Why haven't I seen this commercial before?

In my search for funny tv commercials, I found one on YouTube that has me weak!

The commercial is for a tuna company located in Thailand.  I have never heard of the brand or seen the commercial but I thought it was funny.  They used a great sense of humor to send across their message.  Most of the commercials that I remember tend to be humorous ads that keep me laughing.  I think humor is the best way to advertise on television.  Nobody wants their show to be interrupted by dry commercials that just list facts or reasons why you should use a product or service.  People want to be entertained!

So, as I continue my search for the funniest commercials, I will surely keep this Thai tuna brand in mind.

A Look Back at Chevy's 2012 Super Bowl Ad

So as the year is coming to an end, we all look back on past Super Bowl commercials in anticipation for the next greatest one to come in a few months for the 2013 Super Bowl.  So here's a flashback of Chevy's 2012 Super Bowl commercial for the Silverado...

I thought this commercial was great.  They clearly executed their idea that the Chevy Silverado was the truck that is going to last and make it through anything.  It was clever how the company played off of the supposed "2012 Mayan Apocalypse" since the year the commercial would be featured was the year said to be the world's last.  The ad was humorous and used a comparison against Ford to show that Chevy is indeed the best truck.  I also thought it was funny and ironic that the man at the end is holding Twinkies.  His sweet treat managed to survive the apocalypse, but in reality, Hostess went under just a month short of the predicted apocalypse.

Chevy scored well with their audience with this commercial.  Let's see how well they can perform for 2013... if we make it.

Belvedere ad... not so smooth

Most liquor ads are simple and portray the alcohol as something classy and sophisticated.. even though, ironically we all know sometimes it's this very liquor that brings out the worst in some people.  However, Belvedere decided to take a different approach to their new campaign... a not so good approach.

Yikes!  Why did anyone think this was a good idea!  The ad was reportedly released on twitter for a very short window and received such negative reactions that the company was forced to pull the ad immediately.  This ad sends the completely wrong message and does not portray Belvedere as a liquor for the sophisticated.  I'm not sure if the ad was meant to be humorous but most found it extremely offensive.

So now the company is attempting an advertising comeback to overshadow their uh-oh mistake.  They should go back to their old style that gave Belvedere a sophisticated, smooth image and stay away from humor for now.

Pepsi teams up with.... Beyonce? OMG

It's recently been reported that singer pop star, Beyonce, will be teaming up with Pepsi in a new campaign in 2013.

http://www.mymagic105.com/files/2012/12/beyonce-and-pepsi.jpg

She will be the new face of Pepsi and it's been said that she will have a significant amount of creative, directive control over the project.

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/pepsi-and-beyonc-s-50m-duet-updated-145855

I think this is a brilliant idea!  Maybe I'm bias because I'm obsessed with Beyonce, but I think she's amazing and has so much talent!  She exemplifies fabulous and confidence.  With her own work, she has a lot of control over the music and performances which are always outstanding.  She would be a great face for any brand not only because she has a great following but with her direction, she may have the ability to pump some needed creativity into the campaign so Pepsi can stand taller than Coca-Cola in the cola industry.

By having Beyonce onboard, Pepsi is also stepping into the entertainment advertising industry.  Beyonce has such a huge name that this will automatically bring a lot of attention to the Pepsi brand and create a lot of buzz.  This is exactly what Pepsi needs.  They need people talking about their brand. Everyone knows about Pepsi and its benefits.  Now they need a campaign that brings attention to the brand and makes it stand out against competitors.

Apple's Genius Advertising

Apple is the leader in mobile technology innovations.  They have revolutionized the laptop and have made the iPod and iPhone an essential item for generation X.  If you ask anyone between the ages of 16 and 30 which phone they would choose next, most would say the iPhone.  If you asked the same sample group which device they use to listen to music, they would probably say an iPod or iPhone.

So why does everyone want anything Apple?  Is it the advertising? Is it the quality of the product?  Is it the product design?  Or is it a combination of each?

Apple has received a lot of attention because of their advertising.  They are simply genius.  And that is what it is, simplicity.  For their iPod ads, they used a contemporary art approach and took advantage of negative space.  The advertisements are so simple, yet brilliant!

I don't think their ads require any explanation.  They are simple and showcase the iPod.  The print/digital ad has many different versions featuring different people dancing with their iPod.  The concept demonstrates that each individual has their own iPod that has their own music that fits their personal style.

Another example of some of Apple's advertising is their tv commercials showing a comparison between a Mac and PC where the Mac is the clear winner.

