MARKETING MAYHEM AND DYSFUNCTION - Advertising Winners & Losers

Did that commercial get your attention?  Is that ad you saw in a magazine stuck in your head?  Did that celebrity convince you to purchase their brand?

Ultimately, its the consumer's perception of the brand that matters most and as a marketing veteran and resident consumer myself, I wanted to share my opinion on some of the current efforts that work and some that drop the ball.

WINNERS:

ALLSTATE

The Mayhem DIY campaign is hilarious and attention-getting at the same time.  While we have heard ad nauseum about house, car, and medical insurance from Flo, a lizard, cavemen, etc,, how many of us DIYers actually thought our own wannabe construction efforts pose a real hazard?  Sure I have some duct taped wiring in my home (220 or 221, whatever it takes) but I never realized that it could be a real issue in terms of liability.

In these Allstate spots, Mayhem (played by former FX's Rescue Me actor Dean Winters) describes real peoples' DIY nightmare stories and encourages you to vote for the best one.  Allstate will then have a reenactment during the Super Bowl.  I subscribe that a campaign needs to have a creative story and a memorable hook or twist to cut through the clutter.  These spots do and as a fun little twist, users who register can win the DIYer's tools so they never fix or build anything again.  Clever.

Its an interesting twist on boring insurance commercials and overall, its refreshing and works.

Check out the sweepstakes page here.

And for more info on the insurance provider's other sponsorship efforts, click here.


RUNNER UP: 
Speaking of Allstate, the Allstate Sugar Bowl stunt was also a very eye-catching effort.  Showcasing how thieves (and Mayhem) can utilize your social media posts to gain insight to rob you while you are tweeting away at the big game, they went in and "sold" all of the contents of an unsuspecting victim's house while they were out.  The campaign utilized social and viral tactics to garner views and with +20M Facebook impressions within a day, I'd classify this as a very buzz-worthy success.

For more, check out this link.

LOSERS:

VIAGRA

I don't want to be the old codger who rains on everyone's parade.  I used to say that if you don't approve of content that isn't kid friendly, don't have your kid watch.  But there are some areas where I believe big advertisers like Pfizer are being irresponsible and crossing the line.

The Viagra ads run during the football season feature the attractive female discussing ... well, you know.  I understand football is the ideal target marketing for men interested in sexual issues (feel free to drop in your own Dallas Cowboys' offense is impotent joke here) but lots of kids, including my 9-year-old son watch religiously.

Its bad enough when they speak in code (using the term ED) but I can play that off as one of the many pharma ads run on TV that frankly none of us even know what illness they are used for.  But lately, Viagra has become less subtle and uses terms like "Erectile Dysfunction" and "Erection" now.  My son looks more confused than Eli Manning being blitzed and its only a matter of time that an innocent day of talking football turns into "the talk".

Perhaps the FCC or other governing bodies need to regulate when those ads are run or what they can do to dilute the terminology?  I'd appreciate it if the sexy lady on the bed doesn't make my son question the ad beyond "Dad, her jersey is blank so which team does she root for?"

Forbes has brought this up in past articles and its something we should address.  I'd love to hear your thoughts so feel free to add your comments.

An Amazing, Selfless X-Mas Letter From 11-Year-Old Girl About Her Cancer-stricken Grandmother

Amazing and caring young lady.  Share if you have someone in
your life who cares as much for their loved ones.

MORE RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

I am always excited to speak with various groups about my marketing experience and creative approach.  I demonstrate real-world successes versus theories and I've had the great fortune of addressing everyone from industry executives to colleges to high schools.

Speaking at the recent CTAM Think event for television marketing and millennials at FOX.

I find it works well to bring a combination of expertise as well as levity to group settings to be able to entertain while informing the audience.  If you've read The Surfer's Guide To Marketing you know by now that humor is a great vehicle to communicate the principles and strategies of dynamic marketing efforts.  And it makes for a fun afternoon!

In Miami on a panel hosted by on-air personality Dave Holmes

If you haven't had the amazing pleasure of hearing me speak (and who WOULDN'T want to experience that?!) then please follow me on social media and lets connect.  Who knows, perhaps I can bring some of my great strategies and (not so great) jokes to your group!

CTAM Think Event

It's never been a more exciting time to be in the world of entertainment marketing.  Along with the creative forces that develop desirable content, the world of technology has landed front and center in the platforms with which consumers get their content.

I preach about passion brands.  Those brands like Apple, NFL, ESPN, and others that evoke instant response.  They drive enthusiasm for their users and elevate their status over their competition.  And with the advances with technology, the debate about providing those hungry viewers with the best vehicle to consume the content they crave  has become significant in the industry.  Terms like TVE, OTT, VOD, and other acronyms that describe how you will "watch TV" in the future make for an exciting time.

I am proud to be discussing the marketing approach for the next wave of technology and how, in particular, millennials will consume content in the future.  The CTAM Think panel held at the FOX studios lot this week will be a great dialog for the future.  Both content providers and operators (the cable and telco folks who currently supply you with your networks) will discuss how we, as marketers, communicate the future of how consumers view their favorite show.

Father's Day

Looking for a fun Father's Day Gift? Want to show your dad a way to learn and apply marketing principles to everyday life?  And most importantly, want to get him an entertaining read that we know he'll enjoy?

Pick up The Surfer's Guide To Marketing and save $3 when you enter discount code: PT8RF4Y7
Click here to get your discount today!
https://www.createspace.com/4197986

Speaking Engagements

I wanted to provide a quick update to those who have inquired about having me speak to your organization, school, etc.  The answer, without a doubt, is always YES!  I enjoy the opportunity to entertain and enlighten peers and having sat through thousands of lectures throughout my career, I am confident that concepts, cases, and stories from The Surfer's Guide To Marketing will keep you entertained!

