The new series of Vodafone ads earned a ‘oh cho chweet’ response from some of my friends – mainly with respect to the return of the pug. I must admit that the ads, especially the cycle one, evoked an uneasy feeling in me. The reaction to the campaign has been divided – some are accusing those who take objection to the ads as being hypocrites. Celebrities have also commented in on the ad through micro…
In the 1997 movie, Wag the Dog, Conrad Bean [Robert de Niro] a spin doctor, engages the services of a producer Stanley Motts [played by Dustin Hoffman] to create a diversionary stunt to help the beleaguered US President. The stunt involves ‘Good Old Shoe’ – where people are urged to throw their old shoes on to trees. The stunt catches the imagination of the public and soon the scandal in which the President was involved,…
Recently, McCain Foods (UK) ran an innovative bus shelter campaign. In order to bring alive the experience of McCain Ready Baked Jackets, JCDecaux Innovate set up bus shelters which wafted the smell of the product. Agency: BMB According to the PR blurb, When consumers press a button on the poster, a hidden heating element gently warms the potato and releases the mouth-watering aroma of a slow oven-baked jacket potato throughout the bus shelter…the bus shelters…
The coverage in the online space for the ‘Indian Stretchable Time’ watch is doubly enjoyable because its a concept rooted in an insight and its from an Indian design team. Loved the promo video too. Designed by Hyphen and sold through Filter. As the promo blurb says: In India, ‘fashionably late’ is safely replaced with ‘predictably late’. Cow blockades, politician escorts, and cratered roads, compound the problem and offer a valid excuse. So when you…
By now, you must have read about the world’s first edible cookbook. A German design agency Korefe has created a cookbook that you can read, bake and eat. In these days of information overload, it has the ‘sit-up-and-take-notice-of-me’ tone to it. And given our penchant for sharing through multiple channels [I noticed several of my friends ‘liking’ this on Facebook’] the word spreads far and wide. The Decoded campaign for Jay-Z & Bing by Droga…
Timex may not enjoy a great halo around its brand name in India, but in the US it is an iconic brand with a rich history of memorable advertising. In the 1950s a tag line ‘It takes a licking but keeps on ticking’ was created and its considered an all-time classic as far as tag lines are concerned. One of the hallmarks of Timex advertising was its ‘torture test’ approach. Here’s a classic. I remember…
I remember seeing this ad for Penn Tennis Balls, in an ad agency conference room some 20 years ago. It is etched in my memory ever since. Agency: Fallon McElligott Not sure if the Brand Manager asked ‘where’s the product window?’ or ‘aren’t we explaining what makes our product better?. But today, chances are advertisers are likely to point to such ads and say, ‘See, we want clutter-breaking ads like these. Can’t you guys be…
TV shows and movies have focused on marketing & promotion for a while now. Every trick in the book is used to promote ‘titles’ like regular FMCG brands. While some go overboard in their promotional efforts, very few ideas stick in your head [as with FMCG brands]. Pundits have said that in today’s world, marketing is all about getting consumers to talk about your brand. And earned media plays a key role in that. When…
Finally a QR code done right. Her’s an interactive print campaign from Brazil. Scanning the QR code doesn’t simply lead to a mobile website. Nice. Agency: ageisobar, São Paulo, Brazil. Via.
Amex’s ‘Sync.Tweet.Save’ is a fantastic new initiative by a brand to use Twitter in a win-win manner. American Express card holders can use their Twitter account to get exclusive discounts and other deals from more than a dozen retailers. Card holders signing up for the service can tweet a Twitter hashtag, or search term, that’s unique to a specific offer. After the purchase, deal savings are automatically credited to that customer’s American Express card statement.…