Category: Comm296

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1B442Uvi8yM

I present to you Olla Condoms’ facebook marketing campaign headed by the Brazilian agency – AGE Isobar.

The agency targeted specific male facebook users and created fake facebook profiles for their hypothetical unborn children by adding “Jr” to their names. These profiles then sent friend requests to their respect “fathers” further solidifying the encouragement for condom use. This idea is not only innovative, but also at a low-cost (though labour-intensive).

However, is it actually effective? When evaluating this question. Two main issues arise.

One, the effectiveness is hard to measure. We do not know how many guys who have received this invite were actually put into action. Ultimately, we don’t know if this will actually convince these guys to choose Olla condoms over other brands. In addition, the campaign emphasizes more on the importance of general condom use rather than focusing on differentiating Olla as a brand. Hence it is hard to choose appropriate metrics to measure the effectiveness of this campaign.

Second, the response has a high likelihood of backfiring as what can be humorous to one can be can be annoying to another. One negative response as by one commentator expresses:

“That’s not advertising. Its spammish behaviour. No brand shall friend request me, without a life time hatred called upon them. Stick to the ads – douchebags..”

It is evident that while personalized advertisement can be memorable, over-personalized advertisement can become annoying, spam-like, and semi-creepy.

This case study can be applied to other marketing campaigns that attempt to break the mold with innovation – though creativity is a good thing, it must also ensure effectiveness – successfully positioning the brand and putting the viewer into action.

Source: AdWeek

Brace yourselves, brands are going to places where they’ve never gone before.

This is a response to Alvin Koo’s Blog Entry: “Holy Crap vs. Mom’s Healthy Secret.”

In his post, Alvin pinpointed the branding advantage Holy Crap had over Mom’s Healthy Secrets even though the two products share simliar functions. This advantage is a result of Holy Crap‘s unconventional brand name and atypical cereal packaging. This is an important, yet sometimes overlooked, point raised by Alvin – to be memorable, you really need to stand out.

To put in marketing terms, when your product is unique and unconventionally associated with, it effectively fills up an unoccupied position in consumer minds.

No one would have guessed that ‘crap’ and ‘cereal’ could be paired together to successfully form a brand that’s not only acceptable, but beloved.

While discussing this use of unconventional association with ‘crap,’ Poo Poo Paper comes to mind.

Who would have thought that recycled paper made from elephant feces would receive massive popularity and favourable reception by consumers considering you are essentially purchasing poop? I certainly wouldn’t have. And yet, the brand is able to remain vividly in consumer minds thanks to the exact reason Alvin pointed out – filling up unoccupied postions in consumer minds through association with unconventional terms.

However, perhaps there is no other brand that takes this to the extreme more so than Modern Toilet, a toilet-themed restaurant based in Taiwan that gained massive popularity since opening.
Modern Toilet‘s marketing has done the impossible task of associating food successfully with toilets in consumer minds. Other than being immediately memorable, this fosters a massive word of mouth tendency, which attracts curious visitors who would share their unique dining experience through online photos and social media. This in effect, allows Modern Toilet to reap profitable rewards and gain positive recognition.

These examples show a vital indication that the product’s intrinsic properties only takes a secondary importance to brand presentation when it comes to being able to be remembered, accepted, and beloved.

Brace yourselves, brands are going to places where they’ve never gone before. Perhaps this gives hope to some entrepreneur out there currently working on a new line of Poo Poo Perfume.

This is a response to Heena Ahuja’s Blog Entry:“Renovating McDonalds’ Brand Image”

In Heena’s post, she discussed how McCafe, McDonald’s subsidiary, contributes to McDonald’s brand image through diversifying McDonald’s service and offerings.

In this post, I wish the dissect why this approach for McCafe is successful with regards to my personal experiences with the brand as a consumer not only in Canada, but also on an international level.

As clearly demonstrated by the video below, McCafe’s value proposition is personalization that focuses on delightful personal treats. This is a disctint departure from McDonald’s main line of fast-served burgers and fries, or as Heena described, a shift from “[McDonald’s] brand image in order to better adapt to its customers changing needs.”

It is evident that McCafe aims to establish itself as a brand that is personal, pleasurable, and casual – a direct opposition to the often stress-filled 21st century working life-style. This especially resonated with John Betts, McDonald’s Canada CEO, who believes “people tend to linger a little bit more in restaurants today…[and] take a break from the busy lifestyle.”

As a consumer, I can particularly relate to this very tendency Betts refers to. In fact, I believe this is the exact reason why I was drawn to McCafe. Last summer, while travelling in Guangzhou, China, I decided to treat myself and visited McCafe for the first time after a long day of trekking outdoors under the unbearably scorching sun. For a cup of ice-coffee and 3 lamingtons, I was willing to spent a total of $30 RMB, which is equivalent of spending $30 Canadian dollars in Canada in buyer power terms.

As a usually frugal consumer, it was surprising to me how I was so willing to spent so much money for so little physical food. To put more precisely, I was surprised by how much I was willing to pay for an experience. I have to admit, the experience of sitting on McCafe’s leather furniture, enjoying the airconditioned and modernly decorated interior, and listening to smooth jazz was more memorable than the actual taste of the lamingtons. I felt relaxed and truely had “My Me Time,” as described by the promotional video, under the comfortable and warm setting.

This anectode precisely shows how successfully McCafe can deliver its value proposition. I am certain that I was not the only consumer who was able to experience McCafe in the way it portrays itself to be as McDonald’s July Same-Store Sales Rise 5.1% on Gains in China. Globally, McCafe’s brand establishment is so consistent in that the next time I visit a McCafe, regardless in Vancouver or in Guangzhou, I shall expect the same experience.