Recently I came across a saying worth repeating:

A man wakes up in the morning after sleeping on an advertised bed, in advertised pajamas.  He will bathe in an advertised tub, wash with advertised soap, shave with an advertised shaving cream, eat a breakfast of advertised juice, cereal and toast (toasted in an advertised toaster), put on advertised clothes, and glance at an advertised watch.  He will ride to work in an advertised car, sit at an advertised desk and type on an advertised computer.  Yet this man hesitates to advertise, saying advertising doesn’t pay.  Finally, when his unadvertised business fails, he WILL advertise it for sale.

So, what happens when you don’t advertise?  NOTHING.  Absolutely nothing.

With Earth Week upon us and Earth Day just a few days away, green is everywhere! And companies are leveraging their conscience to get your attention. The idea is not new, however, since the release of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ and the escalating debate over global warming, our green initiative is growing – and green marketing is making it all possible.

So what is green marketing? By definition, it is the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally safe. From LED light bulbs to hybrid cars, a campaign exists to promote the features and benefits of these greener gadgets. What sets ecological marketing apart is the added social responsibility component. Buying green is actually benefiting the consumer AND the environment. So what’s the catch? The rules are a little fast and loose when it comes to the regulations on “green” and cost is sometimes a prohibitive factor, but becoming a legitimate, environmentally friendly products or services provider is certainly a win-win strategy for the future.

Things to consider when greening your campaign:

• Target Market – would your consumers find value in a greener product?
• ROI – is going green affordable and/or profitable for your offering?
• Sustainability – is a green campaign sustainable for your company?

Happy Earth Week!

Lady Gaga's Meat Dress

The word ‘different’ has somewhat of a derogatory undertone. By definition, it means, “not the same as another or each other; unlike in nature, form, or quality” and “distinct; separate.” In school, being different meant you stood out and were, therefore, a target of endless mockery and bullying (unfortunately, this seems to be more of a problem today than ever.) But forget what you think you know because in marketing, that IS the whole idea… And it’s called product differentiation.

The concept of differentiation is pointing up what it is about your product or service that sets it apart from the masses. With so much competition in every industry, it is important to figure out why you are unique, OWN it and SELL it. What are you offering that is so special? If you can’t answer this question, you better take a step back and re-examine your offering. Another way to gain valuable insight is by administering a brand perception study, whereby a survey is used to analyze the perception of your product in the marketplace. Here are a few common examples of differentiation points:

• Price
• Quality
• Features/Function
• Availability

And countless others remain. Once you’ve determined your point(s) of differentiation, select the target audience to which that distinction appeals. For example, if cost is your differentiator, target groups who value saving. If it’s quality, seek out a selection with more disposable income that value high-end items. It is important to understand your product delineation first and then target your market, rather than the other way around. If you select the wrong group, you will likely waste valuable time and resources with little to no ROI.

I like to use the example of the “Pop Princesses” Brittany, Christina, Ke$sha, Lady Gaga… And, of course, the Queen herself… Madonna. Industries unto themselves, they’ve had to find something that differentiates them. Whether it’s noticeable to the layman or not, there IS something unique about each one of them … Be it Brittany’s media stunts, Gaga’s meat dress or Madonna’s constant reinvention of herself; they’ve found a way of appealing their brand to a certain audience… all the way to the bank.

What sets YOU apart?

We promised you Traditional Marketing Is NOT Dead; furthermore, the fusion of traditional advertising and social media into one integrated or hybrid marketing campaign, is the key to success.  One company doing just that (and doing it extremely well) according to this NY TImes article, is Chobani Greek Yogurt.  In the booming Greek yogurt business, Chobani is already #1 in sales; in fact, sales are up 225.9 % from the same period a year ago and nearly double that of their closest competitor, Fage.

So how did Chobani get where they are today? By using the consumers they’ve gained via social media in their traditional advertising of course! According to Peter McGuiness, chairman and chief executive of Gotham – the company responsible for the ad campaign, “We did not want a ‘corporate-out’ campaign, we wanted a ‘consumer-up’ campaign, to tap into and extend the ‘Chobani love’ that is rapidly spreading across the country.”  By advertising their tweeps on billboards and TV ads, as well as their website, Chobani makes “spreading the love” easy.

Personally, I love this campaign almost as much as I love Greek yogurt (though, admittedly I was a YoGreek fan until recently;-)  The price tag on this campaign is a hefty $13 million but with Greek culture popping up on grocery shelves across the nation, I have a feeling it’s a small price to pay!

What do you think about Chobani’s blend?

The age old question… MAC or PC?!?!  Well, don’t look at me – I’m a PC girl in a MAC world but what I will give Apple is an A for advertising.   I  just found this hilarious commercial on Places to Yoga‘s blog.  I couldn’t get over how funny this was (probably more so since I do yoga myself;-) but either way I think it’s worth sharing!

