Ask a Millennial

Enjoyable Brand Pages on Facebook

2011-04-01T16:52:00.002-04:00

I follow a lot of pages on Facebook. My pages are an odd mix of personal interests (tech, fashion, food), brands I had to "like" in order to enter a sweepstakes (yes, I'm a sucker like that), companies I've worked or volunteered for, and friend's companies.

Most of the companies I follow update their pages rarely, if at all. Some of them post only when something noteworthy happens within the company. And then there are the rare few that post frequently and awesomely.

Here are a few that stand out in my news feed:

Pepto-Bismol posts these hilarious one-liners that are usually timely and culturally relevant (but sometimes just totally random). For example, during March Madness they wrote, "On this game day, if you overindulge, ask not what you can do for Pepto -- ask what Pepto can do for you." I think for a potentially awkward brand that doesn't have much content to share, they're doing a great job of of being engaging and funny.

This one's a little bit nostalgic for me. I've been a Jones Soda fan since high school (which was decidedly pre-Facebook), but they've really taken social media in stride and used it as another way to connect with their already enthusiastic fan base. They've always had a very hands-off, organic method of marketing that appeals to a generation that's totally jaded when it comes to advertising. On their Facebook page, they sometimes ask questions as basic as, "How was your weekend?" and get hundreds of responses. I think what I love most about their page is the complete lack of gimmicks. It's very authentic and transparent, and it's clear that whoever runs the page loves the company as much as it's fans do.

Rent The Runway is a fabulous company that allows you to rent designer dresses for a fraction of the price and then return them a couple days later. They post fashion news, celebrity gossip, company news, promotions, etc. Pretty standard fare, but I guess what I like about it is that everything is relevant to the interests of their readers and not overly sales-y. My favorite part about their page is that they allow users to upload pictures of themselves in the dresses they rented. It's fun to see real girls wearing these gorgeous designer dresses, and certainly gets me thinking about the next occasion I might have to rent a dress...

The Museum of the City of New York puts up photos of its artifacts, which is cool in and of itself, but they also do really entertaining posts like a "Friday Mystery Image" competition, and timely posts like an Elizabeth Taylor paper doll on the day she passed away.

Oh boy, cat's out of the bag. I'm a geek. I am super excited about Game of Thrones, and that's in no small part due to their excellent marketing tactics. From their Facebook page, I found out that they're at Wondercon today and allowing people to sit in the Iron Throne. So jealous. They also use their page for posting wallpapers and posters, notifying people of where their Tom Colicchio food truck will be (!), posting loads of video, and promoting their game "The Maester's Path." A very good campaign overall, and excellent use of Facebook.

It's worth noting that none of these companies had to "trick" me into liking their pages using sweepstakes or exclusive content. The Pepto-Bismol page was actually recommended to me by a non-marketing friend - just a random consumer who thought it was hilarious. The others I either sought out, or liked because I follow the brand's other outlets and wanted to keep up with them on Facebook also. The way I see it, the takeaway is simple. Make sure your fans know you're on Facebook, and provide your followers with interesting, timely, relevant content every day.

What are your favorite brands to follow? And I'm not just talking about brands that have done big, fancy Facebook campaigns - I'm talking about the brands that you actually enjoy hearing from every day in your news feed.

Dr Pepper's Latest Spot is 0-for-10

2011-03-01T16:37:00.001-05:00

AdFreak did a great review of Dr Pepper's pathetic attempt to target their new diet soda to men, but I wanted to go ahead and add my two cents.

I'm not going to spend too much time on it, because frankly, it's not worth it. It's not so offensive that it makes me want to start a vendetta. It's just dumb. But I do think it's worth pointing out that both Coke and Pepsi have been able to target and sell diet soda to men without offending women at all. Dr Pepper is taking a big gamble by deciding to blatantly alienate 50% of the population...

When I first saw this ad, it got me thinking about diet soda on a product level. Why don't they fortify it with protein and call it Dr Pepper Fit? That way they can target men on overall fitness instead of just "diet." I know nothing about the making of soda or if it's possible to infuse it with protein, but I guess my point is - there are other options. It's not necessary to reduce women to "romantic comedies and lady drinks" in order to sell your lame-o product.

I don't have much else to say, because AdFreak already said it best: "There is a manchild out there for whom this branding will work. But watch out, manchild. Bring that can near me, and you're cruisin' for a bruisin'."

Fashionably Digital

2011-02-24T11:54:00.002-05:00

It took the fashion industry a while to catch up with digital trends, but they're finally catching on - and fast.

Take, for instance, Uniqlo, a forward-thinking Japanese clothing company. They recently launched Uniqlooks, an online fashion community that allows fans of the brand to upload photos of themselves wearing their own stylings of the company's clothes. It uses the street style appeal that has taken the blogging world by storm and socializes it, putting the trend-setting power in the hands of the consumer.

Speaking of street style, have you seen this Intel campaign?

I was thrilled when it launched with a documentary about Scott Schuman, author of The Sartorialist and undisputed leader of the street style community. But as much as we the people love the democratization of fashion, there are those who are less excited about it. Namely, Olivier Zahm, who said to WWD, "This is why the industry is going in a vulgar, common, bad direction — because of the direct access that doesn’t come with an education, reflection, understanding.”

As a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology and a bit of a fashionaholic, I am inclined to disagree with Mr. Zahm. I think just like every other industry, it's healthy for the people to have some say in what becomes a trend and what doesn't. Designers don't like to have their work criticized (and who can blame them?) but it's for the best. It's forcing them to be held accountable for the quality and originality of their work.

And now for Fashion Week. For anyone who's been living under a rock, New York Fashion Week came to a close on Feb 17th. It was so fun for me (who basically lives online) to be able to follow all the coverage from my home bases: Google Reader, Twitter, Facebook.

Google Reader: The Fashion section of my blog reader was, for one glorious week, my busiest section and the coverage was deep because bloggers are finally being recognized as press and getting invitations to fashion shows!
Twitter: It was also great to open up TweetDeck and see #NYFW all over the place. I've never seen a more heavily discussed Fashion Week on Twitter. *Side note, I had to double check every time I clicked on a #NYFW link to make sure it didn't actually say #NSFW...
Facebook: As an FIT grad, Facebook was especially fun for me because so many of my former classmates were at the shows, posting photos and updates in real time. Lucky me :-)

So I don't have time now, but I'm going to follow up with a "Fashionably Digital: Post Deux" about fashion apps and online communities. I have a few in mind, but if you have any you'd like me to check out and possibly cover, please let me know in the comments!

A Year in Review

2011-02-11T11:02:00.005-05:00

In case you're wondering where I've been... Well, I've been hard at work launching new websites (check out n2k.tv), blogging at The Next Great Generation, and planning a wedding on the side! But I've decided that's no excuse, so friends, I'm back.

I wanted to quickly comment on a few tech/social media/marketing things I've missed in my hiatus:

iProducts: Since I got my iPhone about a year ago I've noticed a few subtle changes. One, I'm more social now than ever. A lot of people say that technology is cutting down on face-to-face social interaction, but for me that is not at all the case. With 24/7 access to social apps, I'm responding to things faster and making plans at an alarming rate. Another unexpected change is that I'm really enjoying mobile games. I've never been into video or computer games, but I LOVE me some World of Goo on the iPad.
Groupon: I started using Groupon and then unsubscribed when I let several of them expire. I'm not a coupon clipper - never have been. Maybe Groupon is the greatest thing since Google, but I'm just not as excited about it as I'm supposed to be. Also, their Superbowl commercial was terrible.
Julian Assange: I thought the whole Julian Assange / Wikileaks debacle was quite entertaining. For a while there, I was afraid something catastrophic would happen, but so far it seems we're alright. That being the case, I can't wait to see the movie.
The Social Network: I am totally Team Zuck. He's awkward, geeky, irreverent, and fabulous. He's made a name for Gen Y, proving our potential before we ever expected to have our time to shine. I definitely think he deserved Time's Person of the Year. I loved the movie, even though it was a little harsh on Zucky. I'm also a big fan of Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's COO. Check out her TED Talk, "Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders."
The Superbowl: What a disappointment. Sure, there were a few ads that tickled my funny bone, but that just doesn't cut it for me. Where were the call to actions? Where was the social engagement? With the exception of Volkswagon's Vader spot launching the week before, which of these companies did anything out of the ordinary? The Superbowl is your chance to reach a massive, hyper-engaged audience, not to mention that you're paying out the wazoo for it, so why aren't you doing something to make it last beyond the 30-second spot? Come on people!

