Writing on his weblog, "Wouldn't that be ironic? A promotion intended to bring in new customers, actually causes customers to leave," Jodster describes a TD Canada Trust "EasySwitch" promotion that rewards new customers with a free iPod Shuffle. Jodster points out this promotion, like many others, penalizes those who are already customers because they are ineligible for the prize. While these customer base expansion campaigns are common, at times, they can be interpreted as discounting, for no good reason, a person who has been a loyal customer for a long time. Perhaps, marketers in situations like this should consider creating an equally compelling offer for existing customers so they won't leap to the the next best offer that pops up.
As Howard Stern prepares to make the switch to Sirius Satellite Radio, his contract with E! Entertainment will end in nine days according to reports in The New York Daily News. E! will retain broadcast rights for all previously recorded Stern shows and another broadcaster may step in to take over the television broadcast
Adrants reader Morris Adamowitz sent us this video which features a guy who claims to be a writer for CBS's CSI. In the video, he drones on about his writing inspirations, how he has to learn the latest techniques in forensic science, do meticulous research and sometimes, take the work home with him. In this case, literally, as he nonchalantly grabs a dead guy off a slab, carries him to his car and brings him into his house all while continuing to drone on about his work.
Whether this is an authorized viral or not, it really doesn't matter. It's good. It works.
UPDATE: It's all real. See comments.
CityRag points out the potential millions of dollars in free advertising Starbucks gets when celebrity photos catch the stars sucking down their favorite blend of java. From Britney to Mary-Kate and Ashley to Madonna to Jessica and Nick, the Starbucks logo and products gets some extensive exposure and celebrity brand association. Check out the gallery of celeb/Starbucks shots here.
Today, Snapple attempted to break the existing Guinness World Record for the "World's Largest Ice Pop" by building a two and a half story, 24-feet tall, 5-feet wide and 5-feet thick, 20-ton kiwi strawberry-flavored, edible Snapple on Ice pop in New York City's Union Square. Unfortunately, it's a bit hot today for anything to stay frozen for long so there's Snapple juice running all over union square north. Reportedly, it stinks to high heaven and the cops have been called in as well as the fire department. The Guiness Book of World Records was there but all they got were pictures of melted Snapple all over the road.
Our man on the street, Bucky Turco, reports "a very angry, but cute promotion girl who was supposed to tell people to 'watch their step' as they cross the Snapple river instead was telling me, 'Cant you ask me before you take my picture.' My response, 'can you not wreck my streets with a big smelly ice dildo?'"
See the insanity here in our photo album of the event.
UPDATE: Brilliance prevails from the mouth of Lauren Radcliffe, Snapple spokeswoman on the scene, who told Newsday, "Maybe we should have done it on New Year's Eve."
And, just so it's clear who reported this story first :-)
To promote is cool, new convertible, the Pontiac Solstice, GM is hosting a concert tonight featuring Citizen Cope, The Vacation and Kinky. An email from someone, obtained by Gawker, promoting the event to a New York media outlet said, "It's a bi-coastal marketing/entertainment program that does include a partnership with Maximonline.com and additional programs on Pontiac.com. The event is in Times Square with a VIP party/homebase set up at The Whiskey Bar in the W Hotel. I can't reveal all of the information at this time, but it is a strong story that would be worth your reporter's time." OK. We'll take your word for it.
If you're interested in the rest of the PR-foolery whereby PR specialist attempts to tease media without giving good reason why media should cover the event, check out the Gawker article.
The International Dairy Foods Association is running ads, based on recent Dairy Council-funded research, claiming milk can help people lose weight. Just as we were ready suck down our Venti-monstrous double cream, caramel and mocha laced latte topped with a dollop or all natural, cream-drenched vanilla ice cream, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine ruined our dairy orgasm by petitioning the FTC and FDA stating the Dairy Council weight loss claims are false and misleading.
The International Dairy Foods Association is standing by its claims. IDFA Spokeswoman Susan Ruland told the New York Times, "We are extremely conservative and careful in the claims we suggest. We spent years looking at what was going on in the science and what was fair to say."
General Mills Spokeswoman Beth Thorsgard, who supports a Yoplait campaign which claims eating three servings a day will get you into your "itsy bitsy, teeny weeney, yellow polka- dot bikini," said the physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine are a "radical, fringe organization that promotes vegetarianism."
Check out the New York Times article for the full scoop.
First, there was Lincoln who used the name of a real bike messenger without permission in a print ad. Then, there was Coors Light which did a less than respectable job of properly representing bike messengers in a giant New York City billboard. After that, it seems things turned around with one marketer, Puma, which displayed a bit of sense with its Team Puma bike messenger association.
Now, while on her way to work this morning in Chicago, Adrants reader Amanda Moorhouse reports having been handed a Starbucks DoubleShot that was pulled out of a messenger bag by a guy dressed as a bike messenger. Two makes a trend. Four makes a trucker hat.
The weblog "A is for Advertising" reports Ford has erected a "living billboard" in Dundas Square, Toronto to promote its Escape Hybrid. With the headline, "Makes everything a little greener," the board contains 900 real plants, kept alive by an irrigation system and tended to weekly by a landscape crew. Larger image here.
To continue promoting its Converse Gallery, a site that allows people to submit 24 second films that "embody the value and spirit of Converse," the sneaker company is using large outdoor poster. One, which is located in the Tribeca area of New York City caught the eye of Bucky Turco, the man MediaBistro's FishbowlNY asked, "Who is Bucky Turco?", who claims Converse is doing outdoor, art-based advertising correctly saying, "You know you're looking at a huge Converse ad but it looks good. It's not hard on the eyes or obtrusive. It also merits integrity even while incorporating elements of the Converse logo in the actual art piece.
He further opines that only brands that have cultural relevance have business co-opting street art saying, "I think this is the main reason why sneaker companies can legitimately pull off artist series/graffiti or art-based programs much more authentically then other brands. Not only are they relevant but they also possess what many brands in the field lack, legitimate history and street cred."
So there you have it. Right from the mouth of the new "Webster Hall Curator Baird Jones," as it were.
Ty Pennington of Trading Spaces and Extreme Makeover fame is appearing in a viral, security cam style, for Alltell. In the viral, Pennington appears to be getting ready to take a shower until, in the last frame, he pops up and shouts, "Hey! What are you looking at?" A link then takes you to an Alltel page promoting its "txt2win" million dollar sweepstakes which Pennington say will help you build the home of your dreams. OK, so the security cam thing has been done many times before but more than one person sent this link to us so, apparently, it's getting around which, afterall, is one of the major points to a viral efforts. And, anyway, who doesn't want a chance to win a million bucks?
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