 I can just see "El Conejito Azul" right?  I guess all of a sudden it just jumped at them? |
Wow. Certainly took their time
Monday, August 29, 2011
The brand that came in from the cold
Well, I guess 20 years of reading about how Hispanics have larger families, spend more on food and are growing in population and share finally sunk in.
Mobile continues to evolve - the traffic driver "par excellence"
Reposted from Ad Age
Six Ways Retailers Are Using Mobile to Supplement the Store
Emphasis Is on Enhancing In-store Experience Over M-commerce
By: Kunur Patel, Natalie Zmuda Published: August 29, 2011
More consumers are turning to tablets and smartphones to shop, but this back-to-school season major retailers are using mobile to drive traffic to stores, not necessarily to encourage online transactions.
That's not to say that brick-and-mortar retailers don't allow for purchases in mobile apps -- Walmart, the world's largest retailer, has seeded shopping in its mobile app, as have JC Penney, Target and others. Yet mobile commerce doesn't seem to be a major theme for the back-to-school season. Instead, retailers are using mobile marketing to help customers once they're at physical locations rather than to encourage them to buy through mobile devices.
"By and large, the majority of retailers at the moment are using mobile to add to the in-store experience," said Geoffrey Handley, co-founder of Meredith Corp. mobile agency the Hyperfactory.
Consumers are expressing interest in shopping on mobile devices, especially when it comes to tablets. (Though at this point, it's pretty much an iPad-only game; even Google, whose Android software competes with , launched its new Catalog app on iPad first.) The National Retail Federation found that nearly 40% of college shoppers and 30% of K-12 shoppers with tablets say they plan to use them to purchase products for school this year. That's a greater percentage than those who said they would use the device to compare prices or conduct product research, according to the survey of more than 8,000 respondents.
But with smartphones, it's a different picture. Consumers are less enthusiastic about making purchases: Nearly 20% of K-12 shoppers and 17% of college shoppers say they will make purchases with their smartphones. But more than 30% in both camps saying they will compare prices with those devices.
For mobile commerce, online retailers are definitely leading the way. In 2010, eBay reported nearly $2 billion in gross merchandise volume from mobile. The company expects to double that to $4 billion in mobile sales this year.
"The area of [mobile-]commerce is definitely growing, but most retailers are still heavily invested in stores," said Mr. Handley. "Mobile provides a quick win when it aids retail."
Here, Ad Age highlights retailers' mobile apps and strategies for back-to-school and beyond.
TopShop
U.K.-based retailer TopShop has teamed up with SCVNGR, a location-based mobile gaming app, in an effort to get shoppers into its stores this season. Beginning Sept. 5, anyone near a store can play using the SCVNGR app. Players choose the reward they want, such as a 20% in-store discount or a shopping spree, and complete challenges like taking a picture of their favorite back-to-college outfit at TopShop in order to earn points toward the reward.
U.K.-based retailer TopShop has teamed up with SCVNGR, a location-based mobile gaming app, in an effort to get shoppers into its stores this season. Beginning Sept. 5, anyone near a store can play using the SCVNGR app. Players choose the reward they want, such as a 20% in-store discount or a shopping spree, and complete challenges like taking a picture of their favorite back-to-college outfit at TopShop in order to earn points toward the reward.
Finish Line
Earlier this month, Finish Line unveiled a new app that gives shoppers access to real-time inventory at the store nearest them. Users can check to see if an item is available in the style, size and color they're looking for. Transactions can be completed on the app, but it also uses geo-tracking to provide store information and directions from the user's location.
Earlier this month, Finish Line unveiled a new app that gives shoppers access to real-time inventory at the store nearest them. Users can check to see if an item is available in the style, size and color they're looking for. Transactions can be completed on the app, but it also uses geo-tracking to provide store information and directions from the user's location.
Wet Seal
The teen retailer is taking a different approach to mobile this back-to-school season by offering shoppers a free Android phone (with a new two-year plan plus data) just for coming into a story and trying on jeans. Talk about a traffic driver.
The teen retailer is taking a different approach to mobile this back-to-school season by offering shoppers a free Android phone (with a new two-year plan plus data) just for coming into a story and trying on jeans. Talk about a traffic driver.
