• Recently Written

  • Non Profit Advertising
  • When Quality Matters
  • The Picture is Mighter Than the Pen
  • The Value of Prestige
  • Marketing Online Marketing
  • Trick or Treat with The Beat
  • The Weak Shop
  • Dove’s Almost Real Beauty Campaign
  • Why I Never Drink Pepsi
  • Great Reasons to Eat Unhealthy

• Categories

  • Uncategorized

• Archives

  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010

• Blogroll

  • Documentation
  • Plugins
  • Suggest Ideas
  • Support Forum
  • Themes
  • WordPress Blog
  • WordPress Planet

• Admin

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Wordpress
  • XHTML

  Search

Just wanted to finish off the term with some instances of creative and memorable advertising for non profit organizations.

This was PETA. What I liked about this (although I’m not a supporter of the cause) is that they took extreme but incredibly creative ideas to promote their cause. Drawing a crowd also provides free word of mouth and press attention.

These advertisements really work because they draw our attention enough that we truly pay attention and absorb the message that’s conveyed. They’re memorable and give the cause a “cool” feel that can make supporting the cause feel more worthwhile.

What I really liked about these advertisements, however, is that they all seem altruistic. Of course they aren’t entirely, and not all non-profit advertisements will be, but it’s refreshing to see creative ads that don’t give you the feeling you may be getting tricked or that someone is trying to take something from you.

For most advertisements I see today for different products or services, I disregard their messages or read everything with a cautious eye knowing that I can never entirely believe or rely on the information presented to me. For non-profit ads, however, I find it easier to pay attention, which makes the ad all the more memorable.

Keith Foong recently blogged about the value of quality, and how a product of good quality will sell. He used Blizzard and EA Games as examples, where Blizzard is known for the high quality of their games and EA is known for releasing many games of questionable quality.

Blizzard’s Starcraft 2 took 10 years to produce.

While from a consumer point of view, Blizzard is preferred to EA due to their high quality products (and games having similar prices), producing very high quality products does not ensure having a successful business. Quantitatively, although Blizzard may sell a higher number of each product they produce, EA’s total sales may be greater in the end due to their higher number of games. The cost of ensuring higher quality may also outweigh the revenue generated from it. In the gaming industry, however, I would agree with Keith that having higher quality games is better for a sustainable business, and that reputation is very important.

When taking a look at another industry like T-shirts where prices can greatly vary, the consumer’s value of quality versus quantity may change. For example, I myself would prefer buying 10 inexpensive shirts rather than 1 quality shirt. Although the quality shirt may last longer, I would place a higher value on variety.

In the end, each business needs to look at what balance of quality and quantity will allow them a sustainable business model in their specific industry.

What do these ads have in common? They all effectively demonstrate the exact benefit of their product with visuals.

At times people struggle to find the perfect words, when in fact no words are necessary at all. Many people are not interested in reading about products, especially when they were not looking for the product in the first place. An interesting picture, however, can deliver the message efficiently and in an entertaining and interesting way. A very simple ad will also have the extra benefit of standing out and being easy on the eyes.

After reading Amelia Lak’s post on the purchasing of luxury goods, I decided to expand on the answer she gives to the question “what are you actually paying for?”

Amelia talks about the promotional costs causing the increase in price of Christian Louboutin shoes, and says that it is entirely possible to get a product of equal if not superior quality at a lower price when the price of the product is not inflated due to excess promotions.

While it is true that a prudent shopper may buy cheaper products of the same quality, the value of the items is not necessarily equal. When promotions cause products to become known for their luxury and prestige, this association with the brand may be worth more than the quality of the product itself. Although many people find it shallow to purchase expensive products for the sake of it’s high price, I think it’s entirely reasonable under the right circumstances.

Many people work very hard for their money, and have had a lot of monetary success in their lives. One way to feel proud and display their accomplishments is through spending. While it can be considered a waste, if it makes the consumer happy, I think the price can be disregarded. Why else do people work hard for money? It is not wrong to want to have nice things and to want others to know how hard you’ve worked for them. I’m not condoning teenagers being obsessed with spending their parent’s money or their entire paychecks on expensive brands of clothing, but sometimes having something nice that everyone knows is nice is a good feeling worth more than the money spent.

Aside from the appeal of being known for your wealth (or fashion sense) in everyday life, there’s also the possible need in one’s professional life. Some like to deny it, but in many industries and businesses, seeing someone wearing very expensive brands will give a more favourable impression of that person, which can be very important.

Snap judgements are made by everyone everyday, and no matter what some people say, the way you dress will influence how people see you and how they treat you. For some, manipulating this influence is worth all the money they could spend on luxurious goods, and how a product is promoted to reflect a persons status/wealth can exponentially increase a products value.

Sometimes what a piece of clothing says is more important than how it feels.

In Michael Fleischner’s marketing blog,The Marketing Blog, he gives easy tips for businesses to develop an online presence.

His main steps are to get a website, register the business and website on online directories, get the business on online maps, such as Google maps, and create spaces on the most popular forms of social media. I just want to emphasize on how critical these steps really are to have a successful business these days, especially since all of these steps except for creating a website are free.

Websites are almost a representation of the experience a consumer will have when associating with a business. An outdated, inaccessible or nonexistent website will give a negative impression to consumers, and make it more difficult for consumers to assess whether the business will meet their needs. Aside from being informative, a good website allows it’s viewers the opportunity to appraise products or services, and also can be used to market the business to the appropriate market segments by having the respective layout and presentation.

