Bucu

Stebbings Partners created a brilliant logo for the new food place, Bucu. Burgers and Cupcakes all in one place, just what America's obesity epidemic needs! Luckily, the logo design is a brilliant distraction from the generally fattening (yet inevitably delicious) business idea. At the very least, customers will definitely satisfy their senses. The logo is pristine and simple, saying everything you'll need to know about the restaurant with only a few lines.

#RiseAbove

Nike's Jordan sector is running a new video campaign called #RiseAbove. The beautiful message is displayed through a Pinterest style image board of the inspiring moments that Nike has become notorious for in their advertising. It's all about the love of the game. The campaign also includes an American tour in a gorgeous matte black truck with gold detailing. Nike fans can stop in and test out the new kicks, the Super.Fly's, and battle for the highest vertical. I have always adored Nike for their heartfelt campaigns and passion for every kind of athlete. You only need two things to play: soul and sole. Looking forward to more from this campaign.

Chicago V. Chicago

This campaign from New Era, the major company for sports related caps, is the perfect representation of Chicago baseball fans. If you've been involved in Chicago sports, you know that baseball is the great divider. Cubs and Sox fans are usually friends but when baseball season hits, those friendships turn to the competitive spirit.
Just like Cubs and Sox fans quarrel, the argument between flatbrim fitted caps and traditional baseball caps distinguishes individual style. In the end, it is all about personal preference. No matter the team or the style, the hat represents that great American pastime. Every fan has their place in the baseball world, and together the fans support the indsutry.

The love of the game is fueled by competitive spirit; wisecracks, debates, insults and all. In Chicago, there is twice the energy surrounding baseball season because not only do we get to compete with other states, we get to rival eachother. The unique character of the Chicago baseball scene is perfectly depicted in this ad, capturing what it is really like to sit at a bar with two different fans. No matter what team you root for, in the end we can all agree on our love for the game and the city (and the pizza).

ALS

This advertisement comes from the dutch ALS foundation, which studies Lou Gherig's disease. The striking message really ads perspective to the fatal disease. In one short statement depicting the date of diagnosis, the larger text is given intense meaning: Lou Gherig's kills, and it does so quickly.

The emotional appeal of this advertisement is undeniable; it says so much more than the few words printed, "I have already died." The expression is haunting, and paired with the text we are, for a moment, staring death in the face. These diseases are not only killing, they are doing it right now. The sense of urgency is great, reminding the target that we cannot keep waiting for a cure, we must demand it.

Many advertisements for disease avoid the mention of death, they opt rather to emphasize hope and give those affected something to believe in. However, the target was not those currently affected by the disease. They know well the threats and are already actively participating in the search for a cure, whether it was their choice or not. This ad geniusly targets those unaffected, those who have never been affected by ALs. Everyone, though, has been touched by death. Appealing to the sympathetic, the logical, and the efficient; this advertisement reaches out and encourages action, which is the most important thing an ad can do.

Marketing Film

Movie trailers have grown to become very standardized, and one of few ways to promote new films. However, in this trailer something different caught my eye. Magnolia Pictures, a film company, has released many popular films with star cast members like Chris Rock, Orlando Bloom, Morgan Freeman, and Seth Rogan. The company also has released popular documentaries like Jesus Camp and Cocaine Cowboys.

What is so special about Magnolia Pictures? Subtly rolled with the credits of the trailer, Magnolia Films offers their movies On Demand before they are released in theaters. This marketing genius is sure to motivate film fanataics to view these movies from the comfort of their homes, and to generate a good word about the company's production. Surely On Demand sales will rise with the availability of pre-release films. These days, the cost of movie tickest is through the roof, even without the twelve dollar bucket of popcorn.

The movie industry needs to be reinvented. It is failing, and although our love for good films has not changed, the price of tickets is so outrageous that people seldom find the urge to go out when movies are released. Instead, we wait patiently for DVD releases, Netflix availability, or illegal downloads. Is it possible that in the future the only big screens to be found will be in our living rooms?

