Beam Inc.’s Canadian Club Whiskey has launched a digital campaign in the U.S. that introduces a new character spokesperson, the “Canadian Club Chairman.” The “Join the Club” campaign, with creative by the Brooklyn Brothers agency, currently includes four videos featuring the “chairman” -- a distinguished older man who offers brand-history information and advice (“Whisky Whisdoms”) to younger men interested in being initiated into whisky culture, and CC in particular. In the videos, the “chairman” compares his first CC whisky drink to noticing his first chest hair, and says that he drinks CC when he eats bacon (which is “all five food groups”), as well as when he’s consuming 73-ounce Porterhouse steaks. One video explains that CC was bootleggers’ preferred brand during the U.S. prohibition era. Messages include: “Never send a beer to do a whisky’s job”; “Everything in moderation -- except bacon”; and “Drafts are best suited to fantasy football -- order a Canadian Club Whisky.” Consumers are being encouraged to submit their own “Whisky Whisdoms” and get access to “exclusive content, local event invites and wisdom” by joining The CC Club on Facebook. In Canada, the videos began airing as TV spots, as well as on digital, starting earlier this month, reports the GreatAds blog.
When it comes to online reputation, auto dealers are no different than any other business, be they hotels or plumbers -- or individuals for that matter: treat them right and your virtues are amplified online; give one person a crappy experience and the world will know. And with social media channels, that’s true now more than ever. Car and truck shoppers have been using the Web for years to get a fix on the vehicles they are considering, and to compare the short list. But now they are using online resources to select dealers, both on review/research sites and increasingly, on social media. The percentage of consumers now doing their automotive shopping using the Web has reached 80 and among them one-third use ratings/review sites like Edmunds.com, KKB or TrueCar when selecting a dealer, per the new J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study. “For years, new-vehicle buyers have accessed the Internet to research model information, vehicle features, configurations and pricing,” said Chris Sutton, senior director of the automotive retail practice at J.D. Power and Associates, in a statement. “Now, neutral online ratings/review sites are playing a key role in dealer selection. Whether the online reviews are positive or negative, they impact buyers’ willingness to visit a dealer.” The study, from surveys of 31,386 buyers who purchased or leased their new vehicle in May, also shows that although new-vehicle buyers still favor ratings/review sites rather than social networks to select a dealer, satisfaction with the dealership experience is significantly higher among new-vehicle buyers who use the latter. That makes it particularly important for dealers to play nice. “That’s the power of the network,” said Sutton. “New-vehicle buyers are using the Internet to read the reviews and recommendations of other buyers who have experience with a particular dealer, so it would be prudent for dealers to ensure their customers have had a satisfying experience, given their influence on prospective customers.” The study shows that males favor ratings/review sites, while females are significantly more likely to consult social networking sites. Both genders are equally likely to visit blogs, forums, or social networking sites (7% each); however, females post considerably more positive online statements regarding their dealer experience compared with males. Eighty-six percent of comments by the later are “mostly positive” vs. 77% of comments by men. Among luxury brands, Lexus ranks highest for a second consecutive year. Next are Infiniti and Cadillac. The biggest improvements are for Infiniti, which moved the brand from eighth last year. Among mass-market brands Mini ranks highest for a third consecutive year, followed by Buick and GMC. Honda improved the most among mass-market brands moving from 12th in 2011 to eighth this year.
Condom maker Durex will donate one of the products for every person who gets involved in its #1Share1Condom social media campaign leading up to World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. The new global initiative, which will run from Nov. 26 until Dec. 1, will use Twitter and Facebook to generate awareness about the need for prevention education in order to help decrease transmission rates. To reflect the 2.5 million people infected with HIV in 2011, Durex is joining forces with HIV-prevention organizations on a global scale to help drive the mission of the first HIV-free generation and has symbolically set its condom donation target at 2.5 million, which it hopes to reach by the end of World AIDS Day. Condoms will go to global and local HIV charities. Durex will donate one condom for every consumer who Tweets a message about HIV and AIDS using the #1share1condom hashtag, or Shares the Durex World AIDS Day image or video found on the Durex Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DurexUSA) “Durex is committed to improving knowledge and understanding of HIV and to raise awareness of how to prevent HIV transmission,” commented Kevin Harshaw, marketing director of personal care at Durex parent Reckitt Benckiser, in a statement. “We’ve supported the fight against HIV over the years, mainly through local projects. This year, we have decided to use our global market presence to create an initiative that will get the world talking and sharing.” The site shows real-time tweets of people who have donated. Another much smaller condom brand -- Boulder, Colo.-based Sir Richard’s -- last year did a program in which the brand donated a condom to a developing country for every one they sold. An interesting aside: according to Mintel, the recession actually boosted sales of condoms because young adults postponed marriage and childbirth during the down economy. The firm says “value-added” condoms (extra thin or with various other bells and whistles) have driven growth in recent years. Mintel expects such products will continue to do so.
