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“Holy dancing queen, Batman!”

Chances are, if you are over the age of 13, you went to see a movie this weekend. It’s not just that The Dark Knight broke the majority of box office earning records; Hollywood made history by having its most successful weekend of all time bringing in $253 million for the top twelve movies.

Not only can Hollywood appeal to younger (and probably masculine) audiences, the second place movie, Mamma Mia, successfully targeted everyone who didn’t care to see Dark Knight.

Sure Mia’s weekend earnings of $27.6 million is no where near Dark Knight’s $155.34 million, but that still makes it the #247 movie in opening weekend history. Not bad, considering the way the two films were marketed entirely differently.

The marketing of both films not only gives us clues to their success but how to advertise to dissimilar demographics.

The Dark Knight’s aggressive viral marketing campaign began over a year ago with the website IbelieveinHarveyDent.com. The fictional website was set up for Gotham City’s district attorney. The website, along with nine others that came along, let fans participate in the hype by working for clues by calling phone numbers, emailing, and completing puzzles, apparently given to them by the Joker.

The first website, IbelieveinHarveyDent.com, eventually was “vandalized” by the Joker, complete with blood stains, faces drawn all over pictures of Harvey Dent, and “Ha ha” being scribbled all over the homepage.

Scavenger hunts were also set up all over the United States for fans to uncover clues to reveal a new photograph and audio clip of the Joker on the third website, RorysDeathKiss.com. One of the clues was a phone number written in the sky during last year’s San Diego Comic Con.

 

In the months leading up to its release, Dark Knight advertising got even more frantic. The Gotham News, a four-page newspaper set in Gotham City, was produced and mailed to various websites and magazines two months before the movie began.

Then, one week before the film release, the producers of the film pulled out all the stops. On Wednesday, July 10^th the “Citizens for Batman” group (a fake citizen action group that supports Batman) shined a huge bat signal on the Woolworth Building in New York City and the Sears Tower in Chicago.

Of course, another movie was promoting its way all the way to the box office: 3 million packages of Athenos Hummus, Pita Chips, Neo Classic Hummus and Feta Cheese varieties featured codes for free music downloads from the Mamma Mia movie soundtrack.

Well, clearly the two movies aren’t on the same level, but if we can take a guess and say that Mamma Mia appealed to older audiences, then it isn’t strange to assume that they don’t know how to use a computer.

Or, was the marketing itself tied to the films’ content?

You see, yours truly is uniquely suited to judge both of these films. On Friday night, after months of eager anticipation (like probably a lot of other 25 year old men), I went to see The Dark Knight. Then, unlike most men my age, I was dragged to Mamma Mia with my mother the next night.

Laugh it up. Ok, now to my point.

The Dark Knight was one of the most complex movies I have ever seen. It had so many plots and subplots going on that even after a lifetime of reading comics, I didn’t even know what was going to happen. Without giving too much away, I just have to say the film probably ends unexpectedly for most people. Walking out of the theatre, I was speechless. I wasn’t even sure what I thought about the film until a few days after I had processed everything.

Then, I went to see Mamma Mia. The basic plot is this: a girl, Sophie, grows up not knowing who her father is. So, she invites the three men who MIGHT be her father to her wedding to find out who it is. It never gets any more complicated than that.

So, the lesson I contrive from this is that if you have a complex movie, or product, market it with complex and challenging promotions; your audience will reward you for it. But, if you are marketing something Mamma Mia-level simple, throw your logo on a box of feta cheese and call it a day.

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So yesterday I purchased a patio set online. (Not during the working day OR using work computers, as that is not approved by company policy.) Rather unremarkable. Except for the fact that my purchase was promptly and automatically posted to my Facebook page. With my permission, I suppose. This is homage to the fact that many folks keep connected via social media. They share photos, events, activities and the minutia of their lives. As we social beings are wont to do. Instead of casual conversation around the water-cooler, people are staying connected in new and wider ways. No longer is proximity a requirement for intimacy. (Except, of course, for intimacy of a particular sort.) Now all my Facebook friends know I purchased a patio set (and more importantly FROM WHOM) and I didn’t even have to tell them myself.

How smart is Overstock.com to understand this way of communication and find a way that uses this social marketing tactic to market themselves? Very. As I said in my twitter comments… “my patio furniture purchase was posted to my Facebook page. Thank goodness I hadn’t purchased a vibrator.”

OK, I am at that awkward age… no right to be twittering or Facebooking. Old enough to remember marketing on a matchbook yet young enough to comment on marketing on my Facebook page.

So, do you like the patio set? Do you think I care?

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When Moosejaw sends me an e-blast, I get a smile on my face before I even open it – and I ALWAYS open it. That’s cuz they’re always so darn wacko. Like subject line: “Wear your bathing suit in and get 20% off all swimwear! Seriously.” I couldn’t help but read on that salespeople would be in boardshorts and bikinis (a fib), and to “be sure to use the coupon code ‘My Bikini is Invisible’ if you don’t feel like dressing up.”

