Digital Hive

The Dr. Martens brand story - an "anchor" for youth today?

I discovered something interesting I wanted to share - the Dr. Martens brand story (from their site, in italics below; emphasis added by me). Written by Martin Roach, it puts the brand into historical context while relating it very much to today.

I'm particularly struck by the idea of the one man army - you. As well, by the idea that in the sea of information and creativity today people need anchors - and Doc Martens is trying to be one of the anchors for youth today.

When the Dr. Martens boot first catapulted from a working-class essential to a counter-cultural icon back in the 1960s, the world was pre-internet, pre-MTV, pre-CD, pre-mp3s, pre-mobile phones … hey, they’d only just invented the teenager. In the years before the boot’s birthday, 1st April, 1960, kids just looked like tribute acts to their parents, younger but the same. Rebellion was only just on the agenda for some – for most kids of the day, starved of music, fashion, art and choice, it was not even an option. But then......

Let's hear it for happy

Snaps to Three Minds for a posting on a fun new online game from Uniqlo. Three Minds commends its UI and technique (I love this too, plus Uniqlo's products and general sunny attitude toward life) but what I really loved was the music. I left it on in a browser for like a half hour after I concluded my business at the site.

I also just caught Jet Blue's latest campaign (from JWT New York) which basically is all about making flying happy again. The TV spot opens the site experience (I first experienced the campaign on TV) and there's an explanation of the category-redefining campaign logic as well as quiz to see if you're a jetter. I like how the RTBs are woven into the storyline in a fun, experiential way.

But what I most love about both these campaigns is their exuberance and embrace of a sunny point of view. The energy (certainly fueled by the music, but also by visuals in the JetBlue example) is infectious and involving. I could feel my mood lifting as a result of experiencing the work. This is good.

Let's hear it for happy, and remind ourselves that sometimes the best thing a brand can do for a consumer is put a little spring in his step.

Volkswagen is still at it

I really enjoyed this post about recent DDB Paris' Volkswagen print from Got Ads. The ads celebrate the 60th anniversary of the beloved VW bus and have really terrific copy as well as visual style reminiscent of VW's late 60's US launch work.
I particularly enjoy how the 2 I'm showing here (click to view full size) relate the VW bus to all the changes the (predominantly Baby Boomer?) generation has experienced.

I realize agencies usually push clients to change up the campaign (and thus the brand) every couple of years or so, thus it's controversial to commend a brand for sticking to its creative guns for so long, but I really like how this style doesn't change (though the copy does stay up to date). And I think it works.

BTW I had forgotten how chock full of delightful creative Got Ads is, you should definitely bookmark it pronto.

Start the new year out with some savings!

I'm a little embarrassed but I'll just come out with it - I actually like this campaign called "Feed the Pig". There's a significant "cheese" factor (at least I think there is), but it still makes me laugh (no comments about what that says about me).

The campaign site is not particularly noteworthy, but does offer the campaign's 4 :30s (you'll enjoy them). The site explains about the campaign:

"Benjamin (the pig) is the star spokespig of a new national public service campaign from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and The Advertising Council. The goal of the campaign is to encourage the 40 million Americans age 25 to 34 to take control of their personal finances. The campaign, Feed the Pig ™, is a new component of the 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy effort which aims to educate Americans about how financial issues affect their lives. It features a Web site, www.360financialliteracy.org, offering free tools and resources to help Americans manage their finances through every stage of life.

"Become a friend of Benjamin! Check out his MySpace page!"

I think the creative solution to the (apparent) brief makes it hard to take the message in (is this what they mean when they talk about engaging?). You have a large human pig representing the bloated pork rind you've become as a result of over-spending. Most of us would probably prefer to be revealed naked in Times Square rather than discuss money much less look at ourselves head on in the financial mirror. Maybe we're finally ready for this message? After all, we've seen pretty wild financial headlines this year (Dow at 14,000; skyrocketing foreclosure rates). At least this pig is a nice pig (sus scrofa felix).

