Traditional advertising gets a little less traditional. Learn More
Google TV Ads is a flexible, all-digital system for buying more accountable and measurable TV advertising. Using the familiar AdWords interface, you can launch a TV advertising campaign in minutes.
Check out this great video on Slate V testing out this new service.
Posted in Design, News, Technology | 172 Comments »
…and the internet killed pretty much everything else.
A recent study conducted by the Chief Marketing Officer Council found that 64% of consumers find that promotional offers account for the bulk of the email and direct mail they receive and that only 41% consider them must-read brand communications. Of the opt-outs, 46% cite relevancy as the primary reason they no longer wish to receive that brand’s messaging. With inbox growth expected to double or triple within the next five years, how can you stay ahead of the curve (or at a minimum catch up)?
The first and last rule of email marketing: Stay Relevant
What do you know about your database? If the answer is “not much” then you have some work to do. Email marketing has evolved to a place where you no longer need to position your brand and message to the lowest common denominator. There’s no longer a need to simply say everything to everyone (and there hasn’t been for a while now) when you can say something to someone. Technology has enabled us to deliver extremely relevant information based on behavioral, demographic and psychographic information. And, most importantly, consumer choice.
Instead of inundating inboxes with branded “stuff” develop your online relationships and truly engage your consumers with meaningful, beneficial and segmented content. Imagine what happens when you take your email marketing to the next level. Increases in open rates and clicks, decreases in opt-outs and spam… what more could you ask for? The added value of this approach not only deepens the relationships you have with your regular users, but has the potential to re-energize and engage your less active users.
PowerPoint at its finest
So where’s the ROI? With the right acquisition and retention programs you build scale. With scale and proper motivation your database is no longer a faceless group of people referred to only in opens and clicks, rather, a powerful resource to leverage at a moment’s notice.
Posted in Thinking | 159 Comments »
There is no doubt in most tech geeks’ minds that Augmented Reality (a video hologram technology that gives computer users the opportunity to interact with 3D images on their monitor, by showing a pre-specified image to their webcam) is cool. It’s been used recently by companies like GE, used to promote movies like Transformers 2 and MOST importantly, by everyone’s favorite singer/guitar god John Mayer, to give you a virtual concert in the comfort of your own home. All that said though, for all the coolness factors associated with it, many, including myself, still can’t decide if it is viable marketing option that will translate into success for the campaigns and brands that it’s used as a backbone for.
In an effort to determine what value Augmented Reality holds for them, McDonald’s and Coke have teamed up and are utilizing it as part of their advertising tied in with the upcoming movie, Avatar. Given the fact that these two brands are huge and the number of people that have webcams is fractional, it will be interesting to see what kind of interaction these AR campaigns get. I definitely give both companies kudos for taking the step into the AR world and am eager to see what the AR content they’ve had developed is like.
I guess in terms of seeing success with this, if people just don’t start running out to by a webcam so they can check out the content, maybe you’ll find one in your Happy Meal or Coke Zero 12 pack.
Posted in Technology | 183 Comments »
Many already know Method (a household cleaning supply company, specializing in natural, non-toxic, biodegradable products), due in part to their cool, minimalist-minded packaging that uniquely helps it stand out on shelf. Some may just know the company from walking through the cleaning products aisle at Target and catching a glimpse. Either way, it’s a product that is already very respectable and cool in my eyes, that I’ve been using in my home for a few years, and it just got even better. Why? Well, they are supporting initiatives called the “Household Products Labeling Acts” that would basically require household cleaner manufactures to list the ingredients in their products. This is good, because I’ve often found myself compelled to read the back of the various bottles of product in this category and never once can I say I remember ever seeing what the heck was in the stuff I’m spraying on my bathroom counter or in my shower. This kind of makes me think there is a general philosophy of ‘See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil” going on. I don’t like this, no sir I don’t.
So, this witty little video from Method struck a chord with me. It’s funny, it makes me think and it most importantly makes me question the safety of what I’m putting in my home and how it might effect me. All this of course, leads up to validating why I buy Method products. If Method markets this video in the right way, I’m sure many others, users and non-users may have the same feelings. Will it help get consumers to support the act and inevitably increase their favorability towards Method and yield sales? We’ll have to see.
One thing is for sure though, these chemical residue bubbles are funny….. but they are also perverts.
Posted in Design, News | 177 Comments »
You have developed an innovative carbonated Omega-3 drink made with fruit and fish oil. You need a commercial, so you go to the nearest big city to meet with the local branch of a giant four-lettered ad conglomerate. They give you this and ask what you think:
Smartfish from Robin Snasen on Vimeo.
What do you say?
Posted in Design | 174 Comments »
So today is the 15th birthday of the advertising industries first banner display ads. They first appeared on Hotwired.com and got a 78% click through rate, unheard of today in times where banner ads are lucky to pull a 0.02% CTR. I guess age has taken its toll on the old banner ads a bit. Creatively speaking they weren’t the best looking ads ever (far from it), but hey, it was 1994 right? Oh well, Happy Birth banner display ads, it’s been an interesting ride so far and I’m sure it will continue to be.
Posted in Design, News, Technology | 189 Comments »
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, I’m not a parent nor plan to be any time soon but if I was, after seeing these Play-Doh ads I’d be sold. This ad from Singapore talks to parents directly to remind them that kids can be creative and have fun with Play-Doh but most importantly, have safe fun.
Posted in Design | 156 Comments »
“1 town. 800 inhabitants. 12 music artists. See how sound made the everyday extraordinary.”
“New Sony Soundville campaign by Cadbury Gorilla creator Juan Cabral. In March 2009 a small town in Iceland was filled with speakers and music from the likes of Death In Vegas, Bob Dylan and the Guillemots. The Seydisfjordur village was turned into an extraordinary sound-system for a week. The objective of the brand is inviting people to believe in experience superior sound and promote the latest audio technologies from Sony, offering an experience never before experienced.”
Posted in Design, Technology | 141 Comments »
CNET reports that “… CBS will be advertising its fall TV season with a video-chip ad embedded in an issue of Entertainment Weekly.” From the official announcement:
“For the very first time, readers can watch video content straight from the printed page via a paper-thin interactive video player…to be inserted into CBS/Pepsi Max ads in select copies of Entertainment Weekly’s Fall TV preview issue.”
The actual ad will be taking the form of a 320×240 rechargeable TFT LCD screen, which can handle about 40 minutes of video and last 65 to 70 minutes on a single charge. With the cost of technology like this and electronic paper coming down, what opportunities could this bring to the world of entertainment and advertising? Instructional video demos showing you how to assemble your modern-style Swedish furniture? Animated cartoons on cereal boxes? Disposable miniature web browsers? The possibilities, it seems, truly are endless.
Keep your eyes peeled for the issue, slated to hit stands September 11th, 2009.
Posted in Technology | 138 Comments »
Brandweek Magazine: Don’t tell Cheech & Chong, but hemp is one of the healthy constituents that French Meadow Bakery is using to build its organic product line to drive growth and sales. (more…)
Posted in News | 184 Comments »