Or the First Ever Moosejaw Rocks, Paper, Scissors Sale promising that if I win “3 times in a row, we will hold you in the highest esteem, tell stories about you for years to come and give you a 20% off coupon.” Or the Jenga Sale encouraging me to “run to your favorite Moosejaw Shop and see if you have the skills to take on the finest collection of Rocks, Paper, Scissors players ever assembled.”

The product is outdoor adventure. The brand experience is an adventure into offbeat, laid-back, hardcore fun. We feel it throughout the colorful, Caribou-like stores, complete with indy rock, warm lighting and thoroughly chilled-out, welcoming employees. And it’s expertly extended throughout all communications under the perfectly appropriate “Love the Madness” themeline. Somehow, the whole package makes me feel ok spending $499 on a North Face coat (not that I have).

Kudos to Moosejaw. After all, when’s the last time you savored an e-blast message? Check out their website at www.moosejaw.com to sign up for the e-blasts and let us know if you love the madness.

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Remember Kobe Bryant, the alleged rapist? Did you follow the very public charges, counter-charges, the trial in Colorado? That’s over.

Remember Kobe Bryant, the whiner? Fighting with Shaq. Fighting with Coach Phil Jackson. Bygones.

You don’t hear about that Kobe these days. He seems to have put those issues behind him. His new signature show from Nike, the Zoom Kobe III is selling well. In fact, he sold it out, on his website, within hours.

And that, right there, is part of the key to Kobe’s rebirth. His new website, in which he appears in a series of videos designed to give you the appearance of a likable Kobe appearing in costumes, being involved in the director’s chair and more. His new website, where he controls the message, where he controls the product distribution.

It’s the first time an athlete’s personal website has been used as a retailer of Nike products.

This is big. It’s bigger than Kobe’s image. It’s a sign of how easy it is to bypass traditional everything in your marketing. It feels like he’s giving you a sneak peek behind the curtain, even though it’s oh so carefully managed.

Is it working for Kobe? It’s hard not to like him when you watch him dunking in all those costumes.

But beyond that, the ramifications for all of us in terms of marketing best practices are significant…

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An article today in Advertising Age http://adage.com/article?article_id=125794 reports that “the owner of Georgi vodka says that he is in talks to put the derriere of former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s call girl on the backside of every bus in New York.”  The company that owns the US rights to the Georgi vodka brand reports that it is close to making a deal with Ashley Dupre.  They want to feature her as this year’s Georgi “butt girl” pinup that the brand places on city buses and taxis.

Wow.  On one hand, I admire the marketing balls.  Taking a controversial and timely issue and mating it with one’s brand.  On the other hand, I cannot shake the image of Spitzer’s obviously anguished wife and I cannot help but empathize with the pain his family must be enduring.

I can only conclude:  I am SO not the target audience for the Georgi vodka brand.  What do you think?  Who is the audience?  What are they supposed to think if this campaign ever sees the light of day?  Is this a legitimate liaison of marketing and current events or is it something sordid?  Where do you stand on this issue?

Photo Credit: Ashley Alexandra Dupre/Entertainment Pictures

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Longtime agency partner Scott Werner recently took the reins as Managing Partner here at Brogan. His move is part of our company’s practice of rotating the key position among top management. Werner takes over for Maria Marcotte who served as managing partner over the last year. Maria will continue her role as agency partner and chief operating officer.

Scott is now responsible for leading day-to-day operations and implementing strategy set forth by the Board of Directors, with support from the agency’s partners. He’ll report to the chairman on a daily basis and the Board of Directors quarterly. Scott personifies persistence and a tireless work ethic. In announcing his appointment recently, CEO Marcie Brogan mentioned that Scott started at Brogan 16 years ago as an unpaid intern fresh out of Eastern Michigan University.

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If you were one of the lucky recipients of February issue of Brogan & Partners 60 Second Impact – a free monthly e-newsletter that takes :60 or less to read (money back guaranteed) – you saw the article titled A Great Example of Social Media: BigThink.com For Big Ideas.  The article talked about a new social media site that offers visitors intellectual discussion on everything from faith and beliefs to science and technology.  Here’s their overview video.

No Facebook or YouTube wannabe.   According to BigThink, when you log in you get access to hundreds of hours of direct, unfiltered interviews with today’s leading thinkers, movers and shakers.   Although still in beta testing – a quick browse of the site shows contributions from various subject matter “experts”, not to mention paid ad links from presidential hopefuls Hilary Clinton and Mike Huckabee.  With about 60,000 visitors in January this online community seems to be steadily growing. If you’ve got BIG questions, BIG opinions, BIG concerns, BIG answers check out BigThink.com. And if you missed the BigThink article in our e-newsletter and don’t want to miss any other cutting edge ideas, products or helpful information sign up for the 60 Second Impact at Brogan.com.

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While my colleagues were all enjoying the Super Bowl (and mostly the cool commercials we all look forward to), I was enjoying the Hannah Montana 3-D concert movie! I’m sure the Super Bowl was the only reason I succeeded in getting these hot, “one week only” tickets for this can’t miss, mom-daughter experience.  Talk about marketing genius. Disney is maximizing the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus phemonenon to the max.

