Digital Hive

It would be more productive to just admit you've lost

According to a recent AdAge article, the advertising industry is hiring a PR outfit to burnish its sullied reputation. Apparently all of us working in advertising are suffering, what with the demise of the 30 second TV spot as the be all and do all of our clients' marketing toolkits.

I was delighted with the article's candor: "....consumer behavior and technological change call into question the relevance of ad agencies, especially the largest ones, and their best-known commodity, the 30-second TV spot." But I also sense denial - the industry's traditional reaction to the profound changes which have rocked our industry and consumers: "Our industry has had a reputation problem the past few years, though that's been turning a bit with the excitement around new media" (from Julie Thompson, co-chair of 4A's PR committee and communications chief at Leo Burnett).

My question is, why don't we just do better work as an industry, starting with giving customers what they want - instead of push marketing stuff at them that they don't want or need. And,why don't we actively embrace and enthusiastically promote "new media" (instead of begrudgingly admitting it just might be here to stay) which are finally giving consumers the control and engagement they crave from brands?

Instead of bemoaning big media's loss of control over John Q. Consumer, why not give the consumer even more power and enable his/her pursuit of control and content? Why aren't the leaders in the industry trying to actually lead, inspiring marketers as well as fellow agencies to start playing the game differently?

College kids using more internet than TV - is this bad or good?

We all know internet usage is up up up every time they take a measurement - particularly among younger consumers (see this recent Burst media study (reg. req'd) for the latest channel use statistics for college kids).

Some cranky parents and elders might say hey, all that time spent in front of a PC is eliminating your social skills, why aren't you outside playing basketball with all the other lovely young people you know. Go join the Boy Scouts or something to learn how to win friends and influence people.

Organic's Zachary Thacher has a modern take on the upside of IM'ing, gaming and MySpace: "Not to be a media-chauvinist, but the internet creates a space where you can watch a dorky video, contribute to a political campaign, chat with a friends, buy stuff, research a product and check out a buddy’s profile all at the same time. TV doesn’t compare, and it breeds inactivity."

He concludes: "the fact they’re taking away time from the passive medium of TV to interact with a global network can be a good indicator for what these kids will think is important as they mature: being connected, informed, involved."

I concur that internet is good!

Snaps to Three Minds' coverage (Zachary Thacher) and thoughts which got me going.

Search Engine Optimization for - dating?

OK so I guess I've been missing out on a major trend because I'm not single. According to the Wall Street Journal (reg. req'd), success with online dating services now requires the adoption of search engine optimization-like techniques. It's apparently not enough to be hot and available, you've also got to be an online marketing genius - and harness the power of the newly in control consumer, who's reviewing your every dating move and decision.

The WSJ opines: "Members of Engage.com can review people after one date for politeness and honesty. Consumating.com users give one another "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" depending on how clever their profiles are. JDate.com encourages members to talk about their dates on a message board, inviting them to share stories of "best dates, worst dates" as well as "turn-ons, turn-offs".... The result is an emerging caste system, where highly rated daters see a lot of action, and others are deemed undateable."

Sounds kind of rough - particularly for the gentle transaction of falling in love.

But, why shouldn't the customer be in control of buying this "product"?

Spinning out of (network) Control?

Last week in a meeting with Bear Sterns, David Poltrack, CBS Chief Research Officer and President of CBS Vision, reasserted that DVRs are actually a good thing for advertisers. "For the big shows--the most popular shows--it's quite feasible that there'll be more delivery of advertising exposures than they have now--even discounting for all the fast forwarding."  Poltrack claims that the DVR playback of these shows will actually increase current ratings by roughly 4 percent.  He went on to say with the proliferation of DVRs in US households, it will actually translate to higher commercial ratings for networks to sell to advertisers. 

Sounds like a rather rosy scenario for the TV networks.  And if you're shaking your head, I'm with you. 

As a DVR user, when watching shows in "playback" or "time-shifted", I always skip the commercials.  In talking with other DVR users, I know they do the same. 

There's a landmine in my hamburger

The New Zealand Campaign against Landmines (CALM; http://calm.org.nz/) is using executions on condiment packets to point out the dangers landmines represent. To open the packet, you have to rip someone's foot off. And if it's a ketchup packet, well, you get the idea.

According to a posting in AdFreak, “Well it is graphic, it is shocking, but so too is the reality—15,000-20,000 [people] having that sort of thing happening to them as a result of landmines,” says one backer.

A wonderful use of an unusual medium in a contextually relevant way to convey an important message.

