Greenpeace sabotage Waitrose ad #dumpshell

It wasn't long ago I was blogging about how Greenpeace had created spoof adverts for Shell demonstrating their negative impact on the environment and now they've done it again, still targeting Shell, but within a Waitrose ad. A group called The Agents of Intervention have created this new advert. They have cleverly manipulated the voices of Waitrose's ambassadors Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal to encourage viewers to #dumpshell. This comes after Waitrose are trialling their stores within Shell petrol stations following their recent christmas campaign which demonstrates the supermarkets donations to charity.

Although the subject Greenpeace are talking about is a serious one I find this quite humourous which is why I think it works well because people are more likely to remember it. Greenpeace are notorious for going out their way to shame any company that appears to be impacting badly onto the environment and they haven't held back here either. I personally don't think many Waitrose customers will change to a different supermarket because of Greenpeace's work however if this ad went viral it could affect Waitrose's brand identity in the future.

http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/

Glaceau packaging refreshed

Coke, who own Glaceau vitamin water, have refreshed the packaging after cutting the sugar levels within the drinks. These drinks have previously come under scrutiny from the ASA after claiming the drinks were healthy but were then found to have extrememly high levels of sugar within the drinks meaning their health claims were actually false. Having replaced the sugar with a new stevia-based sweetener, which will now see the sugar levels cut down by 30% and the calories reduced by 30, the packaging has also been refreshed. The new packaging now features pictograms which highlight each drink's specific nutrient. I don't really see much of a change in the packaging and if the new focus is on the pictograms then I think the copy on the bottle could be made smaller or less bold as currently this still remains the focal point on the bottle because I'm drawn to the word vitamin more than anything else.

Following the Olympics this year most brands are now aiming to be healthier and follow the consumer trend of wanting to be more health and fitness conscious. I will personally be more inclined to now buy this product because I refused to buy it after the ASA brought to light how much sugar was actually in the drinks but now the sugar is reduced I may buy it for it's nutrients.

http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/

Npower switches

 

Npower is switching its marketing strategy from sports sponsorships to ties with charities including Macmillan Cancer Support. In doing this I think it will improve their corporate social responsibility and provide them with a brand identity that makes them seem socially aware and caring. Also as energy companies often just continue to put their bill prices up this is proving to customers how Npower are giving something back to the community. Debbie Britton is currently the director of customer marketing for Npower and has commented that she feels connections with charities is the route forward for Npower. This strategy is similar to that of Waitrose in their christmas campaign this year which saw them ditch a glamourous christmas advert in favour of donating that money to local charities. Celebrity endorsement is so common with many brands nowadays having links with charity instead persuades more customers to join Npower because they feel they are part of a positive brand.

http://www.brandrepublic.com/

Virgin Media - Our House

 

Virgin Media are going to be launching 'Our House' which is a revolutionary in store experience for customers. The first store is opening at Westfield in West London and digital images of Richard Branson and the brand ambassadors Mo Farah and Usain Bolt will greet customers as part of Virgin's aim to create a 'sensory experience at every touchpoint'. I think it's important brands create experiences for customers rather than just feeding them a print or digital advertisement because it is more memorable and if the customer has a positive experience they will associate that experience with the Virgin brand. An interesting element of this new store opening is that sales associates will be able to process sales on tablets meaning there is no need to install traditional tills. As I work within retail I think this such a good idea because half of the task when selling a product to the customer is then maintaining the sale whilst walking them to the till so if sales associates within the Virgin store are able to seal the deal there and then and with a quick process customers are more likely to part with their money.

http://www.brandrepublic.com/

SodaStream ad banned

This is the ad by SodaStream which was banned by Clearcast hours before it was due to go live because it was said to promote the 'denigration of the bottled drinks market'. Having watched the ad I feel it does in fact have the potential to make people avoid buying bottled drinks in order to be more sustainable by choosing SodaStream however I don't feel it was necessary to pull the advert. After all aren't the majority of governments and people aiming for a more sustainable planet? I don't think SodaStream's ad was an attack on the bottled drinks industry as the self combusting drinks within their ad remain unbranded, I think they were trying to direct the attention to themselves by demonstrating how environmentally friendly they are as a brand. In response to Clearcast's ban SodaStream have released a response print campaign encouraging people to protest against Clearcast's choice and redirecting viewers to where they can view the ad. http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/

 



Pantone colour of the year

Pantone have selected their Emerald shade as the colour of the year based on it's "harmony and balance" according to Pantone themselves. The connotations of being linked to the emerald jewel also imply sophistication and luxury about the colour. Often the colour green in general, no matter what shade, is linked with healing and the environment. Quite often however the colour green in all shades is a hard one to transfer across fashion as many people feel a fear of wearing green because it's often seen as a daring colour and is very rarely found within high street shops.

