And Here…we…Go

I’m back on the freelance trail…this time, as a freelance writer for another agency. The back story on this is simple: a friend quit her position as a copywriter at this agency and she very graciously suggested me as a replacement. So far, things are going great – I’m really busy (always a bonus for contract workers as everything we do has to be billable or else we get shown the door) and the vibe seems pretty good. Of course,I’m still learning the office culture, but I feel like I could be really happy here. My contract, at this point, only goes through next Friday, so stay tuned.

Why Can’t I be Like Carrie Bradshaw?

Life as a freelance writer is not as glamorous as I had hoped it would be. I remember watching Sex and the City and thinking about how much fun it could be to be a full-time writer like Carrie Bradshaw – having flexible hours, and making enough money to be able to meet my girlfriends for leisurely lunches at the local hot spots and possibly shop for couture every now and then. Enter reality: freelancing is work. Hard work. In addition to writing, you’re also marketing yourself, doing the books, etc. Definitely not for the faint of heart. Freelancing is especially tough for me because I have to do it with my daughter in tow, provided I’m not working a contract job. Have you ever tried to write a 1,200 word piece with a 4 year old screaming for attention? I double-dog dare ya to try!

i-What???

This week, I was tickled to finally learn the name of Apple’s newest product: the iPad, which is supposed to be a hybrid between the Kindle and the iPod. I’m reserving judgement on the product itself, but I’ll be curious to see what happens with digital advertising on the thing, considering Apple’s inability to produce a mobile device that does justice to Flash.





Super Bowl Preview

Be on the lookout for an integrated Super Bowl promotion from Papa John’s pizza this year. While the chain is mum on the details, it does admit to being in cahoots with the NFL for this one. The “Papa’s in the House” promotion, so far, has gathered fan support and the Big Game promotion is meant to salute NFL fans as well as those behind the scenes at games.

Whatever the buy is, the chain has built up to it with a sweepstakes for two tickets and accommodations for the game, and related special offers, such as the “Super XL IV” (an extra-large pizza with four toppings for $11.99) and the “1st and 10″ (any large pizza for $10), plus if you order a large cheese pizza for $9 during the three days after the game, you can get a free topping for every touchdown scored.

Giving Oprah the Finger

KFC‘s CMO is pointing the finger of blame at Oprah Winfrey for last May’s grilled chicken promotion/fiasco, claiming that they were given very short notice of their upcoming appearance on the show, thus giving the chain less than a week to prepare franchises for the sheer volume of the giveaway. According to an article by AdWeek Media, the fast feeder had planned for 4 million people, tops, to redeem their coupons. Instead, within 24 hours, 10 million people had tried to get their free Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal.

A Commercial That Will Change Your Life
Once in a while, you see a commercial that makes you stop and think, and possibly shed a tear or two. This spot from Thai Life Insurance celebrates the human spirit and embraces life in a way I have never seen before by telling the story of Toi, a young cancer patient who won’t let her disease stop her from celebrating life with the three most important people in the world.

This spot also took the Grand Prix for TV at the Asia Spikes last week.

Coming to a Geek Near You
Microsoft doesn’t just want to sell you software, they want to make your life a little easier, too, by helping you manage those pesky social platforms by aggregating monitoring tools and combining them with the rest of your organization. Looking Glass, which is still in the testing phase, will then connect that data into Microsoft’s enterprise platforms, such as Outlook and Sharepoint. Microsoft officials describe Looking Glass as a “bridge between IT and the marketing organization.” For example, a CMO gets an email in the middle of the night about increased chatter on twitter about his company’s product. That information is then linked to the company’s customer relationship manager system to decide if a PR response is warranted.

Anyone Else Not See This Coming?

Imagine for a moment that you’re a 16 year-old boy named Zack Johnson. Now imagine that you wake up one morning, only to find that your “guy parts” have been replaced by “girl parts.” Believe it or not, this is actually a stealth viral campaign for P&G’s Tampax tampons. The campaign is anchored around a video-rich blog and even a twitter account. Despite the marketers not knowing at this point how the campaign will end, they do say they’re pleased with young Mr. Johnson’s sudden popularity.

