5 Blogs Before Lunch

Lindsay Lohan--an unwitting, and unlikely endorser of Kombucha tea

There's no doubt that Lindsay Lohan's nearly every move is being monitored--either by court-ordered alcohol monitors, or by the Paparazzi.

The celebrity-press has recently caught Lohan swigging Kombucha tea, an ancient Chinese drink made from fermented tea. It is said to speed up metabolism, cleanse toxins from the bloodstream, reduce cholesterol levels, help fight wrinkles, and boost the immune system.

Oh, and it is said to be useful in kicking addictions to alcohol and coffee.

The brand associative value of Lohan to Kombucha is significant. It has as much, if not more affect than if she was being paid to endorse the brand (we assume she's not).  GT's Kombucha is the brand favored by Lohan is getting a lot of ink in the press, which should translate to sales in stores.

BTW, other celebrities spotted swigging the tea include Madonna, Kirsten Dunst, and Halle Berry.

Kombucha is available at health-food and convenience stores for as much as $5.00 per bottle.

Source: Yahoo! Finance

"The Other Simon" making news around the American Idol franchise

This week, as "America" said goodbye to Idol judge Simon Cowell, the other Simon--Simon Fuller the creator of American Idol and So you Think You Can Dance, was making plans to buy back the franchise he sold many years ago. In fact, he's planning on buying the entire holding company that he sold to.

Fuller and former Barclays Capital banker Roger Jenkins are reportedly planning on submitting a $600 million bid for entertainment company CKX Inc. which owns not only Fuller's brainchild but the rights to the names and likenesses of Elvis Presley and Muhammed Ali.

Fuller sold his company, 19 Entertainment to CKX in 2005 for around $174 million and became a top executive there. He resigned from CKX and 19 Entertainment in January amid uncertainty over the company's future direction, but remained a consultant to certain properties according to The Wall Street Journal.

Kraft and HGTV team up to make mayonnaise

In an interesting cross-promotion, Kraft is featuring three TV judges from "HGTV Design Star" to promote their new flavored mayonnaise--part of the Kraft Sandwich Shop brand.

judges Genevieve Gorder, Candice Olson and Vern Yip are the "Tastemakers" in TV and print campaign which no doubt tries to capitalize on the common demographic between HGTV and Kraft's demo of Women 35-64 are the target audience who are--in Kraft's words, “looking for new ideas” and constantly open to change.

Source: AdWeek

"Sh*t My Dad Says" from Twitter to TV

A couple of years ago, the creators of the GEICO cavemen ads thought to turn commercials into an ABC television series.The show was described as a "unique buddy comedy that offers a clever twist on stereotypes and turns race relations on its head". Only 7 of the show's 13 episodes ran before it was canceled.

Now, a Twitter account called "Sh*t My Dad Says" is being turned into a CBS television series featuring William Shatner. The difference between the Cavemen failure and SMDS's ultimate success may come from the show's creators--Max Mutchnick and David Kohan who were the creative geniuses behind the show "Will & Grace." Have a look at the preview reel, and decide for yourself.

"Cocoa Smashdown:" Cocoa Pebbles, Hulk Hogan and The Flinstones embroiled in lawsuit

Hulk Hogan is suing Post, the maker of Cocoa Pebbles, claiming that the cereal company is using his name and likeness in advertising without his permission.

The ad features characters from "The Flintstones" franchise fighting off the villain "Hulk Boulder." Hogan claims he actually used the name "Hulk Boulder" early in his career, and that the cartoon Hulk is festooned with Hogan's trademark yellow-blond hair and handlebar mustache. In the end, Boulder is conquered by Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm, and falls to "little pieces" in the ring.

Of course, each of the Flinstones characters is a parody of Hollywood celebrities/characters and has been around for decades. Fred and Wilma, Betty and Barney are all patterned after the characters from the 1950s television series The Honeymooners.

Still, Hogan reportedly brought his concerns to the company's attention in August, but Post continued to run the ads. Hogan has his own line of branded foods (burgers and energy drinks) at Walmart, and claims that an unauthorized likeness in a food commercial could hurt Hogan's own interests.

@ Yahoo! Video

Uncovering Latino "Identities"

A recent research study segments the American Hispanic community into 12 distinct "identities" for marketers to target.

Adweek reports that the identities include "global Latinos," who are interested in new experiences and new cultures worldwide; "traditionalists," who live in a time warp and are close-minded; "strivers," who are driven by achievement; and "elites," who have wealth and appreciate their cultural heritage but aren't obsessed by it.

