April 1, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

Ad agency people often exist in an echo chamber. So read Deb Owen's insightful take on the agency-client "partner or vendor" conundrum. It might give you a new perspective on things.

April 1, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

The brave ad men and ad women of Milwaukee and Chicago-based Hoffman York breaks an in-your-face ad campaign for Argentinian cigarette, Cuello del Toro today.

Using headlines like, "You just found a brand new way to flip off the rest of the world" and "The smoke for the man that just won't take no for an answer," Hoffman York flies in the face of convention, clearly mocking the anti-smoking efforts so pervasive in our litigious culture.

A big tip of the AdPulp hat to these politically incorrect communicators.

April 1, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

Citizen activist, John Coonrod, made the following comments regarding our earlier post about the desecration of the historic Flatiron Building by clothing retailer H+M.

After speaking with the Landmark Preservation Commission, I was informed on 30-March that:

The Department of Buildings issued nine violations for the illegal advertising banner recently placed on the apex of the historic Flatiron Building at Madison Square today.

The violations were:

1. Failure to comply with filed plans. Plans called for a 4-foot high shed and they built it to 8 feet in order to accommodate the Citigroup ad.
2. Sign on surface area is too large.
3. Prohibited advertising sign.
4. Installing advertising sign without a permit.

For the immense sign on the scaffolding:

5. Sign creates hazardous wind load.
6. Prohibited advertising sign on scaffold.
7. Sign exceeds the 40-foot height limit.
8. Surface area for the sign is too large.
9. Failure to get permit from Buildings Department.

In the photo we posted, one can't see the Citigroup violations, obscured as they are by a bus. Coonrod has a much bigger, more revealing image on his page.

April 1, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from Adweek: After settling false advertising claims in 47 states, Blockbuster is eliminating 20 percent of its headquarters staff to offset a $70 million increase in spending for its online operation, the company said.

The layoffs will affect between 200 and 300 employees, the company said.

A $630,000 settlement with 47 states' attorneys general stems from Blockbuster's "No More Late Fees" ad campaign created by independent Doner of Southfield, Mich., and launched in January. Doner was not faulted for its work in the campaign.

The states claimed that Blockbuster's ads deceived customers into thinking they could keep the movies without a penalty. Instead, Blockbuster charged customers the purchase price of the movie if it was not returned within the grace period. When the movie was returned, its price was refunded on a customer's credit card, but Blockbuster charged a $1.25 restocking fee.

Blockbuster agreed to refund fees charged to customers who did not understand the new policy and said it would clarify the policy in future communications. The company was allowed to continue running the "No More Late Fees" commercials.

As it announced the layoffs, Blockbuster also reported that it paid CEO John Antioco $51.6 million last year. That equaled the combined 2004 pay of Intel CEO Craig Barrett, General Electric Co. CEO Jeffrey Immelt and Gillette Co. CEO James Kilts, according to Bloomberg News.

April 1, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

from Allentown's Moring Call: Combine medieval Jewish mysticism, a fizzy strawberry-flavored drink loaded with vitamins and a splash of holy water and you have the perfect fusion of two of the hottest fads sweeping the country: Kabbalah and energy drinks.

Next week, the hip, the curious and the thirsty in the Lehigh Valley will be among the first consumers east of the Mississippi to find 16-ounce cans of Kabbalah Energy Drink at select convenience stores and supermarkets. It helps that the East Coast distributor, XL Beverage, is based in Bethlehem.

What is Kabbalah Energy Drink? A $2 can of sweetened, carbonated, caffeinated, vitamin-charged water to which some Canadian mountain spring water blessed by a rabbi is added. Red Bull, the leader in the nearly $1 billion energy drink market, can't say that.

But what is this newest energy drink's link to Kabbalah, besides its name?

Religious scholars and mainstream Jews say the energy drink and other items marketed under the Kabbalah rubric have nothing to do with true Kabbalah teachings, and everything to do with money.

''Frankly, I think it's marketing,'' says Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner, of Congregation Sons of Israel, an Orthodox synagogue in Allentown. ''The original kabbalists weren't marketing products with logos and the like.''

Chava Weissler, a religion studies professor at Lehigh University who teaches an undergraduate course about Kabbalah, says, ''I would not think there would be any actual spiritual benefit to drink this. The true teachings of Kabbalah have nothing to do with energy drinks.''

"It’s got a light citrus taste and no after-taste like so many other energy drinks," says Darin Ezra, the director of the company. Ezra expects to sell 20 million units this year.

April 4, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Trendwatching's April newsletter introduces an interesting term—Tryvertising—and the ideas behind said term.

Think of Tryvertising as a new breed of product placement in the real world, integrating your goods and services into daily life in a relevant way, so that consumers can make up their minds based on their experience, not your messages.

They give several examples of Tryvertising, but one that interests me most is the move by luxury automakers who are increasingly teaming up with hoteliers to introduce guests to high-end cars during their stay. Ritz Carlton's "Key To Luxury" program offers guests use of new Mercedes-Benz with unlimited mileage, a full tank of gas each morning and overnight valet parking. At the Fairmont San Francisco and The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa Guests guests can choose from a Porsche Boxster or Cayenne to explore San Francisco in style. And The Mosaic Hotel in Beverly Hills puts guests in a Mini Cooper for an extra $10 per night.

April 4, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from USA Today: Garment factories in Cambodia, one of the world's poorest nations, aren't gloomy pits of Dickensian misery. Instead, Cambodia is seeking to become the rare Third World country to develop economically while treating workers reasonably well.

Under a global trade regime that expired Jan. 1, quotas limited the amount retailers could buy from individual countries. In effect, that system forced companies such as Wal-Mart and Gap to spread orders across dozens of countries.

The quotas now are gone, leaving retailers free to buy from wherever they want. As a result, China's share of the U.S. clothing market is projected to jump to 50% from today's 16%, according to the World Trade Organization.

To carve out a market niche, Cambodia is billing itself as sweatshop-free. In December, a World Bank survey of 15 top buyers ranked its garment industry No. 1 in working conditions. So far, that has helped Cambodia avoid significant losses to China, despite having higher costs.

Cambodia's sweatshop-free sales pitch is laser-focused on U.S. buyers. Gap is the Southeast Asian country's largest customer, with purchases last year of about $350 million, according to Ken Loo of the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia.

Few countries would seem a less likely worker champion. Under the radical Khmer Rouge regime that ruled from 1975 to 1979, more than 1 million people were literally worked to death in a crazed bid to construct an agrarian utopia.

April 4, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

“A good woman is like a McGriddles…”

In a post titled, "The Resemblance is Unmistakable," Jason at 1115.org says, "There might not be a more frightening sentence in the English language. But that didn’t stop McDonalds from building a commercial around it anyway, adding another gooey layer onto the marketing landfill that is “I’m Lovin’ It". I’m sure that an entire gender loves being compared to a greasy breakfast sandwich that was once thrown at a stripper’s ass on the Howard Stern show.

April 5, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from New York Times: The footwear retailer Steven Madden has decided not to shy away from the imminent release of its namesake founder from prison. The company is promoting the return of its creative leader in a series of eye-catching posters and print advertisements, and is having some fun with it in the process.

Mr. Madden has been in a federal prison in Florida since September 2002, serving a 41-month sentence for a stock-fraud scheme.

The campaign is being created by the company along with Cramer-Krasselt/Hampel Stefanides, the New York office of the Cramer-Krasselt advertising agency.

April 5, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from San Francisco Chronicle: Al Gore never said he invented the Internet. But the new San Francisco-based cable TV network he's heading promises to transform television by plugging it into the Internet.

Current, the name of Gore's enterprise, hopes to do that by airing a shuffle of short news features, some produced by the network but many submitted online by viewers. Current will also air segments every half hour showing TV viewers what Google searchers are tapping into at that moment -- everything from current events to tourist destinations. It's all directed at a generation that thinks nothing of plugging into more than one media outlet at once.

Current plans to air short-form, fast-paced segments and snippets called "pods'' rather than shows. Tailored for the short attention span, they will be anywhere from 15 seconds to five minutes long.

The short-form format, pioneered by MTV, "is consistent with the fast- paced, two-screen-consuming-at-a-time nature of this audience,'' said Current Programming President David Neuman, a former NBC executive and former president of Walt Disney Television and Touchstone Pictures.

Those hoping for a liberal network to balance the conservatism of Fox won't find it here.

"We have no intention of creating a Democratic channel, a liberal channel, a TV version of Air America," Gore said. "That's not what we're about. We're about empowering this generation of young people in their 20s to engage in a dialogue of democracy and to tell the stories about what's going on in their lives using the dominant medium of our time.''

April 5, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Hugh has been hammering the emerging trend where marketers jump on the blog bandwagon without first buying a ticket to the Cluetrain. Here's some of what he has had to say:

As if fake blogs weren't "beyond lame" enough.

Now I think we've got... wait for it... fake comments.

