Author, Scott Berkun, spoke to anthropologist, Grant McCracken, for the Harvard Business Review. Here's a small bit of what McCracken offered: Anthropologists specialize in the study of culture, and culture matters in marketing because it supplies the infrastructure for thought and feeling in America. How consumers see the product, the service, or the pitch, these are largely shaped by the culture in their heads. The …
Adidas, No. Timberland, Yes.
The Wall Street Journal reports that British agency, Leagas Delaney, is on the rise again after nearly going under in 2003. In the past three years, Leagas Delaney has roughly doubled annual revenue to $30 million. Recent new clients include the Body Shop, Timberland and Dyson, a vacuum-cleaner manufacturer. Tim Delaney, 62, says he can be tough to work with because he pushes his staff to be thorough, and to think …
The Brits Get Their Soviet On
New work from Publicis/London and Psyop: …
Designer-Songwriter Makes Would Be Virals
Matt Maxwell, aka, Design Minstrel is writing and performing songs about design. Here's a lyric from the song posted above: When it arrives in cardboard cover I can't wait to discover For a spread to-say I got published in CA While I can't say the performance is riveting, the lyrics are certainly on point for his intended audience. …
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I’m Glad I Deactivated My Facebook Account
Faux News is looking for a more "sophisticated" audience on Facebook, instead of partnering with its sibling socnet, MySpace, according to The New York Times. Facebook is “currently the leading social network” worldwide, said Joel Cheatwood, the senior vice president for development at Fox News. “They also have a user that’s a little older and a little more sophisticated.” MSNBC and MySpace recently worked together …
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Web Productions Become Appealing to More Marketers
Earlier this year I tried to work a product placement deal between Tiki Bar TV and a prominent spirits company. I was pretty excited by the prospects, but sadly it never went anywhere. Today, The Wall Street Journal details successful forays by brands into the land of web-based shows. The Journal points to "edgy niche video sites" like Break.com and College Humor as two that have made production deals with Samsung, …
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Advertising’s Role In The Mortgage Crisis
Today's New York Times features an article that pulls no punches in suggesting that in recent years, more aggressive advertising prodded consumers to take out risky home equity loans: “Live Richly.” That catchy slogan, dreamed up by the Fallon Worldwide advertising agency, was pitched in 1999 to executives at Citicorp who were looking for a way to lure Americans to financial products like home equity loans. But some …
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Out of Home On Two Wheels
Branded utility is becoming a buzzword, but when the examples are this flawless, I can't help but be impressed. According to Ad Age, Clear Channel Outdoor, which runs several self-service public bicycle rental programs in Europe, has brought the concept to Washington, DC. The initial rollout features a total of 120 bikes at 10 rental sites near downtown Metro stations. Rack locations depend on a number of factors …
