Blogging Fusion Blog Directory is a premiere blog directory on the internet. There are (3,252 blogs) submitted and we are growing very rapidly. We help bloggers get more exposure. Whether you're looking to promote your own blog to increase revenue, backlinks, readership or improve your search engine visibility, this blog directory is for you. Submit your blog today and increase your traffic & exposure. Blogging Fusion Blog Directory is search engine friendly and updated often.
Our Statistics
Approved Today: 0 Pending Blogs: 37 Submited Today: 2 Active Blogs: 3252 Featured Blogs: 50 RSS Feeds: 3203 Categories: 66 Sub-Categories: 551 Total Articles: 7 Total Reviews: 181 Pending Reviews: 1 Banned Blogs: 246
Report Blog: Report Blog Listing – This is a free listing which requires a link back!
Google Pagerank: N/A
Blog Description: A blog about emerging digital media, and their implications on marketing. Areas of focus include social media, blogging, mobile, online video, BT, behavioral targeting, and targeting technologies.
No blog reviews yet! Be the first to write a review. Click the Review Blog icon above.
Add the Review Me Button to your Blog!
<a href="http://www.bloggingfusion.com/review-blog-2638.html"><img src="http://www.bloggingfusion.com/images/linkware/review-me-at-blogging-fusion.png" alt="Review OLDEST LIVING DIGITAL MARKETER TELLS ALL at Blogging Fusion Blog Directory" style="border:0px;" /></a>
Featured Resources
Alexa Web Ranking: 0
Latest Blog Post from OLDEST LIVING DIGITAL MARKETER TELLS ALL
can be rather tempting for brands and causes to shake things up by making shocking marketing messages that cause visceral reactions. Some brands have gotten great business mileage out of this approach. Others have found themselves in deep doo-doo as consumer blowback undermined their messages and integrity.
In the following pages, you will find nine examples of shocking brand messages. Five seem to work in that they garner strong reactions, but largely of a positive nature. Four had some really bad brand consequences. We'll sum up with some conclusions on what works and what doesn't.
WIN: MethLife ain't pretty
Lots of agencies volunteer to do pro bono work for worthy charities. A big part of the appeal, beyond the opportunity to do good, is that PSAs offer the opportunity to do award-winning work free of the taste constraints of large companies. Nonprofits in particular gravitate toward the technique because their limited budgets and reliance on donated remnant inventory mean every exposureneeds to get noticed.
These ads against methamphetamine use are a great example of how dramatization and raw empathy can get a message noticed.
The campaign has received strong media attention and significant free views on YouTube and other venues. Perhaps more importantly, it dramatizes very real possible consequences of taking the drug.
WIN: Febreze shows us going "negative" can be very positive
For decades CPGs have tried to emphasize the positive "solution" rather than the negative "problem" in their messaging. A recent example of a brand winning by flouting the formula is the powerful new campaign for Febreze that dramatizes the odor removal with some very shocking torture tests.
What works so well here is the relatability of these situations -- that ultimately in order to buy into a solution I need to remember that I have the problem in spades right here at home. The shoe above gives all of us the skeeves.
WIN: Benetton gets long-term mileage from shock
For decades the Benetton brand has stood out from the crowd by presenting "shock images" that are lightning rods for free media publicity. The brand has long maintained that its images are intended to get people to rethink prejudices, bad behaviors, and the like. It was, for example, among the first brands to depict interracial relationships.
In the last couple decades they have, for instance, shown dying AIDS patients in hospital beds, and photoshopped images of global leaders kissing -- Reagan and Gorbachev for example -- to define a brand essence that translates into apparel appeal.
The brand uses these stunning messages to differentiate itself despite the very mainstream appeal of the product. In fact, part of the intent appears to be making the brand's values part of the mainstream culture. The image above is not at all shocking now, but pictures like these were very much out of the norm when Benetton began this powerful ad approach.
One wonders whether images like the one below will feel not at all surprising in a decade.
WIN: L'Oreal Dermablend is at the center of a cover up
This stunning viral video garnered millions of views while offering an incredible demonstration of the efficacy of L'Oreal makeup. How often is a cosmetic advertisement absolutely engrossing?
