Loofah! Love this ad.

Found it on Fast Company. Viral video for Method. To the point but really fun. Chemical residue is lurking but aren't those bubbles so cute? Loofah!

Dentyne: So I'm a Little Late...

BUT better late than never to share. I just saw this gum ad from Dentyne that rolled out in 2008 that was striking and that I LOVE. I love it because it makes perfect sense and nods to the relevant culture of technology in a way that makes a statement without making a fuss. It's bold but it's got grace. That's cool.

What's interesting however, is this idea of attaching brands to relevancy. Everything communicates so the ad obviously says something about the brand regardless. The ads that attach themselves to relevant culture stand out, but the question is, to they successful differentiate themselves?

This ad makes me a believer in chewing gum, but I'm not convinced it makes me a believer in chewing Dentyne gum. On the other hand, as I walked to lunch today and saw the enormous point-of-purchase for gum along the check-out line at the local cafeteria/restaurant I find myself eating at way too often, I took notice of Dentyne for the first time in a long time (Trident Cool Colada has been the only object of my gum affection since it's introduction into the market) and thought to myself, "Aw." That "aw", while the frequency and longevity currently unknown, means something worthwhile.

Anyways, here are the ads. Enjoy!

Shock Value. Scare Tactics.

Effective or not? For me yes. The horror and grossness of this drink pouring into a glob of fat sure has made me feel revolted by still I find myself reconsidering that drink this morning. New Yorkers and her visitors- expect to see this ad from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in the subway for the next 3 months. Read the full story in the New York Times here.

Amusing Headline Copy

"For the Body-Conscious, It's Now the Ankle That Rankles" 

From the Wall Street Journal, July 23. I'm surprised this is the first time someone has made marketing around cankles. That word must have shown up in enough consumer insights by now that it just couldn't be ignored any longer. I guess I never realized there were exercises to reduce it, so I'm amused it's coming up in fitness/gym ads. I always thought it was just one of those things you accepted. And the lengths some women will go to have surgery to eliminate the problem. Wow. 

Make us laugh. Make us skinny.

Here's the list of drinks I consume:

1) always water 2) sometimes sweet tea 3) occasionally Vitaminwater.

Rarely do I drink soda or coffee. I'm afraid I'll get addicted like my mother. 

Water is good for me; it flushes the system. Sweet Tea is nostalgic and reminds me of my childhood, sunny days and porch swings with my grandma. Vitaminwater is just good... and the brand has such personality. Who doesn't want to be part of that conversation? But I rarely drink it because the calories scare me away. I could be having a tea...

The New York Times recently released that they will be coming out with a Vitaminwater10 with 10 calories per eight ounces that will compete in the low-cal beverage category and is aimed at, people, just like me. Cool. 

BBH is doing their ads and they will be funny. The agency's sense of irreverent humor melds well with funny in today's culture. Here's the article: With Humor, Glaceau Vitaminwater Introduces New Low-Calorie Beverage. Here's the a subway ad the article features: 

I'm sure I will end up trying this drink. But artificial sweeteners have the most distinct taste. Coca- cola has seen incredible success with Vitaminwater and leveraging the brands name to market a healthier option is a terrific idea. They will be using Stevia as the sweetener which is supposed to be natural. I know nothing about sweeteners but I look forward to trying the product and appreciate Vitaminwater continuing to develop new products to expand its target in spite of this economic downturn.  

Brand You.

Recently I read an article in the New York Times called Putting yourself out there to buy. It's about a journalist who has been told that she must brand herself and she struggles to come to terms with this act of selling. She went into journalism so she wouldn't have to sell anything after all.

I think it's interesting that the idea of branding yourself has permeated the mainstream career market. There are even "experts", making a living solely off of helping you brand you. There's even a new book coming out about the topic. It's called, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Branding Yourself" and its due out in May 09. You would think at a school for branding, VCU Brandcenter, we would talk about this all of the time. The truth is, it hardly ever comes up. 

This lead me to two thoughts. First, as juniors how should we brand ourselves in an industry saturated by creativity? Second, who out there has done a great job of branding themselves? 

Addressing the first point: As juniors, it's hard to set ourselves apart. 

But we try so very hard to prove ourselves through our portfolios. Our sizzle causes such smoke that it shadows a pretty thin steak, that is if it isn't smothered with cheese from the get go. I am so skeptical about portfolios. It's easy to get sidelined by the look. This is important for art directions and even for copywriters but what about for planners? If I was in driver seat of planning department I would want people who are so smart they intimidate me, armed with so much gumption and grit they would be invited on anyones 3 on 3 bball pick up game, and with so much positive energy they run circles around even a Jack Russell terrier. How do those things translate to a page? I'm not convinced they do. They can however be translated through stories of experiences held in conversations. 

Addressing my second point: The person who I have always thought does a great job of branding themselves is Kimora Lee Simmons owner of the Baby Phat label. 

I will admit, I have watched a grotesque amount of the Style network and have most likely caught every episode of  her reality show Life In The Fab Lane. She is the living, breathing epitome of her brand. They are one in the same. She is unapologetically wed to her label and its ehtos. It's authentic, it's transparent, it's anything but forced and its her. It's why she's a mogul. 

I guess that's the key- be authentic, be transparent, be you. Don't be gimmicky, and have the kind of sizzle that sears a steak just right without engulfing it in a poof of smoke. And let's be honest, any really good sizzling steak would never, ever need cheese anyways. 

Who Really Cares?

NOT CONSUMERS. They are drowning in sea of ad clutter. 300 to 5000 messages per day. Media channels are expanding and becoming more fragmented. Consumer segments are getting more niche and becoming more fragmented. Fragmented media plus fragmented consumer segments equals a big fragmented mess. It's amazing that we can cut through it at all enough to connect with even one person much less persuade any person to actually give a damn. 

But here's a thought... maybe it's easier than ever. Maybe with the right messaging and the right target, this digital wave is crashing to shore during the perfect storm. As consumers rid themselvesof as much traditional advertising as possible, they are still engaging in the things they love and are finding new ways to interact with information. They Internet, previously thought of as the eye of the storm, the thing causing the shifts and disruptions in the advertising world might actually be the floatation device we should be giving our consumers instead. They have shown us they want a voice, they want to co-create, they love ideas, inspiration, experiences, culture, and motivation. And they are A-ok if brands are the people who are bringing those opportunities to them.

As it stands now, traditional advertising isn't dead... yet. Perhaps it never will die completely. Our industry is changing though. Like it or lump it. Media is changing, the way consumers interact with each other is changing, the way they interact with brands is changing and the way they consume culture is changing. That means our role as planner is changing too. It's not enough to understand how consumers act today. It's not enough to understand what they want today. We need to be actively forecasting, anticipating and understanding how they will act and what they will want tomorrow.

It's an exciting time to be a planner. It's a challenging time as well. It's calling for bold, creative planning. I'm bracing myself. I'm getting ready. Are you?