OK, this is getting boring. Very boring. Whoever handles the Maxtor account has created yet another Subservient Chicken rip off and this one sucks. The guy doesn't to anything. Can the entire industry just acknowledge the Crispin Porter + Bogusky scored with this tactic and just move on? Apparently to drum up interest in their hard drives, Maxtor has created Loser Loser loser - which they should have called Boring Boring Boring, a site that has all the usual stuff; the afformentioned Subservient Chicken rip off, a personality test, advice for losers from some guy named Dr. James Callahan and loser horoscopes. The one unique thing this site does have is ads. Yup. Ads for Maxtor. Funny. Sponsor your own viral site. Now that's kinda new. They actually sell ad space on the site. Not that anyone would actually buy.
In recognition of World Aids Day today, Medecins Sans Frontieres has launched a powerful Aids recognition video, created by Duval Guillaume Brussels, which calls attention to the exponential spread of the Aids virus in areas where treatment is mostly unavailable. The video is an amazing 3D creation that clearly and somberly calls attention to the devastating effects of the virus. The video finishes with "Don't let Aids gain more ground. Everyone must have access to treatment."
Only in the whacked out world of the advertising agency would a stunt like this occur. On the evening of Friday, November 18, advertising agency Boone/Oakley, Charlotte celebrated its fifth year in business with a wedding. Creative director John Boone married his companion creative director David Oakley. No, they're not gay. It was just another excuse to have a party and garner free publicity. Well, aside from the fact the agency's fifth anniversary was being celebrated.
A ceremony and dinner for approximately 150 clients, guests and family was held at local wedding hall, The Extravaganza Depot. Marriage vows were read by agency president Phil Smith, and other agency staff served as ushers and bridesmaids. Oakley looked a bit freakish in his formal gown, which his wife, Claire, helped him pick out and get fitted.
Quicktimes of the freak show can be viewed at the agency's website. Since it's a fancy Flash site, there's no direct link. Click on About and follow the links.
Eluded to at a recent ad:tech conference in New York, Word of mouth research and planning firm BuzzMetrics has launched a syndicated service to measure television discussion on blogs, message boards and other social media. Called TV*BuzzMetrics, the ratings service will provide television executives and advertisers "ongoing qualitative insights that help explain key drivers of viewer engagement, and understand potential value of new programs." Making this all possible, BuzzMetrics is a business affiliate of VNU, owner of research brands ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research.
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In support of its upcoming Word of Mouth Basic Training conference in Orlando January 19-20. the Word of Mouth Marketing Association has launched a blog called WOMBAT or Word of Mouth Basic Training. The blog includes a newsletter and podcast as well. In its first week, Ketchum's Paul Rand and Intelliseek's Pete Blackshaw shared tips and advice on word of mouth issues while author Jackie Huba launched the site's podcast series.
Copyranter (hey, we knew there were more ranters out there) points to a real estate ad in the New York Times Magazine for One Carnegie Hall that clearly states who is and who is not welcome to live at this address. The copy reads, "Dad's a surgeon at Mt. Sinai. Mom works at Sotheby's. Tyler is at Dalton. Baby sis is on the way." While that paints an airy picture of New York's upper crust, Copyranter translates the ad into reality here.
TBWA/Chiat/Day has created two spots, directed by Monkmus of Hornet, for Sony's PSP. Both promote the PSP as a device that can be played outdoors. The first spot, Dustballs, has a couple of, yes, dust balls talking to each other. One is trying to convince the other he doesn't have to be stuck inside watching Carpet. he can do it outside. The second, Squirrels, has two squirrels talking to each other. One tells the other he doesn't have to be stuck inside playing Nut. he can play it outside. get it? Sony wants us to know we can use its PSP outdoors. Next.
A recent survey of 2,574 US consumers commissioned by Jack Morton and conducted this year found Gen Y consumers - also known as "millennials" - respond strongly to live marketing events, which they prefer over TV and Internet advertising. While self serving, the study found 70 percent of 13 to 23 year olds say experiential marketing is extremely or very influential on their opinion of a product or brand. Sixty Five percent of 13 to 23 year olds say participating in an event would cause them to act more quickly to purchase a product. Seventy six percent of this demographic say participating in an event would make them more receptive to the brand or product's advertising. Seventy four percent of 13 to 23 year olds say participating in a live marketing experience is something they would tell others about.
Whether or not Jack Morton is drumming up business for it self with this study is irrelevant. What's very relevant is the fact Gen Y, and other demos for that matter, don't respond well anymore to traditional media. The emerging field of experiential marketing - a fancy name for event marketing - appears to be gaining traction and success at reaching elusive, traditional media-averse audiences.
Flipping the tell-me-what-to-do, Subservient Chicken style viral and turning the television into a sexual object, Philips UK has launched Ambilight, a site voiced by a woman cooing sexually laced phrases while images of a television and a lingerie-clad female are intertwined. The site asks visitors to answer four questions about themselves in a manner so non-threatening that before you know it, you've told Philips your age, income, email address and whether or not you live in the UK.
The site was developed to promote Philips' Cineo flat screen televisions and along with the engaging Q & A, the site enters you in a contest to win one of the new TVs. While some will toss this off as "been there done that," there's something about this site, even though it doesn't invent anything new, that keeps one's interest. Well, if you're a guy it does. Perhaps there's a version for women floating around somewhere too. Nice work.
Mennen has hooked up with Maxim to promote its Speed Stick deodorant with a series of whack videos illustrating the extreme dedication certain people have to certain sports. One guy is freakishly into ping pong and another goes nuts for air hockey. In December, we'll meet a wiffle ball freak. The videos are imbued with a nonchalant, "this is so normal" tone that seems to work. The site also has an online air hockey game and a chance to win a VIP sports weekend. As is required with anything Maxim and sports related, the site also carries the ubiquitous images of the dream girl hottie for viewing pleasure.
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