Magnolia is one of few companies to start the transformation necessary to keep the industry growing. There is a lot of money in Hollywood, but this will mean nothing if there is no new scheme to draw crowds in. Perhaps On Demand will be the next big thing for new material. It has many possibilities; pre-releases, exclusive behind the scenes material, commentary, and even live screenings could all be used to generate a new income for the film industry.

Inspired by Design

While flipping through the pages of a beauty magazine, I came across this ad for Effen Vodka. The campaign promotes the vodka as being "inspired by design," and encourages a stylish and high end image for the new (ish) brand. Effen has distributed t-shirts at local liquor stores, and my respect for the brand was not very high. This advertisement, however, influenced a reconsideration of the brand.

To emphasize the quality of design to be associated with the sleekly packaged vodka, Effen is running a campaign that promotes inspirational graphic designers. Jessica Walsh is a graphic designer in New York City for Sagmeister Inc. She has worked on many unique campaigns, and is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the design world. This ad, done tastefully in black and white, is refined and beautiful in itself.

The best part about the advertisement is the publicity it offers the featured designers. A link to Walsh's blog, blog.jessicawalsh.com, is displayed just to the right of the glass. The intruiging imagery did it's job by motivating me to look further into both Walsh's work and the Effen brand. I love seeing support for designers, and have a new respect for Effen Vodka as an appreciator of creativity.

EFFEN VODKA: JESSICA WALSH from alfred broadbent on Vimeo.

Sunshine

Luckily for me, Advertising is becoming increasingly involved in new artist promotion in the music industry. It has even been speculated that soon, record labels will only be a minor player in the development of an artist's personal branding.

Indaba Music, referred to as "the LinkedIn of music", has been hosting remix contests for reggae artist Matisyahu. Through this community site, users are able to upload their own personal remixes of the new single, Sunshine. They can then vote for eachothers remixes and the winner will be given an official release of their song, as well as a $1000 prize and concert tickets. The music industry is entirely fan-driven, as with other industries. However, an important difference is that music fans have a need to become involved. Fans want to interact with the product, the music and musicians, and many have lifelong dreams of one day creating their own brand. The idea of the contest, then, is to get the name of one of these dreamers out in association with someone who gave them the inspiration needed for success.

I mention this contest because of it's importance in depicting the current music community. It is an evergrowing web of connections and downloads, with tons of new material being produced on a daily basis. There is so much undiscovered talent due to the struggle to get noticed under a record label. However, there is a solution: Free Music.

Free music has become an increasingly important issue in the music industry. The great success of electronic dance music, I think, can be attributed directly to this issue. EDM artists offer samples, remixes, and new tracks for free through websites like Soundcloud. Hip Hop has also taken the free music route, offering mixtapes from websites like Datpiff. With the availability of these free songs, audiences are more likely to become exposed to new artists and material. For example, if it costs you a dollar a song to purchase an album, you may only select a few songs from a specific artist album. However, free music makes the audience more willing to participate and expand. Rather than just one song, a user may download entire discographies and related artists discographies as well.

So how can they make money?

Pretty Lights Music has mastered the free music model. Beginning with Derek Smith, also known by his stage name Pretty Lights, the label has grown to adopt multiple new names such as Gramatik, Paper Diamond, Break Science, and more. Only a short time ago, these names were unheard of, and now they are the headliners at major festivals around the world. Pretty Lights started by promoting his music for free from his website, prettylightsmusic.com. This generated a huge following not only for his talent, but for his love of the fan. This is what the industry is currently missing. The record industry has moved from a love of the audience, to a love of their money.



Pretty Lights offers tickets to his concert at reasonable prices, and tours constantly. This is what other mainstream artists have been failing to do. Live performances should be the most important part of music. Intricate lighting and sets motivate people to actually go to Pretty Lights shows, and they can afford to. He does live remixes that have never been heard before, creating a unique experience for every show he plays. In other words, it's worth it. He's even taken a personal stance against ticket scalping, which puts outrageous prices on tickets through third party taxation, by implementing anti-resale precautions for ticketing. Smith understands that fan satisfaction is the most important thing for his success.

