Will you "follow the leaf" to PepsiCo's Pure Leaf Iced Tea?

Pure Leaf Iced Tea is launching its first television spot to communicate the brand's unique selling feature -- teas made from leaves not powders or concentrates.

Here's the commercial.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHT62h-wlss

The effort also includes the "Real Leaf Brewery," a mobile installation that demonstrates the brewing process, and is part of a national sampling/culinary tasting tour.  After launching on April 16th with spokesperson (and "Top Chef" judge) Gail Simmons on hand, it will make its first tour stop at the Austin Food & Wine Festival.

The brand has also redesigned its Tumblr page as a destination for tea tips, and Simmons, with her videos appearing on YouTube as well.  Online and social media will also feature recipes and tips from other culinary notables including Dani Spies of "Clean and Delicious," and Lacey Baier of "A Sweet Pea Chef." (Lukovitz, 2015)

So what do you think?  Is the strategy compelling?  Which media tactics do you think will be most effective?  Will the campaign sell lots of tea?

Lukovitz, K. (2015, April 20)  Pure Leaf Iced tea Debuts First TV Spot.  mediapost.com.  Retrieved April 23, 2015, from  http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/248043/pure-leaf-iced-tea-debuts-first-tv-spot.html?edition=82180

Have you picked up your limited edition Avengers cup at Subway yet?

Subway is the official restaurant for the new Avengers movie which opens on May 1st. 

The limited edition cups are coded with a chance to win movie tickets and other prizes.  If you win subs for life they'll send you a check for $22,781.00.   I wonder how they calculated that. 

They are also selling "Hulk" Doritos with prize codes, and there will be additional tie-ins onsite, online, in social and on tv. 

So?  Have you picked up your cup?  Will you?  And what about the movie?  Will you go?

Lukovitz, K. (2015, April 14)  Subway in Promo Partnership With New 'Avengers' Flick.  mediapost.com.  Retrieved April 16, 2015, from,

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/247693/subway-in-promo-partnership-with-new-avengers-fl.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=82038

Millennials don't play golf.

In 2014, participation in golf fell for the fifth year in a row.  Among adults 18-34, the decline from 2009 to 2013 was 13%. 

Why?  It's slow, takes a long time to play and it's expensive, says Matt Powell, a SportsOneSource analyst.  He also points out that as a sport it doesn't reflect the kind of values that millennials care about such as diversity and inclusion.  (Germano, 2014)

As you might imagine tv ratings are down too.  So the PGA Tour is trying to engage fans, and enlarge their fan base, through a loyalty program.  Fans get "mPoints" for doing things like checking on the tours, sharing content, selecting favorite players, viewing scorecards and signing up for fantasy golf tournaments.  The points can then be redeemed for things like gift cards to Starbucks.

While the tour's properties reach about a million fans a day, the loyalty partner they have chosen -- SessionM -- reaches about 80 million people a day through about 1,500 programs for leading brands including NASCAR and the New England Patriots. (Greenberg, 2015)

So what do you think?  Can they build a fan base even if people don't play golf?

Germano, S. (2014, August 1)  A Game of Golf?  Not for Many Millennials.  wsj.com.  Retrieved April 9, 2015, from  http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-game-of-golf-not-for-many-millennials-1406159228

Greenberg, K. (2015, April 8)  PGA Tour Launches reward Program Offering Points For Digital Engagement.  mediapost.com.  Retrieved April 9, from

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/247330/pga-tour-launches-reward-program-offering-points-f.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=81822

How about free? Does that work for you?

I was pretty shocked when this week's issue of  Time Out NY  arrived with the announcement that they are beginning free magazine distribution on April 15.  (And no, it does not appear that they will be refunding my subscription fee.) 

They'll also be doubling their circulation base to 305,000 and raising advertiser rates. (Sass, 2015)

So what do you think?  Will this be a winning strategy for them?

Sass, E. (2015, April 2)  'Time Out NY' Becomes Free Mag.  mediapost.com.  Retrieved April 3, 2015, from

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/247050/time-out-ny-becomes-free-mag.html