What a great scenario: Some twentysomething PR intern being told to write that crap hour after hour, from some gasket-popping "Creative" Director about to lose his job. Hysterical.

As someone interested in bringing authenticity to the marketing sphere, and someone who sees blogs as a perfect tool for such an end, I must agree with Hugh's assessment. But if we are to explore what's wrong with fake blogs, we must also determine what exactly makes up a blog.

Urban Dictionary says a blog is, "A meandering, blatantly uninteresting online diary that gives the author the illusion that people are interested in their stupid, pathetic life." That's close, but close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades.

To my mind, a blog is a frequently updated web site with posts ordered in reverse chronology. I like the simplicity of my definition, but clearly there's more to it, or bloggers would not be put off by marketers who dare to do it incorrectly.

I believe the more to it part has to do with use of first person narrative. Thus, a blog is a place where readers get to know the blogger, or bloggers, via daily use of this purposefully personal voice. And therein lies the problem with fake blogs--there's no one home. No body behind the "I", only a maketing department or an ad agency with the same old, tired, ridiculously fake pitch.

April 6, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 6 Comments

The Good, Bad & Ugly Awards Show, established eight years ago by Advertising Women of New York, has emerged as an irreverent yet purposeful look at the way women are depicted in advertising. It is dedicated to encouraging creative, effective and positive advertising to and representative of women and highlights not only the good but also the bad and ugly—the stereotypical, outdated or patronizing communication to and representation of women in advertising.

Agenda Inc. reports that pop superstar Christina Aguilera's flesh-baring commercials for American shoe company Skechers have been slammed by AWNY as the worst advertisements of the year.

It could have been worse. Sketchers could have used Britney in their ads, for instance.

April 6, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from Ad Age: Embattled supermarket chain Safeway is set to launch an unprecedented $100 million advertising campaign that includes spot TV buys on prime-time shows such as The Apprentice and CSI -- but utters nary a word on price.

“What we are doing is very different,” said Brian Cornwell, chief marketing officer at the Pleasanton, Calif.-based chain of 1,802 stores with $35.8 billion in sales. “We are moving from the traditional price/item advertising, which is the norm of the supermarket industry, to a more brand-focused identity.”

More than just a tagline change, from “Giving Our Best” to “Ingredients for Life,” the campaign launches April 18 with TV, radio, print and Web elements.

“We are trying to take a page out of the consumer package industry,” added Mr. Cornwell, who joined Safeway in April 2004 after serving as president of Pepsi-Cola North America’s Food Services division.

The campaign, created by Interpublic Group of Cos.’ Dailey & Associates, Los Angeles, represents a significant shift away from print advertising for the chain.

“Retailers like Safeway are stuck in a shrinking and unsustainable middle ground,” said Jon Hauptman, vice president of Willard Bishop Consulting, a Chicago-based firm focused on the grocery industry. “Safeway is being outflanked on all sides.”

On the price side, Safeway must battle with Wal-Mart and limited-assortment retailers such as Aldi, Sav-A-Lot and, increasingly, the so-called dollar stores, which have beefed up food offerings. On the quality and lifestyle side, Safeway competes with upscale regional operators and growing national, high-end retailers such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.

April 6, 2005 by Wade Sturdivant | Permalink | 6 Comments

According to Lewis Lazare in today’s column:

“Edelman and Intelliseek have jointly published a white paper on blogs, which provides a first-of-its-kind directory of influential bloggers, segmented by industry. Titled "Trust Media ... How Real People Are Finally Being Heard," the paper is available for download at www.edelman.com/insights

Haven't read it yet to see if AdPulp is included, but I'm excited anyway.

April 6, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 3 Comments

Robert Scoble, a.k.a. The Scoblezier, a.k.a. Microsoft's Geek Blogger, asks in a post on The Red Couch, "Why let your ad agency write your blog?" He ponders the situation thusly:

A good blog is written by an authority who is passionate about his/her topic.

How many ad agencies are passionate about your business? Not to mention an authority on it? (After all, if your ad agency were an authority on your business we'd just deal with your ad agency, not you). I'm an optimist, though, so I hold out hope that there might be a few, but they are few and far in between.

Here's the answer. An agency worth their salt knows how to connect with the consumer. Granted, many agencies know nothing of the kind, but I'm not talking about them (every industry has losers, ours is no different). But back to the argument...X Company knows how to make widgets, or computers, or rum. They know how to work their product through the distribution channel. They may even spend tons on product innovation. But rarely do they know how to effectively communicate their product's benefits, for they are too close to it to bring any perspective to the communications problems at hand. Clients live and breathe their product and they assume that everyone else gives a shit. Everyone else does not give a shit. Getting them to give a shit is the agency's job.

At this point in time, I am unaware of a good blog being generated for a client by an ad agency. But I believe this will soon change. Agencies didn't get the web at first, and many do not get the web today. The same holds for blogs. Yet, I have every reason to believe some smart agency people will find a way to build a legitimate blogging practice. There are too many upsides in blogs to dance around them for much longer.

April 7, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 3 Comments

Bag us our next client and you're hired.

Before you count your chickens here are a few things you need to know.

1. It’s no joke. Zipatoni is a promotional marketing and advertising agency and we’re always on the hunt for our next big client. That’s where you come in. Break out your Palm Pilot, cell phone or if you’re old-school, your Rolodex, and get busy making a connection. Bag Zipatoni our next client and we’ll make you an honorary member of the Zipatoni family, and it’s an honor that comes with perks.

2. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Generate a meeting between Zipatoni and a new prospective client that leads to real new business and “You’re Hired." Take home a $100K salary, head out for a night in Zipatoni’s flame-adorned, vintage Cadillac company limo, cocktail with friends at the überhip Zipatoni bar, and take the rest of the year off. It could be the easiest $100K you’ll ever make.

3. All leads must be submitted to yourehired@zipatoni.com – leads submitted by any other means will not be accepted.

4. And, when we say leads, we don’t mean your best friend’s coffee shop or tattoo parlor. Zipatoni is a full-service promotions and advertising agency and we work with clients like eBay, Energizer, Jim Beam, Motorola, Home Depot, Maytag, Majesco Entertainment, White Castle, AOL, Splenda and Hallmark.

5. OK. Let’s see if you’ve got the chops, connections and ingenuity to land Zipatoni our next big client.

Note from the "legal bullshit" attending this offer: New business must generate $5,000,000 in net income for Zipatoni. So the agency's $100K offer is 2% of the minimum qualifying ammount.

Thanks to Agenda Inc. for the pointer.

April 7, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Fox Sports Radio host, Ben Maller, has an entry on his blog about Boudreaux's Butt Paste. Maller reports that the anti-rash ointement has found a home in NASCAR by sponsoring a Busch Series car driven by former Louisiana school principal Kim Crosby.

According to Maller, athletes including the Miami Heat's Shaquille O'Neal, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, former New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears head football coach Mike Ditka and iron-man cyclist Lance Armstrong, have all reportedly used the product with much enthusiasm.

Aside from treating baby bottoms Boudreaux's Butt Paste attends to a variety of other ailments, including heat rash, acne, bed sores, abrasions, chicken pox, shingles, razor burn, feminine irritation, poison ivy, fever blisters and even chapped lips. Butt paste is also used to treat male itch (otherwise known as jock itch) in athletes, and several major-league baseball teams keep the handy one-gallon jugs around the clubhouse.

Boudreaux's Butt Paste is the creation of pharmacist George Boudreaux, who opened his Louisiana drugstore in 1978 and soon began whipping up an old fashioned elixir. In 1994, Dr. George Boudreaux sold his pharmacy to concentrate on marketing his product, which by then had taken off in a big way. Today, his product is sold at Wal-Mart and Target, among other retail stores.

April 7, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 2 Comments

More than 27.5 million hot dogs will be consumed by baseball fans this season while cheering their team in the stands, according to the annual consumption survey conducted by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. Laid end-to-end, that's almost enough hot dogs to stretch from Citizens Bank Park in Philly to Edison Field in Los Angeles, Calif.

The Top Ten Hot Dog Eating Stadiums

1. Dodger Stadium – 1,674,400

2. Coors Field – 1,545,000

3. Wrigley Field – 1,543,500

4. Yankees Stadium – 1,365,000

5. Minute Maid Park – 1,248,000

6. Edison Field – 1,133,000

7. HHH Metrodome – 850,000

8. Citizens Bank Park – 800,000

9. Shea Stadium – 745,000

10. Dophins Stadium – 250,000

Thanks again to Ben Maller for the pointer (and his quirky looks at American culture).

April 7, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 5 Comments

I like it when people coin new terms, especially if the terms are fun to say. Vaspers The Grate has recently managed this with the term "bloatosphere". Given that the word "blogosphere" is cumbersome and self-important, I think Mr. Grate has given us a marked improvement.

The blogsophere is becoming bloated with anti-blogs.

This bloated, burdensome, obese blogosphere I refer to as the "bloatosphere".

