The latest campaign from e-trade, “Type E”, has so many cringe-worthy aspects, it’s hard to watch. They’ve gone from one of the most memorable campaigns, to one that’s the exact opposite — simply forgettable. They’ve failed to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of financial marketing, and have opened the door for their rival, Scottrade, to grab more market share. The time and place for humor in an unstable economy may be gone, however, cute babies providing advice always seemed acceptable. And while I drew tired of those babies, as a marketer, I would’ve never substituted them for singing professionals. I look outside of the category at what Geico’s done with their brand by evolving the gecko and their tagline into strong campaigns that still hint to those iconic elements. GEICO’s taken a huge brand equity and refashioned it in a way that stays true to who they are, while delivering a “sticky” campaign. The ultimate question comes down to this for you folks at e-trade: What do you stand for? What’s your brand moment? How do you expect your target to internalize your brand? The list can go on and on. I know I’d have a hard time coming up with answers to these based on what I see today.
Tag Archives: Advertising
A Song of Internet and Fire
Well played, Hootsuite.
Capitalizing on the popularity of one of the most popular TV shows in recent years. Hootsuite has come out with a clever, topical video advertisement that both references a large part of the cultural zeitgeist and links it to the product. This is an effective advertisement because it is memorable, and doesn’t overshadow the product. It actually made me say “Very clever!” out loud. Check it out, and check out Hootsuite. Good advertising deserves a response.
What Sparks Our Fire: Effective advertising based on topical references and clear knowledge of the product.
Do you find this video effective and engaging?
April Ads Day
April Fools day is the one time a year when all the big brands take some time and try to convince the public of something ridiculous. For instance, the IAU pretended to re-promote Pluto to a planet. Here are some of our favorites:
The Honda DIY:
Netflix gave Facebook fans of House of Cards a “sneak peak of season 3 ” of a script page, and this brand new show:
Sam Adams added a new flavor.
And finally, the wearable that no one will ever want.
What Sparks Our Fire: Seeing agencies have fun with their brands is the best part of the day.
Were there any other pranks you liked?
Marc-eting 101: Fact or Myth?
When Canopy’s Managing Director, Marc Sampogna, was asked to discuss common digital marketing myths, here’s what he had to say:
While I wouldn’t call them marketing myths, I believe every marketer and brand for that matter, has a different perspective on how to reach their target audience, especially in the digital space. For instance, there’s been a lot of speculation around the notion that “traditional marketing and advertising is dead”, and that “everything is digital”. This is total bulls#*t. There will always be a need for traditional marketing methods like TV, print and out-of-home. But, as marketers, we need to understand mobile/digital is now the first screen for most consumers, but this is most likely a generational thing. Boomers and older generations still value the traditional, while Gen Xers and Millennials are certainly more digitally focused. There will always be a need for both. My advice about this “myth”: Find the right balance based on who your audience is, and create your media mix from there. You’ll reach them both ways as appropriate.
The second “marketing myth” I’d mention is the PC card (that’s Politically Correct, not Personal Computer). Some marketers think there’s a need to be PC in their communications due to potential backlash from certain activist organizations. But, this is really a matter of taste, and what’s on or off brand. We live in an era where no matter what you do, you will always offend someone — you can’t please everyone. As marketers, our job is to generate awareness and attention for brands. If it’s Ron Burgundy throwing eggs at a Dodge Durango, you’ll likely get someone from some food activist organization to find it offensive, but you can’t let that hinder your judgment on what’s right for the brand. The right consumer will accept it, which is primary, and any debate about food conservation will become secondary. Lastly, take Cheerios and their interracial ad that had conservatives cringing. Are you kidding me?! And how did Cheerios respond? By taking out Super Bowl spots (for the first time in forever) to air more of these so-called controversial ads. I love it! My advice: If worried about creating controversy, watch what Cheerios has and will be doing. A family brand that’s taken a so-called risk that is completely tasteful and on brand, and made people really think about what’s a fact of life versus a controversy.
My two cents…
Motorola Has Resuscitated Print
Who says print has to be dead? At least for this one ad for the Moto X, print is alive and interactive.
With the help of paper-thin electronics, about a quarter of the readers of Wired in the San Francisco and New York City areas will be able to see the Moto X change colors within their magazine. This video announcement comes on the heels of the sale of 500,000 Moto X smartphones in the third quarter, which is about 5% of the sales that Samsung reported for their S4 handset in the first month after its’ release. Google clearly hopes this ad will drum up interest and support for their competing phone and increase sales for the coming quarter.
In any case, it’s an interesting ad with an interactive aspect and an creative innovation in a medium that hasn’t lately seen much.
What Sparks Our Fire: Innovation in what many see as a “dead” medium.
Would you buy this magazine for the purpose of experiencing this ad?