Get Your Own!

If my office is anything like yours, everyone is food motivated. Here's to Subway for channeling the inner lunch room kid in all of us:






(Courtesy of Youtube)

Accenture Drops Tiger Woods as Sponsor

Global consulting firm Accenture PLC has ended its relationship with Tiger Woods, marking the first major sponsor to cut ties altogether with the golfer since his alleged infidelities surfaced and he announced an indefinite leave from the sport to work on his marriage.

In its first statement since the Woods' scandal erupted, Accenture said Sunday the golfer is "no longer the right representative" after the "circumstances of the last two weeks."

The move ends a six-year relationship during which the firm credited its "Go on, be a Tiger" campaign with boosting its image significantly.

Accenture has used Woods to personify its claimed attributes of integrity and high performance.

"After careful consideration and analysis, the company has determined that he is no longer the right representative for its advertising," Accenture said, adding that "it wishes only the best for Tiger Woods and his family."

The firm plans to immediately transition to a new advertising campaign, with a major effort scheduled to launch later in 2010. An Accenture spokeswoman declined to comment further.

Advertising firm Young & Rubicam, which has handled the company's Tiger Woods ads, also would not comment on the move.

One of the risks of advertising tied to a celebrity is that "your image gets carried by someone you can't control," said Jonathan Bernstein, president of Bernstein Crisis Management.

"They definitely understand there's damage," Bernstein said of Accenture.

Accenture's advertising campaign was almost entirely built around Woods and his success, portraying his ability to sink a key putt or hit out of the rough.

If Woods had acknowledged mistakes and said he would be back in a month, Accenture might be able to ride it out, said Rick Burton, a professor of sports management at Syracuse University, in an interview.

But Accenture can't afford to wait for what could be a long time before Woods returns.

"They had tied everything in their campaign to Tiger Woods it appeared," he said. "If he's not golfing, those ads don't make sense."

Burton said Accenture's billboards and airport advertising need to be replaced quickly.
Without a backup plan, the company might fall back on something simple and conservative that could highlight its logo.

"It is probably prudent to take a low-key, conservative approach until they determine what their next message is that they want to send," he said. Accenture will have to determine whether it wants to stick with sports or whether its been too burned by what happened and will go another route, Burton added.

"Accenture has made a decision to not continue with their sponsorship. We are disappointed but respect their decision," said Mark Steinberg, Woods' agent at IMG Worldwide.

The PGA Tour said it would have no comment.

Accenture has been title sponsor since 2001 of the Match Play Championship, a lucrative World Golf Championship event that draws the top 64 players from the world ranking.

Accenture earlier this year renewed its sponsorship of the tournament through 2014. The contract is separate from its business endorsement with Woods.

The management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company has clients in more than 120 countries and about 177,000 employees across 52 countries.

Starting as the consulting arm of now-defunct accounting firm Arthur Andersen, it split off in 1989 under the name Andersen Consulting, eventually ending all ties with Andersen and changing its name to Accenture.

The company went public in 2001 and now has a market cap of $26 billion.

Earlier this year Accenture shifted its place of incorporation from Bermuda to Ireland, where it has done business for about 40 years.

Woods' array of endorsements helped him become the first sports star to earn $1 billion, according to Forbes. But while not terminating its relationship completely, another major Woods sponsor pulled away this weekend.

On Saturday, Gillette, which uses the slogan "The best a man can get," said it won't air advertisements featuring Woods or include him in public appearances for an unspecified time. Woods was hired by Gillette in 2007 and has been in ads for Gillette Fusion Power razors with titles like "Phenom" and "Champions" with other stars including tennis great Roger Federer and soccer player Thierry Henry.

Other sponsors continue to stick with Woods for the time being.

On Monday, Swiss watch maker Tag Heuer said it will continue its association with Woods.
"He's the best in his domain," spokeswoman Mariam Sylla told The Associated Press. "We respect his performance in the sport."

Sylla said Woods' personal life was "not their business."