Let's consider the various components that make up the "bloatosphere".

"bloatosphere" = the realm of blogs that is becoming bloated or fattened by the rapid accumulation of anti-blogs: broadcast blogs, pseudo-blogs, simulated blogs, drivel blogs, sleazy link blogs, fictional persona blogs, and link farm blogs.

Of course, Mr. Grate's intent is not to replace the term "blogoshpere" with "bloatosphere". But I think it works, if one is inclined to lump the entire blogosphere into the newly coined bloatosphere.

April 8, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

Advertising has always subsidized the media, but it's clearly a love-hate relationship. And now, this story suggests that GM has pulled its advertising in the Los Angeles Times, in an objection to "factual errors and misrepresentations" in the Times' coverage of GM.

I haven't looked into this particular matter, but I suppose a free press isn't really free. And when newspapers who have to kowtow to their advertisers and alter their editorial content to reflect an advertiser's wishes, readers don't get all the news they deserve. I'm sure this happens all the time, but still it's not a good thing.

On the other hand, I once had a client who knew there was going to be a critical report on the local news about her company--on a station that she bought lots of commercial airtime on. Her response was to buy more airtime on the station, to "offset" the report. We recommended against it, but in general, she was dumber than a brick anyway, so maybe GM's doing the right thing.

I'm conflicted.

April 8, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Adfreak makes our Friday morning with this hangover cure of a print ad from Mickey D's.

At long last, the Golden Arches embraces truth in advertising.

April 8, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from Reuters: If you think video games are engrossing now, just wait: PlayStation maker Sony Corp. has been granted a patent for beaming sensory information directly into the brain.

The technique could one day be used to create videogames in which you can smell, taste, and touch, or to help people who are blind or deaf.

The U.S. patent, granted to Sony researcher Thomas Dawson, describes a technique for aiming ultrasonic pulses at specific areas of the brain to induce "sensory experiences" such as smells, sounds and images.

"The pulsed ultrasonic signal alters the neural timing in the cortex," the patent states. "No invasive surgery is needed to assist a person, such as a blind person, to view live and/or recorded images or hear sounds."

A Sony Electronics spokeswoman told the magazine that no experiments had been conducted, and that the patent "was based on an inspiration that this may someday be the direction that technology will take us."

April 8, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

We know that brand managers need be monitoring what's being said about their brands in the bloatosphere, by using Technorati, for instance. It might also be wise for them to see what's being posted to Flickr and other photo-sharing sites. In a quick experiment I turned up all sorts of interesting brand-centered images, proving (in case you're still wondering how well advertising works) just how deeply brands are embedded in our daily lives.

By using "tags" one can easily find just about anything of interest on Flickr. Simply type "flickr dot com slash photos slash tags slash (your brand here)".

Here's a small sample of what's out there:

Corona

Red Stripe

Baileys

Smirnoff

Captain Morgan

Mercedes Benz

Honda

In 'N Out Burger

April 8, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

Adweek is now letting you rate agencies in all sorts of categories, like most creative, least creative, best reel, worst reel, best run, most likely to be a sweatshop, etc.

It's like a 35-question survey, and I think you can do it only once. So have fun. Every vote counts!

April 8, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

McSuckle image found on Flickr

Note: "dot at" is Austria's two-digit domain extension and McDonalds.at is the official McDonald's site in Austria

April 11, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Ad Age reports that a new global study, "Wireless Works: Exploring New Brand Connections," from Omnicom Group's BBDO Worldwide and Proximity Worldwide surveyed more than 3,000 mobile phone owners. The purpose of the study was to "better understand how consumers interact with their phone," according to a BBDO spokesman.

Fourteen percent of the world's cell phone users report that they have stopped in the middle of a sex act to answer a ringing wireless device. The highest percentage was found in Germany and Spain, where 22% of users interrupted sex to answer their cell phones; the lowest was in Italy, where only 7% reported doing so. In the U.S., 15% say they practice cell phone interruptus.

The survey also found that 78% of respondents have their cell phones in reach 16 or more hours per day. In Russia, 89% have their phone on for long hours, while 75% keep their phone on most of the day in the U.S.

The findings arrive as the wireless industry is aggressively ramping up its effort to promote the cell phone as a content- and advertising-delivering device to potentially rival that of TV or the Internet.

April 11, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

As Seth Godin considers Eddie Harris and Les McCann's performance at Montreaux Jazz Festival in 1969 and the various ways that performance has been handed down over time from LP to digitally remasted CD to MP3, he laments the loss of authenticity in digital reproductions.

I wonder what happens when our digital culture has nothing to do but spread pale imitations of the original experiences? I wonder what happens when the media companies that depend on our attention start losing it when all we've got is a ringtone.

I think my books change a lot more minds than my blog does. But books don't spread the way digital ideas do.

All this leads me to an argument I've made several times in conversation, but not in writing. The entertainment industry's panic attack over digital content is beyond absurd. Forget for a minute that they ought to be focussed on how to profit from this change in consumer preference, and simply examine the obvious fact that a disc of "ripped" and "burned" MP3s is not a true representation of the original work. Sound quality is distorted via the file compression process, plus the "end product" lacks the packaging and liner notes and such. Therefore, a free copy of a copywrited work is a sample, not a perfect match, nor a replacement for the original.

By encouraging, or at least allowing, peer-to-peer distribution of such samples, the music industry can create more fans for the music they market. These fans of the music will continue to pay for the real thing for reasons of convenience, sound quality and the details or story contained in the packaging.

April 11, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 4 Comments

Joseph Jaffe of Jaffejuice put together a rough clip of Tiger Woods' amazing shot at the 16th hole of The Masters yesterday for a spot Nike & Wieden & Kennedy should--and probably will--do.

Check it out here.

That's CBS's Verne Lundquist making the call--and it couldn't have been scripted any better.

April 11, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

International Herald Tribune reports that George Jones, Alan Jackson, Keney Chesney, Van Morrison, John Fogerty, John Hiatt, The Knack, Alejandro Escovedo, Kenny Loggins and Joni Mitchell all share space on the First iPod--the digital music player given to President Bush by his twin daughters last summer.

The leader of the free world/oil industry likes to use his iPod as an excercise companion when mountain biking on his Texas ranch.

April 12, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from San Francisco Chronicle: Five years after the dot-com bubble burst, Internet advertising is finally delivering on its promise.

A passel of industry and analyst reports tell of a very strong 2004 and an even better 2005 for online ad spending. It's still a tiny portion of the entire advertising-dollar pie, estimated to be $12.3 billion of $256 billion in total spending by one account, but the talk is it's only going north.

Online advertising's strong suit is a better sense of accountability, the watchword of the day for marketers, who say they can learn in real time whether a message or interactive elements are effective. Basically, advertisers can see whether someone clicked on an ad and bought something.

Online Ad Spending

1996 $267 million

1997 $907 million

1998 $1.9 billion

1999 $4.6 billion

2000 $8.1 billion

2001 $7.1 billion

2002 $6 billion

2003 $7.2 billion

2004 $12.3 billion

Source: Interactive Advertising Bureau

April 12, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 2 Comments

William Safire, our supreme guardian of the English language, writing in New York Times Magazine said:

The time has come to unbrand the word brand.

The noun blazed on the scene a thousand years ago as a burning stick, and the meaning soon transferred to the mark left on the skin of a horse or a criminal by such a stick, or branding iron. That mark became the sign of infamy: Richard Hooker wrote in 1597 of an age marked ''with the brand of error and superstition,'' and later, a firebrand became the symbol of an inflammatory rabble-rouser.

The burned-in mark, in the 19th century, began to signify ownership not just of an animal but also of liquids in wooden casks, like wine or ale. The brand-mark became a ''trademark,'' and in the 20th century the designated item so labeled became a brand. In 1929, Fleischmann's Yeast absorbed the coffee maker Chase & Sanborn and other companies to form Standard Brands (now a part of Kraft), in hopes that brand names would produce brand loyalty. A generation later, David Ogilvy, the advertising executive, was dubbed by the author Martin Mayer in 1958 as an ''apostle of the 'brand image''' who sought to persuade the consumer ''that brand A, technically identical with brand B, is somehow a better product.'' Within two years, the novelist Kingsley Amis extended brand image from a product to a genre: ''mad scientists attended by scantily clad daughters'' constitute ''the main brand-image of science fiction.''

Tom Peters, who took the whole brand called you thing to new heights in a 1997 Fast Company article, picked up on Safire's piece in his blog (which is actually written by several other people). Here's a comment I like from Trevor Gay on that post:

What worries me is 'branding' being turned into some complicated academic subject when, in reality, 'branding' is simply a distinctive element that makes an individual or a company stand out - in other words what they are recognised 'for' and 'as'.

Keep it simple - don't let academics make 'branding' a complex science.

Branding is not complicated.