What am I missing? It's been a long time since my last post... Lots of ground to cover!

Re: “What Is It About 20-Somethings?”

2010-08-26T13:16:00.002-04:00

For a while there, I was considering not saying anything about the recent NY Times piece “What Is It About 20-Somethings?” But then I found out there are people who actually agree with it. So now I have to say something.

The whole premise of the 10-page article is that Millennials aren't growing up as fast as previous generations. The examples they cite include not having steady jobs, moving back in with parents, getting married later than previous generations, and waiting to have kids.

If you know me, you know I can't let this slide.

Not having steady jobs. First of all, nobody has a truly steady job in this economy. And when employers have the choice of a 40-something or a 20-something, both willing to work for the same salary, they're obviously going to choose the person with more experience. Thus plenty of 20-somethings are left without jobs for the time being, but I assure you once the economy picks back up, so will the Gen Y employment rate. We're a highly educated and highly motivated generation. We're not living off our meager unemployment checks for the fun of it.
Moving back in with parents. Consider this scenario, which I've observed firsthand three times now. You graduated from college with $80k in student loan debt (student loan debt recently surpassed credit card debt for the first time in history). You've been applying for jobs, working a minimum-wage part-time job, and working unpaid internships for two years with no health insurance or benefits. You're exhausted and can no longer afford to pay rent, much less your loan payments, and then your parents say "honey, why don't you move back in with us?" At first you refuse because you value your independence, but then you think about it... Living with them, you wouldn't have to pay rent and you could maybe start to make a dent in those student loan payments. Moving in with them is the only responsible thing to do in this scenario (which, by the way, thousands of Millennials are facing).
Getting married later. Who can afford a wedding right now? I just got engaged (yay!), but it's looking like it will be a couple years of saving before we'll be able to realistically afford the wedding we want.
Waiting to have kids. This one really irks me. We can't afford to pay off our credit cards or student loans, we don't have jobs, we can't afford to get married, but we should be popping out babies? We're not growing up fast enough because we don't have dependents at the age of 24? Give me a break. We'll have babies when we can afford to take care of them. Or not. I'd like to think society has progressed enough that having children is no longer an expectation, but that's a whole different rant. I wonder how we would be described if we were having kids earlier than the previous generation... I somehow doubt the words "more grown up" would be included in the analysis. Huge double-standard here.

The article uses a term, "emerging adulthood," which was coined by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, a psychologist who is "leading the movement to view the 20s as a distinct life stage." Apparently this is a new movement, although I do vaguely remember reading about life stages in my high school Intro to Psychology class, and I'm pretty sure transitioning from college to adulthood falls in there somewhere. It's alarming to me that there are actually people out there who expect us to jump straight from our college dorm rooms into the arms of our new spouses, all the while putting down-payments on houses and producing offspring.

Another term often used to describe Millennials is "entitled." Okay, fine, yes. I feel entitled. Here are the things I feel entitled to:

To put some thought into what I want to do with my life
To wait until I find I job a love (and freelance in the meantime)
To save money until I can afford to make massive life decisions such as marriage, child-bearing, and house-buying

I've read lots of articles that blame our parents for this sense of entitlement, which I didn't buy at first. But then I was completely humiliated at a meeting where two out of the eight people revealed that they had been called - or visited - by their 20-something employee's parents. This distresses me. I've read the horror stories, but I never really believed it. These so-called "helicopter parents" are overprotective and are making their kids (and our generation) look bad. But for every one helicopter parent who smothered their kids, I would say there are 99 others that got it right. I think my parents instilled in me a sense of work ethic, respect for authority, ambition, social-consciousness, and confidence. Also, my parents would never call my employers (thanks Mom and Dad!).

"Does that mean it’s a good thing to let 20-somethings meander — or even to encourage them to meander — before they settle down?" I think the article misinterprets what's going on at this stage. It imagines Millennials to be wandering around, foggy-eyed, unsure of how to proceed with our lives, when that's simply not the case. Leaving aside all the absurdly successful Gen Y entrepreneurs already changing the landscape of business as we know it, the rest of us simply want to make sure we're making smart decisions before jumping into our lives. If that means we're not growing up, so be it. I'll wait.

Lots of great discussions have come out of this article, such as this piece on Carol Phillip's Millennial Marketing blog, this discussion on Slate, and this fantastic article on The Huffington Post. What do you think? Does the NY Times have us pegged?

What Gets Gen Y Shopping Carts Rolling?

2010-03-25T15:49:00.007-04:00

I recently participated in a panel discussion with three other Millennial marketeers, Matt Cheuvront, Lauren Fernandez and Kenji Summers. The topic was "Gen Y shopping habits" and the audience was about 1,000 retailers attending IRI's CPG Retail Summit in San Antonio. We had the pleasure of being moderated by the President of Innovation himself, Thom Blischok. The conversation was utterly fascinating to me, and very fun, so I thought I'd share some of the highlights.

Here are the questions and a summary of our answers:

How and where do you primarily shop – online, at the mall, on a smartphone…and why?

Obviously my answer was "all of the above," but after more discussion it became clear that all of us were gravitating more and more towards shopping online. Kenji mentioned that he shops in brick-and-mortar stores, but even then, he checks prices online using his mobile device. I said that I tend to shop for necessities in the store, but for major purchases like a plasma TV, I'll go online and do the research first. It was widely agreed that customer reviews are extremely influential in our buying decisions.

How have the internet, social media, and other new technologies (mobile) changed the way you shop? Relate to brands?

We all agreed that the easy communication afforded by social media and mobile technologies has made us come to expect brands to up the ante when it comes to customer service. There are a million ways to communicate with us, the consumer, and when brands make the effort to be available and transparent, that's when we'll really connect with them.

Has the current economic climate impacted your spending habits? If so, how? Do you buy more store brands over name brands if they are more economical?

This was where I was able to step in as the only panelist who had been unemployed and completely broke recently. The down economy definitely impacted my spending negatively. I didn't go out to eat very often, I stopped getting haircuts, and I stopped buying clothes (ouch). But I didn't stop spending altogether. My strategy was to set up a rewards system for myself. I would save a little money every time I got a check from a freelance client, and then whenever I landed a new client or met a goal, I would treat myself to something I was depriving myself of (a night out, a new jacket, etc). So brands targeting Millennials, don't despair - those of us not currently spending are saving up and working towards buying your products. Keep talking to us. We're listening!

What are your biggest motivators when making purchase decisions?

For all of us, customer reviews and recommendations from friends were big. Yes, we're young and poor, and price is certainly a consideration, but if it comes down to choosing between a cheap product with terrible ratings, and a slightly more expensive product with excellent ratings, it was widely agreed that we would pay more for the higher rating. The internet is forcing brands to be held accountable for the quality of their products and customer service. It offers anybody and everybody a soap box, and Millennials, more than any other generation, are using that soap box.

Why should marketers pay close attention to your generation? What are your top expectations from brands and marketers today?

We didn't get into this very much, so I'd like to touch on it now. My observation has been that Millennials are on the verge of something big. I think as soon as the economy recovers and Gen Y starts to have more disposable income, the entire retail landscape is going to be altered. We have high expectations from brands. We want to be brand loyal, and we will be, if you're fair, transparent, and communicative. We are very much an instant-gratification generation. We move fast and brands will have to keep up, or they're going to miss out.

