VW Screws Up Their Own Jetta Commercial

Volkswagen has always developed small but nifty features that really make a difference such as all the windows rolling up at the turn of a key in the outside door or a miniature visor behind the rear view mirror to catch the sliver of sun that always slips past the two big visors. There's even a helpful feature on the new Jetta's radio which, when turned on, automatically adjusts the volume downward to a more sane level from the previous night's earsplitting head banger session enjoyed while driving home from the club. Seems that feature would be ripe for riffing on and, in a new Jetta commercial, it has been, just not correctly.

Autoblog brings to our attention a reader who points out a flaw in the commercial. In the ad, a young man is trying to impress his older client with his spanking new Jetta but when the stereotypically old and un-hip client turns on the radio, seemingly looking for sedate news, and gets an earful of high decibel heavy metal, the plan goes awry. In real life, as opposed to fake advertising life, this guy would have been saved from humiliation. One would think this inaccuracy would be quickly pointed out by the marketing team at Volkswagen following the agency's presentation of the concept but, apparently, not even Volkswagen knows how cool their cars are.

6-Apr-05 » (0)

Steve Madden Ad Campaign Celebrates Return From Prison

The New York Times highlights a new campaign from footwear maker Steve Madden celebrating the return of founder Steve Madded upon release from prison after serving a 41 month sentence for stock fraud. The campaign will appear in national consumer and trade magazines as well as newspapers and bus shelters. It certainly seems to make sense following the welcome Martha Stewart received upon her return.

5-Apr-05 » (0)

The Thermasilk Ashlee Simpson Ad Campaign

Not really all that new but for history's sake, here's the Thermasilk campaign featuring vocally challenged Ashlee Simpson. Of course, it's all tied into her "Rockstar for a day" sweepstakes and ongoing tour which, humorously, has only sold out for three of the 36 dates.

5-Apr-05 » (0)

Paris Hilton Promotes Movie With Podcast

The girl who's famous for nothing is joining the geek squad by launching, on April 29, a podcast to promote her upcoming Stephen King movie House of Wax releasing May 6. Yes, now you can hear celebutante Paris Hilton coo, witlessly in your ears about her life, shopping and her tribulations making the movie. Podcasting has entered the building.

OK, so it's really Warner Brothers that's launching the podcast and using Hilton's popularity to promote it and the movie. As BL Ochman points out, this a good thing and a bad thing. It's good that podcasting will get major play. It's not so good the world's going to be introduced to podcasting by listening to Paris whimper about her life. On the upside, the movie stars Elisha Cuthbert.

5-Apr-05 » (0)

Viral Marketer Slams Brand to Promote Leukemia Cause

In an effort to draw attention to the worthy cause of Children with Leukaemia, AsaBailey has created a series of ads trashing personal hygiene cosmetics company L'Oreal as if they are related to the cause of Leukemia. While the "send to a friend" campaign is branded L'Orael (note different spelling), it's a brazen attempt at publicity at the expense of a brand that, as far as we know, doesn't kill kids.

While wrapped in the Leukemia flag and enabled by Bmycharity, the stunt is promoting Paul Tomkins' participation in back to back marathons to raise money for the charity. The cause is just but the tactics are questionable especially the non-sensical promotional cards showing Paul interacting with other brands for no apparent reason.

5-Apr-05 » (0)

Nielsen to Incent Local People Meter Users

Apparently, according to Nielsen, African American, Hispanic and large families are a bit shy of intelligence when it comes to using their people meters. To combat that, the company is rolling out a training program in six marketers to help couch these groups on the proper use of the local people meter survey mechanism, recently under fire for performance issues. The couching, in New York, LA, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., will include incentives for watching more TV...uh...we mean proper use of the monitoring device. The training is to include a written manual and classroom education.

5-Apr-05 » (0)

'Tryvertising' The Cool New Marketing Term

Trend watcher, TrendWatching has coined the term "Tryvertising" and likens it to various forms for viral and word of mouth advertising. On the one hand, it's just a new word, like viral advertising and word of mouth marketing, to describe a common information proliferation practice that's been in place since humans learned to communicate. On the other hand, it describes the increasing participation people engage in using the Internet via blogs, Tremor (and now, Tremor Moms), sampling sites and brand placement to "converse" about brand opinion and preference. While top-down, one way, brand to consumer communication will always have a place, successful marketers will realize that monitoring and engaging in brand conversation will become increasingly important.

5-Apr-05 » (0)

Dockers Co-Ops 'The Apprentice' in Online Promotion

Dockers, along with FHM has created a site that features the cast of The Apprentice modeling the company's clothes and answering probing interview questions such as "What's your best pick up line?" and "What wouldn't you be caught dead wearing in the boardroom?" Oddly, none of the contestants answered that question, "Standard preppy-wear from Dockers."

5-Apr-05 » (0)

Radio Comes to Cell Phones

Yesterday, MSpot launched MSpot Radio, a satellite radio-like, subscription streaming radio service designed for reception on cell phones. Currently used by Sprint, the service costs $5.95 per month and offers 13 channels of music, news, sports, finance, weather and talk including National Public Radio.

5-Apr-05 » (0)

Contextual Advertising Makes Triple Play

While search engine marketers sing the praises of contextual advertising, we love to sit on the sidelines and snicker at some of the more intriguing juxtapositions this far from perfect ad technology delivers. Today, it's The Ultimate Triple Play from Orbitz placed perfectly next to a different, and not so legal, triple play by former NBA player Shawn Kemp involving cocaine, marijuana and a gun. Thanks to Greg Johns for pointing this one out.

UPDATE: More contextual foolery: Google text ads are selling music albums created by the late Pope John Paul II.

4-Apr-05 » (0)