editorial
Top 10 Advertising Trends in 2005
by Sera Herold, SFAdvertising.com Editor
10. Shameless Self Promotion
From the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes engagement/pregnancy/movie premiere PR whirlwind to reality TV shows starring anyone who has ever done anything, self promotion seemed like the marketing move of the moment for most anyone who had nothing to promote but themselves. Even when celebrities were shilling for an actual product (e.g. Paris Hilton for Carl's Jr) the audience was left to wonder: who was really selling what?
9. Nature
In his best selling novel Hot Zone, Richard Preston pointed out "Mother Nature laughs last," a maxim that was brought home in 2005 when the world reeled from hurricanes, earthquakes and the resulting devastation of the 2004 tsunami. Mother Nature hadn't effected buying trends this much in decades, spiking oil prices and a shift towards hybrids and more economical vehicles.
8. Guerrilla Marketing
Have you noticed more and more graffiti around town lately? Well, look carefully at it because a lot of it is corporate advertising for products such as Sony's PSP, Napster's legal launch or a sports car campaign for Nissan. While highly divisive (critics rail against "buying street cred," adding to the already prevalent problem of defacing property and encouraging illegal graffiti,) Guerrilla Marketing has proven very effective for certain demographics. For the advertiser it ultimately comes down to one thing: the old adage "no publicity is bad press publicity."
7. Blogs
Called the number one tech trend in 2005 by Fortune Magazine, blogs changed the world this year. Whether boosting productivity or destroying it, blogs have become ubiquitous. From Google's CEOs keeping blogs for their faithful legion of fans to Google specializing a search engine to just search blogs, blogs spread news faster to the youth market. While at times advantageous, it has also caused major brand damage to companies like Kryptonite (when the story broke of how easy it was to pick their locks) and Sony (where word spread of their XCP spyware infecting PCs.) Blogs have become the face for new media with everyone from pajama-clad coeds to Ariana Huffington posting away. Impact to advertisers: a new medium with which to reckon.
6. Video iPods
After debuting in October, video iPods became the next big thing in iPod-gadgetry, even managing to make the iPod Nano almost unnoticeable. A mixed blessing, as video iPods remove the customer even further from the messages advertisers need them to see, the video iPod also offers advertisers a creative opportunity to reach people with sponsored podcasts (short radio like segments) as well as sponsored video shorts such as Burger Kings's Subservient Chicken.
5. Real Women
On the tail end of multiple fast food chain/obesity related lawsuits, legislation blocking any similar lawsuits and fast food chains starting to sell and market more nutritionally sound options, came Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign, with the upbeat and inclusive tagline: "All skin is beautiful when it is beautifully moisturized." Showing women of various weights and ethnicities, the campaign appeals to real women because it shows the consumer images of herself and her friends. Although some critics of the campaign complained that it still showed what Russ Lidstone, head of planning at JWT in London called, "reality on a pedestal," at the same time it hit on key consumer connection points, with the ads effectively saying: "all women are beautiful - whatever the skin they're in."
4. Family Values
Families are big and so are their voices. Family Values are affecting advertising more now than ever. From 5000 FCC complaints regarding ABC's Monday Night Football promos starring a scantily clad Nicolette Sheridan to Ford temporarily dropping advertising in gay publications, even family oriented shows themselves have increased with such offerings as Wife Swap, Trading Spouses, Nanny 911 and Supernanny. What does this mean to the bottom line: the verdict is still out.
3. Non-Family Values
The Kaiser Family Foundation recently reported that sexual scenes on TV are up 96% since 1998, which is no surprise looking at many of today's television offerings. Even the raunchy HBO hit Sex in the City is being re-aired on network television, albeit in an edited version. Which begs the age old question: which came first? Sexually related media or the protest against sexually related media? Neither side has won quite yet, but your TV Guide (the circulation of which was cut by two-thirds this year) provides an interesting play-by-play of the battle.
2. Honesty
In July, Thomas Early and Shona Seifert were sentenced by a federal judge for their roles in a scheme to overbill the government's $1 billion Office of National Drug Control Policy ad account to cover a $3 million revenue shortfall on the business. Both former Ogilvy & Mather executives were found guilty on all 10 counts against them. The lesson here: dishonesty doesn't pay.
1. Behavioral Marketing
Your internet search results are related to your previous searches, your Amazon.com recommendations are eerily accurate, and when you use your club card at the grocery store, you receive coupons for items you actually buy. Is the world starting to revolve around you? Yes, but just the world of Behavioral Marketing. With technology making people's choices and preferences easier than ever to track, advertisers are personalizing consumer marketing now more than ever.
local stories 2005/06 SF Bay Area ADDY Awards Call-For-Entries
The ADDYS, one of the nation's most comprehensive awards programs, is announcing the 2005/06 SF Bay Area ADDY Awards Call-for-Entries. Open to any Bay Area creator or collaborator of work from dozens of categories (including internet, print, out-of-doors, web site, B to B, radio, TV, music, logo and much more,) entries are judged on a 1 to 100 point system. You compete against a standard of excellence and creativity, and not against each other. It is possible for the judging to produce 2 or more gold award winners from a single category. The deadline for submission is January 19th, with a late deadline of February 1st (a late fee will apply.)
If you can't wait until the ADDYs Presentation and Gala on March 23, 2006, the big ADDY Kick-Off Party is being held at Publicis & Hal Riney on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 from 6:00pm - 8:30pm. You'll get to see winning entries and presentations from 2005 Best of Show winners while enjoying gourmet treats and complimentary libations.
Finally, take a look at the next generation of Creatives by attending the Student ADDY Awards presentation on March 4th at Polarity Post at 69 Green Street. Can't make the show itself? The winning work will also be available for viewing at Polarity Post during regular business hours from March 4th through the 10th. The deadline for Student ADDY submissions is March 9, 2006. Students must be full or part-time enrolled in an accredited institution.
Please click here for more information.
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Heard About Town
MINI USA announced recently the selection of Butler, Shine, Stern, & Partners as its Brand Advocacy Partner. Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners was selected from a group of three finalists in a search spearheaded by Hasan & Co.
Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners will partner with MINI to create creative work including traditional, non-traditional and viral campaigns, which will complement the vibrancy of the brand. Four years after its launch, MINI is selling two and one-half times as many vehicles as originally planned. Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners' mission is to consolidate and secure that favorable market position while crafting unmistakable MINI communications and experiences required for long-term brand differentiation and sales growth.
"MINI is continually striving to keep its marketing as innovative as the car itself," said Trudy Hardy, Marketing Manager for MINI USA. "Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners share our vision that MINI is a product full of inherent excitement. They will help MINI continue to break new ground and push the envelope with creative marketing ideas."
Book Recommendation
Veteran copywriter Luke Sullivan returns with an updated edition of his irreverent warts-and-all look at the advertising industry. Part how-to book and part expose, Hey Whipple, Squeeze This is both an insider's guide to writing great ads and an unapologetic send up of all that's heavy-handed, dimwitted, and ineffectual in the industry. Updated to include the latest campaigns, this edition presents a real-world look at the day-to-day operations of today's ad agencies and examines the good, the bad, and the downright ugly ads the industry produces. Sullivan provides pointers, tips, and guidelines on how to write and produce ads for print, TV, radio, billboards, and more, while regaling you with hilarious war stories.
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