Total Gibberish and the Geniuses that Use It

There is a guy who sells food for a diner down the street from our offices. I say it in these vague terms because I have absolutely no idea what this guy is selling. I know he is out there, day and night, yelling about the special deals the shop has that day. But what he is yelling…it’s not words.

It’s not another language either. It’s total and complete gibberish, a la Don Vito of Viva la Bam fame, or recently that guy on (edit: Mr. Wise) I Love New York 2 who cannot speak english.

But yet somehow…it just works. People actually take samples off the platter he shoves in your face, samples which look a little bit like 2 week old bagel bites covered with cheese sauce. He hands flyers out by the dozen, while others struggle to get a few tourists to take their pieces of paper.

And he has become an icon around here. In doing a bit of research for this post, I asked around the office, and EVERYONE knew who I was talking about with little or no explanation. Try describing a popular ad placed in the middle of prime time television. Some people know it, but even fewer will know what product it is for. That placement cost millions. This guy, for minimum wage (probably) stands outside a small diner and yells words that are literally not understandable. And people love him.

Does it sell more food? I’m really not sure. But they have created a buzz-worthy character with little to no spending. They could have wasted all their money on a stupid billboard or an ad in the paper. Heck, they could have really beat their marketing campaign to death and posted ads inside the Subway.

But they didn’t, and it’s been a real success. To top it off, their ‘advertisement’ is totally interactive. Not sure he will answer my questions in a real language, but I’m willing to give it a try. That’s marketing genius, brought to you by your local hole in the wall.

image via Flickr member Goran Anicic

Maybe Mr. T is Pretty Handy With Computers

This ad is fantastic. Like the kind that makes you want to go buy the product. The kind that makes you laugh until the guy two desks over asks you to stop. The kind that makes you wish the A-team would get back together for one more reunion special. The kind that makes you…I guess that’s enough.

For anyone who has ever gotten totally obsessed with any game like World of Warcraft, Mr. T portrays the feelings perfectly. And he has probably never played the game in his life. Or any video game, for that matter. I’m pretty sure if T really tried to play a video game, he would smash the controller, console, TV, coffee table, and walls if he got frustrated.

So either he has never played, he has played and is the best player ever, or he has Home Depot on speedial (to repair the holes in the walls, of course). I’m like a quarter of his size, and I’ve put some controller-sized holes in walls after a frustrating game of Madden.

Anyway, the spot is great, better even than the Toyota Tundra WoW spot. Please enjoy.

kudos to Kotaku for the heads up

More Than Popcorn

Brandweek just released in a report that in-theater advertising has experienced a 15% increase since 2005. I’ve never really thought much about in-theater advertising, but clearly it will increase in popularity and importance with film budgets ballooning and the threat of busts increasing.

The truth is, we have become pretty darn good at picking a flop when we see it. Sure, some well received movies still flop (see Shawshank Redemption and Grindhouse as my favorites) but we’re rarely fooled by junk such as The Heartbreak Kid (Ben Stiller seriously needs a new character type) and the biggest loser, The Adventures of Pluto Nash.

But another part of the problem is, we just aren’t as motivated to head out to the movies with the ticket prices still rising. I know if I’m borderline on a movie, or just don’t feel like making the time, I’ll wait for the DVD. And even then, if a friend says it sucked then I won’t even put in that much effort.

So the challenge then is to drive people to the theater. Make the experience memorable, and customers will go and line up during opening weekend. Give them an added on performance to go along with the movie, and maybe they will be happy to shell out the $30-$40 it can cost to have a date at the movies.

I’m not a marketing genius, but I do know that studios are shelling out millions to place their movies in every available media slot and open space outside of the theater. I literally just watched “The Comebacks” sponsor a spot in the intro to the ALCS game four. And I know Transformers was sponsoring NFL football this weekend (now where was the tie-in there?)

But then you arrive at the movie, and there is no special effort to connect. There is no reason to show up before the previews. If the only experience is the movie, then why NOT just wait for the DVD and watch it in your own home? Save some of the millions from stuffing your movie down our collective throats. With the power of the Internet, we’ve been reading about your movie for months. And even if we haven’t, the local paper and news reviews your movie before it opens.

