Great Marketing Strategy By Nissan

Nissan North America, I think, has hit one out of the park with this one. The article I will link to below from MediaPost, describes Nissan North America's efforts to 'sponsor' a whole city. It's akin to how Coke & Pepsi have long worked to establish relationships with higher education institutions so that only their products are carried there. It's actually a part of Clear Channel Outdoors' "Branded Cities" arm. Read more about Branded Cities by clicking HERE.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=65964&Nid=33422&p=320064

I like this strategy because it really gives them an opportunity to focus on innovative ways to integrate the Nissan brand into the culture and daily life of the city. It might be tough for, say, a Subaru brand loyalist that comes into town, but I think if they did it right, it could really create a soft spot for the Nissan brand for many people.

Kudos, Nissan.

Garret

Branding is Everywhere

Branding is everywhere. Check it out:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2007-07-26-burger-chips_N.htm?csp=34






















Yum - I wonder if they'll be available for sale at Burger Kings near me? I might be heading to the BK here in Annapolis, Maryland to check it out. It has to be the lesser of two evils, right? Right???

Cool package design, too!

Garret

MORE Viral Marketing for The Simpsons Movie

Hi all -

By now, most of you have heard that The Simpsons are coming out with a new movie very soon. I say that because it's one of the best marketed movies that I've seen in recent memory. Everywhere you look, there's The Simpsons. You all read my post recently about how a number of 7-11 stores, including one in Maryland had turned into The Simpsons Kwik-e-Marts. If you haven't go HERE. Then, shortly after that, I saw huge banner ads taking over Myspace.com promoting the movie. Then, I went to see a flic at Muvico, and saw a ginormous Simpsons donut in the theater.

Now, I received an email from one of my friends that directed me to the www.simpsonizeme.com Micro site. This thing is awesome. It lets you upload a picture of yourself and in a few minutes it spits back an image of your likeness, animated to look like a Simpsons character.

Now that's brandertainment! Here's how my picture turned out:





















Pretty sweet, huh? ; )

SWEET!

I thought it might be a good idea to pass along Ad Age's latest poll to try and get more consumers to respond. You know how we love market research.... Here you go: BACKGROUND: Eleven major food marketers have now pledged to curb or eliminate marketing aimed at children. Among the promises: Coca-Cola and Hershey won't aim advertising at kids younger than 12. Mars/Masterfoods won't advertise any of its candies to kids but might at some point advertise its better-for-you snacks. PepsiCo, Kraft Foods, Kellogg, General Mills, McDonald's, Unilever and Campbell Soup will limit all their marketing of food to children younger than 12 to more healthy foods. Yet past attempts at better-for-you offerings haven't flown off the shelves.









THIS WEEK'S POLL QUESTION: If food marketers follow through on their promise to shift ad dollars to support more-healthful options, will there be a corresponding uptick in sales? VOTE & COMMENT for possible publication in next week's 'Advertising Age' at http://adage.com/poll?poll_id=79

Boomers Unload Their Stuff Online

Hi all -

Read this from the Center for Media Research earlier today and thought I'd post it. Good consumer research on baby boomers....

Previous White Collar Boomers Dominate Used Bookselling Online

According to an extensive poll of used booksellers in the U.S. by AbeBooks.com, it is the ‘Baby Boomer' generation who are committed to extending used bookselling businesses deeper into cyberspace, the world's largest online marketplace for new, used, rare and out-of-print books.

Online bookselling has only existed since the mid-1990s, says the report, and the research shows how the profession appeals to entrepreneurial "Silver Surfers." The poll also says that long working hours and knowledge of technology are key aspects of the job.

Key findings include:

• 79% of Online booksellers are aged over 45 - more than half have a degree or a higher qualification
• Most sellers had left white-collar careers to become booksellers. The most common previous professions were jobs in teaching, libraries, sales, and m anagement
• 11% work between 51 and 60 hours per week, and 9% are working more than 60 hours a week with the online cataloging of books being the most time-consuming task
• 25% will increase their online book inventory by between 10% and 25% in 2007
• 21% plan to launch their own e-commerce website
• Sellers acquire books through a large number of sources, many of which require time on the road, including library sales, estate sales, private sales, and auctions. 26% had traveled up to 100 miles to buy a book and 9% had gone abroad to buy books
• Many sellers also sell through other online marketplaces and 74% had set up their Internet selling operation without outside IT assistance
• 60% of sellers polled operate purely online. The others had bookstores or showrooms
• 64% of the sellers offer mostly out-of-print books and most specialize in a number of genres. History, fiction and children's books are the most common
• 68% list falling book prices as their biggest fear for the future but 38% are also concerned that fewer young people are reading books now
• Despite their long working hours, 33% read between five and 10 books per month

Hannes Blum, CEO of AbeBooks.com, says "...this profession... requires dedication to build up an online inventory of books and considerable effort to find books ideal for the Internet. ... (More than 8,000 booksellers from the US currently)... offer over 100 million books through AbeBooks that could expand to 120 million by the end of 2008..."

Find more about this study here.

Are You Listening, Electronics Retailers?

From The Center for Media Research....very good article, and interesting information. We don't currently have any electronics retailer customers, but I'm working on that!

Consumers Spend More on Electronics if Studied First on Web

According to new research from Yahoo! and ChannelForce, consumers who search online for televisions and digital cameras spend ten percent more when making their purchase in-store than those who did not use a search engine. The survey also found that a vast majority research products online prior to making in-store purchases, and that online research is helping consumers make key purchasing decisions before they enter a store.

