Obligatory Blog

Curses!

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 12:18:21 -0700

These marketing messages stopped me in my tracks.

Twice.

First, I was surprised to see a company bold enough to use foul language in their marketing. Then it made perfect sense once I realized what they were selling. (In case you can’t read the small type, below the Geek Squad logo is the line “Fixed before it gets nasty.”)

Having had my share of computer meltdowns, I can completely relate. And if it ever happens again, I’m sure I’ll remember these ads.

Striking oil.

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 11:19:26 -0700

In the nineteen shots that comprise this new spot in which BP talks about its monumental cleanup effort, there is one thing you won’t see in any single one of them. Oil.

I can understand why. But such an obvious omission sets off my duplicity radar. I see this and instantly think, “Hey look, more BS from BP.” And I suspect I’m not alone.

I suppose honesty at this point wouldn’t be terribly effective. But this doesn’t seem much better.

Here’s the link...
http://bp.concerts.com/gom/beaches60_062110.htm

Good to the last bite.

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:57:03 -0800

Maybe timing is everything.
Colgate found themselves in the habit of giving out small product samples—toothbrushes, floss, etc.—at promotional events. Their hope was to remind target consumers, kids mostly, to brush after eating sweets.
Recently, they tried something new. They handed out ice cream, lollipops, and cotton candy instead. Only, once these treats were devoured, the sticks within them revealed the shape of a tooth brush with the Colgate logo and this brief message: “Don’t Forget.”
How ingenious.
Capture your audience’s attention when your message will be most meaningful. Colgate created a positive brand relationship by giving consumers something they like and then emphasized the importance of their products at the very moment when consumers would most likely be receptive to such a message.
Now, if only we could find a way to squeeze a treadmill into one of those ice cream bars.

Selling beer is no laughing matter. Or is it?

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:01:16 -0800

No rocket science here. This beer is being marketed to the outdoorsman, or more likely, those hoping to pretend they’re as rugged as one (which is probably 99% of all beer-drinking males).

These North Peak Brewing Company ads deftly capture the drink-first-ask-questions-later attitude that’s likely to appeal to the 14-28-year-old rural demographic, urban suds drinkers looking for the next “it” beer, and everyone else snickering at the headlines.

See, these ads also make fun of their most apparent audience. And it might not matter. Because whether we’re laughing with approval, or laughing in contempt, they’ve gotten our attention. And we just might be curious enough to order North Peak brew the next time we’re at a bar.

Social networking is not working.

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:15:36 -0700

My name is John Runk, and I’m a Facebookaholic.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. I have a Facebook page. And while I don’t spend a tremendous amount of time taking quizzes to reveal my global warming IQ or find out which famous child actor should play me in a movie about my early years, I do use it.

And every time I dial up my personal page, I always see those weird little, inch-wide ads over in the margins. So one day, I decided to try a few of my own.

My first foray into Facebook advertising featured a few clever headlines and black-and-white pics of myself.

I got a handful of clicks, but that was about it.

Facebook advertising is kind of like ebay meets online classified advertising. You bid on click prices and hope your low bid wins.

After my first failed attempt, I created a few more colorful ads with less creative headlines (the ones you see way up top there) to see if they’d work any better.

They didn’t. But there are a lot of variables in play. The poor results could be attributed to the creative. Or the keywords I’m using. Or my tendency to go for cheap click prices. Or even the recession.

Nevertheless, I’m still fascinated by these pint-sized promotions. Working on them has been a pretty fun lab experiment, and one I’m still busy tinkering with.

If you’ve dabbled in Facebook advertising, I’d like to hear from you. Drop me an email if you can.