I think some of the movies coming up have incredible potential. Slash Film, an awesome preview and review film blog, recently posted their 55 Must See Movies of 2008. Movies like Cloverfield, Be Kind Rewind, Jumper, and of course Iron Man look like sure-fire hits. Couple the movie with something unique, some free schwag, something that says, “we gave a damn that you specifically came to the movie.” I’m thinking a glossy book of pictures from shooting, or a comic that supports the storyline. The more interest the movie studio shows, the more we as viewers will return.

In the end, the movies can be a welcome escape for a lot of people. The movies captivate our attention in the way few other things do (sports and musical performances come to mind). But with the expansion of the home theater, it takes something extra to get us to choose the movies for our night out. But as the numbers show, in-theater advertising is a channel that has serious growth potential, both economically and creatively.

UPDATE: The Movie Blog author John has written an article on why commercials before movies are worse than piracy. Makes it even more important to have a relevant, creative, well connecting idea for marketing to filmgoers.

Rabbits are Awesome!

Just saw the new Sony Bravia ad, it’s awesome. It’s had so much hype and build up, I can’t believe that it totally delivered. I really enjoyed it, I think you will too. The graphics and music are really fun and work together so well.

Great for Sony, I hope this results in a whole bunch of sales so we can see more ads like this!

Also, here’s the “making of” they did on this commercial – so inspiration for somebody like me (and you too):

Open Letter to Ad Execs, re: TV Sponsorships

This is a bit of an ongoing series, as I try to understand the bone-headed moves some ad campaigns make. To read my first installment, on eBay’s “windorphins” and advertising on the NYC Subway, click here. Today, I’m going to tackle TV content sponsorships: where they are now, and where I think they should head in the future.

I was watching Top Chef the other day, one of my favorite shows on TV. For any of you who live under a rock, Top Chef runs on Bravo on Wednesday nights. The finale of Season 3 is this week. The series pits chefs against each other in a series of challenges to determine one “Top Chef”.

When the chefs arrived at their ‘quick fire’ challenge, they were greeted by not a chef, but a Bombay Saffire mixologist. What the heck? The challenge here was to create a dish to go with a mixed Bombay Saffire drink. There were huge Bombay logos everywhere in the kitchen, and the different flavors of Bombay were extensively covered during the challenge. It was then I realized…Top Chef has sold out.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love the show, I still love the content. But this type of sponsorship is a slippery slope. When the sponsors, and not the producers, have the control of the challenges in the show, the show takes on a completely different (and commercial) tone. Judges lose their power as sponsors begin to chose who stays and who goes on the show. The entire premise of the show begins to fall apart as it sells it’s soul to commercial sponsorship.

This is nothing new for Top Chef. They have been touting “the Glad family of products” and the “Kenmore Elite” kitchen the chefs work in since day 1 of the series. But this season they have turned a completely new corner. Failed TV chef Rocco Dispirito brought his new line of frozen meals to this season, with a spot during EVERY commercial break, and an episode where he acts as guest judge. I really enjoyed the “breakfast” challenge episode, except for how many times Padma referred to the Breville blenders the chefs were using.

This blatant, over-the-top type sponsorship is to me not only a growing problem, but a total waste of money. Oh, I believe in sponsorships, but it has to be done right. Did sponsoring ‘24′ increase sales for Ford or Toyota? Not in a way that rationalizes all the money they spent on it. And it definitely wasn’t worth it for us 24 fans, who had to watch the Ford trucks logo pushed into our faces again and again.

Obviously this onslaught of branded entertainment is not worth it, nor is it going away. Instead, agencies have to find a way to support the content of the show, not alter or disrupt it. And just stop pushing it our faces already! Subtle sponsorship and support of content can go a long long way.

It seems to say somewhere in the “sponsorship handbook” that if you sponsor a program, you have to shove it down consumers throats or they will forget. It’s just not so.

The introduction of blog buzz has made that strategy obsolete. Instead, a subtle underlying sponsorship can reap you huge benefits as bloggers spread word about your supportive action and how it helped the event/content happen.