What else should CPG companies and retailers do to increase brand loyalty with your generation?

Lauren touched on this a little bit with an example about Twitter. If she tweets about a product she likes, and they respond with something as simple as "thanks for the mention," she feels that much closer to the brand. I agree. If a company is accessible and I can feel like I have somehow made a personal connection with the brand, I will be more loyal to them, almost like a friend who does a good job of keeping in touch. We've been inundated with marketing messages and advertising, and those methods of mass communication are simply not as effective as they once were.

On my flight home from the conference, I had the pleasure of getting some feedback from an audience member, Jana deHavilland King, Director of Consumer and Market Intelligence at L'Oreal.

For her, some of the highlights of the panel were hearing how brands capture our attention, and how we make buying decisions. She found it surprising that it was so important to us that brands make an effort to engage us on a personal level, and also that we're actively seeking out companies that are involved in the community or at least taking strides to make the world better. She didn't realize how important these things were to us and found it both refreshing and encouraging.

One thing that stuck out to her was that Gen Y seems very resourceful and aware. She found it impressive that we're so independent at such young ages. The way we're taking such huge risks right now and always going forward with nothing to fear, she thinks (and hopes) that we're going to do great things. She said she's curious and excited to see what our generation will be like in 10 years.

Jana's final takeaway was a whole new outlook on the Millennial generation. The phenomenon of constantly communicating and sharing online is intimidating to other generations, but she said when we explained it, it made a lot more sense and gave her an understanding that she didn't have before.

To see video highlights and innovation insights from the Summit, click here. For full audio, visit kenjisummers.com.

Millennials reading this, do you agree with our answers to the panel questions? Do you have anything to add?

Also, I overheard someone saying they thought our panel was "scary." I'm not sure what they meant by that, but it leads to my next question. Boomers, Gen X, does any of this surprise/scare you?

Holiday Marketing Takes a Turn for the Better

2009-12-15T10:27:00.013-05:00

As countless ads, articles, and email blasts relentlessly remind us, "'tis the season!" 'Tis the season for crappy copy writing, apparently... But amidst this barrage of cheesy headlines, 20% off coupons, and cringe-inducing 'Jingle Bells' rewrites, one industry is standing out as a shining example of what seasonal marketing should be. This year, for one reason or another, non-profits are doing a particularly wonderful job of marketing, especially to Millennials.

The first one I that caught my eye was charity:water, a fantastic organization that aims to bring fresh drinking water to the one in eight people in the world that don’t have it (yeah, that’s almost a billion people that don’t have access to safe drinking water). I found them several months ago through Twitter, and since then I’ve been following them with great interest. One, because I think it’s a tremendously important cause, and two, because their marketing is phenomenal. Check it out:

1. Social media
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Myspace
- YouTube

2. Website – I love their website: www.charitywater.org. It’s easily navigable and clean. It has loads of information about the cause, and offers multiple ways to get involved (plus it’s quick and easy to sign up for). I also like that it uses technology in a memorable and impactful way. Like this Google Earth project, which shows images of charity:water projects around the country. It’s amazing to see where your money is going and the communities being impacted by it.

3. Email – they do a really nice job with their email marketing. It’s not overzealous. It just tells you what’s new and firmly (but kindly) reminds you that they’re still around and that the cause is as important now as it ever has been.

4. Products – I was a little worried about charity:water this holiday season, because for a long time, they weren’t offering anything for purchase. Then I got the above email blast and was able to rest easy. Sure, plenty of people will donate without receiving anything in return, but if you can sell them a bracelet or a t-shirt or a water bottle, why not? Suddenly, not only do you have a donation, you have a brand ambassador too. Click here to see their holiday gift line-up.

5. Events – charity:water had an awesome-sounding gala recently called charity:ball. I’m a big believer in event marketing. The more authentic you can make your brand, the better – particularly with Gen Y. Having a live event allows people to connect with a brand on a personal and emotional level. With a cause, even more than with a retail brand, I think that connection is an extremely important element of a campaign.

The second is a charity I’ve followed for a very long time called Invisible Children. It’s an organization started by a group of Gen Y filmmakers who traveled to Uganda in search of a story and came home with a mission. Confronted with the harsh knowledge of a country raising child soldiers that ultimately become both the weapons and the victims of a decades-long war, they took it upon themselves to raise awareness of this very real and scary problem. The organization’s awareness strategy is centered around documentaries, but since its beginning in 2003, it has expanded a lot, allowing them to take action in Uganda – rebuilding schools, providing scholarships, employing mentors, and helping displaced people return to their homes.

1. Social media
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Myspace
- YouTube

2. Website www.invisiblechildren.com - definitely the highlight of this website is the seemingly never-ending supply of informational and inspirational media. If you’re visiting for the first time, you’ll have no problem figuring out what it’s all about and how to get involved.

3. Email – I actually haven’t gotten an email from them in a long time, so I was happy to get this email a couple weeks ago. I loved the subject line, “Cashmere Schmashmere.” For me, simple, to-the-point emails are most effective, and they nailed it.

4. Products – one of the staples of Invisible Children is their bracelet campaign. The bracelets are made by Ugandans who are supplied with materials and training, and then given a generous salary for each bracelet they create. Each bracelet comes with a DVD telling the story of a displaced child in Uganda. They have loads of other products, all equally cool, to choose from if bracelets aren’t your thing.

5. Events – Invisible Children has done an amazing job in the past of rallying the youth around their cause. The first event in 2006, called the Global Night Commute, brought more than 80,000 people in 126 cities across the US together to commute to their city centers and sleep in the streets. The following year, 68,000+ people in 15 cities participated in Displace Me, an experiential event designed to raise awareness about what it feels like to be displaced. I’m surprised there haven’t been any events like this since then. It seems like now would be a better time than ever to organize a flash mob, with new tools like Twitter for bringing people together.

Both of these organizations get lots of PR, which is another important way to reach Gen Y. I remember a while back when Invisible Children was featured on 'Veronica Mars' (great show – should not have been canceled), and I was so pumped I bought the t-shirt Veronica was wearing.

I think one of the greatest things about our generation is our eagerness and ability to rally around causes and create change. With all the technology and information available to us, I think we have a real chance to make a difference. I appreciate organizations like charity:water and Invisible Children that realize the impact the younger generations can have and make an effort to reach us with their messages.

That said, I encourage everyone to donate to your favorite charity and make this holiday season a meaningful one. If you don't have a favorite charity, you can donate to my charity:water holiday campaign here.

Happy Holidays!

Why I Love Imeem

2009-08-23T20:01:00.023-04:00

It's hard working in marketing. Websites, TV shows, magazines... None of them are entertainment anymore. They're outlets. Luckily for me, I get almost as excited about finding an amazing outlet for a brand as other people do about discovering a great new show.

One of my favorite "outlets" is imeem.com - a fun, engaging site that allows you to interact with your favorite music (creating playlists, choosing favorites, connecting with people who share your tastes, discovering new artists, etc), and connect with brands in really unique ways.

The first time I noticed this was when 5 Gum was running their "Stimulate Your Senses" campaign. I documented the occasion with this tweet:

"Enjoying 5 Gum's promotion on http://www.imeem.com/ Some seriously good music on these playlists! Oh how I love good interactive marketing!"

If I remember right, they had roadblocked the homepage with a gorgeous flash banner and also owned the featured playlist. A lot of brands go this route on the site, but what 5 Gum did differently was design a separate playlist for each flavor of gum. I was so intrigued that I sat and listened to several flavors. I subsequently bought a pack of 'Rain' which tasted as good as it sounded - and came in a cool package.

I was recently struck by a similar Fanta effort that was just so lively and bold on the homepage that I couldn't help but stop and listen to their playlist. The imeem platform is very flattering to brands. Even Wal Mart is getting in on the action, and as much as I want to hate them for invading one of my favorite sites, I just... can't. It's too unbearably cute.