Today, for example, I am honored to speak to a sold-out group of successful businessmen at an Orange County luncheon.  I try to tailor my message ranging from specific marketing tactics when speaking to a university, to a more general Sports and Entertainment approach for a group like today.  From social media to traditional marketing to some of the best examples I've been lucky enough to pull off, I am always willing to share my experience and "work the room".


As a former stand-up comic, cartoonist, in-game announcer, online celebrity interviewer, and current marketing leader, I am confident that I can bring a fun, educational approach to your team, office, or school.  I am well versed in all levels including high school students that I've worked with through my non-profit T.E.A.M., to college students at ASU, USC, UCLA, LMU, Chico State, and San Jose State, to professional levels including Pepperdine's MBA courses and professional networking groups.

So if you would like to get this "Yeti From The Jetty" in person… give me a shout!

THE SUPER (COLD) BOWL

With the big game coming up, its time to discuss how to create a successful marketing effort during the most cluttered event in America.  In The Surfer's Guide To Marketing, we devote an entire chapter called Big Waves to marketing efforts that are developed and activated around the most competitive environment.    Retail during the holidays, travel during the summer, and of course trying to promote your product or brand during the Super Bowl.

Just like last week's contest at Mavericks that featured a record swell, the bar is raised when the world is watching.  With 40-foot faces crushing surfers, it is not for the weak or those who are fearful.  The big stage is only for those with the skills (and guts) to drop in on a wall of water four stories tall.

Even Laird Hamilton doesn't 

always win on Big Waves

This year, with the game in New York, it's shaping up to be an interesting experiment.  The biggest stage in the biggest city in the world.  And with bad weather looming, there is a significant chance that the elements might make for a marketing disaster!  And it wouldn't be the first time.

Several years ago, when the Super Bowl was in Dallas, we were challenged with creating an interactive consumer experience for AT&T and ESPN.  We accounted for huge amounts of traffic, excited fans wanting to participate, star-power with celebrities, and we ensured we had everything we needed to make our clients happy.  But as I say in the book, sometimes it isn't IF something goes wrong, but WHEN!  And the Case Study below is taken from the book and just goes to show that even on days with Big Waves, where the stakes are high, the competition fierce, and Mother Nature is ready to throw you a curve, you can utilize the proven marketing tactics in the book to avoid a wipeout.

CASE STUDY

The Big Game

The biggest event in the United States every year is the Super Bowl.  As a marketer, it’s the big leagues in terms of scale, cost, and exposure (see the chapter on Big Waves).  Ad time in the game costs seven-figures for a thirty-second spot and sponsorship of various official Super Bowl elements are a huge investment.  So creating your own Super Bowl event that cuts through the clutter and stands out among literally hundreds of events is a costly and extensive undertaking.

So when our client wanted to be part of the action of the Super Bowl, they approached us with the ultimate opportunity to demonstrate our Barnacle philosophy and latch on to someone else’s huge efforts.  For Super Bowl XLV in Dallas, our mission was to create a presence for our client at the big game in Big D…. but without the hefty price tag or reasonable lead time.  After all, creating an engaging experience that competes with the biggest spectacle in sports without all of the pesky budget or months of preparation is what every marketing veteran lives for, right?  But as the saying goes, “Go big or go home.”

When our client’s major sports partner announced that they were going to be broadcasting all of their television and radio shows from a local mall in nearby Fort Worth, including all of their talent-filled programs, we took this as an opportunity to drive awareness and branding without having to reinvent the wheel and create the event itself.  This weeklong festival would attract hundreds of thousands of passionate fans and it was simply our job to carve out a place on the reef to get our share of plankton.  

So in an expedited manor, we secured space and created the Digital Living Room activation that accented the various broadcasts and events throughout the week.  Our interactive booth would allow fans to experience our outdoor living room complete with sofas, tables, chairs, rugs, multiple flat screens showing the network’s programming in HD and 3D, broadband displays, and tons of branded premiums all promoting how our client and its partnerships were the only option for sports fans.  Add to that our beautiful Brand Ambassadors and Starfish appearances from Hall of Fame RB Eric Dickerson, former All Pro RB Christian “The Nigerian Nightmare” Okoye, and three-time Super Bowl Champion Roger Craig and we had an attractive booth that held it’s own with the existing large-scale production.

While some brands spend millions creating their own Super Bowl event including the Bud Light Hotel, DIRECTV’s Beach Bash, and more, we were able to reach thousands of passionate Super Bowl fans attending the shopping center’s events as a complement to the host network.  While our Digital Living Room was a component of the bigger picture, we served as a supporting actor to the main event and even provided value-add to their experience.   And in so doing, saved our client significant dollars playing the role of the Barnacle attaching to the existing event and the crowds they generated.

Editors Note:  As mentioned previously, surfers are the ultimate optimists and make lemonade whenever presented with lemons.  So when the 2011 Dallas/Ft. Worth Super Bowl week was hit with “the storm of the century” including wind, snow, and -5 degree temperatures, our outdoor living room seemed like a disaster in the making.  But, a few quick adjustments (and several large space heaters later) our virtual living room became a shelter from the elements for the crazy fans that still braved the cold.  While we had to endure some good natured ribbing for the unfortunate circumstances (including comments that our living room was “just like the fan’s own homes…only with five inches of snow inside”, or people wanting to tell Christian Okoye to change his nickname to “The Siberian Nightmare”, we still exhausted our inventory of client literature and branded premiums representing the maximum quantity of impressions we were targeting!