The Art of War is similar to the art of the digital customer experience.

Sun Tzu's bible on how to lead your army to victory, will forever be a part of business strategy theory. I've started reading this book again because sometimes looking at something with a new perspective can be amazing. The story, which is as old as time speaks of very relevant tactics and strategies that can be applied to businesses today, especially to our communications channels, our front line. The question I've got is do we apply his teachings to our digital communications strategy effectively?

Is your front line weak or strong on the ground?

Picture the front line soldiers going to battle, they are the first to clash with the enemy and as a major, you would normally keep your best soldiers behind to fight last in order to win.

Now think of your brand, what is likely to be your front line, the first "touch point"?... The website. And while you may not have the same enemies, as in war, you will have consumers who are spoilt for choice. They will hit your website (front line) first and expect to get an experience, a UX. The question is will you succeed or tumble?

Think of the battlegrounds in digital war today, a phone, a tablet or desktop screen. These zones are our battlegrounds to gain "competitive advantage" (I'm reminded of another prophet here, Porter).

Google talks about the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT) before a consumer even reaches the front line. This is an approach that many brands have won with a great SEM strategy, however, the quality of the UX experience on the website also motivates a consumer to stay on your site and with your brand. An ad or a placement will draw a person in but a good website experience will capture them and keep them coming back.

How Under Armour uses Mindfulness in

 "I Will What I Want"

Accepting yourself just as you are and accepting the world just as it is, without judgement, are the principles of Mindfulness. Watch this campaign video and you will see a person, going about their exercise routine in total focus. She is aware of the environment that surrounds her (an environment open to public opinion and influence)  but does not react in any way. As the ad continues, Gisele  focuses on her routine and increases the skill-level as she progresses through the gymnasium.

Deepak Chopra, talks about the soul being immune to criticism or flattery and this ad perfectly demonstrates this ideal with the objective approach, which makes me think of this affirmation. The ad shines a light on how we think and feel about certain people in certain situations. It shows how sometimes we act out of impulse and without control. We will flatter, support, lash out, pass judgement or cast cruelty on other people. These are actions outside of mindfulness. And, of course in this area of uncertainty, the outcome or consequence for us or others is uncertain.

We live in a world where there is so much public opinion on what women should or should not be doing. This campaign acknowledges that there are conversations happening that we should watch, more than act upon.

I really like this campaign from Droga5, New York, especially because it uses Big Data so brilliantly. There is no dialogue, no script. Just a person and the world around them. The campaign asks everyone to look inside themselves for the answer and to acknowledge, but not react instantly to the outside world. This "mindful" position is a great place for a brand to be, emotionally and commercially.

" I Will What I Want"

5 Trends Changing China's Marketing

 Here's a Fascinating video.

China, being the largest population consumer market in the world, does not have the same purchasing power (YET) as USA and Japan have but it is adopting a digital social society and total mobile integration at an astonishing rate. Resulting in China becoming the fastest growing market for many companies. Coach, have stipulated 'boundless growth opportunities' for their brand in China. The value of brand experiences in China is ginormous.

It is also true that if you're a luxury brand, you have to be in China. Shanghai is the epicentre of luxury in China and could soon be on a par with Tokyo. In Europe, Harrods, now has machines where local Asian ATM cards can be used and also has 80 Chinese speaking staff. 

This video discusses luxury in china as well as some of the key digital trends occurring in the Chinese market. Trends, such as social engagement through Weibo, a customised Chinese social network with 503 million users. More than 5,000 companies and 2,700 media organizations in China use Weibo.

 Amazing stuff! Well worth a look. 

Delighted to say that I had a small part of this as the intern helping out on set

Here is the first ever BMW car ad filmed in Ireland. It premieres tomorrow on television during the RWC. I was so lucky to be interning in Chemistry when this ad was being made, and it was a very exciting time let me tell you. Dublin has never looked so chic!