Dr. Pepper has been running a campaign that takes the engagement factor to a whole new level. They've had a huge presence on the site for the past couple months, connecting with their target audience through album premiers, a crazy remix tool and contest, giveaways on "New Music Tuesdays," and featured celebrity playlists.

Music has always been a solid bet for marketers looking to reach the younger generations, and now sites like imeem are giving them a whole new arsenal of tools. Other music sites like pandora and last.fm are awesome too, but from a marketing perspective I feel like they aren't giving their advertisers the creative freedom to turn their brands into personalities and create meaningful connections. I'm intrigued by Spotify if anyone wants to hook me up with an invitation (wink, smile), and I'd love to hear about other sites (music or not) that give brands a wide range of interactive marketing options.

Edit: Imeem has (tragically) been purchased by MySpace and shut down.

Maybe "The Shack" Isn't The Problem...

2009-08-10T15:56:00.006-04:00

An article by Tom Parrette (my comments follow)

'What a Shortened Name Says About a Brand'

Two name changes—or more correctly, modifications—have received attention in the media and branding worlds recently. Pizza Hut has announced that its boxes and select locations will carry the name “The Hut,” and RadioShack plans to unveil new creative for “The Shack,” its shorter, catchier moniker.

These name shortenings are proof of what professional namers already know: names acquire meaning, they don’t create meaning. Once meaning is established, the brand name can be reduced to a shorthand version of itself, signaling its secure place in the realm of consumer awareness.

In the case of Pizza Hut and RadioShack, there’s also a more tactical motivation. As brands move away from their legacy offerings and expand product assortments, they outgrow their descriptive names. Today, Pizza Hut sells more than pizza, and RadioShack has more than radios on its shelves. The two brands are larger than their original products; their names stand for tangible and intangible experiences.

There’s also a familiarity expressed in a shorter name, akin to a nickname. The shorter handles inject the brands with a first-name-basis ease that everyone can participate in, but that ultimately acknowledges a loyal clientele. “The Hut” isn’t just any hut, it’s the hut. The only hut.

Name shortenings are nothing new. For decades, brands have abbreviated their names to reflect vernacular speech or to protect equity. In many cases, the brand adopted and claimed ownership of a nickname, a testament to the reverse influence consumers can have on brands. Here are a few notable examples.

Kentucky Fried Chicken: In 1990, the Commonwealth of Kentucky trademarked the name “Kentucky,” forcing businesses to pay a licensing fee to use it. KFC was able to sidestep the issue by changing its brand name to the commonly used nickname. The fast-food restaurant has recently expanded its brand nomenclature to include KGC (the “G” standing for “grilled”).

Jack In The Box: The brand’s new logo positions “Jack” as the primary name by demoting “In The Box” to a visually subordinate level. Whether “Jack” becomes the official name has yet to be seen.

Charles Schwab: Not a name change, but noteworthy nonetheless—the brokerage’s most recent ad campaign employs the headline “Ask Chuck,” conveying a trusted familiarity.

America Online: The company officially changed its name to AOL in 2006, stating: “Our new corporate identity better reflects our expanded mission—to make everyone's online experience better. Plus, consumers in the U.S. and around the world already know us by our initials."

American Express: Amex, the abbreviated form of the name, is a company trademark.

Federal Express: Global market research revealed that “federal” connoted something bureaucratic and slow, and the full name was difficult to pronounce in certain foreign markets. In 1994, Fedex was adopted as the official brand name. The company’s new name also proved much easier to use in visual applications where space was limited.

Coca-Cola: The company behind the legendary drink registered the name Coke in 1945, but it has since become a genericized trademark.

As for The Hut and The Shack, time will tell what market reception of the shorter names will be. In the latter’s case, there’s clearly an intent to inject a youthful hipness into the brand. Advertising invites customers to “Crash the Party” at The Shack’s dedicated web page, where an urban palette and social media define a more progressive brand experience. Is this a fresh new chapter for the dated electronics catchall? Does the literal meaning of “shack,” a crudely built structure, unwittingly reinforce the brand’s slipshod merchandising strategy? Like all brand names, new or modified, The Shack will acquire the meaning that consumers give it.

Tom Parrette is Director of Verbal Branding at Addis Creson, a Berkley, California-based strategic branding firm dedicated to creating positive change for clients and communities.

And now for my thoughts on the subject…

I thought this article did a great job summarizing the latest name-changing trend and the history of changed names, so thanks Tom!

Just to be clear – “The Shack” is not an actual name-change; it’s a nickname RadioShack is attempting to implement through an integrated marketing campaign. And I think I’m the only person in the marketing world who likes it. I, for one, would much rather go to The Shack than to RadioShack. Everyone keeps comparing it to huts, shanties, lean-tos, etc. The first thing that popped into my mind was the “Love Shack.” Hey-o!

True story: a couple weeks ago, I was on my way to see King Lear with some friends (irrelevant, I know, but now you think I'm classy, right?) and came across a RadioShack. We immediately launched into a discussion about how we didn’t even know it still existed and began coming up with theories on how they could possibly still be in business. We figured they must sell something other than radios and walkie-talkies, but what? We decided they needed a name-change and some solid, product-focused marketing – and voila! A couple weeks later, enter “The Shack.”

Is it a little cheesy? Yes. Are they trying too hard to be cool? Yes. Is it better than people not even realizing they still exist? Yes!

The campaign has all the important elements for marketing to Millennials. It’s integrated (combo of advertising, Facebook, Twitter, pretty website, live events, etc), innovative (big laptops connecting San Fran to NY), and interactive (social media, live events, etc). It’s a nice concept, and hey, at least they’re trying. I may be the only one, but I hope it goes well for them.

(Image ripped from Harry McCracken's review of the live events on The Technologizer. Thanks, Harry!)

That said, I think most people will agree that RadioShack’s biggest problem isn’t their name. They’re trying to be everything to everyone. Why not scale back on the product overload (their website is SO cluttered - and kind of ugly) and focus on a few needs that aren’t being met by the industry giants? Specialize in something. Before a marketing blitz, no matter how good the marketing is, there has to be a product worth marketing. If anything is going to cause this campaign to fail, it’s not the name – it’s what’s behind it.

Sell Sell Sell… Yourself?!?!

2009-07-30T19:17:00.004-04:00

A guest post by complicated v

We all know the expression “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” What a lot of people don’t realize is that this phrase is just as significant in the dating world as it is in the marketing world. Actually, dating and marketing are exactly the same thing. While I was born in 1981, and not technically a millennial, I figure I’m close enough and can give a few pointers on marketing yourself for dating. The first time I tried to write this post for our blog swap, it turned into a memoir or sorts, and I realized that no one really cares about my life – and if they do, they can read my blog on a regular basis. So coming from someone with no marketing background, but a serial dater/attorney/semi-psychotic 20 something – here we go…

DO always put your best (well-fashioned) foot forward. Dress appropriately for the date. Always remember that you could meet someone at anytime, anywhere. I’ve met dates at the grocery store, walking my dogs, at the gas station, and walking to work. When I see someone who looks athletic, I’ll try starting a conversation about the training I’m doing for the half marathon. If he’s in a full suit and reading the Wall Street Journal, well, lawyer-V comes out to play ball.
Scenario: I’ve never been one to wear gym shoes to walk to work. My feet have been through hell in high heels but one day, I got a brand new Michael Kors heel stuck in a street grate and started to fall, when I was scooped up by a passerby. This passerby was gorgeous, but unfortunately also holding coffee, which then spilled all over my white coat. After a brief discussion now out of harm’s way on the sidewalk, we decided to meet for drinks that evening and he was insistent on paying for my dry cleaning bill. Personally, I was more concerned with how to get this gorgeous man to kiss me at the end of the night. While my feet and heels suffered, I secured a three month relationship.