More about the campaign here: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411749/829601

Thanks to AdFreak for this one: http://adweek.blogs.com/adfreak/
Original posting from Spare Room (http://www.spareroom.co.nz/2006/09/14/saucey-campaign-landmine-awareness/)

The Office - Webisodes We Like

The New York Times - staying on their game - offered their opinion on the bite-sized summer webisodes being aired by The Office. We had offered a pat on the back to NBC back in March for their foray onto the web during the slow summer months. And, still believe it's a good idea....but I'm with the NYT in feeling like it's a ripe idea poorly executed.

Perhaps Steve Carrell's contract doesn't cover the spots - but his absence along with those of the marquis characters leaves the avid Office fan feeling unsatiated. It's like the mini-chiclet of television wrapped in a big shiny package, emblazoned with advertising. Heavy on the ads and light on substance. There certainly isn't enough material to draw in new and perhaps younger viewers via the web, nor are they effectively feeding the interest of the fan base..... I'm left wondering just what exactly they were trying to accomplish?

The best anti-smoking ad ever?

Hats off to AdRants for calling our attention to this wonderful execution (click on the visual above to view full size). http://www.adrants.com/2006/06/grave-site-smoking-room-delivers-powerful.php

Another blog mentioning this creative (Coolz0r) identifies the insight for this creative: “You’re the weak link, you’re killing yourself. You’re going to die. Should you chose to ignore all these messages and still want to go to the crappy, smelly corner the law has left for you in the basement of the building or somewhere in a dark shed, you’ll be hunted there as well. This ambient installment tries to bring the message across that when you smoke, you’re dying. No, you’re already dead, you just don’t know it yet."

Brilliant. There's something very 6 feet under about this - which I like.

The industry apparently agrees - this campaign was awarded with a bronze lion for ‘Outdoor’ in Cannes.

Additional executions/visuals are here: http://blog.coolz0r.com/2006/06/29/smoking-kills/

Taking product sampling to a whole new place - bus shelters

Thanks to AdVerblog for a great post about some wonderful outdoor creative in Vienna done for a shower curtain manufacturer. There's nothing quite like giving prosepcts a chance to touch, feel and use your product before buying. Not sure what the online component is - certainly this offline idea would lend itself handily to engaging online interaction.

The ever-informative AdVerblog is at: http://www.adverblog.com/

Who do you trust?

Remember the good old days when doctors and professors were treated like gods-on-earth? For better or worse, their days under the sun may be numbered. For the first time ever, “a person like me” trumped both doctors and academic experts as the most credible spokesperson for a company, according to the seventh Edelman’s seventh annual Trust Barometer. And it’s not a low figure. Trust in peers has increased significantly – from 20% in 2003 to 68% today. Wow, that was fast. Yet more evidence that word of mouth goes along way nowadays, both off and online, and that consumers are pretty much fed up with push marketing. Speaking of online, the survey also measured trustworthiness of the internet, TV, and newspapers. While the TV still wins, its popularity as the #1 trustworthy media source has fallen from 39% (three years ago) to 29% today, while the internet is up from 10% to 19%. Will 2006 be the year that the internet beats TV and newspapers to become the #1 trusted media source? Stay tuned, or rather, stick online to see where this year takes us…

Way to engage, AOL!

Very rarely do I see a promotional idea and think "COOL". More rarely still is it couched in the context of entertainment and *gasp* reality TV! (The horror). But, this may be the best use of broadband i've seen in a long time...and a fascinating way to draw tv viewers online, blur the lines between media channels and bring sisomo to life. Read about it here

AOL has partnered with the creator of Survivor Mark Burnett to produce an online series called "Gold Rush" that will send participants around the country in search of buried treasure. Numerous touchpoints and opportunities for engagement are scattered throughout the show - keeping users engaged online and connecting geographies via the web.

According to the MediaWeek article, "In addition to the video clips, clues will be placed throughout the AOL network on sites like Moviefone and Mapquest.com, and viewers will be able to register to receive notifications of upcoming clues via AOL Instant Messenger or various mobile devices during the work day." It's a cross-channel promotion extravaganza!

Mark explained that his idea is rooted in how consumers' media use patterns are shifting: “I kept hearing more and more that so many more people are online between nine and five pm each day than are watching TV at night between 8 and 11,” he said.

I'll just say Way To Go AOL for staying on top of this 'first'.

How do others feel? Shameless attempt to keep the reality genre alive? Serious workday productivity reducer?