The Brands We Know

Sporcle.com may be one of the best or worst websites to visit for procrastination or just to pass time depending on how you look at it.  Do not visit the website if you have a significant amount of work to complete because 20 minutes will fly by before you realize.  Sporcle provides engaging trivia games in a variety of different categories.  Personally I enjoy playing the games under the entertainment tab.

Some of the popular games include listing car manufactures based of their logo or listening to a cound clip of an organization’s jingle and then writing down the name as quickly as possible.  It is amazing how companies have developed brand recognition in America.   Even though I am not an expert in cars or even have the income to purchase one of my own, I can look at the logos of the car manufactures and name a majority of them.  Through advertising brands have molded an image into the consumer’s head.  Within seconds people can look at a logo and make a connection to the company.

Visit Sporcle.com and see how well you can compete but I warn you, it may become addicting…

Boston Starbucks

At the beginning of the semester I traveled to Boston to visit one of my best friends from high school who attends Boston College.  I had never been to Boston so I wanted to see as much of the city as I could in one long weekend.  We decided to go on about a 15-mile bike ride so I could get a true feel for the historical city.

            One of the many sites I visited on our journey was the Steaming Kettle in Government Center. The Steaming Kettle periodically has steam rising out of the spout. The kettle was built in 1873 for the Oriental Tea Company. Hicks and Badger, the city's largest coppersmiths, built the kettle for the company. In 1875, a contest was held to have people guess the capacity of that kettle. More than 10,000 spectators filled the square that day.  A city inspector carefully checked each amount poured into the kettle. A judge was present to observe the process to ensure the contest was fair. A large blackboard was updated after each measure, and it took more than an hour to fill the pot. The answer is engraved on one side: 227 gallons, 2 quarts, 1 pint, and 3 gills. The Oriental Tea Company lasted in the location until the 1940s.

            When Starbucks bought the location it was an excellent decision for business.  The legendary teapot attracts numerous tourists each year and even though it an ordinary Starbucks that sits below the kettle consumers feel the urge to step in for a cup of coffee.  During my visit, which was in late September the coffee shop was packed.  This golden steaming teapot has provided Starbucks with phenomenal advertising. 

International Advertising

For my media writing course I have been paired with a young women who lives in Lebanon to discuss different social issues and learn about each other’s cultures.  It has been fascinating to discover the different stereotypes she has of America.  She has taught me a significant amount in only a few weeks and I would like to think I have broadened her knowledge as well. 

One exercise we conducted was sending each other advertisements from one another’s native country.  It was interesting to hear her perspective on the American Ad I shared with her.  She explained she does not see many emotional commercials in Lebanon.

Here is the Lebanese advertisement she shared with me…

The commercial is very humorous and I could see it being successful in American if it were in English.  The old couple is quite endearing and they capture the emotion of the audience.  It is funny the old woman does not understand that she cannot bring the dairy through the security.  When she was young that most likely would not have been issue. 

It is also funny how the security is so relaxed and laughing about the situation.  If this were real life those employees would be taking their job much more seriously.  It is interesting that my partner in Lebanon mentioned this is one of the only emotional advertisements she could think of when she sent it to me.  I wonder why that is the case.  

Holiday Mayhem

As you may all know the day after Thanksgiving is historically known for sales that attempt to blow the consumers’ minds.  Target has developed an advertising campaign with comedian Maria Bamford to act as a Target super fan looking to take full advantage of the two-day sale. 

Target has done well with these commercials using humor while addressing the key points about the sale. Using the Rocky soundtrack and dressing the actress in a Christmas themed jump suit adds a nice touch.  It is also smart they show her preparing her workouts inside the store just to make the connection.  My favorite part of the commercial is when the spokesperson is doing crunches on the red ball outside the store.  As far as I am aware those red balls are placed outside every Target store and it makes a direct humorous association.