Amazon Student
Launched just in time for the back-to-school shopping season, Amazon's new app allows students to check prices and comparison shop by scanning barcodes. Users can also scan the barcode of an item they no longer want -- think books, games, movies and electronics -- to find out its trade-in value, redeemable for Amazon gift cards.
Launched just in time for the back-to-school shopping season, Amazon's new app allows students to check prices and comparison shop by scanning barcodes. Users can also scan the barcode of an item they no longer want -- think books, games, movies and electronics -- to find out its trade-in value, redeemable for Amazon gift cards.
Google Catalogs
This free app for tablets enables shoppers to browse and interact with catalogs. There are all the expected bells and whistles -- find products in store, buy online, watch related videos -- as well as some cool extras, such as the ability to create collages, search for products across different catalogs and add a retailer to a favorites tab for immediate notification when a new catalog hits. Launch partners include: Anthropologie, Bloomingdale's, Crate and Barrel, L.L. Bean, Macy's, Nordstrom, Sephora, Williams-Sonoma and others.
This free app for tablets enables shoppers to browse and interact with catalogs. There are all the expected bells and whistles -- find products in store, buy online, watch related videos -- as well as some cool extras, such as the ability to create collages, search for products across different catalogs and add a retailer to a favorites tab for immediate notification when a new catalog hits. Launch partners include: Anthropologie, Bloomingdale's, Crate and Barrel, L.L. Bean, Macy's, Nordstrom, Sephora, Williams-Sonoma and others.
E-Textbooks
College bookstores beware. A bevy of apps have popped up that allow students to compare prices on new, used, electronic and rental textbooks by scanning a barcode. Students can also rent or buy directly via the app. Chegg, CampusBooks and Kno are a few of the companies playing in the space. And why not? The National Association of College Stores estimates that the average full-time student spends $483 annually on course materials.
College bookstores beware. A bevy of apps have popped up that allow students to compare prices on new, used, electronic and rental textbooks by scanning a barcode. Students can also rent or buy directly via the app. Chegg, CampusBooks and Kno are a few of the companies playing in the space. And why not? The National Association of College Stores estimates that the average full-time student spends $483 annually on course materials.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Truth in Advertising. Oops!
South Mini has a strange way of looking at language. Take a look:
If it is "standard" equipment, then it comes with the car. Quite the opposite of what normal people would consider "loaded".
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Who are these "Women 18-54" anyway?
I spent 20 years of my life in what is broadly known as "International". First, with DMB&B, opening their Latin American network and later, with FCB first in Latin America and then 5 years as EVP and International Media Director.
One of the true pleasures of working in international, apart from meeting people from all over the world, is targetting.
Since the introduction of people meters... and many Latin American countries had them way before the United States, the only time we ever spoke about "women 18-54" or something like that, was when our U.S. counterparts came to meetings.
You see, in most countries, we can target much narrower. For example, we could target "Women, 25-35, in the AB and C+ Socio-economic levels"
So I was both, amazed and thrilled that the U.S. might be moving in that direction.
Not the same woman at all.
This makes all of the sense in the world. An 18-year old girl has nothing in common with a 40 year old woman. First, the girl is basically still in college and/or working at her first job. She doesn't have any hard and fast habits and might even live at home. A 40 year old woman is the CEO of her home, has hard-to-break habits and thinks much differently.
The old media paradigm.
Naturally, when we were limited to "only broadcast" it was hard to really use the information effectively. Television is a wide wide net which just about got everyone.
When cable became a factor, targetting was much easier, though a lot of clients, either out of budget concerns or out of habit, did not want to take the obvious next step: custom-made creative (or at least, adaptations from the general spots) that would appeal to a narrowly defined target or even a cable channel audience.
For example, if you are an MTV fan, do you really think that a spot intended to sway an ESPN fan would work as well?
For obvious reasons, radio was always easier to segment that way --creative and production being so cheap-- and that's one of the reasons I like radio.
The new media possibilities
Today, of course, there's no excuse. Interactive, be it search, display, mobile or any other platform, should be customized to fit the target. Actually, it should probably be customized to fit the specific target in the specific site.
But the same thinking should be applied across the board.
Television, radio, web, mobile... we need to start thinking about micro-targetting, micro-creative and implementing serious tracking to see what combination works best.
One of the true pleasures of working in international, apart from meeting people from all over the world, is targetting.
