31.1.11

Saab is Back


Saab is running a series of print advertisements in the Wall Street Journal, the first instalment in “The Story of Saab,” a multi-media, multi-faceted national advertising campaign, which will include online ads written by Saab fans. The Swedish manufacturer virtually disappeared in the United States market less than a year ago, as its parent company at the time tried to sell it. Led by its entrepreneur CEO, Victor Muller, Saab was purchased by Spyker Cars N.V. nearly a year ago. Saab is now once again regaining its place as an independent and viable automaker in the minds of potential consumers. The campaign will continue with a television commercial, premiered on the Saab Facebook site. Facebook followers will be asked to write ads for the company, one or more of which will be used in future online advertising.
“A Cold Day in Hell is an Average Day in Sweden. Go ahead. Tell is it can’t be done. They said a car company founded by aircraft engineers would never fly. We didn’t have the sense to listen. In 1947 we put a wing on wheels and never looked back. In the ’60s if you wanted to compete in rally racing, they said you needed a larger, high-powered car. We won back to back World Championships with nothing more than a little family car. In the ’70s they said turbo power wouldn’t work in a mainstream production car. We not only tamed the turbo, we changed the industry forever. In the ’80s they said four-seater convertibles were a thing of the past. We built a cult classic. Fast forward to last year, they said out best days were done. But once again ears must not have been working. Because today, Saab is back. We’re an independent company flying higher than ever. Case in point, the all-new Saab 9-5 Sport Sedan. The most advanced Saab ever built. To be followed this spring by the capable 9-4x Sport Crossover. Soon after than, an entirely reinvented lineup. And we have a lot more coming out of Sweden after that. Just don’t expect any of it to follow convention.”
“Nicht German. We mean no disrespect to our Bavarian neighbors. After all, German luxury cars are some of the finest in the world. But here in Sweden, Saabs are designed for a different kind of driver. Take our all-new 9-5 Sport Sedan. Born and bred just north of Germany, it forgoes flash for understatement. Tempers power with efficiency. And favors passion over price. Its look is influenced by Scandinavian design with technology inspired from simple intuition. The all-new 9-5 wears its heritage on its sleeve. Get behind the wheel and you will feel it. This is a proud, intelligent, beautiful Swede.”
“A funny thing happened on the way to our funeral. We were reborn. This is the story of the rebirth of Saab. Nothing makes you appreciate life quite like a near-death experience. Last year, we had one. In January of 2010, Saab was slated to be closed. The cars millions of drivers had loved for over sixty years were to be no more. But then something miraculous happened. Those same passionate drivers who loved our cars began to rally around our company. From Egypt to Thailand, Australia to America. Saab fans around the world organized to show their support. And it worked. Their outpouring of dedication inspired businessman Victor Muller to look deeper. Needless to say, he liked what he saw. Saab had great cars on the road and a full pipeline of new products on the way. We had one-of-kind technology and state-of-the-art facilities. Most importantly, we had fans who would go to the ends of the earth to save us. What could be better than that? Just under a year ago, a deal was struck. Saab was an independent company once again. Thank you to Mr. Muller and Saab fans around the world. When others counted us out, you gave us a new life. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being reborn.”
“Our German competitors may not speak our language, but we certainly gained their full attention. We’re talking about the all-new Saab 9-5 Sport Sedan. It communicates to a specific type of driver. One who favors exhilaration over exhibition. Brains over brawn. Self-worth over net worth. With an interior designed around human intuition and performance boosted by our powerfully efficient Saab turbo, the all-new Saab 9-5 speaks a language you will better understand once you get behind the wheel. It certainly has our competitors talking.”