"The complexity and inherent cultural diversity of U.S. Hispanics broadens the definition of what it is to be a Latino. No longer can Hispanics be defined according to their similarities without a thorough understanding of their differences beyond language, country of origin and level of acculturation." Starcom MediaVest said in a statement.

The study, from Publicis Groupe's Starcom MediaVest Group and NBC's Telemundo was conducted over the past year in seven key Hispanic markets: Miami, New York, San Antonio, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and Raleigh, N.C.

Telemundo COO Jacqueline Hernandez said the research would help to inform the network's decisions going forward "as we utilize these insights in our programming, our branded entertainment and client's overall marketing messages."

More on the Study here.

P&G opens online store, and calls it a "learning lab"

Procter & Gamble, after months of testing, has opened its online store to the general public.

The company says it will use the store to learning more about online shopping and will be using digital coupons, and a flat $5 shipping rate for its products.

P&G is walking a fine line with retailers--who don't need or want anymore competition.

They don't expect their site to have much immediate impact on revenue or profits, but to provide key insights into what works best in digital marketing and shopping. They're calling it a "learning lab."

"We know this where the consumer is going," said Kirk Perry, vice president for North America. "We know she is moving to online shopping every day around the world."

Source: Minneapolis St. Paul Star Tribune

Ewanick takes Goodby Silverstein with him to GM, and gives Campbell-Ewald a second chance

If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times--agency/client relationships are about trusted relationships, and individuals (not company reels or corporate networks).

Joel Ewanick, the new U.S. marketing chief for General Motors, is proving my point by hiring Goodby, Silverstein & Partners to take the lead on creative for the Chevrolet a $600 million account.

Ewanick, who's only been in charge at GM for a nano-second, worked with Goodby in his previous job as top marketer of Hyundai Motor America where he and Goodby are credited with an amazing brand turn-around. 

And yes, it was only a month ago that GM fired longtime agency Campbell-Ewald, replacing them with Publicis. Now, Ewanick is reportedly bringing back Campbell-Ewald to work on retail and sponsorship ads.

Source: Adweek

Under pressure from a Greenpeace social media campaign, Nestle stops using products from Rainforest destruction

Nestlé has announced that it will stop using products from rainforest destruction.

The world's largest food and drinks company is committing to identify and excluding companies from its supply chain that own or manage “high risk plantations or farms linked to deforestation”.

The move follows a two month Greenpeace campaign that played out on Facebook and YouTube, and targeted Nestlé’s use of palm oil in products. Greenpeace reports that the expansion of palm oil and pulp plantations is driving the destruction of Indonesia’s rainforests and peatlands and pushing endangered orang-utans to the brink of extinction. 

Rolf Skar, Greenpeace Forest Campaigner, said: “We are delighted that Nestlé plans to give orang-utans a break and we call on other international retailers, such as Carrefour and Wal-mart, to do the same. Since the beginning of our campaign, hundreds of thousands of people have contacted Nestle to say that they will not buy products linked to rainforest destruction.”

BP pledges $25 million to advertise oil-free beaches in Florida this summer

BP, the oil company at the center of the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico off the U.S. coast, has pledged $25 million towards a marketing effort to promote the beginning of beach season along the Florida coast.

The state of Florida will receive the $25 million from BP to run a Memorial Day weekend campaign designed to assure the public that the areas are not affected by the massive oil spill. 

Unfortunately, news of this effort hits just as the U.S. Coast Guard announced that 20 tar balls have been found off Key West, Florida, The agency stopped just short of saying whether they came from a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The advertising pledge comes on top of $25 million BP previously promised to pay Florida to help coastal areas get ready for the potential landing of the oil.

The Year in Words: For lovers of invented language.

\ I’ve always been intrigued by word-lovers, and name creators. I’ve worked with several brand language and naming experts, and I love how their minds work.
 
One of my favorites is Deborah Schatten, who’s nearly obsessive about word-making--so much so, she’s launched a new blog called “The Year in Words” filled with newly invented terms that are inspired by the news.
 
“I envision The Year in Words  as a window onto American culture -- and a place to introduce new terms into the mainstream and to the media,” said Schatten.
 
Deborah knows of what she speaks. She’s spawned over 50,000 names for products made by such companies as Apple, Quaker Oats, and Clorox. And now her new blog will share her expertise with other lovers of invented language.
 
