During a trip to the cinema this weekend to watch the new Harry Potter movie I noticed an advertisement for a range of PlayStation games such as 'EyePet', 'Little Big Planet 2' and 'TV Superstars'.
It wasn't till I came across an article online that I realized the impact of a product being advertised before one of the most popular films of the year. As well as being shown before Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader 3’ and broadcast on live television, it seems that the effect of this cleverly placed advert have been hugely successful.
‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1’ had been seen by 1.9 million people by its second weekend in UK cinemas last week alone meaning that it is the perfect opportunity to target families that have gone to watch films together, who may also want to play video games together.
Thursday 9 December 2010
Monday 6 December 2010
Can Facebook really change anything?
" Change your facebook profile picture to a cartoon from your childhood
and invite your friends to do the same. Until monday, there should be no
human faces on facebook, but a stash of memories. This is for
eliminating violence against children"
This is the Facebook status of most of my online friends, and has been for the last week.
And it seems to have taken effect. When I logged on to Facebook last week this is the news feed that i was greeted with:
This campaign claims to raise awareness of Child Cruelty, but does it really?
Most social networkers join in because there friends did, and they too wanted an excuse to have a silly profile picture. I personally am all for supporting a good cause, but what good is a cartoon character really going to do?
It doesn't help stop abuse and it doesn't raise money, to me it seems that its just another social networking craze, something that will die out after today, without effecting anything but my news feed.
and invite your friends to do the same. Until monday, there should be no
human faces on facebook, but a stash of memories. This is for
eliminating violence against children"
This is the Facebook status of most of my online friends, and has been for the last week.
And it seems to have taken effect. When I logged on to Facebook last week this is the news feed that i was greeted with:
This campaign claims to raise awareness of Child Cruelty, but does it really?
Most social networkers join in because there friends did, and they too wanted an excuse to have a silly profile picture. I personally am all for supporting a good cause, but what good is a cartoon character really going to do?
It doesn't help stop abuse and it doesn't raise money, to me it seems that its just another social networking craze, something that will die out after today, without effecting anything but my news feed.
"Yo Valley.."
Yeo Valley organic yoghurt have created a contemporary advertising campaign that relates to todays generation.
When you think about "organic yoghurt" you think of an health conscious middle aged audience, not young hip teenagers. So Yeo Valley have taken steps to target that missing audience by creating a humorous rap song. It seems that they are trying to change representations of organic food, making it appealing to an audience of all ages.
Being Yeo Valleys first ever television ad campaign, they did well to secure a spot on prime time tv, during the breaks between saturday nights xFactor. The campaign has even stretched to the internet which hosts a website featuring blogs, games, and news streams. There is even a ring tone and song that can be downloaded via the internet that is set to boost profits and reputation at the same time.
When you think about "organic yoghurt" you think of an health conscious middle aged audience, not young hip teenagers. So Yeo Valley have taken steps to target that missing audience by creating a humorous rap song. It seems that they are trying to change representations of organic food, making it appealing to an audience of all ages.
Being Yeo Valleys first ever television ad campaign, they did well to secure a spot on prime time tv, during the breaks between saturday nights xFactor. The campaign has even stretched to the internet which hosts a website featuring blogs, games, and news streams. There is even a ring tone and song that can be downloaded via the internet that is set to boost profits and reputation at the same time.
Sunday 5 December 2010
Sellotape experiment..
Sellotape have created an online competition to support there new advertising campaign that is relaunching Sellotape. The adverts ask the audience to send in videos of how they use Sellotapes, and include there top tips. These ads are then set to be aired on television.
Three adverts have already been produced, including spot the Sellotape, and my personal favourite; the boy wobble (Click here to view Ad).
The ad shows a homemade fancy dress outfit, held together by just Sellotape.
The boy wearing the costume is then "wobbled" on a vibrating plate to test if the Sellotape will hold tight. As well as being humourous the ads proves the strength of the product and interacts with the customers.
A lot of people have videoed there own Sellotape tips and uploaded them to the website.
My faveroute upload was by a customer called Sara Caldas, and in my opinion is much more innovative than the actualy television ad (Click here to view Ad) .
Three adverts have already been produced, including spot the Sellotape, and my personal favourite; the boy wobble (Click here to view Ad).
The ad shows a homemade fancy dress outfit, held together by just Sellotape.
The boy wearing the costume is then "wobbled" on a vibrating plate to test if the Sellotape will hold tight. As well as being humourous the ads proves the strength of the product and interacts with the customers.