I think Pantone could now aim to promote this colour and how it could be used across various platforms such as packaging design, interior design and print design.

http://www.designweek.co.uk/

Weightwatchers rebranding

 

Pentagram have rebranded the popular weight loss program: Weightwatchers. This new look has been launched in the US and will be launched in the UK if the trial is deemed successful. I feel the new branding has more of a corporate feel to it which could reflect the business direction the brand is wishing to take. It also means that it's more likely to work well across various platforms because of the simple design so it will be easily transferred and recognised. The gradient on the copy is said to resemble the transformation people go through when attending weightwatchers classes and could represent how they may go from a 'dark place' to a 'lighter' place after they've lost weight. I think this design is much more modern than the older design however I don't think it reflects the welcoming and inviting nature of weightwatchers so I feel it could in fact put people off.

http://www.designweek.co.uk

Peugeot 'Nonstop'

Although this ad for Peugeot's 208 model starring dancer Marquese, also known as Nonstop, was released in April of this year I still feel it appropriate to blog about mainly because I sat for the whole 4 minutes watching in genuine awe at it. This ad made number 2 on the recently released list of YouTube's most watched ad of 2012. It was created by Initials Marketing and features the Rudimental soundtrack which in itself could have contributed to the video's popularity as the song was recently in the charts. Less is definitely more when it comes to this video because the advertising is subtle with the car just being strategically placed in the background and almost taking a back seat to the dancer Marquese. In creating an ad that doesn't shout out about the car's qualities they have effectively managed to create a successful ad that could go viral very quickly purely because of the dancing. Or is it that Peugeot, who are part of the same company as Citroen, are stepping back into their advertising comfort zone by using a dance routine with a popular song in the background. I knew Peugeot's ad reminded me of something...

 



YouTube's most popular ads of 2012

So 2012 is almost over and YouTube have released their results of the most popular ads of 2012. They have advised brands to include humour and interactivity into their campaigns in order to maximise viewing figures and gain more interest. Number 1 was won by Honda Civic's 'Spark' ad. Having watched the ad I can understand why it received so many views, the idea behind the ad is simple. The advert deviates from the typical car adverts we're used to that usually a car showing how fast it can drive or overly emphasising the technical features of the car. I like how the ad is following the story of a spark which represents the beginning of production for a car and makes reference to the features within the car such as the power and speed but does this subtly which works well.

 



Sacla expands their products

Sacla, the pesto and pasta brand, are launching their new fresh product aimed to fill the premium gap within the pasta market. Currently there are not many products out there categorised under fresh sauces or pasta so I think Sacla could be successful in closing this gap and sales could be easy since there are no competitors. Just from the luxurious and upmarket packaging I can imagine the price point of this product will be too high for the majority of students and is most likely to be found in supermarkets such as Waitrose or Sainsbury's. Despite this I can still see the appeal because it provides convenience with fresh quality which could appeal to many working professionals who want to have a healthy meal but don't have the time to cook. The product launch will be supported by point-of-sale, in-store, press and digital activity.

In sync with the launch of their new product Sacla are also looking to appoint a creative agency to work on the brand's advertising account. Their previous advertisments include the "Sac-la" which saw a man chopping to a beat saying Sac-La in time to his chopping.

http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/



Very.co.uk

 

Very.co.uk have created a clever way of driving traffic to their website by having a digital display of the trends and encouraged shoppers on the high street to interact with it by taking pictures to then shop on the website. This particular image has been placed in Liverpool and the trends shown on the images have been tailored to the shopping habits of people from Liverpool. Very has commented that if that move turns out successful then they will consider other locations within the UK to have more digital displays.

I think this works because since Very is an online only shopping website they rely on advertising to attract customers who won't have heard of the website before because it is highly unlikely somebody will just stumble upon the website in a way they might stumble across a shop in a high street whilst browsing. Very currently have TV advertisements featuring Holly Willoughby and Fearne Cotton which has made the brand popular due to the celebrity endorsement. It's clever how Very are trying to convert people already shopping on the high street to go and shop online. http://www.retail-week.com/

Spotify to turn social

 

