Original thinking in risk-averse times

Saw this quote from Esque Studio describing their mental approach to their latest glass-blown art endeavor:

"It was also important to take such a bold step, that people would not be willing to imitate what we did."

So think about that. Be bold, so no one dare imitate you. When you're carving out your brand territory, be conscious of the competitive landscape. Could others follow you easily? Could they make the same claims? Even surpass you without much effort? If yes, then consider a path over more rugged terrain.

Of course, your trailblazing must be in lockstep with your target audience's needs and wants. After all, what good is leapfrogging the competition if you're going over customers' heads.

But just because your branding and product presentation logically follows the research, that doesn't mean you can't surprise and delight people with an imaginative and perhaps unconventional take on their needs and wants.

It's a much more savvy way to show that you 'get' them rather than merely regurgitating the demographics data - data that your competition is likely using as well.

I'm thinking Steak 'n Shake

Remember 'Oven Mitt' from the Arby's commercials? Apparently he works for Steak 'n Shake now.

See the commercials here.

Lessons from a dope-smokin' dolphin

You know Michael Phelps - the golden boy who could do no wrong in the pool and a seemingly safe (to the point of boring) bet to endorse dozens of products. And then we find him again barely coming up for air, this time his head buried in a bong at a college party.

It is fascinating when icons (particularly with lucrative endorsement deals) taint their public image. But what is even better is that Phelps' sponsors all stand behind him. No one yet has yanked a deal from him, even though several of those contracts explicitly state that he needs to keep out of trouble. more

It is a common dilemma in advertising when you are looking for that one famous person to stand up and say "Nothing is better than Brand X. I love it." Do you look for a real person that fits, but is human and can screw things up? Or do you go the route of other brands and create a fictional character whose persona is under your complete control, like the King of Burger King?

It seems that there is room for both. The whole Phelps' thing will blow over. After all, most people don't even realize he also has a DUI on his record. Not to condone such repeated stupidity of anyone, let alone one making millions as a role model to kids, but people do like their flawed heroes.

Maybe the King can take a few cues from his real-life spokesperson brethren. CPB, if you're listening, have the King go berserk on the set of his next commercial (or movie?), dropping enough F-bombs to make Christian Bale blush. Or have him get into a fight in the alley over the superiority of democracy over constitutional monarchy as a political theory. Or just release some underground photos of him cavorting with Amy Winehouse for a spell.

We like our stars flawed and flayed. And the stars surely do, too. It keeps them (and the products they endorse) relevant and part of the conversation.

Shot to the balls heard 'round the world

A pair of brothers from Batesville not only claimed the top prize in Doritos' Super Bowl commercial contest by getting it aired during the big game, they also apparently won the top spot on USA Today's ad meter measuring the impact of the commercials during the game. If you missed it, here it is.



What does this increasing phenomenon of David beating Goliath tell us? Well, first and foremost, any time a man gets popped in the pills by a flying object, it is memorable. (America's Funniest Videos did not thrive on Bob Saget's charm alone.) more >>>

Secondly, concept is king. You can have all the money in the world, but if the campaign isn't rooted in a simple concept, it will fail. On the flip side, sometimes spots are simple to a fault, lacking any unique personality or character development. The Doritos spot definitely scored points for personality.

Also, this is the kind of commercial that would die in committee. Someone high enough up would say, "Why would the other guy throw the snow globe? What could he possibly have hit that would get him the promotion?" Or someone in a focus group would throw out an "I don't get it" while the creative team behind the glass choked on their M&Ms.

Was it the best commercial of the Super Bowl? No. Monster and CareerBuilder can duke it out for that in our humble opinion. But the Batesville boys do reinforce the value of relating to the audience in a lowest-common-denominator kind of way, making a pretty good commercial with one failsafe, albeit cliched and overdone, punchline.

UPDATE: Upon repeated viewing, this commercial is decidedly mediocre. Between the music and the overacting by Judge Reinhold's stunt double, it becomes quickly unwatchable. But hey, they've got their million dollar prize, and I've got my sour grapes.

The pressure to be interesting

Publishing posts on a regular basis can be nerve-racking. One dynamite thought can send a horde of humanity flocking to the site. Conversely, a boring one can turn readers off for eternity. Neverminding the hyperbole, there is a pretty good lesson here for brand champions to not just be relevant but also to be worth remembering.

Boring = bad. Plain and simple. So as you plan for '09 and beyond, find ways to capitalize on your brand's personality. Take it to the nth degree in your emails and your couponing, your broadcast and your web site. Do something new this year, too. Go mobile. Go grassroots. Just don't go bland. Stand out even if that means sticking out like a sore thumb.

As long as you stay true to your brand and are bold with letting people see and interact with the personality of it, people will talk about you, share you and hear what else you have to say.

Sometimes a brand needs to move out of its parents’ basement.

Let your ideas evolve into something to be admired. We believe great ideas aren’t simply self-serving. They make your audience want to aim higher, think bigger and be better. We want to help you become their source of inspiration.