New Nikes Advertise Themselves

Nike has developed a brand new pair of sneakers.  Surprisingly, they aren’t exploding the media with advertising.  Normally, Nike would spend thousands of dollars developing impressive commercials to “wow” customers.  However, with the new “the LeBron X” Nike is relying on other methods of advertising.  They have used product placement by having LeBron James wear the new sneaker while playing in the 2012 Olympics.

Many people saw these new shoes and began buzzing about them, which leads to the other method of free advertising: word of mouth.  The shoes will be rather expensive, as they come equipped with Nike+ technology.  This software allows users to track running stats.

I think people will definitely pay the higher price to have LeBron’s name attached to the shoe, as well as the advanced Nike+ that comes with the shoe.

via https://twitter.com/RitaDynan/status/239802096290000896

Customized Absolut Bottles

Absolut Vodka is creating something unusual for consumers.  They are creating 4 million unique bottle designs.  The bottles are different colors with paint splatters on them.

Considering there are 4 million bottles that can’t be replicated, I wonder how “unique” each bottle truly is.  If they really make so many bottles, I’m sure there will be many similar bottles with tiny, near impossible to discern differences.  However, the idea is that many people will be willing to pay for a “collector’s item” like these.  Many people save empty bottles and display them as a sort of art, and I can definitely see many people clamoring to buy them for this purpose alone.  Another reason people would probably buy these bottles is for gifts for friends. It’s a special gift that literally no one else could give them because each bottle is different.

via https://twitter.com/RitaDynan/status/243509896937627648

Repositioning Pepsi

Pepsi brings a new product to consumers called “Pepsi Next”.  A YouTube ad features a baby and two proud parents.  The mother is ogling over their baby until the father walks into the room with a case of Pepsi Next.  They are amazed by the new idea and taste claiming that “this is the most impressive thing I’ve experienced in my entire life!”  They are so engrossed in the new soda that they don’t notice their baby doing flips and tricks behind them.  The idea behind this is that it’s so new and exciting people will forget everything else.

Pepsi is targeting an extremely specific market with this new soda.  It’s being called a mid calorie drink.  The soda is “balanced between fun-for-you, better-for-you and good-for you products”.  Its for people who don’t like the taste of zero calorie or diet soda, but also don’t want to drink regular or full calorie soda.  I see this as a healthier alternative to traditional soda without compromising taste by drinking diet soda.

via https://twitter.com/RitaDynan/status/239802096290000896

Cell Phones: Then and Now

With the announcement of the iPhone 5, many people are buzzing about the prices.  The iPhone 5 will start at $199 and will go for as much as $399 for additional gigabytes.  These prices seem high, but let’s think back to the first cell phone, before any smartphones had even been invented. The below clip dates back to a 1989 Radio Shack commercial.  It shows many people using a $799 “portable” phone.

It’s amazing how far technology has come.  People can pay a quarter of the price for a phone that can do so much more.  When factoring inflation into these prices, “the $799 that a customer would have paid in 1989 for a cellphone from Radio Shack would today be equivalent to $1,385.71”  It’s hard to imagine anyone paying this much money for something as technologically advanced as the new iPhone, let alone a brick phone that is connected to a heavy suitcase shaped battery by a cord.

via http://adage.com/article/rewind/rewind-radio-shack-hawked-brick-cellphones-799/237189/

Bacon as currency

What’s a food many Americans love?  The answer is bacon of course.  And to prove just how much people love to eat this food, Oscar Meyer has filled a trailer with their bacon.  Josh Sankey will be attempting to travel from New York, NY to Los Angeles, CA using bacon instead of cash.  He is taking an old school approach of bartering instead of using the accepted currency in the United States.

When I first heard about this project, I laughed but assumed Josh wouldn’t make it too far before having to find an ATM and get himself home using cold hard cash.  Surprisingly, at the last time I’ve tracked him on the Bacon Barter website he had made it as far as Omaha, NE!!  I was both surprised and impressed that he had actually managed to make it so far with a few strips of bacon instead of crisp bills.  In the photo below, Josh shows that he was able to trade a night’s stay in a hotel for a mere 37 bacon bricks.

Fans of Josh’s journey can track his journey on Twitter and view photos he’s posted on Instagram.  Judging by how far he’s gone so far, I think Josh will definitely make it to California, and I’m sure he’ll have picked up many new Oscar Meyer fans along the way.

via http://mashable.com/2012/09/13/man-drives-across-usa-only-uses-bacon-as-currency/

Advertising through children’s mobile apps

Since smartphones exploded the mobile phone markets, companies have been finding ways to exploit this new form of advertisements.  Several platforms include Apple App Store, Google Play from Android, and even as old as Crackberry, which provides apps for Blackberry users.  Each of these companies offer thousands of applications available for free or for purchase.