This commercial shows the simplicity Apple uses to advertise their products.  Simple, yet genius.

So back to the original question... why does everyone want anything Apple?  It's everything!  The simplicity that Apple uses for every aspect of their products makes them desirable.  The simplicity of their design, the ease of use and the simple ways in which they advertise.  Genius!

GUESS... fashion advertisements

GUESS is an American clothing line that markets men and women clothing as well as various accessories including watches, bags, and jewelry.

So how do you advertise fashion?  And by fashion, I don't mean H&M or Forever 21.  I love those stores, but they are more about affordable, everyday pieces.  GUESS, in my opinion is more about special occasion, nice pieces.

It seems as though the trend for advertising pricey fashion is sex appeal.  Any fashion ad I have ever seen exudes sex.  It's all about models who have a sensual confidence.  A lot of times I have seen fashion advertisements where there is little to no clothes! It's all about the model and the brand.

In some of GUESS's recent 2012 ads they feature models in black and white photos wearing fashion forward items.

Compared to other fashion ad campaigns, I really think GUESS did a great job.  They made the photos grayscale which brought attention to the brand name which stands out in red.  They also featured models wearing some of the pieces you can find through the website or in the store.  The models are also a great representation of the brand.  Any girl who shops at GUESS wants to look like these models, meaning they want to look stylish, trendy, confident, and of course, have awesome hair.

Reebok.. What were you thinking!

Have you ever seen an ethically questionable ad that was.. not so questionable, but actually offensive?  Well here's one....

http://www.theblaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/reebok-cheating-ad.jpg

This is an advertisement Reebok placed in gyms in Germany as a way to promote the brand and encourage motivation in the gym; however, it created a huge backlash.  People were immediately offended, especially women.  The company later pulled the ad after much criticism and negative reactions.

First of all.. why did ANYONE think this was a good idea.  I can see if maybe some people, particularly men, might think it to be funny but there are a lot people who would take offense to something like this.  Cheating is such a touchy issue.  I would never run an ad like this, not only because I take offense to it, but also because I know many others may also have negative feelings towards it.  I would never think this ad would spark positive brand associations and promote Reebok.  This ad makes light of being unfaithful and to a certain extent, encourages it. 

It's obvious a man made and approved this advertisement.

I think this advertisement was a huge mistake by Reebok.  I'm sure they're aware of this now after the harsh feedback, but I hope in the future they are more sensitive to the opinions of women and not just men.  Women also purchase Reebok gear... well maybe not as much anymore after this ad.

Pandora Ads.. Clever or Annoying?

Pandora is the free internet radio service that has become the next big thing in the way we listen to music.  People are less inclined to buy music online or in stores because there are so many other venues to listen to music hassle-free.  Pandora is really changing the way we listen to and purchase music.  It has decreased music purchases because people can listen to any genre of music for free; however, at the same time, it has also increased music purchases because you can now listen to new artists and songs that you may have not found before which could prompt a purchase.

The service sounds too good to be true.  For free?  Well it does have it's flaws.

To listen to free internet radio, you are subject to listening to paid advertisements between songs.  The site also features banner ads as well.  Another pitfall is that you cannot choose specifically what songs you listen to.  You can only choose a genre, artist, or song and the service will create a "station" for you that features similar songs based on your search.  Overall, the positives outweigh the negatives, but are the paid ads useful?  Do they successfully send the right message?  Do people really listen to the ads?  Or are the advertisements more of a nuisance?

I think most people would agree that the Pandora ads are somewhat annoying.  People generally just want to listen to their music instead of some droning advertisement.  However, the listener can't help but pay attention to the ads.  I know when I am listening to Pandora, since I'm paying attention and listening closely to my music, when an ad plays, I inevitably listen closely to it as well.  I end up learning something about a product that I hadn't before.  I think the video ads are pointless because people listen to Pandora in the background of their computer. They don't really see the video, but instead hear the audio.

For Pandora ads, I would recommend sticking to more of a radio ad approach.  Avoid video visuals, and stay strictly informative reviewing the benefits of the product or service being advertised.

So, Pandora ads... clever or annoying?  I guess they are both!  They are a necessary part of having such an awesome free service!  No one wants to listen to the ads but when your music is interrupted, you always end up listening.

Skittles! Taste the Rainbow

Everybody loves Skittles.  They are one of the most popular and well-branded candies.  They obviously have a good grasp on advertising their brand.  "Taste the Rainbow" will always be remembered as Skittles.