The brilliance of this message is its use of a classic advertising approach (before/after), but in such a compelling and remarkable way. We see dramatic proof rather than heavily retouched model photos.
WIN: Sisley really seems to know its target
I preface this by saying I loathe Sisley advertising. And yet you would be hard pressed to find a brand of its size that has more ad fans. Do a Google search on Sisley ads, and you will be impressed by the number of sites and comments that laud these very graphic brand messages.
When you read the brand fan commentary, you find fashionistas who connect with the purist nature of the message and love its photographic style. It's clear that Sisley gets its audience and crafts messages that are at once shocking and appealing to its customers.
I may hate it, but I am about as far from Sisley's bull's-eye target as ad people come. It clearly has something that's working for the brand.
FAIL: Accident Prevention shocks but confuses
We began the win section with a PSA. Let's do the same with the fail section. This PSA for workplace accident prevention takes graphic depiction of consequences too far.
Where I think it goes wrong is in tonality and format, especially in the use of an aside to introduce the horrifying event that transpires. It puts an arm's length distance between the message and the viewer. Further, the tagline muddles the communication, failing to make crystal clear what exactly the ad is advocating. Don't make mistakes? Keep a clean kitchen? What are we supposed to do but grimace, shiver, and then try very hard to forget what we saw?
FAIL: Groupon proves that Tibet suffering is not hilarious
Online-only businesses tend to take more risks in messages and tonality, perhaps because buzz and publicity can play such a key role in their fortunes. But sometimes the buzz is anything but beneficial. This ad, part of a campaign from Groupon, uses the classic "redirect" to surprise people with a brand message when they were expecting something entirely different.
People were surprised alright, but not in a good way. The campaign received blistering criticism across social media that jumped to broadcast and cable news just hours after its first airing. A short time later, the campaign was scrapped.
The issue here seems to be in mocking the values and compassion of the viewer. Who cares if that monk gets bludgeoned as long as I get a cheap dinner? Do I really want to be that guy?
FAIL: Dolce & Gabbana seems to confuse violence with sexuality
D&G advertising is definitely so distinctive it could run without a logo. The images have a unique style and almost always challenge lockstep conventions; vehicles like interracial, gay, and polyamorous relationships feature prominently, for example. But this ad took all that challenging way over the line.
The company pulled it after a strong online outcry that accused the company of depicting (advocating) rape. It certainly stops viewers in their tracks. But not in a good way.
What usually works in D&G advertising is its empathy with the values of an urban and fashion forward set. The brand challenges conventions in the same way that the lives and aspirations of its customers do. But this message did just the opposite.
FAIL: Shock makes Pete Hoekstra's campaign very weak
Few expect this year's elections to be anything but savage and ugly. A profoundly polarized political environment coupled with Super PAC money has already yielded bitter fruit. And primary season isn't even over.
The Senate campaign of Michigan Republican Pete Hoekstra bought regional time in this year's Super Bowl to air this video, which went viral, but in ways that truly damaged the campaign.
Many objected to the racist speech patterns, and what was considered a deliberate attempt to drive racially motivated white anger. Hoekstra, who was doing well in the polls until the airing, saw an immediate and lingering drop off in his favorables as the ad drew a firestorm of criticism and dozens of critical analyses on cable news.
At first the campaign defended the message, but later agreed to pull it. Perhaps part of the reason for was that the on-camera talent went public with regret for appearing in the message. The fail here appears to be overtly sowing prejudice -- a value much of society finds repugnant.
Conclusions
There's risk in shock ads -- the very name suggests the sort of visceral responses that these messages are trying to drive. They seem to have a greater likelihood of working when:
They viscerally connect with and celebrate the lifestyle and values of the user.Sisley does that well, and stands out because its message is anathema to people (like me) who "don't get it." Similarly, Benetton speaks to an emerging set of values most common among young tastemakers.
They depict more relatable situations and drama.These are things that people can envision. The meth ads, for example, do this really well. We all know that the dire straits they depict actually happen.
They direct our emotional reactions to a clear set of action steps that tell us what we should do now that we are all fired up.Febreze wins here.
They go easy on complex analogies.Very few people study ads, so their meaning needs to be immediately accessible. The Dermablend message shows an incredible demonstration with a strong impact. There's visual proof -- stark and unadorned.