Spotify will be changing their interface as of next year to become more current with social media. Users will be able to follow artists and see their updates as they might do on Twitter or Facebook. However the social aspect will be more music focused to fit into the Spotify product so users will be able to share playlists between friends and see what everyone is listening to. There is a business move within this for Spotify because it has created push notifications for brands which will allow brands associated with music, such as Dre Beats headphones, to send out messages to their users when there is an important update, such as a new product coming out. This could encourage more brands to go to Spotify to advertise their product if it means their audience will be widened. I'm not sure if this move is necessary for Spotify though because even though they will become more current and up to date they should just remain unique because it seems that the majority of websites are wanting to become more social media connected. http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/spotify

McDonald's Happy Meals play zones

 

Considering I enjoyed a Happy Meal today I thought it relevant to blog about this. McDonald's have launched play areas within 150 of their stores, in particular the stores with a high volume of family traffic. The areas are gesture-controlled, supplied by Paradigm AV and allow children to interact with cartoon characters such as Bugs Bunny in the style of Wii games where they can move around and remain active. This is a good strategic move by McDonald's to be recognised as a healthier brand as they are often scrutinized for their fat and salt levels within the food. I imagine not many parents are happy to regularly feed their children fast-food so the new play areas act as an incentive for parents who may have their reserves. It counteracts the unhealthy aspect of fast-food as the children are being encouraged to get active and remain entertained which adds to the whole eating experience. In doing this it shows McDonald's are still aiming to reach out to the family market with their products and I think this clever idea will work for them. The article for this can be found on http://www.brandchannel.com

Starbucks pays tax to build trust

 

Starbucks have now launched a campaign to ensure customers they will now pay tax above what is required. Following the controversy they created when it was revealed they didn't pay tax they have now agreed to pay over £20million in UK corporation tax. Although they weren't breaking the law in what they were doing it was simply immoral and has affected their corporate social responsibility and most likely affected the number of customers they have been getting over the past few weeks. Especially since their competitor, Costa Coffee, do already pay UK corporation tax. So I think Starbucks are right to make it known to their customers that they are now paying tax because customers' trust has been damaged and they will need to ensure they maintain a good reputation. The article for this can be found on http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/starbucks

Kate Bosworth Topshop Production

Topshop have created their first movie directed by Michael Polish and it features Kate Bosworth singing Winter Wonderland. The track is currently available on iTunes and soon on Spotify. I chose to blog about this purely because I'm a little confused. Why, of all brands, have Topshop produced this. It seems it's becoming a trend for brands to produce advertisements that have no relation to their products, similar to American Apparel (previous blog post). The dress Kate Bosworth is wearing in the video has been designed by Topshop's design team however I just find it odd that the overall production is not an actual advertisement for Topshop nor does it bring any focus to the actual product Kate is wearing. I only knew the dress was Topshop branded through my own research. It seems like this could be a strategic move from Topshop to become more than just a fashion brand, the same way Google are branching out and becoming more than just a search engine. Despite my own personal opinions this movie could work in favour for Topshop if it gains enough attention people will begin to talk about it and the conversation will relate to Topshop giving them more popularity and interest. The article to this can be found on http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/ 

Boots drops 'here comes the girls' ad

Mother agency have created their new campaign for Boot's with the new slogan 'Let's Feel Good'. After 5 years of 'Here Comes The Girls' it brings a new approach for the store and opens up the market to men. Previously Boot's had no problem in only aiming at women because their previous ads were so successful it was clear they were aiming at their right target market however it seems now they are wanting to include men so have made the advert very neutral in terms of gender. The new advert tells the stories behind the gifts chosen for loved ones and is accompanied with the Elton John soundtrack of Are you ready for love? Yet again we have another christmas advert making the most of older songs, it wouldn't surprise me if Elton John's song ends up back in the charts as most of the songs featured on adverts often do. The advert is trying to express that Boots have the gifts you need to be thoughtful and if you want to buy a meaningful gift for someone that they will appreciate then Boots is the place to go.

Boots also have a different USP for christmas this year in allowing people to record messages on their iPhones which can then be placed on gifts in the form of a QR code where the person receiving the gift can scan the code and listen to the message. This will set Boots apart from its competitors during the christmas period because this could be a massive pulling factor for people when considering christmas presents for friends and family.

American Apparel Banned Ads

 

The ASA have banned 7 ads from American Apparel's website deeming them "overtly sexual" and "inappropriate" because the content could have been viewed by children. It's quite obvious why the ASA banned these ads and I do think they were right to, I think when brands try to be sexual it's very hard not to overstep the mark. It's not the first time the ASA has banned their ads, in 2009 for it's use of a "particularly naked model who appeared under the age of 16". These ads remind me of the United Colors of Benetton ads which were there to create a reaction rather than focus on the actual products. Possibly American Apparel actually aimed to get their advertising banned just so people would talk about it, often this has more of a positive impact because more people hear about the brand in that way.