Since the introduction of people meters... and many Latin American countries had them way before the United States, the only time we ever spoke about "women 18-54" or something like that, was when our U.S. counterparts came to meetings.
You see, in most countries, we can target much narrower. For example, we could target "Women, 25-35, in the AB and C+ Socio-economic levels"
So I was both, amazed and thrilled that the U.S. might be moving in that direction.
Not the same woman at all.
This makes all of the sense in the world. An 18-year old girl has nothing in common with a 40 year old woman. First, the girl is basically still in college and/or working at her first job. She doesn't have any hard and fast habits and might even live at home. A 40 year old woman is the CEO of her home, has hard-to-break habits and thinks much differently.
The old media paradigm.
Naturally, when we were limited to "only broadcast" it was hard to really use the information effectively. Television is a wide wide net which just about got everyone.
When cable became a factor, targetting was much easier, though a lot of clients, either out of budget concerns or out of habit, did not want to take the obvious next step: custom-made creative (or at least, adaptations from the general spots) that would appeal to a narrowly defined target or even a cable channel audience.
For example, if you are an MTV fan, do you really think that a spot intended to sway an ESPN fan would work as well?
For obvious reasons, radio was always easier to segment that way --creative and production being so cheap-- and that's one of the reasons I like radio.
The new media possibilities
Today, of course, there's no excuse. Interactive, be it search, display, mobile or any other platform, should be customized to fit the target. Actually, it should probably be customized to fit the specific target in the specific site.
But the same thinking should be applied across the board.
Television, radio, web, mobile... we need to start thinking about micro-targetting, micro-creative and implementing serious tracking to see what combination works best.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Why our profession can't get any respect
A woman called Barbara in one of the LinkedIn groups which I follow asked a simple question: "What makes for an effective advertisement?" There were literally hundreds of responses, from absolutely incomprensible to downright stupid to brilliant to thoughtful to off-topic.
Two things emerged:
(1) There is no clear concensus about what makes effective advertising (even among professionals)
(2) People can't read... many answered completely off-topic
And, there were some answers, like the one below, by one Adrian Fox that just makes me realize that it is no wonder we don't get any respect as a profession.
Take a look at what this Adrian Fox wrote. Now... this is a guy who supposedly spent 20+ years in advertising, advertisers himself in LinkedIn as "Founder and Managing Director" of something called BFT International and Marketing Director of something else called KrisAssists.com which, in turn, says this of itself:
KrisAssists.com is a website designed to provide practical solutions for individuals with physical disabilities—written by the disabled community for the disabled community.
Even those who have quite common disabilities often have distinct issues arising out of them...so your positive experiences...
Two things emerged:
(1) There is no clear concensus about what makes effective advertising (even among professionals)
(2) People can't read... many answered completely off-topic
And, there were some answers, like the one below, by one Adrian Fox that just makes me realize that it is no wonder we don't get any respect as a profession.
Take a look at what this Adrian Fox wrote. Now... this is a guy who supposedly spent 20+ years in advertising, advertisers himself in LinkedIn as "Founder and Managing Director" of something called BFT International and Marketing Director of something else called KrisAssists.com which, in turn, says this of itself:
KrisAssists.com is a website designed to provide practical solutions for individuals with physical disabilities—written by the disabled community for the disabled community.
Even those who have quite common disabilities often have distinct issues arising out of them...so your positive experiences...
Take a look
Even car sales are more professional.
One of my pet peeves about this business is that, if you want to cut my hair for $20... you must get a license. If you want to sell my house... you must get a license. But, if you want to hang your shingle, call yourself a marketing and/or advertising expert and then waste millions in advertising creating creepy Kings and subservient chickens... well... you don't. That's pretty bad.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
The King is Dead... but will the new campaign bring new life into Burger King?
What do you make of BK's new spot?
To be brutally clear, I hated the Burger King campaign that ran for years under Crispin.
I thought that the "King" was eerie, creepy and disgusting.
The subservient chicken struck me as a great example of creatives doing something on the web because you could do it.
But I couldn't see how the King, the Chicken and all the other weird spots could create and maintain a business.
And, naturally, it didn't. When all the dust settled, McD had grown 4.5% or so in sales and BK had spiked for a moment, then settled down and ended the run a bit under their original sales when they changed to Crispin. And, I'll blog about it at some other time.
This is the new BK spot by their new agency, McGarryBowen, which has a good creative reputation.