Credits

“The Story of Saab” was created by McCann Worldgroup Detroit’s Team Saab for the U.S. market. Team Saab also has the responsibility of creating the global launch campaign for the company’s next product, the 9-4X. Team Saab is a unit of McCann Worldgroup dedicated to marketing Saab Cars North America. McCann Worldgroup delivers marketing solutions that transform brands and grow businesses. The company is comprised of a roster of best-in-class agencies, including McCann Erickson Worldwide (the world’s largest advertising agency network); MRM Worldwide (digital marketing/relationship management); Momentum Worldwide (event marketing/promotion); McCann Healthcare Worldwide (professional/dtc communications); WGEXP (global production); UM (media management); Weber Shandwick (public relations) and FutureBrand (consulting/design)

25.1.11

Brand math

Some equations involved in creating sustainable and valued relationships between brands and consumers.


1. Brand Value
Value = Benefit / Cost


Let's not forget that value is how the consumer defines it. However, by understanding the equation of how you create value, you will give consumers a reason to consider purchasing your product. 
Consider how the equation is applied in the medical insurance industry. This is an industry where customers are anxious about the cost of cover and frustrated with the complexity of policies. In order to derive value customers want to feel they're in control; they need to understand what they're buying and at what cost. Therefore value = benefit of (control +simplicity) / cost of (premium + efforts). You can increase value by either increasing the benefit to consumers, or decreasing the cost.


2. Trusted brand status
Trust = fn(Consistency + honesty + value + awareness)


Before the recession, consumers were willing to gamble on new products and services. Post-recession, consumers are going back to tried-and-tested brands. Coca-Cola time and again tops the surveys as most trusted and preferred brand. How do they do it? They consistently deliver a good quality product; you know what you're getting and it's available everywhere. Their efforts in uplifting the community and promoting awareness about green issues are adding to their credibility as an honest brand with real heart. Their marketing campaigns are memorable and engage consumers on an emotional level. All of this has helped them to become one of the most recognized and liked brands in the world. It doesn't always take mega-brand status to become a trusted brand - by applying the equation, Nioxin hair products is carving out their spot as a trustworthy brand, one hair at a time. They have a compelling and credible value proposition that they consistently communicate through expert channels and the product is priced fairly for the value you get.


3. Consumer connections
Connections = (platform + experience + relevance) x (advocates + time)


Brands of all shapes and sizes, from all industries are facing one big challenge; to build a strong emotional connection with their consumers. Without that personal relationship their names mean very little and business will suffer. Red Bull energy drink has identified passion points in their consumers' lives and built platforms around them that have opened the door for emotional connections to be formed. They offer experiences that strengthen the Red Bull philosophy of "Giving wings to people and ideas", and are converting many consumer voices into action. Remember, every interaction with a consumer could impact your brand's relationship with several people in their social network over time.

23.1.11

Arabs got talent... my ass | Arabs strikes again with same-same copycat ad

Original








The Bruins Bear is back again. This time he's following guys into the men's room and gicing them swirlies for disobeying the restroom code. Not that there was ever such a thing as a bathroom code to dictate through which you enter the bathroom but every once in a while you wish that bear was around when people in crowds get impatient and do stupid things.

If you're going to be a Bruins fan, you had better obey the rules




The crap duplicate






Panda, an Egyptian manufacturer of cheese and dairy products, has dramatically revamped its advertising thanks to boutique agency Elephant Cairo. The four-man agency, which won two grands prix at this year’s Dubai Lynx, sold the client the ‘crazy idea’ that if you don’t like Panda products, eat Panda products, or refuse a Panda sandwich, the Panda will kick your ass.
Utilising dark and subtle humour, the ‘Never say no to Panda’ concept is revealed in a string of new TVCs, which show people refusing to eat Panda cheese. They then nervously look towards a life-size Panda, who stares blankly back at them accompanied by Buddy Holly’s True Love Ways, before the Panda proceeds to smash things up.
Project Never say no to Panda
Client Arab Dairy – Panda, Egypt
Creative agencies Advantage Marketing & Advertising/Elephant Cairo
Creative directors Ali Ali, Maged Nassar
Copywriters Ali Ali, Maged Nassar
Producer Hossam Fawzy
Director Ali Ali
Director of photography Pedro del Ray
Exposure TV



