Of course most people watch the Superbowl for the game. But then there are the others who watch it for the commercials. If you blinked, little lone made a dash for the loo, you would have missed what was the shortest Superbowl commercial - ever. Ivors Seafood Restaurant purchased a half second spot during the big game. No confirmed costs, but 30 second national spots were … [Read more...]
The future of advertising?
The last 50 years has been about mass marketing. But consumers have changed. Many don't trust advertising anymore. They've been lied to and faked out. Many ads have become wallpaper - seen but not remembered. Consumers have become savvy. Media can no longer be the cracks between the content. Enter digital marketing. Digital is the ultimate mass marketing and individual … [Read more...]
New technology affecting media channels
New technology is dramatically affecting media channels and how marketers interact with customers. Think back for a moment to 1997. The English Patient won an Oscar for best picture, Princess Diana was killed in a car crash, and eBay and Amazon were new and unknown. Microsoft owned the desktop, and Mac was on its way to extinction. Google wouldn't exist for another 2 years. … [Read more...]
Trading down – opportunity in a recession
I'm willing to bet you've participated in "trading down" already. You may just not have been consciously aware of it. The term I've coined as trading down happens during recessionary times when people make cost saving choices in some categories outside their normal purchasing behaviour. If you normally shop at a specialty shoe store, you might check out the warehouse or rack … [Read more...]
The not so warm & fuzzy shopping experience
While many retailers will face the reality of downsizing in the New Year, this was not the Christmas to be serving up bad customer service. Here's a personal story, some marketing lessons learned, and how it might signal a direction to the future. My daughter's choir was singing at Park Royal mall prior to Christmas. I had met up with my 84 year old mother in her scooter to … [Read more...]