I find it pitiful.
Before anyone twists their knickers, I was part of the team that launched McD in Mexico, Dunkin' Donuts in Mexico and when I had my own agency, we did the Hispanic advertising in Miami-Dade for Pizza Hut. We even went as far as inventing the "Chorizo Lover's Pizza" for them.
Some thoughts:
1. Thre is no brand differentiation whatsoever; nothign that says "Wow! I want to try that new Whopper!" Not that I ever went (I'm not in the target) but Carl's use of Paris Hilton and one of the Kardashian girls really created a different --and indelible-- image.
2. Looks like stock footage. There is nothing out of the ordinary graphically. When Dave Thomas was alive, Wendy's advertising was highly distinctive. No mistaking it for the usual burger photography.
3. The images and promise could apply to any burger joint.
4. The reality will be absolutely different when you get your burger. Now, this is a problem. Because the spot uses all the usual iconography to communicate "real" or "fresh" food. You know, the rolling tomatoes, the water... but, by the same token, those of us who also exist outside the world of 35mm film recognize that we've never ever seen a burger like that. Ever. So, we discard the images as mere puffery at best of cliche at worst.
5. And you will still be eating it (if you do) in an outdated, sad, badly lit restaurant served with the most apathetic crew in the business. I don't know what it is with BK's but, at least in the Miami area around me, they have awfully lethargic people.
Bottom line: this spot is not going to create either brand differentiation, or trial or repeat customers.
Is it McGarryBowen's Fault?
I'll come out right out of the gate. No. Can't be their fault at all!
Agencies don't like to play it safe when launching a marquee client like BK. Having been in the business for ages, I can almost visualize the dozen or so creative yet business-like ideas presented. Only to have the client, a private investor group, play it "safe".
Someone ought to tell BK that:
1. Yes, the other stuff didn't work at all (sales are a proof of that)
2. Yes, you need to focus on the food
3. Yes, you did the right thing by moving the account to MB
4. Yes, fresh ingredients are a "reason why" (though no one believes they are fresh)
5. But... wow, you need to create a distinctive razor sharp personality and promise that will make me want to to go BK and not to the other dozen alternatives
In that sense, it is the client who failed.
In advertising, most of the, playing it safe is playing it sorry.
To be brutally clear, I hated the Burger King campaign that ran for years under Crispin.
I thought that the "King" was eerie, creepy and disgusting.
The subservient chicken struck me as a great example of creatives doing something on the web because you could do it.
But I couldn't see how the King, the Chicken and all the other weird spots could create and maintain a business.
And, naturally, it didn't. When all the dust settled, McD had grown 4.5% or so in sales and BK had spiked for a moment, then settled down and ended the run a bit under their original sales when they changed to Crispin. And, I'll blog about it at some other time.
This is the new BK spot by their new agency, McGarryBowen, which has a good creative reputation.
I find it pitiful.
Before anyone twists their knickers, I was part of the team that launched McD in Mexico, Dunkin' Donuts in Mexico and when I had my own agency, we did the Hispanic advertising in Miami-Dade for Pizza Hut. We even went as far as inventing the "Chorizo Lover's Pizza" for them.
Some thoughts:
1. Thre is no brand differentiation whatsoever; nothign that says "Wow! I want to try that new Whopper!" Not that I ever went (I'm not in the target) but Carl's use of Paris Hilton and one of the Kardashian girls really created a different --and indelible-- image.
2. Looks like stock footage. There is nothing out of the ordinary graphically. When Dave Thomas was alive, Wendy's advertising was highly distinctive. No mistaking it for the usual burger photography.
3. The images and promise could apply to any burger joint.
4. The reality will be absolutely different when you get your burger. Now, this is a problem. Because the spot uses all the usual iconography to communicate "real" or "fresh" food. You know, the rolling tomatoes, the water... but, by the same token, those of us who also exist outside the world of 35mm film recognize that we've never ever seen a burger like that. Ever. So, we discard the images as mere puffery at best of cliche at worst.
5. And you will still be eating it (if you do) in an outdated, sad, badly lit restaurant served with the most apathetic crew in the business. I don't know what it is with BK's but, at least in the Miami area around me, they have awfully lethargic people.
Bottom line: this spot is not going to create either brand differentiation, or trial or repeat customers.
Is it McGarryBowen's Fault?