Being searchable means being found by consumers who are searching for alternatives to meet their needs. Nowadays, many people who needs a product or service will look for information online, and without being listed in the appropriate directories, many potential customers are lost. It’s free promotion, and it increases brand awareness.

Similarly, maps are very important. I myself use Google Maps frequently to locate destinations and plan routes. If a business cannot be found on a map, the “price” of the products/services offered by the business instantly increases in proportion to the added hassle required to find the business. Being convenient and easily accessible are incredibly important especially for businesses with lots of substitutes and competition.

Social media is a free, yet incredibly effective method for promotion. The only cost is the time associated with creating the proper spaces. Like websites, they can give consumers an idea of the values and associations a business has, and get a glimpse of the experience they can expect. Having proper representation on Facebook, for example, can easily and possibly virally increase brand awareness.

Businesses can’t expect business unless they can get their name out, and nowadays, getting a name out is easy. The problem is that it’s easy for everyone else as well, and if a business can’t keep up, they can’t compete.

Taking advantage of an already large audience, The Beat uses Halloween trick or treating to create an advertising gimmick.

The Beat 94.5, for those who won’t know, is probably Vancouver’s most popular radio station, which plays mainstream hit music.

The contest “Trick or Treat with The Beat” is simple. At each house, (presumably within Vancouver), a trick or treater may ask “Is this the beat house?” If they are correct, they win $1000.

This is incredibly clever, as listeners of The Beat can exert very little effort for a chance to win cash, while advertising to many strangers. Most houses will probably have people who may ask what the question is supposed to mean, if they were not aware of the contest. If several people happen to ask the same house, it may reinforce how popular and therefore enjoyable The Beat is. At the same time, more parents may be encouraged to take their kids trick or treating.

http://thebeat.com/post/13413

I’ve seen this ad on TV several times now, and finally found it!

This ad is great not only because it’s funny, but because I actually want to try their fake product! Although $99.99 is a bit steep, I’d still want to try it. I’ve always wondered how much easier life would be if I could conveniently blend all my food.

Now this one is a bit ridiculous, but at the same time, when I watch the advertisement, I kind of think it would be cool to have seat pants. If it’s lightweight, it could be really useful, such as when I’m lining up to buy textbooks at the beginning of each term! The only downside would be that you have to walk around with it dangling off your behind.

What I really enjoy about a lot of commercials these days is the suspense they can build, or the unpredictability. Many commercials focus less on the product and product information, but instead try to entertain. This may be due to the fact that most people already understand what the products are, or because these days there’s little incentive to sit through commercials when any television show is available on the internet.

Commercials with great music, random cute animals, or abstract silhouette dancing are great! I actually watch them.

Two more of the milk infomercials are The Wallet Walker and The Support Hat, for those interested.

.
.
I think that Dove’s campaign is incredibly effective in that it can reach their target market by sympathizing with the feeling many women have; that they are not as attractive as many models or celebrities. At a time when technology allows us to greatly augment physical appearances in pictures and movies, many people are beginning to realize the extent that advertisements change appearances of their models through artificial means, and Dove takes advantage of this backlash.

Dove decreases the efficacy of advertisements by their competitors while creating a unique statement in the marketing world that resonates with their audience. Their ad became viral and thus also self-advertised.

While I applaud the creativity and intelligence of those who create the ad, I don’t necessarily agree with the message that our perception if beauty is distorted. I also don’t agree that it’s a bad thing to enhance the features and aesthetics of models. Models have been doing this for years through make up, lighting and angles. I have yet to see a Dove ad using people who truly demonstrate “all shapes and sizes.” Aren’t they then still “distorting” our perception of beauty? How will the women who can’t even compete with their “lowered standards” feel?

This does not truly display “real beauty.”

Their message is great, but also idealistic. In a way, I feel the campaign is just a marketing strategy and nothing more. The truth is just that beauty will always be valued in the marketing industry, regardless of how artificial. Will a model our society judges to be ugly be able to sell as well as one that’s beautiful? In my eyes, all Dove’s campaign only extends itself to “slightly more shapes and sizes.” Beauty does not come in all shapes and sizes. That’s just how it is. Perceptions of beauty can definitely differ among different people, but no matter how these perceptions change or evolve, someone will always end up on top, and someone on bottom.

I have no solution for the multitudes of diseases, disorders and depression cases that come from women or men feeling unattractive, but telling them that everyone is beautiful isn’t the answer.

Two of many Pepsi ads with similar messages:

I hate commercials that attempt to explicitly undermine competitors. Why can’t Pepsi just advertise the merits of their own product? Or at least have a creative way of increasing brand awareness.

On the basis of their commercials, I’d pick Coke every time. At least Swiffer shows how it’s better in their ads. Pepsi expects us to drink their product because they subjectively display Cokes supposed inferiority. I’d much rather watch computer animated polar bears, and other fun things like that.

I just have no respect for the Pepsi company. Then again, I don’t really enjoy either Coke or Pepsi.

Are there ethics in marketing? Does Coke accept the abuse because it’s free advertising? Or can anyone bash any product they want?

So clever.

So cool.

So neat.

.. And that’s genius.

If not for their great advertisements and delicious food I’d stop going to McDonalds. Who wouldn’t want to eat at a restaurant advertised by such smart, smart people?

keep looking »