One of the best ads you may ever see!

One of the best ads you may ever see! The campaign was developed for the Thai Health Promotion Foundation.

Bad News For Good Apps!

Here's a story of bad news for good apps. It demonstrates how marketing and advertising is out of control, sometimes managed not by people who think, but by computers. What can happen? Almost anything, and here is an example. Kudo's to KOMO 4 News in Seattle for bringing us this story.

 

KOMO: "An app that lets kids decorate cookies and cupcakes also features advertisements for violent games across the screen, leaving some parents to wonder if the content is age appropriate."


The following is the story from KOMO 4 News. I invite you to watch the video.

Now will you believe me? For marketers---It's all about the content!

I've said this many times before and I will say it again: If you are in any facet of marketing, It's All About the Content! 

It's about the stories you tell on Facebook, in your newsletters, on your websites, in your paid commercials, and in the videos you shoot.

NEW: Now from TechFlash comes this  development:

"Analysts are expecting Amazon.com Inc. to begin producing its own original television programs soon."

Fortune reports that Amazon's television programming unit is headed by a TV production veteran in Los Angeles who previously worked at the Comedy Central network. The story quotes analysts who believe that Amazon, which now is publishing its own books, would be smart to begin producing its own TV shows.

There has been previous speculation about Amazon's possible move into TV production. Amazon formed Amazon Studios in 2010, soliciting screenplays from writers at the time.

Coca-Cola Campaign Gives Us Hope in People!

There's a wonderful Coca-Cola campaign that gives us reasons to still believe in people and a better world! It's the Rivalry Wallet campaign. 

The story goes like this: A wallet is put on the floor in Portugal's Benfica Soccer club MegaStore, the wallet has a rival club's ticket inside and it's just days before a big match. What would you do?

Amazingly 95% of the people returned the wallet. They were given a ticket to the game and were honored on the big jumbo tron. 

Watch the video, you'll enjoy it! And remember that sometimes the most effective marketing can happen through great storytelling.

If You Market: Content is King!

Here's an important message for you: If you are in the public relations, marketing or advertising business at a company or organization, you need to be in the content-generation business.

People are tired of traditional ads. If they have TiVo or DVR's, they are skipping through the ads. If you are buying print, broadcast or Internet ads ask yourself this: Is my ad truly remarkable? That is, will your ad truly get people to change their behavior? Sure if they are ordering something, but short of an online retail purchase, most ads are just that to consumers: An Advertisement.

If you really want to change behavior, change how you do things. YOU need to be in the content generation business. People read interesting stories. If you start an interesting and relevant story in an email newsletter or on Facebook and link the rest to your website, they will click through as long as it is interesting and relevant.

Shoot interesting pictures your stakeholders care about. Shoot interesting videos --- especially "How To.." videos your stakeholders care about. Give your stakeholders interesting and relevant tips and information THEY care about.

It's not about the tools, it's about how you use them. And if you are interesting and relevant, they will come.

Yes You Can Buy America!

It's True. In America you can buy a piece of almost anything these days as cities and schools look for new sources of revenue: the side of a bus, the walls of a high school gym, construction scaffolding, the bottom of a high school swimming pool, and yes...even signage at a parking lot.

As one person put it: You can't fight city hall but you may be able to buy and ad on it!

Proponents say it's good visibility. Opponents say it's no place for junk food advertising.

Read the story here.

This Is What People Want Right Now!

When it comes to marketing and advertising, this is what people want right now. Build your themes around these, and they will resonate with your customers:

• People want hope.
• People want a sense of community and connection. Help them do that.
• People will get behind a cause if they feel they can truly make a difference.
• People want to make a difference for one thing, not generalities. (Example: They are more likely to donate for something specific vs. an organization).
• They are open to bridging class divides (see the films that are popular right now).
• They are open to escape.
• They are open to parallels to the depression era and what was popular then.

It's All About the Experience in Marketing!

Gord Hotchkiss has some smart things to say when it comes to what we pay attention to and why. We all know we are...as he says..."assaulted" by thousands of bits of information a day. So how do you break through so your message truly registers with your target? It's important to understand how the human brain works and what we, as humans, crave. For advertising to be effective, it has to compel us to pay attention and divert us from doing whatever we were doing. That's a tall order. What works? Emotion. Emotion is powerful. When you connect with emotion, whether it's in 30-seconds, 60-seconds, or a story---it's powerful. It engages people.

There's new research by ARF (The Advertising Research Foundation) showing just how powerful emotional engagement is and the power of "experiential marketing." I urge you to read this. Digest this. And understand how to implement the findings.