I'll come out right out of the gate. No. Can't be their fault at all!
Agencies don't like to play it safe when launching a marquee client like BK. Having been in the business for ages, I can almost visualize the dozen or so creative yet business-like ideas presented. Only to have the client, a private investor group, play it "safe".
Someone ought to tell BK that:
1. Yes, the other stuff didn't work at all (sales are a proof of that)
2. Yes, you need to focus on the food
3. Yes, you did the right thing by moving the account to MB
4. Yes, fresh ingredients are a "reason why" (though no one believes they are fresh)
5. But... wow, you need to create a distinctive razor sharp personality and promise that will make me want to to go BK and not to the other dozen alternatives
In that sense, it is the client who failed.
In advertising, most of the, playing it safe is playing it sorry.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Nivea to consumers: you guys are stupid
Else, how to explain the surreal apology note that Beiersdorf issued over this controversial print ad created by DraftFCB
The apology read:
(I guess they decided to give those values a rest?)
We value difference. Direct or indirect discrimination must be ruled out in all decisions by, and in all areas of our activities. This applies regardless of gender, age, race, skin color, religion, ideology, sexual orientation, or disability. Nor should cultural, ethnic, or national origin, and political or philosophical conviction be of any significance."
This is corporate speak for "hey, I just covered my ass".
In all honesty, I hope that they don't fire anyone over this. Being unemployed is not fun. However, I would like to suggest that everyone involved be forced to serve at least 40 hours of community service in a shelter or an educational program as a requisite for keeping their jobs.
The apology read:
"We are deeply sorry to anyone who may take offense to this specific local advertisement.
(So, we assume that just because it is LOCAL it is not demeaning, insulting and racist; Beiersdorf hasn't learned the truth truth: all advertising is local)
After realizing that this ad is misleading, it was immediately withdrawn."
(NOT after realizing that the ad is insulting, racist and offensive. NOT after a huge public outcry. NOT after it got blogged and reblogged all over the web. NOT after major media picked it up. Oh, no, it was when they realized it was misleading. So... no one, not a single creative, account person, product manager, account manager, marketing director... no one realized it before? Really?)
The statement went on to say that "Diversity and equal opportunity are crucial values of NIVEA: The brand represents diversity, tolerance, and equal opportunity.(I guess they decided to give those values a rest?)
We value difference. Direct or indirect discrimination must be ruled out in all decisions by, and in all areas of our activities. This applies regardless of gender, age, race, skin color, religion, ideology, sexual orientation, or disability. Nor should cultural, ethnic, or national origin, and political or philosophical conviction be of any significance."
This is corporate speak for "hey, I just covered my ass".
In all honesty, I hope that they don't fire anyone over this. Being unemployed is not fun. However, I would like to suggest that everyone involved be forced to serve at least 40 hours of community service in a shelter or an educational program as a requisite for keeping their jobs.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
OMG! Is logical thinking creeping into advertising?
Heard it on some program while at the gym yesterday and now got reminded by the Miami Herald in today's edition:
Absolutely logical, though. If Nike, Adidas and everyone else is paying athletes amazing figures to wear their cloting and logo because it is supposed to generate sales... it stands to reason that having someone as cheesy and low-lifer as Mike "The Situation" Sorrention wear your brand could send the wrong signal.
Great move by A&F! In a single swoop they have accomplished several things:
Absolutely logical, though. If Nike, Adidas and everyone else is paying athletes amazing figures to wear their cloting and logo because it is supposed to generate sales... it stands to reason that having someone as cheesy and low-lifer as Mike "The Situation" Sorrention wear your brand could send the wrong signal.
Great move by A&F! In a single swoop they have accomplished several things:
- Notoriety -- Everyone is talking about them
- Clarity -- Now we know who is NOT the target user
- Definition -- And by contrast, I assume we know who is
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Every so often, a new way of looking at reality comes around which might be the real came changer
I think this might be it.
http://adage.com/article/trending-topics/mountain-dew-fans-top-tv-shows-talk/229249/
What a great way to understand a consumer AND plan media AND create better, more persuassive messages!
Here's the Ad Age Article:
http://adage.com/article/trending-topics/mountain-dew-fans-top-tv-shows-talk/229249/
What a great way to understand a consumer AND plan media AND create better, more persuassive messages!
