something about daring promises

Conceited promises from AT&T back in 1993; 16 years later, did they fulfil those?
I wonder where that executive went.



Yet, I do like the retro devices utilised in the TVCs.

something about multi-platform advertising

Shots cutting-edge advertising and creativity worldwide recently (read 27 March 2009) published this article about a new technique of utilising interactivity in cinemas through motion sensors placed around cinema auditoria to allow film fans to play an interactive game. Traditional media have become new media. Now, just how fascinating is this business?

An example of how the technique works can be viewed here.

something about insight, or should it read thoughtfulness?

Tediously, I must admit that Honda's ongoing campaign for the new hybrid 'Insight' actually is pretty neat; a prominent interpretation of how the means to and end applies effectively as a communications model. The means to this post, however, was inspired by @cjmalmsten on Twitter, who posted the Honda Insight TVC on his Twitter site. The TVC is part of the global campaign and is created by Honda's Amsterdam partner Weiden+Kennedy. The TVC is well executed and truly evokes the emotive sentiment of environmentally efficient cars, however, completely ignores other important benefits that the vehicle offers. Yet let's assume it's the reason for why the print medium is part of the integrated campaign; these clean, uncluttered executions tell us a more specific story incentivised by punchy headlines. A personal favorite being, "theoretically. it seats 6.75 billion". Hence, a pretty extensive target audience too. The credentials for these particular ads goes to Honda's USA based full-service agency RPA (Rubin Postear and Associates).

This time the verdict being, conventional yet insightful, or should I say thoughtful.

something about 69

Controversial yet cute viral for durex.

Photographer: Arian Camillieri

His portfolio can be viewed here (flickr), below, or downloaded here (the shutterblind website). Enjoy.



Download PDF here.

something about crown-jewels

Big fan of virals as well as soccer; unfortunately, not a big fan of unthorough executions, Michael Ballack, or bad acting. Neither to say that I think virals shouldn't be of in the moment quality nor that Ballack has a weak right foot, but what's he aiming for intentionally? The bench stall, one of the bushes, the gap between the bushes, his team mates? The training settings are fine and definitely a slice of reality yet a proper goal in the background would be more believable. You may think differently, or maybe I would watch the 'ad' differently if someone else but an unsympathetic Ballack was part of the execution.

something about a pessimistic twitterer

Retrieved from åkestam.holst. The dialog reminds me of Apple's and TBWA's "Get A Mac" campaign. Two likable characters however one's more sophisticated than the other - not technically speaking though.



Keep twittering, but don't forget about other [face-to-face] ways to communicate and interact with friends.

something about humble beliefs

Chunked up with university assessments as well as work. Meanwhile, I'll let someone else do the magic; some words of wisdom from the people at Volontaire. Also available in Swedish.



Awesomely humble indeed.

something about western australians and sex

A couple of early day-endings this week has given me time to have a good read through the latest issue of AdNews; fortunately, an issue with many interesting stories included. Yet except for the often engaging digital- and planning section, executive creative director John Mescall of SMART [not SMART. as per previous post] always delivers insightful briefings in his 'SMARTARSE' paragraph. This week's 'SMARTARSE' topic was on homogeneity, and how it doesn't count for all Australians; particularly not for West Australians. In a shortened version of his article, he argues:
"Australia is a pretty big country. No, let me take that back. Australia is a freakingly huge country.
So it always gives me a bit of a wry smile when folk like us sit in our Sydney and Melbourne offices and blithely proclaim to "understand" what makes Australian tick. Or when we get a brief that demands we create a campaign aimed at all Aussies of a particular demo/psychographic. I'm not really sure we can do that. The more I learn, the more I realise just how many different Australias there are out there.We like to think that there's enough homogeneity between markets, to make our jobs at least do-able. But consider this: At the height of the Victorian bushfire crisis, I took a peak at Fairfax's "most read" online articles. Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane readers were almost universally interested in the fires. But our friends in WA had something else on their mind that day.
The top five stories in WA were: 1. Kerr sleepy after raunchy night our with Orlando; 2. Jessica Alba's weight loss secret; 3. Bargain-buy Aussies out of favour in IPL; 4. Inside his head; 5. Lunar eclipse tonight over WA skies. And as I write this, a quick check of the top five travel topics across most of Australia. But over in WA, their top five looks a little something like this: 1. Sex sells as at half price as Bankok hit by crisis; 2. Swinger's club; 3. Nude New Year's "sex party" a con, warn Malaysian authorities; 4. Paradise found; 5. Top 10 places to nude up. So, West Australians are different from the rest of us, and if you want your ad to work over there, it's probably best that your brief contains the word "nude", "sexy", "sex", "sexual", "party" and "celebrity".
This is why it's good for us to travel. Most Sydney advertising people live and work in a hermetically sealed bubble known as Surrey Hills. You might venture to the beach, but have you ever taken a drive to Sydney's outer west?...

