Dec 20, 2011

The Best and Worst Identities of 2011, Part I: The Worst

via Brand New

If a marketeer doesn't have any design notions, they will probably end with a logo which will give them terrible numbers to work with.

12 - Swiss International Air Lines





11 - Edmont Valley Zoo




10 - EuroStar



09 - SportsNet



08 - petco



07 - Brand USA



06 - Hulbosch



05 - Sirius 




04 - The Comedy Network



03 - JCPenny



02 - NetFlix/Qwikster



01 - Miami Marlins 


Dec 19, 2011

Ten Issues Marketers Should Have on Their 2012 Agenda

Capture the Power of Personalization; Respect Privacy 
Mobile devices and social media have brought the ability to target ads to epic levels. But targeting brings challenges, such as ensuring privacy. The industry has formed the Digital Advertising Alliance and synergized its mandate with the work of the National Advertising Review Council. This self-regulatory program promotes display of the Advertising Icon to signify use of online behavioral advertising and adherence to our core principles. More than 350 companies have implemented the program, and the icon has been displayed online more than 3 trillion times.

Agree to Universal Standards of Brand Valuation
A crucial missing element of marketing is the value of the brands that we work so hard to create and strengthen. We need generally accepted brand valuation standards that can be applied across the industry. The ANA is collaborating with the 4A's, Advertising Research Foundation, Marketing Accountability Standards Board and our brand-valuation partners at Interbrand, Core Brand and Millward Brown have begun an effort to address this.
Advance Digital and Cross-Platform Measurement 
The ANA, 4A's and Interactive Advertising Bureau have come together to improve cross-platform comparability through enhanced digital metrics and standards. We have announced five principles of digital measurement, which represent the foundation of 3MS -- Making Measurement Make Sense -- and a five-part measurement framework. The working group is now tackling Phase 2, which includes launching a pilot of the "viewable impression"; establishing a measurement governance body; and advancing GRP reporting requirements and a new classification system.
Ensure Integration Across Expanding Media Platforms
Interactive TV is one of the newest and most dynamic opportunities for marketers. BrightLine's 300-plus campaigns prove that marketers are leveraging interactive TV to raise the effectiveness of traditional-TV investments while advancing digital goals. Nationally scaled ITV has the potential to create another caliber of integrated advertising. The ANA will work with Canoe Ventures to enable programming networks to enhance content and advertising, and to energize them with interactivity.
Improve Processes With Efficiencies
There is a simple way to replace antiquated processes: common asset coding. Ad-ID produces an identifying code for each advertising asset, helps manage workflow, improve supply chain operations, and increases productivity and cost savings. Most important, it provides a foundation for industry-wide measurement across media platforms. Endorsed by all major trade groups and used by more than 700 brands, Ad-ID makes it easy to streamline the supply chain.
Optimize the Agency-Client Relationship 
Two steps have been taken to close the chasm between brands and agencies. On the procurement front, a task force will work on the gaps in understanding, knowledge and value with clients, client marketing groups and external agencies. Agency search has also become a hot-button topic. With the 4A's, we developed the Agency Search Principles and Best Practices white paper to improve the process for client marketers and agency leaders.
Develop 21st-Century Marketing Skills 
Constant changes in marketing and advances in technology make professional development a necessity. But most marketing organizations -- and I suspect agencies and media companies—lack comprehensive long-term strategies to enhance performance and capability. It takes money, time and commitment to elevate the skills of our most important asset: our people.
Focus on Sustainability 
As a major public force, marketing has a broader societal obligation than facilitating commerce. Within and beyond our commercial campaigns, we are committed to addressing an array of social issues that touch the health, safety and well-being of our citizens and country. The ANA has formed a task force to establish guidelines for businesses to make the marketing supply chain more sustainable.
Prove the Value of Marketing 
Our industry consistently, aggressively addresses government efforts that threaten our freedoms. This year, our partners came together to create the Global Insights Study, which shows that marketing accounts for nearly 20 million U.S. jobs and $5.8 trillion in economic output. We will continue to communicate this data to congressional leaders to thwart all efforts to tax advertising or deny full deductibility of expenses.
Stop ICANN's Proposed Domain Program 
The organization responsible for coordinating the technical management of this internet system is scheduled to launch a top-level domain expansion in January. A coalition of more than 100 marketers and trade associations opposes this plan. Its justification is flawed and its cost excessive. It will hurt consumers and damage brand equity. We urge the entire brand community to demand that ICANN suspend this program.
By:  on AdAge

