8/27/09
Where is the best place to reach “overweight, out-of-shape, introverted, aggressive, depressed adults 35+?” If you guessed online video games you would be correct. (Sullivan, 2009)
Just consider the possibilities for everything from wii to blood pressure medications. And the best part of course is that the message can be tailored to the audiences’ insights, since people who don’t fit the profile won’t be seeing it.
No wonder Martin Sorrell is so bullish about the future of the consumer insights business. Coming soon, a medium just perfect for you.
Sullivan, L. (2009, August 25). CDC: Gamers at risk for health problems, dream pharma target market. mediapost.com. Retrived August 27, 2009, from
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=112229
Goetzl, D. (2009, August 26). WPP focuses on emerging markets, Sorrell upbeat about consumer insights biz. mediapost.com. Retrived August 27, 2009, from
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=112335
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
But does it make you want to buy something?
8/20/09
At the end of July, Forbes magazine asked a panel of experts to select “the funniest” tv commercial from a selection of 37 commercials dating as far back as 1965.
This 2003 commercial was their favorite.
Here's the URL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TGpri6pdcQ
I have to admit I thought this ad was a hoot. But sadly, it did not prompt me to make a visit to IKEA. Was your reaction any different?
While the article does not specifically address the commercial’s failure as a marketing tool, it did mention that the agency who did it – Crispin Porter – no longer works on the brand. Hmm. Isn’t it time that we all realized that funny does not equal effective?
Follow-up
Dr. Pepper announced their second quarter earnings, and guess what? Sales volume for Snapple fell 15%.
Burkitt, L. (2009, July 31). Laugh Track: Funniest U.S. TV Commercials. forbes.com. Retrived August 20, 2009 from
http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/30/funniest-tv-commercials-leadership-cmo-network-funniestads.html?feed=rss_news
Stynes, T. (2009, August 14). Dr. Pepper Boosts Projection for Year. Wall Street Journal, p.B4
At the end of July, Forbes magazine asked a panel of experts to select “the funniest” tv commercial from a selection of 37 commercials dating as far back as 1965.
This 2003 commercial was their favorite.
Here's the URL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TGpri6pdcQ
I have to admit I thought this ad was a hoot. But sadly, it did not prompt me to make a visit to IKEA. Was your reaction any different?
While the article does not specifically address the commercial’s failure as a marketing tool, it did mention that the agency who did it – Crispin Porter – no longer works on the brand. Hmm. Isn’t it time that we all realized that funny does not equal effective?
Follow-up
Dr. Pepper announced their second quarter earnings, and guess what? Sales volume for Snapple fell 15%.
Burkitt, L. (2009, July 31). Laugh Track: Funniest U.S. TV Commercials. forbes.com. Retrived August 20, 2009 from
http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/30/funniest-tv-commercials-leadership-cmo-network-funniestads.html?feed=rss_news
Stynes, T. (2009, August 14). Dr. Pepper Boosts Projection for Year. Wall Street Journal, p.B4
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Now, a moment for follow-up
8/13/09
Hi All!
I’m back and I thought I’d devote this week’s blog to follow-up on some of the issues discussed previously.
1. Magazines with ad page increases
Not surprisingly, given what I pointed out in the 7/16/09 post, some magazines posted advertising page gains in the first half of 2009.
Those on the winners list include: Fitness, Cooking with Paula Deen, OK!, Family Circle, Scholastic Parent & Child, Organic Gardening, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Country Weekly, and Muscle & Fitness.
It seems pretty obvious that most of these magazines are addressing current lifestyle trends – health concerns, more home cooking, and our obsession with our children. Meanwhile, OK! benefited from the fact that it is now being measured by MRI and Simmons, which means that established advertisers are now including it in their consideration set.
What I’d like to see now is the readership trends for these publications. I bet they’re up too.
2. This round goes to Powerade
As discussed in the 3/30/09 post, I believe that when companies engage in spitting matches, neither side wins.
Manhattan District judge John G. Koeltl has ruled that Gatorade failed to prove its case that Powerade’s advertising claims were false, and that it was guilty of trademark dilution. In addition to pointing out that all the claims were literally true, the ruling also stated that SVC (Gatorade’s parent company) “has not shown either a likelihood of irreparable injury or a likelihood of success on the merit.”
I’m still betting that both brands suffered by pointing out the chemical content of their products.
Roberts, J. (2009, August 10). Now Read This. newsweek.com. Retrived August 12, 2009 from
http://www.newsweek.com/id/211289
Hein, K. (2009, August 6). How Powerade Defeated Gatorade in Court. brandweek.com. Retrived August 12, 2009 from
http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-and-features/direct/e3i43f8401a4817748c139d1d9d293d0b12?pn=2
Hi All!
I’m back and I thought I’d devote this week’s blog to follow-up on some of the issues discussed previously.
1. Magazines with ad page increases
Not surprisingly, given what I pointed out in the 7/16/09 post, some magazines posted advertising page gains in the first half of 2009.
Those on the winners list include: Fitness, Cooking with Paula Deen, OK!, Family Circle, Scholastic Parent & Child, Organic Gardening, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Country Weekly, and Muscle & Fitness.
It seems pretty obvious that most of these magazines are addressing current lifestyle trends – health concerns, more home cooking, and our obsession with our children. Meanwhile, OK! benefited from the fact that it is now being measured by MRI and Simmons, which means that established advertisers are now including it in their consideration set.
What I’d like to see now is the readership trends for these publications. I bet they’re up too.
2. This round goes to Powerade
As discussed in the 3/30/09 post, I believe that when companies engage in spitting matches, neither side wins.
Manhattan District judge John G. Koeltl has ruled that Gatorade failed to prove its case that Powerade’s advertising claims were false, and that it was guilty of trademark dilution. In addition to pointing out that all the claims were literally true, the ruling also stated that SVC (Gatorade’s parent company) “has not shown either a likelihood of irreparable injury or a likelihood of success on the merit.”
I’m still betting that both brands suffered by pointing out the chemical content of their products.
Roberts, J. (2009, August 10). Now Read This. newsweek.com. Retrived August 12, 2009 from
http://www.newsweek.com/id/211289
Hein, K. (2009, August 6). How Powerade Defeated Gatorade in Court. brandweek.com. Retrived August 12, 2009 from
http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-and-features/direct/e3i43f8401a4817748c139d1d9d293d0b12?pn=2
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