Take Top Chef for example. The sponsorships they have are relevant, they are just too blatant. If instead of mentioning Breville blenders a million times, let the consumer be the one to ask. Let them get on the blogs or forums and say, “man, I want one of those blenders! Where can I get one?” Let Tom Colicchio, a trusted source and head judge of Top Chef, provide an HONEST review of your knives, or blenders, or other products. Which you provided to the show, free of charge.

I know after every episode of the Sopranos or Entourage, I would go online to find out what music was playing in that episode. There are more consumer touch points to reach the target than just in the middle of the show itself. A smart sponsor will find where they can assist the participants or the viewers and position themselves there. Relevantly.

Whatever you do, make the media where the sponsorship is inherently interactive. I mean make it on a blog, a forum, somewhere where the viewers can provide their honest feedback. Making the consumer seek it out, instead of shoving it in their face, makes them more likely to remember your brand and brand message.

I know, it’s harder and requires more thought than just throwing a bag of money at a show. This is supposed to be the challenge of our business. But don’t be afraid to try and be creative with your sponsorships, then let the show itself and the bloggers do the work. Watch your brand message spread quicker than any ad campaign could, and you are doing a good deed in the process!

Have other examples of good sponsorships? Feel free to comment below and tell us about them!

Flickr images provided by Pan-Ga’s Photos and FngKestrel. Thanks a lot!

Ecko Truck Spotting

When I was walking down 23rd street the other day with Marisa, we walked by a huge truck being parked. It looked kinda like a modified Hummer and was covered with Ecko logos.

Here are the pictures I snapped off quickly. The truck was apparently promoting Vote756.com, where Marc Ecko is letting the public choose what happens to Barry Bond’s record-breaking home run ball. Dunno what he did with the truck, but its pretty sweet looking, and right after the pics I snapped a small crowd starting gathering around it. That’s an easy way to build buzz huh?

I’m pumped to be able to bring you my first self reporting! Much more to come.

Thinking About It

The new ads by Hyundai are pretty interesting. I first read about it over at Three Minds and I agree with most of what they wrote. These ads are very well shot, very uncluttered, and almost soothing on the eye. I’m not crazy about “think about it” as a tag, but I understand what they are aiming for. Hyundai wants to compete in the crowded car industry, and wants people to “think about” what car they buy, not just blindly choose from the big brand options that are laid out before them. This kinda reminds me of the Saturn debut ads that won all kinds of awards years ago. “A different kind of company, a different kind of car” is much better than “think about it”, but the idea is much the same.

Automotive ads have been the center of several of my posts. I think its safe to say that for a long time, really bad car ads dominated the industry. In some ways, this is still true. Billy Fucillo has become a cult figure on the East Coast, mostly for the millions of dollars he spends on amazingly annoying ads. But there is a “wind of change” (always wanted to say that). It really started with the BMW Films years ago, which I believe were designed by Fallon.

Increasingly, car ads have trended towards the ‘film’ category. Aiming to make cinematic beauty. This obviously is much more exciting to watch in both printed and video advertisements. A great example is the “Go Beyond” ad by Land Rover. I wrote an entire post on it here. I’m not much a numbers researcher, but I would love to know the effect these ads have had on car sales. Because although we might enjoy the ad, if it doesn’t influence behavior in any way, then it was just a pretty film and not much more.

UPDATE: Adrants has posted a Mazda ad that shows everything I hate about automobile advertising. Check it out here and on Youtube

Open Letter to Ad Execs re: windorphins

This is a post that most surely will be edited, revised, re-written, added on to, addendum-ed, fixed, etc. in the months to come. Basically, this was the catch-all title for my rants on different topics. Today’s topic (well, I’ve been thinking about it for the last few days) is advertising on the MTA, or the New York City Subway.

So let’s begin with what I, and no doubt everyone around me on the subway, hate. WHY oh why is every inch of most trains covered in the exact same ad? Just yesterday I rode on the Justin Timberlake train, followed by the Budweiser train, and then finally the hated Windorphins train.

Seriously, I hate these Windorphins. No idea what they are, and don’t want to know (although if you do, fellow blogger Syposphere did some research). I just want them gone.