Coke keeps you thin in 1961!

In this rather humorous commercial from 1961, the famous actress Connie Clausen claims that a bottle of Coke has no more calories than HALF A GRAPEFRUIT.

I miss the era of making sweeping statements!

 

Pottermore, genius or crock of ...

I don't know how I feel about this... She may be milking her Potter franchise for every penny it's worth or she may be providing us with a world first interactive web experience.

My humble guess is a strong dose of the first with a just a pinch of the latter. It is all about making more money for her empire and for Warner Bros. She is one of the richest women in the United Kingdom but New York Times (2011) claims she has backed down from her strong stance against making e-books because she now realises there will be so much money generated from the digital books. I'm flummoxed at one interesting line she says in the video above. She says that she has been hoarding information about Harry Potter for years. So this was a grand plan all along then, or how would she have known which information to keep secret?

Or, are we just getting her reject ideas or perhaps something she could make up as she goes along?

In this day and age an author needs to give their readers some respect and not try to pull the wool over their eyes. This site will generate millions of hits and revenue for the fat cats. 

The site is promising to offer an interactive experience. Of course, they had one million people help design it for them for free! One million raving Potter maniacs banging on Pottermore's gates to open!  

I will certainly check this site out and investigate what Pottermore has to offer. I will try and remain impartial until then but I doubt it's for us "loyal readers".

In October we shall find out.

So why should I "like" or "follow" my yoghurt brand?

This blog was also published on M&M Global for an international advertising audience.  
http://bit.ly/pRyzVx

According to the Irish Times (2011) Ireland is one of the biggest users of social media in Europe and more businesses use social media here than any other country in Europe. What I love about social media is the fact that you can get live research about your brand. It is a giant conversation happening in real-time that companies must jump on to find great insights and opportunities for improvement.

For example, I type Groupon into Twitter and I see comments from all over the world about the company. People are saying it is going bankrupt, journalists are tweeting articles suggesting it is an unfocused voucher site. I see complaints about coupons expiring and negative comments about meaningless vouchers for things people don't want.

From this insight, I have the bones of a strategy to focus on, plus I can start to build my community based on the insights I have gotten from those in it!

For example based on the above, a Groupon strategy could focus on could be:

• Brand equity
• Targeting 
• Reassurance
• Consumer focus

What am I talking about? A phenomenon which has spread from the US, the "like" button or the "follow" button. Those of you who use social media will know, I'm referring to;

1. Facebook 
2. Twitter

The question being asked in America and spreading all over the world currently is, "Why should I "like" my brand on social media?" Brian Solis and other experts in social media say this is the first question a business must ask themselves. This is discussed in the video below. Once a consumer clicks "like" or "follow" they are generating money for the brand and for the social network, it is a business transaction. We in business want to make profit but we don't want to dent our reputation, which is a cornerstone of our business. Social Media is the fastest way to spread positive or (negative) word of mouth about our company.


Therefore, we must consider the key questions; 

• Why are we doing this marketing? 
• What are our goals for the company and what are the goals for our consumers? 
• What reputation do we want to simulate online for ourselves and how do we make this positive?
• How can we use this experience to grow?

For example now we are seeing more information being supplied next to the "like" or "follow" button.

Join our community on Facebook. Ask questions and share experiences, find reports on the latest  research and learn about the free seminars and support groups we offer.

Bigger brands are showing a welcome page interface that gives you an experience, provides detailed information and answers your questions.

I ask what can we do next...

David Ogilvy's 40 year struggle

A brilliant video by Ogilvy on the importance of selling and direct response versus creativity in Advertising. He mentions that direct response advertising was once the "Cinderella" of advertising, but that over time it has lost its lustre due to advertising creatives believing that it is uninteresting and more monkey work than important advertising.

This has somewhat changed now as digital has allowed for accurate measurement and accountability and with the hardened times we see ourselves in. However, there is still a belief that creatives "worship on the altar of creativity" as Ogilvy puts it and must be reigned into the reality of effective advertising.