What I actually find more interesting than the campaign is its subject matter. I cannot recall a single past mass communication effort (certainly not a recent one) which was (apparently) charged with getting people to stop throwing their cash-advanced dollars into the sputtering US consumer economy. We all know the stats and signs, we read all the headlines about foreclosures.

Will be interesting to see if the market accepts it (though I applaud its creators for giving Americans the financial kick in the pants they need).

Who needs the funk?

Maybe it's because I have a 4 year old son.
Maybe it's because I can never hear enough from Parliment.
Maybe this is just really, really funny.
But even after - how many years of this campaign? - MasterCard can still hit one out of the park.
Enjoy.

Dove campaign in Budapest

I can't read Hungarian so I can't tell you what this ad says, but I can definitely tell you it's from Dove and is part of the real beauty campaign often blogged about here. Judging from the other ads I've seen here so far, this woman is a "real woman," not a model. I don't think I've seen an execution from this campaign with a dark background; perhaps the lighter seeming layouts aren't a global campaign mandate.

Now you can be beautiful on the inside too

There's a great article in today's online WSJ (subscription required) about  - of all things, Metamucil. Apparently when it comes to copywriting about this category, "constipation" is OUT, and "cleansing your body" is IN. The TV spot looks much more like a hair care or makeup spot (or perhaps even apparel) than the usual spot in the category does.

The CD on the account (from Publicis, in the interest of full disclosure) explains the rationale for the new direction (which sports the tagline "Beautify your insides"):

"When you feel healthy on the inside, it really does affect how you project yourself on the outside, and how you really look," says David Corr, executive creative director for Publicis Groupe, the agency that created the Metamucil ads. "Sure you want to put on a nice dress, but why wouldn't you want to tone your insides, too?"

What makes viral content "take off"?

Influx Insights led me to an interesting post from a marketer (Dan Germain) at the UK's Innocent Drinks, pondering what makes viral content "take off." He reveals an interesting story which dramatizes viral's new role in agency/client relationships (though I'm not sure that was his intention).

He got a visit from an agency wishing to work with his brand, the agency had prepared a spot that wasn't quite their cup of tea, the spurned agency then posted the spot on YouTube and as of Sunday at 3:03PM it had 4,480 views. Innocent Drinks also posted it on their blog, asked brand fans to comment, and got many pro and con posts about the spot.

A few interesting points in my mind. First, posting on the blog brand lovers frequent seems like a great way to test a creative idea. Cheap, low risk, and probably providing a pretty reliable read.

Dove campaign controversy?

Commercial Archive has an interesting post about the Dove campaign, the campaign we continue to love. Apparently some pro-family group is now boycotting Dove in protest of their campaign's recent nudity. Oh and shrinks are saying any images of nude women are "contributing to the sexualization of women as a commercial tool, as well as exposing children to adult nudity."

I say, good for Dove for geting people talking about their campaign, and, get over it people. Actually, hopefully they'll keep blathering about it so the campaign maintains momentum.

I keep wondering when a woman will commit the ultimate sin and criticize the campaign. Rosie O'Donnell perhaps? That would make this "dialogue" actually interesting. If Elisabeth Hasselbeck says something nice about the campaign that might set off the fireworks.

Great Nike spot

You should check out this great new Nike spot (AdAge, reg. might be req'd to see the spot; click on "Brand Jordan" link) - set to Mozart's Requiem, it recounts the final tense seconds of a close basketball game.

(the posted version is the :60, which is a rare treat to see)

I swear some of the talent's poses were drawn from medieval and renaissance paintings. Insanely dramatic and poignant.

I don't much like basketball, I don't care about basketball shoes at all, but I do love watching this spot. I love that there is no copy. I love that it's almost completely unbranded. I love that it's in slow motion. I love the pathos. I love that there's no viral component, no sweeps, no promotion, no way to get involved with the brand except to stop and enjoy the spot. I love that it's just wonderful entertainment.

I didn't go to the website and I don't intend to.

The first time I saw it was (appropriately) in a movie theater and it was truly awesome.

Nice work, Wieden & Kennedy. Thanks for the reminder that brilliant creative un-adorned with marketing mechanics can still inspire awe.