However for some people they might now be put off because it's a negative representation so this could impact onto their sales if people then turn to a competitor to buy their clothes.  

Campaign on iPad

 

Campaign have launched their weekly version on iPad available from the App Store. This relates to my earlier post (Christmas shopping) about how brands are having to become more technology savvy and more accessible to tablets and mobile devices because more and more people are using these devices within their everyday lifestyle. It seems the norm to own an iPad for both business and personal uses so I think campaign have done themselves a favour by being more accessible. 

im lovin' it

Mcdonald's have released yet another festive menu for Christmas 2012 accompanied with a tv advert. When I first watched the advert, created by Leo Burnett, it wasn't immediately obvious the ad was for McDonald's and if I'm honest I thought it was an advert for Royal Mail which is why I like it because it's not McDonald's screaming out with an obvious advert. I like the unexpected surprise when the postman is given the parcel of a 'winter warmer' and then McDonald's becomes clear.

Analysing the advert in more detail it has all the elements of winter with the icy temperatures and snow on the ground which makes McDonalds seem even more inviting because the restaurants are portrayed as warm and welcoming in the advert. However as an advert it fits in with the stereotypical Christmas advert with a backing soundtrack that no doubt people will be wanting to download and the feeling of nostalgia and community during Christmas, similar to ASDA's advert. http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news

Christmas shopping via tablets

A new survey by IBM has confirmed that more people are now using mobile devices and tablets for their online shopping. The study assessed users on Monday 26th November 2012 compared with users from Monday 28th November 2011. From this the study resulted in online sales being up 18% with the ipad accounted for 10.8% alone, 205% more than in 2011. This clearly demonstrates how people are seeking more accessible ways to shop and the mad rush of shops and high streets has converted them to simpler and often quicker ways of shopping. This could impact onto many stores who will see a drop in footfall. It could also mean many more brands have to make their websites more accessible and easy to use on mobile devices allowing people to shop easily.

Ipads and tablets have become more and more popular during 2012 with the release of the smaller ipad and Microsoft's new Surface tablet being released which could mean for the rest of this year's christmas period and next year's christmas shopping centres and retailing areas will have to come up with incentives to make people go out shopping rather than just using their tablet.

I originally found this article on http://www.marketingweek.co.uk

SportsAid

 

SportsAid are launching a new campaign to promote Britain's upcoming and new athletes. The charity provides financial support to potential athletes with their training and equipment in preparation for future events such as the Commonwealth games in 2014 and the 2016 Olympics. The slogan "I will be next" is carrying forward the campaign and follows on from the Olympic slogan which was to "inspire a generation".

I feel this campaign could become successful and have backing from the public because since the Olympic there is a sense of pride and community within the UK of our sportsmen. It also highlights how although the Olympics are over for 2012 the work for the next Olympics is continuing behind the scenes and we shouldn't forget the athletes who are hoping the make the next games. This could therefore encourage more people to donate to SportsAid because there is a strong need to carry on the positive feeling we all got from the Olympics.

As an advertising campaign it will be integrated across print, digital, experiential and social media marketing which I think reflects the wide scale audience SportsAid are hoping to aim the campaign at.

More information on the new campaign and more about SportsAid can be found at http://www.sportsaid.org.uk

Vinnie saves lives

Vinnie Jones is back with the British Heart Foundation and their new ads for 2012. Made by Grey London the next phase of the campaign shows ads featuring people whos lives have been saved by the original Stayin' Alive campaign. The example above is of Alan Linton who tells his story of how his friends managed to save his life by remembering the instructions Vinnie gave on the ad. This is just one of the ads from a series featuring different people that will be shown across our televisions in the future.

 

The original YouTube ad has been watched by 2.8million and from the new ads has clearly helped save people's lives, however the survival rate from cardiac arrest still remains at 1 in 5 (taken from the British Heart Foundation) which is why the BHF wanted Grey London to bring back the ads. I think they have done the right thing in creating new ads rather than just continuing to run the original one because it then becomes fresh in people's minds and people will actually pay attention if it's made aware how successful the Stayin' Alive ad was. Although these new ads aren't directly telling people how to perform CPR they work well in making people think back to the original ad to which they will remember the instructions VInnie Jones gave which is a clever way of continuing to get the message across without repeating the original ad. The overall feel of the ads is a light hearted and slightly fun approach despite the subject being a serious matter. This then allows people to connect with the ads unlike if they were faced with a hard hitting ad that emphasised how many people die, they would most likely avoid watching the ad because the message is being delivered in a way that's too hard to connect with.

