Wells Fargo

My favorite bank is Wells Fargo.  Every bank wants you to feel that your money is safe with them, but Wells Fargo does the best job of all.  Let's face it, all the major banks had to be bailed out a couple of years ago so any sense of safety in a bank's advertisement is hard to justify.  But Wells Fargo has such a long history that they have me convinced.  The traditional Wells Fargo stagecoach is the perfect symbol to show that my money is safe with this bank.  If I was really in the 19 century, I might be concerned about being robbed by Jesse James, but here in the 21st century, the stagecoach shows me that Wells Fargo is traditional and has been successful for a long time.  If the company has been around this long, it must be safe.  Besides, yellow and red are pretty successful colors.  

Dyson's Multiplier

If I can assume you went to Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI this year, then you must have seen the Dyson tent.  No - there were no vacuums on display.  Instead, Dyson sales associates were showing off the ultracool Air Multiplier Fan that you may or may not have heard of.  If you had ever seen this fan before, then you had to stop by if only for the chance to stick your arm through the enticing loop where air magically "multiplies."  

Once  inside of the tent you would have seen the coolest (don't mind my pun) use for the Dyson fan ever imagined.  Check out the video below.

Anytime a company can showcase it's product in such a clever way, I have to applaud.  This display really showed off Dyson's slightly nerdy but fun persona that is seen in all their advertisements.  No, I did not walk away from that tent with a purchase, but I have a great story and a video to share with all my friends.  This is an advertisement that "multiplies."

Double Impact

Today, as I was driving home from a local festival, I heard a radio commercial that caught my attention.  The voice in the ad was telling me about the impact the small things we do can have on the lives of others.  It began with a volunteer who brought a book to a young girl.  That book inspired a love of reading followed by a love of science that propelled her into a career as an aeronautical engineer.  The story ends with this girl growing up to be on the team that sent a rover to Mars.  I soon found out this commercial was for a gasoline company.  The hook was, "How far can a gallon of gas take you - 40 million miles."  As it turns out, the volunteer who gave this girl a book was from a books on wheels program that relies on Citgo gasonline.  This radio commercial ended with a call to action to the website about Citgo's charitable efforts - fuelinggood.com.

The story of the aeronautical engineer ended with the radio spot, but my experience with Citgo's marketing did not end there.  Coincidentally, I soon passed a billboard for Citgo a mile or two down the road.  This billboard was about the product this time, but the reinforcement of Citgo's brand and the Fueling Good campaign was fortunate - "Citgo is Good Gas Guaranteed.  Fueling Good."

While a coincidence like this is hard to plan, the experience I had with Citgo's brand had double the impact of either the radio ad or the billboard on it's own.  Anytime as ad can overlap with some other type of marketing the chances of persuading the audience goes up.  While my experience was mere coincidence, this kind of double impact can be carefully constructed.

Snickers Commercials

"You're not you when you're hungry.  Snickers Satisfies."

Snickers has a series of television commercials that feature various celebrities in funny and unlikely situations.  It turns out that being hungry can literally turn anyone into a diva like Aretha or Liza or an angry man like Joe Pesci.  Below, I've gathered four of those commercials that take advantage of celebrity spots.  What attracted me to these commercials was the surprise element like when you find out that Betty White isn't really playing tackle football with a bunch of young guys.  Fortunately though, for comedy's sake, you still get to see Betty get tackled, and Roseanne hit by a log.  So, please enjoy the commercials posted below.  Remember not to watch them on an empty stomach.  And also remember, Snickers satisfies.

What exactly is a "green" burial?

What exactly is a "green" burial?

I don't know the answer to that question, but you could find out at this particular funeral home.

While a lot of companies are jumping on the "green marketing" bandwagon, I did not expect the funeral industry to follow suit.  Many companies that tout their products as "green" do not have backing of any third-party evaluation to support the claim.  I have my doubts about this funeral home's claim as well despite the cute little plant pictured.

Beyond my feelings towards the green marketing trend, I have a bigger problem with this billboard.  Rule # 1 for burial advertisements - don't include dirt in your graphics!  When the time comes to make plans for your own death or of a loved one, the last thing you want to see is dirt.  Adding a shovel and a hole in the background is the only thing I can think of that would make this ad less appropriate.  As I read this billboard, I suddenly got the feeling that a green burial means that your body will become compost for the young plant pictured.  I doubt the gruesome picture in my head was the intent of this billboard.

Milwaukee Mile is lost without a title sponsor

On Father's Day weekend 2011, race teams, drivers, and the Idycar IZOD series were excited to come back to the famed Milwaukee Mile.  However, the fans didn't show up.

AB Promotions, an Indianapolis based sports promotions company, failed.  They had many plans and great ideas for bringing fans back to the track and keeping Indycar at The Mile, but were not able to secure a title sponsor for the race.  AB Promotions' second mistake was with the lack of publicity around the race.  However, I did receive a 2 for 1 ticket deal with my Time Warner Cable bill! Unfortunately, I didn't receive it until the week of the race - I had plans.  I heard the race was exciting, but the turnout was disappointing all around.