I found this advertising campaign interesting considering a week ago on the radio I heard Target is enforcing a no running policy during the two-day sale.  It is amusing that such rules need to be put into effect, however due to past incidents they should be legally obligated to address the issues.  I do not know how Target plans to stop people from running but it sounds like they will need to hire some lifeguards similar to my childhood swimming pool.  This being said, it is interesting Target portrays the woman running and training for the sale but it is most likely just for comedy.

For all of you looking to take advantage of sales this holiday season, have fun and be safe!

Falling Roses

     While the NBA is disappointing fans everyday Derrick Rose among other athletes are still finding ways to make extra cash.  Considering I am a Chicago Bulls fan I may reveal some bias but I think this advertisement by Adidas is extremely clever and well thought out.  As Derrick Rose enters the stadium he takes the characteristics of a bull in a bullfight. Unlike a traditional bullfight the crowd appears to be cheering for the bull. The matadors attempt to catch Rose as we dribbles through the arena.  Derrick Rose could be considered the best ball handler in the NBA and he is fascinating to watch as he gracefully moves in this commercial.

When Rose successfully dunks the ball in the end the audience begins to throw Roses which correlates to a traditional bull fight as well as the athlete’s last name.  The camera focuses in on the shoes they are attempting to sell, however I believe the only mistake Adidas makes is not mentioning the name of the shoe.  Consumers should be able to watch this commercial and say I want Derrick Rose’s adiZero by Adidas.  It provides a link to the company’s Facebook page, which is cleaver because they keep the audience engaged however they still should mention the shoe name.

Hopefully these shoes will be shown in the spotlight this year and we will not miss an entire year of basketball.  After a wonderful, exciting season last year the NBA needs to get things rolling before they lose too many fans.

Google: Bringing it all Together

                                                                                                        

After watching numerous Google Chrome commercials I was impressed by the collection but “Dear Sophie” stood out as my favorite.  Although this may insult my manliness, I cannot watch the commercial without a smile on my face and getting chills through my body. The advertisement touches every emotion from when the little girl is smiling ear to ear to sobbing crying.  It is heartwarming to view the father’s love and care for his daughter as she grows older.

Google does a wonderful job of portraying how easy it is to use chrome as they literally illustrate the appropriate buttons to press.  As they chronologically show Daniel Lee create his account and discover more aspects Chrome has to offer the audience becomes more intrigued in how much the program has to offer.

Google makes everything very simple and is continually growing in multiple different aspects.  They express the tagline “the web is what you make of it.”  Google Chrome offers the ability to use other websites and bring it all into one.  Through this specific “Dear Sophie” ad I believe Google demonstrates how anyone can use the site.  It is inspirational and certainly pulls at emotions.  I believe the target audience would be parents ranging from about 25-45.  Many young adults may be more familiar with using different computer networks such as youtube, gmail, blogspot and iPhoto and Google wants to show the older generation how easy it is to develop new projects and ideas.

Sexy Burger

                                                                                   

What is Paris Hilton Doing in a Carl’s Jr. advertisement? I could not think of a more bazaar celebrity to try and sell a hamburger.  I understand trying to use sex appeal in an advertisement, however in this commercial the technique did not work. 

            Within the 30 second commercial the hamburger is shown minimally.  Until the final seconds when Carl’s Jr. reveals their logo the audience could mistake this ad for selling a Bentley automobile, a line of Paris Hilton products or possibly selling the song being played.  Not only is this video inappropriate and should be censored to particular age groups, everyone knows Paris Hilton would never put in the manual labor to wash a car. 

            As a fast food chain with significant competition one would think Carl’s Jr. would try to develop a target audience consisting of family values or children’s humor.  If I had children I would turn the channel when this commercial came on the television.  With this commercial the fast food chain appeals to a limited audience consisting of males 15-25 that would enjoy the sex appeal of Paris Hilton.  With that in mind, it is even difficult for Paris Hilton to make eating a hamburger look sexy. 

