Going "Green" Isn't Just a Portland Thing

In the past couple of years people have become increasingly more aware of their impact on the environment and the future of our planet. Big corporations are no exception, and in fact many have reacted to these concerns by offering "green" alternatives to their past products and practices. One such company is Frito Lay and more specifically their SunChips line. In recent ads, SunChips has showcased their new compostable bags that are environmentally friendly. Therefore demonstrating that Frito Lay is an eco-friendly company that cares for the future of our wonderful planet earth. The following is a TV spot that was run for SunChips that introduced the new compostable bag.



People are so impressed and invested about this idea of compostable bags, it has spurred on a plethora of user generated videos on how they have implemented "going green" into their life. The following is a video found on the Ad Week website.



Many other companies have also recognized the need to "go green." Corporations such as Coke and their line of Dasani water have implemented the green cap in their product design which signifys that this product was made from up to 30% plants. Coke and its executives recognize the trend of consumers cutting back on drinking bottled water in efforts to help reduce waste. This campaign is therefore allowing consumers to feel a little less guilty when they enjoy that convenient bottle of ice cold Dasani water.


















I think that is more important then ever for corporations to jump on this "go green" ban wagon. As consumers grow increasingly more concerned about the environment, it is going to be imperative that companies recognize this concern and react accordingly.

There's Nothing Like Australia

Australia, home of Vegemite, Dingo babies, and the Sydney Opera House. All of which are superb excuses to take a trip to the wonderful continent south of Indonesia. Tourism Australia has recently launched their new campaign "There's Nothing Like Australia" which is accompanied by their interactive website and anticipated print, television and radio ads. Tourism Australia is interested in what makes you want to go to Australia, so they are calling upon their consumers to post videos and pictures of their adventures in this majestic, beautiful, and fabulous country! The following are just some of the sample photos that have been uploaded by travelers to the "Nothing Like Australia" website.









































I don't know about you, but these photos sure do make me want to visit Australia. This genius advertising campaign encourages consumer interaction through posting of material that could inevitably be used in print ads and TV spots. In posting videos and photos, consumers are now invested in this campaign. Through participation, Tourism Australia is almost guaranteeing ad recognition and retention of its viewers.

Numerous different companies that offer both products and services can implement the idea of customer interaction in order to set their brand apart from others. Ads that are consumer generated aren't just your run of the mill ads, they are unique and hold a certain spot in a viewer's mind.

If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it....

In the midst of simultaneously doing dishes, throwing in a load of laundry, making my bed and trying to catch up on my favorite TV show, I was stopped in my tracks as I heard Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's Pure Imagination song start to play. I was hooked, instantly shuffling into the next room to see what company had brought back this childhood classic for their television spot. To my pleasant surprise it was AT&T and their new spot for their "Rethink Possible" campaign. I'm not sure if it was the sounds of my childhood or the brightly colored children drawings, but I loved the commercial and couldn't wait for it to air again. After some thought, I realized that perhaps it was the pure nature of the commercial that made it so memorable and appealing. In this modern day of pessimism and negativity it was refreshing to see a company take the "glass is half full" approach to life. AT&T is one of those such companies that has got its consumers smiling and literally rethinking possibilities.




After some arduous research on Youtube.com, I found a plethora of other AT&T commercials that were apart of the "Rethink Possible" campaign. All of which were uplifting and in their own way, inspiring. So perhaps this is what advertising needs these days. A sprinkle of naivete with a pinch of optimism. A wave of positive advertising will leave consumers not only with a buoyant view of your brand, but with a pep in their step as well. I think that AT&T's strategy to move away from criticizing other phone companies and focusing more on the possibilities of their own brand was a wise choice and will pay off and prove to be a success.

Coke Saves the Earth One Profile Pic at a Time

Facebook has grown to have more then 1.5 million North American users. This ever so popular social network site has proven to be an excellent and successful platform for corporations to not only advertise their brand, but to kick off campaigns that help make the earth a better place. Coke has taken full advantage of Facebook and encouraging its users to help save the world. Coke has created an app in which users can upload their own photos and place their face in different ocean scenes including a scuba diver. Those that make their newly made picture their default profile pic, will be helping save the environment. Coke has pledged to donate $1.00 to the Ocean Conservancy for every person that has changed their profile pic. In total, Coke hopes to raise $200,000. This campaign is brilliant in it taps into one of the world's largest social networking sites and gets consumers involved. Participants don't have to donate time or money, they simply have to dabble around on Facebook and create a fun new profile picture. Really, it couldn't get any easier. This campaign is not only saving the ocean, but it is creating a great brand image for Coke. A company that invests in the environment, is a company I want to buy from. Creating an app on Facebook is easy and not all that expensive. This idea can be used for numerous products and services, and can prove to be quite a success. So what are you waiting for?! Log onto Facebook and save the ocean!

Hurricane Simulator Say What?!

