Apparently, according to Nielsen, African American, Hispanic and large families are a bit shy of intelligence when it comes to using their people meters. To combat that, the company is rolling out a training program in six marketers to help couch these groups on the proper use of the local people meter survey mechanism, recently under fire for performance issues. The couching, in New York, LA, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., will include incentives for watching more TV...uh...we mean proper use of the monitoring device. The training is to include a written manual and classroom education.
Trend watcher, TrendWatching has coined the term "Tryvertising" and likens it to various forms for viral and word of mouth advertising. On the one hand, it's just a new word, like viral advertising and word of mouth marketing, to describe a common information proliferation practice that's been in place since humans learned to communicate. On the other hand, it describes the increasing participation people engage in using the Internet via blogs, Tremor (and now, Tremor Moms), sampling sites and brand placement to "converse" about brand opinion and preference. While top-down, one way, brand to consumer communication will always have a place, successful marketers will realize that monitoring and engaging in brand conversation will become increasingly important.
Dockers, along with FHM has created a site that features the cast of The Apprentice modeling the company's clothes and answering probing interview questions such as "What's your best pick up line?" and "What wouldn't you be caught dead wearing in the boardroom?" Oddly, none of the contestants answered that question, "Standard preppy-wear from Dockers."
Yesterday, MSpot launched MSpot Radio, a satellite radio-like, subscription streaming radio service designed for reception on cell phones. Currently used by Sprint, the service costs $5.95 per month and offers 13 channels of music, news, sports, finance, weather and talk including National Public Radio.
While search engine marketers sing the praises of contextual advertising, we love to sit on the sidelines and snicker at some of the more intriguing juxtapositions this far from perfect ad technology delivers. Today, it's The Ultimate Triple Play from Orbitz placed perfectly next to a different, and not so legal, triple play by former NBA player Shawn Kemp involving cocaine, marijuana and a gun. Thanks to Greg Johns for pointing this one out.
UPDATE: More contextual foolery: Google text ads are selling music albums created by the late Pope John Paul II.
Oink Ink Radio, a bicoastal agency specializing in the creation and production of award winning radio commercials, announced today the call for entries in its Eighth Annual Dead Radio Contest. Frustrated copywriters across America are invited to submit their best radio scripts that suffered heart-wrenching deaths at the whim of their client's egos. The winning script will be produced – or resuscitated – by Oink Ink, free of charge, who will also fly the winners to New York or Santa Monica to attend the recording.
Seems the contest has paid off. Two past contest spots went on to achieve Mercury Finalist status as well as winners of National Addys and one Gold Winner at the London International Advertising Awards. Last year’s Dead Radio winner was Greg Christiansen, hailing from Young & Rubicam/Chicago. His spot entitled "Testing" was designed for the Miller Brewing Company promoting their new Fridge Pack.
All contestants submitting scripts will receive a copy of the winning entry. The deadline for entries is May 15, 2005. Enter here. Oink Ink’s East Coast office is located at 38 Greene Street in Manhattan’s SoHo district. Its West Coast office is located at 1119 Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, CA.
OK, this is just plain weird. If you thought Burger King's Hootie spot was weird, take a look at this commercial called, Subway, for Virgin Mobile's Pay As You Go Plan. Weird. Just weird. Thanks, Rick.
The last thing we need while driving into the city sucking down our second latte, fighting with our girlfriend on the phone while texting the other girlfriend is a billboard with the giant headline PetPeePee. Yes, PetPeePee. It sort of makes it difficult to remember whether you're talking to Julie via text or Amanda via voice. Or was it Amanda via text and Julie versus voice? Not a situation you want to be in. Of course, we've never been in that situation nor have we ever seen this billboard while driving, let alone text one girlfriend while chatting with the other but someone was quick enough to snap this picture of this for us all to enjoy.
This week's Ad Age TV Spots of the Week is led of by beer babe 4,726 for Troegs Beer. This one burps and farts. Progress. Less entertaining and far sillier is a ridiculous, non-sensical "Snack Fairy" spot for Nabisco. Next is a Deutsch-created spot for Pier 1 - and we only know that because they stuck the logo at the end of this excuse-to-be-creative commercial. OK, maybe it's not that bad but at least tell us to go shoot up before viewing for full enjoyment. Grey gets the caffeine addiction right with a "Shock Therapy" spot for Dairy Queen's Caramel MooLatte spot. Then, there's an oh-so-boring spot from TBWA/Chiat/Day (that we know the client must have butchered) for Nissan Xterra followed by a bunch of JWT created turkeys that turn into chickens all to promote Miracle Whip, a silly commercial from DDB for Budweiser illustrating the insanity of Nascar fans and a really great anti-drug commercial by TBWA/Chiat/Day.
Oh, and, Ad Age, that agonizing TV Guide pre-commercial, commercial? Frequency cap the damn thing, will you?
Now that the fact 17 year old Joss Stone has moved in with her 25 year old music producer millionaire boyfriend, Beau Dozier, has come to light, Gap may be having second thoughts about hiring the teen as their new spokesmodel especially since, in California, where the two live, it's considered statutory rape for someone of Dozier's age to have sex with Stone. Statutory rape isn't exactly a word a brand such as the Gap would willingly associate with. Delicate as the situation may be, we guess it's all part of growing up for Stone who recently booted her mother, Wendy, as manager and is blissfully oblivious to what anyone thinks of the situation. Likely, SJP is smiling a very big smile right now.
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