Dec 14, 2011

Unicef - Santa


Classification: Creativity: 4,4;  Will to buy(donate): 4;  Empathy for the Brand: 4,2
Total: 4,2

Santa doesn't do poor countries. But we do.
Buy your Christmas gifts at http://www.unicef.org







Dec 13, 2011

Add This - Social Sharing Trends

AddThis, the sharing platform owned by Clearspring. which as  11 million domains world wide and sees 1.2 billion uniques a month, shares the social sharing 2011 trends.





 sharing trends from 2010

Sustainability is the new thing

The year comes to an end and all kinds of reports are published. Today I will share some of the findings of the report ClimateCounts.org. In this report ClimateCounts.org  present various companies scorecards (Unilever, Nike, etc...) regarding their behaviour on environmentally policies, but first I'll share some excerpts from the McKinsey Quarterly article "What really drives value in Corporate Responsibility", which helps to understand why companies invest so much in sustainability policies, and why&how they should invest.


Now that stakeholders—including consumers, investors, and employees—pay increasing attention to the social and environmental footprints of business, corporate-responsibility efforts have moved into uncharted management territory. We see companies reengineering supply chains to make them “greener,” supporting social causes through volunteer programs for employees, or lobbying for human rights in farflung corners of the globe.
(...)Some investments, of course, produce immediate and quantifiable gains, such as those from recycling or from manufacturing processes that save energy. But often, social investments are expected to yield longer-term benefits as engaged consumers step up their purchases, (...)

(...) it is vital that managers avoid creating an impression that such activities are crowding out core business priorities. In fact, some wellmeaning corporate-responsibility activities can actually harm a company’s competitiveness.

Consider an experiment. We had consumers rate their own purchase intentions for computer accessories after learning about a company’s product quality and corporate-responsibility activities. Descriptions of the company as having high product quality had a modest positive effect, but for a company with low product quality, the consumer’s willingness to make a purchase actually decreased. (...)
By following a few basic principles, leaders can increase the likelihood that stakeholders will interpret corporate-responsibility initiatives more accurately and thus more positively. 

Don’t hide market motives 
Stakeholders are remarkably open to the business case for corporate responsibility, as long as initiatives are appropriate given what stakeholders know about the business, and as long as companies
genuinely pursue and achieve the accompanying social value. Companies should understand that they can pursue profitable core business and corporateresponsibility objectives in tandem, without trade-offs.

Serve stakeholders’ true needs.
Consumers are drawn to products that satisfy their needs. Likewise, stakeholders are drawn to companies whose corporateresponsibility activities produce solid benefits, which can be tangible (such as improved health in local communities) or psychological (for instance, volunteer programs that help employees better integrate their work and home lives). Before investing in corporate responsibility, however, managers need to set clear objectives that companies can meet and then, ideally, create programs together with key stakeholder groups.

Test your progress. 
Corporate responsibility acts as a conduit through which companies can demonstrate that they care about their stakeholders. A company should assess its initiatives regularly to ensure that they foster the desired unity between its own goals and those of stakeholders. Calibrating strategy frequently improves the odds that corporate responsibility will create value for all parties.












By the Numbers

  • 136 companies were scored across 16 sectors in the 5th annual Climate Counts company scoring process 
  • Electronics represents the highest scoring sector with an average of 74.8 points among 13 companies
  • 13 companies scored 80 points or above in 2011 compared to 4 in 2010
  • 9 of 13 companies represented in Toys/Children’s equipment scored 12 points or less in 2011, making it the lowest performing sector overall
  • The Furniture sector had the second lowest average scores behind children’s products with 20.3 points
  • 63.9% of companies improved their score from 2010 to 2011
  • 79 companies are striding in 2011 versus 68 in 2010
  • Only 1 of the 20 largest companies scored is still stuck with 11 points – Amazon 
  •  Food Products and Pharmaceuticals had the 2nd and 3rd highest 2011 scoring averages with 67.6 and 67.2 points respectively
Sector leaders
  • Airlines: Delta (56)
  • Apparel/Accessories: Nike (85)
  • Beverages - Beer: Molson Coors (69)
  • Commercial Banks: Bank of America (82)
  • Consumer Shipping: UPS (80)
  • Electronics: Hewlett-Packard (83)
  • Food Products: Unilever (88)
  • Food Services: Starbucks (70)
  • Home and Office Furnishings: Herman Miller
  • and Masco (63)
  • Hotels: Marriott (73)
  • Household Products: L’Oreal (78)
  • Large Appliances: AB Electrolux (80)
  • Internet/Software: Microsoft (68)
  • Media: General Electric (77)*
  • Pharmaceuticals: AstraZeneca (86)
  • Toys & Children’s Equipment: Hasbro (52)
Methods 
(...)Climate Counts 22-criteria assessment is broken down into four sub-sections:

