberg states:

TV networks have gotten extremely aggressive with the bottom corners of the screen. Some cable outlets even let pieces of promotional flotsam, known in the industry as “snipes,” rise from the corners and take up the bottom third of the TV screen. More recently, however, these animated promos have become decidedly more intrusive, blocking action as it unfurls on the screen or even competing with spoken dialogue.

Giving the spastic nature of Family Guy, the promo may not annoy people as much as it would if had aired on a show such as Lost, which commands a significant amount of audience attention.  I think viewers will be seeing a lot more aggressive snipes in the future, especially on syndicated shows in reruns where broadcasters may assume that they are already familiar with the content and plot.  The sneaky TBS tactic has already generated quite a bit of discussion, but too bad the effort was wasn’t on such a sub-par show as Bill Engvall.    

AKQA’s Nike PhotoID Mobile Marketing Campaign

AKQA, London’s latest endeavor for NikeiD seeks to take mobile marketing to a new level by attempting to deepen the interaction between the consumer and brand.  NikePhotoiD, the latest service offered by NikeiD, allows users to customize Dunk high-tops on the fly by simply texting an image of their surroundings with a camera phone.  The application then selects the two dominant colors of an image and sends participants an example of a customized sneaker superimposed over the original image they took along with a link to share or purchase their creation.  NikePhotoiD will only be available in Europe, but AKQA is working on expanding the product selections and service to other regions. 

Paulo Tubito, Nike’s Director of Brand Connections, states, “Where past use of MMS in mobile marketing campaigns has typically focused on short-term, one-way interactions between brands and consumers, Nike PhotoiD opens a genuine creative dialogue between the brand and its audience” (via: Contagious).  I’ve always found most mobile marketing attempts to be rather one-dimensional despite being highly user-controlled and initiated.  Although NikePhotoiD includes a viral aspect, I doubt designs will be widely shared on a long-term basis.  Perhaps its because the NikeiD website has such boring color and material selections, but I’ve never enjoyed viewing the sneaker designs of other people.  This really seems like a neat service and when it arrives in the states, I’ll definitely try it out, but it strikes me as nothing more than a gimmick that will lose its appeal after customers satisfy their curiosity.  Ross Cidlowski makes a great point when he wonders if Europeans use cell phones differently and questions whether this campaign will have any significant impact on people’s behavior.   

I love customized sneakers and appreciate how Nike is inviting customers to capture the environments that inspire them.  The creative process, however, is severely limited by the lack of color options and ability to actively design the sneaker.  Perhaps a more effective way for Nike to strengthen its mobile communication with consumers would have been a relaunch of the NikeiD website with better navigation and palettes that allow visitors to create custom colors and patterns.        

 

Mountain Dew’s Dewmocracy In Action

The polls will close at the end of June and a new soft drink will join the Mountain Dew family.  In November, PepsiCo, which owns Mountain Dew, teamed up with WhittmanHart and launched an exceedingly interactive ad campaign to revitalize the brand.  The campaign consists of several phases where players of an online game design their own Mountain Dew drink.  The user-generated beverages were then narrowed down to three flavors (Supernova, Voltage, Revolution) and are currently being sold for a limited time.  The packaging instructs customers to visit Dewmocracy.com and vote for their favorite flavor.  It goes without saying that Mountain Dew is playing off of the excitement of the national elections and even displays results from each state. 

“Dewmocracy” is the first large-scale web marketing campaign by Mountain Dew that targets teens and Millennials, who have grown up with the Internet.  In 2007, the brand ended its highly-successful “Do the Dew” and “extreme sports” approach to end being labeled as an energy drink like Red Bull.  Ending its long-time partnership with BBDO and opting to collaborate with WhittmanHart has so far demonstrated impressive results.  The agency has incorporated many opportunities for consumers to be entertained and collaborate into the media it created.  The “Dewmocracy” website in particular contains experiential features where visitors can post messages and create there own 20-second campaign commercials to share on their social-networking profiles. 

In addition to the website and multi-player game, WhittmanHart created a 4-minute short filmto provide “Dewmocracy” with a back-story.  The power to design a drink is framed as an act of defiance against evil corporations seeking to eliminate people’s freedom to make their own choices.  This sort of rhetoric that addresses cynicism toward corporations is similar to how Mountain Dew appealed to “Gen Xers” in the 90s and will likely make the campaign a success.  Although members of “Dewmocracy” may not view themselves as full-fledged counterculturalists, they look for outlets of self-expression and the site provides exactly that.  In March, WhittmanHart reported ”Dewmocracy” drew 70,000 visitors that spent an average of 26-28 minutes on the site. 

To promote the three flavors, PepsiCo has been giving customers free bottles and 12-pack cans at several supermarket chains.  I’m sure the soft-drink giant is hoping to get people hooked on a particular flavor and so they will visit Dewmocracy.com and become brand ambassadors campaign supporters.  Overall, the interactivity of Mountain Dew’s new marketing strategy is top-notch and engaging.  Voting-centered ad campaigns seem to be popular and enjoyed by consumers.  In 2003 and 1995, M&Ms drew a lot of attention and participation when the company asked customers to select a new color for its candy.     