            Looking at the commercial further, how do washing a car and eating a hamburger mix appropriately?  These tasks seem as if they would be proven very difficult to do together.  The only connection that makes sense is Carl’s Jr. is trying to sell their Spicy BBQ Burger and Paris Hilton’s intellectual tagline is “That’s Hot.”  I personally believe this commercial should not be allowed on air and Carl’s Jr. needs to reevaluate their advertising strategies. 

Ford Cares

Ford has been manufacturing cars since the early 1900s. It would be rare to find someone in the United States that has not heard of the established corporation.  Ford has branded an image over many years and people know what to expect when they purchase one of their vehicles. When a company has established themselves they can experiment with different approaches in their advertising.

In this series of print advertisements, Ford is appealing to the public interest. Checking a phone while driving, whether it be for texting, calling or checking email has increasingly become a problem.  Ford is not trying to criticize Facebook, Twitter or Gmail in these ads but rather point out using these websites while someone is behind the wheel is not a smart idea nor is it legal. It is a smart approach for Ford to use the logos of the social networking websites because of the immense popularity they receive.  

Ford reaches out to a larger audience with these advertisements.  They demonstrate that they are not only trying to sell their cars but they are selling a reputation.  The company displays they care about the people driving the cars they sell, not just the amount of money that is being made.

A Helping Hand: Near & Far

Children are suffering around the world everyday and the number of casualties is drastically increasing.  Global Angels is looking to generate a strong group of people that can respond to the needs of suffering children.  Founder Molly Bedingfield exclaims everyone can be an “angel” and help inspire a new generation. 

                                                                       

The video portrays a creative guerilla marketing strategy.  If someone is in need of assistance right in front of an individual’s face they will most likely help out.  However, most individuals will try to ignore suffering around the world as long as it doesn’t directly interfere with their everyday life.  It is important to look out for yourself but it is also good to realize your blessings and recognize the suffering going on in the world we share.  I am certainly victim of getting caught in my sheltered bubble as well. 

It is difficult to watch commercials that show graphic images of children suffering from poverty and famine. Often people’s first reaction is to turn the channel in order to not deal with the reality.  Global Angels’ approach with this marketing technique may also try to make people feel guilty but I also think it makes individuals think in a different way.  Everyone is busy.  That is life.  We can take a second out of our day to help someone pick up their groceries and we can take a second to donate to people to a community that is suffering in a much greater way.

Check out Global Angels for yourself:  http://www.globalangels.org/

The Magic of Giving

The Peruvian Cancer Society sends a powerful message with this advertisement.  When I saw this commercial for the first time, I did not know what to expect.  As the street performer shows off his tricks, I was intrigued to view what the commercial was advertising.  

This commercial was shown to my Multicultural Public Relations & Advertising class by a woman who studied advertising in Peru.  This advertisement is simple, which is why I believe it is effective.  There are no words spoken yet the music helps send the message the Peruvian Cancer Society is trying to get across.  The commercial is filmed in black and white, which compliments the emotional appeal. 

There is no magical cure for cancer, however I believe this organization is displaying that with support, commitment and donation they can fight the fatal disease.  The Peruvian Cancer Society can bring smiles to their patients’ faces.  I can only hope one day in the future it will be this easy.  

Muscle Milk Advertising is Not Strong

I apologize if this advertisement is a bit too scandalous.  I don’t mean to offend anyone.  I am not sure if many of you are familiar with the brand Muscle Milk but I have had a handful of the drinks in the last few years. Muscle Milk’s target consumer would be considered young men from about 16-35 looking to gain muscle mass.  It is a drink filled with protein that is intended to be drank after working out. 

            While I analyze these advertisements I question how the company appeals to their target market.  First, the man is uncomfortably revealing.  I don’t understand why anyone would be standing in skimpy underwear as they walk through the kitchen.  Typically when I am in the kitchen I am there for a purpose, possibly to make dinner or grab a glass of water.  However this man just likes to stop and check himself out in the kitchen.

