newyorker:

Cartoon of the day. Don’t forget to enter this week’s caption contest: http://nyr.kr/r46had

(Source: newyorker.com)

The teaser for the Kia ad with model Adriana Lima in a barely there outfit waving a checkered flag wasn’t targeted towards me so I wasn’t enticed to pursue seeing the ad. However an Ad Week article titled Kia Throws Everything but the Kitchen Sink Into Super Bowl Ad, did entice me to see how ridiculous it was. Ad Week was right this ad was over the top. David & Goliath did the ad, and where do you take Kia after you’ve done singing and dancing hamsters? Their agency website does emphasize that they are all about being brave and wearing a helmet rather than a crown, which I think is commendable in an agency.

What I don’t find commendable about the ad is it comes across to me a commercial that had a big budget and they spent every penny of it. There is a creepy ‘sandman’ with magic dust, a woman with Fabio-esque model on a white horse, Mötley Crüe, Adriana Lima and a bevy of other beautiful models, and Chuck Liddell. Perhaps it’s the most testosterone filled ad I’ve seen in a while. I’m not impressed with it and feel like it could have been more creative than cliché, but as long as it makes Kia money at the end of the day is all that matters.

Apple has done it again! They have gotten a song stuck in my head. This has to have been the most catchy commercial I saw this holiday season. If I DVR’d a show I wouldn’t skip this commercial, I’d stop and watch it. That’s the power of Apple and TBWA\Chiat\Day they always knows what’s cool, what’s next, and what I want.

(after not being able to get the Tongue Tied song out of my head I had no choice but to buy it off of iTunes)

Website: Details About Doherty

Post 25

Political ads are not what they used to be. Herman’s Cain Now is the time for action! campaign ad is the second worst ad I’ve seen next to Mike Gravel Rock ad. I didn’t blog about this when it came out because I thought it would be the demise of Cain’s political career, but he only became stronger in the polls. I feel if I were to submit this as a project, I would at best receive a C and the comment would be ‘did you do this at the last minute?’

I don’t take Herman Cain seriously; his campaign looks more like a book tour than a run for the presidency. He does continue to poll well so who knows.  I’m just shocked that in an arena where even an excited yell can ruin your campaign, a la Howard Dean, I don’t see how a campaign manager smoking and a creepy smirk still keep you in the running? Not to mention the ad features the tacky song I Am America; it’s so ridiculous I just feel like Cain was trying to see how much he could get away with.

I’m not saying that Rick Perry’s all-American ad was much better, but at least it looked like someone took more than 3 hours to make the commercial from start to finish. Television is so vital to the success of a candidate. Nixon sweating during the debate put Kennedy in the White House, and President Johnson’s Daisy ad kept him in the White House. It’s only the beginning of the long race to the White House for the Republican candidates, I just hope to see better ads along the way.

life:

Today marks the 10th anniversary of George Harrison’s death.

Here, a look at the life of the ‘quiet Beatle’, which was cut short by cancer when he was only 58.

Post 24

In the midst of all the emails flooding my inbox about Black Friday/ Cyber Monday deal there was a peculiars one that stood out. An email from the New York Times (NYT) about a Cyber Monday deal for a price reduction for their online subscription. Never would I have imagined a news organization using the tricks of retailers to up its numbers into the black, especially a prestigious organization like the New York Times. I know that newspapers have been struggling but so have luxury brands and you don’t see Chanel offering Black Friday sales.

A couple of weeks ago I watched the documentary Page One, which is about the New York Times having to adapt to newspapers dying and the rise of the Internet. The documentary happens right around when WikiLeaks started making headlines. Unlike the days of Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, people do not need the New York Times to release information for them now. Sources like WikiLeaks and the rise of social networking and blogging give a voice to anyone with an Internet connection. Because sharing news has become much cheaper and much more available newspapers have been dying out.

I think part of the problem is newspapers were like Kodak and in denial about the change. I think New York Times has a great website and a phenomenal mobile app, but I think they were too late to start charging people. More importantly they were not making up for lost advertising income in the paper with online advertising. They are still paying the price for that now.

I don’t know if originally companies like Kodak and organizations like New York Times thought that everything going digital was a temporary trend instead of the way of the future. The NYT is vital to our democracy and its ability to function properly. The issues that bloggers and pop-up news organizations like Gawker more often than not come from established news organization like NYT. Without the investigative journalism from organizations that pay the salaries of journalists there will be a severe lack of facts being reported and news will be reduced to the uninformed opinions of the bloggers. 

Post 23

Full disclosure: I see Walmart as a necessary evil in America. Walmart doesn’t allow workers to unionize and often runs small businesses out of business when it comes into a town. However it is largest employer in the United States and it has low prices, which is invaluable for people on a tight budget. Walmart’s image was further tarnished with the release of the website People of Walmart highlighting the most unsavory shoppers at the stores. Walmart is been working hard to change there image for a while and has included more eco friendly products and was recognized by first lady Michelle Obama when they introduced organics to their grocery section; making healthy food options available to the masses. More than that Walmart has made great strides in their online and mobile presence.