Here’s some recent new words for you to integrate into your daily dialog:
 
Alarmpits™ (uh-LARM-pits)
Definition: Armpits that cause alarm. Particularly those that have visible hair and belong to celebrity women.
 
Boardscore™(BORD-scor)
Definition: When a company lands a celebrity to be a member of its board of directors. Usually in preparation for cashing in on the star's fame.
 
Stripstress™ (STRIP-striss)
Definition: A stripper who is also a mistress.

Pivot Conference: To get to know the "Emerging Consumer"

If you're a marketer who is charged with understanding the style, attitudes, technologies and preferences of the 18-34 year old consumer, you may want to check out Pivot Conference scheduled for October 17-19, 2010 in New York.

Known as the "emerging consumer," this age group starts making purchasing decisions for the first time, and brand associations that will last a lifetime.

I've just been invited to attend, and am looking forward to the intimate conference (of around 500 marketers). The conference is being headed up by Chris Shipley--perhaps best known for running DEMO for the past dozen years or so.

"Not since the 1960s have brand managers been as separated by generational differences from their target consumers. Today's emerging consumer is compelled by a global social consciousness which is amplified by media," says Chris Shipley, executive producer of the Pivot Conference. "We created Pivot to highlight the shift in lifestyle and buying behavior that brand marketers must understand to succeed and get that next promotion."

Harley-Davidson and Maxim use a motorcycling model to target motorcycling men

Harley-Davidson has hooked up with Maxim magazine and is using sex to sell its brand image to its male audience.

The ads in Maxim's "Hot 100" issue feature model and motorcycle enthusiast Marisa Miller, who has appeared in previous campaigns.

The campaign shifts its previous focus to getting women interested in motorcycles by emphasizing rider education efforts. The new campaign is aimed at getting guys, aged 25-55 to ride its motorcycles, and broadening awareness of the full range of Harleys.

Dino Bernacchi, Harley-Davidson's director of advertising and promotions says. "Marketing motorcycles isn't like marketing beer or cars. Only about 3% of the U.S. population has a motorcycle license, so targeting is the key," he says. "We look to many tools including Simmons and independent market research data to help define where we have the greatest opportunity, and Maxim indexes as one of the highest for this demographic and psychographic [interest in motorcycling]."

Freaky Preak: New Campaign for the Preakness asks you to "Get Your Preak On."

This weekend marks the running of the Preakness, the second leg of Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown. To prepare for the event, the organizers want you to "Get Your Preak On."

The campaign is an attempt to lure a younger crowd to the horse race which has seen a sharp drop in attendance since banning fans from bringing their own alcohol onto the infield. The ban was put in place to help contain raucous behavior such as the 1999 incident where a fan ran onto the track during a preliminary race and tried to slug two horses as they galloped by. Apparently the fan got a little too much of his "Preak on."

The Maryland Jockey Club, which operates the Preakness, is targeting 21-35 year olds with a tagline that twists the slightly-past-its-prime phrase "Get you Freak on."

Ads have been run on MTV, VH1 and ESPN, and outdoor billboards and bus shelters.

Media critics have complained that the campaign is in bad taste. Baltimore Sun sports columnist Kevin Cowherd says "It shows no taste at all," calling it "one of the most pathetic marketing ploys ever devised."

Source: USA Today

 

TMI: Pringles slams Facebook and Twitter "oversharers" in new campaign

 

A humorous new campaign for P&G brand Pingles asks Facebook users to start naming and shaming friends who post TMI (too much information) on the social networking site. 

The brand asks its 3 million Facebook fans to use a Pringles-branded tagging capability, which performs the opposite function of Facebook's "like" button, by labeling users as "oversharers." The app

allows anyone seeing a ridiculous Facebook or Twitter status update to shame their friend with just one click.

Pringles is also selling overshare merchandise, where you can create your own T-shirt, or a customized video, and will be introducing prizes to encourage people to spread the word about the campaign.

Source: Advertising Age

This Mother's Day, marketers are making the most of social media

If your inbox looks anything like mine, you are being bombarded with marketing messages reminding you that Mother's Day is fast approaching. And no wonder. The average American is expected to spend $142 for Mom, up 5% from last year, for a total $15 billion, according to researcher Brand Keys.

And with the hundreds of millions of sons and daughters, mothers and grandmothers with social media accounts, marketers are making the most of social media this year.