12.1.11

Competition Centric strategy [ MOBILY /STC rivalry war]



Consumer-Centric strategy
There are a many companies especially those in the Consumer Package Goods (CPG) market that adopt the theory of running their business centered on Consumer, Shopper & Retailer needs. Their Marketing departments spend quality time looking for "Growth Opportunities" in their categories by identifying relevant insights (both mindsets and behaviors) on their target Consumers, Shoppers and retail partners. These Growth Opportunities emerge from changes in market trends, segment dynamics changing and also internal brand or operational business challenges. The Marketing team can then prioritize these Growth Opportunities and begin to develop strategies to exploit the opportunities that could include new or adapted products, services as well as changes to the 7Ps.

Competition-Centric strategy
Eroding Shopper Loyalty is result of:
  • Changing tastes and lifestyles
  • Fickle and demanding shoppers
  • Ever-growing number of choices in the marketplace
  • Shorter product life cycles
  • Misalignment of prices with shopper needs and wants
  • Little or no consumer loyalty to retailers
  • Declining market share and gross margin losses
  • Channel leakage due to retail channel blurring
  • The impact of “big-box discounters”
  • Vendor-led rather than retailer-led negotiations
  • Fast-changing global economy that impacts both retailers and shoppers
STC Brand needs to dig deeper. They need to turn their perspective from inside-out to outside-in in order to get the depth and breadth of the insight they need to be truly customer centric.
Today's markets are places of conversation, connection and interaction. They are places where customers seek information and share their ideas and opinions. Customer-centric brands not only accept this shift, but embrace it by collaborating with their customers to define, create and deliver value.
So. What STC trying to establish with this ad???



And the reply came fast …Mobily thanks STC for exposing knockoff broadband device and urges it’s clients to look for Mobily original logo when purchase!!!!
But This is how all started, get internet without disconnection or wires..






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Update 10/2009, Hurry up and order your DSL from STC, you might have it when your-newly born baby- in university ... oops All operators are busy