Review: Is the company taking inventory of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions using an industry accepted accounting protocol? (22 possible points)

Reduce: Has the company articulated a strategy for reducing GHG emissions and have they succeeded in achieving actual reductions? (56 possible points)

Policy Stance: Does the company explicitly support the need for comprehensive energy and climate policy or is there evidence they oppose such measures? (10 possible points)

Report: Is the company publicly disclosing information about their sustainability efforts and their progress toward carbon neutrality? (12 possible points)
Why Do Some Sectors Score Better than Others?
Climate Counts builds sector equality into its scoring system by assessing companies on their actions as opposed to the size of their footprint. This is evidenced by the fact that six different industries—Food Products, Pharmaceuticals, Apparel/Accessories, Electronics, Commercial Banks and Large Appliances—are represented in our top 10 companies for 2011.
Some might argue that the airlines sector is disproportionately handicapped by their unique dependence on emissions-heavy jet fuel. As with all sectors scored, however, this magnifies the potential upside of spearheading the shift toward alternative, scalable fuel and energy sources such as biofuels and solar power.

Final Thoughts

As the goalposts of business have shifted to reward sustainability, the reputational costs and operational risks of failing to embrace climate stewardship have encouraged more companies into action. In theory, this is the primary goal of organizations like Climate Counts—to be a catalyst of behavioral change for companies and the consumers who depend on them.
 
Trends indicate that companies are now adopting strategies to combat climate change, but there is still a big mountain to climb toward carbon neutrality. For starters, we’d like to see better performance in the Policy Stance section of our scorecard which rewards corporations that vocalize support for climate and energy legislation at every layer of government. At a time when future generations have never before depended so heavily on the actions of today, it is no longer acceptable to simply hope for self-policing of greenhouse gas emissions. 



KOKO Productions: Artisan

Classification: Creativity: 4,3;  Will to buy: 3,5;  Empathy for the Brand: 3,4
Total: 3,7


Koko makes bullshit sound good! 

"Freshly polished for the Holidays". 'Tis the season to make anything sound good. We mean anything, even this. www.kokoproductions.com













Credits
Advertising Agency: DDB, Vancouver, Canada
Creative Directors: Dean LeeCosmo Campbell
Associate Creative Director: Daryl Gardiner
Copywriters: Amina HalimDaryl Gardiner
Art Directors: Daryl GardinerAmina Halim
Agency Producers: Sue Bell
Account Services: Sue Bell
Film Company: Transmission Inc.
Director: Joe LaFleur
Director of Photography: Mike Hawley

Dec 12, 2011

Top 10 Viral Advertising Campaigns of 2011 by AdAge

1 - Volkswagen: The Force
Agency: Deutsch, Los Angeles
Launch date: Feb. 3
Views: 62.7 million
 


2 - T-Mobile: Royal Wedding
Agency: Saatchi&Saatchi, London
Launch Date: April 12
Views: 28.4 million



3 - Apple: "Introducing iPhone"
Agency: TBWA Media Arts Lab
Launch date: Oct 5
Views: 27.8 million




 4 - Fiat: "Life is best when driven"
Agency: Doner
Lauch date: Sept. 12 
Views: 27.4 million 



5 - Dirt Devil: "You Know When It's the Devil"
Launch date: April 29
Views: 26.4 million



6 - Old Spice: "New Old Spice Guy Fabio"
Agency: Wieden&Kennedy Portland
Launch date: July 14
Views: 26.3 million






7 - Chrysler: "Imported From Detroit"
Agency: Wieden&Kennedy Portland
Launch date: Feb. 6
Views: 22.3 million