Here's the Ad Age Article:
'Problem Solverz,' 'Dude, What would Happen?' and 'Empire Records' Get Them Talking
Last week in this space I shared some interesting data about advertising-as-media -- data generated exclusively for Ad Age by Bluefin Labs, which looked at the social-media response to two "Summer Time is Pepsi Time" spots. I was interested in the fact that people who are engaged with social media are prone to treating both TV shows and the commercials that air during them as, well, content -- content worth commenting about. (As I pointed out last week, while everyone in the business continues to obsess about time-shifting via DVR, Hulu, etc., most people still watch TV shows when the networks first air them.)
Cambridge, Mass.-based Bluefin's expertise is in providing brands, agencies and media companies with real-time TV-audience insights through social-media analysis. It's been building a massive database called the TV Genome, which it defines as "data created by mapping social-media commentary back to its stimulus on TV." The science behind Bluefin's research is pretty heady -- Deb Roy, Ph.D., the co-founder and CEO of the company, is director of the Cognitive Machines Group at the MIT Media Lab -- but it gets really interesting (and accessible) when you dive in looking for relationships and affinities.
The chart below represents an exclusive first look at a fresh-out-the-labs Bluefin data-mining project. It shows brand-to-show affinity: what the people who talk the most about a particular brand -- in this case, Mountain Dew -- in social media (primarily on Twitter and Facebook) have also been talking about when it comes to TV shows that have aired year-to-date. Some notes:
- First, you may be wondering what exactly people tend to say about Mountain Dew in the social-media sphere. I was curious myself, so I culled several examples from Twitter this morning: @earthtoanneh: "Things i've bought this holiday: mountain dew, mountain dew, bag for ipad, mountain dew. #yay"; @wh0isjack: "Mountain Dew > Every other beverage"; @miaashamiss: "They don't have mountain dew?! Oh, my god. What am I supposed to drink?!"; @rstevens: "Captain Beefheart, Mountain Dew and Photoshop. Any sufficiently late work night is indistinguishable from college." (I can definitely relate to that last one.) It's pretty clear that people who think to tweet about Mountain Dew are generally fans and consumers of the product.
- According to Bluefin, over 2,700 different shows (including made-for-TV and theatrically-released movies) have aired in prime time across all U.S. broadcast and cable networks year-to-date. Which means the top 15 shows below -- the shows Mountain Dew commenters commented about the most -- comprise a very select list. The rings of the circle represent the social-TV rating scale: If a spoke tip approaches the outermost ring -- if a blue-green line is long -- it means that the show has a high level of social-media engagement in general (not just among Dewheads); short spokes represent a low level of social-media engagement in general. The 1-through-15 numbers rank the shows most commented on by Dewheads, with the Cartoon Network's comedic cartoon "The Problem Solverz" in the No. 1 spot.
- In the case of Mountain Dew, the top 15 affinity show all have middle-of-the-road social-TV ratings -- which means that although people who are prone to comment about Mountain Dew are also excited about commenting on these particular shows, the general population of TV viewers is not nearly so excited about doing so.
- The tightest clustering for Mountain Dew commenters is around comedy shows. This isn't a huge surprise -- Mountain Dew is positioned as an irreverent brand with a goofy, quasi-comedic subtext (and of course Mountain Dew buys advertising time on irreverent networks and shows) -- but taken together with the other shows and the kinds of movies Dew commenters comment about when they air on TV (including indie-ish coming-of-age flick "Empire Records," the Mickey Rourke drama "The Wrestler" and the Johnny Knoxville comedy "The Ringer"), you can get an almost instantaneous sense of the psychographic at play here.
- "We see different dynamics across different brands, even when they're in the same sector," Bluefin's Tom Thai tells me. "For example, the Diet Coke brand has tight clustering around reality shows, while Sprite has tight clustering around movies."
So stop asking for experience in resumes already!
Just saw this on Twitter
I guess experience doesn't count; or learning from someone else's experiences.
This is the kind of thinking shortcuts that many people use all day long. Horrible.
This is what happens when someone takes the same deffective line of thinking and comes up with a phrase that only "sounds" profund but that disintegrates when you shine some light to it
Really? The things we make make us? Not our actions... even if we don't make something? Not our thoughts? Or how we act towards others?
