On the eve of a special Apple event, it seems the allure of the Apple brand is as strong as ever. “We have something you really have to see. And touch,” declares the invitation to the March 7th media event. Quite a buzz has been building up! I don’t know if tomorrow’s announcement will impress […]
I may be dating myself with this headline, but I’m hoping at least a few of my readers remember those Silkience hair care commercials from the 70’s because it helps make an important point about targeting. […]
The fundamental tensions which companies must manage well was the primary topic of a panel I spoke on last week. We discussed H2OAudio, a company which makes waterproof cases, waterproof headphones/headsets, and waterproof armbands for iPods and MP3 players. […]
I usually try to keep my critiques to categories I’ve worked in, primarily because I think it’s irresponsible for me to comment on what works and what doesn’t when I have little basis for my assessment other than being a consumer. So I initially demurred when some folks have asked for my POV on AT&T’s […]
If you’ve been in the business long enough, you come to understand there are some basic rules to follow when running an ad on the Super Bowl. Humor works best. Use animals or big-breasted women – or both. Wow people with extraordinary settings and production values. Many of the advertisers on last night’s big game […]
T’was the day after Thanksgiving and all through the mall Shopkeepers and sales staff had prepared for it all They’d hung their over-sized sale signs and filled all their racks “Shoppers start your engines,” they suggested, “not a moment to relax.” Windows were a sea of red posters, red tags, and red decorations too Promoting […]
Last week Ad Age announced that Anheuser-Busch InBev is holding an online contest in China in which consumers can pitch ideas for a Budweiser TV spot which will run during next year’s Chinese New Year. The only brief to the aspiring ad-makers: the commercial must include ants (a recurring theme for the brand’s Chinese New […]
Advertising legend David Ogilvy once said, “Our business is infested with idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon.” Those are pretty harsh words and I’m not sure I agree (entirely), but sometimes I see ads that seem to have been written by folks who are trying to impress vs. persuade or sell. Their […]
This post was inspired by a recent tweet from Gabriel Rossi, a “branding strategist” (as he calls himself) based in Sao Paulo — I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Gabriel through my blog and Twitter […]