And Now it's Time to Say Goodbye...

Sad, but true - today is my last day. It's been quite the journey over the last few years and I'm sad to see it end. Here's my parting gift to you:

Thanks for everything. It's been real. :)

World Cup News Flash: We're Going to Eat Like Pigs

According to Nielsen, the World Cup triggers increased ad spending and food consumption. In other words, by July 11th we'll all be fatties. Or at least they will be in Indonesia, where this data comes from:

Stephen Mitchell, Managing Director for Consumers at Nielsen Indonesia, a subsidiary of Nielsen Company, a global information and media company, told a press conference that manufacturers will see the event as an opportunity to push more sales.

"Besides, advertisement spending will also see growth during June as World Cup sponsors are geared to air their commercials," said Mitchell.

In Indonesia, he said, Nielsen's data shows that sales of World Cup products categories during the event weeks of June 5 to July 9, 2006 increased 31 percent to reach 67 billion rupiah (about 7.2 million U.S. dollars) compared to the same period of 2005.

Meanwhile, he said, categories like snack, soft drink, peanuts, cigarettes, and energy drink are also expected to enjoy more sales.

"In the period of World Cup 2006, peanuts experienced the highest growth with 72 percent, followed by cigarettes (37 percent), energy drink (35 percent), snack (28 percent) and soft drink (19 percent)," said Mitchell.

WOAH, peanuts - way to be number one!



(Courtesy of People's Daily Online)

Steak Billboard Smells...Like Steak

This billboard in North Carolina is promoting a grocery store's new brand of beef.

Seems pretty innocuous, right? Big fork, yummy-looking steak, catchy tagline...

Well, not only does the beef on this sign look delicious, but from 7-10am and 4-7pm, it smells delicious, too. This billboard pumps out the smell of steak during rush hour, because I'm sure the combo of auto exhaust and sizzling beef is mouth-watering to passing motorists.

I guess if you can dream it, you can do it.

(Courtesy of Geekologie.com)

It Only Takes 90 Minutes For Your World to Change...

Plus injury time, of course.

As an MLS supporter since the league's inception, I feel it necessary to mention American soccer whenever I get the chance.

MLS is doing the smart thing this time around and stopping league matches for the first two weeks of World Cup action. Making people choose between the league games and world-class international matches is kind of silly. Only the die-hard fans will split their time between both - most casual fans are going to go for the big ticket tournament games. This way everyone wins.

Anyway, to capitalize on this league-wide pause for the the Cup, MLS has a new commercial on-air that I thoroughly enjoy and felt the need to share.

Watch the new commercial! Support the beautiful game in the USA! Watch the World Cup!



(Courtesy of adage.com)

World Cup Marketing - Don't Offend the Sponsors

I was originally just going to post an article about World Cup advertising, but then I got to the part about "ambush marketing" and I was intrigued (and distracted)...

Why? Because of this:

The World Cup is the undisputed pinnacle of two things: One is soccer, and the other is ambush marketing.

"There's just so much passion behind soccer and such a large audience," explains Jim Andrews, a senior VP at sponsorship firm IEG. "It's irresistible."

He's not kidding: According to FIFA, the 2006 World Cup, held in Germany, featured 3,300 "rights violations" in 84 countries, a major concern given the eight-figure amounts that FIFA's six top-level partners and seven World Cup sponsors pay to officially align with the world's biggest sporting event.

Who could forget, for instance, the 2006 stunt pulled by Dutch brewer Bavaria, which handed out thousands of pairs of Bavaria-branded bright-orange lederhosen to fans of the Dutch national team? FIFA, defending exclusive beer sponsor Anheuser-Busch's turf, ordered fans to remove the lederhosen before entering the stadium, and many went on to cheer for their team in their underwear.

HA! I love it. Who needs pants, anyway?



(Courtesy of AdAge.com and Guardian.co.uk)

20 Ways to be Awesome

Yeah, that's totally not the title of this article, but whatever... Creative liberties - I'm taking them.

Peter Madden put together what he calls "Madden's 20 Lessons in Small Agency Ownership" on the Small Agency Diary section of AdAge.com. While it's tailored specifically for small agency owners, I think it holds a lot of merit for businesspeople in general.

Check 'em out...