The InterContinental Hotels Group’s Holiday Inn brand is the first major hotel brand to launch a travel app for Windows 8 -- the newest version of the Windows operating platform for a variety of PCs and tablet devices. The new app allows guests to find and book rooms at any Holiday Inn hotel, as well as at the more than 4,500 IHG hotels worldwide, including the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites brands. Through the app's tile on the Start screen, guests can directly search for hotels; see property photo galleries and descriptions; and view existing reservations. Priority Club Rewards members also can view their status and check their points balance. "Holiday Inn has transformed the hospitality industry with its innovative and modern approach to guest services, and has a rich heritage of firsts in the industry, so it was a natural fit for our first app for Windows 8 to be rolled out with this industry-leading brand," said Michael Menis, vice president, Web and interactive marketing, IHG, in a release. The app is available for free download from the Windows Store. The new app aims to build upon IHG's success in developing innovative, consumer-facing technology that facilitates guests' access to e-commerce tools for hotel stays. "Developing an easy-to-use e-commerce app furthers our commitment to identifying and leveraging emerging technology to drive satisfaction for our guests, while optimizing revenue delivery for our hotels," Menis added. In 2011, the Priority Club Rewards app for Windows Phone was introduced as yet another first for the hotel industry on a Microsoft platform. Apps for IHG's existing hotel brands and Priority Club Rewards loyalty program are also available for iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, and Kindle Fire. The hotel group is promoting the app on its Web site, on Twitter and Facebook.
Ford has launched a campaign for the new Fusion sedan that brings the car out of a block of concrete, with laser beams assisting, all to a recitation of the poem "The Rose that Grew from Concrete," by the late Tupac Shakur. The TV, radio and Web campaign, via Uniworld Group, is directed at African-Americans, and stars Andre Royo of HBO's "The Wire." Digital elements include a series of web videos in which Ford product-development team members talk about the vehicle's design. The Web videos are also on the Ford Fusion YouTube channel and Ford Fusion Facebook page. The TV ad, on BET, TV One and NBA on TNT, has Royo strolling into an open abandoned atrium, with a set of weird laser guns. Lots of cool sci-fi effects ensue, with the car emerging as a concrete sculpture that becomes real. The print ads are in Essence and Jet. Says Shawn Thompson, Ford multicultural marketing manager: "The campaign was inspired more by the poem than the artist, because there is strong connection between the image of the rose that grew from concrete, and the idea of breaking through." She adds that this idea aligns with the general market creative around the "Go Further" tag. Those ads suggest that Fusion stands out from the mid-sized crowd, as it shows traffic jams of cars vanishing, as they are replaced by one car, the Fusion. Thompson says the “Rose” ad has gotten 14,000 views so far, "and we really haven't pushed it.” The TV ad is in :60 and :30 versions, and, per Thompson, will run for the next nine months, with extensions into experiential programs. During the summer, she says, Ford was title sponsor of Steve Harvey's Ford Hoodie Awards, “where we gave a Fusion to a community leader. This Monday is another contest on the Steve Harvey radio hour, and more to come," she says. The effort also includes a digital component on BET's social-media room. "We are definitely going to focus on experiential," says Thompson, adding that upcoming programs will include partnerships with Tom Joyner, and other personalities. "We are negotiating those right now." The agency and Ford's multicultural division are also continuing programs around Focus and Escape. The Uniworld-helmed general market campaign for the latter won an Association of National Advertisers Multicultural ad award this year.
