I’ve been getting religious gifts in the mail. And I can’t make them stop. Saint medals. Holy cards. Rosaries. Even a Mother’s Day card that I sent to my mom. You see, I sent this charitable organization a donation because of the first gift they sent me (and because they truly do wonderful things for the poor), and that was it. I’m on the LIST. And I keep getting STUFF. It’s brilliant marketing. They know me. They know I have a severe case of Catholic guilt syndrome and that if they give me something I use (i.e. the card), I’ll feel bad if I don’t send a donation.

Kudos to the targeted CRM program of this nonprofit! The gifts get my attention, so I read their letters, which always pull at my heartstrings…and my pocketbook.

It’s sort of annoying when you’re a cause marketing expert and you know exactly what they’re doing, but you succumb anyway. Care to fess up on any annoyingly effective cause marketing tactics you’ve fallen for?

On July 1of 1963, the U.S. Postal Service implemented the Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP) code as a technique to expedite mail delivery across the nation.  The coding system was invented by Robert Moon, who submitted the idea back in 1944 while working as a postal inspector.  The Postal System will only give him credit for the first three digits - which relates to a general region of the country.  The last two digits that in essence carve out smaller geographies was a shared endeavor and credit goes to a “committee” of smarties. 

But not only did Mr. Moon contribute to the efficiency of the postal system, he also gave a helping hand to marketers.  Zip codes are often used as a way to identify particular market segments and advertise to them accordingly.  Which segment are you?  You can find out the top segments in your zip code by going to the following link and going to the “Zip Code Look-up” Tab:

Click Here:

When you woke up this morning, did you think of all of the possible ways you could be injured?  …and then think of all of the things you could do to prevent that?

No one ever expects to lose their life when they head out in the morning, but too many people do not take proper precautions to ensure their safety.  Due to the lack of general knowledge of preventable injuries a community was designed to raise awareness, transform attitudes, and ultimately change behaviors in an effort to significantly reduce the number – and severity – of such injuries.

The Community Against Preventable Injuries has launched a new multimedia campaign with the help of Wasserman & Partners for the Province of British Columbia focused on making viewers aware of their safety.

The PSAs in this campaign are very matter-of-fact and use blunt honesty to shock viewers into questioning their own precautions (or lack there of).  With taglines like “You’re not expecting to need a helmet today” and “You’re probably not expecting to drown today” being placed on bike racks or towels left on the beach, these ads are sure to catch some attention and at the very least, make viewers discuss the unique ad they saw while walking through town today with family and friends.

What do you think?  Will this help lower the over 1,000 preventable injuries that happen per day in BC?  Is it a helpful reminder or just plain depressing?

Have you ever used the Internet to search for medical information?  Maybe even self-diagnosed yourself with a an ill-fated disease based on one of your symptoms (c’mon, fess up)?  If you have been online searching for health-related data, welcome to the majority of the population.  Sixty-one percent of Americans use the Internet to access health information - up from 25% back in 2000 (source: PewInternet).  But, who is most likely to be searching on the Internet for medical information?  According to PRIZM, a leading market segmentation tool, the PRIZM cluster most likely to be found listening to a health-related podcast, going to a medical website, and/or reading a blog or physician reviews is the nation’s most elite segment – The Upper Crust.  A little bit about Upper Crust:  their age range is between 45-64 and median HH income is about $114,000.  They read the Wall Street Journal, Economist, and Forbes.  They listen to NPR and ESPN radio.  They watch tennis, golf, and horse racing.  Think of Henry Higgins from My Fair Lady – but American and with Internet access.  And if he had the latter, perhaps he’d spend more time focusing on his health and less time trying to change Ms. Doolittle.  I happen to find her Cockney twang endearing. 

A&E is rolling out the new series called Hammer Time this Sunday.  I know what you are saying…Oh my goodness not MC Hammer with a reality show.  Yes it’s true!  And I know that what you’re saying is not what you’re really thinking!  Everyone loved Hammer – or at least secretly loved him.
Well to introduce the Hammer family to the nation, A&E has been really smart by doing a high frequency campaign that included plenty of Social Media such as this extremely fun viral video below…

The video (that received over 900,000 hits this week) is not the only part of this roll out campaign.  Hammer is on Twitter…and it’s labeled as Twittertime (too funny), aerial banners, text messages, staged phone calls, radio along with radio interviews and more. 

Does all of this make you want to dance like Hammer (as seen on the video)?  If so the campaign is working…so that means you have to tune in this Sunday to learn the typewriter!

Each year Brogan & Partners Convergence Marketing publishes a tongue-n-cheek, just-for-laughs political sticker book that is distributed at the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Mackinac Island Leadership Conference.  Polisticks has become a sought after commodity. This year was no exception.  I made it as far as the Arnold ferry dock before someone asked, “Where’s the book?”.  Which of course caused me to chuckle as I slid the little red booklet, which smelled like freshly printed paper, out of my bag.  At that moment the laughs began and didn’t end until the drive home three days later.

See for yourself why conference attendees can’t wait to get their hot little hands these nuggets of comedic wisdom (or not).  Click on the image to see a larger version.

So my tween-age daughters and I were watching a show on our DVR and they wanted to rewind and play over and over one of the new Sprint spots. You know the one with the facts and figures about how many people are doing what with their phones and from where. They find the spots fascinating. And so do I. So I started thinking about why that is. Sure, we are a voyeuristic, tabloid, reality TV society, so knowing other people’s business is fascinating. But it makes me feel a little behind too. Like I’m ahead of the cyber curve when it comes to most forty-something moms in my neighborhood, yet I don’t have a Kindle or stream Pandora from a bus. The spots really made me want to ditch my old tiny Blackberry and trade up to something where internet is seamless. Sprint’s campaign is a kick in the pants and is redefining keeping up with the Jones. The Cyber Jones have moved in. What do you think? Are you keeping up with the Cyber Jones? Are you behind? Or do you even care?

