Converse Recruits Fans and Filmmakers For Creative

Jumping on the "consumer-created," outsourced creative trend, Converse and its agency, Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners have asked consumers and filmmakers to submit 24-second shorts for future use in television campaigns. The winner will receive $10,000. Painting the effort as opening a conversation with consumers, Converse VP of Global Marketing said, "We actually view our entire campaign as facilitating a conversation among those in our community." Whether the program brings Converse closer to its customers, gives between work filmmakers something to do or simply gets the shoemaker a lot of creative for free is up for discussion. What's clear is there will be a large body of work to choose from which, in the end, is not such a bad thing.

by Steve Hall    Dec-17-04    




Gillette to Launch Vibrating Razor For Women

Upon hearing Gillette's plans to launch a battery-powered Venus Vibrance, some might not think it's a razor the company's talking about. Though, we trust Gillette did its market research on this product name before planning to spend $40 million promoting it.

The new Venus Vibrance, similar to the men's M3Power razor, sends vibrations to the skin which raises the hair for a closer shave.

Commenting on why women will pay a 15 percent price premium on the Vibrance, Leo Burnett's LeoShe Co-Founder Denise Fedewa said, "Women are very discerning shoppers, but they will pay more for something when it has some kind of benefit, tangible or intangible to them, that justifies paying more. When these products are out in display in your bathroom, you want it to look nice, feel good in your hands or go over contours better. " And putting the capper on the double-entendre's Gillette Blade and Razor President Peter Hoffman, commenting on the original Venus's recent price cut, said, "Our testing indicated that there is an upside potential to penetrate more razors at a slightly reduced price."

Penetrate more razors? We can only assume he meant, "increase our share of razors sold," Now back to your regularly schedule, PG-rated advertising news and commentary.

by Steve Hall    Dec-17-04    




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