I understand the race wasn't given the best date (Father's Day) and the weather man was calling for rain all weekend, but without proper promotion or a title sponsor, this race was doomed to fail.  Why were they not able to find a title sponsor?  With all the big time Wisconsin businesses - Bucyrus, Sargento, Johnsonville, Northwestern Mutual, Johnson Controls, Harley Davidson, Rockwell Automation, it should not have been that hard to find a sponsor.  In the 90's the Indycar races brought a ton of fans to the Milwaukee Mile.  What went wrong?

I'll Be Your Corona and Lime

I absolutely love the Corona television advertisement that has been airing lately!  See the link below.

YouTube - Corona - Plane

While I know that I don't want a Corona (not my cup of tea), somehow this commercial wins me over every time.  Somehow, this ad, along with the long-standing beach series, has convinced me that Corona is the perfect relaxing, vacation beer.  I know in my head that I don't like the taste of Corona, but I like relaxing, and I like the beach.

Also, somehow, Corona has convinced the world that their product is inextricably connected to the lime.  One product has taken over an entire fruit!  The partnership between Corona and lime is even sung about by Shwayze.

Baby will you be my corona and lime.
And I will be your main squeeze.
And if your brother don't like my style.
We could take it to the street.
We could take it to the street.

 Because of these advertisements, I know that if I am sitting on an Adirondack chair on a sandy beach overlooking the ocean with a slice of lime in one hand, the only thing missing is Corona beer.  And, I don't even like the taste!

4 Grams of Protein

When did this happen?  Is Baby Ruth marketing to the health-conscience demographic?  I think so.

Then again, maybe this isn't about those who are truly health-conscience.  It seems to me that Baby Ruth is marketing to those who want to be "healthy" without changing any habits.  What better way to hit that target on the head than to simply relabel a candy bar as a energy bar by emphasizing the amount of protein.  What about the sugar, carbohydrates, etc.?  Then again, a Baby Ruth is probably not very far from an energy bar to begin with.  The great thing is that this little marketing trick probably works.  I know that in a state of delusion, I have chosen a Snickers over a 3 Musketeers for the "health benefits" by telling myself, "Peanuts are healthy."  Now the packaging on a Baby Ruth strengthens my delusion.  I'm not sure what this advertising strategy says about the character of the Nestle company, but I'll laugh if the next Baby Ruth I see is labeled organic too.

How Wisconsin Advertises

If you are a successful, Wisconsin-based business looking for advertising space, look no further than Elkhart Lake, WI.  At the Road America racetrack in Elkhart Lake, your brand can get exposure to 100,000 race fans of all demographics (even some ladies) in one weekend.  With a summer full of racing from weekend warriors to the big time, you are bound to hit your target market.  When a race or event is televised, your brand can reach even further.  If that isn't enough to convince you, perhaps you can be persuaded by peer pressure - all the other Wisconsin businesses are doing it!  This year, when you first drive in to Road America, you are greeted by the Sargento bridge.   As you make your way around the racetrack, you see signage for Kohler and Bucyrus all over.  The advertising opportunities don't stop there.  At the snack bar you have the choice of Johnsonville brats, New Glarus beers, and Cedar Crest ice cream.  Road America is where Wisconsin honks it's own horn.

Wind Garden

Near the building where I live is a "wind garden."  There are no real shrubbery or flowers to speak of, only grass.  It is not a park or a place to relax, but instead is one big advertisement.  Every day, the gift shop next door puts out 40 different lawn ornaments made of brightly colored nylon to draw in customers.  They all flutter or spin in the wind (hence the name - Wind Garden).  

  As a yardless resident at the moment, I have no need for lawn ornaments.  To be honest, I am not sure that anyone really has a need for any lawn ornaments.  But alas, there is a market for these.  To this day, I have never seen someone walk out to the wind garden, point, and say, "I'll take that one."  But there are people who buys these lawn ornaments and I may be one of them someday.  I had always thought that if I were to be persuaded to put artificial stuff like this on my lawn, it would be the traditional plastic pink flamingo.  The wind garden has a solution for this:

When I get a yard, I may find that the first person I see point and buy at the Wind Garden will be myself. 

Commercials On(Your)Demand

Most people think OnDemand is a great idea for their favorite TV shows and movies, but few people would ask for their commercials on OnDemand.  To most, commercials are a necessary evil that nobody wants.  But then again, when you are thinking about buying a new car, you appreciate those annoying car dealership commercials because they tell you where the best deal is.  The problem with TV commercials is that they cannot be personalized to what you need or might want.  This problem for commercials is a strength in internet ads which know exactly who you are based on your browsing history and any other information posted online.

What if you could pick and choose what commercials you would like to see.  With the help of the internet, many consumers are able to.  Often, companies will post their advertising campaigns on YouTube where it can be found through a search.  Also, TV viewing sites on the internet like Hulu often give the viewer choices (albeit limited) in what he would like to see during the commercial breaks.  While OnDemand may never incorporate a feature to choose your own ads, there are ways to let the advertisers know what you are interested in seeing ads about through the Like button on Facebook.

Does the act of choosing your own ads make that ad more persuasive to you?

What brand am I?