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Update 12/1/2011

consumer point of view 


9.1.11

2010 Round-up redesigned Logos

 1 ) Airbus logo: The new Airbus logo adds a more gradient effect to the colors and the signature circle has been shifted in line with the ‘AIRBUS’ text to make it more compact. 
Google logo
  2 ) Airtel logo: This year, we witnessed a complete revamp of the old and famous Airtel logo. Right from the fonts to the symbol, the airtel logo has been revamped to give a new and fresh look of the Indian telecom giant. 
MTV logo
  3 ) Wembley Stadium logo: The Wembley Stadium logo design has been made by London-based agency Bulletproof and is inspired by the new Wembley Stadium design and goes with the tagline “Inspiring memories”
EU organic logo
  4 ) Argos logo: Argos, the largest general merchandise and home retailer in the UK, redesigned its logo this year. The new design shows a smile beneath the ‘ARGOS’ typography. 
  5 ) UEFA Euro 2012 logo: The new official EURO cup 2012 logo was unvieled this year. The logo has a flower that represents both the host nations and a ball in the center symbolizing the emotion and passion of the competition. 
Yellow Pages logo
  6 ) Dodge logo: Dodge, after many years, changed its famous ram shaped logo design to a simpelr and sleeker design. The new logo has ‘DODGE’ written in grey gradeint color with two red stripes in the end. 
Skittles logo
  7 ) Doctor Who logo: The popular BBC TV show Dr.Who decided to revamp its logo for future seasons. The new logo has been stripped down to just the initials D and W with a siren on top. 
NET logo
  8 ) EU organic logo: This was officially launched through a logo design contest by EU in mid June. The new design portrays a green leaf, signifying organic products. 
Missile Defense Agency logo
  9 ) Gap logo: A series of online controversies forced Gap to revert back to its decades old logo within days of its revamp. The new proposed gap logo redesign was considered naive and inappropriate by the customers. 
Netcom logo
  10 ) Gmail logo: Although slightly, but Gmail logo design was revamped a few days ago. Minor adjustments were made to the color gradient, bevel and little tweaks were given to the placement of "by Google" from left to right. 
Rhapsody logo
  11 ) Skittles Logo This logo redesign was done by London logo designer Miles Newlyn, who gave the impression of a rainbow colored tounge in the new logo design. 
UEFA Euro 2012 logo
  12 ) London Science Museum logo: The London Science Museum logo contains the words “Science” and “Museum” in a computer code style font with the letters piled up in a stack of three. 
Scribd logo
  13 ) Windows Live Hotmail logo: WIndows Live logo design was revamped this year to a simpler version of a golden envelope. The old Microsoft Windows symbol was dropped out from the new Hotmail logo. 
Library of Congress logo
  14 ) Turkish Airlines logo: Turkish Airlines logo has been given a modern touch by adding bright gradient red colors. The major difference is that the red and white colors of the bird shape and the empty space have been inverted. 
Seattle’s Best Coffee logo
  15 ) UK Space Agency logo: UK Space Agency logo includes the typical UK color scheme including blue, red and white. While there is not much difference in its typography, the “UK Space Agency” part has been made more prominent. 
Bausch+lomb logo
  16 ) Virgin Atlantic logo: Virgin Atlantic, in their new logo design, decided to add ‘Virgin’ in the form of text and reduced the size of their signature Virgin symbol. 
Cousins Subs logo
  17 ) WTA logo: After many years, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) decided to five a facelift to their identity. The new logo excludwes the female tennis player and has a tennis ball between the letter "A". 
The State University of New York logo
  18 ) Yellow Pages logo: The Yelow pages logo redesign conveys the brand’s move from a paper phone book platform to a digital one. It exemplifies a wide and ambitious increase in the brand’s scope and business strategy. 
Ubuntu logo
 

7.1.11

AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011


We are young, small yet confident, determent and competent.. This is what the young boy symbolized in an epic ad 

One more thing, sport will be always a tool of making peace and uniting nations.

I am a big fan of Qatar brand and if other nations learn from how the this brand is managed, I believe the term third world will be obsolete.



4.1.11

Heineken | Open Your World


Heineken has launched a new advertising campaign introducing the “Open Your World” tag line, centred around a 90 second commercial, “The Entrance”, featuring the song ‘The Golden Age’ by Danish alternative pop group The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. Launched in Europe this month, the series showcases a man with impeccable style who arrives at a party, interacts with the guests in so many ways before saying yes to a freshly branded bottle of Heineken. The series follows through with shorter clips providing insights into each guest’s story, including the martial artist, pro basketball players, piano playing waiters Siegfried and Jean-Pierre, the man with the eye patch, the flautist and the dancing waiter. The series is currently being released on the Heineken Youtube channel and will be launched on television in 2011.





THE ENTRANCE


KUNG FU COMEBACK
DUET

THE PERFECT GIFT
BIG IN WONDERLAND
THE MONOLOGUE
THE MAN WITH THE EYEPATCH
DRAGONBREATH

DUEL

THE MAGIC FLUTE
THE DANCING WATER
GORGEOUS GIRLS

Union Insurance - The Pink Squad.



Objective: Launch Union Insurance company as the 10th car insurance company on the market of mandatory car insurance.
The challenge was how to engage people and attract their attention towards the brand while being in a low involvement category in which the price of the product is the main differentiator.

Solution: the first part of the campaign we created a sort of secret organization that took justice on the roads into its own hands. The Pink Squad a movement against irresponsibility on the road. The media were offered a story of a"Vigilante", who in his own specific way punishes irresponsibility on the streets. In the moment, when The Pink Squad and their actions became known nationwide, we connected them with Union and its products.



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