Skittles has grasped the digital atmosphere.  They have a series of funny YouTube videos, a website that acts  as a humorous blog and a Twitter and Facebook page.  The website combines the Twitter page and YouTube videos.  The website is written like a blog and it features the Skittles tweets and videos from their YouTube account.

Their Facebook page is great.  They post funny statuses and videos from YouTube.  I thought it was very smart the way they engage their consumers.  Skittles has a Facebook contest called "the Greatest Fan in the World" where fans can post their best picture of them showing their fanatics for Skittles.  Some of the photos are very clever.  The contest is a great way to bring people to the Facebook page to see their posts and further send them their YouTube account as well as the website and Twitter page.

I think I may start following the Skittles brand.  Their posts can give me a good laugh for the day...

Cuties! Positioning

What are Cuties?

They are the sweet, seedless, E-Z peel clementines!

I always found it strange that you would advertise a commodity, such as fruit.  I would think it would be difficult to nail down a target since everyone eats fruit.  How do you position a fruit?  What audience do you target?

Currently, Cuties are catered towards children.  Their website is cutieskids.com and they explicitly advertise to children.  The website, as well as the Facebook and Twitter page, feature kids and the benefits Cuties provide to young children.  Cuties are positioned as the perfect snack for children because they are sweet, seedless and easy to peel.  The Cuties website, tv commercials, Facebook and Twitter pages are all synonymous and send the same message.  

However, I think this would be tricky to advertise strictly to children because they have no purchasing power.  You would also have to appeal to mothers who would be making the purchase.  As it is, with the social media sites and website, children will most likely not see those.  The website does not offer any reason for a child to want to explore the site.  I think the digital elements of Cuties campaign is aimed toward the mothers.

I think if Cuties wants to remain positioned towards the children market, they should have some type of game on their webpage or something that brings kids to their website and will further reinforce their brand and the reasons why mothers should buy them.

If I was tasked with positioning and marketing Cuties, I would not choose a specific target.  I would try to create some type of game on the website to bring children to the website and put the Cuties name in their mouths so they tell their moms to buy them.  I would also create an in-store display that would catch shoppers attention immediately when they are in the produce section.  Since fruit is such a low-involvement purchase, it would be smart to target people right at the point of purchase.  The display could be stickers on the floor that bring people to the Cuties stand or a standing a-frame that lists benefits of the clementines.

I guess there is no right or wrong way to target or position fruit, but I think the best bet is target any purchaser of fruit because I know I buy Cuties.  They really are the perfect fruit snack!

HP Envy Commercial... effective? or ineffective?

In October, Windows released their highly anticipated Windows 8.  The newest version of Windows was made primarily for use on touch screen computers and notepads.

So now there is a huge wave of advertisements for new computers featuring Windows 8.  One that stuck out among the others, in my opinion, was HP's Envy Commercial with the Emulator DJ.  It features a DJ who is deaf but enjoys deejaying because he can feel the bass.  With his new Windows 8 computer, he can not only feel the music, but he can touch it.

I really like this commercial.  I thought music was a great way to grab the viewers attention and connect with people because everyone loves music.  The commercial centers around music and being able to engage with music through their computer, giving the user the ability to touch and feel the music.

I thought the makers of this ad used a couple of different concepts to execute their idea.  They showed the product, showed the benefit, and used a testimonial.  They clearly displayed the laptop and advertised that it is a touch screen computer that allows you to "touch the music".  They used the DJ as their testimonial of someone who uses the product and receives the benefit.

So was this HP commercial successful?  I believe it is.  It clearly showed the benefits and grabbed the interest of the viewers.  The idea resonated and I remember specifically that this commercial is associated with the HP laptop.  I think they clearly differentiated themselves from other brands within the industry because of this unique commercial ad.

Old Spice: The Viral Campaign

Old Spice has recently, in the past few years, released quite a few advertisement campaigns that have gained huge success.  Some of the most popular ones are the "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like", and "Smell is Power".  In 2010, they also released a huge viral campaign that reached big success.

The viral campaign starred Isaiah Mustafa and featured a video on the man your man could smell like...

Old Spice's executional center is focused primarily on the digital hub.  They created this ad and streamed it online.  The feedback was massive.  Old Spice asked their spokesman, Isaiah Mustafa to respond to people's comments on the video with a personalized video.  These personalized videos were related back to the commenters via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.  The response videos featured Mustafa, in character, responding to the comments left on the video.