It’s simple marketing arithmetic. Illusion of High-Demand plus Narrow Target = Marketing Success. The target? Pre-teen/adolescent girls…and their MOMS! We love Hannah because she’s still wholesome. With all the crap on TV (’xcuse my French), we will pay the outrageous prices for sold-out concert tickets ($150 average), 3-D movie tickets ($15), $30 concert programs, $25 t-shirts, and monthly online fan club fees, because we think she’s a good role model for our daughters.

Disney works its magic with convergence marketing, hitting us from all channels – from the obvious Disney Channel to Bed, Bath & Beyond, to my daughter’s ring tones.

No surprise that Miley made the Forbes “Top 20 Earners Under 25″ list. I worry that she’s working too hard for a 15- year old. I worry she’ll turn into a Brittney or Lindsay.  I know that will be impossible while the Disney brand is behind her, but how I hope she’ll maintain her cute, genuine self as we and our daughters watch her grow up. If she’s smart, she’ll hold on to her parental target market as long as possible…as we’re what’s keeping her on the Forbe’s list.

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I flew Southwest Airlines from Raleigh to Los Angeles this week. It’s been a while since I flew the LUV airline. I’ve always admired them because of the way they understand what a brand is.

To paraphrase from “Brogan on Branding”:

A brand is not a logo. It is the totality of all thoughts and feelings that people associate with your organization.

Southwest gets that. A brand is a belief system, an experience, and it exists for better or worse regardless of your marketing. Marketing can and should support it, enhance it and promote it, but the organization has to live it.

One simple thing a flight attendant said brought it all back to me. Here’s basically what she said:

“We don’t have cleaning crews that pick-up between flights here at Southwest. It’s just the flight attendants. So if you could help us out and gather any trash in your area, we’ll come pick it up now. That will help us keep costs down and get the next flight out as quickly as possible.”

Wow. That’s so simple. Ask me nicely. Explain the benefits to me, and make it easy for me. And, best of all, be human.

That’s what Southwest always strives to be: human and efficient, plus fun.

THAT, my friends, is what branding is all about.

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Designer coffee doesn’t have to costs big bucks.  Well at least that’s the message Starbucks is sending by offering $1 cups of coffee as a “test” in Seattle.  Oh, and don’t forget the free refills.  This may be in response to McDonlald’s baristas.  Or is the highly trendy cappuccino, latte maker losing its designer edge?

According to Starbucks the test “is not indicative of any new business strategy.”  Well,whether they want to admit it or not, Starbucks is certainly feeling the steam from their latest coffee competitor.  They are losing ground and had better find a way to stay in the game otherwise it might spell the end of the road for coffee giant. In my last blog about the coffee wars, I asked for taste testers to try the new McDonald’s offerings and share their thoughts…the offer still stands.  If you’re out there, give us a yell. 

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There’s a science to pricing your product. No question about that. But most people join the race to the bottom, lowering their prices and competing on cost, when many should be considering raising their prices.

Now a new scientific study, “Marketing Actions Can Modulate Neural Representations of Experienced Pleasantness,” published in the prestigious (but poorly acronym’d) Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, says something marketers have longed to hear:

“If we believe the wine cost more, we truly believe it tastes better.”

Here’s what the researchers did. They gave 20 volunteers 5 sips of wine each. They told the volunteers the “price” of the wine and then measured the response of the pleasure centers in the brain.

The brain responded more favorably to the “higher priced” wine, even though each sip of the wine was the exact same Cabernet Sauvignon.

There are many anecdotal stories of increased prices correlating with increased perception of the value of the product. But this is the first study I’ve ever seen that shows the brain actually responding more favorable to the perceived luxury. As you can imagine, it’s getting lots of coverage.

This study is the latest (and perhaps most compelling) reason I’ve seen to re-evaluate how you sell, and what perception you trigger in someone’s brain when you’re willing to discount your services.

What do you think?

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I was listening to NPR on my way home last night. The story started with a statistic that grabbed my attention. Fully 66% of Americans are considered overweight. Humm, interesting. The market for big and tall men’s clothing is a $5billion dollar market. OK, that’s attention getting. The story went on to profile a company that is addressing this market. Trendy fashion designer Colossal Clothing  has partnered with America Apparel to manufacture, in Los Angeles, a stylish, high quality, well priced line of clothing for the big and tall market. Ahhh, a classic recipe for marketing success.

Now it gets interesting. The company is targeting the “Bear” market. A sports team? No, Bears are a subset of the gay community, known for their large waistlines, masculine physiques and “scruffy” appearance. Whoa! Now we’ve got us a marketing story! The estimated 1.4 million Bears in the U.S. have an average household income of $90,000. With gays, in general, known to be interested in men’s fashion and fiercely loyal to brands that understand and appeal to them, I have to conclude that Colossal Clothing is on to something.

This story has so many marketing lessons on so many levels. A thoughtfully designed line of products, made in the USA, smartly and cheerfully targeting an affluent, loyal and influential market. Access the full NPR story at http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/01/16/colossal_clothing/

Will Colossal Clothing make it big? What do you think?

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