Let's face it, the holidays can be hectic. It's party season. And well, quite frankly, hosting parties is a lot of work! What should you cook, do you have the right napkins, enough plates, and what about decorations? So much to do, not to mention, who's going to watch the kids?! Oye, I'm stressed just thinking about it all. Egad!
But wait, isn't the point of a party to gather and socialize? To entertain and have fun? To hang out with your friends and loved ones?
Heck yeah it is!
In their fall ad campaign, that's exactly what Ikea UK + Ireland wanted to remind people. I watched this ad and happiness washed over me. It's charming, changing (great for holding attention), and there's good tunes to boot. Kids and adults alike can dig this ad. It reminds everyone to use some imagination and have fun- which is perfectly reflected in the mirror.
And for those who found the ad entertaining, there's even some special outtakes with "Darren the Bear."
Enjoy!
The Making of "Playin' With My Friends" with Darren the Bear.
The most effective ads, to my sensibility, are, as a portfolio, the Apple ads. Their incorporation of rock and roll, their suggestion of a Mac being like a great car, their connecting of the Mac and the outdoors and their let-the-Mac-speak-for-itself ethos have all appealed to my sensibility and have made me want to own a Mac. And an iPhone and an iPod and an iPad. I also still have the iSticks speakers I bought for my light blue iMac in 1999. They still work, and they still look great.
However, it's Apple's portrayal within their ads of their product's gracefulness, or 'the marriage of elegance and power,' that really speaks to me.
And the one Apple ad campaign that stands head and shoulders above the rest, and, for me, above any ad, is their The Crazy Ones video - from their 1997 Think Different campaign. It shows black and white images of some of my favorite, and - not coincidentally - some of the most creative thinkers and maverick personalities of our time: Albert Einstein, Bob Dylan, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jr, Richard Branson, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Amelia Earhart, Pablo Picasso, Thomas Edison, Muhammad Ali, Maria Callas, with a voiceover that begins: 'Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers...' The last image is of a young, unknown girl, which speaks volumes. It gives me the chills though out, and makes me well up at the end to this day. The effectiveness of the ad is due to its reminding us to be ourselves, to realize our potential and to not be afraid to be misunderstood. It reminds us to 'think different.' We need the reminder. And the MacBook Pro I'm writing this on helps me to do that.
The Adidas "All In" sticks out in my mind as being one of the most effective at building a brand. Adidas changed their marketing approach in 2011 to reflect where they believe they fit in the marketplace- sports, entertainment and pop-culture.
Instead of following the status quo of sports advertising, Adidas used a youtube video as their primary advertising launch for their All In marketing campaign. My favorite part of the video were the crowd shots that give the affect of what it's like to be in the spotlight. Adidas uses their celebrity sponsors mixed with everyday people. This shows how the brand connects the consumer with their biggest sports and entertainment stars.
I remember thinking how odd it was that Adidas used YouTube to launch their advertisement, looking at it now I think it was genius. The video below is pushing nearly 3 million hits on YouTube. See for yourself and let me know what you think..
I'm sure there are others, but these ads from Subaru stuck
out in my mind as being effective. This video is part of their “Love” campaign.
I've included one video here. This ad didn't go “viral” or make a gigantic
splash in marketing circles (I assume). What it accomplished was creating a
connection with Subaru’s target market. In this case, they are speaking to
parents, which happen to represent a fairly large swath of the U.S. population.
Not everyone likes this commercial, and some even think they
are a ridiculous shift in Subaru’s marketing—even to say that they are trying
too hard to pull at the viewer’s emotional strings. Some think that Subaru is
being emotionally heavy-handed, just to sell more Outbacks and Legacys.
In my opinion, this ad tries to make the viewer relate the
seemingly insignificant but emotionally important times of life that can occur
in a car, and in their opinion, hopefully a Subaru. It doesn't outright sell
the car in any way. It shows the view of a parent and the protective nature they
exhibit, even when their child is grown. Of course, they imply that a Subaru
will help to keep you and your child safe. It does a tremendous job of speaking
to that segment of their market. I’m not aware of an advertisement that does
better.
And, as a father of a 16-month-old precious little girl,
this commercial hits home. It doesn't make me think that Subaru will do my job
of protecting my daughter. What it does do is make me notice the company that
makes this commercial. The commercial is gentle, easing, and simple. It doesn't
try to blow you away with visual effects. In the midst of the overabundance of
overpowering advertisements, a commercial that makes a simple point and does so
with little flash is very refreshing.
Hello, It was not easy for me to find good Facebook pages but I found three that do a good/great job adding value to their followers, which in my opinion, reinforce their general marketing strategy for the company. And I will continue on the searching but for now, these are my three selections: Swatch.http://www.facebook.com/#!/SwatchUS?fref=ts What I think they do well is that they introduce their new products according the coming calendar events, for example New Year's Eve, Valentine's, etc.
And other think I like is that they enchance their followers/customers to send them pictures of how they wear their swatch watches, jewelry accessories, etc.
Instyle. http://www.facebook.com/InStyle?ref=ts&fref=ts What I think they do well is that they post in real time. In this case SAG Awards was an event that was going on on Sunday January 27th and at that time, in their Instyle Facebook Page they were posting what celebrities were wearing on the red carpet so it promotes their followers post comments and exchange different points of view while the event was taking part.
What I also think they do really well is that they don't just post comments but they also include more information of different items like for example in the following picture they post a link so you can clic it and do something else...
... they do an extra, they take you to the action.
And one more thing is that they post all the time. Because this is a fashion magazine they do have a lot of information here and there, everywhere, everytime but it's not only that (all of us can have a lot of information) the key is that they do a really good job with all that information.
In this one I'll try to be short because I've extended too much (are you still here reading?) What I think they to great is their marketing per se. Hello Kitty is everywhere and for every ocassion. I mean, for EVERY OCASSION and in their Facebook Page they have too many reasons to post comments, photos, questions, new collections (on their own or with their partners like Sephora; Loungefly, Artists like Betsey Johnson, Paul Frank and Simon Legno, etc.).
When they post they give you extra information (they add value in their posts) related with the introduced item or the new collection. For example: Today is Penguin Awareness Day! Did you know that there are around 18 different species of penguin in the world? Make sure to check out Tuxedosam and Badtz-Maru on Facebook for more fun facts about our penguin pals ♥
orDid you know that yesterday was the first day of winter? What's your favorite thing to do when it's chilly outside?
I leave you some pictures as samples of what I have written about. And there are looots of pictures and posts to take a look at.Hello Kitty Facebook Page
This is a great new campaign from Priceline. It adds a family story line to William Shatner's character in the ad and keeps you wanting to find out more. In a way it keeps you reminded to keep looking at priceline.com to find and "negotiate" your best travel deals!!! The daughter is Kaley Cuoco who plays Penny on the extremely popular comedy The Big Bang Theory. This commercial stands out even more in today's popular culture. "Nerd" references are popular with the references to comic book super heroes, Star Trek, Star Wars, etc. This commercial is sweet cause you have Captain Kirk and Penny in the same ad. Priceline shows why it is important to stay updated with the current trends in whats popular.
The Bark Side by Volkswagen is
probably the ad that impressed me the most last year. First because it is a
smart one.
With the Bark Side,Volkswagen played
of its very viral Star Wars-themed advertising from the 2011 Super Bowl. Back
then the ad featuring a mini Darth Vader struggling with “The Force” was a hit
a probably the most remembered and talk-about of all ads shown during the 2011
Super Bowl.
Thus, it looks like Volkswagen is telling a story by following up
with this commercial featuring a chorus of dogs barking the theme song from the
Star Wars score. People get the point immediately and are glad to be remembered
the good laugh they ad in 2011 by getting a new one in 2012.
Furthermore it is the kind of ad
that cries viral. It is not new that dogs and pet in general sell, that people
love to post pet and share pet videos on Facebook. Thus, creating a GOOD ad
featuring pet is probably the best way to go viral on the Internet. Last, it
had to be funny and creative. The chorus of eleven dogs, some of them wearing Star
Wars costumes and seated in a spaceship most definitely is.
Also, it is directed at all
generations and, even better, at all nationalities: yes barking is
international!
One of the most effective commercials I have ever watched is the ASPCA TV spots. I find them so heart wrenching. I have been a pet owner since I was a child. I have no children, so I treat my 2 dogs as my babies. They are my companions and I love them so much.
There are several reasons I absolutely love/hate the ASPCA commercials. I love them because I respect the people trying to help these poor abused animals. I hate them because they make me cry and wish I could open my home to every animal featured.
Add the melodious soundtrack of Sarah McLachlan (who doubles as the spokesperson) and this becomes a real tear-jerking commercial. The commercials always last longer than your standard 15-30 seconds. They are close to 2 minutes long, so even if you feel the need to turn the channel to avoid the sadness, you usually turn back and it is still playing.
The ASPCA really does a great job at pulling emotions from people. A person will either love, hate, or feel both when this commercial airs.
Vonage marketing strategy has relied upon using customer testimonials to advertise its brand. About the company: Vonage is a VOIP (voice over IP) telecommunications provider that attracts customers based on its value pricing. Since the calls are made using a high-speed internet connection Vonage is able to offer its customers at calling plans of as low as $9.99 that include Unlimited international domestic calling - quite a proposition.
Link to the commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5KrmhxHxuw
I found the commercials approach to story telling to be very effective. Vonage has been very good about identifying a pain point that's consistent across all segments of the its customer base - high rates. The commercial shows consumers of different ethnicity telling their success story and how happy and pleased they are with their decision to "switch" - touting the benefits of making unlimited calls across the globe, flexibility of day/night, pricing, and call quality etc. Clearly Vonage is demonstrating itself to be the underdog in this industry.
I also liked the idea of showing actual customers feel liberated by making the switch. I think showing the huge pile of phone bills in the background makes the desired call to action to switch more believable. It's clear that Vonage is targeting the working professional who has an urban/suburban profile, and has a need for international calling. Vonage has been very consistent in their approach to use customer testimonials as the primary way to tell the story of their brand and what it stands for - I really think that this has hit home with many immigrants in the US.
I was browsing to look for a good ad and I found many good ones but for me this is one of the most effective ads. Why? I think because it shows many real (very real) moments of life and nowadays showing very real moments of life is one of the most effective ways to impact people.
Actually many of the good ones I found showed real moments of life mixed with funny things which makes you watch them until the end but here there are the reasons why I chose this Canon commercial as one of the most effective ads:
1. As I mentioned before, it shows very real moments of life
2. It also shows the before and after, the backstage and the results of it
3. It is very dynamic and the duration is 1:01 minutes.
4. The moments of life they show in the commercial are diverse so almost anyone (not anyone but I mean Canon's target) can feel part of it: Adventurers, Loving moms, Paparazzis, Nature Lovers, Animal Lovers, etc.
And the commercial also made me think of what photographers have to do to get their best shots. Beside, and the most important thing for Canon is that I really want to get that camera!, don't you?
Most infomercials go in one ear and out the other for me...
the Snuggie, really?! isn't it just a thicker, warmer, bluer hospital gown? at least you can still go to the bathroom easily - something they don't say in the ad!
Shake Weight, at least you really don't have to read the directions to figure out what do to! (It does come with a DVD of exercises though)
Some I pay attention to and really - I DO want to be able to do 4,000 pull ups followed by 7,000 push ups, down a protein shake and look like a Greek god - all in an hour! I did end up buying p90x and got up to about 11 pull ups which was better than where I started; +1 (or +11) for infomercial products.
One infomercial caught my attention the other day and I was excited. Excited to make some cheesy eggs and blow them out of the pan. StoneDine Cookware promises you will be able to do this too!
This company does a great job addressing a problem we all had or currently have - stuff you cook sticking to the stinking pan. I guess it is not really the sticking to the pan that is the problem it is the 14 hours of soaking and scrubbing you have to do to get it clean again for the next sticky episode.
StoneDine talks about the benefits for me and you. Less fat and oil for cooking, better tasting food, easy clean up. Who doesn't want all those things?
Mark Levine and Michael Dubin, founders of Dollar Shave Club, surprised virtually every social network with the release of its short commercial on YouTube. Within a week, this video seemed to have touched the four corners of the internet, making hundreds of thousands of people giggle at the advertisement's absurdity, but also bringing attention to a company that had never been heard of and a genius service that is most definitely sought out by many people. With it's deadpan delivery, edgy language, hilarious imagery, and blunt truth of their service, the commercial succeeds at grabbing your attention, humorously informing you of a brand new service, and making it extremely hard not to want to share its funny message with your friends and family. You know you have something special when an obvious ad for a product or a service is so effective at entertaining and informing people that it has the ability to go viral and spread like wildfire. It is an unbelievably cost effective way to share your brand's message and drive in new business. I am now a proud subscriber of the Dollar Shave Club after first seeing this video and the service really is an excellent idea. The commercial is still gaining millions of views on the company's YouTube channel and can be seen playing before many other popular videos.
Movie trailers. They are my favorite commercials. I don't watch television very often and when I do, I skip through the commercials, 30 seconds at a time using the sanity maintenance button, a.k.a fast forward >>.
In contrast though, I do enjoy going to the movies...where essentially I PAY TO WATCH COMMERCIALS. I purposefully get there early so as not to miss even one of them. Sometimes they tickle my funny bone. Sometimes they pull on my heart strings. Sometimes they simply excite me. The "Man of Steel" trailer is one of my favorites. The music is luscious, the man is beautiful, and we preview the fresh interpretation of an iconic story. A strong man seemingly tortured by his own power. Was this movie preview trying to talk to me, a woman? The heroic music, the apparent torment, the romantic resolve.
I wait for the day I can sit in darkeness amongst friends and strangers to satisify my inner geek. The studio has a future ticket holder right here. My $10 is theirs. That seems like a successful commercial to me.
Did you grow up in the 90's? I did. Internet Explorer made it perfectly clear who they were targeting in one of their latest ads. Titled "You Grew Up In the 90's, So Did We," this short 1:41 min video says absolutely zero about the browser and yet has hit the mark on being memorable for a very LARGE chunk of the population. The ad was posted to YouTube only FIVE days ago and already has over 7 1/2 million views. Without a doubt this is a "share-able" video. I don't use Internet Explorer as my own browser (not yet) but I've already shared the video multiple times. It made me smile and reminded me of all the silly things I loved in the 90s. After watching the video I'm certainly not more informed about what Internet Explorer can do or how it has changed compared to previous versions, but I have to admit I was a bit curious. My assumption is that Microsoft intended this advertisement to be talked about. They made a very obvious step to reach Generation Y'ers and establish brand recognition. I didn't watch the video and then go download Internet Explorer but I might think twice about some pretty strongly held notions that Microsoft was missing out on connecting to people my age. I'm interested to see what they come up with next.
Several years ago I would have argued with strong assurance that businesses really didn't have a place on Facebook, nor did they need to have a place. So much has changed in the last few years that I would have to say my thoughts have changed and I think an organization, if they do it correctly, can really take advantage the power and reach this social networking giant has.
I do, however, think a good portion of business sites on Facebook are still poorly run. Much of this has to do with a lack of understanding the opportunities that exist via social networking and the lack of paying attention to what customers, users, and "fans" actually respond to. I would consider myself fairly picky when it comes to my own personal "liking" of an organization on Facebook. I'll quickly get frustrated with a site that posts too much or without any real purpose or benefit. One site has managed to win me over and I would without hesitation say that I am a fan of their page as well as an avid follower of posts they submit.
SEOMoz creates and offers SEO (search engine optimization) Software for everyone from local businesses to major corporations. Understanding how a website can build a strong online presence and how to perform well in search engine results is complex and overwhelming to most. The industry of SEO professionals is one of the fastest growing at the moment and it's not showing any indication of slowing down. SEOMoz works hard to stay at the forefront of the industry and offer itself as a source for learning and instruction. Their Facebook page does a fantastic job of varying from their Twitter as well as their online blog. Some sites string their social media outlets all together and end up being noticeable repetitive, if not annoying. The team at SEOMoz are actively searching out trends and topics specifically applicable to their target audience. They currently have over 96K fans of their Facebook page and growing. As a member of the SEO/SEM industry myself, I'm often checking back to what SEOMoz is posting on Facebook in order to keep up with current news and relevant material they post. A great example of their interactive presence on Facbeook compared to other social media outlets is outlined in the snapshot below. They offer the expertise of renowned CEO Rand Fishkin in a simple question/answer format. Rand is the face of company and an extremely busy many meeting speaking engagements worldwide on a monthly basis. To have answers responded to by him on the page is a treat and a rarity. Rand alone has over 83K followers on Twitter. I think SEOMoz has fantastic online engagement and their methods are not only "follow" worthy but they'll tell you just how to do so on their blog!
State
Farm Insurance has recently launched (or I’ve recently become aware of) an ad
campaign that has nearly inspired me to change my car insurance provider. For
as long as I can remember, they have used the tagline “Like a Good Neighbor,
State Farm is There” in their ad campaigns, and with this recent campaign have
taken the concept further, by showing in an exaggerated and funny way how they
really are there for you when you need them. I have heard and seen both a video
and radio version of this ad and find the video ad particularly effective.
The
video (below) shows the aftermath of a fender bender – dented bumpers, a few
people out of their cars on the side of the road trying to figure out what to
do. It’s a situation familiar to most people, but rare enough (hopefully!) that
when it happens, you’re not quite sure what the proper protocol is. You might
scramble to find your insurance information, take pictures of the damage, write
down license plate numbers, etc; all the while with the nagging feeling you’re
forgetting something important that’s going to end up costing you thousands of
dollars. In the ad, the person covered by State Farm recites their tagline “Like
a Good Neighbor…” and their insurance agent magically appears. The person not
covered by State Farm tries to conjure their agent but instead gets their well
meaning, but ineffective mother.
This
ad is effective because it’s clear which person you would want to be in this
scenario. Having a friendly, knowledgeable and accessible insurance agent when you need one is very valuable, but
not something most people consider when choosing insurance. Insurance is not
sexy, and it’s not something anyone wants to spend money on – it is something
you buy out of necessity. As such, I suspect the majority of people base their
decision on cost alone. This ad makes you think twice about what your money is
buying, and while I haven’t gone so far as to compare rates, I might be willing
to pay a bit more for State Farm, with the expectation that I am buying better
service than I would get from the cheapest no-name agency. Beyond being
effective, this is a great ad is because they have managed to turn their
well-known, but boring and borderline stodgy tagline into a humorous and warm
ad campaign. I especially appreciate that they did so without venturing into
the fear-based ads of many other insurance agencies. Next time I have to
buy/switch insurance agencies, I will be considering State Farm.
Write about one of the most effective ads you have read about, listened to, or watched. Explain why you found this ad so effective.
It's no secret that large corporations like Sony have more money than they know what to do with. As a social justice advocate, I would love to see big corporations donating large amounts of money to non-profits or causes with a social conscience. While this happens occasionally, it's not necessarily realistic to expect a substantial trickle down from big businesses.
So, if a company won't shell out the big bucks in the name of cause marketing, what's the next best way a corporation can blow their cash? In my opinion, the answer is simple: provide consumers with free and truly remarkable entertainment that they wouldn't be able to produce independently given financial restrictions. Take the above video, for example. In 2005, Sony released an advertisement featuring a quarter million bouncy balls floating, bouncing, rolling, and soaring down Russian Hill in San Francisco. The video is two-and-a-half minutes in length set to the tune of Swedish singer Jose Gonzalez's song, Heartbeats. The footage is presented with a mix of real-time and slow-motion movements that create a fantastically unique viewing experience.
To pull this off, Sony had to spend a phenomenal amount of time and money on this advertisement. They needed to jump through legal and bureaucratic loopholes to block off the streets and guarantee pedestrian and property safety. They also needed to purchase a quarter million bouncy balls and transport them to the scene. Then there's multiple takes, clean-up, and so on. The main point here is that we (average consumers) would never be able to pull this off, but a major corporation has the ability to make it happen. And they did.
By providing truly remarkable advertisements, corporations give consumers access to experiences that would otherwise be unattainable, and - for that - I am thankful. To put it simply, Sony used their money to show me something truly entertaining that I couldn't have seen anywhere else, and I didn't have to pay a cent for it. To use myself as a case study, this form of advertising was effective because it made me legitimately excited. I wanted to talk about it, and I wanted to show it to my friends and family. The video is inspiring in its creativity and playfulness. I feel like I actually gained something from it (as opposed to many commercials which feel, in a word, soul-stealing). While I will probably never buy the product that Sony was using the video to sell (Bravia), I will certainly spread the good word about the video which, by "trickle-up" effect, will probably help sell a few of their higher-end products. With a strategy like that, everyone wins.
My choice for most effective ad is Chipotle's animated "Back to the Start" video. Why? Because it makes me cry in less than 30 seconds. I'm not afraid to admit it. I'm getting teary-eyed just thinking about it. To further explain, the video explores an important, meaningful issue with honesty, simplicity and charm, backed by a beautiful, emotional score. It tells a story that resonates, and positions Chipotle squarely as a company that is creating change in the food industry. Many consumers are troubled by factory farming and the health and safety issues it's created, but aren't sure how to affect change above the individual level. Now we can relax. Chipotle is doing it for us (alright, that was a little sarcastic).
There's more to this ad's story. It's possible that this ad could have been seen by just a few thousand weepy eyes. The company did not promote it, but just placed it on YouTube where it quickly gained steam. Chipotle doesn't use traditional media, but decided that the video had legs. They purchased time in theaters where the 2-minute spot could air in its entirety. People loved it, and they bought time to air it during the Grammys last year. To date the ad has over 7 million views on YouTube. Chipotle's sales increased 23.4% (or $2.26 billion) and their market share increased 2.6% from a $5.8 million spend. Pretty amazing!
Why do I find this Progressive ad so effective? Unlike most commercials, this one has so much "stickiness" that I watch it every time it comes up.
First the aesthetics draw me in. Beautifully shot. A sweet romantic moment with Flo. Then the pivot to selling insurance is done with the perfect touch of humor. Brilliant writing. The message is: "I'll always be there for you." This commercial is targeted to women. It's not the mayhem approach that Allstate uses. But I do wonder, is the soft touch in this commercial as effective as Allstate instilling the fear of mayhem if you pick the wrong insurance company?
Interesting side note: This week's Time magazine (Feb. 4, 2013 edition) featured an article that mentioned commercials for car insurance and phone service. Did you know only 2% of us ever switch insurance companies and carriers? The major role of advertising in these industries it to keep you. Flo does so in this commercial.
Silly, childlike reactions knows no gender boundaries, and this commercial plays on this idea exceptionally well. Like it or not, most of us expect women to flail their hands and screech in excitement over nonsensical items such as a massive closet filled with shoes, while we expect men to offer high fives and grunts of appreciation over a touchdown. The Heineken commercial unexpectedly counters this stereotype by having men behave in a way that is traditionally viewed as a female reaction; challenging the idea of masculinity in a way that appeals to both men and women on a comedic level.
Effective. Humorous. Memorable. This commercial hits the nail on the head. A group of attractive women are walking together and see Utopia - a beautiful walk-in closet filled with shoes. Screeches of delight fill the room. Suddenly, they are distracted by the screeches of delight coming from a group of guys.....gushing in delight over a walk in cooler/closet filled with beer.
Really, it is such a simple concept. One that likely most of us, guys or girls can relate too.
Design Within Reach’s mission statement: "We make authentic modern design accessible." DWR also specializes in retro
modern furniture and licensed classics. Think
Mad Men – minimal, modern, mid century. I
discovered DWR when the Seattle studio opened in the mid ‘00s, andbecame a
client. For me, each piece is an investmentin exquisite quality and craftsmanship, a work of art and
functional design.
On Facebook, DWR continues its mission of providing accessible authentic modern design
by posting diverse content that is interesting, inspiring, educational, and
engaging. Posts include info on events, contests, and sales, as well as artist quotes/birthdays/projects/videos, editorial
highlights, catalog imagery, product solutions, reading
lists... The Facebook page does a
great job of frequently leveraging the DWR website by encouraging
viewers to check out featured products or blog stories.
Content
examples:
My DWR solution for a tiny walk-in closet/office: Nelson Swag Leg Desk, Sapien Bookcase, Tolomeo Mini Desk Lamp, Caper Multipurpose Chair, Standline Pedestal, and Nelson Ball Clock.
