Tommy Hilfiger "L.A."

Brand: Tommy Hilfiger Apparel

Agency: In-House

Review Date: February 10, 2009

Tommy Hilfiger strives to tell "American Stories" in a new global print, out-of-home and online campaign produced via its in-house creative team in tandem with Radical Media.

The work is high-concept in that it seeks to present a "cinematic treatment of iconic American cities," so, starting with Los Angeles, the nation's film capital, makes sense.

The oddly bland executions, unfortunately, should have been left on the cutting-room floor, as the spirit of L.A. is missing entirely, and the work looks as if it could have been shot almost anywhere.

Cliches of the Hollywood scene -- like a movie location trailer and actors holding scripts -- might not even be immediately recognizable as such to consumers quickly flipping through the pages of magazines. Another take in a new setting is sorely needed. Here's hoping Tommy's act plays better on Broadway.

Can Am Spyder "Need"

Brand: Spyder

Agency: Cramer-Krasselt

Review Date: March 18, 2009Yes,

ًWe're in a period of austerity. But people still want to indulge themselves in small or big ways, and they'll be receptive to ads that (in the right way) give them permission to do so.

This ad for Can Am's Spyder, via Cramer-Krasselt of Milwaukee, takes due note of the bad economy and people's current disinclination to buy things they don't need -- for instance, $16,000 three-wheeled recreational roadsters. So, the brand doesn't come off as oblivious, as could easily happen these days with an ad that introduces such a conspicuously inessential product. But it's also true (as the ad suggests) that people have in their heads a hierarchy of the unnecessary items they want - some of which people may be prodded into regarding as items they almost need. The ad's mixture of brashness and realism wouldn't work for every product, but it seems in sync with the self-image of the people most likely to buy these things. I suspect those consumers will enjoy the implication that they remain undaunted while other consumers are running scared.

Whether this will motivate them to go out and actually spend thousands of dollars on a souped-up tricycle remains to be seen, but the ad will at least get them daydreaming about the possibility of doing so. --Mark Dolliver

Valspar "Starfish

Brand: VALSPAR PAINTS
Agency: Euro RSCG Worldwide

Review Date: March 17, 2009

Here's a campaign that's much more intriguing than watching paint dry. Rather than show freshly painted houses (or rooms inside houses), Euro RSCG in Chicago treats us to various natural entities dipped in vivid Valspar colors. In two different print iterations, we're shown a starfish dripping purple and peppers glazed with blazing red.

Agency and client deserve credit for thinking outside the can, as it were, and crafting some unexpected and compelling imagery in a category where the creative often lacks appeal.

That said, the central point seems muddled, as consumers might dismiss the artsy trappings and wonder instead how these hues would look on their living-room walls. And wags could complain that natural beauty is being perverted -- or creatures harmed -- just to keep the campaign's slim premise from growing thinner. --

Arby's "Mona Greasa"

Brand: Arby's Roast Beef Restaurants
Agency: Fletcher Martin
Review Date: March 19, 2009

Artist Phil Hansen paints a version of the Mona Lisa in burger grease, which makes viewing this spot much like watching a car wreck: you are revolted but you can't look away. Created for Arby's by Fletcher Martin, this online video is captivating. Each slimy stroke Hansen makes adds another line to the grease painting and you watch with skepticism as the form begins to take shape and the pile of used burgers grows. The Web address,burgergreaseart.com, sends viewers to the Arby's site touting its new "never fried, never greasy" Roast Burgers. But as non-greasy as those sandwiches may look on the site, the only thing I crave after watching this demo is a salad. --Eleftheria Parpis

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1315793544/bctid16930089001

Wi-Fi advertising... case study

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OovHJkTUug&feature=player_embedded

Killzone 2: World Wide War

Sony Computer Entertainment recently released Killzone 2 on Playstation 3, and has been using quite an original way to promote this First Person Shooter videogame. Considering that Killzone scenario are more or less about repelling total invasion by enemies (Helghast forces), Sony brought this scheme online, with a dedicated webgame.

You can register on the killzonewebgame page, install a Killzone toolbar on your browser and be ready to fight ! While you are browsing the internet, you may get under attack at any time, if you decide to engage the fight, Helghast forces appear in your window. Basically, you then need to get rid of them.
Enemies seem to have more chances to appear while you are surfing on large audience sites such as Youtube or Facebook.

You can choose to play solo, or you can create or join a squad. The experience is then even more intense. If a member of your team is under attack and you accept to join the fight, you will be transported straight to his battle.That is cleverly done, as the multiplayer component is a key part of Killzone2.

Another impressive point is the way the application is interacting with your web page. During the fight, blood spatters or bullets impacts are well integrated on the page design, and if you shoot at red objects (let say Youtube logo for instance), some will blow up.

This campaign is relevant, innovative, and certainly talks to gamers. I especially appreciate the way it breaks the lines, and manages to create its own territory of expression. Plus the use of advanced technologies is a mean for its purpose, not an aim.

