Kid Rock rides Harley-Davidson, and now it's vice versa via a partnership that puts the Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker on the road behind the star's national tour. Harley is title sponsor of Kid Rock's "Rebel Soul" tour, which kicked off Feb. 2 in Kansas City. The company is putting products and experiences on the ground at each of the 60 planned tour stops, and themed "Rebel Soul" apparel at concerts and dealerships. While Harley-Davidson won't go as far as having its logo behind the pop music polymath's performances, Rock is -- at each concert -- riding a Street Bob model onto the stage. And at the final stop on the tour, on Aug. 31, Kid Rock will perform at Harley-Davidson's 110th anniversary concert in Milwaukee. There are several activations around the deal: there's a sweepstakes where, at each concert, someone has a chance to join the band on stage for a song, via registration at a Harley-Davidson Display Area at each venue; a national promotion dangles a factory-customized Harley motorcycle and the opportunity to play onstage with Rock at the 110th Anniversary show in Milwaukee (for that you have to go to www.h-d.com/kidrock. The winner gets to travel, with VIP treatment, to the 110th anniversary, a meet-and-greet, and a photo shoot with Rock; and there's a co-branded line of apparel bearing the Kid Rock concert theme, "I can't hear you over the rumble of my freedom." Scott Beck, Harley-Davidson general manager, North America Marketing Operations, says that although the brand has had a lot of celebrity partnerships over the years, they have been incidental -- celebrities who happen to ride the brand and extoll its virtues. "It has been mostly organic and fed through love and appreciation of of brand. We saw a larger opportunity here. Harley-Davidson fits with Kid Rock's brand, so we saw we could take it up a notch." Beck also says the deal came about easily because the company had a relationship with Rock already, and has had its motorcycles in his videos in the past. "We have had a partnership with him for a long time," he says, adding that the other appeal for the artist is that he has crossover appeal. "He blends country, hip hop and rock ’n’ roll, and our ownership base also crosses the entire spectrum." The timing is good because Rock has an album coming out. Apparel is also a big part of Harley-Davidson marketing, notes Beck. "T-shirts are huge for us, so it makes sense to align something that we are good at anyway." In addition to selling these at concert venues (and at retail) Harley will have experiential programs like its "Jump Start," basically a stationary motorcycle that runs on a dyno and lets "riders" get the feel of riding and spin through gears. "We will also have bikes on display."
Editor's Note: This week, Marketing Daily brings you exclusive coverage of the Brand Keys 2013 Customer Loyalty Engagement Index (CLEI). Each day, expect a full report on key product/services categories from among the 54 surveyed for this year’s study, including automotive, electronics, retail and technology. This second installment covers electronics, telecommunications and entertainment. Move over, Apple -- there’s a new brand dominating loyalty in the world of consumer electronics. Samsung, which has scored well in previous years, is now the leader in most of the categories in which it competes (as measured by Brand Keys’ 2013 Consumer Loyalty Engagement Index). The Korean electronics giant comes out on top of the laptop computer (tied with Apple), flat-screen TV and smartphone categories, and was number two among home printers and tablets. “This is a big turnaround,” Robert Passikoff, Brand Keys founder and president, tells Marketing Daily. “Samsung was always strong, but this is a bit of a switchover. It was a surprise. I guess it shouldn’t have been. I’ve been watching their advertising, and I thought it was really good.” Indeed, particularly in the mobile world, Samsung’s advertising has been attention-getting for all the right reasons. A campaign that ran last year, tagged “The Next Big Thing,” poked fun at Apple acolytes who lined up in advance of a new device’s release despite having fewer features than Samsung’s Galaxy Series. Last fall, as Apple was introducing the iPhone 5, one of the commercials featured a Samsung user holding a spot in line for his Baby Boomer parents. That message has particular resonance as Samsung positions itself as the “anti-Apple,” Passikoff says. “I think they’re making real inroads,” he says. “I think [some of it] is the technology. But a lot of it has to do with how they’re positioning themselves in the marketplace, [particularly for] the younger marketplace.” Even more bad news for Apple, the company that basically invented the modern tablet category isn’t the leader among tablets anymore, either. That category is led by Amazon’s Kindle Fire, indicating that some consumers may be replacing their simple e-readers with a device whose primary purpose is still an e-reader, but has some tablet features, at a price lower than an iPad. “That’s exactly where Amazon has hit Apple this year,” Passikoff says, “brand value and integration.” Yet Apple acolytes needn’t fret. The brand is still tops among laptops (tied with Samsung) and is number two in the smartphone and tablet categories. Apple also ranks number three among e-readers, although the iPad is not primarily designed for that use. One brand that may want to start worrying, however, is Sony. The brand that once dominated consumer electronics is now starting to wither. Sony’s Vaio laptop is a number three (behind leaders Apple and Samsung and Asus and Toshiba, which tied for second). Its flat-screen televisions were third (behind Samsung and Vizio) and its e-reader was fifth. Sony may be hurt by the overall contraction among the consumer electronics categories. With so many devices pulling double duty (phones taking pictures, for instance), many categories previously tracked by Brand Keys were dropped this year. Sony still has a presence in many of these categories, (feature phones, Blu-ray players, digital point-and-shoot cameras and digital SLR cameras), although perhaps little brand loyalty, Passikoff says. “Even though the categories are still viable for brands, you’ve got brands within the category that are starting to lose their ‘brand-ness,’” he says. “I think Sony’s one of them.” The changes in technological trends also affected previously tracked entertainment brands as well. Brand Keys is also no longer tracking movie rental or video-streaming sites, either. Among telecommunications companies, AT&T topped the list, although it’s hard for any company to meet the “extraordinarily high” expectations consumers have for their wireless providers, Passikoff notes. “A lot of people bitch and moan about AT&T, but if you look at their retention rates, they have the highest levels in the category,” he says. “The fact is, when it comes to real numbers that [we use to] say what are people doing, they’re sticking with AT&T.”