That’s Gotta Hurt

In a textbook example of a well-executed attack ad, in “True Stories,” Best Buy calls out Walmart by name for its lackluster customer service. In the spot, an actual customer service rep recalls talking to a frustrated customer who called her from a Walmart because the associate there couldn’t answer his question about a TV. Granted, Walmart is attempting to bridge the void left by Circuit City’s closing by offering more upscale electronics at Walmart price points, kudos to Best Buy for differentiating itself in a way that is meaningful to consumers. Watch the spot here.

Whose Way is it Now?
Don’t get me wrong – I love Wendy’s and have for a long time. But what I do not love is their advertising. Maybe it’s because they went through their Golden Age of creativity with their “Where’s the Beef?” campaign in the 80′s and then hung their collective hat on the head of beloved founder Dave Thomas in the 90′s with “Dave’s Way.” However, the chain’s current approach to advertising has me confounded.

This spot bothers me in so many ways from a creative and marketing standpoint, and is truly indicative of the organization’s problems – inconsistent product quality, skyrocketing prices, and schitzophrenic advertising. I really feel that it’s time for Wendy’s to take a simpler approach and go back to the basics of value and quality.

Cannes, Schmannes
I know the advertising world is getting excited for Cannes and there are predictions flying that CP+B will take home a ton of Lions, I can’t help but yawn. Read why here.

Long Time, No Blog

I’ve had some emails from readers of my blog who want to know why I haven’t updated it lately (shame on me!). Truthfully, I have been very busy – In addition to looking for work, I’ve been networking, meeting new people, and, of course, writing. I was very fortunate to be invited to participate in a blogging competition on the Community Marketing Blog and the results are in – I made the top 5, so you may be seeing more of my writing on a much larger scale. As soon as I have the details, I will post them here. I’m also writing for Talent Zoo’s Beyond Madison Avenue blog, which means I’ll be putting my own spin on advertising and related issues.

Riddle Me This
I’ve been seeing a commercial for Pepsi that has me a bit troubled – the spot touts that Pepsi is now made with natural sugar for a limited time and called “Pepsi Throwback.”

This begs the obvious question – what were they making it with before? I’m just sayin’

This Doesn’t Bode Well
If you’re craving ice cream tonight, Sonic is offering free floats tonight between 8 and midnight while supplies last. I have a feeling this won’t go well – they’ve been running spots, the story is getting TV coverage, and the restaurants have been putting out signs in their surrounding neighborhoods. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – free food+crappy economy=FAIL. Have we learned nothing from the Oprah-KFC debacle? I’m going on record as saying that they will run out of supplies early on and the promotion will turn ugly quickly.

Virtual Keg Party? Sweet!
Michelob is joining the twitter fray, but users who are eager to hear what the brewer has the say may be asked via direct message if they’re of legal drinking age. Industry guidleines require manufacturers to limit marketing messages to audiences where at least 70 percent of recipients are at least 21 years old, which could lead to backlash regarding how legitimate the age checks actually are. Here’s my question – what is the actual ratio of underage users to adults over 21? I have to think that at least 70 percent of users are of age, so what’s the problem? Apparently, only time will tell.

All Hail the Queen

KFC is experiencing what can only be described as Hurricane Oprah. The identity-challenged brand has re-launched its grilled chicken product, which didn’t sell too well a few years ago (“Rotisserie Gold,” anyone?) by using Oprah as its pitch person, offering a coupon for a free 2-piece meal on its website. The deal runs through May 19th (but it is not redeemable on Mothers Day) and has already overwhelmed the fast feeder. Restaurants were not prepared for the onslaught and have had to turn away scores of customers. Ouch. Will the Yum Brands-owned chain be able to maintain the hype once the campaign is over? Stay tuned.

McYawn

McDonald’s has launched its ad blitz for the McCafe line of gourmet coffees. As I’ve already said, I think this venture will be a huge McFlop for the fast feeder and the latest spot proves it. I get their point. Really, I do. They’re trying to show how wrapping one’s swine flu-infested paws around a McCafe can elevate even the most mundane of experiences, such as cubicle-dwelling at work. However, I am a firm believer that iconic brands should stick to what they’re known for, especially in today’s economy, where brand loyalty is key.

The Shudder Heard Round the Ad World

If ever there was a time when I questioned my decision to become a writer, this would be it. Work is scarce and I’m constantly bombarded by opportunities to become one of those annoying people who hand out samples in front of Walmart, so now is the time for action. Enter Lawson Clarke. The former Arnold creative has unleashed his own site on the unsuspecting public to showcase both his work and his sense of humor. Inspired by Burt Reynolds (and, frankly, who isn’t?), the hirsute Clarke lounges nude on a bearskin rug, naughty parts cleverly concealed by a well-placed TV showing a shot of the White House and playing the national anthem. I’m not sure what else is on the site because I was entranced by the waving American flag, but give it a look, if you dare.

Riddle Me This

In a massive PR campaign, former NFL star Michael Vick is attempting to rehab his image in the wake of the dogfighting scandal. He has even gone so far as to discuss endorsing animal rights group PETA in an attempt to get in the public’s good graces. So, here’s my question: how credible of a spokesman is Michael Vick expected to be against animal cruelty? Seriously.

Keepin’ It Real

It’s no secret – I’m a huge fan of grassroots marketing and, for that reason, Crimson Cup is my new purveyor of choice of my favorite legal drug – coffee. I recently had the privilege of attending my first Coffee Cuppers Club meeting, of which I learned via twitter. In addition to slurping coffee grounds and meeting new people, I also got to meet one of the roast masters and learn about what makes a good cup of coffee. No pressure and no sales tactics, just an enjoyable afternoon that helped me put a face to the brand and personally identify with it. Cheers!

What Are You Doing This Weekend?

For those that haven’t been following the Amazon debacle, allow me to recap: In what Amazon refers to as a “glitch,” last weekend, the online retailer removed from its listings many gay and/or lesbian-themed books by authors such as Gore Vidal, James Baldwin, and Jeanette Winterston, thus prompting a social media frenzy unseen since the “Motrin Moms” firestorm in 2008. Amazon has since responded, calling the incident an “embarassing and ham-fisted cataloging error,” but it was too little, too late. Using tags like “#amazonfail” and “#glitchmyass,” twitter users taught Amazon a valuable lesson: monitor your brand at all times, especially via social media, and especially on weekends. Had Amazon done just that, the company might have responded in a timely fashion, rather than having to do massive damage control, following a weekend of awkward silence.

Do you have a plan in place, should your brand be put in a similar situation? Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. First of all, decide if this is a situation over which you have any control. For example, when a company is faced with content released by disgruntled employees, making a public statement could potentially draw attention to content over which the company has no control.
2. Find out what is being said and by whom. In these types of situations, the marketer needs to know how many people saw the questionable content and how likely they are to be customers, and then react accordingly.
3. You don’t have to have all of the answers all at one time. There is no shame in saying, “we’re aware of the situation. We don’t know how it happened, but we’re dealing with it.” It shows the brand’s human side, provided that a tone of genuine remorse is also conveyed.
4. Don’t draw more attention to the problem than the situation warrants. For example, had  Motrin kept their statements geared toward the twitter users that were specifically discussing the campaign they found offensive, the situation could have been contained, rather than garnering national media attention.
5. Focus on the future and what your company will do in the future to prevent the situation from happening again. Once you convey this information to your customers, learn from your mistakes and move on.

Can I Have a Side of Snot With That?
Domino’s Pizza is learning the hard way how harmful one person with a video camera and a web uplink can be to a brand. A now-former employee and his friend uploaded a series of videos to YouTube, depicting them defiling the very food products they were making for customers (though the co-hort claims they didn’t actually serve the items to customers). Domino’s is not currently planning to make a statement about the videos, however, I’m sure that after viewing a video of a Domino’s employee shoving mozzarella cheese up his nose before putting it on a sandwich will cause at least a few customers to think twice before picking up the phone.

Fast Food Frenzy
Fast feeder Burger King is taking flak for its latest print ad, which features a squat Mexican wrapped in his nation’s flag and standing next to a tall American cowboy. Cultural stereotypes aside, the company is accused of improperly displaying the Mexican flag, which is protected by law. BK plans to scrap the creative and come up with something less offensive for the Texican Whopper.

Speaking of Burger King, in case you missed my post last week, The King is now hawking Sponge Bob Square Pants-themed kids’ meals to the tune of “Baby Got Back,” complete with the creepy ruler singing about his love of square butts and his urge to “get with” Sponge Bob, while scantily-clad women are shakin’ it in the background. Parents will be thrilled to know that the spot (shown here in its HD glory) was made in partnership with Nickelodeon.