Note that Killzone 2 has been developed by Guerilla Games and already got top review scores by specialized publications, and Agency Republic made the webgame

Comcast Town

March 10, 2009

I think one of the brands that uses interactive in a really wise way lately is Comcast. The awareness they've gotten since their 2005 fantastic Comcastic (not online anymore?) and other pieces like Tripleslanguage has made the brand being known even in places where Comcast services are not available, so i'm always kind of expectant what they will be releasing next.
These days, and again done by Goodby Silverstein and Partners, working together with Nexus Productions and Unit9, there is a new campaign called Dream Big. Presenting a fantastic website using a look-alike of isometric view Sims-style games, you can join the so-called Comcast Town, choose a neighborhood and then build your own space, using the capabilities of the Triple Play feature (tv, phone, internet) and inserting the product in a really smart way inside the experience.

Also i liked very much the way in which user interacts with others in the website and also through social networks like Facebook making a good use of Facebook Connect to get users logged onto the site, and doing it in a way that really makes it not so disruptive as i once wrote.

I won't extend very much, just visit the site and discover it because it's worth a good time spent on it. I found that there's also some TV commercials:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYWxV_gR9ro

The dancing t-shirts

March 12, 2009
An infinite number of animated t-shirts populates the summer collection of Japanese fashion brand Sunny Clouds. The website is pretty basic but also quite fresh in presenting the product and driving immediate sales.

The animations with the t-shirt definitely buy the products some attention, and even the product catalogue shots become interesting in a context that communicates a feeling of joy and makes you feel Spring is almost here.

Dubai Lynx Winners Revealed

Wednesday 18 March 2009

The winners of the 3rd Dubai Lynx Awards were revealed last night at the Awards Ceremony which took place to a packed room at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The Media category was the strongest with a total of 39 winners, followed by Print with 26, there were 21 in Outdoor, 18 trophies were awarded in the Direct & Sales Promotion category, 13 in TV/Cinema, 11 in Interactive, 4 Radio winners and 3 Integrated winners.
The Media Grand Prix went to Starcom MediaVest Group, Dubai for the ‘Fallen In love Again’ Mars Chocolate campaign.

The Print Grand Prix went to Leo Burnett Cairo for the Heinz Ketchup campaign ‘Egyptian Hotdog’, ‘Egyptian Burger’, ‘Egyptian Pizza’.
The Outdoor Grand Prix was awarded to FP7 Dubai for the Braindrain Education programme campaign ‘Gumi Bears’, ‘Poodle Balloons’, ‘Anatomy’.
Fortune Promoseven, Cairo won the TV/Cinema Grand Prix for the Coca-Cola 2008 European Football campaign ‘France’, ‘Italy’, ‘Germany’, ‘Spain’.
There were no Grand Prix awarded in the Radio, Interactive, Direct & Sales Promotion and Integrated categories.
FP7 Doha were honoured with the Agency of the Year. Runners up were FP7 Dubai in 2nd place and Y&R Dubai in 3rd.

The inaugural Media Agency of the Year trophy was awarded to Starcom MediaVest Group, Dubai with OMD Dubai taking 2nd place and in 3rd, Leo Burnett Beirut.

winners of the Young Creatives competitions were also revealed during the Ceremony with the team from TBWA-Raad in Dubai winning the Print competition and the team from Initiative Dubai winning the Media competition.

Also honoured during the ceremony were Melody Entertainment Ltd which was awarded with the prestigious title of Advertiser of the Year and Tanvir Kanji, Head of Inca Tanvir, who was named as Advertising Person of the Year.

The winning work, which was judged over the last week by 29 top international creatives and media experts from 14 countries in Dubai, can be viewed at www.dubailynx.com/winners from 13:00 GST / 09:00 GMT.

USA | Pizza consumer foodservice

Company Watch: Pizza Hut rebranding to Pasta Hut – a healthy move?
25 Nov 2008


Global pizza restaurant chain Pizza Hut announced the temporary renaming of 30 of its outlets to Pasta Hut in the UK, effective from 6 October 2008. This move has generated a buzz, but opinions are divided as to whether such a gimmick can boost sales.With an estimated 33% value share in 2008, Pizza Hut remains the undisputed leader of chained pizza restaurants in the UK. However, aggressive expansion by smaller players such as Prezzo, Strada and Deep Pan Pizza has contributed to the erosion of Pizza Hut's share (down from 38% in 2001).

In order to bolster sales, Pizza Hut is in the process of revamping its image and this daring rebranding is part of that initiative. The renaming to Pasta Hut has been confined to the UK, and carried out on a much larger scale than the temporary name change in the US in April 2008. The move was accompanied by a television and newspaper advertising campaign. A separate website has been created for Pasta Hut on which there is a poll for consumers to vote for or against a long-term name change, thus making them feel part of the decision-making process. This marketing strategy has generated both a buzz and strong debate about the effectiveness of such tactics.