Key findings include:

• Seventy five percent who researched their purchases before visiting a retail location used the Internet as their primary source of information. The leading online resources were retail Web sites (73 percent), manufacturer websites (68 percent) and search engines (49 percent).
• Those who search spend an average of $31 more on digital cameras and $46 more on digital camera packages; and an average of $139 more on TVs and $190 on TV packages.
• More than 80 percent of consumers who research before making a purchase end up buying a brand from their original consideration set. The remaining 20 percent said the in-store sales person was highly influential in their decision.
• About 75 percent of people did not know the model they wanted when they walked into a retail store.

David Rubinstein, senior director, Yahoo! Search Marketing, says "This study confirms and quantifies that a more informed consumer is a more valuable consumer... "

Kurt Higgins, president, ChannelForce, noted "... the brand experience begins well before the shopper walks into the store, and this study confirms how critical the in-store experience is to the consumer's decision..."

Carbon Neutral Printing

I just wanted to give a quick "shout out" to one of the printers that we call on regularly, Mosaic.








I just got a note from them in the mail that they are now CARBON NEUTRAL. This is a huge step forward in printing, and they deserve some recognition for their efforts. What does Carbon Neutral mean, you ask? It means that they do their part to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions to the point where they are eliminating as much as they are producing.

Through use of wind power, participation with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), reforestation programs, waterless printing and solvent and materials recycling, they have become one of the most environmentally friendly printers in the country. That's a big accomplishment. Oh, and for those that don't think an environmentally conscious printer is important, consider this - in printing the note they sent me and their other customers in the mail, their environmentally friendly methods saved the following resources:

6 trees
18 lbs of water-born waste not created
2,589 gallons wastewater flow saved
287 lbs solid waste not generated
564 lbs net greenhouse gases prevented
4,318,000 BTUs of energy not consumed
293 lbs air emissions not generated
697 cubic feet natural gas unused

All this is the equivalent to planting 20 trees or not driving 318 miles....



















We're proud to work with Mosaic to print our clients' marketing materials, and we look forward to doing so for a long time to come. If you're interested in doing business with Mosaic, please call Tim Keagy at 301-927-3800 or email him TKEAGY at mosaicprint.com.

Here's their Web site: www.mosaicprint.com

Garret

Seniors Get Wired

Here's a good article from today's Baltimore Sun - Christina found it online at www.baltimoresun.com. This article discusses technology use among people above 65 years old. For quite some time, many companies have been reluctant to pursue this group of people with new technologies such as the Internet and mobile devices. This article suggests that increasingly, seniors are jumping on board and consuming technology like their younger counterparts.

Check it out: http://www.baltimoresun.com/technology/bal-te.ha.seniors02jul02,0,5143046.story?coll=bal-technology-headlines

I wonder how many of the people lined up to buy the iPhone were over 65?

Garret

Reverse Product Placement

Hi all - It's been a while - sorry about that. I know you all missed my musings, so here's one for you, and no it's not an iPhone blog. This story is very near and dear to my heart, because it involves one of my favorite televisions shows...ever. Now we're all familiar with product placement - and if you're not, and want to read more, read the blogs I wrote about it here.

But you've probably never heard of reverse product placement, which is something that has been brought to the forefront lately because of this story: http://wjz.com/topstories/topstories_story_183095840.html The Simpsons' new movie will be coming out in theaters around the country soon, and in preparation and to build the buzz, the movie company has struck a deal with 7-11 stores around the country to turn select stores into Kwik-e-marts (even one here in Maryland). Not only is it a great, fun idea, but it turns out it was funded entirely by the 7-11 chain, and didn't really even cost them anything, because they made profit on the Simpsons branded items in-store. Here's a picture of one of the stores:
















Great move! Reverse product placement - it's here, and you'll be seeing more of it.

Garret

Funny Commercial

I was watching the television the other day and I saw a funny commercial that I immediately had to "YouTube" to watch again. Here it is, with my commentary below:



I started to think about what the brief must have looked like when it was handed to the creative team. That's the 'ad dork' in me coming out. It probably said something pretty simple: Wendy's burgers are fresh, not frozen, like the "other guys." It's a pretty simple message - not very compelling in that form. The job of the agency was to make it dramatic.

Rather than focusing the concept on the actual chunk of frozen meat, the agency decided to dramatize instead the fact that Wendy's was bucking convention and doing things differently. The creatives used their right brain to come up with the silly idea that just because everyone else sits around kicking trees, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. Once they conveyed that idea, they drove home their message, that Wendy's burgers are fresh. Makes me want one, what about you?

The bottom line is, this is one of those commercials that is both wildly entertaining, but also really does a great job of sending the right message. The customer gets what makes a Wendy's burger better than those "other guys" right away.

Kudos Wendy's.

Garret

My Thought For The Day...

My thought for the day comes from one of the most prolific advertising professionals that has ever lived. Nobody in history has grasped the fundamentals of advertising like David Ogilvy.

"Advertising people who ignore research are as dangerous as military generals who ignore decodes of enemy signals."

Garret

One:One Marketing

Hi all - My colleague Christina recently passed along a story she ran across on NPR about the up and coming marketing vehicle called Word of Mouth Marketing. It's actually been around since the dawn of time, but I call it up and coming because it is actually making its way into actual marketing plans now. Heck, there's even an association: The Word of Mouth Marketing Association! Here's the link to their Web site: www.womma.org.

Here's the article: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10355723

And here's some Georgetown U students that were just "wordofmouthed!"










I think this is going to be a vital form of viral marketing, especially in an age where consumers are increasingly resistant to many forms of traditional advertising. What do you think?

Garret Ohm

Now That's Guts

I always say that to create great marketing, you must have guts. You must be able to throw caution to the wind and forgo safety. Here's a great example.

