Touching on Elisabetta Piccolo’s post on Vitamin Water’s sponsorship of Gossip Girl, it got me thinking about how organizations use famous shows/celebrities to create awareness about their product.

The KONY 2012 campaign by the Invisible Children non-profit organization aims to elevate Joseph Kony to a level of celebrityhood that will hopefully force the world’s leaders to take action against him and bring him to justice to the International Court of Justice for crimes against humanity. The campaign aims to leverage the influence of 20 culture makers and 12 policy makers. Hence 2012.

Watching the video, I really was moved by the plight of the Ugandan children that do not even have the luxury of being able to sleep without fear of capture from the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). But to see that influential people like Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg and even Prime Minister Stephen Harper donating their name and time towards this cause truly adds another level of legitimacy towards this campaign.

Therefore, I feel that for some causes, it really is worthwhile to lobby influential people to support your cause as it helps to win over the skeptics who may otherwise, not pay attention.

I was on adpulp.com and stumbled upon a post by David Burn titled “Advertising’s Top Creatives For A More Creative Economy”. I was particularly intrigued by the first advertisement video in his post that features the narration of Clint Eastwood. The ad was aired at halftime this past Superbowl Sunday.

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The video on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGMOhOYvcw4&feature

I found the advertisement to be so crisp and poignant as Eastwood describes the parallels of halftime in a Superbowl and the halftime that America is in right now (in terms of emerging out of the financial crisis). He references Detroit and how many nearly lost everything in the 2008 financial crisis that saw taxpayers bail out a Chrysler that was on the verge of bankruptcy.

The ad also tugs the heartstrings of American patriotism. The references of pulling together and fighting to overcome anything, and winning are hallmarks of being American. It is truly uplifting to listen to Eastwood narrating that “this country can’t be knocked out with one punch — we get right back up again, and when we do, the world’s going to hear the roar of our engines. Yeah! It’s halftime America, and our second half is about to begin.” A line that surely gives any self-respecting American goosebumps.

It seems ironic to me that although there is a deep message in the Chrysler ad, one can question the company’s real agenda. Perhaps the agenda to justify to 110 million viewers at halftime on Superbowl Sunday, that the Federal Government bailout of their company was worth it. And that its helping America “roar” into the “second half”.

All in all, it is a very inspiring advertisement from the automaker (at probably the best time) that will positively reposition itself in the hearts and minds of their target customers.

Apple. A company that has garnered a cult-like following in many corners of the world thanks to it’s cutting-edge products, as well as some genius design and marketing. 

From the design of the Apple website, to simple yet clever marketing videos of its product, and finally to its iconic stores, the company’s consistent approach to simplistic functionality is probably the reason why so many consumers have developed a love affair for the brand and everything the brand promises — the Apple lifestyle.

I, for one, have an Apple product embedded in almost every aspect of my lifestyle. My iPhone wakes me up, I bring my Mac to school to do my work and assignments on, the iPad takes me away to another world where birds are angry, and on my commute home, the music on my iPhone gives me the space to reflect on my day.

The photo above features people lining up outside the unbelievably designed 24-hour Apple Store on 5th Avenue in New York City for the iPhone 4S. It is also a store that I have personally visited! I just had to visit the store as though it was an attraction in itself while I was in New York (and it probably is for the many who visit New York too).

I guess what I’m trying to say is that through its marketing (brand positioning), Apple has managed to create brand advocates in the millions of us who use their products around the world. Advocates who swear by their iPods, iPhones and Macs. This ultimately creates a love for a brand that consumers can trust and will willingly and happily spend their consumer dollars on.

P.S. The photo inside the actual store was taken at about midnight on New Year’s Day of 2012. And yes, there were people walking out with iMacs in hand at that time!

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