Electronic Arts, whose EA Sports division has been selling Tiger Woods video golf games for a decade, said Sunday, "We respect that this is a very difficult, and private, situation for Tiger and his family. At this time, the strategy for our Tiger Woods PGA TOUR business remains unchanged."

The game's next edition featuring Woods comes out in six months.

AT&T said Sunday that it continues to evaluate its relationship with the golfer.

Nike Inc. said late Friday that it supported Woods' decision to take time off.


(Courtesy ESPN.com)

Goal Celebrations - Coca-Cola Loves Them, Too

Don't know who all follows soccer out there, but after hearing the news yesterday that my beloved Western Mass native Jay Heaps is retiring from the NE Revolution after playing in MLS for 11 seasons (we'll miss you, Jay!), I was in a soccer state of mind.

I have to say, one of my favorite moments in any game is the goal celebration. (Or most loathed, depending on who is doing the scoring.) It's just one of those joyous occasions where it's OK for grown men to act completely ridiculous and leap into each other's arms and celebrate. Love 'em.

Anyway, Coca-Cola has a few different programs they're launching for the World Cup that sound pretty awesome:

Coca-Cola Celebration Award
For the first time ever, Coca-Cola will recognize the tournament's best goal celebration. Fans will be able to vote for the eventual winner online. For every goal scored during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and celebrated with a dance, Coca-Cola will make an additional donation to the Company's "Water for Schools" effort that helps provide schools access to safe drinking water. The award will only recognize celebrations conducted within the rules of the game.

World's Longest Celebration
Coca-Cola is inviting football fans to film and upload their own goal celebrations to the Coke website. All clips will be edited into a continuous 'loop' to create a non-stop celebration that will air on the website. Eligible fans will have the chance of winning great FIFA World Cup™ prizes including match tickets.

'Coca-Cola Presents: Celebrating the Goal' Documentary
Coca-Cola is producing a 60-minute documentary which investigates the stories behind the world's most famous goal celebrations and catches up with 2010 FIFA World Cup™ players as they plan their African inspired celebrations for the tournament. The documentary will be broadcast globally in the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

Sweeeeeeet! Consider this my official run to the corner and fake-boxing-with-my-teammates dance of jubilation!

(Courtesy of Coca-Cola and YouTube)

Best Buy Holiday Ad Controversy

Every year around this time, Americans are bombarded with holiday advertising messages.

Oh, whoops, I used the word holiday and not Christmas. I'll probably be hearing soon from the American Family Association that I'm anti-Christmas and get written up on their "Naughty or Nice Christmas list." On the naughty side, naturally.

Best Buy sent flyers out last week promoting Thanksgiving sales and included what seemed like an innocuous message saying "Happy Eid al-Adha," a holiday of sacrifice for followers of Islam that occurred on Nov. 27 this year - the day after Thanksgiving.

Apparently not so innocuous, according to some, but decide for yourself. The image below is the full page of the flyer, and the second image is a close-up view of the message under fire:


Close-up:
The AFA was already upset that Best Buy was going to use the phrase "Happy Holidays" instead of Merry Christmas" for it's December advertising and sales promotions, and it's not the first time for THAT either...

Karen Datko at MSN Money writes:

The Mississippi-based American Family Association targeted Best Buy Inc. in 2006 after a company spokeswoman said it would favor “happy holidays” in its ads in recognition that several holidays occur at that time of year. Meanwhile, Christmas themes did NOT disappear from Best Buy ads.

Sure, it's fine to say "Merry Christmas" to all those who celebrate that holiday, but we're not allowed to celebrate the multiple other holidays that occur around the same time? And sure, the shopping this season may be mostly for Christmas, but I don't think we need to be freaking out about this. Who cares what holiday someone is buying presents for? Shouldn't we be happy that consumers are actually spending some money?

You'd think the AFA would be pleased that so many parents are able to provide gifts for their children on Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, etc. and in turn create happy family holiday moments.