Starting soon, Saturn will be stocking their showrooms with brand new Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys, two of America's best selling cars in history. Dealers there will offer free test drives of each of these cars, and allow consumers to compare them with the Saturn Aura to pick which one they like best.

THAT'S guts on the part of both their agency and their marketing department. For me the consumer, it sounds like Saturn is pretty darn sure their car can compete head-to-head and win. I'm SURE this move will sell lots of cars.

Full article HERE.

I Coined a New Word Today

Brand Defender O.k, it's two words.

Definition: Someone who is so fiercely brand loyal that they feel the need to constantly boast about how one brand is better than the other. This person is likely to get heated when they run into someone that doesn't share their brand preference.

Here's an example: Today I was going by the mail room at my office and saw that someone was sending their Netflix movie back in the outgoing mail. Me personally, I love Blockbuster Total Access. It's essentially the same as Netflix, but you have the option of returning and renting in store as well. It's Netflix, improved. I love it. I love it so much, I have become a brand evangelist, telling all about my love for the brand. But when I saw the Netflix envelope, my first reaction was to look in and see who it was so I could go ask them why the hell they weren't Blockbuster customers!!! I'm the same way with Subaru and Porsche...I am a brand defender (TM)!!!!!

I like to think that we have turned many a regular consumer into brand defenders over the last 19 years. We look forward to creating many more for years to come.

Garret

New Media Research on Online Video Ads

Hi all,

Just a quick recap of some consumer research that I just read from The Kelsey Group about the media consumption habits of consumers - pretty compelling stuff:

Nearly six in 10 Web users (59%) have watched online video ads

Of 296 respondents who had viewed a video ad:

43% said they then clicked on a Web site
22% requested more information
18% went to a store
15% made a purchase
11% forwarded the video to a friend
9% signed up for a product or trial
3% ordered a subscription
45% took no action

Good stuff - it just goes to show you that online video works. Why? Kelsey hypothesizes (and I agree wholeheartedly) it's because consumers who consciously click to view are motivated, and they are one click away from making contact or responding to the ad. Televisions viewers, on the other hand, are usually sitting on the couch and unlikely to make a move before they forget about the ads.

Here's one of the favorite online ads I've ever seen:




Garret

How Do YOU Feel About This? (Another gas gripe..)

This is a huge issue for me. I own a car that makes a lot of its power by a turbo charger, which means that I have to put premium fuel in my car (for anyone curious, my pride and joy is pictured below). Right now, in Anne Arundel County Maryland, premium fuel is going for right around $3.50 a gallon. I was bitter. And then I read THIS article. Even more bitter.

















Why then, did I also just read THIS? Now I'm not a genius, but it sounds to me like the oil companies are hitting it filthy rich while the rest of us Americans are pinching pennies to pay for our trip to work every day. It just doesn't seem like good PR. Now that some car companies are making high-powered hybrids, or at least have them in development, I'm seriously thinking about it.... Garret

Hey Kids, Stock Up On Cocaine Before It's All Gone....

Did you guys see this? I knew it was coming, but I didn't know it would be front page news on most of the major networks.

I have to applaud their courage in coming up with a striking, somewhat polarizing name - I think it probably is a name that received a lot of attention and did (for better or for worse) resonate with the target audience. And it certainly makes a statement in a sea of energy drinks with hardcore names, although none are as hard as COCAINE: Monster, Amp, Vault, Jolt, Red Bull, Rockstar, etc...












But in the end, you had to know that the FDA was going to take issue with a product, marketed to the Nation's youth, with the same name of an illicit drug.

Here's the full story on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/diet.fitness/05/07/energy.drink.ap/

This just in - the new name: Angel Dust! Just kidding....

Garret

Flash Animation Intros....UGH

Flash animation intros used to be the cool thing to do - back in the early 1990s when the Internet was invented. You'd see them everywhere, on sites from a law practice to a musical group. And, even though you'd see them everywhere, you still watched them until the very end because they were new and cool.

Times are different now. It's over a decade later, and the Internet has changed a bit. Everyone's using it, and they're not as patient as they used to be. Hungry for information, today's Internet user doesn't have time to sit and wait for Flash animation to load - especially a lame slide show that drags on for 30+ seconds and tells you nothing important. It's even worse if it's not programmed with a cookie and you have to be subjected to it EVERY time you come to a site.

I'm seeing too many of these lately, and as an Internet user (not a marketer) I'm sick of it. I started to wonder how many people in the year 2007 are watching Flash intro animations, and how many are hastily hitting the "skip intro" button. I did a little bit of secondary consumer research and found that Flash intro animations are among the top things that consumers hate most about Web sites. Another source says that the "skip intro" button may just be the most clicked button on the entire Internet.

So why are they still being used? WHY? My guess is that they're done by Internet chop shops that love to do these intricate designs to make some money. They're certainly not doing what's in their clients' best interest by making a site that will actually work. What they've created is one annoying Web site. Yuck.





I think as consumers, we should take a stand. I encourage you to send an email to the Webmaster or the management of the next Web site you see with an animated intro telling them just how annoyed you are by their flagrant use of Flash. Better yet, copy and past the URL of this blog into the email, and let this blog do the talking for you. It'll save you some time. And I KNOW how important your time is.

Thanks for reading,

Garret Ohm

Another Presidential Candidate Web 2.0 Whoopsie

In scouring today's news I read Wendy Davis from Media Post's blog regarding presidential hopeful Barack Obama and the recent snafu surrounding his Myspace page.
