Legal Stuff You Should Know
Sure, word-of-mouth advertising and blogs are hot right now, but the Federal Trade Commission may have something to say about it. The FTC is planning to monitor blogs and viral marketing, holding writers and marketers accountable for any false statements about products. At this point, the new policy only applies to bloggers and others who are compensated to promote or review a product.

Image Upgrade

Calling all art nerds: Iconic champagne manufacturer Veuve Clicquot has released its new posters created by French artist Florence Deygas. These represent a shift from the current, more contemporary Global Light campaign for their Rose Collection. Deygas has also created promotional art for Nokia, YSL, Vogue, Fendi, and Lacoste.

I’ll Take a Side of Creepy With That Kids’ Meal

The gang at Crispin Porter + Bogusky is out with the latest Burger King commercial, which is sure to be a bit unsettling to the fast food-loving public. This time, the creepy King statue is hawking Sponge Bob Squarepants kids’ meals to a rewritten version of “Baby Got Back.” Is this meaningful to today’s kids? Probably not. How does this rate in terms of compelling creative? Honestly, the spot gives me the willies, but you be the judge. If nothing else, it’s memorable and will generate online and water cooler buzz for a while.

A Reason to Get More People to Follow You on Twitter

Note to twitter users: DiGiorno wants you to host a tweet-up, but only if you live in New York, Chicago, or L.A. The frozen pizza giant is reaching out to influential twitter users (ie: those with a massive following) with free flatbread pizzas for their gatherings, in hopes of users spreading the word. Don’t live in one of those cities? Be on the lookout for a DiGiorno onslaught on Yelp and CitySearch starting in August, when the brand plans to target users who are searching for pizza delivery. And it won’t stop at pizza – DiGiorno is also launching a flatbread sandwich that retails for $3.49. Watch your backs, Subway and Quizno’s.

Say What???

I read an article yesterday on Advertising Age, which has me in a huff. The author states that it is a critical misstep to listen to customers too much because they always want lower prices, much to the detriment of brands. The article goes on to cite Saks Fifth Avenue as a case study – they lowered prices as much as 70% during the holiday period, and sales remained flat, anyway, thereby “proving” that the customer is not always right. Hmmmm…the customer is the one spending their money with a particular brand, thus, in a sense, signing employee paychecks, right? The way I see it is that the customer is always right since s/he can always chose to spend her/his money elsewhere. The article also makes an excellent case for perceived value and brand image. Read it here.

It Looked Good on Paper

Looking good on paper – are you familiar with this concept? It’s one that makes something look great in theory, but rotten in reality – for example, communism, spandex, and New Coke.

If you’re anything like me, you can’t help but be amazed at the sheer quantity of appearances President Obama has been making in the media, touting his economic recovery plan – an appearance on Leno, press conferences, countless magazine covers, and even taking a long enough break to make his March Madness picks on ESPN.

Understand that our President is not making all of these appearances just to get his name in the paper – he’s got an agenda: damage control. In addition to rallying the troops to support his economic stimulus plan, he has a $3.6 trillion budget to get approved for 2010 and then there’s that whole AIG thing. Plus, he’s trying to appeal to the huddled masses that elected him – those who saw their jobs eliminated or their homes foreclosed upon while executives take home massive bonuses, courtesy of taxpayer bailout money.

Wherever President Obama goes, so go the people to hear what he has to say, making him a marketer’s dream. “The Tonight Show” claims that his appearance last week garnered the highest ratings for the show since 2005, plus he’s making use of every tool available, thus reaching people on virtually every level. However, the question has been raised as to whether he is overexposed or merely maximizing his reach. Only time will tell, but so far, this media blitz looks great on paper and in practice.

On the flip side, McDonald’s is testing a new product – the Snack Wrap Mac. For the unitiated, it is two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions…in a wrap. It’s $1.49, like Mickey D’s other wraps, and allegedly tastes “just like a Big Mac, but in a tortilla.” Huh? This is about as bizarre to me as Burger King unveiling a meat-scented cologne a few months ago. I just don’t get it – there are some things you don’t mess with, and the Big Mac is one of them. Does it look good, yet questionable, on paper? Well, it must to someone, but it has “epic fail” written all over it, much like the McCafe line.