You know you’re not supposed to open the door to strangers. You know it’s a dangerous world out there where there are bad things going on. Deviants, pervs, smarmy, sicko guys with insinuating voices and lame stories just wanting you to let your guard down and invite them into your house. They prey on your best qualities to be kind, helpful. Oh? Car trouble? Oh.  

You can track the train of thought the creative team had and it is so good. Hmm. Bugs are creepy. Bugs give me the creeps. Bugs are creeps!!! And so, the knock on the door and who is on the porch? A huge cockroach. And he’s just got the lamest cock-and-bull story about what happened to his car and could he use your…”oh, is that oak?” he asks gesturing toward the floor. (My favorite touch in the whole thing.) He has a voice no one in their right mind would believe. The homeowner doesn’t seem to believe what he’s seeing. Ewwwww. And fortunately, Orkin is on the spot with solutions, protection. The creep is driven off. Well, he drives off. 

It’s all so improbable and yet you get it. You’re right there with it. It’s a great, fun, memorable, creative reminder that you don’t want creepy things in your house.

Orkin could have opted to explain its methods and the damage and the trouble and expense infestations can put you through. That they’re the biggest or best bug killers around. They don’t drone <smile> on and on. You get a look at their thoroughness. They imprint their name well. And they make you smile. People like doing business with likeable people. What about you? Does a light touch or fun scare you off?  Or are you up for a great, big, right idea?

I previously discussed whether or not iPhone applications should be considered a new form of advertising. This blog post focused on the many positive qualities of iPhone apps as advertisements, but it overlooked one issue that affects the amount of people that are exposed to them. If a consumer does not have an iPhone or an iTouch, they do not have access to applications at all.

Kraft Food realized this limitation within their mobile strategy and decided to focus on extending its reach towards any mobile phone with an Internet connection. With the help of Phonevalley they are now offering Kraft recipes on the go via a mobile destination. This site has the same features as the iFood Assistant App [access to over 7000 recipes, interactive shopping lists and recipe e-mail capabilities] but has a much broader potential consumer range.

The question that has begun to arise is whether or not a simple website on your phone can prove to be just as appealing as a hip application. Considering that a mobile destination is free for consumers, one would think traffic would be more likely to flow in that direction, but it isn’t going to flow there on its own. In my opinion, the reason iPhone apps are so successful is because of the mainstream advertising push. If mobile destinations received just as much airtime and publicity, the branding really could be more successful.

Are mobile destinations a more effective form of marketing than iPhone apps of the same capabilities? Well that depends on who’s doing the campaign.

The creative gang bang. Don’t fret, it is nothing that would land me in a sexual harassment lawsuit. It is a Darwinian approach, common at most agencies, where the best work rises to the top through creative team (writer/art director) competition. Only now, with the proliferation of the internet, the concept is going global. Clients can post their creative brief and creatives do the assignment pro bono hoping they can win a grand or so for their time and effort. Is this a good idea? For a one-off, perhaps. Or for clients who have no relative brand identity. Or for clients that burn through agencies because they hate trusting anyone besides themselves. But while a former art director partner of mine is worried about the ramifications of such trends, this creative director is not. Great work comes from great relationships. Shared passion for the brand. Greater insight working together from strategy to focus groups to production. I would think clients would want an agency who was 100% invested and cared about the work working, the phone ringing, the web hits rising. And I’m glad I work at that kind of agency. So if you want to work with us, we’ll pitch you some great ideas. But we won’t pitch them through the internet.

What kind of marketing partner do you want?

Here’s a site that does a world of good. You’ll see. I get daily reminders to click to fund free mammograms for women who can’t afford to get them. I do. And then I stay to click a few more boxes.

A friend just sent me this address to fund free food donated every day to abused and neglected animals. It’s the same site. Different cause.  http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

You’ll see there are lots of advertisers on the page. That’s how come your ‘donation’ is free when you click on the purple box.

You’ll also see along the top of the page tabs and a chance to click on the free mammogram site, a rainforest site, a literacy site, children’s health and a hunger site. Each page has many advertisers that support these efforts. There’s also information about how the funds get used, how the site works, so on.  All they ask of you is that you click on the box so your view is counted. All it costs is a few seconds of your time.

It’s simple, fast, great. This makes it easy to give and give every day.

When I got this, my friend asked me to pass it along to some friends. I just did. Will you? Include me too.

As you know, there are several hundred different iPhone applications available.  You can do anything from managing your expenses to drinking a pretend beer and swinging around a light saber.  With all of the fun new ways to engage the population, it was only a matter of time until advertisers decided to capitalize on the craze.

The latest brand to hop on the iPhone app bandwagon is Baskin Robbins.  In an attempt to launch their soft ice cream nationally they have decided to create a ‘Yay Button’ app in addition to their TV campaign.  It is designed to help consumers find the nearest Baskin Robbins location using the GPS in their phone.

Other brand apps have already proved to be very successful.  The Kraft ‘iFood Assistant’ made the Top 100 Apps list and gets to not only market itself in the app, but also the many other brands under that name such as Oreo, DiGiorno, Planters and Miracle Whip by incorporating those products into the included recipes.

 With other brands such as Budweiser, Ralph Lauren, Weight Watchers and Chanel paving the way, it seems that we may have effectively found a new way of advertising that is not only innovative and cost efficient for the advertiser, but the consumer enjoys it enough to actually pay for it!  The success of these campaigns begs the question… is this a smarter way rather than the traditional banner and pop-up ads we currently see during the application runtime?