If it don't sell it aint no good. 

Hermes, Hermes Wha?

May I add this to the list of cool new ad formats? This is amazing and so SIMPLE. The topic of my dissertation is luxury brands and Hermes are one of the oldest but one of the most innovative. The video below has already amassed over 7,000 views.

This is such a clever way of getting everyone passing by on the street to notice the brand and enjoy the message, even though they cannot afford it perhaps. This means that the people who can afford to buy the brand will feel even better to have something that everyone wants and enjoys. But cannot afford.

It's desire and exclusivity simplified into one TINY simple message.

Not just a woman blowing a scarf that costs about €400. 

Subliminal is back!

Can you believe they now have a outdoor ads in the US that show subliminal content?! The messages are invisible to the naked eye but once a smart phone or tablet is placed over the ad you can clearly see a different message. This is yet another breakthrough!

Right now agencies are working like little squirrels to concoct strategies. I wonder what plans they're cooking up?!

Stay tuned...



Augmented Reality Advertising Takeover in Times Square from Will Sherman on Vimeo.

Augmented Reality= Absolutely Radical= Advertsing Renaissance.

Today, I saw a new tweet from Interbrand about developments in Augmented Reality (AR) in America. Augmented Reality is going to revitalise the industry with a new type of media never imagined before. It goes beyond what the consumer expects. It adds virtual media to create a virtual world that coincides with the world we live in.

So, what on earth does this mean?

Well, for instance the American technology experts in this video show its potential in numerous ways. In terms of advertising, it will allow furniture brands, such as IKEA to have a device either in-store, OOH, or online that allows the consumer to re-decorate without having to move a single item. If I am an IKEA customer I can take a photograph of my living room, using my AR device and see where I am going to place my giant sofa or my entertainment centre, virtually without having to leave the house. Adding to this, the video clearly shows the potential of AR in DIY related repairs. By using an AR device an overlay can be placed over the item that you are repairing, instructing you how to fix it, step by step.

This new technology is also going to change gaming, advertisers working with brands that want to develop new engagement opportunities for consumer interaction, e.g. online games or virtual games will use this technology to entertain and excite consumers. A brand, such as Cadbury's could launch a virtual Easter Egg treasure hunt around a city for instance.

This year Lynx preformed an amazing AR stunt in London, called "The Angel Ambush".


After a bit of research, I found that other companies, such as Mini and BMW have used AR advertising and LEGO used AR with the product box itself. BMW and Mini used AR to create a 3D pop-up version of the vehicle, which the consumer can look around in 3D using their computer webcam and even test drive virtually. LEGO allowed consumers to view the virtual version of their finished set through a special screen in-store.

Here is the BMW example, which I think is incredible!


In Ireland, the technology has already been used in the "Appy" award winning mobile app from Daft.ie, which gives the consumer a new way to view properties. Merely point your smart phone out the window, to see new properties on the market. AR technology is making our lives so much easier and convenient.

The only downside I can see to this new media, is that you must have a device. Not everybody owns an i-Phone or AR enabled device, I don't for instance, therefore I cannot use this technology. I will certainly get one when I have a job however.

While I may think Augmented Reality is a breakthrough new media platform which will cause a renaissance in marketing and advertising, it will be met with skeptics when it becomes widely available and will take some convincing as with every new media. I envisage health experts having something to say also about it possibly damaging your eyesight or brain. Nevertheless it's coming.

Daniel Eatock http://eatock.com

Big Brother
noun informal
a person or organization exercising total control over people's lives.

A very interesting interview from British graphic designer, Daniel Eatock talks about his involvement with one of Channel 4's greats, Big Brother. Eatock was commissioned in 2001 to design a logo for the show, which would attach an image for the audience. The designer took the concept in its most literal sense.


What is a Big Brother?