... In many ways, this is the real Australia, the Australia we get paid to persuade. And it's the [including WA] Australia you're probably the least familiar with. We're a ridiculously large country, and every region has its own peculiarities... I know where I'll be taking my next holiday"

And I know that's the reason why my holidays in WA will end immediately after this semester.

something about no *s

Djuice metro-billboard(s) by SMART.

Super simple solution to a super common issue; how often do you see the * displayed right up in the far corner after you've been incentivised by a great deal? Well, pretty much in every case when deals seems to good to be true. Except for the simple execution - intensified copy against an uncluttered background in the color of Djuice - and the great choice of media, I like that they [SMART.] allocate five consecutive metro-billboards to communicate that there is no * to this deal. Instead, the * is basically the big idea of the campaign. Smart. Yet you sure hope they can deliver that promise - thus that there are no *s.

something about mad man minifigs

Set in 1960s New York, the sexy, stylized and provocative drama Mad Men follows the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising, an ego-driven world where key players make an art of the sell

If you haven't watched the show yet this piece of art may not be of your interest; however, this super-cool poster retrieved from /hiptobesquare via Dyna Moe @ Nobody's Sweetheart is definitely in the running of becoming part of my next apartment's - which btw is completely unknown - decoration.

something about little creatures going global

It's been my favorite restaurant in Perth now for nearly two-and-a-half years now; it delivers the best quality beers and ales - yet solely Coopers Original Pale Ale being an exception - of the whole of Australia's supply and yet they haven't come far - until now. The next step is hence to enter the beer-loving, football-passionate and lucrative market of the Netherlands. Well, at least fictionally. The reason being is that this task constitute one of my major assessments [International Marketing] during the following months at University; i.e. introducing West Australian beer specialist's Little Creatures to the mid-European market. However, along with my fellow group members we seek to make the experience as non-fictional as possible, aiming to deliver the most realistic, relevant and accurate assessment we've ever submitted. Go team!

something about recapping

Isn't it great to sometimes recap on things you've already been taught? Of course, you may think that recapping only is repetitive hence unnecessary, yet I share opinion with my current lecture in Marketing Strategy - KY Lee - that recapping on things you've learnt should rather be seen as a reinforcement hence necessary. The reason for bringing this to the discussion-board is because I had a moment of effective reinforcement only yesterday when I superficially browsed through the first chapter of my Foundations of Advertising-book. The 'aha'-moment was evoked when I, by reaction, read advertising-legend David Ogilvy's name somewhere in between a clutter of letters; he explained his view of advertising as conversation:

I always pretend that I'm sitting beside a woman at a dinner party, and she asks me for advice about which product she should buy. So then I write down what I would say to her. I give her fact, facts, facts. I try to make it interesting, fascinating, if possible, and personal - I don't write to the crowd. I try to write from one human being to another... And I try not to bore the poor woman to death, and I try to make it as real and personal as possible. /D. Ogilvy

Quite simple yet insightful even of today.


The man behind the metaphor - David Ogilvy.

something about pure hard-sell

Apparently an effective tactic. No more comments.

something about postponing

Purchased a new book only a couple of weeks ago, naturally with the aim to stimulate my thinking and boost my knowledge about the oh so importance of consumer behavior. However, just as much as I want to read this book just as much do I need to study actual University stuff over the next couple of months. I.e. I may as well put this book - Buyology by Brand Futurist Martin Lindström back on the shelves for a while. Pity.