But wait, I forgot, the AFA doesn't like it when other holidays are even mentioned in advertising, because the organization is calling on consumers everywhere to boycott Gap, Inc., and it's other properties, including Old Navy and Banana Republic:

Randy Sharp, a rep for the AFA, said that a Gap rep sent the group an e-mail alerting them to this year's campaign, via Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, that does use the word "Christmas," but Sharp said the ad, which features the line "Go Christmas, Go Hanukkah, Go Kwanzaa, Go Solstice," and beckons consumers to "86 the rules," is offensive. "It looks like an attempt to patronize people," he said. "What they did was almost make a joke of it."

A Gap rep, however, said the advertising mentions different holidays because the brand "is and has always been an inclusive, accessible brand in which everyone can participate and we embrace diversity across all of our customers, and more importantly respect their beliefs as individuals . . . We focus our marketing on the joys of the holiday season as a whole."

If you ask me, the AFA is sucking the joy right out of the season. The HOLIDAYS are about family and togetherness, no matter your religion.

If anything I think Hanukkah should be getting more advertising airtime - they have 8 whole days of presents! Think of the advertising opportunities there!

(Courtesy of AdWeek, Brandweek, AFA, and MSN Money)

Happy Turkey Day!

Hope you and yours have a happy holiday tomorrow! :)

More than 8.6 million Households Obtain Coupons via Text Messages and/or E-mail

Providence, RI, Top City for Text/Email Coupon Users

New York, New York (Vocus/PRWEB ) August 19, 2009 -Americans continue to watch their spending and to look for good deals in the sluggish economy, and coupons are an important method of saving money. Consumer and media research firm Scarborough Research released an analysis highlighting the ways households are obtaining coupons. The study found that text messages and/or email are an emerging method for households to obtain coupons. 8.6 million (eight percent) of U.S. households currently acquire coupons via text messages and/or email. While not the leading medium for household coupon obtainment - the Sunday newspaper holds this distinction, and other means such as in-store circulars and regular mail still surpass it - couponing via text messages and/or email is gaining a following among American consumers.

"We began measuring text/email coupon usage in our most recent Scarborough study, and I am not surprised to see that households are taking advantage of this new couponing medium," said Gary Meo, senior vice president of digital media and print services, Scarborough Research. "Coupons received via text messaging are typically sent only to consumers who have opted-in to receive them. This increases the relevancy of the offer and the potential for the consumer to act on that offer. An additional benefit is the mobility of cell phones and other personal communications devices, which allow consumers to access the coupon at the point of purchase."

Those consumers who obtain coupons via text messages and/or email tend to be young, affluent, educated and female. Scarborough data shows that they are 14% more likely than the average adult to be ages 18-24; 51% more likely to be a college graduate or have an advanced degree; and six percent more likely to be female.

Where do these consumers live? The top local market for text message and/or email coupon users is Providence, RI. Twelve percent of households in Providence typically obtain coupons via text message or email. Washington D.C., Atlanta, San Diego, Austin and Chicago, where 11% of households get coupons via this medium, are also among the leading markets for this activity.


(Courtsey of PRWeb)

Political Advertising to Surge in 2010

It will rise 11% over '08 to $3.3 billion, but still lag behind the record-setting spending of '06

Oct 21, 2009

- Katy Bachman

NEW YORK Political advertising will hit $3.3 billion in 2010, an 11 percent increase over 2008, but a 4 percent decrease from 2006, according to a Wells Fargo Securities report released today.

The ad windfall, more than 60 percent of which goes to local TV, will be fueled by the election of 37 governors, 38 senators, the entire House of Representatives and issue advertising (which could approach $1 billion) on hot-button topics such as healthcare.

The factors affecting the 2010 forecast are similar to those that made the ad spending of $3.4 billion in '06 a record year for political advertising.

"2010 political spending will most closely resemble 2006, as it was the last time a large number of governor races were held, and congressional elections faced similar conditions (i.e., declining presidential and congressional approval ratings and contentious issues)," wrote Marci Ryvicker, senior analyst and author of the report.

