Super Bowl Sunday came and went with great fanfare, even if it was just for the half time show. Seriously, didn't Katy Perry rock it? The game was filled with drama and tense moments, that can only be summed up as, "The Patriots won the game, but really Seattle lost it." What a nail biter ending. Here on the South Coast, which is darn close to Seattle's Pacific North West, it … [Read more...]
Hotel overstay policy that challenges convention: A brilliant transparent promotion
Good relationships are based on honesty, and building relationships is at the core of a strong business. Yet for some companies, true transparency, and by default, apparent honesty, can seem lacking when guised in corporate policy. We now seek out brands that are honest, flaws and all, because it feels like we can trust them more. For a brand, being transparent and … [Read more...]
Creativity on the street: get noticed & get business!
Turning everyday street objects into ads can be a clever vehicle to leverage a campaign. As we all know, the coffee wars between McDonalds, Tim Hortons and Starbucks have heated up significantly. It’s no accident that McDonalds executes a major push, with a weeklong free coffee giveaway, during Tim Horton’s Roll up the Rim to win campaign. Here a cheeky street ad they did … [Read more...]
Biggest social media disasters of 2012
Like an accident scene, it seems we can’t resist the temptation to stop and crane our necks and gaze at others misfortune. This year's biggest social media disasters can be best summed up in three categories: 1. Insensitive: The Gap and American Apparel take the prize here. Both retailers got caught encouraging consumers on Twitter to shop or take advantage of special … [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...]