1. Realize what you're great at and do it all the time. Realize what you suck at and stop doing it completely (and put the right person in place to do it).

2. If you want to make a point that sticks, stop yelling. (Or keep yelling and look ridiculous.)

3. Work as hard on your presentations to your staff as you do on your presentations to prospects and clients.

4. Tell your clients when you screw up and how something could have been better. They already know you blew it, but just want to hear it from you.

5. Trust your instincts. You can interview a prospective employee or client 10 times, they can say and do all the right things, but if your Spidey sense is tingling, something is amiss.

6. Read Keith Ferrazzi's "Never Eat Alone" and stop handing out your business card like a Vegas dealer.

7. One out of every 10 consultants will actually be a help to you. Finding that one is the toughest part. The right one probably asks all the questions you hate.

8. Do pro bono work for non-profit organizations that are trying hard to make the world a better place. You'll get more out of it.

9. Don't obsess about the financials (I can hear a million Wharton grads groan). You'll get lost in them and forget what the hell your agency stands for in the first place. When I think about my score in golf, I completely tank. I apply that to everything.

10. Are you completely freaking out, nervous, worried and losing sleep over something about your business? Welcome to being alive. Now calm down, move on, and step up your game.

11. Call the head of an agency you compete with and invite him out for a beer. You'll either a) really enjoy the person and learn a lot or b) hate him and enjoy crushing him in defeat.

12. Regarding No. 11, 99% of the time it will be "a." You'll talk about your family more than the work and it will become a regular thing.

13. You aren't thanking people who work for you enough.

14. Did someone working for you just disagree with a decision you want to make? Good. Keep her around as long as possible.

15. RFPs are a complete waste of time. But it's still fun to compete.

16. Throw parties at your office, no matter how humble or grand the space, for no reason at all. It's all about the people in the room, good music, and not running out of booze or ice.

17. Put your f***ing BlackBerry/iPhone down when you're meeting with me.

18. One personal five-minute call equals 12 impersonal e-mails back and forth. You also get to know someone much better that way.

19. Call the businesspeople you respect the most in your community. Buy them lunch and seek their advice. Sometimes the bigger the individual, the more generous they are with their time and advice. One good mentor is equal to 100 consultants.

20. Write personal notes thanking people you meet with and who are in your life. Besides death and taxes, the only other sure thing in life is that no matter who you are, it's exciting to get a handwritten note.

This Madden guy knows what he's talking about. Especially #20. I get emails, phone calls, faxes, direct mail with my name stamped on it, and all kinds of other random correspondence all the time, even awards and rewards for a job well done occasionally. And out of all that stuff, what is it that I actually keep on my desk and look at everyday? The birthday card I received from my coworkers earlier this year, complete with handwritten messages from everyone in the office.

Right on, Pete.




(Courtesy of AdAge.com)

Yay for Dawn!

I don't know how they make me love my dishwashing liquid so much, but Dawn keeps finding a way.

It's probably the cute little baby duckies on the press release announcing that the P&G product is going to continue its long-standing participation in wildlife rescue efforts, including stepping up production of Dawn in certain plants to help clean animals affected by the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that P&G will try to speed up production in the Kansas City plant, further deepening my love for the blue detergent.

Nothing makes me cry like a little girl quite like seeing animals in danger (and sports, but that's a conversation I'll save for another time...), so please do the animals a favor - go BUY DAWN and check out the link/info below to help donate!

Dawn is also continuing its Dawn Saves Wildlife program, in which consumers can help support the ongoing efforts of the IBRRC and Marine Mammal Center through their purchase of a bottle of Dawn when they activate their donation online at
http://www.dawn-dish.com/en_US/savingwildlife/home.do.

(Courtesy of P&G and the Cincinnati Enquirer)

Are You a Mother Lover?

No, not that kind of Mother Lover...

Have you noticed how the Mother's Day advertising has ramped up this week, since the holiday is coming up on Sunday? Have you also noticed the content of any of those ads?

"Hi, this is so-and-so from ABC Jewelers. When you're buying a present for your Mother from us, don't forget that your wife may be a mother, too, and she deserves something sparkly and new..."

OK, it's not a real ad, but it's almost word-for-word the same as one of the radio ads I heard yesterday morning. Wonder who they're trying to appeal to?

