I remember well a day back in 1988 when the advertising sales department at the Georgia Straight, Vancouver’s urban weekly where I was working at the time, fell in the cross hairs of activists on behalf of the inhumane treatment of animals in the commercial fur trade. You see, long before desktop publishing, newspapers were constructed like puzzle pieces – ads created and then … [Read more...]
iKea’s iBook Book – Brilliant marketing
Amidst the marketing flurry around the latest announcement from Apple about their much-anticipated iPhone 6 and wearable technology, comes a brilliantly timed piece of marketing from Ikea. In a world of high-tech, sometimes going low-tech or no-tech is the way to stand out. With my tongue firmly planted in my cheek, I’d like to acknowledge how Ikea has taken a “page from … [Read more...]
Dove patches: from tricks to truth & remaining true to their positioning
I'm a huge fan of Dove. I love the approach they have taken over the last 11 years with their "real beauty" campaign, advocating empowerment and beauty from within. I've commended them many times for remaining true to a big idea, as part of their brand values. That said, they've taken some heat with their latest campaign installment called Dove patches. It was launched … [Read more...]
Veet’s Don’t risk dudeness dud: lessons from a consumer backlash
I have to preface this weeks post with an admission that I've secretly feared Veet (previously called Neet) ever since I was 13. And it's not because of some misguided teen hair removal exercise. One of my friends had Neet put in her hair during a high school initiation day, and clumps of it fell out in her hands. This image, as an insecure adolescent, is still vivid in my … [Read more...]
Disruptive “first kiss” content marketing: taps emotion, vulnerability & voyeurism
This week Melissa Coker did what most advertising industry folks would have thought impossible. On a budget of $1,500 (and she only actually spent $1,300), she created a content marketing viral video sensation for the fall line of her LA based fashion label, Wren, that as of March 24 had achieved well over 69 million views on Youtube. The 3-minute video, shot artistically in … [Read more...]