DO NOT order a fruity, girly drink. These drinks scream high maintenance. Sure this goes mostly for women, but yeah, for you guys too.
Scenario: One of my best straight (slightly questionable) male friends absolutely loves pina coladas, so a bar here in Chicago named a drink for him – “Mike’s Manly Colada” served straight up in a beer glass with no fruit on top and an extra few shots of liquor – which is occasionally set on fire for extra manliness. Either way, I am still embarrassed for him and not-so-secretly wonder if it’s that drink that ends his stories with “and then I went home alone.”

DO put some thought into your online dating profile if you choose to go that route. That profile is your first impression – and while you can easily manipulate it to show what you want it to show, remember that the truth will always come out.
Choose pictures that show you. Today. Or at least within the last 3 months.
Answer questions openly and honestly.
Put creepy fetishes up front so you don’t waste someone’s time (see: wtf? for the actual story on this one).

DO choose conversation topics wisely. It is not okay to discuss past relationships, the number of sexual partners you have had, how many children you want and that you want them before you’re 30, what cut diamond ring you will say “yes” to, and if you’re in the city, apparently it’s date suicide to mention you want to move to the suburbs. Put a little thought into what you want to learn about your date and what you want to reveal.

DO NOT drink too much and get slutty. This goes for men and women.
Scenario: Too many to detail. Lessons learned – err, sort of. This should actually be self-explanatory.

DO NOT order the most expensive thing on the menu, or the least expensive thing on the menu.

DO try out a cheesy pick up line! I love these. I think it’s hilarious when a guy pulls out a cheesy pick up line circa 1994. It shows you have a sense of humor, and can make conversation with anyone – very important qualities for a man or a woman.
Him: Can I have directions? Me: To where? Him: To your heart. Me: Awww…you’re funny. I’m V.

If and when you make it on that first, or second date, you are basically trying to decide if this person sitting across from you is a product you are going to “test” again. Do you want to buy it? Or are you just content with the free sample? Sometimes it comes down to being happy to try something new, but it isn’t necessarily something you want to get again, or would even recommend to your friends.

You know what works for you, and if you don’t – you need a lot more self-discovery before you can figure out what you want in someone else. You should know how to manipulate your flaws, and show your strengths. The main thing to remember is putting a little thought, time and effort into meeting someone and making that positive and lasting first impression. Whether it is at a bar, on the street, online, in class, at work, etc., look your best to feel your best. It will show and already give you a leg up.

V and I are both members of 20 Something Bloggers, and recently participated in a blog swap. Check out the site, connect with us, and who knows - maybe you'll be swapping with one of us next time!

Re: "Can an Ad Campaign Make Millennials Love Plastics?"

2009-07-07T09:57:00.006-04:00

AdAge posed an interesting question today in one of their video s entitled, "Can an Ad Campaign Make Millennials Love Plastics?" and I felt compelled (obligated, even) to answer.

For starters, the question is a little misleading. The video isn't actually about an ad campaign; it's about a social media campaign. The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) is planning to engage online communities in a discussion about the benefits of plastics. A social media campaign is very different and much more effective than an ad campaign for this purpose, which is to sell us an idea as opposed to a product. One of the best ways to sell an idea (to any generation) is through word of mouth. Since Gen Y does so much communicating online, it's a great place to try to ignite conversation.

They wisely spent a year conducting research on the Millennial audience. SPI President/CEO William Carteaux said studies revealed that Gen Y is "a little skeptical," because they haven't been presented with the facts about plastics. I think it's safe to say that we're more than a little skeptical. SPI's biggest challenge is going to be squelching the idea of plastics that's been ingrained into our psyches. When I think about plastic, I conjure up images of cute baby animals choking on bags or the penguin from Happy Feet with soda rings stuck around his neck.

Even the word "plastic" has a negative connotation. I'm guilty of using it to describe people that strike me as fake or vapid.

SPI's strategy to overcome plastic's less-than-favorable image is to offer a detailed look at the various facets of the product beyond the old paper vs. plastic debate. They want to highlight all the good plastics can do - making things like medical supplies, alternative energy sources, and fuel efficient cars possible.

If they can present enough research that the benefits of plastics outweigh the shortcomings, and initiate good conversation around the topic, I think this campaign could be a success. Can they make Millennials love plastic? Probably not. But if they play their cards right, they might be able to make us not hate it. I'm keeping an open mind and I'll do a follow-up post after the campaign launches in Q3 of this year.

A&E's Twitter Tattoos

2009-06-16T07:34:00.010-04:00

If there's a blazing hot topic right now in marketing, it's Twitter. Lots of brands caught on quickly (e.g. the legendary @DellOutlet), while countless other brands are either conspicuously absent from the site or failing to use it to its full potential. It's an interesting and increasingly important medium, but lots of marketers are still struggling to figure out how to connect with the site's elusive community.

Mashable recently posted an article about how A&E, a brand that only recently became sexy thanks to the wild popularity of reality TV, has attempted to creatively engage the Twittersphere in a promotion.

The idea is that Thomas Pendelton, famed tattoo artist and star of A&E show 'Tattoo Highway', will do one lucky fan the honor of permanently inking their Twitter name on their body free of charge. Here's how one goes about entering the contest: follow Thomas Pendelton on Twitter, then @reply him with hashtag #A&EWed10. Explain in your tweet why and where you want the tattoo, and then get your followers to back you up with re-tweets. The winner will be announced Wendnesday at 10pm.

A&E's Twitter campaign interests me because they're doing a lot of things right, but not trending as far as I can tell. Here are the things I like about the effort: the medium is Twitter, which automatically makes it a fascinating case study. It involves a celebrity tweeter - always fun. And it uniquely demonstrates that there are actually people (multiple people) that want to have their Twitter names tattooed onto their bodies.

So what's the problem? It's generating some buzz, but buzz doesn't really cut it on Twitter. A deafening roar is the only thing likely to catch people's attention. It looks to me like the only people who are actually tweeting about this are 1. marketers who find the campaign interesting and 2. the scant few people that actually want tattoos of their Twitter names. If you run a search of the hashtag #A&EWed10, you'll see that the search only gets a handful of new tweets per hour. A good contest will hopefully become a trending topic and have to be refreshed every couple of seconds. Ultimately, I think they messed up on one of the most basic marketing principles - making sure your offer is something people want. While I think this is a creative idea and has a lot of the elements of a strong Twitter campaign, I'm afraid it's turning out to be a #fail.

"Life's For Sharing" by T-Mobile

2009-05-05T10:20:00.008-04:00

Let's talk about a campaign that causes me to inexplicably burst into tears. If you haven't already seen T-Mobile's "Life's For Sharing" campaign, you're probably living under a rock. Thus far, the campaign consists of two large-scale public stunts. First they surprised commuters in Liverpool Street Station by organizing a massive dance break, and now they've done it again, bringing 13,000+ people into Trafalgar Square to sing "Hey Jude" karaoke-style.

For all you rock-dwellers out there, here are the videos.

This is what happens when a company puts a little thought, effort, money and heart into their marketing. They are getting hundreds of thousands of views a week and sitting solidly at the top of AdAge's Viral Video Chart. People are watching these videos over and over and sharing the gospel - blogging, tweeting, posting, forwarding and linking these videos into every nook and cranny of the web.

What did T-Mobile do differently from the countless other brands trying to infiltrate the masses virally? They abandoned the stereotypes of "savvy internet users," realized that the people who use the internet are humans, and created their ads accordingly. I also have to give them mad props for their excellent song choices. Bang up job, T-Mobile, cheers and all that. Now, if only your service was as good as your marketing...

Someone Find Me Something to Paint!

2009-03-24T10:13:00.004-04:00

I adore this print ad for Benjamin Moore's "ben" line of paints.

It's an excellent example of the power of good type treatment and use of color. The typefaces and colors are so engaging that the point comes across even if you don't take the time to read the ad. For readers like me, the outcome is a charming (and sometimes nostalgic) feeling - probably exactly what the copywriter was trying to evoke.