April 13, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from Ad Age: BMW of North America, which scored a major publicity coup with its groundbreaking online film series The Hire, has turned the story line's Driver character into a branded entertainment comic book series.

The idea was that if Hollywood has been able to harness the appeal of comic books to lure moviegoers into theaters, why not use graphic novels to bring buyers into BMW showrooms?

BMW's ad agency, Publicis Groupe's Fallon, Minneapolis, one of the key architects of the online films, handled the comic book project as well.

Last year, the automaker signed a deal with Dark Horse Comics to publish six comic books based on the character, played in The Hire shorts by Clive Owen (Closer, The Bourne Identity) as a mysterious driver who is thrown into comedic or dangerous situations thanks to his passengers.

Each installation of the comic book series features a single model vehicle that’s recognizable as a BMW, but purposely futuristic.

April 13, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

Jackie Huba posted this humorous cartoon by Tom Fishburne.

April 13, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Media veteran and popular blogger, Steve Hall, busts some chops when considering the recent move by Volvo to act as sole sponsor on MSN Spaces, thereby seemingly embracing blogs as a desirable venue for online ad spending.

A quick review of weblogs listed as recently updated on MSN Spaces revealed few, if any, containing more than a post or two. Many simply state, "There are no entries in this blog." Apparently, Volvo, in its decision to sponsor MSN Spaces weblogs, did not see this as an issue.

Volvo, seemingly unable to realize MSN Spaces is filled with newbies with nothing to say when a plethora of intelligent, quality blog content is right around the corner at the BlogAds blog advertising network.

Hall also makes mention of Boing Boing's report on MSN's poor decision to censor blogs on their network, keeping them free of "dirty" words, while flying in the face of blogger convention (a.k.a. free speech).

BlogAds is cool. I have no issue with them. But an enterprising media buyer at Volvo's agency could just as easily negotiate deals diretcly with blogs that fit the auto maker's criteria. This is the path we've chosen here. We have a sponsorship deal with Talent Zoo, and we are looking for other opportunities that work well for us and the advertiser.

April 13, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

How do you create some warm and fuzzies for one of the most controversial companies in the world? You give the urban, educated, left-leaning Volvo drivers who are fighting you some space.

from Ad Age: Embroiled in a nasty battle with organized labor and environmental groups, Wal-Mart has launched an ad campaign to run through April 24 that includes idyllic images of eagles in flight to promote “Acres for America,” a program to preserve one acre of land for every acre occupied by a Wal-Mart store.

The program is a partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and will preserve 88,000 acres and an additional 100,000 acres over the next five years. The NFWF said the acreage translates into a $35 million commitment.

Environmental groups immediately criticized the campaign, created by Bernstein-Rein, Kansas City, Mo. Wal-Mart bought ad time for the spots on CNN and MSNBC.

Of course, Wal-Mart does not genuinely care about preserving habitiat for wildlife, but isn't it nice that they've been moved to act for the public good? I think it is. Having once worked in the conservation movement, I learned to accept that all corporate money is in some way dirty money, and that it would be best to get as much of it as possible for positive use.

April 13, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from E-Commerce Times: In a move to enhance its search and advertising businesses, Yahoo announced today it would offer free Web hosting to small businesses.

Yahoo Local general manager Paul Levine said, "As more and more consumers rely on the Internet for information about their neighborhood -- from finding restaurants to plumbers to dry cleaners -- local businesses are realizing the value of reaching potential customers online."

Analysts expect that helping hand to be well received. According to The Kelsey Group, over 50 percent of the more than 20 million small businesses in the U.S. do not yet have a Web site.

Kelsey Group analyst Greg Sterling told the E-Commerce Times this is an attractive offer for small businesses because it removes a lot of barriers to adoption, like which host to use and how much storage space to purchase. And Yahoo's template wizard makes it easy to set up a working site in a few steps.

April 14, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 4 Comments

Tim Nudd at Adfreak rightly questions the packaging trend whereby humorous quips are placed on the product label.

We’re officially on the fence about witty product packaging — labels and containers that have flippant, supposedly charming observations about life, the universe and everything (even, sometimes, the product).

Yet, when one considers a partity product like bottled water, one can conclude that packaging is all there is. Thus, suggestive copy like, "we the makers of this product, hereby rebut any offers by any professional sports league to become 'the official water' of anything" becomes a key differentiator.

April 14, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Thanks to eBay, anyone willing to bid high enough can have a young woman in Oklahoma go out on the town with their logo emblazoned on the front of a form-fitting t-shirt. The enterprising lass also promises to scream out one's brand promise. And she will provide video footage of the above, verifying the media expenditure.

Thanks to Business 2.0 for the pointer.

April 14, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from Brandweek: The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has ruled that Miller Brewing did not violate regulations relating to comparative advertising nor did the No. 2 brewer make false, misleading and disparaging statements in spots that took on rival Anheuser-Busch.

The SABMiller unit's "Good Call" TV ad campaign showed football referees penalizing Bud Light and Budweiser drinkers for toting beer with "less taste" and "less flavor" than Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft.

"We will continue to remind consumers that they have a choice when they select beer, and we will continue to assume that Anheuser-Busch will complain about Miller advertising," a Miller rep said.

April 14, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 2 Comments

The Counter Counterfeit Commission is an independent, bipartisan organization with the tireless mission of countering counterfeits and protecting you from being duped and disappointed. For some time now, the CCC has been combating the criminal element responsible for knock-off goods ranging from watches to sunglasses to little porcelain figurines. But last year, the decision was made to shift our efforts and focus solely on the newest and most atrocious kind of deception: counterfeit MINI Coopers.

April 15, 2005 by Shawn Hartley | Permalink | 1 Comments

"Ad skipping and on demand viewing could cost the TV industry $27 billion in lost ad revenue over the next five years, according to new research released today by Accenture."

Looks like bad news on the horizon for the networks. I purchased a DVR unit less than 6 months ago and found it surprising just how fast my viewing habits changed. We have no problem waiting until 20 after to watch one of our regular shows so we can skip the ad breaks.

Will the networks approach the subject of in-show advertising, expand product placement programs, or move in the direction of commercial-free-but-sponsored-by programs — similar to the way soccer games are broadcast - to make up for the lost revenues?

Tip o' the fedora to AdAge for the story (free reg. req.)

April 15, 2005 by Shawn Hartley | Permalink | 3 Comments

AdPulp.com reader Adam G. pointed out a new awards show brought to you by Adweek Magazines (and Promax/BDA), The Buzz Awards.

"When a branded entertainment effort marries medium and message to create that kind of resonance in the marketplace, it deserves special recognition. That’s why Adweek Magazines have created The Buzz Awards, celebrating excellence in integrating brands and media. Winners per category and one Grand Prize winner will be honored at Promax/BDA in New York on June 23."

More information available from the following PDF: http://www.adweek.com/buzz. Why a direct link to a PDF? I wish I could answer that question; every link referenced in the PDF either links back to the PDF download or to an error page (the link on the registration form).

Apparently, the best way to build buzz is by avoiding any aspect of being user-friendly. Happy Friday :-)

April 15, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from Adweek: CP+B issued the following statement Friday: "We have had the privilege to work with Molson for almost four years. During our partnership, they became the fastest growing top 25 import in the U.S. and had their first years of growth following several years of decline. Yesterday, they informed us that due to the merger with Coors, they will be consolidating their business using existing resources. We find this to be an extremely exciting industry and we hope to have the opportunity to use the knowledge that we have gained through our work with Molson to continue operating in this category in the future."

Deutsch/LA in Marina del Rey, Calif., and Foote Cone & Belding in Chicago pick up duties on Molson's $10mil account.

April 16, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 1 Comments

A shameless plug for my new column on TalentZoo.com. Enjoy.

April 18, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Jonah Bloom of AdAge waxes poetic as he laments the retirement of Miller High Life man.

That many of America’s marketers muddy instincts with science, shy away from points of difference and kill great creative is not news. Still, I was somewhat surprised last week when Advertising Age magazine’s Jim Arndorfer, who reported the debut of the “High Life man” in 1998, learned Miller was planning to terminate this gem of a campaign.

In an era when much advertising feels fake, especially brewers’ ads, which tend to depict too-preened girlymen prancing around predictably beautiful women, the High Life man has been an honest, authentic campaign that regular beer drinkers could relate to. More young men than ever before are deserting beer for fancy liquors and silly spritzers -- on-premise spirit sales grew an estimated 10% last year, while beer sales declined -- and here was a campaign reminding us real men drink beer. It played perfectly into the cultural backlash against metrosexuality, it spoke to those of us who still aspire to our stoic fathers and grandfathers, who built stuff, who knew stuff.

I must concur with Jonah. This campaign from Wieden + Kennedy is some of the best advertising created—and run—during the past several years. In fact, it was so effective, I even started opting for Miller (mostly MGD) instead of the more spendy microbrews I've long favored.