A lot of people have videoed there own Sellotape tips and uploaded them to the website.
My faveroute upload was by a customer called Sara Caldas, and in my opinion is much more innovative than the actualy television ad (Click here to view Ad) .
Sunday 28 November 2010
John Lewis..
Its coming up to Christmas and festive adverts are starting to appear left rigth and centre.
Most people are still talking about the infamous coca cola advert, but its the new John Lewis advert that's really caught my attention, and looking back at a catalogue of memorable ads I can see that its not just a one off success.
The new ad highlights the "joys of giving" and features a cover of Eltons Johns - Your song by Ellie Goulding. The ad emphasises its strap line "For those who care about showing they care" by showing a child leaving a stocking out for his dog.
John lewis had created a series of heart felt ad campaigns, especially during the Christmas period.
The 2009 ad using Guns and roses "Sweet Child O'mine" played on the childhood memories of Christmas time...
...whilst the 2009 ad featuring The Beatles - From me to you touches on the personalisation of gifts.
Even going back as far as 2007, we all remember the John Lewis "Shadows" ad.
There seems to be a repetition of iconic and classic songs playing over the emotional ads. The adverts work well in touching its audience on a personal level. It makes them relate there own memories.
Most people are still talking about the infamous coca cola advert, but its the new John Lewis advert that's really caught my attention, and looking back at a catalogue of memorable ads I can see that its not just a one off success.
The new ad highlights the "joys of giving" and features a cover of Eltons Johns - Your song by Ellie Goulding. The ad emphasises its strap line "For those who care about showing they care" by showing a child leaving a stocking out for his dog.
John lewis had created a series of heart felt ad campaigns, especially during the Christmas period.
The 2009 ad using Guns and roses "Sweet Child O'mine" played on the childhood memories of Christmas time...
...whilst the 2009 ad featuring The Beatles - From me to you touches on the personalisation of gifts.
Even going back as far as 2007, we all remember the John Lewis "Shadows" ad.
There seems to be a repetition of iconic and classic songs playing over the emotional ads. The adverts work well in touching its audience on a personal level. It makes them relate there own memories.
Brand names from Miami to Ibiza..
Listening to Swedish House Mafias latest song "Miami to Ibiza" I recognised a lot of brand names being dropped into the lyrics. It wasn't until I found the lyrics on-line that I discovered there were almost 15 brand names being used in just 3 minutes and 25 seconds worth of material, including Blackberry BOLD, Calvin Klein and Nike. Although most of which are abbreviated, to its audience there abbreviations are all very obvious. It makes me wonder, did Swedish House Mafia have to pay for all the brand dropping in there song, or is all the abbreviations just a way around that. And what exactly is the reason behind such obvious branding in the song? Is it all a money making scheme to promote these brands, or is the artist trying to create an identity, using these brands to create an image.
She said she likes my watch, But she wants Steve's AP (Audemars Piguet watch)
And she stay up all hours watching QVC
She said she loves my songs, She bought my MP3
And so I put her number in my Bold BB (Blackberry)
I got a black BM (bmw), She got a white TT (Audi tt)
She wanna see what's hiding in my CK (Calvin Klein) briefs
I tell her "Wear suspenders and some PVC, And then I'll film it all up on my JVC"
Scene one, Everybody get in your positions, Pay attention, and listen
We're tryna get this all in one take, So let's try to make that happen
Take one, Action
She pose for FHM (FHM Magazine), She like my black LV (Louis Vuitton)
We spilling LPR (Cocktail) up on my APC (a.p.c. clothing),
I'm in my PRPS (prps Jeans) and my Nike SB's
Raving with SHM (Swedish House Mafia) London to NYC
I got my visa and my Lisa, A diva and her dealer,
Bitch I'm up on the guest list, With the Swedish House Mafia
You can find me on a table, Full of vodka and tequila
Surrounded by some bunnies (Playboy Bunnies), And it ain't fuckin' Easter
I'll wake up in the morning, With a mild case of amnesia
With a girl that like a girl , Like Lindsay Lo and Queen Latifah
If you niggas are balling Then boy I must be FIFA
And that's standard procedure, From Miami 2 Ibiza
Monday 22 November 2010
Ad campaign goes Looney Tunes..
With celebrity endorsements becoming more and more popular amongst advertisers, its no surprise that cartoon characters are now becoming the face of top advertising campaigns.