Well, surely it is a entity that watches us, every aspect, every hour of the day, eternally. And what would be the most recognisable symbol of a watcher...?

An eye, very simple.

OK, so an eye, well it's recognisable, but how do he make it compliment such cult show?

What I get from from looking at this logo and from reading the interview was that he wanted to create something that was going to stay stuck in your head, literally.

Below is an excerpt from the interview taken from his website.

"Unlike the Apple and Nike logo that were made before both brands were successful, when I was asked to make the Big Brother logo the show was already a proven success. I did my first Big Brother logo for series two. Even so I did not fully realize the success of series one, as I was living in the States. I approached the project with the aim of generating a logo that had a conceptual integrity and connection to the Orwellian idea of Big Brother. If Big Brother had flopped in the second series then the logo will not have been remembered. It’s only because of the success of the programme. It’s the same with the Nike swoosh or the Apple logo. If Apple went bust in the early 80s the logo would never be talked about".

This logo is clearly going to stick in your head, it is visually blinding. I am completely in awe that this designer, who was in his 20's at the time was able to envisage designing a logo so powerful that you could hardly look at it. What an absolute GENIUS.

"On the television there was a certain point where the Big Brother logo didn’t need text any more. Just the symbol."

In fact the logo caused concern from The British Epilepsy Association who wrote to the designer and the media, alerting them that the logo had the potential to affect photo sensitive epilepsy sufferers and could provoke a seizure.

Upon requesting a change in the design of the logo, I think it's obvious the response the Association got..

Eatock was commissioned to design every series logo from then on until the final BB10.

Just click the logo above to appreciate it fully. 

Some fantastic ABSOLUT ads from Japan 日本国

I think this ad is shot beautifully in front of Narita Airport in Tokyo. The hat may look like a tea cosy but in this image, it comes across like a crown due the the emperor-like stance of the model. I think all of the four ads could be inspired by films. I believe this one shows us Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange".

 Look closely, this is no ordinary Kimono. A very clever way to represent the product shown throughout the image. Don't forget to look at the head piece also. I love the art direction in this ad, the dark industrial background is a perfect symbol for Tokyo at night. Not to mention the quintessential Japanese symbol of peace. The Bikes and the way the model is standing reminds me of the Race at the end of Grease.












This ad represents the Harajuku district in Tokyo with it's wild and way out fashions. I believe the bottle is being turned into a trophy here, to symbolise a prized possession. I am reminded of Edward Scissor Hands looking at this ad.

This ad also displays a Harajuku girl, what I like about it is the throw back to the dark ages with the dress frame and the beautiful Sakura さくら (Cherry Blossom) trees in the background mixed with metropolitan Tokyo. The eye patch is very clever also. I think this one is my favourite of the four. This image looks like a Devil Wears Prada (the way she is holding the bag) mixed with Gossip Girl (Taylor Momsen) and a throw back to Jane Eyre (dress frame), the yellow box and the tights and boots (checkered like a taxi in NYC) remind me of Taxi Driver. The model also appears to be wearing a tie which would suggest formal wear but it is tarnished with punk and grunge.

The world is full of great art. Here is a piece a friend showed me which I loved.

It doesn't happen too often that you see something as breath taking as this. This is a video made by OH YEAH WOW that took over 6 months to make, as it was shot with a single camera and pieced together frame by frame. I love light installations, they are taking art with everything else into the digital age. The music is by All India Radio and is very reminiscent of Kill Bill. When you see something like this you can't help but appreciate it.

The new sensation of what I call "Smart ads"

If you watch below you will see what I mean.

A new type of ad has been unveiled in New York according to the ever up-to-date Huffington Post. Techstars and Immersive labs have created a new type of ad that gleams information from you as you walk by, based on your age, gender, appearance and what they think will interest you. The new technology is so advanced that it divides each face up into pixels and looks for age and gender defining features such as wrinkles or a beard for instance! It also knows how many times you looked at the ad walking by and how long you looked at it for. SCARY  

The video doesn't mention this but my guess would be that if you have a smart phone on you when walking by, these installations will use Bluetooth to connect to your phone, will then reach your Facebook profile, Twitter etc and thus collect information that is very valuable FOR FREE.