What then, is the solution for the current piracy issues in the industry? Make the music free. Art is free, and music is an art. It makes people happy, and they're going to get it however they can. By making music free, you can use advertising to promote new availability and focus on events. People want an experience, and that is what they are going to be willing to pay for. If record labels continue to raise prices and arrest their fans, there will be no fans left. The current state of the industry must change, or else it will self destruct.

Swagbucks

The word "swag" has become the new "bling." It's everywhere, from Justin Bieber songs to clothing companies, and now through Swagbucks.com, it has become part of a new advertising campaign. Swagbucks is part of a new business model that appeals to customers through free points. This growing marketing strategy digs further into the interactive social media community by appealing to specific searches, browsing history, and video views. By logging into the site, you add a new searchbar to your browser, and whenever you search something you are eligible for "swagbucks." These points on your account are given depending on different searches, or activity through the site. Points can be redeemed for Amazon giftcards and other prizes.

This strategy is a great way to get an active community for the Swagbucks brand. Google is obviously the most popular search engine, and Bing is attempting to grow to be a decent competitor but the reality seems to be that Google will always triumph for web searching. Swagbucks has found the alternative, to allow users that search through their website to gain rewards just for browsing the web as they do every day. Swagbucks, unlike Bing, has presented motivation for change.

The secret benefit of Swagbucks marketing strategy, is that it motivates users to turn their internet time wasting to this new site. By watching videos, clicking links, and reading articles through Swagbucks, users are earning points. After logging into the site, I found myself lost in the SwagbucksTV portion of the site. SwagbucksTV rewards users based not only on the number of videos they watch, but also on the amount of time spent on each video. There are channels for food, fashion, news, and environment among others. It is such a simple yet creative way to get users to become involved in the site. It seems almost obvious: pay people to come to your website. By using Swagbucks along with the supporting companies, like Amazon and Itunes, people are motivated to use the site and are also reminded of these brands. It is a genius way to generate an interactive following. Users take their Swagbucks to these brands, where they are ultimately more exposed to the products they offer. I look forward to using the site and seeing how it can develop within the web community.

EDM Going Corperate

“There’s a wave of interest in attending concerts that have less to do with the specific music and more to do with the experience attached to the music,” he said, referring to the immersive appeal of many large-scale dance events. “Our thought is that the experience of attending an individual event can be perpetuated and made better by connecting the people, not just when they’re consuming the entertainment but when they’re away from it.” Robert F. X. Sillerman, New York Times.

This is the idea of Live Nation founder, Robert F. X. Sillerman. Sillerman was the man that corperatized the music world by combining promotion companies for large scale production. Claiming electronic dance music as his newest project, Sillerman is looking to buy up the independent promoters that run the electronic music events that are growing ever more popular. This new company, SFX Entertainment, will include up to 50 rising promotion companies in the genre. The plan for the company is to use the internet to connect fans outside of the concert setting. This is exactly what I intend to do with my future Advertising Degree, so I am very happy to know that someone is taking the proper (-ly funded) steps to build the industry. He was inspired particularly by Electric Daisy Carnival, shown below, which is an interactive LED festival that takes place in Las Vegas. Many electronic music fans view this event as the ultimate experience.




Electronic dance music is unique for the exact reason quoted above, fans desire more than just a playback of their favorite songs. They want innovation and an experience that was worth the ticket price. My passion for the genre comes from this quality, and a desire to witness something that is unable to be recreated. The crowds are united, the passion is astounding, and the artists are able to re-invent themselves each time they step on stage. Other genres have fallen in the entertainment of their shows, replacing quality sound with distracting dance routines, when in reality they need to be improvising more and interacting with their audience. This is where the internet comes in; it has the potential to link audiences with their favorite artists to generate content that is entirely unique. The possiblities are great and I am eager to innovate this industry. The interactiveness of the concert experience has been growing, especially in Europe where electronic music originally gained the most popularity.



