Taking Over

Working on a project at the moment where a page takeover has become an option to fit into the media startegy.

Takeover ad’s are becoming more prevalent particularly on major sites such as Youtube.

Are they too intrusive? Are they a trend or will the become a standard for media planners? What strategic goal do they accomplish within a media schedule?

There are many questions to be answered about these new type of advertisements  and these will be answered with time and experience but whats stands out is that if the right market is being targeted; these kinds of new communications can resonate and create brand awareness as well as increasing traffic.  Why? Because this form of communication will target the market where they are most active and interested.

Here’s an example:

Ad agencies sway towards Video format (emarketer)

Video advertising is the fastest-growing format online. eMarketer estimates growth of about 40% in 2009 will continue at the same pace in 2010, with increases tapering slightly as online video matures. For now, marketers are pouring ever more funds into the format.

With news that the UK ad spend is now focused on online advertising; it is a clear sign we will see more and more online video adverts.

There is even a greater usage of online video preceding online content nowadays as it seems consumers are willing to absorb the advertisements in exchange for free, good quality online content.

TV iPlayers in that case will be great revenue sources for these popular advertising forms.

This, presumably will be a favourable shift for ad agencies as video will be a more production oriented task and will be a greater revenue stream of their own.

Power to the People

The post-modern consumer is a different species to the one that reacted to the post World War 2 marketing paradigm. The four P’s is an archaic and ineffective way to do business in this day and age.

Our consumer now wants more than the consumption of a product or service, they want dialogue, they want democratic marketing, they want tribes but a sense of individuality, they want a platform for advocating brands and creativity. They want it all! The marketers job therefore is a tough one; trying to understand all these parts of the average consumer.

Crowdsourcing is another string to the post modern consumers bow. And advertisers need to stand up and take note. It could be the future of advertising.

Crowdsourcing is the act of taking a job traditionally performed by a designated agent (usually an employee) and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people in the form of an open call.

Victors and Spoils, the first crowdsourced advertising agency has been established in the U.S., they will strategically do the planning and executive aspect to the job but outsource the creative via the internet in an open call and it’s just the start.

While DVR’s and SKY+ boxes have made the advertisers of today search for alternative means of persuasion, is it possible people won’t skip through the adverts when they are amateur/D.I.Y/not direct from Madison Avenue?

Pepsi-co’s Dorito brand now challenge their consumers to make their Superbowl adverts every year, in fact it’s becoming very popular. Peperami, Pringles, they are all seeing the potential.

Two Doritos commercials were among the most-watched among all the spots in households with TiVo digital video recorders.

Here’s one of them;

Obviously, it is a unique brand engagement tool as well as a source of fresh ideas from somewhere other than the ad agency. Instead of having the agency do the job, why not get the consumers to; the people the brand means something to, who understand it and who personify the brand?

It is definitely something we should all be cognisant of, especially the practitioner.

While it may never become the principal way of producing adverts, the power of the people is scary and something that can help brands.

See crowdsourcing guru Jeff Howe’s site crowdsourcing.typepad.com for the details.

Stuck in your head

The topic of advertising jingles is one that usually causes a stir.

In 1970, advertising legend Hal Riney hired Paul Williams to write a song for Crocker Bank. From that decision, The Carpenters chart topping hit “We’ve only just begun” came to life. The idea of the jingle became just a tad more important to advertisers.

But what are they for? Well, Flagship are firm believers that a jingle shouldn’t just have you tapping your foot, it should have you singing that annoying tune, because let’s face it, they are annoying, they’re supposed to be. It creates brand awareness.

Case in point;

GO HARVEY GO, we could have put the video up, but we want you to keep reading.

or,

We hear people singing “123.ie just log on and save money” all the time, even when they don’t want to.

They are annoying, granted, but as much as they grind on you, they work.

Now consider

Would you sing that?

We hate the tune, we hate the ad, why show a guy singing your jingle with subtitles? LAZY.

But moreover, you may tap your foot but who’s gonna hum that tune, who’s gonna repeat it?

And don’t start us on the point of the ad. The out door was far more impressive;

More to the point.

We googled it.

Flagship

Durex didn’t stop this viral

We are loving this viral ad from Durex, entitled “Get it on”.

Enjoy.

Blog Post(erous)Mortem

Marta Kagan, M.D. of  integrated marketing agency Espresso (U.S.), a self confessed Marketing Genius, wrote a few weeks ago about the death of the blog.

“technology has once again pulled a fast one on me—turning “blog” into a dirty four-letter word that conjures up images of tedious embed codes, obnoxious WordPress customizations and quarterly fees for which I was completely unprepared”, instead she has opted for new kid on the block “Posterous” where instead of having a full dashboard like us bloggers, she just emails her rant to her account.

Posting she says on a site like Posterous.com is just so much easier. Just another fad/ trend?

We  see blogs sticking it out for a bit.

Check both Marta’s site and the Posterous malark; http://mzkagan.posterous.com/

Flagship