That naughty Mr. Peanut is at it again. This time, the iconic Planters brand character is starring in three humorously sexy Valentine’s Day video e-cards designed for fans to share with their honeys. All of the video e-cards -- available Feb. 1 through Feb. 28 through a “Keep That Heart Pumping” app on Mr. Peanut’s Facebook page -- are personalized with the sender’s name. One gives the option of pulling a photo of the recipient into the video, and another posts a message from Mr. Peanut on the recipient’s Facebook wall. Those who create and send a card -- as well as recipients -- are rewarded with a $1 coupon for Planters nuts. Two of the videos show Mr. Peanut reclining in front of a fireplace (in one, he’s garbed in heart-print briefs, reaching out to his “sugar” via a new camera phone; in the other, he’s embracing a picture frame, where the recipient’s photo can be featured). In the third, Mr. P “bares it all.” Well, actually, his lower peanut region is covered by a big, red bow. All three videos feature sexy background music with vocals by a deep-voiced male singer (reminiscent of a certain now-deceased disco/soul star, although Planters reports that the singer is “in-house talent”). All three videos also end with a “Keep That Heart Pumpin’” script message signed by Mr. Peanut. That message alludes not just to the cutely provocative Valentine’s Day video content, but also to an accompanying theme of the campaign, created by TBWA/Being. February is National Heart Health Month, and Planters wants to remind folks that the unsalted and lightly salted varieties of Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts are a healthy snack that have earned the American Heart Association’s “heart healthy” Heart Check Food Certification, says Ken Padgett, senior associate brand manager for Planters. He also points out that the Food and Drug Administration allows peanuts (among other nut products) to make a qualified health claim in their advertising/packaging noting that scientific evidence suggests (but does not prove) that eating 1.5 ounces a day of most nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Planters is confident that the more than 500,000 existing Mr. Peanut Facebook-page fans will drive significant sharing of the video e-cards, says Padgett. However, to prime the pump (so to speak), Planters is also promoting the e-cards and accompanying coupon offer via targeted ads on Facebook and other online channels. The ads drive consumers to the “Get Your Heart Pumping” app.
The final results are in, and Budweiser's "Brotherhood" ad featuring its iconic Clydesdales was indeed the most effective ad of the Super Bowl, according to Ace Metrix. The 60-second spot achieved an Ace Score of 665. Mountain View, Calif.-based Ace Metrix measures 500 consumers who watch and score each ad across a variety of standardized metrics. In addition to the ubiquitous Clydesdale spot, Anheuser-Busch debuted three-and-a-half minutes of new ad creative, including spots for Anheuser-Busch's two newest brands, Budweiser Black Crown and Beck's Sapphire -- both of which made their national TV debut. Bud Light, the official beer sponsor of the NFL, premiered two 60-second ads, "Journey" and "Lucky Chair." The ads are the culmination of the brand's successful "Superstitious" campaign, which portrays the traditions and rituals NFL fans employ to help their teams win. Both ads are set in New Orleans, tying the creative closely to the Super Bowl. The creative agency for these spots is Translation. The "Brotherhood" spot chronicles the bond a Clydesdale foal shares with his trainer. It was partially shot at Warm Springs Ranch, a 300-plus acre farm near Boonville, Mo., home to many of the Clydesdales. This is the Clydesdale's 23rd Super Bowl spot since first appearing in a big game spot in 1986. With two thirty-second ads -- "Coronation" and "Celebration" -- Budweiser Black Crown made a splash during this year's game. In fact, Budweiser Black Crown was in the A1 position with Coronation" -- it was the first commercial to air following kickoff. Anomaly is the creative agency for Budweiser and Budweiser Black Crown's ads. Beck's Sapphire, which debuted on New Year's Eve, made its Super Bowl advertising debut with a 30-second ad, "Serenade." The ad celebrates Beck's Sapphire's sleek, one-of-a-kind black bottle, and features a surprise admirer that is mesmerized by its beauty. The creative agency for Beck's Sapphire's ad is Mother.