Festivals like Tomorrowland create an entire world where people can lose themselves in the music.

However, much of the love for electronic music comes from the fact that it has not been commercialized. Tickets are affordable, and artists are committed to providing a memorable experience that is untainted by greedy corperate values. I fear that the commercialization of the genre will lead to it's destruction, but on the opposite end, the proper funding can multiply the immersive quality tenfold. Sets, lights, and concert extras will be more opulant than would be able under the common low budget. It is going to be interesting and important to see how this works out.

Phenomena

A classmate actually showed me this advertisement as a response to the Bacardi commercial that I just posted. Both are excellent examples of using music to emphasize the message of the brand, but this was so inspiring that I had to write about it immediately after seeing it. Lovemarks are brand names that have a strong ethos, or emotional appeal. Coke has been the representitive drink of American spirit for a long time, and this commercial further shows the importance of that emotional connection. America is the place where everyone gets their fifteen minutes of fame, but there is also a much deeper message here: Coke brings people together. It always has, and will continue to do so for a long time. It is a common ground that has been rooted in the American Dream, inspiring us for countless years. I think that this commercial is beautifully done, showing how the entire world can be connected by a single act. Coke always goes back to ideas of love and family, which is a brilliant way to ensure an emotional connection with the audience. We all want to make a change for the better, and it can come from any corner. The ability to show a softdrink as inspiring change rather than mereley inspiring good taste is sheer genius.

The Party Circa 1957

Bacardi has recently celebrated their 150th anniversary. Upon reaching this milestone, an entire campaign was released to generate enthusiasm for the brand's history. This advertisement caught my attention because of it's music. I am passionate about the importance of music choice in advertising, and the song used provided the perfect spark of interest. Chambermaid Swing by Parov Stelar uses elements of 40's big band horn sections and a war era swankiness that has been reinvented in a way that the current electronic dance music movement will surely fall in love with. What I really love is that the commercial made me wonder, "What song is that?" I hope to use advertising to promote music in the future, and this commercial is a perfect example of the desired result.
The tagline, "150 years of starting parties," is excellent as well. People want something that is classy, fun, tried and true. Bacardi has shown through this commercial that they have had a history of quality and entertainment, even in an era that is typically portrayed as modest compared to current times. It's almost as if they're trying to let viewers know that it's ok to let loose but reminding them to maintain an air of sophistication. Looking further, I found that the entire website has been transformed to fit this idea. Historical videos of the brand product, logo, and business have been made to develop a deeper meaning for the company. Promotional videos of anniversary parties are also on the company's Youtube channel, showing how the brand has been throwing old style parties complete with showgirls, flappers, suits, and roulette. I think the campaign is a well developed, innovative, and fun way for Bacardi to celebrate their roots.

Volkswagon Interactive Print

Volkswagon's interactive print ads are on the forefront of modern advertising. Released about a year ago, this ad allows audiences to download an app that allows them to virtually test the actual features of the newest model. Lane assist, adaptive lighting, and cruise control are all virtually represented when the user moves their phone along the street of the ad. It is a really incredible concept, relating the new technology of the ad to the new technology of the vehicle using the features of phone vibration and video imagery.

This ad is a step into the future of advertising, which is interactive and highly user generated. Smartphones are becoming well loved and easily obtainable, so integrating them into advertisements is a good step for the indsutry. Audiences like to feel like the are part of something. The possibilities are countless, and viewers will now be able to see beyond a single image to get much more detail without leaving their page. For something as technologically advanced as a new car, it is beneficial that potential buyers can actually experience the advances before ever coming in contact with the product.

The potential of the industry is one of its most appealing qualities for me. Advertising moves forward with new innovations as time goes on, and has become a frontrunner in the potential of artistic expansion. Interactive ads like this one could bring dramatic changes to the advertising industry. Virtual tours and holograms could be pulled up immediately through our phones. It's really an exciting advancement, and I am eager to see how it can be developed.