Oh, right...Men.

Between Valentine's Day and Mother's Day - two holidays when the men in our lives are expected to step up to the plate and present gifts of love and praise - I'd bet a majority of the advertising dollars are spent within about 7-10 days of the actual date of the holiday. (Don't ask me to provide any data on that, I have none, just personal experience)

Why? Because men shop at the last minute. I don't know about you, but my father hasn't ever bought a Christmas present before December 20th (and on the flipside, by December my mother is already preparing for my birthday in March), and my adult brother still requires reminder phone calls about upcoming holidays, birthdays, and celebrations. He heard from me just this past Saturday, and this is how our conversation went:

Me: Hey, don't forget Mother's Day is next Sunday, and Dad's birthday is the following Friday.

Bro: It is? (pause)

Me: Do you need me to buy cards now so that you can sign your name on them when you're home?

Bro: (Another pause) No, I think I can handle it.

Me: Are you sure?

Bro: (Another pause) No really, I can do it.

Me: OK, well consider this your official reminder so you'd better get on top of that, you don't have much time left...

Bro: Nah, I have a whole week!

Sigh.

Anyway, to all the Moms out there - thanks for everything you've done, and everything you'll continue to do. Love you.

AriZona Iced Tea - Caught in the Crossfire

AriZona iced tea is wishing they were in Utah right now. Or maybe Canada...

As Todd Wasserman of BrandFreak writes:

Iced-tea maker AriZona is experiencing some collateral damage in the immigration debate over a new law in the state of Arizona. Since the law passed, making it a crime for illegal immigrants to be in the state and requires police to check citizens for evidence of legal status, opponents have called for a boycott of the state. On Tuesday, a comic writer named Travis Nichols suggested—jokingly, we think—that consumers should also boycott AriZona iced tea because it's "the drink of fascists." For whatever reason, others took Nichols up on the idea, even though the brand, now owned by Ferolito, Vultaggio & Sons, is based in New York.

"For whatever reason, others took Nichols up on the idea..." I'll tell you why - it's because people are sheep (read: morons) and see only part of the story without looking into context. Sometimes I just want to shake them! Grumble, grumble...

Good thing the chairman and founder of the company addressed concerns immediately, noting AriZona's proud standing as an American company.



(Courtesy of BrandFreak)

2010 Census Advertising Recap

Did you get your 2010 Census form and answer the ten questions? Did it only take you ten minutes, as all the advertising promised?

We all saw the commercials ("We can't move forward until you mail it back...") and after looking into it a bit further there's some interesting information out there regarding all the paid advertising surrounding the 2010 Census.

Here are a few nuggets for you to chew on:

For three decades after the 1970 census, mailback rates fell sharply until the 2000 census. That was the first time the Congress authorized the Census to launch a paid advertising and public relations effort to help slow this rate of decline. We exceeded expectations in 2000, and we not only halted the decline but the American public increased their response rate. As a result the Census Bureau later in 2000 returned to the federal Treasury some $305 million in savings, partly because of this renewed civic engagement. The Congress and our oversight agencies generally applauded this effort in 2000, and encouraged us to do more for 2010 to help get a better count, improve accuracy, and hopefully again save the government some important funds.

We’re advertising again. The management equation on this is pretty simple. For every one percentage point we increase the mailback rate, we save about $85 million dollars of followup costs. This is a business proposition. We seek ways that get the message out, even if it is unusual for a Federal agency to do so. We spent about $85,000 on the Alaska trip to kick off the census, but garnered an audience from publicity (85 million) that would have cost 300 times as much in paid media (see earlier blog entries on the Noorvik trip). We will advertise on the 2010 Super Bowl, as we did in 2000. The Super Bowl is the top-rated and most highly anticipated television event in the U.S. An ad running once in the Super Bowl has the potential to reach 45% of adults over age 18. A thirty second spot on the top-rated regularly-scheduled show in America, American Idol costs $450,000 and is viewed by just about 9% or 10% of all households watching TV. The Super Bowl reaches 100 million viewers at a very efficient price compared to other shows.

To check out the rest of the blog post on the Census website, just click here!



(Courtesy of http://2010.census.gov/)