Broadcast TV will reap the lion's share at $2.2 billion (or 67 percent of the total), with $2 billion going to local TV, $150 million to cable and $50 million to network TV. Direct mail will get $650 million (or 20 percent of the ad spend), followed by radio at $250 million (or 8 percent) and newspaper at $95 million (or 3 percent). Outdoor and the Internet are forecast to reach $55 million and $50 million, respectively.

A robust political advertising market couldn't come at a better time for the TV business, which has been hammered by the soggy economy and a sinking auto category. Political ads are likely to be large contributors to a modest increase for spot TV between 3.6 and 6.1 percent, according to the Television Bureau of Advertising's forecast.

TV groups most exposed to hotly contested races include Disney's ABC stations at 63 percent, Journal Communications (53 percent) and CBS (46 percent).

Although political advertising has made up only 3 to 5 percent of total revenue radio also stands to gain. Radio groups most exposed to political races include Disney's radio properties (63 percent), Beasley Broadcast Group and Regent Communications (both 61 percent) and CBS (58 percent).

"Any incremental ad dollars will contribute significantly to [radio's] year-over-year top-line growth, especially given the easy comparisons of 2009," Ryvicker wrote.


(Courtesy of AdWeek)

The Eternal Struggle: Miracle Whip vs. Stephen Colbert

OK, "eternal struggle" is probably pushing it, but as sandwich condiment debates run, this is epic.

A few weeks ago on the Colbert Report, TV faux pundit Stephen Colbert picked a fight with Miracle Whip. Specifically, he poked fun at a new commercial targeted toward a younger crowd, claiming that Miracle Whip "will not tone it down."

Colbert, so offended by the so-called mayonay-sayers, created his own commercial extolling the virtues of mayonnaise. (Check it out here!)

Well, in the struggle for sandwich spread supremacy, the MW marketing team made a smart move by publishing an open letter in a number of newspapers calling out Colbert for his recent attacks and announcing they were buying airtime to run multiple ads during last night's episode of the Report:

Awesome. Not only does the BOLD MW marketing team understand the value of Colbert's quips, they see the value in engaging his audience in an ongoing mock debate about whether mayo or Miracle Whip is better.

Colbert banks on his viewers to do his bidding (as Colbert Nation has recently become a sponsor of US Speed Skating and is raising donations on the CN website) and true to form, he addressed the Great Mayo Debate on last night's episode. Here's the video:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Miracle Whip Buys Ad Space
http://www.colbertnation.com/
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor U.S. Speedskating

(Courtesy of Comedy Central and YouTube)

Silly Ad Wednesday

AdLab's 5th anniversary was yesterday - congrats!

Go check out some of the ridiculous advertising schemes that are posted over there, good for a chuckle on Hump Day:

Advertising on Flies - They have mini banner ads attached to them, check out the video

Armpit Video Advertising - Yep

School Exam Advertising - Just in case the kids aren't bombarded with enough ads, we'll throw this in for good measure

Branded Shadows on the Moon - You read that right, and it's just as ridiculous as it sounds

Enjoy!



(All courtesy of AdLab)

90% of Teens Disapprove of Advertisers Texting Them

The following information nuggets were taken from a Teen Advertising Study conducted by Fuse Marketing and UMass (whoop whoop, my hometown of Amherst!):

- 75% of teens believe TV advertising is an appropriate way to reach them and/or prefer to be reached this way.

- Print ads receive high approval too - magazines (50%) are second most effective medium in reaching teens

- While 79% of teens surveyed have visited a brand's official website for product information, results indicate they are not interested in interacting with brands on social networks. Only 29% of teen respondents say they have "friended" a brand on their social networks.

- While 90% of teens text, the survey found that 90% of teen respondents disapprove of advertisers texting them with product messages


Obviously social media and cell phone advertising (including texts and apps) are a great way to connect businesses with consumers, we just have to remember that once advertising becomes too invasive it can start to turn teens off.

To view the full survey results, click here (and be prepared to sift through 90 Powerpoint slides).