April 18, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Technology Review reports that Cingular Wireless launched its new ringtone service this week with the exclusive release of "Speed of Sound", the first Coldplay single from its upcoming album XY, the response from fans was immediate.

"We've been floored," says Mark Nagel, director for entertainment and downloadable services for Cingular. Fans can plunk down $2.49 to purchase a 15-second song snippet that can be used as their phone's ringtone.

While mobile carriers have singed various deals with artists -- Nokia teamed with Jay Z in 2003 to ship a phone that came loaded with MP3 versions of songs from The Black Album and ringtones, Cingular scored a coup by locking up an exclusive deal with one of the most eagerly anticipated bands of 2005 and offering a listen to its latest before any traditional outlets -- radio and MTV. And the company is already locking up other artists. Upcoming exclusives include Ludacris songs and clips from bands appearing on the Vans Warped Tour this summer.

Interestingly, a quick check of the band's website (by me) revealed that the band will be selling the ringtone on their site beginning tonight, and this disclaimer, "A ringtone of Speed of Sound is already available in the US as part of a new promotion via a mobile phone company to its customers. Coldplay have not entered into any agreement to facilitate this promotion."

April 18, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from San Francisco Chronicle: The old adage used to be "you are what you eat.'' But with the advent of digital music and the popularity of gadgets like the iPod, now it's "you are what's on your playlist.''

Last week, musicologists and media pundits around the world had a great time trying to divine what makes President Bush tick by analyzing the songs loaded on his iPod.

But playlist watching has also become a parlor game played by college students and office workers hoping for insight into the lives of people around them. They use a feature in Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes digital music management program that allows a limited number of people to surf and hear songs in someone else's library.

Playlist peeking isn't limited to your neighbors. A number of famous iTunes consumers have published their lists of favorite songs on the iTunes Music Store site, including Tom Brady, quarterback for the New England Patriots, and Broadway composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.

In a report released earlier this month, researchers from the Palo Alto Research Center, known as PARC, and the Georgia Institute of Technology studied 13 workers at one small company and found they were forming judgments about co-workers based on the songs they found in each others' iTunes music libraries.

At the company, the employees became aware that their music was projecting an image of themselves to co-workers, Grinter said in an interview.

That caused some playlist anxiety. One worker said he was worried others would get the wrong impression because he downloaded songs by Justin Timberlake and Michael McDonald for his wife.

April 18, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Shawn points to this Associated Press story, about a SPAMer getting sentenced to nine years in prison.

A man convicted in the nation's first felony prosecution for illegal spamming was sentenced to nine years in prison Friday, but the judge postponed the sentence while the case is appealed.

Loudoun County Circuit Judge Thomas Horne said that because the law targeting bulk e-mail distribution is new and raises constitutional questions, it was appropriate to defer the prison time until appeals courts rule.

Jeremy Jaynes was convicted in November for using false Internet addresses to send mass e-mail ads through an AOL server in Loudoun.

A jury had recommended the nine-year prison term.

Virginia, where AOL is based, prosecuted the case under a law that took effect in 2003 barring people from sending bulk e-mail that is unsolicited and masks its origin.

Prosecutors said Jaynes used the Internet to peddle sham products and services such as a "FedEx refund processor."

Imagine how good advertising would be if we handed out costly citations—or prison terms in extreme cases—for dumbed-down, offensive and poorly rendered work.

April 19, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from USA Today: Nancy Drew is 75 years old and still the hippest girl in town.

Fresh from getting a new hybrid car and cell phone from Simon & Schuster last year, Nancy now gets her first graphic novel, one of the fastest-expanding areas in book publishing. The Demon of River Heights (Papercutz, $7.95 paperback, $12.95 hardcover) is out this week.

We're living in a very visual age and kids have a lot of different distractions — from the Internet, to videos, to video games, to TV and DVDs," says Papercutz founder Terry Nantier. "We're using a point of view and a style that kids know and understand."

Graphic novels, like traditional comic books, combine illustrations with word balloons. The pocket-size Papercutz series is drawn in the style of the popular Japanese comics known as manga.

Sales of graphic novels have been soaring in the USA and Canada, up from $165 million in 2003 to $207 million a year ago.

April 19, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from Boston Globe: The first time he robbed a bank Timothy Connor just slipped a note to a bank teller. The next time, he slipped the note while nonchalantly talking on his cellphone, an act, police said, that mimicked a Super Bowl commercial.

His technique, police said, is similar to one used in an Ameriquest Mortgage Company commercial that debuted during the Super Bowl. In the commercial, a man talking on his cellphone at a convenience store tells the person on the phone that he/she is getting robbed, and the store clerk thinks the store is being robbed.

''Watching the surveillance tape, he mimicked that commercial exactly," said Officer Michael McCarthy, a spokesman for the Boston Police Department.

April 19, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Steve Hall points to JohnsonSheen's new work for running shoe client, Brooks. But, I'm more interested in the Portland agency's self-promotional copy.

SOME AGENCIES PARTY HARD, wear Armani, serve 12 kinds of martinis, and film with Spielberg's second cousin, because, well, he's Spielberg's second cousin. Not coincidentally, they make advertising that's shiny on the outside and empty on the inside.

Then there's JohnsonSheen. On the Andy Scale, we're closer to Griffith than Warhol. Not that our work isn't eye-cathcing, page-stopping and intriguing. It's just weighed down by, well, strategy. You'll never have to guess what the point is.

As for perks, we serve halfway decent donuts.

April 20, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

This article in Ad Age talks about the FDA's recent decision to pull ads for Levitra and Zyrtec off the air due to misleading claims.

What's interesting here is that pharmaceutical companies seem to be doing what other comsumer marketers used to do, and have been trying to get away from: make claims of superiority, or "puffery" if you will, and bash the competition in the ads.

As long as pharmaceutical marketing is legal, it's going to be big business.

Is there a way to do it compellingly, and legally, without
a) making bogus claims
or
b) showing dewy meadows, happy couples, and listing every side effect in the world?

April 20, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 3 Comments

Sun Times advertising columnist, Lewis Lazare, explores the rigorous work being done by Leo Burnett on behalf of the Army.

Gosh, it's gotta be tough -- crafting commercials that persuade parents to encourage their offspring to enlist in the Army, when almost every day we see and read of more carnage in Iraq.

And Iraq, of course, is just one of the battlefields where American soldiers find themselves stationed in what promises to be a long and potentially quite bloody war against terrorism and assorted other threats to the homeland.

But boy, is Leo Burnett, the U.S. Army's agency of record -- at least for the next couple of months -- trying hard to make a compelling case for parents signing off on their kids' signing up for military service.

A new series of what are being termed "influencer" spots make that case in often startlingly emotional terms.

We admit to being surprised at finding a bit of a lump in the throat as we watched a couple of these new commercials. They are populated with some fine actors who know how to plumb the emotional depths of a line of copy.

I'm not sure what's so tough about it. If the parents in question are supporters of the President, then they most likely agree that a modern day Crusades is a good idea. Granted, if the parents oppose the sitting administration, no commercial is going to sway them.

Call me crazy, but I don't see much opposition to this war, nor any of Bush's policies for that matter. I guess we're too busy working and pursuing the material objects that our commercial culture (of which advertising is the mouthpiece) claims will make us happy.

April 20, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

One would think Ann Coulter would be thrilled to be on the cover of Time Magazine. But no. On Hannity + Colmes last night she claimed to not have read the article. She says she stopped at the "elongated funhouse photo."

Well, you know, a hundred years of Madison Avenue advertising suggests that it's not a good idea to put an elongated funhouse photo of a girl next to -- if you're trying to sell a car or toothpaste. Just a month ago, Graydon Carter, the editor of Vanity Fair, said, "No more men on the covers. We're going to put attractive photos of females." So apparently, Time magazine is willing to sell fewer magazines in order to run an unflattering photo of a conservative.

And here I thought the image, to say nothing of Time's reporting, was rather flattering.

Thanks to Media Matters for breaking it all down.

April 21, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

USA Today and several other media outlets are reporting on the new concept from YUM Brands of Louisville, KY—a noticeably hipper store redesign, a jazzier menu with a Southern accent and a remake of The Colonel himself.

The food refocuses on KFC's Southern roots. Look for entree-sized Hot Bowls — at $3.99 — that mix chicken with mashed potatoes and corn in a bowl.

"It was right under our noses," says Michelle Wickman, senior brand concept manager overseeing the many changes in the concept store. "We started in the South. Fried chicken is Southern-inspired. So who has more right to be Southern than us?"

The new interior has cushy furniture — even ottomans to put your feet up. There's a freebie digital jukebox that constantly spins tunes — R&B in urban locations and Top 40 in suburban stores.

A "to-go" cold case will offer customers-in-a-hurry Red Bull energy drink, bottled Starbucks Frappuccino and even salad.

Then, there's The Colonel. His white, three-piece suit has been junked for a red apron. And his face has been thinned to make him look younger. "The Colonel would smile" at these changes, Dedrick says. "This is the essence of KFC."