It was a huge hit and people responded well.  Since then, it has been one of the largest online, viral campaigns and to this day, Old Spice has continued to keep their executional center in the digital, online sphere because that is where they found the most success.

the GEICO gecko

I know everyone knows the GEICO gecko....

Why is this ad campaign so successful?!  Well obviously because everyone loves a talking gecko.  Aside from that, this is one of the most memorable campaign ads I have seen.  GEICO has had some great campaigns, the gecko being one.  I also enjoyed the cavemen ads as well.  The Martin Agency has worked with GEICO to produce some of their best campaigns which include the gecko, the caveman, and the Rhetorical Questions.

So what concept did they use for the gecko campaign?  They decided to show the benefit of their service..."15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance".

What first impression did they use?  They used the useful impression.  In other words, appealing to the viewers self interest.  They advertised the amount of money one can save while adopting GEICO's insurance services.

The gecko is specifically unique to GEICO.  There is no mistaking that the green gecko with the Australian accent represents GEICO.  The gecko has most definitely been adopted as the face of GEICO.  I'm still unsure why the gecko is so successful, but it works!

got chocolate milk?

The "Got Chocolate Milk" campaign began in early 2011 and sought to increase chocolate milk sales in the United States.  They began the campaign with the "Refuel" project which aimed at positioning chocolate milk as a post-workout beverage that harbors just the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, electrolytes and nutrients to help rehydrate and refuel athletes after a workout or performance.

The "Refuel" project took the form of a consumer ad campaign, termed "My After"(example below).

I think this ad perfectly encompasses all of their advertising objectives.  They have created a relatable campaign that every athlete, ranging from the casual power walkers to the elite professional athletes, can relate to.  Everyone has their own after workout routine and this ad shows that they understand that.  The ad aims to convince and even persuade the audience to choose chocolate milk as part of their post workout routine for its recovery benefits.

This idea was translated well to digital and print advertisements.  I think the idea is unique to chocolate milk and takes a great angle.  I think the font suits the ad well.  "My After" is in big font and the description of chocolate milk's benefits is written in very small print to make the viewer look closer.  The big print grabs the attention and the smaller print requires closer attention.  The small print holds all of the detail and information, so the fine print suits it best.  I also think they took a great angle by using elite athletes and olympians as the face of their campaign.  When people see a successful athlete performing a particular routine, they view their rituals as effective and may choose to emulate what works.

The "My After" ad campaign was in fact successful.  It has improved chocolate milk sales and therefore achieved the "Got Chocolate Milk" advertising objectives.

Uniqlo: Breaking Into the U.S.

As some of you know, Uniqlo is a clothing company based out of Japan that offers fashion basics.  In 2006, they opened their flagship store in New York City and just within the past few weeks, Uniqlo has also opened another store in San Francisco.  It appears as though the company is facing strategic issues with it's recent plan to branch out in the United States.

After researching the company and looking into their strategies, I think their biggest problem thus far is creating awareness for the brand in the U.S.  Many people outside of New York and California don't know much about Uniqlo.  New York and California are not only the two states with the only Uniqlo stores in the U.S. but they are both home to some of the most fashion-forward cities in the world.  I've asked around and most people said they have never heard of it.  So how does a Japanese company extend their brand into the U.S.while creating awareness?

There are a few obstacles that they have to overcome.  For one, they are a Japanese company and as most know, Japanese fashion and culture are very different from the United States.  How does Uniqlo communicates their values to a foreign culture?

I think their first move is to change their message or tagline.  Uniqlo's current tagline is "Made for all".  I find a few problems with that.  First, everyone has a different style and there is no one style or brand of clothing that every single person likes.  I think that is a universal concept and there won't ever be a style that everyone wears.  Clothing is a form of expression and having a clothing made for everyone takes away from that idea.  Secondly, in an article I read about Uniqlo, it's founder kept mentioning Apple.  The founder really admired Apple and the idea of having a product that was universal for everyone; however, you cannot bring that concept into fashion.  Everyone cannot be their target audience.

Uniqlo needs to narrow down their target consumer.  Perhaps targeting people who are still looking to be trendy and fashion-forward.  They should target their brand towards young adults, people who want to be fashionable within a budget.

Uniqlo is known for their fashion basics at affordable prices, from my understanding.  A better way to send that message across may be using a tagline like, "your everyday fashion" or "basic is fashion" or "fashion that fits you" or "made for everyday".