Virgin Medias latest ad campaign features Looney Tunes favorite Speedy Gonzales to promote its "Speedy" Broadband.
The advert plays on typical problems of slow boradband, by showing a seeming old cartoon paused because its busy buffering. (Click here to see full ad)
I think that this ad plays well to the target audience as It is likely that it is middle aged home owners that will be purchasing broadband. Therefore displaying an ad featuring a cartoon that they more than likely grew up with will make them relate on a personal level.
The high profile campaign was first launched last Saturday during prime time TV, staring in the break of The X Factor.
To support the campaign Virgin media also unveiled a the world’s first billboard made entirely of cheese in Covent Garden, London. Created by acclaimed food artist, Prudence Staite. However the campaign does not stop here, there will be a further 2 television ads, prints, online ads, and radio plugs, all making the most of the well known characteristics of character Speedy Gonzales.
Virgin Medias latest ad campaign features Looney Tunes favorite Speedy Gonzales to promote its "Speedy" Broadband.
I think that this ad plays well to the target audience as It is likely that it is middle aged home owners that will be purchasing broadband. Therefore displaying an ad featuring a cartoon that they more than likely grew up with will make them relate on a personal level.
The high profile campaign was first launched last Saturday during prime time TV, staring in the break of The X Factor.
To support the campaign Virgin media also unveiled a the world’s first billboard made entirely of cheese in Covent Garden, London. Created by acclaimed food artist, Prudence Staite. However the campaign does not stop here, there will be a further 2 television ads, prints, online ads, and radio plugs, all making the most of the well known characteristics of character Speedy Gonzales.
Tuesday 16 November 2010
Quotable...
"Good Call!"
Do you know what Advert that quote is from?!
Do you know what Advert that quote is from?!
of course you do.
Fosters have created a quotable Advertising campiagn, that a wide target audience can relate too, and impersonate, all adding to the sucess of the campaign. Because every one who says "Good Call" is effectivley advertising Fosters for free.
The ad plays on the charachteristics of a sterotypical australian; loves beer, the beach and is down to earth. Portraying that all it takes is a chilled lager and a relaxed attitude to see the perfect solution to life’s little annoyances and concerns.
This ad is a perfect example of how effective a tag line can be to campaign. However far fetched that tag line might be. After all the only conection between the actual product and the advert is the colloquial tag line "good call", that can be interpreted as "good decision", i.e. it was a good decision to choose to drink Fosters lager.
Monday 8 November 2010
Behavioral Advertising..
Advertisers are now trying even harder to reach there correct target audience, by a new method called Behavioral Targeting. I first noticed this when i went onto 4od.co.uk to watch up on this weeks Desperate Housewives. There were two main advertisements on the page, one for a new Diary Milk chocolate bar, and another to win a trip to a spa. Being female both adverts immediately grabbed my attention, which made me wonder how strategically they had been placed there. After all, with Desperate Housewives main audience being female there is no doubt it would be mostly women visiting this particular page.
After doing some research, I found that this was defined as being a "type of advertising whereby advertisements are placed so as to reach consumers based on various traits such as demographics, purchase history, or observed behaviour." Web browsers now have the ability to follow users behaviour by the searches they have made and the pages they have visited, so it is easier to target the correct audiences. For example, if you were to search for "Houses for Sale" more than once, then mortgage companies may start targeting adverts at you. In this instance, the only personal information used to target you with these ads was strictly the fact that you viewed real estate ads.
Studies have shown that conversions are higher when people are targeted through behavior rather than content because behavior can determine a person's actions. Whether it is looking at specific sections of an online newspaper or visiting a certain type of site more than once, those actions are used to determine each user's interests. And it is those actions that make conversions.
There are many advantages to this kind of advertising. The advertising companies save money as adverts are not wasted on uninterested audiences, and the audience see related products and services. However, there are some concerns about privacy, but this method does not use any personal or confidential information, therefore should cause no threat to the public.
I think that behavioural advertising is fast and effect, and as an audience member i think it is the most efficient way of being shown products and services that i would be interested in.
Wednesday 20 October 2010
The Evolution of the Logo...
Ever wondered how well known brands created such effective logos?
Or wondered how they've been so effective for so long?
...Well the answer to the last question is that minor changes to brand logos have taken place to keep the logo up to date..
... for example: Apple.