 

Reference - www.marketingweek.co.uk/

Save the Children christmas jumpers

 

Celebrities this year are supporting Save the Children's charity day on December 14th by swapping their usual glamourous outfits for traditional christmas jumpers. Myleene Klass, Mark Wright and presenter Jon Snow are just some of the celebrities taking part. The campaign is encouraging people to donate £1 to the charity and join in the festive spirit by wearing their favourite christmas jumper on the 14th. 

I personally like how the charity has chosen to take a fun approach and actively involve their audience rather than placing a hard hitting or ineffective ad in a newspaper or on television. Often around the christmas periods it's charities which may be forgotten or over shadowed because we as an audience are faced more with glamourous Coca Cola ads or the latest John Lewis ad. Having celebrity endorsements as part of the Save the Children campaign creates more attention and is more likely to be successful because fans of the celebrities are most likely to follow suit. More information on the campaign can be read at http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/christmas-jumper-day 

Pinterest business accounts

Pinterest have now expanded their services allowing businesses to create accounts. This now allows companies to place Pin It onto their websites and let users Pin things from the website to their own personal account, creating wider knowledge and interest of that company. Debenhams and Victoria Secrets are just some of the companies to have already signed up to Pinterest.

I think this works well both ways because Pinterest are expanding themselves as a brand because they are now targeting a wider market of business users and are wanting to be associated more with business and not just personal users who use the website for social purposes. However the individual companies will benefit from this because their audience is being increased, for example if a regular Debenhams customer Pins from the website onto their personal Pinterest account it is then viewable by their friends who might like what they see and then visit the shop. Although Pinterest have opened up their brand to businesses I'm not sure all businesses will open up to them because they are more likely to still go with more popular social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook when producing integrated campaigns as the number of users on these websites is much higher than the users on Pinterest.

Reference - http://www.fastcocreate.com

 

Telegraph thermal wrap for Age UK

 

The Telegraph newspaper yesterday (17th November) featured a thermal cover wrap around the paper to remind people how donations to the Age UK charity can help keep old people warmer this winter. The dull and grey image with Lynda Bellingham was printed in thermal ink so that when the reader touched the image the colour would change to orange. The wrap was designed by the Telegraph's in-house creative team in conjunction with Age UKs own ad agency Karmarama.

I think this is a clever way to get their point across and as a charity their aim is to raise awareness and reach out to as many people. Often an ordinary ad just placed in between articles can be ignored so by engaging the reader and creating an 'experience' for them they are likely to remember what the ad is for and take notice. This clever strategy is unique in reinforcing what the charity wants from the reader and by encouraging the reader to touch the whole image to change the colour it shows how that individual can change things on a larger scale too. Furthermore for Age UK to choose to place this ad in The Telegraph and not a newspaper such as The Sun suggests they are hoping to gain donations from people who have more disposable income and who may be more willing to part with their money especially around Christmas time.

The article for this can be found here http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/

Twining's re-branding

BrandOpus have redesigned Twinings herbal teas making them more bold and illustrative than the previous packaging. The new modern look could attract a younger market who might be attracted to the contemporary feel of the boxes because they could relate more to the packaging. BrandOpus have explained how the swirling patterns and illustrative designs reflect the infusion process involved when making a cup of Twinings herbal tea.

 

However I personally don't like this new design. I think it lacks continuity across all of the flavours and that's an important part of branding. Considering it's only these new flavours of herbal teas which have had their packaging redesigned I think that further isolates them from the rest of the Twinings products. They could have at least redesigned more of their products to improve the continuity.

 

This is just an example of the older packaging of their herbal tea which I think is more visually appealing because it's simple and there is less going on than in the new designs. This design is more recognisable and appropriate to the Twinings brand because if the newer packaging didn't have the Twinings logo I would think it was a completely different brand. Twinings could possibly be aiming for a more modern brand identity but I think their heritage and history is a quality they should stick with.

 

 



When product placement goes bad

 

Budweiser are currently not too happy with Paramount Pictures for negatively portraying the beer in one of their films due to be released later this year. The film named Flight features Denzel Washington as a pilot who opens a can of Budweiser whilst trying to fly his plane, luckily avoiding any crash but is then subjected to an investigation as to why he flew the plane drunk. Following on from this Budweiser have complained Paramount didn't ask for permission and have asked them to either obscure or remove the Budweiser logo from the film.