Another feather for Apple’s cap – no wonder everyone wants to be just like them;-)

Are you a MAC or PC?

Ah, the Super Bowl… That exciting time of year when the NFL’s greatest athletes face off for one of television’s biggest events – and, perhaps, the only time commercials are as highly anticipated as the main affair (even more so if you’re not a football fan;-) So how did the commercials stack up against the game this year?

The general consensus seems to be: football good, commercials bad. The ads (at roughly $3 million for a 30-second spot) tried too hard to be outrageous and memorable, and in doing so, missed the mark entirely… Or did they? Personally, I wasn’t blown away by any ad in particular, although a few of them did make me laugh out loud (see Alicia’s Top 3) But what I DID remember, in discussing their overall lack of impressiveness, were the BRANDS themselves!

Have you ever experienced this: you’re having a conversation with a colleague about an ad you just saw and you vividly remember everything about the commercial EXCEPT the brand? The argument is further developed in this post by Social Spread Media and I do agree to some extent. However, considering one of the most important messages in advertising is brand recognition, I must say, they were done rather well. So, perhaps $3 million doesn’t buy what it used to or maybe we just expect too much out of the Super Bowl ads altogether. But either way, the commercial event of the year left much to be desired, whether you’re a fan or not;-)

Alicia’s Top 3

What was your favorite (or least favorite) 2011 Super Bowl ad?

Do you ever wonder why you’re thirsty for a Coke after watching American Idol? Or suddenly have a hankering for an Oreo during a Friends rerun? This is the power of product placement; popular shows which draw thousands of viewers promote goods as part of the plot…  Notice as your favorite characters talk on iPhones, drive Fords or email from HP laptops. Coincidence?! I think not…

Also known as embedded marketing, this tactic became popular in the 1980’s. With the rise of DVRs and demise of commercials, marketers rely now more than ever on product placement as a form of creative advertising. In fact, 90% of people with digital video recorders skip TV ads altogether.  Most commonly placed products are automobiles, consumer electronics, computers, and tobacco. The queen of product placement herself, Ms. Carrie Bradshaw of the HBO series Sex and the City, touted almost every one of these categories and single-handedly increased Jimmy Choo shoe sales for the duration of the series.  Although, the series itself, as well as Apple, are rumored to have not accepted payment for placing certain products.

Its effectiveness is often assumed as the quantification methods used to track brand integrations are variable; however, it stands to reason products placed strategically in popular prime time series are likely exposed directly to their target audience.  So next time you turn on the big game, curl up for movie night or tune in to your favorite sitcom – notice what sports drink the players guzzle, what getaway car the villain drives and what cereal the family has for breakfast.  It may surprise you that they all have a brand name.

What are your thoughts on product placement?

When I say Starbucks, you say_______. If you answered “sea nymph” that’s just what the company was hoping you’d say… I, on the other hand, would’ve said coffee.

I wouldn’t be in this business if I didn’t deem the new Starbucks logo blog-worthy, especially since it’s been covered by every media outlet imaginable. We were intrigued when Starbucks announced the addition of alcoholic beverages to its menu (Drink For Thought) and now, to commemorate their 40-year anniversary, they’ve introduced a new logo. The brand specialist behind the decision is Adam Hanft, who regarded the siren logo iconic enough to stand-alone… I couldn’t disagree more.

However, I do understand the company’s direction and certainly appreciate the less is more theory but I’m failing to see the benefit in this re-brand. Can removing the company name from your logo actually be good for business? It worked for Mac, Nike and McDonald’s; the apple, swoosh, even the golden arches are as synonymous with their brand as the name itself but I’m not sure the sea nymph makes this same statement. Is this another Gap Mishap or is it true that there’s no such thing as bad publicity?!

What do you think about the new Starbucks logo?

As children, we’re given the freedom to create whatever we want – we can make a box a spaceship or turn a blank piece of paper into a work of art. We didn’t have the boundaries of society, telling us that we need to follow rules or that being unique isn’t okay. “In the past, researchers thought of creativity as the ability to generate lots of new ideas. But in recent years, experts have begun assigning equal importance to learning how to pick the best ideas and solve specific problems, often by working in teams”. (WSJ)

Based on this research, it is clear that if you allow people to be more creative in the office – they will be more productive, create better ideas and come up with better solutions to problems.

Do you allow for creativity? How?

It wasn’t long ago that we discussed Digital Distractions and whether or not the creative stream of consciousness is being adversely affected by our affinity for technology…  I think the following commercial for the new Windows 7 phone does an outstanding job exemplifying this and leveraging it as a selling point (plus, it’s just downright hilarious:-)  Need I say more?