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5 Steps to Create And Motivate Brand Advocates

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I have become fairly accustomed to analyzing the behavior of our customers' brand advocates in order to better serve our clients and develop our own Best Practices. Plus, it's just interesting to understand what motivates people to do stuff for your brand that, to be honest, they don't really have to do.

Remember Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs? Fascinating stuff. To boil it down, there are needs every human has, and we take care of the most basic ones first, then we progress to needs that have to do more with our self esteem and personal growth - this is where brand advocacy fits in.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-21-14    
Topic: Brands



Olsen Twins (Smartly) Avoid Full House Reunion Super Bowl Ad

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John Stamos has been the Danon Oikos spokesperson for quite some time. This year, the brand's teaser has him reunited with his former Full House co-stars Bob Saget and Dave Coulier. There isn't much to the teaser. Stamos finishes watching the game (while eating some Oikos, of course), the camera pans to reveal Sagat and Coulier, Stamos says, "Time to go to bed boys," and Saget asks, "isn't it time we all got our own places?" All respond with, "Nah!"

Now all we need are the Olsen Twins to sachet in wearing bikinis to make this scenario even more awkward!

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by Steve Hall    Jan-21-14    
Topic: Celebrity, Super Bowl 2014



VW's Big Game Tease Nets Orgasm of Super Bowl Ad Memes

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It's not like an ad agency to share its inner concepting thoughts with the outside world before the final product is complete -- it's kind of like a chef barfing up his mistakes -- but that's just what San Francisco-based agency Argonaut with this Super Bowl teaser ad for VW. The agency will also create the brand's ad for the game.

Complete with a brain fart of babies, midgets, chimpanzees, sports figures, Indians, twerking, puppies, a hashtag, a unicorn, balloons, confetti, dinosaurs, bikinis, Carmen Elektra, Abe Lincoln and a tennis ball to the nuts, the agency has unleashed an orgasm of Super Bowl memes from years past.

Everyone thinks more clearly after they've, ahem, released a bit of pent up energy.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-21-14    
Topic: Super Bowl 2014



4 Ways to Become the Number One Brand in Your Category

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Competition. It's a way of life. There's no way around it but there is a way to win. How? You have to outwit, outlast and outplay your competitor. No, this isn't Survivor the TV show (remember that?). It's business. And in business the stakes are much higher.

So how can you outwit, outlast and outplay the other brands in your category? Here are four ways from AdClarity:

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by Steve Hall    Jan-21-14    
Topic: Brands



Skateboarders Raise Middle Finger to Establishment With Invisible Ramps

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When snowboarding came to the slopes of ski areas the world over, most skiers looked down their noses at boarders labeling them punks whose antics destroyed the peaceful beauty of downhill skiing. In many ways, that view was correct yet over the years skiers and boarders have learned to co-exist.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-20-14    
Topic: Guerilla



Everyone Hates the Venmo Ad Campaign

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If you're in New York, perhaps you've seen the out-of-home campaign for Venmo, an app that makes it easy to send money to a friend. It features Lucas (who actually works at Venmo) staring off into space with copy that doesn't say much.

Copy includes, "Lucas buys a round" and "Lucas uses Venmo" and "Lucas takes the stairs" and Lucas has dreams." The ads don't explain Venmo which in and of itself is a worthy tactic with the aim of getting people curious enough to find out for themselves.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-20-14    
Topic: Outdoor



Aerie Aims to Boost Girls' Self-Esteem by Retiring Photoshop

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For it's Spring 2014 ad campaign, American Eagle sister store for lingerie, Aerie, has decided to go au natural. No, the models will not be in their birthday suits but they won't be retouched. At least that's what the new campaign is promising.

A new campaign which promises, "No more retouching our girls and no more supermodels," features "regular" girls because "the real you is sexy." As well, the campaign is, "challenging supermodel standards by featuring unretouched models in their latest collection of bras, undies and apparel."

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by Steve Hall    Jan-20-14    
Topic: Trends and Culture



Top Social Marketing Trends to Watch in 2014

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If the Internet revolutionized the notion of commerce in America, then it was the rise of social media that revolutionized how goods and services are marketed. Yes, not so long ago social media was the next great frontier in marketing. Today, that frontier is all around us.

This notion is hardly lost on modern marketers. However, what is of paramount importance is navigating the ever-shifting landscape of social media to ensure the widest exposure possible. After all, it is only through innovation and staying ahead of the curve that marketers will reach their target demographic across a wide variety of platforms.

And it is indeed a "wide variety." So with that in mind, here are some current trends that look at all areas of social in order to help marketers craft winning strategies.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-17-14    
Topic: Social, Trends and Culture



Arnold Schwarzenegger to Appear in Bud Light Super Bowl Ad

Not one to appear much in ads, at least in America, big time action star and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will reportedly appear in a Bud Light Super Bowl ad. He will be one of several celebrities to appear in two ads created by BBDO. The two ads, entitled Epic Night, will tell a story across each of the ads.

The New York Post reports Schwarzenegger will receive $3 million for his appearance in the ad.

Of the appearance in the ads, a source told The New York Post, "Arnold has shot a series of ads in Japan but pretty much hasn't done anything in the US. Persuading him to promote a beer is a big coup for Bud Light."

Other celebrities appearing in Super Bowl ads include Scarlett Johansson for SodaStream, Laurence Fishburne -- as Morpheus -- for Kia, Stephen Colbert for Wonderful PIstachios, Danica Patrick for GoDaddy, David Beckham for H&M and Ben Kingsley for Jaguar.

by Steve Hall    Jan-17-14    
Topic: Celebrity, Super Bowl 2014



Four Reasons Dogs Are Way More Amusing Than Humans

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OK these are awesome! What's awesome? These Carmichael Lynch-created spots for Subaru, part of the brand's Dog Tested, Dog Approved campaign. In four spots, a family of four dogs, The Barkleys, re-enact typical human scenarios that happen to involved a car.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-17-14    
Topic: Campaigns



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