Can IKEA convince families that self-assembled furniture will improve their lives?

9/16/10

For years IKEA’s bread and butter customers have been college students and studio apartment dwellers. Now, with furniture sales still on the decline they have hired a new agency – Oglivy & Mather, and are attempting to tap into some of the latest lifestyle trends.

Customization is a key part of the strategy, and the integrated marketing plan includes both a contest for star volunteers, and media targeting the Latino sub-segment.

But will it be enough to convince people that their furniture doesn’t have a cold European style, and isn’t appropriate just for lower-income groups? (Vega, 2010)

Vega, Tanzina (2010, September 13). A Focus on Families (and Furniture). nytimes.com. Retrieved September 15, 2010, from
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/business/media/13adco.html?_r=1&ref=media

Will positioning carrots as junk food be effective?

9/9/10

After two decades of growth, pre-packaged convenience veggie sales are slowing. In an effort to jump start sales of baby carrots, an alliance of farmers got together $25 million and hired Crispin Porter & Bogusky to create a campaign. They decided to skip the obvious healthy message, and instead position carrots as a cooler snack than chips, using the tagline: “Eat ‘Em Like Junk Food.” (Lukovitz, 2010)

Providing context in a comparative format is an interesting approach that just might prove to be more compelling. And given that potato chip sales surged in 2008 and 2009, consistent with the trend toward replacing meals with snacks – a much needed way to shift consumers to healthier snacks. (Jargon, 2010)

What do you think? Will you substitute carrots the next time you reach for the chips?

Lukovitz, K. (2010, September 7). Selling Baby Carrots As The Perfect ‘Junk Food’. mediapost.com. Retrieved September 8, 2010, from
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=135289&nid=118329

Jargon, J. (2010, September 8, 2010). How Lunchtime Is Turning Into Snack Time. Wall Street Journal. pD3.

How do you make a grooming product macho?

9/2/10

Hire a NFL football player to promote it.

While I’m not usually a fan of celebrity endorsements, this approach makes sense to me. It takes a secure man to use some of these products, so if it takes encouragement from Michael Strahan to convince them that buying VaseIine for Men is ok, then why not?

Now comes word that P&G is insuring Troy Polamalu’s trademark curly hair for $1 million dollars, on behalf of Head & Shoulders. (Mahoney, 2010)

It’s a cute idea, but I’m not sure if it will sell shampoo. I guess we’ll wait and see.


Mahoney, S. (2010, August 31). P&G Insures Troy Polamalu’s $1 Million Curls. mediapost.com. Retrieved September 1, 2010, from
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=134735&nid=118153

Where do small and mid-size businesses advertise?

8/26/10

Now that the availability of more targeted media has created additional low cost advertising opportunities for small fry, are they taking advantage? A recent survey suggests that they have. According to a SMB poll, those with annual budgets of $25,000+ have taken an IMC approach to heart and are using an average of 6.5 different media in their campaigns. And, while 26% of their budget is spent online, 16% is being spent in broadcast media. (O’Malley, 2010)

Given the sensitivity these businesses have to ROI, it will be interesting to see how these patterns evolve over time. I see some mobile in their future, don’t you?

O’Malley, G. (2010, August 24). Sweet Spot: Small Biz Uses More Media. mediapost.com. Retrieved August 25, 2010, from
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=134374

What are cooking show viewers buying?

8/18/10

With over 50% of Americans watching cooking shows very often/occasionally the obvious question is – are they buying stuff because of the shows, and if so, what?

According to a recent Harris Poll, 57% viewers have purchased food, 36% have purchased small kitchen gadgets, 24% have purchased cookbooks, and 6% have purchased large appliances, as a direct result of what they have seen on the shows. Those seem like impressive results to me. If only we had non-viewer numbers to compare them to.

Loechner, J. (2010, August 13). Cooking Shows Inspire Purchases. mediapost.com retrieved August 18, 2010, from
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=133446

Let ad agency reintegration begin!

8/12/10

According to the rumor mill, McCann-Erickson is hinting that reintegration may be in its future. I say it’s about time. (Bush, 2010)

I spent most of the 80s and 90s as an account person at fully integrated agencies including a ten year stint at McCann. The holistic nature of my role allowed me to be a true partner for my clients and to explore innovative advertising programs. Then, just when media alternatives exploded, opening the door to exciting new solutions, ad agencies unbundled their media and creative services in search of greater revenues. But at what cost? How can a service business give its clients exceptional ideas when input is limited to only one part of what should be a highly coordinated effort?

Frankly, I found the year I spent as a “creative only” partner to be an exercise in frustration, with my efforts hamstrung by an unimaginative media agency. I was dismayed to see my clients getting less than they deserved, and ultimately bored by my inability to help them progress. I left the business shortly thereafter.
Reintegration will not only better serve clients, but may also help agencies to attract the level of talent they once took for granted. Amen to that.

Bush, M. (2010, August 9). McCann Talk Hints at Bringing Media, Creative Closer. adage.com. Retrieved August 11, 2010, from http://adage.com/agencynews/article?article_id=145300

Advertising or stalking? It depends who you ask.

8/5/10

I recently commented to someone that I thought a variety of marketers had missed a golden opportunity to reach out to me while I was redoing my kitchen. I spent months online researching everything from tiles to appliances, yet no one sent me information about these items independently, despite the fact that I would have welcomed it. And even today I’m still looking for a bronze breadbasket – so if anyone is selling one – you know where to find me.

Now comes the opposite point-of-view, from a Zappos customer who felt the company’s persistent efforts to sell him shorts, after he put his search on-hold, were downright creepy. (Learmonth, 2010). He mentions receiving ads for five days after his initial search on a wide variety of sites. And is now thinking of joining a ‘do not track” list should one become available.

It’s definitely a fine line that advertisers will need to learn how to navigate if they are to respond to consumer requests for more relevant advertising online. In the meantime, I imagine there will be disappointment from both sides.

Learmonth, M. (2010, August 2). The Pants That Stalked Me on the Web. adage.com. Retrieved August 5, 2010, from http://adage.com/digitalnext/article?article_id=145204