During my recent trip to the mall, my friend and I stumbled upon the "hurricane simulator". This futuristic looking device presented participants with the ability to feel what it would be like in a hurricane, or pretty similar at least. Participants were to pay $2.00, close the door, and feel winds that went up to 80 miles per hour. If you took video of your experience you could then submit the video online at hurricanesimulator.com. The video with the most votes is rewarded with a $100.00 gift card. Why is this a genius marketing ploy? Well, participants are doing just that. Participating! A week later as I am doing my blog post I still remember the name of the company and I still remember the URL for the website, all because I paid a measly $2.00 to experience something fun and out of the ordinary. This type of marketing could be done with a variety of products and services. Placing unique and innovative participatory required experiences will allow your consumers to remember your brand and associate something fun with that brand. So, hop on the max head down to Lloyd center and experience a hurricane!

Here is a video of people all over the country experiencing a hurricane right in the comfort of their neighborhood mall!

Sprite Hits Refresh

For its first campaign in four years, Sprite is now creating TV spots, print ads, and social media applications that offer up the new and improved tag line, "Sprite. The Spark." In its first TV spot, Sprite showcases hip-hop artist Drake. Drake is depicted as an artist that just "isn't feeling it" while recording his smash hit "Forever". Upon taking a swig of Sprite, his body departmentalizes and creatively demonstrates the refreshing soft drink rushing throughout his body and flooding his animatronic self, giving him the "spark" he needs to kill it in the recording studio.



This global campaign doesn't stop at just TV spots. Sprite has announced this digitally pushed campaign will include the ability to have consumers create their own music mixes and animated films at Sprite.com. According to Kevin Roddy, CCO at BBH, when formulating ideas for Sprite's campaign the idea, "needed to be an idea that could live anywhere, at anytime, in anyway" and would enable consumers across the globe to understand, "what the brand was about and allow [them] to experience the brand." In efforts to fulfill these goals, Sprite will be releasing a slew of international TV spots that will feature numerous international celebrities including Chinese singer Jay Chou and video director Rik Cordero.

I believe this is a creative and innovative campaign that will speak to Sprite's target audience. In recent campaigns for a plethora of products and brands, music artists of all genres have been used to speak to the 18-35-year-old target market. Sprite is no exception, with its implementation of Drake as its celebrity spokesperson. What sets the brand apart and makes it interesting is the creation of other applications such as music mixing and animation creation. I think the use of new and fresh artists with a significant following will give Sprite just the energy and "spark" it needs to revitalize its brand and set it apart from other soda companies.

Aside from this campaign being simply a "Swipe File" worthy campaign, it also demonstrates a strategic opportunity to increase communication among the brand and its customers, as well as consumer participation. Providing the ability to create beats and animated films encourages consumers to visit the Sprite website, therefore creating an opportunity for consumer interaction and inevitably resonance of the brand with the consumer. It is also strategic of Sprite to showcase international stars, therefore not only allowing for global success, but also creating legs and longevity for the campaign.

It can also be seen that Sprite is going for a more urban tone and style to its advertisements by showcasing hip hop artists and other beat enthusiasts. In efforts to create consumer interaction, Sprite had created a dunking contest known as the "Sprite Slam Dunk," which created a platform for professional athletes such as Nate Robinson of the New York Nicks and Shannon Brown of the LA Lakers to compete in a slam dunk challenge. Consumers were able to create their own digital "dunkfan" animations, which were showcased on the Sprite website. This year's winner was Nate Robinson. The advertisement used for this contest demonstrates the urban tone and style Sprite is pining after.



What do you think of the new Sprite campaign? Do you believe it is effective in speaking to an audience composed of 18-35-year-old consumers? Do you think Drake emulates what the Sprite brand is all about, or is there another celebrity that you believe should be the brand's spokesperson?

"Journey On" - Hertz 2010 Campaign

In Hertz's new campaign titled "Journey On", Hertz is attempting to emotionally connect with its current and potential customers. Instead of rambling off facts about the company and all of its services, they showcase different customers and the dependability they experienced while using Hertz. The campaign was created to express that traveling is more then just getting from point A to point B. It's about the "journey" that occurs between your starting and destination points.

The following clip is the TV spot that have aired during prime time shows such as "The Office" and "How I Met Your Mother". This particular spot showcased Amy Regan and her travel experiences.




The reason that I find this campaign to be "Swipe File" worthy is that it takes a new approach to showcasing a service or product. While most companies are interested in numbers and sales, Hertz is putting a face to the thousands of Hertz customers we as a consumer can identify with. This particular campaign reminds me of the Chase campaign that was aired back in 2005. Their approach was similar in the fact that they used the story of a real life consumer. A similar approach could be used in other organizations in the marketing and advertising of their products or services. In a world were consumers are bombarded with ads constantly it is important for companies to think outside the box in order to catch the attention of their target audience. Striking a cord emotionally is one such tactic that just might work.

The following clip is the TV spot that was run for Chase Banks. Similar to Hertz's commercial, an emotional undertone was used to speak to its customers.