When I began to think of what brand I identify with, my mind went to those stores that I love to window shop, but don't necessarily buy things in.  There are a few brands out there that I respect for putting out product in my style - just the way I like them.  After deliberation, I have decided that I can most closely identify with the Fossil brand.

Fossil stands for vintage style by consistently advertising their with phrases like "What vintage are you?" and "long-live vintage."  But beyond that, Fossil products have a timeless style that is reflected in the stores and marketing materials.  The rustic, yet sophisticated personality of the brand focuses on inspirations from nature.  The Fossil brand is essentially an accessories store.  It is different because of the effort put into the attracting male customers.  Fossil is successful in targeting both male and female customers because it provides elegant products in classic and natural styles.

I chose Fossil as the brand I most identify with because I also enjoy vintage style, but like Fossil, I am picky about only those products that are truly timeless.  I also can identify with the focus on nature that Fossil maintains.  I believe that what we see in nature is beautiful, and it only makes sense to mimic it.  I particularly like the natural color schemes that come through every product.  Finally, I identify with the universalism of targeting both male and female.  As a person who values empathy, I appreciate the thought that goes into the customer experience.  Both the essence of Fossil and I is wrapped up in the phrase - Long Live Style.

Fossil Life Style

http://blog.fossil.com/

Lightness and Strength

If you have flown any of the major airlines recently, you probably know about in-flight magazines.  In fact, there is a 70% chance that you have read at least an article or two of an American Way or Spirit magazine.  This type of magazine typically includes a "letter from the CEO" that tout;s the airline's economic security and strong customer service.  Many articles follow that feature various travel destinations and are dotted with advertisements for products like neck pillows, noise-cancelling head phones, and suitcases that are specifically geared towards airline travelers.

In the June 2011 issue of Continental's in-flight magazine, Hemispheres, the content was similarly predictable.  Inserted among interesting articles on seafood in Barcelona and olive oil in Spain were two separate, full-page advertisements for suitcases that grabbed my attention.  The first was for a German manufacturer named Rimowa.  The second was for Samsonite.  Each advertisement is strikingly different on multiple facets, but both portray the exact same message - lightness and strength.  I have compared and contrasted below:

1st Advertisement -  

• black, gray, and white
• lots of text - (lots of evidence/support)
• concrete imagery - industrial
• masculine themed

2nd Advertisement - 

• bright colors
• almost no text (3 words only) - no evidence
• whimsical imagery - nature
• feminine themed

Which ad persuades you?

Billboard Alternative - The Marquee Sign

     Many restaurants have a marquee sign.  In fact, many theaters, gas stations, hotels, churches and schools also have one.  The marquee out front with the changeable characters is a place for all types of communication - "Congratulations on the big game," "Sunday morning worship, 8:00 & 10:30," and "Free Car Wash for Dave."

     Many businesses use a marquee sign out front to advertise specific products or special deals.  However, I recently took a road trip through the U.S. and saw nearly the same thing on every Dairy Queen marquee, "Scream until Daddy Stops!"  Very clever.  I thought to myself, "What a great concept - a coordinated marketing campaign that benefits the entire chain without looking too 'corporate'."  Often, it is difficult to associate advertisments like billboards and commercial spots with your local restaurant in nation-wide restaurant chains.  The ad on the marquee sign felt incredibly personal.  Marquee signs often have 1's replacing L's, 0's missing, and never enough consonants.  I can imagine a frustrated employee searching the backroom for one more "D" to make sure "Daddy" doesn't look like "Addy" or "Dady."  How many times have you seen a person outside with that long pole putting letters up one-by-one?  You can relate. The marquee sign is more personal than the billboard or other large size advertisements.  Next time you are on your way home from work or out traveling, don't forget to read some of those marquee signs as you pass.  It just may be your day for a free car wash!

Dip Ahead

     McDonald's billboards are out in full force this summer to entice passers by to buy iced coffee, an ice cream cone, or even the deliciously surprising chocolate-dipped cone.  I'll admit, the billboard I pass every day on my way home from work which features two simple, soft-serve ice cream cones - one plain,  one dipped - has about a 50% success rate on me.  The pictures are enough to persuade me that I need ice cream, now, but the two words - "Dip ahead," - tell me just how to get that ice cream.  I softly chuckle to myself at the clever copy as I pull in to the drive-through for my soft-serve.  The billboard worked.


     I've noticed, however, that even just the memory of this billboard can make me want ice cream.  But on those days, McDonald's is not necessarily "ahead" as this particular billboard announces.  I tend to go wherever is most convenient to get my sugar fix - Dairy Queen, Burger King, a Chinese Buffet - any soft-serve does the job.  Is this advertisement truly successful?  I was persuaded to buy ice cream, but not necessarily from McDonald's. Does the success of an advertisement lie in persuasion, or is an advertisement not successful until I step up to the cash register?  I suppose McDonald's would be most happy if every ice cream craving of mine resulted in business for their company.  This billboard succeeded in convincing me I needed ice cream, and it informed me that McDonald's has what I want.  However, it's difficult to compete with all the other fast food restaurants (and the Chinese buffet) when all soft-serve tastes the same.