8 - Google: "The Web is What You Make of It"
Agency; Google Creative Lab
Launch date: May 2
Views: 21.2 million




9 - Adidas: "All In"
Agency: Sid Lee
Launch date: May 1
Views: 19.9 million



10 - Old Spice: "Old Spice Man is Back"
Agency: Wielden&Kennedy, Portland
Launch date: Jan. 20
Views: 18.6 million





Dec 10, 2011

The Walking Dead - Lunch

Classification: Creativity: 4;  Will to buy(watch): 4;  Empathy for the Brand: 4,3
Total: 4,1




Credits
Agency Producer: Yoli Mes Production House: 7Films Producer: Benjamin Kaufman Director: Lourens van Rensburg

Dec 9, 2011

3 Ways To Respect The "Co" In Consumer


When we look back at 2011, many will remember it as the year of the Occupy Movement, as the representation for the 99% found their voice, aiming to bring about change by influencing the controls of economic wealth and political power.
Meanwhile, earlier in the year, Professor Michael E. Porter of Harvard University published a paper in Harvard Business Review entitled “Creating Shared Value.” His writing focused on the redefinition of capitalism in order to create a value model where both economic and societal benefit is generated.
What each of these examples potently illustrate is the real power of our cultural values in society and how the foundations of capitalism, democracy, and consumerism are being profoundly redefined.
For brands the challenge goes far beyond the marketing department and demands a complete rethink about the fundamental relationship between the brand and the end user. As purchasing decisions continue to be increasingly driven based on the contribution the brand plays in society and culture, what we are witnessing is a shift from the idea of a relatively simple ever-purchasing consumer, to a more complex, vested species of client.
Emphasizing The Co In Consumer
In order for brands to come to terms with this change, it’s important to understand the three core drivers of consumer demand.
1. Co-llective
The economic model is shifting, and with it, companies need to rethink the role their brand plays in society. This means reappraising the practices that business will support for the benefit of economic performance, trade, shareholders, employees, and co:sumer end use and societal impact. Think about what your brand stands for, and build its role for the collective benefit of all stakeholders touched by the business. As more co:sumers will continue to expect more from the brands they support, more brands are going to make claims of helping the environment, donating a portion of proceeds, etc. Make sure your co:llective strategy transparently delivers real and genuine tangible benefits that show the commitment you are making for mutual benefit.
2. Co-llaborative
Using a co:llaborative model allows brands to engage and enable their co:sumers to produce new platforms that benefit the shared ideals of the business and society. Pepsi understood this when launching the Pepsi Refresh Project, its idea-funding initiative, which in its first year garnered more votes supporting ideas than votes cast in the last presidential election. The focus of co:llaborative initiatives should aim to focus on driving participation by recruiting the most motivated and influential co:sumers and providing them with a platform to curate their ideas by enlisting the broader support of their own social groups.
3. Co-creative
Co:creative strategy is about providing a shared enterprise platform, which provides co:sumers the opportunity to develop their own initiatives based on the core product or service of the brand. One brand that infuses a co:creative mindset into its offerings is Microsoft. The Kinect for Xbox 360 has evolved beyond a new way to play a video game. Instead, as this recently released commercial, “The Kinect Effect,” shows, Kinect is now being used in ways that before could only be imagined. Beyond play, co:sumers are able to explore ways to innovate and develop new uses for the product. 
The New Model Youth
Millennials tend to see brands as companies with influence, and they have higher expectations set than previous generations to what these companies should provide. A new consumer  model is highly relevant to this younger population. It's well documented that the collectivist ideals of the Millennial generation will be felt now that more members of the generation are of voting age and entering the workforce. As they begin to feel the effects of the relationship between politics and business play, this will have an effect on their outlook of the future. The smart brands, like Starbucks, who are responding to changes faster than others (for example, with its “Create Jobs for USA” initiative), understand this. 
2012, The Year Of The New Consumer
Now, as we look forward to 2012 with continued economic uncertainty, and the looming presidential election, we can expect to see an increased pressure on corporations to align with these new consumer ideals. Individuals will increasingly look to the companies they choose to spend their money with to provide solutions for society, even in circumstances where government may have formerly taken the lead.
What you need to ask is, is your brand ready for the new consumer uprising?