The "ben" line is clearly being marketed to a younger demographic, but they're doing a great job of not going over the top trying to be cool. Instead of building a whole new website, the line has its own microsite on BenjaminMoore.com, which I think adds credibility. It's professional and easy to navigate, and brings up the fact that the line is eco-friendly without hitting you over the head with it.

My one problem with the ad: "Hot Lips." Really, after all that about the popsicles and the cough syrup, they couldn't have come up with something a little better that "Hot Lips" for the name of the paint? Bad name aside, I think the ad is phenomenal and look forward to painting my future apartment all different shades of "ben."

*Update: Ben has released a really neat iPhone app. You can take a picture of a color you like and it will show you the closest match of Ben paint. Love it!

Vault Pleads, "Don't Dew It"

2009-03-12T15:44:00.006-04:00

It's no secret that Coca-Cola is used to being number one. So what do they do when a competitor refuses to let go of the vast majority of market share in a major category? They recently rolled out their ploy to get people to at least try Vault - the little-known competitor of the newly re-dubbed "Mtn Dew." Coke will be giving out "Vault Taste Challenge" coupons for a free Vault with the purchase of a Mtn Dew.

There are things I like about this concept. It's recession-friendly. Or maybe it's just plain friendly - I mean, who doesn't like free stuff, even in a good economy? It's certain to generate positive feelings towards Vault and it shows that Vault is, without a doubt, confident in the quality of their product. It might even increase Vault's market share (it can't get much worse than it's current 4%).

Now for the things I don't like. Mtn Dew has always targeted teenagers and young adults (aka the current Millennial generation), which leads me to assume Vault is targeting the same demo. How many coupon-clippers do you know in my age range? My personal habit is to carry around what coupons I do manage to collect in my wallet until they've expired or the ink has faded away entirely. I also recently discussed this campaign with someone who then went to try a Vault, only to realize that his company's vending machines only sell Pepsi products. So he bought Mtn Dew. Vault might manage to get their product on people's minds, but always in association with Mtn Dew - and Mtn Dew's distribution is better. And not to forget, they're encouraging people who otherwise might not buy Mtn Dew or Vault to buy Mtn Dew in order to get a free Vault. It's all very convuluted, but it seems to me unlikely from a P&L standpoint that Vault will come out on top in the "challenge."

That said, I do like the idea and appreciate their effort at cheer and goodwill at a time when there's not much of either to go around.

I Want Candy

2009-03-03T14:15:00.012-05:00

There has been some interesting marketing in the candy realm over the past couple of weeks. Oddly enough, the two most notable campaigns could not be more different, so I think it will be fun to compare and contrast.

First, the new Skittles website. Go to Skittles.com if you haven't already. Much like the highly buzzed-about Modernista site of 2008, the content is entirely user-generated. The home page is their Facebook group, they have a Chatter tab which links to a constantly updated Twitter search for the word "skittles," the Videos tab takes you to their YouTube page, the Pics tab takes you to their Flickr page, etc. Only the Products and Contact tabs take you to pages that are not user-generated.

It's a risky move to allow a brand to be left almost entirely to the consumer, but then again, Skittles doesn't appear to be worried about that. They have a reputation for being controversial due to their somewhat off-color advertising.

In stark comparison to the innovative Skittles campaign, there's Snickers. They are launching a campaign that will include outdoor ads, TV commercials, and a Facebook group. The idea is centered around a made-up Snickers language they have dubbed Snacklish.

While some of the Snacklish phrases are mildly funny (Antihungerestablishmentarianism), most are not (Slay dragons with Sir Snacksalot). And I'm having trouble figuring out what makes this "new" campaign different from the one they launched in 2006.

Time to analyze.

Skittles went way out on a limb with their new website. Allowing consumers that much control puts a brand at serious risk of developing a negative brand image. For instance, this comment is posted on their YouTube site: "I'm amazed at how few hits this channel has even after the annoying Twitter stunt. You candies are full of insect excretion, and that's no lie." (Which, after doing some research, turns out to be true, although it's not as bad as it seems.) At the same time, the site is getting a ridiculous amount of buzz. Recency is extremely important, especially with candy and gum brands, so the fact that people are talking about Skittles (be it positive or negative) means the brand is in their minds and next time they walk up to the checkout, they are probably more likely to crave the rainbow. I think it's an excellent marketing stunt - yes, I said stunt - for creating buzz. Do I think it's sustainable? No. I imagine they'll keep the site up for a couple of months and once the buzz dies down, switch back to a more traditional site.

I don't have much to say about the Snickers campaign (which is not a good sign). I love to talk about advertising and marketing, so if I can't think of anything to say, that means they're doing something wrong. They are playing it way too safe, to the point of boring me to speechlessness.

To summarize, Skittles went overboard while Snickers went underboard (hey, if they get to make up their own words, so do I). While I would choose the Skittles approach over Snickers any day, I still think both of these brands should reevaluate their marketing techniques and strive to achieve a happy medium.

Banana Republic's "City Stories"

2009-02-26T16:43:00.008-05:00

It's hard to create a campaign that will successfully reach Millennials. We've been inundated with advertising and marketing messages our entire lives and we've become experts at tuning out anything less than relevant. A lot of brands try to be "hip" or "speak the lingo" without doing their homework and wind up accomplishing nothing but a deteriorated brand image. Campaigns that work are created by agencies that do their research and manage to tap into the psyche of the generation as a whole. Although this campaign definitely reaches Gen Y, I think it's aimed at older Gen Y and also younger Gen X (my demo analysis: probably males and females, ages 18-35 living in major metropolitan areas). I must say, I think they really got this one right.

The Banana Republic "City Stories" campaign features nine musicians, each with their own style and story. It's a fully integrated campaign that includes print and outdoor advertisements, direct mail pieces, window displays and a heavy online presence. The website, bananarepublic.com/citystories, is a highly engaging mix of video (music videos and interviews), music, free downloads, and yes, the occasional Banana Republic promotion. The musicians they spotlight are as interesting as they are diverse, and were by no means chosen only for their commercial appeal. They are truly talented by anyone's standards. Here's a sample video of violinist, David Garrett.

Visually this campaign is clean and sophisticated, while conceptually it sends a strong message - without being overbearing. I imagine it will strike a chord with a wide range of people who never looked twice at Banana Republic before. That's a difficult thing to achieve without alienating the existing customer, but I think they managed it flawlessly. The thought and care that went into the creation of this campaign really shines through (listen to me, I'm gushing). I won't say anything else, but I encourage you to go to the website and if nothing else, enjoy some phenomenal free music.

A Wave of Rebranding

2009-02-23T14:54:00.020-05:00

We're in a recession and companies nationwide are slashing their marketing budgets. The layoffs are astronomical, the ad buys are pitiful and job boards are barren. Why then, would at least four major brands, off the top of my head, choose now to embark on massive rebranding efforts (and how are they affording it)?

1. Pepsi: I've already ranted about the new Pepsi logo (twice), so I'll leave them alone for now, except to say, why? Why now - and why like this?

2. Tropicana: The news broke today that Tropicana will recall their tragic new package design, and return to their former packaging featuring the iconic image of an orange with a straw in it doused in dewdrops. The old packaging made a strong and memorable statement about freshness, while the new effort oversimplified, leaving consumers with the feeling that they were buying a generic brand, or worse yet, medicine. Here's the punch line. After all that, they're going to continue to run the ad campaign that launched the new package design. Doesn't it just make you go "huh?"

3. Kraft: I have to preface by saying the new Kraft logo will serve as a corporate logo and will not be featured on the packaging. Regardless, separating the internal and external brand identities still seems like a terrible idea - especially in this economy. What does it say to investors? To me it says that they don't believe in their existing brand, so they redesigned their corporate logo in a lame attempt come across as happy, colorful and optimistic in this tough economy. I, for one, am not buying it. Also, it's way too busy and really should tie in with the other logo better.