I am not buying a Jeep ever because when I had a Grand Cherokee Laredo Limited I had problems with the steering, the brakes and the service. But, if I had never owned a Jeep this is the kind of pseudo-profound bullshit that would make me stay away from it.
I'd rather go back to the dream that I would someday take a Jeep into the forest or the desert or somewhere that was not my office parking and the local Publix. At least that got my juices going.
I guess experience doesn't count; or learning from someone else's experiences.
This is the kind of thinking shortcuts that many people use all day long. Horrible.
This is what happens when someone takes the same deffective line of thinking and comes up with a phrase that only "sounds" profund but that disintegrates when you shine some light to it
Really? The things we make make us? Not our actions... even if we don't make something? Not our thoughts? Or how we act towards others?
I am not buying a Jeep ever because when I had a Grand Cherokee Laredo Limited I had problems with the steering, the brakes and the service. But, if I had never owned a Jeep this is the kind of pseudo-profound bullshit that would make me stay away from it.
I'd rather go back to the dream that I would someday take a Jeep into the forest or the desert or somewhere that was not my office parking and the local Publix. At least that got my juices going.
Bill's not alive
With the promising title "139.6 inches. Every one tells a story" the Fiat Cinquecento proves that, nope, you can't go back home again.
When the Fiat Cinquecento (500 in Italian) launched, they made a huge fuzz about "heritage". I guess they had some parallel universe in mind because, in ours, the 500's real heritage is being the cheapest car available in Europe. Our Tata Nano, essentially.
Creatives talking to each other but not to the potential buyers?
139.6 inches. Every one tells a story... plus... "simply more" yet, not a single thing explained or expanded. Odd, thinking that it is published in a daily paper. A very text-heavy daily paper. And you'd think that, by now, with dwindling readership and circulation, most people would realize that, if you choose to read a papaper, you want to read. So. Why not give me something to read? Something to pay off the story line?
No. Not exclusively creatives. Media people too!
The target, as explained in some of the initial press releases, is young. Newspaper readership is old. Oops.
Could it be that the ad is aimed at people who might consider buying the car for their sons or daughters? I bought a Mini, then a Jetta for my daughter. The push came from her. I just validated the decision (and signed the check). So, how about giving me some reasons to sign the check? Gas mileage? Price? Safety features?
There's still time to fix the Cinquecento's foray into the US market:
1. Give me something to sink my teeth into! It is not enough, today, to go through life with a few vacuous phrases like "simply more". Tell me a story. Show me why I should sign the check.
2. Talk price. Really.
3. Where do I find this? Mailbox? Dealer? Are there even any dealers around me?
4. Get your story straight -- heritage? more? stories? smoke & mirrors?
5. Get realistic about how you contact me: web works, mobile works, anything interactive works. Perhaps lend a few cars to Road & Track, Car & Driver, Automobile.
And, don't imitate the Mini so much. You can only do cute once
When the Fiat Cinquecento (500 in Italian) launched, they made a huge fuzz about "heritage". I guess they had some parallel universe in mind because, in ours, the 500's real heritage is being the cheapest car available in Europe. Our Tata Nano, essentially.
Creatives talking to each other but not to the potential buyers?
139.6 inches. Every one tells a story... plus... "simply more" yet, not a single thing explained or expanded. Odd, thinking that it is published in a daily paper. A very text-heavy daily paper. And you'd think that, by now, with dwindling readership and circulation, most people would realize that, if you choose to read a papaper, you want to read. So. Why not give me something to read? Something to pay off the story line?
No. Not exclusively creatives. Media people too!
The target, as explained in some of the initial press releases, is young. Newspaper readership is old. Oops.
Could it be that the ad is aimed at people who might consider buying the car for their sons or daughters? I bought a Mini, then a Jetta for my daughter. The push came from her. I just validated the decision (and signed the check). So, how about giving me some reasons to sign the check? Gas mileage? Price? Safety features?
There's still time to fix the Cinquecento's foray into the US market:
1. Give me something to sink my teeth into! It is not enough, today, to go through life with a few vacuous phrases like "simply more". Tell me a story. Show me why I should sign the check.
2. Talk price. Really.
3. Where do I find this? Mailbox? Dealer? Are there even any dealers around me?
4. Get your story straight -- heritage? more? stories? smoke & mirrors?
5. Get realistic about how you contact me: web works, mobile works, anything interactive works. Perhaps lend a few cars to Road & Track, Car & Driver, Automobile.
