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

Simplicity like no other

Admap Magazine
September 2008, Issue 497
Marc Lawn

We are constantly reminded that brands and agencies need to keep evolving to stay ahead of the competition. This nagging anxiety comes from the fact that existing brands can quickly move into new categories, such as Starburst starting with sweets and moving into ice cream, while new brands can seemingly emerge from a couple's spare bedroom or a graduate's garage in a matter of months, such as Facebook.

Faced with these threats, more often than not, brands and agencies alike are looking to make things more complicated. The thinking seems to be that the more complicated a marketing initiative, the more impenetrable it will become to rivals and the greater revenue it will yield.
Furthermore, the temptation is to spread risk across multiple activities in the belief that the more a brand does, the greater the reward. However, doing more doesn't necessarily guarantee a greater return. In fact a blurred vision or approach can actually make things less effective. Many organisations create difficulties for themselves in this way.

In truth, the most effective marketing ideas work best when things are simple. The best schemes align an organisation behind them and perform a clear role within that organisation. Furthermore, the best schemes are clear for consumers to understand, are ones that make life easier for all, and importantly make it easier for consumers to spend.

In addition to making things more complicated, there is often undue focus on developing new products when altering existing products can be more successful. 'Innervention', the art of balancing the desire to innovate new products versus making the best of what you have, deserves greater attention, as there are generally very few really good new ideas out there.
Vauxhall's promotion that ran in the late 1990s where customers could pay 50% at the point of purchase and the rest over two years is a prime example of simple, clear messaging. This promotion resulted in the majority of cars being sold in this way and in turn generated a sales uplift.

The best activity should bring the brand to life, and not be clouded with financial jargon or complicated detail. Mixed messages can prove costly.

Famously in the US, a shopping channel changed the phrase 'call now, our service team are standing by to take your call', to 'if you can't get through at first please keep trying'. This subtle change of language and tone made a huge difference. Calls to the channel increased by 70%. This example just goes to show how straightforward and intelligent language generates results.

When Manchester United Football Club, in the 1990s, started using a variety of colours for its away shirts, the brand suffered a severe downturn, as did the team's away performances. Grey, blue, black and yellow simply did not represent the brand or the club, due to the overwhelmingly positive association of Manchester United and the colour red. The initiative, intended as a money-spinner, backfired and the multi-coloured shirts were later scrapped.

When marketing truly aligns a business and a brand the results can be spectacular. Sony Bravia's acclaimed 'colour like no other' campaigns demonstrate the virtues of simplicity. In an age of time-poor consumers, brands need to cut through the clutter with clear and simple messages.

This year, Walkers has launched its biggest promotion to date, marking its first promotional activity since its successful 'Win an iPod' campaign in 2005. The new Brit Trips on-pack promotion offers consumers the chance to take up one of 14,000 offers on trips to destinations in the UK such as Alton Towers, Madam Tussauds and Butlins.

The digital mechanic requires consumers to register online, where they can enter the on-pack codes and collect points. Amazingly, a total of 32 parties have come together to create the promotion yet, despite the inevitable complexity behind the scenes, to the public the promotion is simple: eat crisps made from great British potatoes and visit great British attractions.

All the public has to do is register online, collect points, choose the reward and redeem the voucher. Lateral thinking has cleverly extended Walkers' use of British potatoes to create a promotional campaign that is simple, effective and one that ties into the brand's over-arching advertising campaign.

The mechanics behind a simple idea may well be complicated, but they should remain out of sight and not be overly disruptive within an organisation.

With reports indicating that growing numbers of UK consumers are using ever-increasing amounts of media at any one time, such as reading a magazine while watching the TV, successful marketing ideas are those that excite, enrich, amuse and shock but, most of all, are ones that are simple.

Marc Lawn is director of retail operations for Dubai World.marclawn@allsearchengines.co.uk