Marc-eting 101: Type Cringe

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.

Hyundai’s zombie survival vehicle

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In general, most auto manufactures tend to focus on protecting drivers against road conditions, other drivers and extreme weather. Hyundai has taken its focus to another level by teaming up with a digital marketing agency and the creators of The Walking Dead, to design a zombie survival machine. The result is a fully operational Elantra Coupe that can survive any zombie attack. In addition to the concept car, a mobile app called the Walking Dead Chop Shop, has been created allowing fans to design their own survival cars. This idea was inspired by Hyundai’s product integration in The Walking Dead last year.

What sparked our fire: Hyundai’s transition to an indestructible brand.

What post-apocalytpic logic will influence your survival machine?

Enjoy!

-Canopy Team