Here's the article - thanks Wendy: http://blogs.mediapost.com/online_minute/?p=1494

In case you don't want to read it, or don't have time, here's the cliffs notes: Guy supports Obama. Guy makes a Myspace page devoted to Obama. Obama loves it. Obama page gets lots of hits and friends and has great support. Guy spends too much of his time on the site, keeping up with supporters. Guy wants a bit of compensation for his effort. Obama takes over the site. Guy is ticked. Guy gets no money. It's a great read, and yet another great example of why it pays to be in touch, even if you're America's next president. Shouldn't one of his staffers have started this page the minute he started on the campaign trail instead of a friend of Obama's?

Garret Ohm

Non-Traditional Retail Outlets

Similar to my blog about the need for marketers to find new, non-traditional mediums (which, you can read HERE or maybe even HERE), I recently saw an article in the Maryland Daily Record written by Kathleen Jarboe that discusses the need for retailers to think of alternate sales channels to get it done these days. I wanted to pass it along, because it really illustrates a retailer thinking out of the box to connect on an even deeper level with its clients. Here's the article:

You’d need determination to find a copy of “A Gentleman Gets Dressed Up” at the Borders book store in Columbia. There are no aisles dedicated to Grooming. And the book is not on the tables of best sellers and new releases that greet shoppers at the entrance.

Instead, Borders sells the tome back in the Health and Diet section.

But down the road at Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, the book is showcased with colorful silk ties next to the cash register — just where men thinking about dressing well are likely to see it.

Sometimes a bookstore isn’t the best place to sell a book. And publishers are increasingly taking note.

“You’re going to start finding books where you wouldn’t have expected to before,” said Damon Goude, a publicist with publisher Thomas Nelson Inc. in Nashville.

Retailer Jos. A. Bank has purchased more than 8,000 copies of “A Gentleman Gets Dressed Up,” according to publishing house Thomas Nelson, and Brooks Brothers has bought at least 15,000 copies of a leather-bound edition of the book.

In comparison, traditional bookstores nationwide have only sold 4,000 of the same title since it was published in 2003, according to Nielsen BookScan.

An assistant manager at Jos. A. Bank says the book and others from the Gentleman series sell well during the holidays and as gifts. One customer bought each groomsman in his wedding party a copy of “How to Be a Gentleman.”
“If we relied on [traditional book] stores to carry it, it wouldn’t be alive anymore,” said David Leach, a national account manager for special sales at Thomas Nelson.

Jos. A. Bank also sells a book on grilling, a collection of Sudoku puzzles, a tome of quotes from sports legend Yogi Berra and several books of advice for fathers.

Men’s clothing chains aren’t alone in selling books to their customers.
Starbucks began selling novels last year. At home design shop Calico Corners in Fulton, you can pick up a book on decorating tips.

The Vitamin Shoppe hosts a lending library in stores and sells books, too. The health supplement chain has bought at least 125,000 copies of “Prescription for Natural Cures” for its stores, according to the book’s publisher, John Wiley & Sons Inc.

And, of course, there are even more stores selling books these days, from craft stores to home improvement centers. Williams-Sonoma has been selling books for years. But now they also sell their own books, featuring kitchenware in the store.

The “Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast, Slow Cooker” title retails for $17.95. They also sell the All-Clad Deluxe Slow Cooker for $249.95.

“There truly is a customer for everything. You just have to make the match,” said Kim Hendrickson, associate director of special sales at Wiley.

Most major publishers have long had personnel dedicated to placing books outside of the traditional market of colleges, libraries, bookstores and online booksellers such as Amazon.com.

Beyond retail deals, the departments focus on selling books at traveling book fairs, gift stores, trade associations and even online via e-books.

Not all sales to retailers involve thousands of copies of books like the ones at The Vitamin Shoppe and Jos. A. Bank. Still, the potential for growth has caught the eye of upper management, especially as book sales have lagged.


Consumers bought 1 percent fewer books at bookstores in January 2007 than the previous January, according to the American Booksellers Association. January marked the seventh consecutive month that bookstore sales had lagged sales from the previous year.

“The bookstore market is flat,” Leach said. “We have to find another way to get the books out.”

The sales are still small compared to traditional bookstores. Leach of Thomas Nelson said traditional booksellers bring in three times more revenue than non-traditional shops.

But non-traditional booksellers have given life to titles that would once be collecting dust. Most of the special sales at publishing houses involve books that are more than a year old that might not be getting big marketing pushes anymore. While bookstores snap up new titles, non-traditional booksellers often want a title they can already see, touch and feel that might ring in good sales for the season.

Leach said Thomas Nelson would likely have stopped selling the Gentleman books by now if Brooks Brothers hadn’t kept buying them and requesting the publisher to put out new titles in the series.

At publishing house John Wiley & Sons, one of the best selling special sales books now is a title on making margaritas.

“[Non-traditional booksellers] are marketing to their demographic, who might not necessarily know about the book but are looking for the book,” said Francesca Minerva, director of special sales at New York-based publisher Rodale Inc.

Shoppin' For Mom's Day

Good info from the Center for Media Research:

According to the National Retail Federation's 2007 Mother's Day Consumer Actions and Intentions survey, consumers plan to spend $15.73 billion This Mother's Day, spending an average of $139.14 on the holiday compared to last year's $122.16.

The study found 84.5% of consumers plan to celebrate this year by spending:

• $1.6 billion on clothes and accessories (37.0%)
• $2.1 billion on jewelry (32.8%)
• $2.3 billion on flowers (72.4%)
• $3.1 billion on a special dinner or brunch at their favorite restaurant (61.0%)
• $1.3 billion on a trip to the spa or beauty salon (19.7%)

NRF President and CEO, Tracy Mullin, said "For mom, it's the thought that counts..."