4. Gatorade: The relatively new Gatorade campaign and packaging features an attractive redesign, but as much as I want to like it, the message is just too cryptic for my taste. Good branding shouldn't be overly obvious and simple, but it also shouldn't leave the target audience scratching their heads. It ought to send a strong, subtle message that comes across immediately, at first glance. The new package design requires people to read the entire label, front and back, (which involves rotating the bottle several different angles) in order for it to make any sense. Check it out.

These are just four examples, but newly renovated brands (especially PepsiCo brands) are popping up left and right. So why all the rebranding? I've been thinking about this for a long time and the only solid thing I can come up with is that private-label market share is growing, which means a lot of these brands are suddenly facing new competition: the off-brands. They have to fight to stay relevant in an economy where suddenly even the most standard brand-name products have become a luxury.

I also remember reading somewhere (text book maybe?) that brands that continue to advertise and market themselves in down economies are proven to come out stronger in the end (which makes sense). So maybe these brands are taking it one step further, thinking this is their big chance to make a bold move and come out on top. That logic doesn't work for me because it doesn't factor in customer loyalty. I think the most recession-proof brands will turn out to be the ones that have a loyal following - the brands consumers can depend upon. A full-on rebranding that changes the entire face of the brand might betray, in a way, the sense of trust companies should strive to build with their consumers.

This is a topic I'm a little perplexed about, so if anyone has an explanation (or even a hunch) as to why these companies are choosing to rebrand now, I would love to hear it.

"Working Like a Machine?"

2009-02-19T15:07:00.006-05:00

Kit Kat launched their second installation (formerly seen in Japan) of Human Vending Machines at London's Victoria National Rail station on February 17th, 2009.

The picture pretty much says it all. The vending machine has a person in it who picks up the candy bar and drops it in the slot. It's part of the new Kit Kat "Working Like a Machine?" campaign, which urges people to take a break from the monotony of working.

This particular aspect of the campaign got me thinking about how far a company should go to get attention. Every brand wants their marketing to be memorable and generate buzz. But what if they run the risk of offending people - or in this case scaring people half to death - in the process? A friend of mine thought it was "horrible."

That said, I actually like this idea a lot. If I came across one of these during my commute, it would probably make my whole day.

Now check out the corresponding commercials.

They're hilarious and tie in brilliantly with the Human Vending Machines idea.

Here's my problem with this whole campaign: I think it's more than a little bit ill-timed. With unemployment numbers at 1.97 million in the UK (highest since 1997) it seems like poor taste to launch a marketing campaign about how rough it is to be working. A lot of people out there (myself included) would love to be working right now - even if we had to "work like a machine."

Final analysis: Good campaign. Bad timing.

BK Gone Rogue

2009-02-18T16:15:00.009-05:00

Easily some of the most controversial marketing tactics over the past couple of years have come from a very unlikely culprit: Burger King. From the brand that brought us the "Free FryDay" campaign back in 1998 alongside a very innocent Mr. Potato Head spokesman, now comes one questionable marketing stunt after another.

The most recent offense? Burger Shots. A slider-like burger, or something else? I don't have the stats on the demographics of my readers, so just in case some innocent child (who doesn't know how to click through a link) is reading this - I'm not going to write out what the slang term means. But if you're curious (and of age), click here. I've read blogs defending BK's honor, but I'm not going to give them the benefit of the doubt here - especially after seeing the commercial, which I would link to except it seems to have mysteriously disappeared from the web. It depicts a dorky guy showing his friend the Burger Shots, when the two friends are suddenly surrounded by a gaggle of girls making inappropriate noises that, in my opinion, the Burger Shots are really not worthy of unless they taste a lot better than they look.

The Burger Shots are just one of many marketing decisions that left me scratching my head. Back in December, BK launched Flame, a men's perfume that smells like burgers. The only thing more disturbing than the product itself is its accompanying web site "firemeetsdesire.com."

Yikes.

Then there was the Whopper Virgins campaign, where they went to other countries to try out a McDonald's vs. Burger King burger taste test on people who had never tasted hamburgers before. The video plays like some sort of humanitarian documentary, but I'm not buying it. Here we are, the charitable Americans handing out one of our most devastatingly unhealthy foods, while meanwhile, the food these people served the BK folks in return looks amazing. The video ends with a less-than-flattering quote, "I like seal meat better." Maybe they didn't edit that out in hopes of legitimizing the whole thing, but I think all it does is make a really good point.

Considerably less offensive was the Whopper Sacrifice campaign, one of the more brilliant methods I've seen of engaging facebook users. Next to their marketing catastrophes of late, this impressed me. All users had to do was delete 10 friends to get a coupon for a free Whopper. Unfortunately, facebook shut the application down, citing violation of the user's privacy, but by the time that happened 233,906 friends had already been sacrificed.

Analysis time. Why all the crazy, controversial campaigns? My theory is that they are up against some serious competition. McDonald's practically has a monopoly on the "happy" (golden arches, "I'm lovin' it," Ronald in his bouncy yellow clown suit), and Wendy's found their niche in the "healthy" (salads, gluten-free menu options, fruits, "It's waaaay better than fast food"), which left BK with the "huh?" And I think they've got it down. If there's one fast food brand that's being talked about right now - especially among Millennials - it's Burger King.

Update: Starbucks Writes Back

2009-02-17T09:36:00.003-05:00

Last Friday, I expressed my worry to Starbucks via their My Starbucks Idea social networking site, and I said I would post their response.

Here's what I said:

I'm worried for you guys... I think instant coffee diminishes your brand. I feel like it will hurt you in the eyes of your consumer base that thinks of Starbucks as an artisan coffee or even just a higher-end coffee brand. This automatically takes you one notch down in my eyes. I'm sure you've considered that and weighed the pros and cons. I'd be interested to hear what the consumer research showed that made you think offering instant coffee was a good idea.

And here's what they said:

mguiste
2/16/2009 7:43 AM
AdrienneWaldo: nah, it's not going to diminish Starbucks, VIA is going to raise the view of instant. :)

Touché.

I've never tried the "VIA." What if it's the most amazing thing since cafe au lait? All I'm saying is I'm skeptical. To me just the idea of instant coffee (however awesome it may be) at a coffee shop that wants to be viewed as high-end is going to hurt the brand.

Also, notice the conspicuous lack of response to my question about consumer research. I assure you there are very few Starbucks consumers who responded "yes - I would be interested in trying Starbucks instant coffee." That is, of course, assuming that they did consumer research in the first place. This stinks of bad corporate money-making scheme with no regard to consumer opinions.

Barbie Turning the Big Five-Oh

2009-02-16T14:14:00.005-05:00

I'm completely obsessed with well thought-out, creatively integrated marketing plans, so imagine my excitement when I came across this press release on the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week web site detailing the entire marketing plan for the year-long celebration of Barbie's 50th Anniversary. The plan includes "Pink-Carpet" Events (love it), fashion shows, a birthday party at her "Real" Malibu Dream House, launching the first Barbie flagship store in Shanghai, a retail event at Bloomingdale's, partnerships with complimenting brands, a adorable 50th Anniversary web site with all sorts of fun features, a Facebook profile, and - naturally - a whole slew of special collectible Barbie products.

It all kicked off with an over-the-top Barbie Runway Show at Fashion Week this past Valentine's Day.

If you have the time to read the entire press release (you have to scroll down a little bit), I would recommend it. This campaign is just plain fun.

Starbucks Gets a Piece of Gen Y Mind

2009-02-13T16:01:00.010-05:00

Starbucks has always been quite the interesting case study. They're constantly trying new things and a lot of the time they're failing, which (let's be honest with ourselves) is fun to watch. Today I stumbled upon their social networking site, MyStarbucksIdea.force.com where people are encouraged to give candid, honest ideas and feedback about all aspects of the Starbucks brand, including products (coffee, music, food, etc.), experience (ordering, locations, employees, etc.) and involvement (community, social responsibility, etc.).