Outcast Media has been looking at the "ungettables." This is the media company's catchword for people who aren't big media consumers, who are young, middle class-plus, and have a penchant for owning several vehicles including hybrids, and like luxury autos. They tend to get their purchase ideas from friends rather than ads. And -- no surprise here -- as Outcast is a gas-pump and health-club media company, they aren't averse to getting ads on the go (at the pump ... at health clubs). But before we throw out the data as stuffed animals being sold by the vet, there are some interesting stats. The firm says this cohort comprises people ages 18 to 54 in the top 25 DMAs who have a household income of $50,000 or higher. They drive 8,000 more miles than the average, and are 50% male (and 50% female). And they report having seen video at gas stations in past six months. Fifty-five percent of this group, per Outcast, owns at least two cars versus 37% of general population, which means a 47% higher multi-car ownership rate. Twelve percent owns luxury vehicles, which is triple the general population, per the firm. The "ungettables" might be "ungettable" because they are also peripatetic, at least on wheels. About three-quarter of the firm's respondents said they are always busy and on the go. And over half said they are an influence on their friends and family when it comes to automotive decisions, which is 77% more than the general population. And, Outcast says, 60% of these ungettables -- 84% more than than the ratio for the general population -- want to buy high-end auto brands; they spend, on average, $28,000 on their vehicle, which the firm says is 43% more than the general population. They have a propensity to buy alternative-powertrain vehicles purported to be good for the planet, according to the firm's data. Forty-seven percent say that they are likely to buy/lease a hybrid/EV in the future, which would be 68% more likely than general population. They buy 7.8 vehicles over their lifetime, versus 5.8 for the general population, and spend $415 on monthly payments -- 31% more than general population. The media firm says about three-quarters of respondents aver that auto ads are a good fit at the gas station, and are 52% more receptive to the auto advertising because they are with their car and in a relevant setting.
They didn't win the Brand Bowl. Nor did they steal the No. 1 spot for USA Today's Ad Meter. But Oreo certainly stood out when it came to social TV integration. For those who missed the game, Oreo had two big social plays. First, they were the only advertiser to incorporate Instagram into their spot -- and really, to encourage true user-generated content: they invited viewers to submit Instagram photos, which they then turned into sculptures made of either creme or cookies. The result? 36,000 Instagram followers, and some impressive cultural artifacts, to boot. Their second -- and probably most buzz-generating -- win was a tweeted image that, within minutes of the already-infamous blackout, read: “You can still dunk in the dark.” Current retweet count: 14,439 -- and climbing. In the midst of the most tweeted-about moment, they broke through the noise and grabbed both reach and engagement (and praise). What can we learn from Oreo's impressive success? 1. Think assets, not just attention. As Bonin Bough alluded to in an article before the ad's debut, Oreo was looking to rethink the “…30 second TV spot not only as a creative end-point, but also as a creative starting point.” Oreo didn't just air a spot with a fleeting hashtag -- it gained followers for its just-launched Instagram channel; it created artifacts that can continue to be tweeted and shared; it built a platform that can grow and evolve over time. The ad, and their real-time responses, were investments -- not merely one-time, attention-grabbing plays. 2. The second screen isn’t second fiddle (and neither is the third or fourth, either, for that matter). Hashtags are the lifeblood of real-time, post-first-screen social engagement. Yet they're often attached as an afterthought. Oreo took a different approach. They leveraged their #cremethis and #cookiethis hashtags as drivers of social content co-creation, not friendly passengers along for the digital ride. Was the implementation perfect? Perhaps not. The call-to-action toward the end of the commercial could have used a little more clarity and explicit direction. But that's beside the point: Oreo made their TV creative the conduit for a multiscreen engagement experience. (So did Old Spice's “Smell Like a Man, Man” campaign, for that matter.) And the brand invested heavily in real-time, in-game content creation on both Twitter and Instagram. This is a trend that's here to stay, and more marketers would do well to capitalize on it. 3. Be ready to react in real-time. Really. “Real-time” is a term we throw around a lot these days. And it's an important one. But there's real-time as concept, and then there's real-time as practice. On game day, Oreo demonstrated the latter. According to this BuzzFeed article, Oreo and its agency 360i had all the right people in the room to approve content quickly. Agency creatives, brand executives, and presumably, social media managers (and perhaps legal and other stakeholders) were all ready to act at a moment's notice. And they did -- 14,439 retweets later, I'm sure they don't regret the decision. Because Oreo didn’t see the second screen as secondary, they invested time and money into real-time content creation -- and, along with other savvy, quick-thinking brands like Audi and VW, reaped the benefits as a result. Thinking about the bigger picture One way to look at Oreo's win is that they capitalized on a broader spectrum of content, from planned (the 30-second spot) to planned and reactive (the Instagram responses) to fully reactive (the blackout tweet). When brands capitalize on the full spectrum of content, they can truly reap the benefits that an opportunity like social TV -- especially on a night like the Super Bowl -- presents. So when you're thinking about your brand marketing strategy for 2013, don't separate campaign components into unnecessarily disconnected compartments. Instead, think about your different pieces of content -- and the different screens upon which they will appear -- as part of one integrated ecosystem. Each tactic has its own important purpose. Each can, when seen in an interconnected context, contribute to broader business- and brand-building goals. Then, when your full strategy comes together -- when you're executing great first-screen creative, and multi-screen social engagement, and real-time, culturally relevant content -- you might feel like you've just won the Super Bowl.