Other popular gifts for the holiday are:

• Greeting cards (86.8%)
• Gift certificates (39.3%)
• Books or CDs (29.3%)
• Housewares or gardening tools (18.5%)
• Consumer electronics or computer related accessories (11.3%)

Consumers intentions to purchase at various locations include:

• 37.5% will purchase at a specialty store, such as a florist, jeweler or electronics store
• 24.0% of consumers will shop at a discount store
• 29.0% will head to a department store
• 2.9% will buy from a catalog
• 20.0% of consumers will shop for mom online

Phil Rist, Vice President of Strategy at BIGresearch, who conducted the study, said "... consumers continue to spend on special, one-of-a-kind gifts for (mom)."

According to the findings, men plan to spend the most this Mother's Day, with the average male shopper planning to spend $172.91, compared to women's estimated $107.18.

• Shoppers ages 25-34 will spend $151.42
• 35-44 year olds will spend $147.30
• 55-64 year olds: $138.14
• 18-24 year olds: $137.73

For more information, please visit the National Retail Federation here.

Health Providers Doing Things Differently

Hi there -

As an agency that does a lot of healthcare marketing, we like to stay up on the trends in the industry. I've been hearing a lot about changes in the healthcare field, brought on by frustrations with the current system, but until last night, I hadn't been affected, nor had I seen real evidence of change. Then I received this letter from my primary care physician:


Dear Patients:

As many of you already know, I have been considering changing the way I practice medicine. Over the past decade, pressure from insurance companies and HMO's has grown intensely, resulting in less time for direct patient care, added referral-preauthorization requirements, and more restrictive medication formularies. The Doctor-Patient relationship has been trivialized. Health care delivery is laden with unnecessary delays and obstacles. We are all frustrated.

I have decided to break free of this system and cease participation in the present insurance environment. I invite you to join me in a new practic limited to a maximum of 600 patients, as opposed to the current 3,000+. This will enable me to provide personalized and comprehensive outpatient preventive healthcare. Appointments will be a half hour long, with same or next day access. The rush and interference of a larger practice will be eliminated, and it its place will be ample time to answer all your questions and meet all your needs. I will be on call twenty-four hours a day. Appropriate coverage would be arranged if I am on vacation or ill. My staff and I will deliver timely, caring, and comprehensive care. The Doctor-Patient relationship will return to what it used to be, a collaborative effort where the doctor is an advocate and a partner in achieving the greater good as opposed to a bureaucratic intermediary forced to make decisions based on formularies, regulations, and cost containment.

To achieve this goal of substantially fewer patients and more personalized service, there will be an annual professional fee of $1,300 paid annually, $1,400 paid semiannually, or $1,500 paid quarterly. Dependents and children younger than twenty-five years old will be half the adult fee. The annual will cover one comprehensive physical examination and associated routine lab work, outpatient sick visits for a year, routine immunizations (i.e. tetanus, flu and pneumonia), EKG's, and pulmonary function testing. Patients with all types of insurance can join, but this arrangement will not be a substitute for health insurance. I will not be able to write referrals for HMO's directly, but would facilitate obtaining them from a designated primary care provider.

If you are interested in investigating this exciting opportunity, please contact me as soon as possible by completing and returning the enclosed, nonbinding survey............


I was floored when I read this. Part of me was excited and intrigued that a doctor would care so much for patient care that he would be willing to take a chance like this. Another part of me was ticked that I probably wouldn't be able to pay that right now to stay with him. I think this kind of service should be marketed to the affluent - those that expect the best and can also pay for it. I'm sure he'll be able to keep a good amount of his patients.

As more health professionals go in this direction, I predict healthcare marketing and advertising will change. We're excited about the change, and hope many new client relationships ensue as a result. I invite any that are exploring a similar change to call us to discuss.

As for my doctor - I am going to give him a call and encourage him to talk with us about marketing this concept. It gives his brand incredible leverage and a USP that most don't have. It will also require an entirely different marketing strategy.

Best,

Garret Ohm

Scion Launching Branded TV Show

Product placement is gaining even more momentum in the marketplace, it seems. I read an article today, written by Karl Greenberg of Media Post's Marketing Daily, about Scion, a division of Toyota Motor Company. It seems they are in talks with networks about launching a show branded by Scion that centers around hip-hop celebrities that travel to their old neighborhoods in Scions. Appropriately called "Stomping Grounds," the show is the brand's new appeal to the lucrative young urban market.

As you can see by this picture of a Scion, this car is perfect for this market:













I think it's going to be wildly successful.

By the way, if you're not receiving MediaPost's stuff, you should definitely go online and sign up: https://www.mediapost.com/?fa=r2c.check.

Garret

Easter is About More Than Candy?

Ever since I can remember, Easter has been synonymous with candy. Baskets and baskets full. Based on this USA Today article that I recently read, it sounds like moms are wising up and realizing that chocolate bunnies and Marshmallow Peeps aren't all you can put in an Easter basket.

Here's the article: http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2007-04-05-easter-marketing-usat_N.htm?csp=34

I particularly like Hasbro's use of market research in the form of interviews with moms to realize that if promoted properly, board games could be a good alternative to candy. I really enjoyed their "Think outside the basket" campaign - I've seen it a few times on TV. Their research told them that Easter, the world's 3rd largest retail holiday, would be a great way to promote their products. While sitting around playing games isn't exactly a great workout, it is a step in the right direction to conquering childhood obesity.......But that's another story entirely. I'll leave that to the health bloggers.












Later!

Garret

GM Polling the Audience

I've never been a huge General Motors fan (owned one, probably never again), but I really have to give them credit for their latest marketing move. In their first true foray into the minicar arena, GM has done something very interesting. Rather than relying on designers and engineers to pick the next GM micro-car, they've decided to poll the audience on a few of their design concepts.