On-board are Teleflora, iVillage and even E-Trade which is launching a Mother's Day BabyMail promo. A free widget on its site and Facebook page allows consumers to personalize "talking" messages for Mom that can feature their kids, themselves or E-Trade's familiar talking baby.
 
USA Today reports on others who are connection social media and mom:

•Teleflora. The flower-delivery giant had such a hit with its virtual "talking" flower bouquets at Valentine's Day that it's doing a similar promo for Mother's Day, says Laurie McCartney, marketing chief. Consumers can send pre-recorded e-cards or personalize them. "This is a generation of Facebook moms who like to talk and share," says McCartney.

•IVillage. The online community is partnering with the upcoming film Babies for a mommy/baby photo contest. Members upload photos of themselves with their babies, and the winner of the contest is voted on by the iVillage community. The winner gets a professional makeover and a photo session. "Families are developing new traditions using social media," says Catherine Balsam-Schwaber, marketing chief at iVillage.

•Emeritus Senior Living. The assisted-living specialist has a Facebook contest for fans to share stories and photos of their moms. There are cash prizes for the best responses to this question: What makes Mom special?

•SpaFinder. It's giving out gift certificates via Twitter for those who tweet the best stories about what their mothers did for them.

PSA's ask you to pay for your porn, don't download it for free!

PSA's (Public Service Announcements) by definition focus on the advocacy of specific issues which are for the public interest. Typically, we associate PSA's with issues of homelessness, literacy, the environment, etc.

But what about Porn?

Yes, the adult film industry's advocacy group, Free Speech Coalition has created a series of "all-star" public service announcements, urging the public to pay for their porn, not pirate-it from illegal download sites.

The videos feature Jeremy, Alektra Blue, Kaylani Lei and a host of other adult film stars. "We work hard to entertain you and arouse you," says one performer. "So please show your support by buying our products."

Porn is a $13 billion industry, and affects all portions of the economy--claim the spots.

From  Los Angeles Times:

“Consumers don’t realize that the adult entertainment industry employs thousands of people who work hard at building careers, from performers to production personnel to business professionals. From retail store owners to workers that stock the shelves in warehouses — working in adult is their job,” FSC Membership Director Joanne Cachapero said. “And as in other forms of mainstream entertainment, illegal downloading and content theft have had a terrible effect on all people that work in the industry... illegal downloading is stealing product right out from under the people that produce it, no matter what kind of entertainment it is.”

It turns out Nissan was just a roadside turn-off for Joel Ewanick, who's now headed for GM

Joel Ewanick has accepted a job at General Motors as VP of marketing for the U.S.

He leaves his position (with a similar title) at Nissan Motors, which he held only since March.

While the tenture of marketing executives is notoriously short, Ewanick's stint at Nissan gave him little time to fill out the HR paperwork.

No doubt, the position at GM is a more substantial position for Ewanick, and most likely reason for the move. He will report to Mark Reuss, president, GM North America, and oversee positioning of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac brands, working to bolster consumer consideration of GM vehicles in the United States.

A spokesperson at Nissan tells Marketing Daily that the news comes a complete surprise. "We are disappointed; we don't know how soon we will have anything to say about it," he says, adding that Ewanick officially resigned on Wednesday. "He came in to close the deal, so to speak."

Apple sells one million iPads in just 28 days

Apple has announced that it sold one million iPads in its first 28 days, and that iPad users have downloaded over 12 million apps from the App Store and over 1.5 million ebooks from the new iBookstore.

“One million iPads in 28 days—that’s less than half of the 74 days it took to achieve this milestone with iPhone,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Demand continues to exceed supply and we’re working hard to get this magical product into the hands of even more customers.”

Fireman's Brew: Building a brand on the back of a compeling narrative

So the story goes, Fireman's Brew was born on the side of a Los Angeles freeway by two thirsty fireman craving a cold one after fighting a hillside blaze. They imagined brewing their own beer--just as they liked it, and donating a portion of the sales to a fallen firefighter's fund.

They turned that narrative into a huge success.

Let's face it, who doesn't love firemen, beer and a success story?

Thirsty firemen + a dream + beer + giving back to the community = a compelling brand narrative. 

"The fact that I can go into a bar or talk to a grocer and say, ‘I'm a real, active firefighter and this is my company and I'm doing this because I want to help other firefighters and because I love beer,' " Nowaczyk said, "that gets our foot in the doorway."