As far as creating awareness, I think Uniqlo should focus on the success of the stores in the United States and continue to slowly branch out to other cities.  They should change their message and continue with their strategy of opening popup stores in other cities to create buzz and awareness.  However, I do think an important strategic move is to change their message to something people can connect with better here in the United States.

http://www.uniqlo.com/us/

Wieden + Kennedy's Success

So as many of you know, Wieden + Kennedy is one of the world's largest independently owned ad agencies and is responsible for the advertisements of many big name companies such as Nike, Facebook, Old Spice, P@G, Levi's and Coca-Cola.  The company is most well known for their long standing relationship with Nike which began back in 1980.  Nike was W+K's first major client and has contributed to a major part of their success.  This is W+K's most recent work with Nike...

Another video commercial that W+K did for Nike that I thought was clever was...

The company did their research and played off of everyone's excitement for Lebron and the Heat to finally win a ring.  They found something people took interest in and made an ad people could stand behind.

I think W+K has produced some great work.  Without their work with Nike, I wonder how the company would have taken off.  I would like to ask the telling questions...  Would W+K be one of the largest independently owned advertising agencies today if they never did work for Nike?  W+K have acquired many big name brands in the past, but is that because of their success with Nike?  Whether Nike played a big factor or not, W+K is one of the most prestigious and successful ad agencies today.  I really enjoy their work... As of now, I will continue to follow them and post about their work.

Today's Inspiration...

So... life after college, a career, living on my own, it's all so exciting and yet so scary!  As a college student, it's a constant struggle between managing work and classes and as an added task, trying to figure out what I want to do after college.  I'm currently a marketing and management double major.  The thought being that if I graduated with two broad degrees, I could definitely manage to get a job and one day make a career for myself.  From day to day, I am so busy that I sometimes forget what the major goal is! A career!  I have always considered myself creative and an outside thinker.  I like to do things differently and I really can't imagine myself with a desk job in a stiff career.  It's just not me.  So what are my options?

Today we had guest speaker, Brandon Thornton, come in and speak to the advertising students about his career and what brought him there.  Brandon is a strategic planner at Wieden + Kennedy for their Nike Basketball account.  After listening to his journey to Wieden + Kennedy, I became so inspired.  It was great to hear a success story from someone within advertising who started in the same position I am currently in. He worked hard for his place at Wieden + Kennedy, but it seems well worth it.  It made me realize that advertising would be a great avenue for me to express myself and let the creative juices flow!  It seems as though advertising is a competitive industry; however, the ideals behind it fit well with how I think.  Brandon mentioned how the advertising industry encourages taking risks and occasionally failing so you can learn from your mistakes.  It's also an industry where individuality and differences are important.  They want people with different opinions and perspectives.  Everyone can bring something different to the table and help to create something great.  As long as you can provide an opinion and work that is unmatchable by others, you're an asset to any ad agency.

Wieden + Kennedy has produced some amazing work with some big names such as, Levi's, Nike, Kraft, Converse, Old Spice, and P&G.  This is a recent Levi ad that I thought was really creative.

With all that being said... I think I'm going to start my creative journey to something great.  Advertising or not... I'll find some way to leave my creative stamp on the world.

Blast from the Past

If there's one distinct advertisement that I remember growing up, it would definitely be the Tang ads with the orangutan.  Do any of you 90's kids remember?

I always grew up drinking Tang and I can never forget their ridiculous ads.  I always thought they were funny at the time, but when I watch them now, they seem so goofy!  It definitely stuck because of the orangutan doing karate.  Even though the ads are extreme and goofy, the orangutan doing something human was a clever idea!  The concept caught on and every time I saw Tang or drank it, I thought of the orangutan.

Creative Potential

Everybody has a creative potential and from the moment you can express this creative potential, you can start changing the world.
Paulo Coelho

The world would be a better place if society encouraged creativity.  A creative mind is a beautiful thing! It shows personality... and uniqueness... and substance.  For me, my creativity is inspired by everything!  I find myself different in that I can find beauty in anything.  I may come off as quiet to some, but really I am deep in thought, thinking about the next thing I want to create!  I love art!  Art is all around us and it is amazing!  I love to paint and draw and craft.  Crafting is a hobby I take to heart.  I really enjoy making jewelry and accessories.  I have some scary good sewing skills and I sew my own bags!  

I hope to one day be a part of a creative industry, whether that be in advertising, or marketing, or fashion.  I truly do have a passion for fashion and ever since I can remember, I have had an obsession with handbags.  I have so many!  Now I have found that I can make my own handbags and I would like to eventually start my own business and sell my creations.  Right now I may have to start small, but I have big dreams!  Here's what I have so far..