The choices that will be voted on (3) will be presented to the public amid much fan fare at the New York International Auto Show. Then, they'll be prompted to visit the Web site at www.vote4chevrolet.com to cast their vote for their favorite. The car with the most votes at the end of the contest will be produced by GM.

I think it's a very cool idea - one that should produce a car that will sell. If they're smart, they'll poll people also on what they like and what they don't like about each design and use that feedback to take design cues from the 2nd place car and implement them as well. As long as they can keep it from making the car look like a hodge-podge, I think it might help increase sales of the new vehicle. They should also use this site to collect potential customer information (for upsell), but I'm sure they have already thought of that!

Here's a picture of one of the designs that GM released. It's called the Trax:













Garret

Not EVERYONE is Online at Home

Hi all -

Here's an interesting bit of consumer research that I wanted to pass along that we pulled from Ad-Ology, one of the research services we subscribe to. These numbers are interesting, and they pose a lot of both challenges and opportunities to internet service providers and other companies associated with consumer internet use.

It seems that everyone is online these days - make that almost everyone. Parks Associates' recent study indicates that almost 1/3 of US homes, 29% aren't online. Contrary to popular belief, cost is not the issue. Here's why these US consumers say they don't want an Internet connection:

Not interested in what's online 44%
Not sure how to use the Internet 17%
Have Internet access at work 14%
Can't afford computer 14%
Can't afford service 8%
Not available for my home 3%

Whether you're working with computer software firms or training companies, the 17% of offline users who don't know how to access the Internet comprise market potential. And the consumers who say they're not interested in being online might be convinced otherwise by the right marketing campaign. The study indicates that 34% of consumers at the end of 2005 noted they had no interest in being online. Clearly, 5% were persuaded to change their minds as that number now stands at 29%.

Parks Associates research also indicates that broadband Internet users became the majority (52% of total user base) for the first time in 2006 and 4% of consumers plan to migrate from dial-up access to broadband access in the near future and an additional 2% of consumers intend to sign up for online service.

















More juicy research coming at you later!

Garret

The Most Expensive PR Stunt - EVER

Hi all -

Now I love a good PR stunt as much as anyone, but it hurt to watch this one unfold. As you know from reading my blog daily (right), I am a bit of a gear head/car lover. If you don't believe me, all you have to do is to look at all the cuts and cracks in my hands - or reference THIS blog post. So when I saw this video, I cringed.



What you're seeing is Eddie Griffin, actor and comedian, crashing a car that retails for over $1,500,000 as he promotes his upcoming movie Redline. And with a car like this, a little front end damage is unrepairable. The skin is made of carbon fiber, and much of the car's structure is composite. Did I mention they only made 400 of them? Ever.

Granted, this PR stunt drew news coverage all over the world, and will probably sell a few more DVDs and movie ticket stubs, but I doubt it will make up for the cost of the automobile. I'm willing to bet they didn't figure it into the budget!

Note to self: If we ever orchestrate a PR stunt for a client that involves a supercar, make sure there are NO WALLS ANYWHERE NEAR THE CAR. EVER.

Garret

Article on Media & Advertising Law

Hi all -

This was written by a colleague of mine, Jim Astrachan, one of the partners at Astrachan Gunst Thomas, P.C. here in Baltimore. I thought it was very well written and relevant enough to pass along.

Enjoy:

http://www.agtlawyers.com/resources/articles/2007%20articles/create07.pdf

If you're an agency or an advertiser and are looking to hire a law firm, by all means, AGT is that firm. They are renowned for their knowledge in this area.

Garret

New Transit Advertising Technology

Hi folks,

Here's an article we found on NPR's Web site about a new technology being used to generate more transit advertising dollars. Here's the article:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=8989580

It's a cool idea, and I think it will work. It will greatly increase the amount of impressions for each ad placement, and for right now, will have a pretty hardcore "cool" factor. Here's what it looks like:












My favorite part, though, is that it's a technology that was developed for military applications that's now filtering into everyday life.

More later,

Garret

Cool Mini-site...Droooooooooool

I'm a huge fan of microsites. As a matter of fact, I'd like us to do more of them, so if anyone is interested in having us develop a microsite to promote something specific on the Web, give me a call - 410.280.4551.

Here's one that I found particularly interesting: 911 GT3 RS Microsite

Garret

Chiquita Whoopsie!

Talk about harmful to the brand! I can't imagine something that could be any more harmful to a brand than the news on the front page of CNN this morning about everyone's favorite banana brand, Chiquita.












In case you missed it, here's a link: http://money.cnn.com/2007/03/14/news/companies/chiquita/index.htm?cnn=yes

If you read the story, it's clear that Chiquita doesn't deny wrongdoing. They are pleading guilty to funding Columbian terrorist organizations, and are being fined $25,000,000. To me, that's not enough.

I foresee boycotts, and I for one, will start. No more Chiquitas for me!

Garret

p.s. No Chiquita bananas were used in the making of the Resilient Corporation Ad!!!!

Disruption Marketing Case Study: Starbucks

Hi all -

I'm sure everyone by now has heard of the leaked memo from Starbucks Founder and Chairman that was written to other executives of the company that was "inadvertantly" leaked to the press, and has caused quite a stir.

Just in case, here's a link to the memo:http://starbucksgossip.typepad.com/_/2007/02/starbucks_chair_2.html

The big debate with the leaking of this memo, was the "inadvertant" leak, actually on purpose. Why, you ask, would they do such a thing? Let's wax philisophically for a minute on the potential benefit of such action.