There's no formula to effective shock -- its very essence is in surprise. But given the two-way nature of modern media, brands need to tread carefully so that the strong emotional reactions they foment have the desired business effects.
Your
career success is part ability, part luck, and part how you behave. No one does
everything right every time. But the demands of the day, our own natures, and
our environments can cultivate bad habits that ultimately limit personal
success.
This
piece isn't about the "gimmes" of career limiting moves. Getting
sloshed at the Christmas party and coming on to the president's husband -- I
assume we don't need to go through that stuff. This is about small bad
decisions that become habits that ultimately define our reputations. Sometimes
we choose bad behaviors that seem expedient in the moment but work against us
over the long haul. Here are seven such harmful short-cuts, and how you can
avoid their dangers.
We're
all quite busy, especially on internet time. But spending all your days and
weeks at your desk reduces your effectiveness and potential career success in
the long haul. It's through our interactions with others that we learn, teach,
and gain the recognition necessary to rise to our fullest potential.
Being
known starts in your own organization. Make an effort to be connected to people
inside and outside your department. If you're at an agency, volunteer for new
business. As you spend more time in the business and seek new and more
responsibility, it becomes more and more critical that you be someone people
know because it is only through such knowledge that they can see your promise.
Your
work needs to be great, but you need to be known for people to see and
understand your greatness. I don't mean you should be a grandstander; I mean you
should be visible.
Think
about your profile beyond the office building as well. We all need to make time
to establish a personal brand within the industry. Attend a local interactive
marketing association or AMA meeting. Write an article for iMediaConnection.
Get your butt to an iMedia Summit, ad:tech, or any of the more than 100 digital
events that take place each year. It helps you learn and share knowledge,
contribute to the betterment of the industry, and be recognized for your
growing expertise.
It
can be a rude awakening for people to find out that they have developed bad
reputations by dint of their abusive vendor relationships. But sellers are
frequently asked for their two cents on the qualifications and suitability of
marketing, advertising, and media candidates.
Who
are they going to recommend? The people who refuse to meet with anyone? Who
provide no feedback after an RFP? Who behave like spoiled children?
It's
the same for sellers. If you go around people to get access to "higher ups"
or clients, if you are unreliable, if you make more than your share of
mistakes, you shouldn't expect your buyer counterparts to be in your corner
when your chips are down. A big part of this is quid pro quo.
Neither buyer nor seller can please everyone. But if your counterpart
demonstrates professionalism, pleasant tenacity, and good ideas, make a
reciprocal effort.
It
can often be tempting to go ballistic on people who are difficult to deal with.
A client who provides horrible direction. A vendor who calls more often than
you would like. A buyer who doesn't return messages. But mark my words, if you
burn that bridge, you will need to cross it again and again throughout your
career.
In
20-plus years in marketing, I have made a couple of enemies. My worst offense:
On one occasion, I yelled in self-righteous indignation at what I considered
someone's dreadful behavior. My outburst happened in the late '90s. To date,
they have reappeared five times in my life in five different companies. It is
never pretty. The bad behavior deserved to be pointed out. But it served no
purpose whatsoever to flip out.
There
are very few of us who don't occasionally imagine making a dramatic fireball of
a scene. Don't do it. It may feel good for an hour, or a day, but I guarantee that person will be baaaaaack in your life at some
point. This is too small a business to make enemies.
Everyone
has the right to feel job satisfaction for great work. Your success usually
depends upon the collective effort of many folks, including quite a number who
don't get recognized often:
·The
traffic person who deals with unbelievable complexity and yet somehow makes it
look easy.
·The
department administrative assistant at your client who has to book an endless
succession of meetings day in and day out.
·The
accounting specialist who makes all the collection calls so we can collect our
paychecks.
·The
most junior person on your team who stays extra late to make sure things go off
without a hitch.
There
is a common denominator in every example above. In each case, the individual is
responsible for homeostasis -- the maintenance of organizational stability -- rather
than an Everest-esque project with a finite beginning, middle, and end. For
them, doing a good job often means no feedback because
things simply operate as hoped.