Walmart’s Black Friday deals caused an employee to be trampled to death, and a woman to use pepper spray on another customer. But what if you can’t find the product you want and you aren’t willing to mace another shopper for it? That is where Twitter, Facebook, and the mobile app pick up the slack. Throughout all of the holiday shopping season, shoppers are encouraged to tweet their questions Twitter with the hash tag #WalmartElves. This allows for Walmart to give real time responses to users in store issues. Walmart also wants to make sure that you’re getting the best deal which is why there is also the Twitter account Walmart Specials, which posts great prices on products they carry. Walmart Specials has more Twitter followers than the Walmart Twitter account. Shoppers can also follow their local store on Twitter to hear about specials specific to their store.

If the product can’t be located in the store than order you can it on your iPhone, Android, or iPad. In addition to making a shopping list on the mobile app (with features like scanning barcodes of products, voice recognition, and searching Walmart’s database to find the product you desire) if you can’t find what’s on your list in the store you can instantly add it to your cart. Add the product, pay on your mobile device, and receive free shipping if you pick it up in the store. This way not only does the customer not have to pay for shipping, but it also gets him/her back into the store.

After you’ve been in the store, Walmart wants to hear about your experience. You could tweet your experience or give direct feedback on the mobile app, but Facebook is the best forum for this. The Facebook page allows followers to post questions, an idea, report a problem, or give praise. All the comments are posted but you can also go to the separate sections. The Walmart Facebook is almost like a second website for the store, it has so many features: Holiday Giving-to make donations to charities, Feedback, Local Ads, Meal Solutions- viewers send in their meal solutions and then they make the best submissions, you can sent a gift card over Facebook, etc.

All of these changes Walmart has made increase its customer service and transparency.  I’m still not on the Walmart bandwagon, but I was impressed with the features and the ease of use that the mobile app had. I think the Facebook page feedback is commendable. I also like the dialogue Walmart creates on Twitter. I might disagree with their business practices but Walmart deserves credit for the changes and making strides in the right direction.

Post 22

On Thanksgiving for many families it is tradition to welcome football. Though professional football, not college football will be on the screen today, it is hard for me to think of football without the disgusting Jerry Sandusky entering the picture. Besides the heinous crimes brave victims have stepped forward to report, the other unsettling thing about this story is how many people have covered this up and looked the other way. I have to ask did they turn a blind eye because they lack morality or because they were protecting something bigger than Sandusky? Were they protecting the Penn State brand? I’m all for building a brand, but not at the expense of a child.

It seems everyone was notified of Sandusky’s statutory sodomy except the police. At first I thought that as a society we must have lost our moral compass if we weren’t reporting child rape to the police. It wasn’t as if these acts were insinuated, they were witnessed. Then as I read more it begins to feel less about loss of morality and more about protecting the Penn State/Paterno brand.  Victim 1 stepped forward in spring 2008 then in 2009 Pennsylvania attorney general begins the investigation. I find it odd that it has taken 2 years to bring this to light. Also the outraged reaction of Paterno rightfully being fired, and reporters first question to the school being “who will coach on Saturday”, and the university not allowing police records to be released paint Penn State as caring more about its brand than doing the right thing.

One potential reason that the case has taken so long to move forward is that even the judges in county are too involved with Sandusky, his charity and Penn State. Reuters reported this week that the trial is being delayed, and “All of the judges in Penn State’s home county have now recused themselves from the case against Sandusky, the state courts system said.” Reuters also reports, “The judge who released Sandusky on unsecured bail was removed from the case after it was discovered she had donated to, and volunteered for, Sandusky’s Second Mile charity.” Who knows how deep this story truly runs?

I’m not an invested football fan but I see that Penn State football is like the Catholic Church of Pennsylvania with Joe Paterno is the Pope and Sandusky is a priest (the comparisons between the institutions are intentional). I don’t believe all of Penn State supported the actions of Sandusky; I’m sure the majority are as disgusted as I am. I understand that there can be bad apples in the bunch but that doesn’t mean the whole barrel rotten. However when the people at the top choose to protect the institution instead of do the right thing, it does taint the brand. Paterno and the university will have this stain on their legacy. As for disgusting Sandusky hopefully whatever justice occurs will bring the victims and their families some peace.

npr:

(via Double Take ‘Toons: Happy Thanksgiving! : NPR)

Post 21

Gone are the day when cash ruled everything, a la 1994 Wu-Tang Clan classic C.R.E.A.M (Cash Rules Everything Around Me), are gone and now plastic reigns supreme. Back in July the New York Times reported that, “Production of $5 bills also dropped to the lowest level in 30 years. And for the first time in that period, the Treasury Department did not print any $10 bills.” The article went on to say that most people only use cash for things like tipping, paying the babysitter, and at small businesses that only take cash, “Many small businesses — estimates range from one-third to half — won’t accept plastic.” But that might all be changing.