While the content of the memo was less than flattering, the leak really got people talking about the Starbucks brand. By just Googling Starbucks memo, one could browse well over ONE MILLION Web pages with relevant content. That's pretty insane when you think about it, and it has brought Starbucks, a company that became famous for its lack of marketing, very much back into the spotlight.

So how about the downfalls of doing this? For me, when I first read the memo, the first thing I could think was "EUREKA." I knew that what Mr. Shultz had written as his concerns for the brand was 100% on target. The brand had become a commodity - the things that made the brand experience so amazing for its loyal customers, seemed to have been lost. I was never really conscious of this, but check it out - here are some pics of Starbucks - it LOOKS like a chain now, not a hardcore coffee shop for coffee lovers:
















































My take on this? I think the memo was leaked on purpose. And I think the executives at Starbucks carefully planned this, after weighing the pros and cons. The pros (taking into account the old adage that no publicity is bad publicity) probably way outweighed the cons.

What do you think? I'm interested in hearing your take on it!

Best,

Garret Ohm

Maryland Creative Tax - HB448

Hi all -

I just wanted to do my part to spread the word about a local issue that is causing quite a stir in the advertising and creative community. Recently, House Bill 448 was introduced in the Maryland General Assembly. If passed, HB 448 would alter the definition of “taxable service” under the sales and use tax to impose the 5% tax on thirty-one (31) new services (many are already taxed) bringing the total forty-three (43) services, including:

• Public Relations
• Business Consulting
• Art Services
• Photographic Services
• Direct Mail Services

So I'm sure you're asking yourself at this point, "what does it all mean?" Basically, it has several undesirable effects on the creative community, including:

• Increase the cost of creative services in Maryland.
• Reduce supplier sales as a result of increased cost.
• Decrease employment as a result of reduced supplier sales.
• Cost thousands of creative professionals their jobs.

For me, the worst part is that this makes hiring an in-house agency or design team even more attractive for clients. Yikes. So, please visit the Web site below to learn more, and by all means, GET INVOLVED. We have to stop this now, before the General Assembly unleashes it.

http://www.fightthecreativetax.com/

Garret

Kids' Favorite Colas

According to a study done by Simmons Research (An Experian Company), a brand research company, here are the top 10 brand preferences of kids ages 6-11 who drink soda.

1. Coca Cola Classic (65%)

2. Other Brands (47%)

3. Pepsi-Cola (46%)

4. Cherry Coke (40%)

5. Wild Cherry Pepsi(29%)

6. Coca-Cola With Lime (21%)

7. Pepsi Vanilla (19%)

8. Caffeine Free Coca-Cola Classic (18%)

9. Pepsi Lime (15%)

10. Caffeine Free Pepsi (15%)

In honor of Coca-Cola taking the top honors, here's a vintage Coca-Cola ad I found online. Pretty crazy, huh? Something so full of caffeine and calories is touted as something to drink while you're "chillin'."

Radio & Internet Advertising, Together In Perfect Harmony

Hi all -

I just wanted to pass along another Center for Media Research study that just came out concerning radio and internet advertising. It's pretty cool and backs up the notion that integrated media really works the best. Consumers just recall the information better when they're getting attacked from a number of different angles.









Garret

Unaided Advertising Recall Significantly Higher With Mix of Radio and Internet

According to research from the Radio Ad Effectiveness Lab (RAEL) released at the Radio Advertising Bureau's (RAB) Management & Leadership Conference, recall of advertising is dramatically enhanced when a mix of Radio and Internet ads is used together compared to website ads alone.

The report demonstrated that unaided recall was four-and-a-half times higher, and aided recall was more than twice as high with consumer exposure to one radio and one Internet ad compared to two Internet ads alone. Furthermore, the report states that a mix of radio and Internet exposures revealed a clear potential to elevate other kinds of consumer impact, ranging from website visitation to emotional bonds.

The study first examined existing data about radio and Internet advertising to determine how the two media are likely to intersect. Several key points on how Radio and the Internet might work well together in a media mix emerged:

• Both radio and the Internet reach light users of other media
• Radio and the Internet connect with consumers differently and in potentially complementary ways
• Radio can drive traffic to websites
• Radio and the Internet have unique reach patterns, and that can make them work powerfully in combination. On a daily basis, Radio and the Internet together reach 83 percent of the 18-54-year-old population
• Consumers often use Radio and the Internet simultaneously, with up to a third of Internet usage being accompanied by Radio listening during some times of the day

Michael Orgera, Vice President, Director of Research, Universal McCann, said "... With so many media choices and so many ad messages... understanding how radio and the Internet together can significantly boost advertising attention levels is a tremendous advantage when creating a multi-platform campaign."

And Rex Conklin, Media Director, Wal-Mart, and member of the RAEL Research Committee, noted, it's been gratifying to see advertisers and agency representatives work closely and candidly with broadcasters to establish clear direction for research studies..."

The full study, plus previously released research from RAEL, are available here.

Good Web Site. Honest.

I found a pretty cool Web site for a local company (Bethesda) that makes organic iced tea. It's great stuff - I've had it and I love it. Actually, my favorite is Honest Ade and isn't even an iced tea. It's a lemonade with much less sugar than normal lemonades (excess sugar is the enemy!).

They're a small company, but they've got a great concept and I think they're going to go far. I've read a few recent articles about them in the trade rags, but this is definitely a buzzworthy brand in my opinion, so I'm sure I'll start to hear some consumer chatter in the next couple of years. Especially by using grassroots tactics like this (oh yeah, you bet it's a hybrid):












Check out the Honest Tea Web site HERE. I like the design of the site a lot - it's a bit different than the normal static Web sites that you usually see these days. I think the structure and navigation could allow you to do even more fun stuff, too.