Ongoing efforts to shed unhealthy image and move upmarketWhen the company announced the temporary renaming of 30 of its outlets to Pasta Hut, the move was positioned as part of its ongoing commitment to healthier food. Some 12 new pasta dishes will be added to the menu. While Pizza Hut has not made explicit claims about pasta being healthier than pizza, it has simultaneously improved its salad bar and added more vegetables to children's meals.
This ties in with steps that Pizza Hut had already taken towards a healthier menu such as reducing the salt in its meals to bring it into line with recommended government levels. It had already removed trans-fats from its menu at the end of 2007 and is still in the process of making more dishes low-fat or virtually fat-free.The campaign is also seen as an attempt to move upmarket and attract a wider consumer base. One of its new television advertisements features young mothers lunching together on bowls of pasta. Expanding its range beyond pizza will enable Pizza Hut to attract an older and more sophisticated consumer, but without losing those consumers its pizzas are aimed at.
This will enable it to compete more effectively with its more upmarket competitors which already have a wide range of pasta dishes on their menus. It means that Pizza/Pasta Hut can offer something for the whole family – more indulgent fare for younger family members and healthier offerings for older ones. This is in line with the US move, which firmly placed Pizza Hut as a family option.

Early indicatorsIt is not possible at this stage to speak with any certainty about growth in till receipts as a result of the move. However, results are through for the smaller Pasta Hut US renaming earlier in the year. There, both sales of pasta and overall traffic grew as a result of the move, and, according to a company spokesperson in the UK, before the re-naming, pasta dishes accounted for 3-4% of Pizza Hut's revenue, but are on course to reach a 10% share by the end of the year. Tougher times call for bolder measuresPizza Hut needed to do something dramatic to break free from being pigeonholed as a pizza restaurant.
Changing the name, albeit temporarily, is a bold move. Difficult times are ahead for CFS outlets as eating out becomes one of the first casualties of the financial crisis. So, a move that attracts a wider consumer base by aiming more upmarket whilst retaining its “family friendly/budget” feel can only be seen as a strategic move, however gimmicky the press may find it. An economy outlet that offers a more upmarket product range is well positioned to mop up higher-income families feeling the pinch that would normally dine out in more upmarket outlets. With all CFS restaurants looking for ways to weather the storm of economic recession, expect more high-profile marketing campaigns. It is unlikely that other restaurant chains will choose temporary or even long-term rebranding, but marketing and new product development will play an even more important role in difficult times.

Restaurants will need to be canny in order to safeguard profit margins in the coming months. In this case the margins on pasta and pizza do not differ widely, although cheese price hikes can impact pizza mark ups. However, as food prices increase at different rates, restaurants may need to push products that will bring in higher margins. In addition, no one can afford to ignore the trend towards healthier eating. An introduction or shift to smaller menu portions may also be on the cards as a way to both safeguard revenues and promote healthier eating.Ratna Sita Handayani, Research Analsyt, Ratna.Sita@euromonitor.com

Global Tobacco: Survival strategies for a savage market

Global Tobacco: Survival strategies for a savage market
25 Nov 2008

Euromonitor International's new global briefing on the tobacco market entitled “Global Tobacco: Survival strategies for a savage marekt" offers a forward-looking appraisal at a time when the tobacco industry faces the most challenging and turbulent period in its long history.

The big global story in 2007 and 2008 is the tightening grip of tobacco control on world consumption. Western Europe, North America and Australasia all recorded volume declines in 2007 as smoking bans, pack warnings and tax hikes ramped up prices and took their toll on prevalence and per capita consumption.

How is the industry expected to react to the legislative onslaught? Five key trends and the questions for the future which they pose are analysed in this new format report. The trends and the questions are as follows:Tobacco control – how far can it go? Developing markets – can they maintain global volumes? Premium prices – can they stay robust? Industry consolidation – have we reached the endgame? Cigarette alternatives – will they replace cigarette volume decline?
Tobacco control is driving up prices and encouraging public smoking bans, both of which drive down volumes.

Consumption in many developed markets is contracting but 'premiumisation' – improving the mix with a higher proportion of premium international brands, has meant values rising even where volumes fall. Can the formula continue as higher prices tempt consumers to down-trade?Tobacco is more concentrated in terms of ownership than any other industry, a great competitive advantage for the companies.

Is there anyone else to acquire? Will China join the acquisitions fray? And will cigars, smoking tobacco and smokeless products such as moist snuff make up for fewer cigarette smokers? These and other questions are answered in this new format report designed for easy understanding and swift insights for those involved in the industry in any capacity.For further insight, please contact Zora Milenkovic.

KeywordsAsia Pacific, Australasia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, North America, Western Europe, World Cigarettes, Cigars, Smoking tobacco Industry trends, The big picture