Alverno College

Recently in Milwaukee, a new advertising campaign has sprung up for Alverno. Billboards and bus stop spaces are being filled with artistic drawings of women with single phrase taglines. It is inarguably an attention grabbing design, but what message is it truly sending? What is Alverno, and why should we care to find out? I am the curious type, so I had to check into the ad just to see what the point really was. It is not indicated on the billboard, which I found very curious.

The billboard was a dark, dully colored sketch with the words "Is college worth it?" The tone of the imagery immediately made me think that this was an advertisement for anxiety and depression help. Many people endure a lot of stress during college, so my first reaction was that this was a mental health aid of some kind. Upon visiting the website, I found that this is actually a Catholic Women's college. The front page takes what I will call the L'Oreal approach (you're worth it).

Immediately upon exploring the website, I decided that this campaign is a total bust. But then, I reconsidered. Maybe the point is to target female college students who are unhappy at their current university. The fact that it is an all female college makes the campaign seem more sensible, using images of females that might be relatable for someone whose current education is unsatisfying. Rather than seeking help, they seek change, and this campaign actually does motivate that. Maybe the university is seeking curious, action-taking women, and so in order to even figure out the campaign you must have the curiosity and motivation to investigate further.

Guerilla Marketing

I have always been fascinated with the concept of guerilla style marketing, which incorperates the media into every day life. Many people do not like this style because of its deceptive connotation, but I find that it can be extremely effective and inspiring when used creatively. There is something about the concept of falling in love with a campaign before you even know the product that I find captivating. Guerilla marketing avoids the barriers that many people uphold against advertisements, which I like because many people find associate advertising with TV commercials and think it is some evil industry. However, in reality, everyone participates in advertising every day just by being influenced. Influence to do something, buy something, go somewhere; these are choices that we make every day with the help of advertising. It just may not be direct.



This video is one of the best uses of guerrila advertising that I have seen recently, and I especially liked it because of my interest in the music industry. An electronic music group called Waxdolls needed to promote their new single, Brain Pop. So, the group sent two people into a club (where most people hear their new favorite songs) to start a "dance-off." They managed to use two things that America loves, music and confrontation, to gather a crowd around the two individuals. Everyone was watching, and once they became the center of attention, they played the single for a dance battle performance. I doubt that anyone walked away from the club without wondering what song had been playing during that memorable moment. Advertising is taking over the music industry, pushing record companies to the back burner. Every musician is essentially advertising themself, and this is a perfectly innovative example of the future of the industry.

Train Day

I'm originally from Chicago, which my background image of the "L" Train would allude to. Chicago is a melting pot of marketing communications, especially on the public transit system which has grown to incorperate not only the posters and advertisements seen posted inside the train and on the platform stops but also such innovative ideas as hologram adverstisements posted on the subway walls that play like movies as you fly by. This particular advertisement was hijacked from Union Station by a relative who is a graphic designer. I have always loved the campaign, which was active in May 2009, for its classic style in combination with innovative graphics. The series combined traditional print ad styling with images of train-headed cartoon people. It generates curiosity for a holiday that might typically be overlooked. I certainly had never heard of nor cared about Train Day before seeing this ad.

Although I was unable to find the artist, I did find on the National Train Day website that the campaign is moving even further to try to promote the train as a top choice for transportation. This year, they added award-winning actress Rosario Dawson as their spokesperson. Using an opinion leader such as Dawson to attract attention to the event would have been an excellent way to generate buzz if it had been utilized, but when I was in the city earlier this month I did not see any ads that associated her face with the campaign.

Rosario did say this about the campaign, "I am delighted to join Amtrak and train fans everywhere in celebrating National Train Day. I love trains not only because they offer a more intimate way to see the country and experience the communities along the way, but also because they are one of the greatest ways to travel, which is a value that has always been important to me."