::Shameless Plug Alert::
I'm hoping to get on these folks' radar screen in the next few months. I'm not sure what their agency situation is, but I think it would be super-fun to work with them. Much more fun than a stale, stodgy bank client I'm sure. And judging by what I've read, they have a great corporate and marketing philosophy that I think would fit in well with our target-audience focused marketing approach.

Later people,

Garret O.

Superbowl Ad Review

A few people have asked me what I thought about this year's Super Bowl ads, so I wanted to take a few minutes to give my professional (at least I think so) opinion on what I saw, what I loved, what I hated, and what I would have forgotten, had I not been a huge ad dork and wrote everything down.

My top pick for the Superbowl ad that was the most entertaining had to be a toss up between the Snickers "accidental kiss" spot, and the Sierra Mist Free ad that featured a man that didn't fit into the workplace due to his cutoff shorts and BEARD COMBOVER. Both ads had me in stitches, but if I had to pick, I'd pick Snickers because it made me remember the product, whereas the Sierra Mist spot was a little harder to remember what was actually being advertised.

Here's the Snickers ad for your satisfaction:



I should mention that this ad and the corresponding Web site www.afterthekiss.com were discontinued because it offended many gay rights activists. I'm not sure - it didn't seem derogatory to me, but who am I to judge?

I also really liked Sprint Mobile Broadband's "connectile dysfunction spots." I thought the message was strong and very well executed. The use of humor was slightly low-brow, which I enjoy, but it wasn't over the top. It did a great job of communicating the product's unique point of difference. I have to say that I was not impressed by USA Today's best pick, Budweiser's "Crabs." I forgot about it before the game was over, and even when reminded, I didn't know which beer maker produced the spot.

So who were the big losers in my mind? I thought Coke's spots were boring (sorry, Joe - my brother-in-law who works for Coke) and uninspired. I thought GoDaddy's spots were lame and predictable. I didn't get Chevy's HHR commercial. Schick gets two thumbs down for using spots that I had already seen for the last 8 months, and the same goes for Acura. Toyota's Tundra spots were bland, especially for a brand new product launch!

On the local front, several big advertisers ponied up for spots during the Super Bowl, but I have to admit, none were any good. Most of them LOOKED like local spots, and didn't really do a great job of communicating their message. Particularly bad were the Maryland Lottery spot and the 1st Mariner spot. Both very forgettable. Mr. Hale - if you're looking to run some solid ads for the Superbowl next year, call me!

I really hope next year is better. I want to see some innovation...I want to see someone truly use a multiple media approach to advertising (for example, use a billboard campaign as a teaser, TV spots, and the payoff on a Web site). I want my mind blown like I expect it to be come Superbowl time.

The order is tall. I'll revisit this post after Super Bowl XLII to see if any of these advertisers redeemed themselves.

I'll leave you with this spot that was also pretty solid from E*trade:




Garret Ohm
Ad Dork

Good Article From MediaPost's Marketing Daily on Anti-Valentine's Day

Marketers Tap Cupid-Bashing Sentiment

by Sarah Mahoney

ADMIT IT. ALL THOSE DIAMOND-EARRING ads on TV make some people you know cry, and others choke on venomous tales about their ex. And this year, a few companies are showing some extra love to Valentine-averse. American Greetings, the Cleveland-based card marketer, is selling 10 different "Anti-Valentine's Day" cards, aimed straight at everyone who will spend this Wednesday at odds with Cupid. "Don't worry, you won't be alone forever," says one, with a picture of a woman on the front of the card. Inside, the same woman is surrounded by dozens of cats. Another shows a vintage photo of a young boy holding a handmade Valentine, which says, "The next day, little Timmy has his heart broken." Inside is a sentiment that sums up the holiday for plenty of people: "Valentine's Day Sucks." The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. is jumping on the bandwagon with its new Dark Chocolate Dipped Mints, "embracing the bruised, blackened and broken hearted with a message that communicates what many people think yet are too polite to say," the company said. Until Feb. 14, consumers in New York, Chicago and Miami can browse at the "Altoids Curious & Original Chocolate Shoppe," sample the new mints, get a free coffee, and browse through postcards that say things like "Here's a little something to say, 'Let's stay together for the kids'" and "Another day closer 'til death does us apart." Online, consumers can go to www.sayitwithaltoids.com, and personalize e-cards with messages like, "I slept with your girlfriend," "I don't think I can be with someone who doesn't floss" or "It's you. Not me." And even among its traditional Valentine's cards, American Greetings is working hard to shake off the doily dust. Images include tattoo-inspired cards, kissing armadillos, and happy rhinos. Hallmark is also expecting humor and causal cards to sell well this year, but believes its top trend will be musical cards. ("Ring of Fire" and "Wild Thing" are expected to be top sellers, the company predicts.) True, most people will celebrate, and in a big way. In all, 190 million Valentines will be purchased, says an American Greetings spokeswoman--not including the class Valentines kids give out at school. And they'll do some serious spending. This year, the National Retail Federation predicts Valentine's Day spending will top $16.9 billion, or about $120 per person. But that doesn't mean they like it. In fact, a new study from NPD shows that only one in four think of the day as a strictly romantic holiday. About 30% believe it's a great day to show appreciation for your sweetie, but 26% say it's too commercial, and another 19% write it off as "just a Hallmark holiday." Meanwhile, 14% say it's "silly." Then, of course, there are the cowards: 8% of the respondents in the NPD poll said they celebrate because "If I don't, I'll get in trouble." ___________________

More great marketing articles later!

Garret Ohm