I would probably be hooked, or interested, if the ad wasn’t played to death all over the train. Maybe one ad on the train, maybe two to be sure and cover most of the car. But every single panel? What is the advantage of that? Haven’t any of you ever ridden on the train for more than 5 minutes? You do a lot of looking around, and not just at the people (that gets creepy fast) you really DO look at the ad panels. So change it up a bit (and not just the already annoying copy).

But note what I said there – I DO look at the ads. I do notice them. So the Subway is a good place for ads – no, its a great place for ads. There I am, stuck in a train, listening to some music and just looking around for a good 30 minutes. I am ready to be inundated with advertising messages. But for the love of Mike Staub can you make them interesting? (or at least humorous, as this was)

It’s incredible (but not necessarily surprising) to me when a singular individual, with a tiny tiny ad budget, does better advertising than most professionals in the subway. A few days ago someone had posted their rap group’s flyer over the Justin Timberlake ads. All the flyer included was the name of the group, a website, and then the copy: “(famous rapper) would approve!”

That was it. Was it great advertising? No. Do I remember the group name or the website. No. But someone probably did, and it cost them nothing to make a few hundred paper copies of their flyer. I wish I had taken a picture to provide.

So what can a company do to make an impact in the MTA. Well, a long long while ago I covered a great example of just that (read that post here). The short answer is, make the experience memorable, make it innovative, or give the commuters something to smile about and take with them the rest of their day. ANY of those would work, and a combination just makes it better. And none of those are particularly hard with some thinking.

So don’t just take the JT ad from the magazine, stretch it to fit the subway panel, then send it out. Nope, that sucks.

Instead, create a new concept for this media, base it on the same big idea and appearance, and send it out. Or, if you are going to completely inundate subway riders with your ad content, make it interactive. I was riding yesterday and thinking…what if Allstate replaced subway seats with giant hands…”you’re in good hands…” Run that for a month on a few select train cars, get people laughing, giggling, taking and sending their friends pictures. Then, when the event is over, put brand new benches in the hands’ place. This provides a lasting benefit for the riders – and believe me they won’t quickly forget that.

And yeah, you are going to weird some people out. You might annoy some. But as long as your advertising isn’t inherently annoying like the windorphins, you are good in my book.

Or how about a ski mountain ad running above the swinging hand holds over the seats? Unlucky people who are stuck holding them will appear to be taking a ride up to the top of a mountain. Have I designed it? No, but someone can. Replace the handles with ski grips and you are good to go. A water skiing school or wakeboard gear shop could benefit from this idea as well.

As an industry, we should be working towards making people’s days happier, more enjoyable. Call it a rosy view, but if we all had that as one of our goals, I believe we would be more successful.

I guess the best place to start is getting rid of those damn windorphins.

More links to come over at the scary basement.

iPod Insanity

So I was walking home from work the other day, and all of a sudden…the music stopped. I pulled my iPod out, and much to my surprise, it was still powered up. It was just…frozen. I hit it, shook it, everything that normally does the trick. No such luck. I took it home and planned to fix it later.

So I did everything. I plugged it in to my macbook. I plugged it into my roomate’s macbook. Plugged it into the wall. The PC at work (YUCK). Nothing worked, it was officially dead. I hung my head and hoped and prayed Steve Jobs would save me, as he always has.

Well worry no more people! Apple and Steve Jobs released three new iPods today. Just awesome. I’m still not totally buying the iPod touch, and will probably wait for it the way I will wait for the iPhone, but it is gorgeous to look at.

Since I work with a bunch of Blackberry users, it would be great to have something to walk around with that is functional and beautiful too. I could even pretend to be sending email in meetings while I watch episodes of Three Sheets on my iPod.

So I’m waiting till my next paycheck, then I’m getting myself a gorgeous new 80 GB iPod. Why not the 160 GB, you ask? Well who the heck needs that unless you are commuting to the moon?

FEAST!

I was watching G4 today and the new Snickers commercial came on. I remember reading about it a little while ago, but this was my first time watching it. I don’t know why, but I love it! It’s so simple, so weird, so good!

The tag of Feast is great too. It’s a great way to build a benefit into the tag, and I think “Feast” could work for a while. These characters are crazy, I hope we get to find out more about them in future spots.

The hawaiian flame-guy jumping off the stage is my favorite part. Enjoy.