Coolhunting Interview w/ Converse Creative Director Scott Patt

This interview with Scott Patt reminded me of the little known fact that Converse is owned by Nike.  In it, Pratt states his job as CD entails ”ensuring our product continues to represent the iconic and authentic nature of the brand.”  Throughout its history, Chuck Taylor All-Stars have been embraced by greasers, punk rockers and other sub-cultures, which led to the shoe emerging as an “anti-establishment” symbol.  Until recently, Chuck Taylors were the kicks people wore in protest of the mainstream and Nike’s use of sweatshop labor.  Despite its iconic status, Converse experienced lagging sales during the late 90s and was purchased by Nike for $305 million in 2003. 

In a very smart strategic move, Nike avoided “beaverizing”Converse and instead allowed the company to operate as a separate entity, but changed its marketing and sales approach.  Much like other sneaker companies, Converse established customer loyalty by becoming part of culture.  Through customization options, new colors and styles, Nike capitalized on Converse’s brand equity and introduced Chucks to new audiences without compromising its symbol as a form of expression. 

Patt refers to Converse as an art brand and states, “…the All Star itself is the greatest mobile blank canvas ever created, next to the classic white t-shirt”  (please read my Threadless piece).  Even though Chucks have gone “mainstream” and are made by what many people view as an evil corporation, Converse is poised to maintain its fan-base, because its design and marketing teams seem genuinely in-tune with the company’s history and customers.

I’m so gonna illegally download your movie Sarah Marshall

I must confess, I was a little amused when I spotted a subway poster that read, “You do look fat in those jeans Sarah Marshall.”  My head did turn when I saw another declaring, “My mom always hated you Sarah Marshall” further down the platform.  I’m not the least bit ashamed to admit that I logged on to ihatesarahmarshall.com as soon as I arrived at work even though much of my curiosity was diminished when I noticed the MPAA rating.  It was that moment I realized I was tricked!  These scribblings weren’t some poor sucker’s way of dealing with a bad breakup, a cheating girlfriend, an itchy STD, or all of the above.  Nope, they were the latest addition of viral campaigns sweeping the marketing industry. 

Even though the Forgetting Sarah Marshall campaign is generating a lot of buzz from ad execs and audiences alike, it misses the mark on many levels.  The website/blog for example, provides way too much information and makes me long for a case of magnesiaamnesia.  You don’t have to be the swiftest deer in the forest to figure the film’s premise or predict which way its humor will blow.  Also, compared to the simple billboards, the site comes across as overdone.  The potential interactivity of the site is negated by how visitors are bombarded with youtube clips and unable to leave comments.      

Overall, my biggest complaint about the campaign is its tranparency.  It had so much potential to hook audiences and create genuine curiosity and word-of-mouth.  Seeing these ads, I can’t help but think about the 2006 Cartoon Network billboards featuring phrases such as, “I pooted” or “My boogers itch.”  There was no hint of a URL to a gaudy website on these ads.  Instead, they were shrouded in mystery and required observers to Google the terms or wait a couple of weeks before characters and the CN logo were revealed.  There’s a lot to be said for discovery; it gives people a sense of knowledge and accomplishment that spoon-fed information fails to provide.  While web content and an online presence is quickly becoming a part of many marketing strategies, it’s important to prevent all the bells and whistles and streaming video from becoming too much too soon.  By its very nature, the Internet is already an interactive and viral medium, so perhaps the most captivating and memorable experiences are the ones people participate in creating themselves. 

Project Apollo Fails to Take Off

 

I’m sure the above title will be overly used and isn’t that original, but I couldn’t resist.  Despite having invested $45 million in a single-source measurement attempt, Nielsen and Arbitron have decided to end their Project Apollo program.  The endeavor (another cheesy space reference) began in 2005 with a $20 million investment by Proctor & Gamble and was slated to track 50,000 households.  However after supposed “infighting, politicking, brink-teetering and corporate footdragging,” the January 2006 pilot only covered 5,000 homes.  Project Apollo was slated to be the first national research service to track media consumption both in and out of the home.  Although the information the program could have provided would please any marketer looking to create more effective campaigns, Project Apollo failed to secure enough clients. 

It goes without saying that as the media environment continues to become even more complex, cross-platform data will, as Linda Dupree (Arbitron’s Executive Vice President, Portable People Meter, New Product Development) stated, “bridge the divide of marketing strategy and media planning.”  The media industry is drastically changing and although Project Apollo was positioned to provide the marketplace with the much coveted single-source data, perhaps the concept was lightyears (sorry, another space reference) ahead of its time.  Audience measurement has turned into an extremely competative business, and with the likes of TiVo, DirecTV and Google throwing their hats into the ring, marketers may feel safer investing in the specialized data these companies offer. 