I think they really got it right. It's attractive, easy to navigate, and even (dare I say it?) kind of fun. A site like this is great for a high-profile brand like Starbucks that probably has an equal ratio of lovers:haters. It makes for very lively discussion that, if they take advantage of it, could definitely improve their brand. The company is a mess, and I have always blamed it on the fact that they stopped thinking about the consumer and became overly focused on expansion.

With this kind of tool at my fingertips, I couldn't help myself, so here was my suggestion in response to their announcement that they're launching an instant coffee:

I'm worried for you guys... I think instant coffee diminishes your brand. I feel like it will hurt you in the eyes of your consumer base that thinks of Starbucks as an artisan coffee or even just a higher-end coffee brand. This automatically takes you one notch down in my eyes. I'm sure you've considered that and weighed the pros and cons. I'd be interested to hear what the consumer research showed that made you think offering instant coffee was a good idea.

Too fun. If I get a response I'll be sure to post it here, but in the meantime I recommend everyone get on and vent. It feels good!

Cheetos Boredom Busters

2009-02-12T15:40:00.001-05:00

The latest in noteworthy online marketing campaigns was featured yesterday on AdAge.com. It's called Boredom Busters, a program designed by Goodby Silverstein & Partners and Federated Media for Cheetos. They are sponsoring six popular blogs, which are in turn designing their own Cheetosified content driven by the concept that everyone ought to take a break or two. The blogs will post new "Boredom Busters" (video and/or text) every Wednesday for the next six weeks. There were very few strings attached - apparently Cheetos gave the blogs almost complete creative control. Boing Boing editor Xeni Jardin said, "It was pretty much: Don't be mean (don't do anything involving Cheetos that would make someone cry, particularly with kittens), and avoid anything having to do with sex, violence and drugs." Each blog has had their own take on the assignment so far.

BarelyPolitical.com took the opportunity to tie Cheetos into Obama's comment on Jessica Simpson's weight gain in this video spoof.

Another blog, IndyMogul.com, briefly mentioned Cheetos along with the logo, and then posted an interesting game that allows the user to create their own short film. They called the game "This Week's Boredom Buster."

Finally - in my opinion the most fascinating content created so far (which thoroughly busted my boredom) is the following video from BoingBoing.net:

I actually like the idea of this campaign, and I love the fact that Cheetos is giving the blogs complete creative control. If nothing else, it's certainly generating buzz. The only problem I foresee is the inevitable negative buzz. It's going to be a challenge for these blogs to retain their integrity with Cheetos plastered all over the place, despite having creative control over the posts themselves. I'll be interested to find out about the effectiveness of this campaign and how the readers react as the weeks go on. So far, the comments on BoingBoing.net have been mixed. Here are a few of my favorites:

Negative comments:

"The joys of content undiluted
are by Chester now polluted."
posted by workergnome , February 4, 2009 2:38 PM'

"Having your cool, creative friend try to sell you Amway would be no less annoying than if his gel-haired brother did it.
Probably more so."
posted by Droogy , February 4, 2009 2:54 PM

Awesome comeback:

"The ice cream is free. If you don't like it, don't eat it."
posted by Antinous / Moderator , February 4, 2009 9:28 PM

Positive comment:

"I like Soviet-Unterzögersdorf (YES! UMLAUTE!) and I like Cheetos... Although it's hard to get them here in Berlin.
Can't wait to see how the docu-soap about the mysterious box unfolds!"
posted by posted by tartar , February 4, 2009 1:28 PM

Insightful comment:

"I wonder if Cheetoz people could have guessed we'd spend so much time analyzing their ad. Don't you think that's part of the idea?"
posted by avidd , February 4, 2009 3:03 PM

Umm, yes.

I would suggest visiting BoingBoing.net to read more of the discussion. It is truly fascinating.

Breathtaking? I Think Not

2009-02-11T14:56:00.000-05:00

The marketing world is all abuzz about the 27-page document supposedly composed by the designer of the Pepsi logo.

Here's what I think: it's among the most ridiculous documents I've ever seen. If it's real (although I'm registered with the "It's Clearly a Fake" party), then Pepsi should have taken the most extreme precautions to be sure it never got leaked to the public. If it's fake, then someone has way to much time on their hands and I feel sorry for them.

I'd hate to waste too much of your time on this joke of a document, so I'm going to leave you with the one good thing I've found throughout this whole Pepsi debacle.

Dentyne's "Make Face Time" Campaign

2009-02-10T10:11:00.000-05:00

I am absolutely crazy about the most recent Dentyne campaign.

It is fun, warm, unique and targets Millennials without being patronizing. I think the essential goodness of this campaign comes from its genuine nature. It doesn't seem to ostracize any one specific group, which tends to happen more often than not when a campaign is online-themed (I'm thinking of ads that use cyberspeak - of which I am not fluent). I imagine it will resonate equally with two completely opposite groups of people - those who spend a lot of time online, and those who hardly use the web at all. But don't get me wrong, the rest of us love it too.

The commercial ties in well with the print. The song selection, "Summer Day" by Coconut Records, comes across pleasantly quirky, the setting is beautiful, and the whole thing leaves me feeling happy (in stark contrast to the Pepsi commercial from yesterday's post).

On top of all that, Dentyne designed their web site so that it shuts down after three minutes. It would be a risky move, except they were smart enough to freeze the timer on the product page.

Altogether a fantastic campaign.

Pepsi's Propaganda Mishap

2009-02-09T17:18:00.000-05:00

I'm just going to come right out and say it. I don't like this Pepsi campaign. To me, it feels too much like propaganda. To be fair, all advertising technically qualifies as propaganda, but this feels more like a brainwash than usual.

It reminds me of the Zoolander "Relax" video. "Just a nice, warm, happy time. Happy--happy--happy! Hahahaha!"

Free Video Hosting

It targets the Millennial generation too directly, saying, "Every generation refreshes the world. Now it's your turn." It's measly 5,851 views on YouTube have returned an even measlier 2 1/2 stars, validating my theory that our generation responds better to smart advertising that makes us think - not "happy," patronizing junk like this. Among my favorite viewer comments was "When did Pepsi become Kool-Aid?" I could not agree more.

And yes, the new Pepsi logo does somewhat resemble the Obama logo, but I also think it looks more like a logo for a teeth-whitening service than for a cola.

Watch Out! The "Millennials" Are Coming

2009-02-06T17:45:00.000-05:00

I was pretty offended a year ago after seeing what I took to be an attack on my generation, The "Millennials" Are Coming, on 60 Minutes.

It then became a major topic on AdAge, a site I follow religiously (I wrote them a scathing letter just for bringing up the topic). The piece had a whole host of belittling quotes. Here are a couple exceptionally bad ones:

"You do have to speak to them a little bit like a therapist on television might speak to a patient," Salzman says, laughing. "You can't be harsh. You cannot tell them you're disappointed in them. You can't really ask them to live and breathe the company. Because they're living and breathing themselves and that keeps them very busy."

"These young people will tell you what time their yoga class is and the day's work will be organized around the fact that they have this commitment. So you actually envy them. How wonderful it is to be young and have your priorities so clear. Flipside of it is how awful it is to be managing the extension, sort of, of the teenage babysitting pool," Salzman tells Safer.

I don't think it would have bothered me so much had I not been juggling a full-time class schedule, an unpaid internship, a part time job and a couple extra-curriculars at the time.

Sure, our generation has its share of bums - but doesn't every generation? I don't think that's what defines us. I think we're better defined by our love of knowledge, constant sharing of information, ambition, individuality, and even the collective sense of humor we've developed that's come to dominate the media landscape. Instead of painting such a bleak picture, I wish they had taken the time to weigh the pros and cons. Had they done that, I think they would have realized that overall, our generation is an intelligent, hard-working group of people, and our future is bright.

Each post from here on out is going to be a discussion of interesting marketing campaigns and their societal implications from the perspective of me, a Millennial (and proud of it).