Finally, Quizno’s is unleashing the “Toasty Torpedo,” 12 inches of flavor for a mere $4. Take that, Subway! As much as I love the concept, the creative involved in this campaign is a bit disturbing, yet completely appropriate for the brand – a husky-voiced toaster asks the chef to “say it sexy” and “put it in me.” However, $4 for 12 inches of processed meaty goodness? It’s all good on paper and in my belly. Score!

Gross and Brilliant at the Same Time

At some point last week, I was flipping through the channels and came across a commercial I can’t stop thinking about – not so much because of its outright brilliance, but because of the shocking grossness of it. If you have not seen the Boost Mobile “Unwronged” commercial, allow me to enlighten you: a couple is riding on a bicycle built for two, happy as can be. The woman does all of the talking and she is shown in a sleeveless top with red hair streaming out behind her. It took me a moment to realize that…OMG…that hair is not coming from under her helmet…and it’s slapping her husband in the face! You read that correctly – Boost employs the use of armpit hair (“…just a little gift from Mother Nature!”) to sell their mobile service. Sadly, I was so shocked that it didn’t even dawn on me that the commercial was for a mobile phone company.

Maybe I should not have been so shocked – Boost routinely disregards convention, and what some might call good taste, in its commercials.

So, back to “Unwronged.” It’s nauseating, unforgettable, and completely on-brand – all signs of a great campaign, if you ask me, just as long as it doesn’t run at a time when I’m eating. My only real criticism about the spot is that the call to action gets lost amid its shocking creative. As for Boost’s next campaign, might I suggest that it not feature flowing body hair? Blech!

Is Creativity a Lost Cause?

One of my favorite things to write about is creativity because I firmly believe that while you can enhance your skills with classes or training, you are either born with it or you’re not. That’s not to say that someone who is not innately creative can’t come up with ideas on their own, but it might entail a longer and far more painful process than it would for someone who is naturally creative.

This, then, brings up another question: have we truly seen it all? As a writer and eternal optimist, I like to believe that the best is yet to come. However, while surfing online this afternoon, I came across the following gem, a quote from Jim Jarmusch:

“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery – celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Goddard said: it is not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.”

And borrow, people do. Classic TV commercials have been retooled to fit our modern world and even TV shows and movies from the 50′s, 60′s, 70′s, and 80′s have been resurrected in recent years and given makeovers and slick marketing campaigns.

So, here is my question: is there such a thing as truly original work anymore? Is authentic creativity no longer as relevant as it used to be, so long as it remains on the right side of the legal department?

I leave it to you, my readers – what is the state of the union, as far as creativity is concerned?

For those of you, who believe, as I do, in the art of creativity, allow me to impart some knowledge: the current state of the economy is depressing and it can suck the life out of the creative process, if you let it. How can you expected to be creative and/or effective when you’re cowering under your desk, in the wake of yet another round of layoffs? While I’m not a world-class expert on the subject, I can offer a few suggestions that may help you recharge your creative battery:

• Take care of yourself. Make sure to eat well, get enough sleep, take your vitamins, exercise, and watch your intake of alcohol and tobacco. While good habits tend to go by the wayside when you’re stressed out, certain basic behaviors will help you stay strong. Even our President has been quoted as saying that he can’t start his day without a good workout.
• Learn something. Take that cooking class you’ve been putting off or try a new workout. Shake up your routine and reap the benefits.
• Get up a little earlier. Some of the most effective people I know are at work at 6:30am because they are able to get the tedious things like answering emails out of the way early, so they have time to really focus on the project at hand.
• Get back to your roots. Last week, I had the pleasure of taking in an exhibit by one of my favorite artists, Andy Warhol, and really focus on what drew me to his work in the first place – his fearless use of color, use of repetition to make a statement, and complete disregard for artistic standards at the time. He blazed trails, which is what I want to do in my career. I challenge you to rediscover something you truly love – whether it’s art, classic B movies, glam rock, or Golden Retriever puppies. Get in touch with whatever moves you.
• Help someone else. Rather than focusing on your case of writer’s block or obsessing over your checkbook, step outside of your own world and do something for your fellow man. Pick up litter in a park, help out at an animal shelter, or dish out breakfast one morning at a soup kitchen. No matter how bad you think your problems are, there is always someone who needs your help.