Many companies are using mobile apps to advertise their products.  This is nothing new, as many apps (especially free ones) show advertisements in games or other applications.  The new spin that many companies are taking is to direct their ads to children.

Some examples of children’s advertising that is making its way to smartphones are games like: “Cookie Dough Bites Factory,” “SuperPretzel Factory” and “Icee Maker.”  These ads aren’t showing “commercials” in the middle of regular games, but rather incorporating the advertising right into the playing time.  To children, it seems like harmless games.  They don’t realize they are being bombarded with messages about which product to buy.

In a video from wsj.com, a reporter explains how “the government prohibits product placement on children’s TV…however, there is no such regulation for the internet or mobile devices”.  These companies suggest they are directing their ads to teens and young adults, but the games seem to appeal more to children age 6-12.

Since most young children don’t have their own smartphone, they are usually being exposed to these games via their parent’s cell phones or tablets.  This gives parents the ability to monitor what their children are viewing.

This marketing ploy is working, because children recognize the brands they are seeing in a game format.  It’s a reasonable option for companies too.  Dum-Dums reported that their app cost $10,000 to create, which costs the same as four 30 second TV ads during Saturday morning cartoons.  They have a further reach with apps because hundreds are downloaded everyday, and children play the games again and again.

via http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444812704577605263654758948.html

Who uses mobile shopping apps?

Mobile shopping apps have exploded recently on smartphones and also through tablets like the iPad.  Since women are more well known for their shopping habits, I was surprised to find that a market research study shows that men have been shopping via their mobile phones more than women.

After discovering this information, I’m sure it will lead companies to develop more “manly” advertising.  Brands will be directly competing so that men will be more inclined to shop with a certain company over another.  A feature I’m sure I’ll see is convenience and accessibility which is what I believe men would look for in a mobile shopping app.  They want to use the app to find what they need and get it quickly, as opposed to women who would be searching for the perfect color and best deal.

                        

via http://mashable.com/2012/09/14/men-mobile-shopping/

Elle Magazine Gets Fans Involved

Elle Magazine is an esteemed fashion magazine.  Often depicting high fashion advertisements, it doesn’t seem to me a company that would be open to customer input.  I was surprised to find that Elle was connecting to readers via a facebook application that allows users to upload their own photos so that they may create a “’readers’ choice’ fashion shoot”.

The video explains that users may vote for the theme of the photoshoot, and also create their own photos and connect them to the director by creating a Pinterest board.

I’m eager to see what fresh new ideas fans can bring to Elle magazine.  It will be a change to see what the everyday female would showcase in print as opposed to high end magazine editors.

 

via http://mashable.com/2012/09/11/elle-facebook-photo-shoot/

 

Toilet Paper Advertising

Advertisers have become increasingly innovative when it comes to reaching consumers.  But Star Toilet Paper takes the cake in new ideas by printing coupons and ads somewhere every person would see — on toilet paper.  The company charges about half a cent per ad, so the advertising comes much more cheaply than more traditional advertising.

The real question is will this method work?  It’s never been done before, so they’re unsure of the reaction from consumers.  It seems like a creative solution that would reach millions of people.  Once the word spreads, companies will see that the advantages outweigh the initial strangeness, and I predict that soon all toilet paper will be plastered with advertisements.

via http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/ads-toilet-paper-marketings-real-bottom-feeders-143004

New Target Market for Velveeta Shells & Cheese

The primary target market for a company like Kraft is families, or more specifically, mothers with small children.  With a new commercial for Velveeta Shells & Cheese, this company is turning that idea completely on its head.  The campaign challenges consumers to “Eat like that guy you know”.

Kraft is hoping to grasp the attention of young men in their 20’s and 30’s.  They are repositioning their cheesy pasta as a quick and easy meal that is both delicious and easy for anyone to make.  The commercial features an “Average Joe” type male.  He works at the mall, and easily make Velveeta & Shells while on the job.

This ad strikes me as an alternative to another one of Kraft’s products, Easy Mac.  It seems as if they are presenting Velveeta and Shells as a more grown up version.  Easy Mac appears to be geared toward younger children and college students.  The market of 20-30 year old men is a segment that has not been aggressively targeted before, and I think this ad will do well in capturing the attention of the intended consumers.

via https://twitter.com/RitaDynan/status/239803022664953856