 

This is just an example of product placement which rather than promoting a product can have the opposite effect. Although Budweiser might not have much control over this the way the beer is portrayed will have a negative effect on the brand because it's being associated with alcoholism and in turn could put people off. It just shows how important brand association is for consumers because without realising it certain things can persuade us to buy or not buy a product. Similarly Heineken have recently become associated with James Bond after he was shown drinking a bottle in Skyfall which will have a positive effect for their brand because if James Bond drinks it then people will assume it's trendy.

Hamley's get rid of pink and blue

 

Old - Left       New - Right

 

The world famous Hamley's toy store in London have changed their signage which sees the pink for girls and blue for boys sign being changed for a more neutral red and white. Toys are now categorised by their type such as 'art's and crafts' or 'dress up' without specifying which gender they belong to. However Hamley's have responded saying their change has nothing to do with campaigns but more to improve customer flow within the store.

 

Despite this I think Hamley's were right to change the colour of their signs because within society today it's probably old fashioned to say pink is for girls/blue for boys. As a brand it keeps them more current and avoids any sexist or gender campaigns towards them but I just don't think any of the children shopping there are going to care much. The new signs might improve sales for Hamley's because previously parents/children might have avoided a large section of the store and headed to where they felt most appropriate, probably missing toys that they potentially would have bought i.e. parents of a boy might have missed out all of the floors beneath just to get to the 'boy' section.

 

 

the best Movember can get..

 

We're well into Movember now but I was reading how Gillette have actually launched a 1940s style barber shop in London on Carnaby Street to support the Movember cause. The idea being visitors can be given a luxury experience and styling tips to make the most of Movember all by using the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Styler. I think it's a good idea Gillette have teamed up with Movember because we would expect Movember to have a bad effect on Gillette's razor sales however they have cleverly managed to avoid this.

National Express ad banned

 

The ASA have banned an ad from the National Express which as you can see featured a can-can dancer with her leg in the air. National Express defended the ad saying it was cultural and linked to the places they were trying to sell however the ad was banned following a number of complaints that it degraded women and displayed them as sex objects. I personally think the ad is slightly degrading although I can understand why National Express chose that image I just think it could have been used in a less obvious way to express their idea better without offense.

 

There is obviously the issue within society of how women are portrayed not just within ads but in films and music videos as they are generally portrayed with the male gaze in mind. I don't think using women as sexual objects will ever be completely stopped as there are always subtle ways around it and sometimes using women in this way is most appropriate for the product, particularly perfume or beauty products.

Beats by Dr Dre

The Beats by Dr Dre brand are looking to up their marketing campaign in the UK within the next few months and aim to make their link with fashion and music much stronger. It's predicted the marketing team will try to find 'localised' ambassadors to endorse the product as Justin Bieber does in the US. Although currently established within the UK the brand has commented they want to be more familiar with sports personalities and be featured within music videos.

 

However my problem with this is I just think the trend of having these headphones has been and gone. There was previously a surge of interest in them when they were first released in the UK and they seemed to be more of a fashion icon for most people so I'm just not sure if people will be interested the second time round now the novelty has worn off? 

Waitrose launch 'unglamourous' Christmas campaign

 

Waitrose have chose to go in the opposite direction to most brands out there and launched an 'unglamourous' Christmas campaign. The ad stands out because it's unconventional of the typical festive ads we see around this time of year, it's not an ad featuring a nice christmas dinner or somebody buying presents it's the simple idea that they are giving more to charity instead. It's obviously going to work wonders for their corporate social responsibility because they are saying that rather than having a fancy christmas ad they are giving an extra £1million to local charities. It actually works well in creating negativity for other brands such as John Lewis who have gone with their traditional festive ads because it makes them seem like they don't care as much for charity as Waitrose do.

Interestingly although Waitrose are priding themselves on spending more money on charity rather than a Christmas campaign they still cleverly managed to get a bit of celebrity endorsement with Delia and Heston. I think without them the ad itself would become forgettable because although there's a good cause behind it, it's actually quite boring and I only remember it because it has the celebrities in. Overall though I think it's a good approach to make Waitrose stand out amongst all the similar and typical Christmas ads that will be flooding our televisions for the next month.

'Don't let winter get you down'

 

This is the new ad by BBH for RAC since they picked up the business in the summer. The RAC have commented that the ad is a 'departure from the campaigns normally employed by the breakdown industry'. The traditional child-like music in the background works well in making the ad appear more fairytale like and is more positive than previous ads which often focus on the fear of breaking down and are often serious. It creates a nice juxtaposition in that it is a friendly, welcoming approach to the serious and dangerous subject of breaking down during winter. Introducing the children playing in the ad suggests that RAC are hoping to aim at the family audience. They have also created a new USP as a brand because the ad is selling a new 'At Home' service for anyone who joins this winter so it makes a change for a breakdown ad to not have the common image of being stuck at the side of a motorway.