The Kool-Aid Man has a foot fetish

Reebok couldn’t release a decent pair of sneakers if the instructions were written on the heel.  The company’s latest attempt at whetting the palates of sneaker collectors is an ill-conceived collaboration with Kool-Aid.  Their line of Kool-Aid scented sneakers, which are available in grape, cherry, and strawberry, was released earlier this month.  For the burgeoning fashion victims fashionistas that enjoy coordinating their outfits, matching hoodies, hats and t-shirts are available and will most likely be hitting the clearance rack the second they’re unloded off the truck. 

If these sneakers were geared towards children, I’d forgive the bright colors and figure Reebok is capitalizing on their love of sugary, artificially flavored drinks.  However, the Kool-Aid kicks are part of the company’s 2008 “Your Move” campaign, which tries way too hard to portray Reebok as a brand that embraces individuality.  Granted, I’m not all that familiar with Reebok or its products, but I have seen a couple of its recent spots, and I must say, the ads are definitely lacking authenticity. 

Reebok is obviously trying create a space for itself among sneaker heads, but it fails to realize sneaker-collecting culture was created by the consumers.  Nike, Adidas and Puma know this and are able to make campaigns that come across as collaborative, not phony.  Another reason why Reebok will never be fully embraced by collectors is its lack of a solid brand identity and history.  Several years ago it rebranded itself as RBK, a move that reminds me of KFC’s disturbing (and somewhat true) urban legend.  It’s really hard to establish a long-term relationship with a company that undergoes identity crises and encourages shoe-sniffing. 

adidas Brand Coach

 

I saw the following job posting while browsing NYU’s CareerNet.

Employer:	cip marketing Corporation
Division:	East
Title:	adidas Brand Coach
Description:	Objectives: adidas America and cip Marketing Corporation have partnered to create an exciting opportunity for students. As one of the leading brands in the world, adidas is aware of the value of the relationship with retailers and consumers. We are looking for students to assist in our mission to inspire adidas retailers and consumers. Students who can inspire by sharing the passion, authenticity and innovations of the adidas brand.Duties and Responsibilities: Must be a self starter with strong self management skills. Must have flexibility to work with short time lines in a fast-paced environment. • Ensure sell-through of adidas products • Increase Accounts’ Sales Associates knowledge of and passion for adidas products, marketing initiatives and technologies • Brand representative at events
Qualification:	• Above average MS Office skills • Excellent communication, presentation skills and ability to interact at all levels within an organization • Ability to lift 60 lbs • Ability to travel within Metro area

cip is currently handling several retail and event projects for Adidas.  It seems as though Adidas is looking to engage retailers as well as consumers, thus adding a whole new level to its marketing strategies.  It really impressive to see how in a relatively short time Eric Liedtke has managed to revitalize the company’s image after its declining sales in the late 90s.  I might apply to the job; Lord knows gambling debts don’t pay off themselves and I’m not one to welsh on a bet.   

My Adidas!

A lot has been going down in the world of Adidas and being an avid sneaker collector, I’m excited!  Following a month-long renovation, the Originals store in SoHo reopened during Fashion Week and set the stage for the company’s new Celebrate Originality campaign.  To promote the launch of the redesigned store, a giant adidas Originals shoebox was placed on Broome St.  Adidas, 180 Amsterdam and Hill & Knowlton have been generating a lot of buzz over their viral and interactive marketing strategies, which includes the release of an animated film about Adi Dassler on YouTube and implementing various blogger/social-networking outreach methods. 

The Celebrate Originality campaign introduces the miOriginals concept, which allows customers to design their own sneakers through interactive, in-store workshops.  According to Andrea Corso, an Adidas spokesperson, “It’s special for Originals because it’s now making this design component available to more consumers with more products and turning it over to them so they can bring their creative to life.” During a time in which people do not only consume, but rather render brands and products as part of themselves, the new Adidas campaign will most likely succeed.  Adidas introduced sneaker customization–a phenomenon that has proved successful for both Nike and Puma–in 1984 with the release of it Adicolor products.  Through the use of a brand model that treats customers as active, creative partners and participants, sneaker companies function much like a culture. 

Adidas has embraced the promotion of digital media and interactive events in the past.  In 2006, the company created several short films on YouTube for each color in its re-released Adicolor series.  For this campaign, Adidas opened a secret showroomin NYC’s Chinatown that prompted a lot of online discussion over its location.  To compliment a website it created for user-generated content, Adidas put up white billboards that encouraged people to tag them with graffiti. 

With a new Atelier retail design and special section in its stores for customers to relax in and be inspired, Adidas is not merely executing their latest advertising campaign.  Celebrate Originality serves as an example of how companies are seeking to increase brand loyalty and engagement by using marketing methods that encourage experiences. 

Funny Ads

I’m thinking about doing a Funniest Ad post every week.  This Lay’s Potato Chips ad originally aired in January.  Whenever I hear the words, “baby I want you…baby I need you,” I literally run to my TV to watch it.  I’m not sure what agency worked on it, but it is by far more entertaining than any spot that aired during the super bowl.  There’s also been quite a bit of on-line discussion about the actress’ resemblance to Natalie Wood.  Personally, I don’t see it, but regardless, the look on her face at the end is priceless!