                                                                                                    

            As for the woman, I assume she is with her children.  What mother walks around in her lingerie while she watches her children play.  Her seductive look in this particular situation is relatively disturbing.  It is also odd how the children look up to their mother as if they are admiring her.  The mixture of sex appeal and cute children should not be mixed in an advertisement.

            

            In both advertisements I do not understand the poor example of photoshop.  The images of the people are obviously superimposed into the frame.  This could be a “look” they are going for, however I personally do not understand the idea.

            The main reason this ad is ineffective is the fact that a consumer has to search for what the brand is trying to sell.  It almost seems as if Muscle Milk was trying to hide the product in the background.  I believe Muscle Milk needs to make a better effort to appeal to their target audience.  

Corona Light

Corona has stayed true to the straightforward yet effective ad campaign for many years now.  There is only so much you can do with a bottle of beer and a tropical beach but they keep coming up with new ways to spin the commercial.  Over the years I believe the Corona commercials have been successful because of the simplicity. 

Typically the Corona commercials have no words and just the sound of the ocean breeze and waves crashing.  This new commercial adds a bit more to the Corona advertisement and I can’t say I am a fan.  I understand the idea behind the commercial- if you drink a Corona, no matter where you are it will take you to a state of relaxation.  Who doesn’t want a beer that can remind you of the tropical shores of an exotic place? 

My biggest critique is the racial divide in the commercial.  Maybe I am just being cynical, but is it necessary to have the black man sitting in a chair away from the other two individuals while they are enjoying the scenery?  If the approaching woman is apologizing for being late they must have been sitting there for significant amount of time.  This commercial should convey a feeling of comfort and relaxation.  Even the ending frame leaves me looking at four of the most uncomfortable people sitting drinking beers by the ocean.   Also when the woman arrives, considering the black man is sitting a seat away from everyone else you would at least expect him to hand her the beer as she takes a seat.

It seems as if Corona took a risk with this advertisement by adding words and a new atmosphere.  I understand the effort to change things up but I do not believe it was a success.  They have done a wonderful job of creating an image for a beer that people will want to drink when relaxing or in a tropical setting.  They have also created this image with a very low budget production.  Maybe it is time for them to start brainstorming for a new commercial idea.  After all there are few companies that stick to one commercial idea especially in the beer industry.

Hello Ad World

Hello!

            I started this blog a few weeks ago and realized I never introduced myself.  My name is Brian Moore and I am a senior at Marquette University.  I am majoring in Corporate Communication and getting a minor in Advertising. 

            This past summer I interned at a sports marketing company called Intersport in downtown Chicago.  I worked in the events sponsorship department, which entailed a lot of traveling around the country. I am still working occasional events for Intersport while at Marquette and I learn something new and valuable with every experience.  The world of sponsorship and advertising is fascinating. It is amazing the ideas companies are able to develop in order to brand a product or corporation.

            With this blog I hope to become more aware of the marketing communication that surrounds me along with the rest of the world.  My goal is to find marketing strategies that are unique and cause a consumer to think twice.

             My last blog on blogspot.com followed my adventurous through Europe as I studied abroad in Rome for a semester.  That blog was short lived as I quickly became wrapped up in my travels and schoolwork.   As I start a new blog I will be writing frequently and hoping to discover new forms of advertising every week.

        

                                                                 I welcome you all with open arms to continue to follow!

                                                  

What Brand Am I?

                                                               

Defining yourself as a brand is not something I have ever thought to do nor is it necessarily easy.  I would not consider myself a frequent shopper and I have rarely been loyal to a specific brand.  After brainstorming I have decided REI is a brand that most nearly reflects my personality.  I have been involved with camping and backpacking for many years now, and REI is the first place I would go if I were searching for equipment or supplies. 

       One of the greatest things about REI is they are straightforward and direct with their goals.  Since the beginning, when the store started with 23 mountain climbing friends they have always had the same goal of providing the best outdoor equipment while protecting the planet.  I like to think I am a straightforward, simple man myself.  I am not a fan of uncertainty and I like when people can get to the point.  If an REI product breaks or is damaged from excessive use the company always replaces the product with a new one.  Although their products are very durable and high quality, they understand things can break especially when you sell products that are to be used when outdoors seeking adventure.