Many
of the people who will read this have "hope and glory" jobs where a
sexy achievement is evident at the end of the day. There is little glory in the
maintenance of stability. In most organizations, people in roles like these are
forgotten. And because they get no recognition, they feel less connected to the
people and success of the company. Who can blame them when they resign four
months from now for a $5,000 raise? When they've gone, you'll really see how important they were.
Don't
forget them. Send them a thank-you note. On actual paper -- because nothing
says "real thanks" like a dead tree. I send a lot of thank-you notes
every month, paying particular attention to people in homeostasis roles. I can't
tell you the number of times I have been shown one of those notes months or
years later. People keep them and reread them when the crap is really hitting
the spinning blades because it shows them they are appreciated.
Pause
for a moment right now and think of someone on your team who fits this
description. Go out and buy that person a thank-you card. Take a few minutes to
write three sentences on how much you appreciate that person. Now, seal up the
envelope, and put it that person's chair when he or she is away from his or her
desk this afternoon. You'll feel great, and that person will feel greater.
Are
you someone with high standards who finds it difficult to cede control because
you think you can do something better? Is it your tendency to just "do it
yourself" rather than taking a few extra moments to train someone on how they should approach such a challenge?
The
consequences of this tendency are to build frustration inside yourself,
abdicate your role in helping develop new talent, and reduce the potential job
satisfaction of the person whose job it actually is to meet the challenge.
Believe
me, I know of what I speak. A few years ago, I worked at an agency where I
would swoop in and fix things again and again because I was convinced that it
wasn't worth the time and bother to empower others to do their jobs. Much
quicker to just do it myself. The president of the agency pulled me aside one
day and told me that I had to let go and let others do what they were paid to
do. So I did that. And the world didn't stop spinning. Things worked out, and
we were all happier in our jobs and professional relationships.
Marketing
attracts more than its share of cynics. But when we allow cynicism to rule our
lives, we hamper our ability to be valuable in this constantly changing space.
I guarantee that at some point in the next 12
months, you will be tasked with doing something that has never been done before.
There will be 97 reasons why it is impossible. And yet you will be able to do
it if you approach it with ingenuity and optimism.
Cynicism
has a profoundly negative effect on those around you. It surely limits your
ability, but also the capabilities of the larger team. Because if people don't
think they can do something, they can't.
One
place this comes up frequently is in dealing with risk-averse clients. They
might have said no to all forms of innovation in the past. But if we self-censor
ourselves and just get on with the stuff they are comfy with, we cease to be a
valuable resource.
You
were hired because people thought you were smart and could make a contribution.
It is important to keep your ego in check, especially at the outset of your
career. But make sure you grow more assertive as you gain practice and
experience.
Marketing
discussions require the valid contributions of everyone booked into the
meeting. Stating an opinion can feel risky, but your passion and opinions are a
key part of why you have a job. Avoid the dangerous habit of holding back or belittling
your own opinions.
Sadly,
a great deal of behavioral research indicates that the tendency to qualify one's
opinion with belittling uncertainty is more common among women. Now, I know
plenty of women who are very strident in giving opinions. But I also know too many who fall into this confidence trap. For those women
and men who demonstrate a little too much humility, I implore you to tell us
what you think.
Oh,
and if you are a manager, stop any member of your team that begins their POV
with a statement like, "Well, I am not sure if this is right, but..."
Make them start again and state their opinion with authority. Of course they
aren't sure they are right. It's an opinion. But the essences of marketing are
thoughtful ideas and opinion.
Many thanks to iMediaConnection for publishing this first!
Blog Directory ID: 2638
Blog URL: http://oldestliving.blogspot.com
Report Blog: Report Blog Listing – This is a free listing which requires a link back!
Google Pagerank: N/A
Blog Description: A blog about emerging digital media, and their implications on marketing. Areas of focus include social media, blogging, mobile, online video, BT, behavioral targeting, and targeting technologies.
Blog Category: Marketing Blogs
Blog Owner: Jim Nichols
Blog Added: May 16, 2008 09:04:49 PM
Audience Rating: General Audience
Blog Platform Not Selected
Blog Country: 
United States
My Yahoo! 
Refer Blog Listing - 
Print Listing
Total Visits: 9
Blog Rating: 0.00
Rate Blog: 