#holidaysarecoming

 

Tonight during the X Factor, Coca Cola will be launching their famous 'Holidays are Coming' ad which is part of their latest 2012 Christmas campaign. The ad itself is just a small part of the integrated marketing campaign which is spread across both Twitter and Facebook. Coca Cola will be introducing the new hashtag #holidaysarecoming to the ad to encourage people to tweet or post about it and ultimately get everyone talking about the famous ad. It's also clever they have decided to launch the ad tonight during X Factor because it's obviously watched by all the family and the Coca Cola campaign and product are very family orientated.

Another part of the campaign will see the iconic Christmas truck delivering 'the ultimate christmas experience' to local heroes appointed by their communities. Although this seems like an honest and good gesture by Coca Cola it is a clever move by the brand to improve their corporate social responsibility because they are showing they care for communities and want to be recognised as doing so.

Big Issue trials their digital version

Big Issue in the North are launching a trial of the world's first digital street magazine. 999 Design have worked with Big Issue to create QR cards which are sold by the vendors and then allow customers to download the digital version of the magazine straight onto their device. Not only are the magazine keeping in line with the way technology is advancing but it's good to see that whilst doing this they are doing it sustainably because the vendors can still keep their jobs. Many printed magazines and newspapers all now have their digital versions so I think Big Issue are right to start trialling theirs because it makes them more current and accessible to the customers. It's currently only being trialled in Manchester for at least 3 months however if it seems successful it could move to London too.

Forever Ink tattoo care range

 

This is the new Forever Ink skincare range for tattoos. The visual branding has been carried out by Anthem Worldwide. They say the logo for the brand was inspired by David Beckham's tattoo of angel wings with the connotation of protecting something. I find the product interesting as it will attract a niche market of people with tattoos and there aren't very many products that specialise in tattoo protection so I think the product will be successful. There currently seems to be a trend for tattoos, most of my friends have recently had their first tattoo, and following on from a what's new session tattoos seem to be a British thing so it's probably a good job this kind of product has been released. 

Vintage art in advertising

 These ads are an example of vintage art working well within advertising. The vodka ad created by Wieden & Kennedy uses the work of Mort Künstler who is famous for his strong oil paintings of famous scenes in American history. The Stella Cidre ad from 2011, created by Mother agency, uses the same vintage aesthetic to promote their more sophisticated cider. Using vintage art creates a feeling of nostalgia around the products which could attract an older target market who may be able to relate more to the era in which the style comes from. Particularly during tough economic or political times people want to revert back to tradition and what they find as comforting so in these two particular cases the vintage feel could work well in gaining consumers.

Every little helps.

When shopping at Tesco this weekend I noticed they have changed the colour of their shelves from white to black. Now this doesn't seem like a major thing but it works well in making the aisles appear more upmarket and exclusive. Recently supermarkets have become more and more competitive in attracting consumers and so they have to keep changing tactics to gain customers. For Tesco, an average level supermarket, it seems they are now trying to market themselves higher on the scale closer to a supermarket such as Sainsbury's or Waitrose.

It'll be interesting to see if similar supermarkets such as Asda follow suit in changing the interior of the store to catch up to the competition. I don't think changing the colour of the shelves in Tesco will make a huge difference to the number of people that decide to shop there but it could encourage current shoppers to spend a little bit more on their products if they feel they are in a more luxury environment. 

Obama in a different light

 I thought these photographs seemed relevant to blog about considering the presidential debate currently taking place in the lead up to the election. They were taken by Pete Souza who is currently the White House photographer.

I think Barack Obama missed a trick in not using this pictures for his campaign because they show a soft, intimate side to him which makes him relatable. He could have probably won a few more votes with these! It's nice to see images we wouldn't usually expect of someone which I think is why these pictures work so well because they portray his true personality without being overly biased.

EE Ad

The new brand EE (Everything Everywhere) have launched their first TV ad tonight made by Saatchi & Saatchi starring Kevin Bacon. The ad explores how Kevin Bacon knows so many people from Tom Hanks to Ken Barlow thanks to the network EE and lets the audience know they can be like him by signing up. I understand the ad wants to connect with as many people as possible to gain consumers which is why they have probably gone with the humourous tone to allow people to relate but it just didn't amaze me. Considering this new network is a big deal and bigger than other networks out there (since they own Orange and T-Mobile) I just thought they might have created an ad that wows a bit more than this one.