REI is obviously very passionate about the environment.  I appreciate their dedication to being environmentally conscious as I do my best to perform little acts to save our Earth.  Every year REI donates millions of dollars to support conservation efforts worldwide.  They have a team of dedicated volunteers and store members that truly represent the company well.

       The volunteers, members and staff could more or less be considered a family.  They are a tight knit community that loves to share their passion for the outdoors.  Online, where you can share stories and connect with other individuals and in the store, REI provides a friendly, at home atmosphere.  I am a very family oriented man and I value my upbringing.  Obviously I cannot compare the REI community to the loving bond I share with my family but as far as a company can relate, they do a wonderful job.
              Through REI tip videos on their website a consumer can recognize the true culture of the company.  They are passionate about their work and show dedication to their products far more than other corporations. It is amazing how many people will volunteer their time to work for an organization.


REI VIDEOS

       While I love the outdoors and look for any opportunity to seek adventure I believe REI would be the closest brand to represent my personality.  I will continue to support the company and if you have never checked out the store you should stop in sometime.

Use the store locator to find out the closest REI: 

REI WEBSITE

Freakily Effective?

     Adweek posted an article listing the 30 "freakiest" television commercials of 2010.   I believe getting a reaction out of the audience in any way is a positive for brand awareness. Although you may not be gaining a costumer from the initially viewer, the individual is bound to spread the word. If the company or organization stirs up emotion through their advertisement it will get people talking.  They will ask their friends if they have seen the commercial or play it for them on youtube. The top 30 commercials varied significantly.  One was for Snickers while the number 1 video was a commercial for PSA's National Domestic Hotline.  

     It is difficult to think of a serious, horrifying topic such as domestic abuse as "freaky."  It certainly is a scary and sensitive topic to discuss and put air on television but it does not belong have the same "freaky" humor as the Sony Playstation commercial with a baby walking around with a grown man's body.  While I am uncertain about calling the PSA advertisement "freaky" I do believe it could be effective.  Much like commercials with horrifying images and clips to donate to starving children in poor areas, I believe throwing something serious yet disturbing in an audiences face can be effective.  Although it may not be pretty, it is the truth.  

Some of these "freaky" commercials gave me a good laugh so I hope you enjoy as it may bring back memories.

30 freakiest Commercials of 2010

The Good Old Days

I spent this weekend in Columbus, Ohio at the Kirk Herbstreit National Kickoff Classic event, which took place in the Ohio State University Football Stadium.  The event hosted eight of the top high football teams in the country.    Two games were played on Sunday and two on Monday.  As I looked on, this experience certainly brought me back to my high school days.  The student sections roaring with chants back and forth while the cheerleaders danced and the bands played.  Now, I am well aware I still have cherished days of being in college and part of a great tradition at Marquette University but it made me fear graduating.

The reason I was at the Kirk Herbstreit Kickoff Classic is because I intern for a sports marketing company called Intersport based out of Chicago.  Intersport runs the show and puts everything together for the event.  This is one of many events the Intersport conducts.  The fascinating part for me is that every event I learn something new about advertising and marketing.

For this particular event there was no title sponsor.  The four sponsors were FRS healthy performance products, Geico, Marines and Nike.  I find it fascinating the amount of dedication brands will contribute to advertising their products.  The football games were being aired on ESPN and ESPNU so the brands had an opportunity for good TV time. Intersport’s main responsibility for the event is to make sure the advertisements are visible and presentable considering the companies are paying money to be there.  As a staff member we had to set up banners that lay along the bleachers.  They measured approximately 50x50 in length to be easily visible on TV.  We also set up boards along the sidelines that displayed advertisements.  FRS was also distributed to all players and coaches. 

The world of marketing and advertising is fascinating and the newest tactics and ideas become increasingly creative and fascinating.