There are 49 more concept stores on tap to open over the next year.

April 21, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 9 Comments

Here's a recap of some big news in the Ad world, as Gary Goldsmith, a well-respected CD and former president of The One Club, is being replaced as Chief Creative Officer of Lowe. Read the article--and then read between the lines and draw your own conclusions.

I've got a decent memory, but let me see if I've got this right:

--Lowe & Partners merged with Scali McCabe Sloves to form Lowe & Partners/SMS
--Goldsmith/Jeffery merged with Lowe & Partners
--Ammirati and Puris merged with Lintas to form Ammirati Puris Lintas
--Ammirati Puris Lintas merged with Lowe & Partners to form Lowe Lintas
--The whole thing was changed to just Lowe.
--Then IPG bought the whole schmear.

All of which pretty much occurred in the last 10 years or so.

This business never ceases to amaze me.

April 22, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

Okay, I couldn't resist that headline.

But last night, Anna Ayala was arrested by San Jose police yesterday. There'll be more details coming from the police this afternoon.

There was some damage done to Wendy's brand and sales, especially in San Jose and Ayala's hometown of Las Vegas. Despite the jokes and the gross-out factor involved, I think Wendy's will be just fine. They did everything they could to see if the finger came from their employees or suppliers, and was fairly open about the whole thing. Good PR move.

April 22, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 4 Comments

Agencies build brands for clients everyday, but often overlook the careful construction of their own. Core, in St. Louis, is not one of those agencies. Core For Sale, an online store peddling Core-branded merchandise, is a unique way to build the agency brand, and showcase the design sensibility of its hyper-talented staff.

core is a 19-person creative studio based in saint louis, missouri that started in 1995 as a design-driven advertising firm, and quickly developed a reputation as one of the premier studios in the united states.

ten years on, core decided to launch its own brand and webstore called, simply, coreforsale.  while initially selling t-shirts, fine art and accessories - the store eventually plans to offer an array of products and content - books, periodicals, DVDs, CDs, downloads-  all featuring content created by the designer/artists at core. coreforsale‘s first five limited edition t-shirts are available now at coreforsale.com, and at fine online streetwear boutiques such as fabric8.com.

I've often thought it makes more sense for an agency to showcase the fine art made by its staff in off hours, over the work (and awards won for said work) actually produced for clients. Core, has taken this notion a step further by making their employee-produced fine art available to all.

April 22, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Business Week is getting jiggy with the bloatosphere. Here's the lead to their feature on blogs.

Monday 9:30 a.m. It's time for a frank talk. And no, it can't wait. We know, we know: Most of you are sick to death of blogs. Don't even want to hear about these millions of online journals that link together into a vast network. And yes, there's plenty out there not to like. Self-obsession, politics of hate, and the same hunger for fame that has people lining up to trade punches on The Jerry Springer Show. Name just about anything that's sick in our society today, and it's on parade in the blogs. On lots of them, even the writing stinks.

Go ahead and bellyache about blogs. But you cannot afford to close your eyes to them, because they're simply the most explosive outbreak in the information world since the Internet itself. And they're going to shake up just about every business -- including yours. It doesn't matter whether you're shipping paper clips, pork bellies, or videos of Britney in a bikini, blogs are a phenomenon that you cannot ignore, postpone, or delegate. Given the changes barreling down upon us, blogs are not a business elective. They're a prerequisite. (And yes, that goes for us, too.)

Then there's Graeme Thickins, a marketing and public relations professional based in Minneapolis, who is not so sure. Here's a part of what he had to say this week on Darwin Magazine, a companion site of CIO.com.

We've had a near-continuous stream of blog-hype in our faces for quite some time. Both online and traditional media just can’t seem to dish up enough of it. But if you, like me, have about had your fill, you'll agree it’s time to do a reality check. In all the cacophony of this breathless blog exhuberance, there remains one largely unspoken truth: Business just isn’t jumping up and down about it.

The blogging phenomenon has been mostly about grass-roots politics and activism. Yet, a large amount of the hype from a growing movement of self-interested bloggers would have you believe that business will not survive if it doesn’t get blogging and change its ways of marketing for good.

I personally find the Cluetrain insightful and useful, but the preponderance of holier-than-thou sermons from its most notable champions tends to get old in a hurry. Plus, I'm not ready to discount the nay-sayers. It can be a good exercise to tackle their opinions—opinions that blog advocates will surely face in the boardroom someday.

"Business" generally is scared of the unbridled truth, and therefore much more comfortable trying to control the message. Yes, customers now have a say, thanks to blogs, but that does not mean marketers are ready to say, "Uncle," and forgo traditional advertising for the community free-for-all. This type of systemic change takes time. A little patience and measured enthusiasm will not hurt the cause.

April 22, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 3 Comments

Tom Waits issued an entertaining, but serious, statement this week in response to Opel's unsanctioned use of music that too closely resembles his own. And since no one on earth sounds anything like Waits, except maybe Leonard Cohen on a bender, Waits likely has a solid legal case.

"In answer to the many queries I have received: No, I did not do the Opel car commercial currently running on TV in Scandinavia. I have a long-standing policy against my voice or music being used in commercials and I have lawyers over there investigating my options. But I got to tell you, it doesn't look good. This is the third car ad, after Audi in Spain and Lancia in Italy.

"If I stole an Opel, Lancia, or Audi, put my name on it and resold it, I'd go to jail. But over there they ask, you say no, and they hire impersonators. They profit from the association and I lose -- time, money, and credibility. What's that about?

"Commercials are an unnatural use of my work ... it's like having a cow's udder sewn to the side of my face. Painful and humiliating."

Thanks to Adfreak for the pointer.

April 23, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

"When the essence of marketing becomes the quality of the customer/corporate dialogue then the entire corporate culture changes and so does the world." -Robert Patterson

Shel Israel, who is co-writing a book with The Scobleizer on business blogging, posted an interview with Sun's COO, Jonathan Schwartz. According to Isreal, Schwartz is the highest ranking blogger by title in the technology sector. He may also be the highest ranking exec with a ponytail.

From Schwartz’ perspective, blogging is not an appendage to Sun’s marketing communications strategy, it is central to it. He believes that the 1000 Sun bloggers contribution hasn’t just moved the needle for the company, “they’ve moved the whole damned compass. The perception of Sun as a faithful and authentic tech company is now very strong. What blogs have done has authenticated the Sun brand more than a billion dollar ad campaign could have done. I care more about the ink you get from developer community than any other coverage. Sun has experienced a sea change in their perception of us and that has come from blogs. Everyone blogging at Sun is verifying that we possess a culture of tenacity and authenticity.“

“It’s kerosene on the fire. The Participation Age has been on the Net since email. Moving from there to blogging is like moving from carrier pigeon to phone. The emergence of blogs means we have passed beyond early crude tools and it results in fundamental changes on how everything relates. While a journalist is writing about my blog, I’m blogging about his journalism. This is change,” he told us.

Noel Hartzell, executive communications director for the Office of the President and COO also chimed in to this discussion.

Sun’s blogging explosion was embraced without ambivalence by the corporate communications people. “Most PR teams would cringe, but ours didn’t. We have a transparent culture and competitors like HP do not. Our PR team is thinking about how to use technology and culture as a corporate weapon and blogging does both. Hartzell added, “Sun is a company whose success is based on building communities. So a key function of the communications team is to be an information gatherer, analyzer and counselor on participating in these communities. A bad way to do PR is to blast press releases every Thursday. We help feed the right information into the right channels. What could be better for a PR organization than blogs?”

So, while many in business may be slow to take up blogging, and others who are getting their feet wet are doing it poorly, Sun is solidly behind the new open source communications network. Sure, they're a tech company and techies are going to be early adopters, but Sun is not some obscure firm trying to make some noise with geekdom's latest toy. And Schwartz's point about how no ad campaign could ever do for Sun what 1000 voices inside his company have done, needs to be heard by those of us who toil in advertising. Certain reactionary voices in the bloatosphere think advertising is a dinosaur wobbling on its last legs. I beg to differ, but clearly, a transformation is necessary. Blogs are not a meteor about to darken the skies. Advertising people, and by extension the ad industry, can and will evolve. The good news is the industry could well evolve in to something better, as transparency demands honesty.

April 24, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

Let us pause (a pause that refreshes, if you will) to remember that this spring marks the 20th anniversary of the introduction of New Coke, one of the most studied marketing blunders of all time.

I lived in Atlanta back then, and it wasn't pretty. But the whole episode taught us a couple of things: All the market research and blind taste tests in the world can't predict human behavior, and that marketers don't control their brands: consumers do.

20 years, later, Coke is still struggling with how to keep its flagship brand relevant and growing despite its maturity. Just last week, the company decided to relace senior marketing exec Randy Ransom, whose major accomplishment seemed to be changing Coke's tagline "Real" to "Make It Real.”