Los Angeles County firefighters Rob Nowaczyk and Ed Walker, have built a home brewing into a commercial success with Fireman's Brew. They donate 5% of the company's net income to the nonprofit National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. And they sell their beer at upscale supermarkets and through restaurants to consumers who want a little taste of the dream. The company's tagline: "Extinguish your thirst, ignite the party.' "

Sales now top $500,000, selling to more than 200 restaurants, bars and retailers. They've also expanded their "brew" to include coffee and soda. 'cause a firefighter needs a good "on-duty" drink, as well as one for when the workday is done...so the story goes.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Danone is fighting rumors with -- other rumors

A few months ago an e-mail circulated in Argentina, directing people to a web page that claimed facts proving Danone's Actimel yogurt brand was addictive, destroyed the stomach's natural flora and could harm childrens health. The rumor went viral, filling Danone's market (and search engine results) with damaging stories.

At first, the company first responded with TV ads and standard PR efforts.

But that wasn't enough to stem the tide of bad rumors. They then got creative, and decided to fight fire with fire and invited fans to a microsite where fans could create their own rumors and pass them along.

From AdAge:

At the site, visitors can generate rumors, and a list of friends to send the link containing the rumor and a photograph of the sender. The site includes a sample rumor -- Argentine woman wins a free 10-day shopping spree at the world's best malls -- followed by the takeaway message: "Don't believe everything you see on the internet. I'll show you how easy it is to spread a rumor about you."

Danone says the results of the campaign were excellent. In the first month of the campaign, more than 40,000 people visited the site, and more than 100,000 individual false rumors were created and sent.

If nothing else, it was an innovative approach to re-building relationships and engaging with their brand fans.

Fake ads to promote real movie: Disney Pixar's Toy Story 3 turns to the viral video spoof

A series of viral video "ads" that look like old toy commercials have been created by the folks at Disney Pixar to promote the upcoming release of Toy Story 3.

The ads are designed to look like commercials from the 1980's and are featured on the MrCrazycommercials YouTube channel, which features mostly real ads for actual products that are memorable to people who grew up in the '80s --the folks who are now the parents of the kids who'll want to go see Toy Story.

Even the production values of the spots are designed to deceive. The spots have VHS tape static crawling along the bottom of the screen as the video streams.

The technique mimics the elaborate viral campaigns for superhero-themed films like "The Dark Knight," "Watchmen," and "Iron Man 2"

Source: ClickZ

P&G in price war with private labels

Hey thrifty consumers, look again before you auto-reach for that Target-brand detergent.

Procter & Gamble is not ready to give-up on consumers who switched to private label brands to save money during the Great Recession. The giant CPG brand is cutting prices, introducing new products and investing more ad dollars, attempting to lure-back consumers who may have wandered off the P&G reservation.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the company has lowered prices in nearly every category, including batteries, liquid laundry detergent, diapers and shampoo. And, it is already reporting success -- reporting a 7% year-over-year increase in sales.

"We're doing what we have to do price-wise to stay price competitive," P&G chief executive Robert McDonald said on a call with investors.

From the WSJ.com:

"It's war inside stores," says Burt Flickinger III, a former P&G executive who now tracks pricing patterns nationwide as a consultant to major retail chains. He says the last time he saw this level of promotional activity was about 20 years ago, when P&G's market share had been dented by a recession, a string of difficult acquisitions and disappointing product introductions.

"Lately, we have seen several of our key suppliers bring a higher level of creative thinking" to promotions, says J.K. Symancyk, executive vice president of merchandising for Meijer Inc., a Midwestern retail chain selling groceries and other goods.

Tylenol faces another recall, and another opportunity to test its crisis management skills

In 1982 seven people died after taking cyanide-laced capsules of Extra-Strength Tylenol. The company quickly recalled all items on the store shelves, and spent $100 million relaunching the product and restoring their image. 

It is a legendary story of crisis management.

Now, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the unit of Johnson & Johnson that makes Tylenol is faced with another recall. And, once again, the call for effective crisis management.

So far, the company has voluntarily begun a recall of certain children's over-the-counter liquid medicines because of manufacturing deficiencies, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The problem may affect the potency, purity or quality of the products, the agency said in a statement.

The company is asking consumers to stop using certain lots of infants' and children's Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl products because some of them may contain too much of the active ingredient.

Source: Examiner.com