And, don't imitate the Mini so much. You can only do cute once
Friday, August 12, 2011
Is anyone actually listening... American Airlines and Customer Feedback
So I have over 4 1/2 million miles with American Airlines alone.
Most of my friends joke that "I should sit with the pilot". I'd wish. American basically doesn't care... or seemed to not care at all.
Recently, that changed, an AA created something they call a "Brand Forum"
In this "Brand Forum" we get asked cute questions (if American Airlines were a person, who would he be?), some serious ones (what do you like about us? What do you hate about us?) and everything in between. And, yes, we do "have our say"
However...
1. American never, ever, ever responds to anything whatsoever. So, rather than a dialogue, AA missed the opportunity and turned it into a monologue. And it shows, as the forums advance (we are now on the 7th and I keep following it the same way people follow an accident, to see if there's blood) they get darker, more unfriendly, uncivil and vitriolic.
2. Even among participants... it is not a forum, it's a collection of monologues, where we all write to see what we wrote and, why not, to vent. But really, no one cares, or reacts, to what others wrote.
3. There's no even a "past forum synopsys" which would have been easy to do by having some college intern summarize the key points.
The value of what we are giving AA is google-nesque in proportions: they are talking to their elite passengers, gathering the most heart-felt information and learning. But... they are missing the chance to transform the 60% of us in the forum who think that AA sucks and turn us into salespeople.
Fail!
Most of my friends joke that "I should sit with the pilot". I'd wish. American basically doesn't care... or seemed to not care at all.
Recently, that changed, an AA created something they call a "Brand Forum"
In this "Brand Forum" we get asked cute questions (if American Airlines were a person, who would he be?), some serious ones (what do you like about us? What do you hate about us?) and everything in between. And, yes, we do "have our say"
However...
1. American never, ever, ever responds to anything whatsoever. So, rather than a dialogue, AA missed the opportunity and turned it into a monologue. And it shows, as the forums advance (we are now on the 7th and I keep following it the same way people follow an accident, to see if there's blood) they get darker, more unfriendly, uncivil and vitriolic.
2. Even among participants... it is not a forum, it's a collection of monologues, where we all write to see what we wrote and, why not, to vent. But really, no one cares, or reacts, to what others wrote.
3. There's no even a "past forum synopsys" which would have been easy to do by having some college intern summarize the key points.
The value of what we are giving AA is google-nesque in proportions: they are talking to their elite passengers, gathering the most heart-felt information and learning. But... they are missing the chance to transform the 60% of us in the forum who think that AA sucks and turn us into salespeople.
Fail!
Francesco's Restaurant and Social Media Gone Wrong
So I decided to start posting again. What better way to re-join the Bloggers of the world than by featuring a brilliant example of old-school thinking applied unsuccessfully to new-media platforms.
Francesco's Restaurant, near my office, is my favorite restaurant in Coral Gables, bar none. The tuna tataki salad is fantastic, the service is great and the ambiance (if a bit cramped) is friendly and warm.
So Francesco's runs a promotion saying that the 600th fan wins a free lunch for two.
And I see that #600 is there already:
Why would I click?
1. I am not going to be #600, a woman called Maritza won that.
2. I don't see that they have any on-going special offers.
3. I don't see that they give any loyalty discounts
They offer nothing... I give nothing
Yet, they could have had my name in the database to send me a coupon every so often, or a text message, anything.
But no, the application of old-school thinking, where there was only one winner to a promotion killed them. In today's economy my contact data has a value. I don't give it freely... I expect to get something out of it.
MS
Francesco's Restaurant, near my office, is my favorite restaurant in Coral Gables, bar none. The tuna tataki salad is fantastic, the service is great and the ambiance (if a bit cramped) is friendly and warm.
So Francesco's runs a promotion saying that the 600th fan wins a free lunch for two.
And I see that #600 is there already:
Why would I click?
1. I am not going to be #600, a woman called Maritza won that.
2. I don't see that they have any on-going special offers.
3. I don't see that they give any loyalty discounts
They offer nothing... I give nothing
Yet, they could have had my name in the database to send me a coupon every so often, or a text message, anything.
But no, the application of old-school thinking, where there was only one winner to a promotion killed them. In today's economy my contact data has a value. I don't give it freely... I expect to get something out of it.
MS
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