The Marketing Mix

Who Needs An Agency? - The Apple Iphone Ad

Here is an ad for a product that does not yet exist, created by people who don't work for Apple.  So, here's my question - how long can an agency model that supplies a few creatives per brand hold up against an army of willing idea contributors with access to cheaper and easier modes of production than were ever available before?

How about a virtual advertising agency - that employs no creatives, but just puts jobs out there for bid and waits for hundreds people to respond with great ideas.  That way, the client could get exactly what they want (by selecting from a variety of creative options, instead of one or two storyboards), and the quality of content probably improves.  I'm probably not thinking this through all the way, so let's discuss...

Nougatocity is not a suburb of Peanutopolis

Being a lifelong fan of Nougat, I couldn't help but chuckle at the new Snickers ad campaign that uses neologisms mixed with their famous logo architecture to highlight some of Snickers product attributes.  However, I do agree with Tom Sherman's post that the copywriting could have been better.

This HAS been done before on all matter of funny t-shirts with other brands (not to mention Wacky Packs trading cards), and I guess if we assume that the only people that are wearing those funny t-shirts are subversive youth, then maybe it works.  Although I doubt that this campaign is targeted towards moms or boomers.

Topping it all off, some of the messages have been misinterpreted.  For example, I heard a coworker talking about Nougat-O-City, which may be a suburb of Peanutopolis, rather than the intended pronounciation, which I presume should be Nougat-ocity. 

But I guess if people are talking about it, the campaign is doing what it's supposed to.

How to Be Creative

I have quite a few friends who tell me they wish they were more "creative".  Some go as far as labeling themselves "not creative".  For them, and for everyone else that wants to create, but lacks the confidence the energy or the inspiration, the "How to Be Creative" manifesto from Change This written by Hugh MacCleod is really worth reading.

Working with Designers (and other creative people)

If you work in a corporate marketing function, you probably work (or will) with agency creatives on things like packaging design, advertising, etc.  The tips for working with designers on Seth's Blog are very relevant, and apply across all creative disciplines.  I especially like Item number 8.

• You don't know a lot about accounting so you don't backseat drive your accountant. You hired a great designer, please don't backseat drive here, either.

Too often, freshly minted MBAs (me included) come to a new marketing role thinking that the way they are going to make their mark is by questioning every little point, color selection, and design decision made by agency creatives.  Unfortunately, things all go terribly wrong (for the person nit-picking) when a junior marketer starts picking work apart in meetings.  I learned quickly that this was not the way to go, and learning to trust the creatives literally changed my relationships and credibility with our agency partners overnight.

The lesson here is that if you want great creative, trust the creatives to bring it.  If you are frustrated with not being able to copywrite every line of that ad for your brand, or you want to change the color just because red is your favorite, quit your job and go become a copywriter or an art director.  And if you do really feel the need to add value to the work, at least become conversant in the language (I agree with the post, Before and After Magazine is a great start).

Tom Peters Loses His Cool - But For Good Reason

I love this post from Tompeters.com.  Tom gets in the face of a GM worker, and tells the truth.  No merger will save GM or any other company in the U.S. auto industry if they continue to fail to deliver products that consumers are enthused about.  Synergies are usually about cost savings, and as we all know, cost savings can only help so much if you make products that no one is interested in.

Great Presentation Images

I've been looking for images lately for a bunch of presentations I'm working on, and came across this helpful list of image sources at Presentation Zen.  If you're visually inclined at all, it might be worth abandoning the typical 10 bullet points per page of Arial 12 and going with something more arresting to get your message across.  That is, if you boss doesn't label you "too creative" as a result and sends you off to work at an ad agency.

Let's all give it the old college try and come up with some presentations that are actually worth looking at and hearing.

I'll never wear red again...

I saw this great picture and caption on Seth's blog.  So True

Of course, I fancy myself as the guy in the back wearing blue (can't see him), but I'm sure we all think this way (which kind of proves the point again, doesn't it?)

Campaignable - The Real Men of Genius Ads

Is Campaignable a word?  Regardless, many of us are looking for campaignable ideas in advertising.    My friend Tara passed along this link to the "Bud Light - Real Men of Genius" Ads, which have been running since 1999.  These things are great, over 100 executions, and still going strong. 

Don't know if they sell any more beer, but they're probably great for some ad guys career.

Google Trends - Cool Tool

After reading Seth's and Steve Rubell's posts today, I just had to do some Google trending of my own:

1.  Gatorade is still dominating Powerade and Vitamin Water

2.  The Cubs are more popular than the White Sox

3.  Lucky Charms is beating the pants off of Cap'n Crunch and Froot Loops

Highly addictive...

We hate your idea...But we're launching it

During the summer of 2003, I spent a few months as an intern in the Ford Motor Company marketing leadership program.  My big project was "communicating dependability" and one of my more off the cuff recommendations was to partner up with the Ironman Triathlon and do a special edition vehicle with Ironman licensing (similar to what Timex has done very successfully for 20 years).  After they were done chuckling, they people I suggested this to said that such an idea would take too long to implement. 

Well, four years later, I look at Ironman.com, and to my surprise and bewilderment, there it is! The 2007 Limited Edition Ford Ironman Explorer  This is, of course, after Ford told me they wouldn't offer me full time employment because I was "too creative for a role in marketing at Ford".

No, I'm not bitter, and it's entirely possible (more like probable) that someone else came up with this idea on a parallel path and never knew that I said anything, but it's nice to have contributed, whether I got credit or not.  I would have done it a bit differently though, had they asked for details...