WELL "Big Brother is watching" is definitely a turn of phrase that is going to filter into everyday conversations and I cannot imagine how suspicious people will be of advertising when they discover this.

However the important question here is, whether this is an advertising phenomenon that will revolutionise the industry or is it taking consumer observation one step too far? As a budding ad executive, my honest view would be this. If this OOH innovation is another way that we can engage with consumers in real-time, reduce research costs and add to the overall individual consumer experience, then it is a fantastic innovation, but at the same time would I want my Facebook viewed by complete strangers, who would then use this information to target products at me out on the street. HELL NO!

So begins the vicious circle. 

Ads That Look Back At You

http://www.5min.com/Video/Ads-That-Look-Back-At-You-517055058

Here is an ad I love from BBDO New York

I don't understand why they have cut Liza Minnelli's part out of the ad on Irish television?? I think that is the best part, it is so unexpected and it is a great representation of the guy in the front seat's inner diva! It also shows the realness of Liza's personality (a sometimes grumpy old lady just like your gran) which we don't get to see often as she is mostly seen on Prozac (blissfully happy) when making a public appearance.

What I love about this ad is that the advertising seems to work for our attention, not too hard but it manages to use humour and the element of surprise. It gives us something back in return for the thirty seconds of our life. The message is also conveyed beautifully with a simple line "you're not you when you're hungry". I think it is probably my favourite ad out there at the moment.

Here is a brief I wrote for class based on what I thought the initial brief was to creatives for the new Jacob's Mallows ad everyone is talking about!

Creative Brief, Jacobs Mallows.

The Product is:

Jacob’s Kimberley, Mikado and Coconut Cream Biscuits. Their main selling point is indulgence.

The Business Opportunity is:

These biscuits have been forgotten about. We want to increase sales and get new customers to try them.

Why are we Advertising:

We want to tell Irish people that these are the best biscuits for indulgence in this recession. They are value for money and a special treat. Show the people how this brand is innovative.

Who are we Talking to and what Relevant things are going on in their Lives?

Young Irish people who are struggling in this recession. They want a fun product that appeals to them not their granny! We want to give them an affordable luxury.

What do they Think/Feel about

The Category: Biscuits, are a special category in Ireland and people have their firm favourites. They see them as a accompaniment to a cuppa. Grannies tea party.

The Main Competition: Mc Vities and Cadburys/Burtons. People buy the biscuits due to strong product visibility in supermarkets from both brands but they wouldn’t indulge in them. These brands are seen as boring also, a last minute emergency snack for the visitor.

The Brand: Mum would love some but not anyone else. Currently the brand has an old fashioned image. These biscuits are an innovative product, there are no other coconut themed biscuits in the Irish market. Coconuts are exotic, Mikado is a Japanese sensation and Kimberley is referred to as “The South African City that Sparkles”. What will motivate our customers to buy is innovation, ditch the mumsy image.

What Response to we want?:

A wow factor, shock and intrigue. “I want that now”, “I want to be part of the fun” ,“I feel indulged”.

We want the product to fly off the shelves as a must have item.

What is Our Key Proposition?:

This is an affordable luxury that the Irish consumer can afford. The consumer wants to be part of the fun. They want indulgence.

                                                                   

Why Should they Believe it?

We are selling a fun, innovative Irish product that is good value for money and will give you a bit of pleasure. The is a well loved but forgotten brand that has a strong Irish brand heritage. 

Brand/Product Essentials:

Clearly show the Jacob’s Mallows product, packaging and Jacob’s logo. Show the brand having fun. Link the campaign to the Facebook page.