Talking about their work-hard, play-hard lifestyle, Keith Richards has expressed more than once his amazement that he and his Rolling Stones bandmates are still alive. The observation could just as easily apply to the remarkable longevity of the band itself, which is playing a handful of concerts in London and the U.S. in the remaining weeks of this year -- their 50th as The Rolling Stones. “You can't get away from that number,” Richards told The New York Times about the milestone. Unlike most other bands that formed in the 1960s, which have either broken apart or lost relevance, the Stones remain an extraordinarily powerful cultural and musical force. The upcoming shows coincide with the release of a new CD, “Grrr!”; a documentary on HBO; and a retrospective of the band’s films and videos at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Let's face it: The Rolling Stones aren't just a band, they're a brand in the same pantheon as Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz and Chanel. In fact, they’re downright respectable, to borrow one of their song titles. How so? My 1-year-old son has a "Sticky Fingers" onesie. I kid you not. To appreciate how far they've come, consider that 50 years ago, it would have occurred to nobody to refer to a rock band as a "brand." If anything, the Stones were an anti-brand because they were thought of as antisocial. If you want to know what I’m talking about, watch the Albert Maysles documentary “Gimme Shelter,” about a 1969 concert in Altamont, CA. The Hell’s Angels were hired to provide "security," and during the Stones’ performance, one of the bikers stabbed to death a member of the audience. On a side note, there isn't a logo anywhere in sight throughout the film. When is the last time you attended a concert without sponsored signage plastered everywhere? Better yet, when is the last time you attended a Rolling Stones concert that was devoid of brand images and logos? Interestingly, the band’s first manager deliberately positioned them as the “dangerous,” “forbidden” alternative to The Beatles, and up until the last decade, the band members more than lived up to the concept. Many other musicians who were once thought rebellious -- Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Bob Marley -- have softer images when viewed in the light of nostalgia. They, unfortunately, are no longer with us. More than their peers, however, the Stones personified the spirit of rebellion among the youth generation in the 1960s and 1970s, in part, because their music was dark (“Sympathy for the Devil”), overtly sexual (“Let's Spend the Night Together”), and their lyrics sometimes contained violent imagery (“Gimme Shelter,” “Midnight Rambler”). The new single, “Doom and Gloom,” contains all three of those elements. The band is nothing if not consistent. While the iconoclastic sound of the Rolling Stones is the main reason for their success, underneath all the rock mythology lies some very smart brand stewardship. They have existed in various forms for half a century and have top-of-mind awareness for not just baby-boomers but for that generation’s children and grandchildren. There are three brand tenets that the Rolling Stones, like all great brands, have practiced: 1. Adapt without losing your core. The Stones’ sound was built on blues, rock and country containing enough elasticity for wide appeal across decades. 2. Always deliver exceptional quality. The Stones work hard, consistently produce memorable tunes and have carefully controlled how their equity is used. Where their music is licensed has enhanced rather than diminished their brand. Keep in mind that Microsoft was still considered cool when it licensed “Start Me Up” to launch Windows 95. 3. Commit to omnipresence. For years, the band has used all available tools and the latest technology to market themselves and their product. Just last week [Nov. 20], the band launched a content-rich iOS app that also includes chances to win tickets to their remaining 2012 concerts. Come to think of it, is there a cooler brand logo than that of The Rolling Stones?
When it comes to launching innovative products and brands, the India market simply can't get them fast enough. With a growing population of employed consumers, there is newfound prosperity and a commensurate hunger for Western products that telegraph personal success and enable them to stand out in a crowd. Everyone is looking for small indulgences. For example, being "seen" buying and consuming branded bottles of favorite cold drinks in public or at the local market is a source of pride. These badges of affluence are attainable for the average consumer in India, and since Western brands represent quality and trust, their badge value is quite high. Success in this market is directly linked to how rapidly a company can introduce products. With new brands popping up everywhere, designers must learn to work in real-time: that means turning strategy on its head: rather than striving for perfection, it’s acceptable and expected to make mistakes and then change/fix them later. Prototype making in this environment is almost impossible because any delay or hesitation will leave the door open for a competitor. Unlike the U.S. market, the most striking difference is that the focus for the marketing team is on striving for success (as fast as possible) rather than using a more "cautious approach." Similar to China, in India there is an attitude that anything is possible. This "can do" spirit translates into a great platform for innovation and breeds a culture of "high risk equals high reward." Since innovation requires agility, the best marketing teams become entrepreneurial problem solvers every step of the way. Ultra-flexible, they are willing to try something new, and if it doesn’t work, quickly move on to a different idea. When a market/economy is exploding and consumers have more discretionary money to spend, risk is easier to manage. For example, when a multinational food and beverage corporation looked to introduce a new PET bottle design that would reflect one of their brand’s core expressions of excitement and activity, the design/innovation team created a distinct silhouette to give the bottle stronger shelf presence. Because the bottle serves to tell the brand’s story, the label was made considerably smaller to enhance the bolder structure. About halfway through the development, the brand team in India became so excited by the new look that they took the design and introduced it into the market, plastering it across advertising and signage. How to make the most of this exploding business environment? There are vast opportunities across the board for mainstream to luxury, and teams move so fast that there is little time for consumer research. Innovators must rely on a different set of tools: