More than Numbers

Honda Insight ad goes outside the box

Very cool Honda Insight ad on Vimeo that goes outside the box.

The Phone

Just finished watching the premier episode of "The Phone" on MTV. The show is the American version of a Dutch reality tv show that basically drops its contestants in the middle of situations reminiscent of an action movie. This version was prouced by Justin Timberlake. Although that's not the reason I watched it, I will admit that I'm sure this will become a guilty pleasure of mine.

I have to give them props for their interactive campaign on facebook. By becoming a fan of "the phone," members are entered in weekly contests. What makes this cooler is that you are asked trivia questions through your cell phone, which makes fans really feel like they are part of the show. The show premiered but a few hours ago and the community is already up to 19,000 members. It's always great to see marketing through social media used in the right way.

Sleep-Driving.

It's definitely not uncommon to see all kinds of crazy side-effects listed in the small print of prescription drug advertisements. But this ad for "Ambien CR" I saw in a Playbill was a bit beyond ridiculous. One full page for the ad, and two full pages for the small print. Yes, you read that correctly. Keep in mind that Ambien is a sleep aid.

Memorable excerpts include:

After taking AMBIEN CR, you may get up out of bed while not being fully awake and do an activity that you do not know you are doing. The next morning, you may not remember that you did anything during the night. ... Reported activities include:

• driving a car ("sleep-driving")
• making and eating food
• talking on the phone
• having sex
• sleep walking

That sounds a lot like being drunk. Not remembering what you were doing last night? And it seems just as dangerous. I can't imagine driving a car while asleep is any safer than driving while drunk. I wonder who you would call while you were asleep. I've heard of drunk-dialing. I wonder if it's more coherent than sleep-dialing.

What are the possible side effects of taking AMBIEN CR?

• abnormal thoughts and behavior. Symptoms include more outgoing or aggressive behavior than normal, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, worsening of depression, and suicidal thoughts or actions.

I know something else with similar side effects. I think it's called heroin.

Clean ads.

Inverse.
Originally uploaded by jonnaro

I've always been a fan of reverse graffiti so it was cool to see a great example of it on my walk to work this morning. Although clean tagging usually always gets a second look, it really makes most sense with brands that try to promote some level of cleanliness. Of course, it also has the added benefit of cleaning part of the street.

This campaign is for Freshaire Choice, which is an interior paint that does not contain VOCs. I for one haven't heard of this product before-- but it's a terrific idea.

It's always great when the marketing medium you choose truly matches the brand.

Dissecting Domino's

Domino's guarantees that you will receive your pizza in 30 minutes after ordering. Great deal. But is it possible? Doesn't a pizza typically take at least 20 minutes to be made? If they guarantee your pizza in 30 minutes, I think we might also be able to assume that's it's not fresh.

Probably not too surprising for anyone who has actually ate Domino's.

You always have to straddle the line between producing a great product and providing a great user experience. For the best in experiences, the trick is to find some balance in between. Having a great experience usually also involves consuming a great product.

The annoyance factor.

Seriously, how long does it take for sales people to realize you might not be interested in their product? How many calls do you not have to return? How many times do you have to say you're not interested? If there was any interest, it quickly vanishes if the sales folk are quick to annoy you. Even sales communication is an extension of your brand, and can influence a user's experience with your product. And sleazy sales tactics are the absolute worst thing you want associated with your product.

Customer Experience

Fresh Takes.

MTV, in association with Dove, has been running a really cool campaign the last few weeks that they're terming 'Fresh Takes.' Basically it's a micro-series about three roommates living in New York City and stars Alicia Keys. Past episodes have also featured other various B-list celebs like Nich Lachey. It's basically aired over multiple commercial spots during shows like The Hills.

Many of the episodes revolve around taking a fresh perspective on life. Very clever brand association with Dove. They're all high production quality and loads more interesting that your typical commercial spot. I absolutely applaud Dove and MTV for doing this. Making commercials that are actually entertaining? Experiential marketing is a lot more effective than traditional advertising. What a wild idea.