 



Walking really is greener than driving

This is the impressive work from Jody Xiong of DDB China who cooperated with the China Environmental Protection Foundation to highlight how choosing walking over driving really is greener. Massive drawings of trees were unfolded on pedestrian crossings across 15 cities in China. Either side of the crossings were large green sponges that meant as people walked across the road they would create the leaves on the tree.

There are so many ads already out there trying to make people more aware of global warming and their carbon footprint but this is a different approach and seemed to work because it simply cannot be ignored. I find it more effective too because rather than being hard hitting or using an aggressive approach to try and make people change it's light hearted and makes you smile.

 

Bodyform for youuuuu

This is the new hilarious ad for Bodyform which responds to a comment posted by a male on their Facebook page. Richard Neill posted this comment: 

Hi , as a man I must ask why you have lied to us for all these years . As a child I watched your advertisements with interest as to how at this wonderful time of the month that the female gets to enjoy so many things ,I felt a little jealous. I mean bike riding , rollercoasters, dancing, parachuting, why couldn't I get to enjoy this time of joy and 'blue water' and wings !! Dam my penis!! Then I

 got a girlfriend, was so happy and couldn't wait for this joyous adventurous time of the month to happen .....you lied !! There was no joy , no extreme sports , no blue water spilling over wings and no rocking soundtrack oh no no no. Instead I had to fight against every male urge I had to resist screaming wooaaahhhhh bodddyyyyyyfooorrrmmm bodyformed for youuuuuuu as my lady changed from the loving , gentle, normal skin coloured lady to the little girl from the exorcist with added venom and extra 360 degree head spin. Thanks for setting me up for a fall bodyform , you crafty bugger

In response to this Bodyform have created a spoof ad directed at Richard by a woman supposedly being the CEO of Bodyform. The ad is apologising to Richard for misleading him into thinking his girlfriend will have a 'happy period' with images of horse riding and roller skating. I love the attention to detail throughout the ad including drinking the blue water that's so familiar with sanitary towel adverts. It's a clever approach for the brand to respond to this comment rather than just ignore it as I can see this ad becoming very popular!

Krave sign a deal with C4

Kellogg's have now signed a deal with C4 to promote their Krave cereal aimed at young adults. It's a clever strategic move by the brand because the ads will be aired around the 5th-11th of November during Made in Chelsea and Misfits which are primarily viewed by 16-25 year olds, the exact audience Kellogg's are aiming for. The actual ads for E4 have been created by The Outfit UK. This follows on from the £4 million integrated advertising campaign they have carried out recently with many university students receiving free sample boxes of the cereal (staffs being one of them!). Kellogg's are obviously very aware of their target audience and have clearly chosen the right platforms to promote their product to gain the highest possible attention.

Picking the right typeface for an ad

 

These two pages are out of a book from the studio named Handwritten: expressive lettering in the digital age. I've blogged in particular about these ads for Giro helmets made by Tony Calcao who was the art director and letterer for this project because it highlights how important it is having the right typeface on your ad. The three ads feature clever images of common objects made from the helmets with the accompanying words beauty, passion and breathe.

 

Using a handwritten scrawl as the typeface has a much better effect of reinforcing the words being written such as beauty because scrawls are often more personal. The overall feel of the ad could have been more corporate if they had used a formal font such as helvetica so I think in this instance the handwritten typeface works well. 

Gokhun Guneyhan

These two images are by Gokhun Guneyhan who works mainly within the areas of photography and web design. I like his Cities & Typography project (where these two images are taken from) because it shows how typography combined with images can create a certain message.

 For example the top image of Paris portrays the city as being elegant through the use of a serif typeface and a soft filter on the photograph. In contrast the bottom image of Poland suggests that the country is strong and modern because of the sans serif font which is bold and more modern than a serif typeface. More of his work can be viewed on Behance.

http://www.behance.net/



The new Nando's campaign

 

Nando's are soon to be launching a humourous campaign made by Wieden & Kennedy that attempts to match people's personalities with one of their sauces. The campaign will be social media based where people are encouraged to use the hashtag #findyourself on Twitter. If consumers then use this hashtag they will receive a prediction from @nandos_official who will analyse their timeline, predict their personality and match them to the most appropriate sauce from mild to extra hot depending on how mad they seem. Users can also go onto Facebook to find the 'peri-predictor' app which presents them with a series of questions and a result of which sauce they are at the end. I actually ended up with the Hot sauce as my answer.

I think this is a fun approach for Nando's and reflects the laid back feel of the restaurant and brand. It's interesting too how they are primarily using social media websites to run the campaign as it's most appropriate for their 18-25 target market so it seems in having this campaign they are wanting to just expand their current market rather than appeal to a new category.