April 24, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

In an interview with Ad Age, Mel Karmazin, the CEO of Sirus Satellite Radio, predicts that ad revenue on Sirius will reach $100 million by 2007, although the music stations won't carry ads, just the news, sports and entertainment stations.

Sounds to me like there's a whole new opportunity for radio advertising to get more creative, thanks to Sirius. And consumers will just have to live with it, like they do with ads on basic cable.

In the US, advertising subsidizes the media. Always has and always will. So who's still predicting the end of advertising?

April 24, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 3 Comments

There's a bit of a tempest brewing over at Scoble's blog. It seems The Scobleizer is upset that his employer, Microsoft, is not backing a controversial state house bill on anti-discrimination. Apparently, there's a conservative pastor in the middle of the brouhaha, and that is what has Scoble's ire up. He addresses Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's CEO directly and publicly with his complaint.

Steve: this comes down to leadership. What kind of society do we want to live in? One where religious folks decide the society we live in? Hint: my wife left Iran for a reason. My mom left Germany for a reason. There are bloggers in jail as we speak because religious people are so powerful in their societies. I guess we (Microsoft) have to now pass every decision to our religious leaders to make sure it's OK with them.

Steve, I'm sad. Very sad. This is leadership? What if we were a company in Germany in the 1930s? Would we have taken the same position you just did? After all, most of the churches back then were on the wrong side too. It took the Catholic church about 60 years, for instance, to issue an apology for their part in the Holocaust.

Scoble also publishes Ballmer's memo to Microsoft employees on this topic, with permission from PR.

On February 1, two Microsoft employees testified before a House Committee in support of the bill. These employees were speaking as private citizens, not as representatives of the corporate position, but there was considerable confusion about whether they were speaking on behalf of Microsoft.

Following this hearing, a local religious leader named Rev. Ken Hutcherson, who has a number of Microsoft employees in his congregation, approached the company, seeking clarification of whether the two employees were representing Microsoft's official position. He also sought a variety of other things, such as firing of the two employees and a public statement by Microsoft that the bill was not necessary.

Ballmer goes on to explain that the two employees in question were not fired and that Microsoft "remains strongly committed to its internal policies supporting anti-discrimination and industry-leading benefits for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender employees."

Having worked at several firms considerably less progressive than Microsoft, I find Ballmer's take on the issue honorable. The fact that Microsoft is willing to tolerate this type of publicly aired dissent from Scoble strikes me as unusual and inspiring. What I do not understand is why Ballmer would concern himself with a hot-button issue that has nothing to do with Microsoft's core business, especially at a time when Gates & Co. are sweating Google's every move.

April 25, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

Google will soon be experimenting with larger form ads, giving advertisers more control over where their ads are shown, how they pay for them and what they look like.

Google's market value is currently higher than Viacom and Disney. Ad people--planners, AE's, media folks, and creatives alike--had better start including Google ads in their client's marketing plans, because clients will likely demand them. It simply can't be ignored by ad agencies much longer.

April 25, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

When Janet Jackson exposed her breast during the Super Bowl halftime show, pundits called the stunt a calculated move to boost sales of her upcoming album. Then, a year later GoDaddy made good with a graphic Super Bowl commercial mocking the Congressional hearings held in response to Jackson's stunt. Clearly, sex sells. Now, as before. Carl's Jr. understands that, and they have the numbers to prove it.

from Adweek: Paris Hilton, who rose to infamy on the strength of an amateur video that never appeared in theaters or on TV, has shot a commercial for Carl's Jr. that also may never run on television.

CKE Restaurants, which has a reputation for politically incorrect advertising, tapped the sexy socialite for a new Carl's Jr. TV spot. The problem, according to a source, is the spot is meeting with some resistance from network executives. "It couldn't be more pornographic," said the source. "It's about as racy as I've seen."

Set to the song "I Love Paris in the Springtime," the 30-second spot, via Mendelsohn/Zien in Los Angeles, shows Hilton washing a car "with hoses shooting everywhere and her soaping everything up," said the source. Touting the BBQ Six Dollar Burger, it plays off her catch phrase, "That's hot."

"We liken our advertising to more of what the beer brands do," said Brad Haley, evp of marketing at Carl's Jr. (which targets men 18-34) in an interview with Brandweek earlier this year. "There's a lot of male attitude, personality and edge. Sometimes sex appeal enters into it on occasion. It's something younger guys are interested in."

The strategy appears to be working. The 959-unit chain rang up $1.4 billion in sales last year, up from $1 billion. It also has reported 25 consecutive months of same-store sales increases.

April 25, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from Washington Post: The American Society of Hand Therapists issued a consumer alert in January saying that handheld electronics are causing an increasing amount of carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis. With that warning, the society included directions on how to properly hold the devices, urging users to take breaks and, if possible, place pillows in their laps so their wrists are in a more upright position.

BlackBerry subscribers now total 2.51 million, more than double the 1.07 million subscribers a year ago. Research in Motion Ltd., the maker of the BlackBerry, declined through a spokeswoman to comment on the disability issue. Some other handheld devices, such as PalmOne Inc.'s Treo and T-Mobile Inc.'s Sidekick phones, use similar thumb-operated keyboards. The small keyboards are tough on hands and wrists, according to Paige Kurtz of the American Society of Hand Therapists.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, ergonomic disorders are the fastest-growing category of work-related illnesses for which it receives reports. In 1981, only 18 percent of all reported illnesses were repetitive strain injuries, known as RSI. By 1992, that figure had grown to 52 percent.

April 26, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 2 Comments

In an article on Slate, Seth Stevenson calls for an end for the kind of TV spots that make you go "huh?":

"Enough already with the "twisted" humor. The willful wackiness. The over-the-top, absurdist scenarios."

I've written about this before. It's hard for advertising to push the envelope when real life already is doing a pretty good job of it.

April 26, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Lewis Lazare reports on Brock Montgomery's new fashion statement. Although, he calls him Bruce, for some reason.

Bruce Montgomery, executive vice president of creative for Upshot/Chicago, must like making dramatic bets. When the agency started pitching the Miller Brewing Co. promotions business last fall, he promised his staff he'd have his head shaved in front of them all if they were victorious.

Upshot wound up with a piece of the Miller business, and Montgomery's sporting a new look. Sandra Paladino of Spa Di La Fronza gave the Upshot creative leader his new 'do during the agency's first Miller happy hour earlier this month. She started by giving Montgomery a mullet, before turning that into an Alfalfa cut and finally going for the completely shaved head look.

"I haven't had this little hair since I was born," Montgomery said.

What Lazare fails to mention, is Montgomery's longhaired identity. Shaving one's head is one thing, shaving the head of a hippie is another (more dramatic and satisfying act).

April 26, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from New York Times: Many newspapers have been ailing as readers defect to other sources of news and as advertisers seek new ways to attract potential customers. The biggest challenge, by most accounts, comes from Web sites and search engines like Google and Yahoo.

Both companies reported revenue last week that surpassed Wall Street's expectations. Yahoo, for instance, reported $672 million in ad revenue for the first quarter after subtracting payments to sites that display its ads - a 50 percent increase over the first quarter of last year.

"You hear a lot about the 30-second commercial; the culture is saying that it's not worth what it once was," said Mark DiMassimo, an advertising executive in New York. "The national newspaper plan is the 30-second commercial of the print world. It's not just that untargeted advertising looks old-fashioned. It's that there are increasingly viable, more finely targeted and cost-effective ways to advertise."

Local newspapers are meeting that need, for example, with products like ad inserts that can be delivered according to ZIP codes, said Jeff Piper, vice president and general manager for Carat Press, a print media planning and buying agency. "The national papers have never attracted the insert business, but that is the fastest growing segment of the industry," he said.

April 26, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

According to Adweek, RadioShack is moving it's 250 million dollar account to Arnold Worldwide. The Fort Worth-based electronics retailer formerly managed it's advertising needs in-house.

Somehow I see these circulars staying in-house.

Given that accounts change hands almost daily, such occasions are often less than news worthy. However, this change is accompanied by a sweeping, and potentially momentous declaration. "We are swiftly transforming ourselves into a customer-driven organization," said Don Carroll, chief marketing and brand officer at RadioShack.

April 26, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 3 Comments

This week's Adweek contains the Annual Agency Report Cards. While you have to be a subscriber to access the full report, I'll give you some of the highlights right here:

These are overall grades, which include revenues, creative, global and regional highlights and management:
Berlin Cameron/Red Cell A-
Crispin Porter & Bogusky A-
TBWA Chiat/Day A-
Wieden & Kennedy B+
Publicis B+
Goodby B
DDB B
Fallon B-
Foote Cone & Belding C+
GSD&M C+
Grey C+
JWT C+
Leo Burnett C
Lowe C-
Saatchi & Saatchi D+
Young & Rubicam D+

April 26, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 4 Comments

Kudos to Inc. for writing about the other guy (and original creative force) behind CP+B. I'm tired of seeing Alex Bogusky's name up in lights.