Apple is one of the most popular and most successful electronics/software companies, and its logo is well known in most households. Its main success comes from its coloured graphics and simple design, qualities that are mirrored in Apples most famous logo used in 1976-1998. However this was then simplified when Apple launched the new iMac in 1998, it is now the same shape but in simple monochrome colours. Meaning that Apple is one of few brands that can be recognized on shape alone, regardless of colour. Effectively meaning that Apple have the freedom the incorporate colours depending on the current trends.
Another logo that developed with its success is Pepsi. Originally consisting of just a signature style logo reading "Pepsi-Cola", the brand than evolved into a bottle cap, then evolving further into a globe.
However it is clear that the biggest logo change culprits are car companies, with Ford, Peugot, Alfa Romero, and Fiat, all hosting multiple changes to there current logo.
Saturday 16 October 2010
It's a colourful world..
After recently visiting Manchester to pick up on current trends, I found myself drawn to this seasons colour palette. With colour trends changing so often it made me wonder how brands designed logos that would never go out of fashion!
After a bit of research I found that brands seem to base there colour schemes on the psychological effect on its audience, rather than what's "in fashion" at the time of design..
..And the psychology of colours seems to go a lot deeper than I first thought.
It's not just a simple case of Pink is for girls, and Blue is for boys, there seems to be a deeper meaning for every single colour:
Red
- evokes aggressiveness, passion, strength, Hunger and vitality.
Pink
- evokes femininity, innocence, softness and health.
Orange
- evokes friendliness, fun, cheeriness and warm exuberance.
Yellow
- evokes positivity, sunshine and cowardice.
Green
- evokes tranquillity, health and freshness.
Blue
- evokes authority, dignity, security and faithfulness.
Purple
- evokes sophistication, spirituality, costliness, royalty and mystery.
- Brown
evokes utility, earthiness, woodsy-ness and subtle richness.
- White
evokes purity, truthfulness, being contemporary and refined.
- Gray
evokes somberness, authority, practicality and a corporate mentality.
- Black
evokes seriousness, distinctiveness, boldness and being classic.
Which makes it obvious why its no coincidence that so many restaurants like McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and Subway all use red, orange, yellow or green but not purple or blue. And recent studies have also shown that people eat more in a room painted warm colours (e.g. red, yellow, orange), rather than cold colours (e.g. blue, grey, purple).
It seems that we know these rules as an audience already though.
For example, ask your self:
What colours are Social Networks?
Blue...?
What colours are Supermarkets own brand?
White and...?
What colours are environmentally friendly products?
Green...?
You may notice from the diagram above that a large amount of logos seem to go into the blue sector, and with further research I then found out that blue is the colour that most people trust.
So with this in mind, it seems that choosing a colour for your brand logo is not as simple as first thought. Not only is aesthetic appeal important, but now it seems that psychology and trust all seem to factor in to create the perfect logo.
Friday 1 October 2010
"Tipp Experience"
Having completed just one week as an Advertising student, I've already been immersed in the world of branding and advertising campaigns. Not only during class time, but also out in the real world, interesting adverts seem to be jumping out where ever I look.
However, it was in the comfort of my new student digs that I found TipExs latest online viral ad campaign after seeing it posted all over social network sites Twitter and Facebook.
Being the latest to jump on the interactive advertising bandwagon TipExs latest campaign features a clever combination of a hunter, a bear and YouTube.
Click Here to view video footage.
There are up to 40 different commands you can enter for the hunter, for example hug, tickle, kiss and even dance like Micheal Jackson. Branded as the “Tipp Experience”, the YouTube Video uses clever interaction to engage and excite its audience using nothing but the Internet and word of mouth. The content may be completely irrelevant - but so is Cadburys gorilla advert. The entertaining footage is enough to make a big enough impact on the audience to ensure that the brand will stick in the mind.
The only criticism I could make about this campaign is that it doesn't make any sense to create such a visually effective advert and then not direct its audience towards the brand. Some could argue that this is because TipEx are purely trying to stir up more brand recognition for the product, rather than trying to increase sales of the product. Especially seeing as this product is becoming more and more outdated thanks to the growth of work being done on Laptops etc that means correcting mistakes is easier than ever.
However, it's refreshing to see a relatively small brand such as TipEx create a stir in the advertising world, rather than the usual brand giants such as Coke and Nike. The innovative idea could go on to be edited into numerous different scenarios in order to continue the campaign, and the basic idea has already been used in numerous other campaigns for Samsung, Tostitos Salsa and WarioLand.
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