Since 1987, when Chuck Porter joined the Miami-based ad agency now known as Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, the firm has blossomed. Annual billings have increased tenfold, to the $500 million range. How did Porter and his three managing partners pull this off? By not managing much at all. "We always assumed that the people who came to work here were just as smart as we were," Porter, 59, explains. "And we never really tried -- in any traditional way -- to manage people. Because I think that really good people are unmanageable to begin with."

As a guiding philosophy, this sounds close to reckless, and Porter acknowledges that with almost 300 employees, a certain amount of hierarchy is inevitable. Still, he offers examples, large and small, of how this aversion to managing is balanced against the realities of growth. The agency's newish home, a renovated movie theater in Coconut Grove, is a case in point. Porter's instructions for the designer: "Do not design this thing for efficiency. Don't put the printers next to the studio. Don't put the broadcast department right next to the creative department. Put them in all different corners so everyone's got to walk all through the joint every day."

April 27, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from New York Times: Yesterday, Real Networks introduced a version of its Rhapsody music service that allows nonsubscribers to listen to 25 songs free each month. Users are welcome to listen to one song 25 times or any 25 songs from its million-song library once, or any combination. Real hopes that making it as easy to try its service as it is to obtain songs illicitly through a file-sharing network like Kazaa will draw new paying customers.

"Today, the number of people who use legal services like Rhapsody is in the millions, and the number of people who use pirate services is in the tens of millions," said Rob Glaser, Real's chief executive. "What we give people is the instant gratification of the illegal services, on a legal path."

April 27, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 3 Comments

USA Today reports that Apple Computer has retaliated against the publisher of an upcoming unauthorized biography about chief executive Steve Jobs by removing dozens of other technology books sold by the publisher from Apple stores around the world.

Apple removed the books last week from all 104 of its stores after failing in a monthlong attempt to persuade John Wiley & Sons not to release iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business, which is to go on sale within the next six weeks, the publisher said.

The book's author, Jeffrey Young, says Jobs has nothing to fear from iCon. "I thought the book was pretty positive and laudatory," Young said. "It covers his personal life and there is something about his illness. I wouldn't call any of it outrageous. I'm totally bewildered."

Cupertino-based Apple is known for aggressively protecting its intellectual property, as well as its brand image. A fact that may have led über-blogger and Cluetrain conductor, David Weinberger, to call Jobs a "vain, petty tyrant," which, to my mind, seems kind of petty.

April 27, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 2 Comments

Now, we know why The Donny says he can beat up any CEO in the ad game. This guy is buff!

Oh, if you want to read all about how this image made it's way into our ever-ready-to-bash-The Donny hands, you can do so here.

April 27, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Some Adholes (registration required) don't like the Talent Zoo web banner we're running in the space above. I'm actually kind of surprised it's taken this long for someone to air a grievance.

There's an old adage, "If you don't piss off some of the people some of the time, your work must suck." So, I salute Talent Zoo for not sucking and taking a risk on their banner. To their credit, one of the Adholes does point out that it could well be the woman who gets the ad job, and then comes home for some lovin' on her man.

I can only add that it's advertising, after all, that we're talking about here. It's not meant to be p.c. It's meant to provoke a response. If it does not provoke a response it's a waste of money. There are many ways to coax that response from an over-stimulated user of media. I prefer intelligent, daring, perfectly executed communications for getting the heavy lifting done. Maybe Talent Zoo's banner could be better, but better needn't mean safer.

April 28, 2005 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

Illegal immigration is a pretty thorny issue right now, so the billboard above, done for a LA Spanish-language newscast, has some people really ticked off, as the "CA" has been intentionally crossed out and replaced with "Mexico." The idea is meant to emphasize the newscast's equal devotion to local news as well as news from Mexico. But some people see it as another sign (literally) that illegal immigrants are taking over America, and that breaking the law is being openly encouraged.

The line at the bottom reads "Your City. Your Team."

This article has more coverage.

April 28, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from The Auto Channel: The hottest car in America – Ford Mustang – today became the inspiration for this season’s hottest Nail Lacquer colors.

OPI, the leader in professional nail care, has teamed up with Ford to offer three high-octane shades of Nail Lacquer, available starting in June at more than 25,000 fine salons in the U.S. and Canada. "Revved Up & Red-y" (a dark red that’s ready for the fast lane), "You Make Me Vroom" (a hot red that leaves no "vroom" for doubt) and "Gone Platinum in 60 Seconds" (a cool silver that goes from zero to gorgeous in a flash) will get consumers’ nails to the winner circle.

"Mustang customers know style when they see it, and now they can take their pony car coolness with them everywhere they go," said Larry Erickson, Mustang chief designer. "These Nail Lacquers and the OPI brand say Mustang all the way, and set new standards for muscle-car style."

Traditionally more than 35 percent of Mustang buyers are women.

April 28, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from Ad Age: Unilever Foods, expanding its long-running sponsorship of the America’s national parks, today announced a $22 million four-year commitment that will include promoting the parks in Unilever's product ads.

Mike Polk, Unilever Foods president and group vice president for Unilever, said the campaign, which begins in May with the launch of a national parks month, includes a May 15 freestanding insert in Sunday newspapers for Unilever Foods products such as Lipton teas, Wishbone salad dressings, Wisk laundry detergent and Hellmann’s mayonnaise.

Unilever has been associated with the U.S. national parks system for a dozen years and said it has spent $24 million over that time, contributing cash and merchandise and supporting volunteer activities at the national parks.

“This takes us to a whole new level,” said Mr. Polk, who added that the sponsorship fits in to Unilever’s global mission of “adding vitality to life” and “sustainability.”

April 29, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

from New York Times: Glamour magazine has signed three advertisers - Bebe Stores, Elizabeth Arden and Mercury - to sponsor a promotion centered on a film series called Reel Moments, which offers readers a chance to have short stories they write turned into short movies. The three winning shorts will be submitted to film festivals and placed on DVD's to be bound into December issues of Glamour.

William J. Wackermann, vice president and publisher at Glamour in New York, which like Wired is part of the Condé Nast Publications division of Advance Publications, echoed that sentiment.

"Our readers represent a generation of women who are media-savvy, skeptical, elusive, and you have to draw them to you as opposed to you chasing them," Mr. Wackermann said.

"So the question becomes how do we draw on the connection readers make with the magazine and bring that connection to life for our advertisers in a way that's organic."

April 29, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 4 Comments

Adfreak points to an interesting promotion for the Jerry Springer Show, where the winner gets to co-host the show for a day. The writer of the post, Kathleen Sampey, no doubt a real journalist, actually read the fine print (an important part of any promotion).

This part of the "Rules" section for the contest made us guffaw:  "Entrants must have nothing in their background that would be an embarrassment to The Jerry Springer Show. " Uh, pardon us, but if it weren't for people with embarrassing backgrounds, there would be no Jerry Springer Show.

April 29, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

from Sydney Morning Herald: Public relations, point of sale, online, event marketing, even a branded pub in a suitably gritty part of town. Every element of the marketing mix was there at the launch of Absolut's spin-off brand, Cut, bar one, a media schedule.

The only thing missing was the one element that has been present for the launch of a major spirits brands since marketing was invented. Last week, Absolut made marketing history when it launched without a cent being spent on traditional advertising.

The drink company opted instead to lease its own bar, brand it and stage a major photography exhibition there.

Absolut's strategy flies in the face of marketing convention; an average of $3 million is spent on advertising to launch a brand.

Thanks to Johnnie Moore for the pointer.

April 29, 2005 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Business 2.0 has an intriguing piece about Nick Denton, Jason Calacanis and John Battelle. Apparently, Battelle intends to join the blog publishing fray, as an enabler, not an outright owner of the individual media properties.

His plan is to offer himself as a publisher-as-service to blogging entities. He'd aggregate traffic, sell category-specific advertising against the sites in the FM network, and handle the back-end business and tech issues. He's done much of this for BoingBoing, where he's been acting as "band manager," as he puts it, for more than a year to generate cash from the site. Calacanis, who is definitely a rising-tide-lifts-all-boats type, offered, via e-mail, this rosy summary of Battelle's accomplishments there: "John did an amazing job over the past six months taking BoingBoing from ad/revenue-free to ad/revenue-filled without upsetting the user base or the four bloggers. I understand it makes $40k a month and is growing ... so $500,000 a year across five folks is a nice living ... if John can do that 10 more times he has a very powerful business." (Battelle says, "We don't talk about numbers, but they are in the right range, if a bit high.") BoingBoing has already signed up as FM Publishing's first client, provided Battelle can get his company off the ground.

For your edification, Technorati ranks Boing Boing as the number one blog in existence, using incoming links as the measure.

Boing Boing: 21,914 links from 14,042 sources.

Matt Drudge, also known to make some decent dig, has far fewer inbound links (but infinitely more than AdPulp).

Drudge Report: 12,979 links from 10,555 sources.