Square, introduced a year ago, has been revolutionary for small businesses. Now transactions can be made on a iPhone, Android, or iPad. The small square card reader is plugged into the headphone jack, and the app on the device is all that’s needed. Instead of having to purchase a traditional credit card processor that requires installation, a contract, operating fees and a charge per transaction, the Square simplifies the process. Square cuts the cost with only a 2.75% transaction fee, the app is free, and the square is $9.95. Last year around $2 billion in sales were done on Square, working out to about 55,000,000 for Square.  With less people carrying cash Square’s innovation gives new opportunities to small businesses. 

(Source: jockohomo)

Post 20

Adele was discovered on MySpace and Justin Bieber on YouTube; two of the most successful artists rose to fame on the Internet. With the rise of the Internet and the ease of sharing music has changed the landscape of the music industry. An artist’s success used to lie heavily on promotion from their label and the radio DJs who gave them airtime, but now with free mixtapes and YouTube videos posted online the fan base can be built without the radio.

My first blog post was about Odd Future, a group that rose to fame on the Internet. Leading member of the group Tyler the Creator beat out Wiz Khalifa for MTV’s Best New Artist at the Video Music Awards. Tyler the Creator’s album Goblin sold 45,000 copies its first week, where as Wiz Khalifa’s album Rolling Papers sold 197,000 copies. The dedicated fans of Tyler were the ones who helped him win the award, not his record sales. Both Tyler and Wiz released free mixtapes online and built a following. The commercial quality of Wiz Khalifa helped him sell more records, but Tyler the Creator built a cult like following. This new business model of releasing music online to attract fans and a potential record deal seems like a blessing for the industry and a curse.

What prompted me thinking about this was the New York Times article For Some, Free Music Is an Investment That Pays Off. The article discussed the release of Mac Miller, Wale, and J.Cole’s albums, which receive strong first week sale, in great part, do to the success from offering free mixtapes online. They have their fan base before they have a record deal. However the problem is that their second week sales significantly drop, sometimes to only a quarter of what the first week sales were. These artists are hot, but will they burn out too quickly?

Adele and Justin Bieber do receive heavy radio play where as a majority of these mixtape artists do not. As much as the Internet is taking over music, a broad audience won’t necessarily be exposed to new artists music online. Tyler the Creator’s music isn’t radio friendly so he hardly receives any airtime, and I believe that has greatly affected his record sales. The Internet can be so specialized that it won’t push you out of your box and expose you to something new, lessening chances for a broader fan base. The jury is still out on whether music artists Internet success will trump traditional radio success, but as for now I’m going to say radio is still ahead.

Poster by Shepard Fairey

Post 19

The Occupy Wall Street movement is still in effect, though I’m beginning to wonder how much longer it will last? With the holiday season right around the corner police are breaking up camps and so the docile protester are back in the news. As I watched police break up Occupy Portland I did begin to wonder is Occupy Portland really creating change or just a mess in the park? Same in Eugene, the protestors were on the University of Oregon campus, we aren’t the 1% you’re trying to disrupt; neither are the people at the Saturday Market. I don’t know if they see the locations as recruiting centers or what. I support the cause, and believe that there needs to be a revolution in how our government functions, but I think this gets back to real estate 101 location, location, location.

The location is everything. Actually occupying Wall Street, that disrupts the 1%, that gets Washington’s attention.  I believe that the private sector is out of control and that the government is the only force that can rein them in. To occupy Wall Street, which is the center of the corruption, the housing market collapse, and greed means something. Showing support around the country sends a strong message, but on the smaller scale of occupying a Portland park, that doesn’t have the same effect.

I fear there will be backlash from residents of Portland who are part of the 99% because they are mad they have to pay for clean up of the parks being occupied. It’s not the private sector that is paying to clean up the mess; it’s the 99%. Is park clean-up a small price to pay, or are demonstrators are just stubbing their own toes?

I like Shepard Fairey’s Occupy Hope poster, but I think the greatest discrepancy is that it’s the President Obama, not Congress, that can create the change we wish to see. Congress passes bills to create new jobs. Congress had to approve the bailout before the President could. And Congress will be the one who creates the legislation that regulates the banking industry. Yes, President Obama would be responsible for signing the legislation into law, but he does not create it.

That is my concern with Occupy Wall Street, is the entire movement on the same page and moving in the same direction? If they aren’t then I don’t believe the 1% will hear their message. Everyone is watching but change won’t happen until everyone is listening.   

Post  18

I must say I’m a fan of orbit gum. I choose it at the checkout line to be my gum of choice. I favor Sweetmint and Bubblemint. I love gum and I also BBDO Energy Chicago’s campaign for Orbit Mist. I must confess that I did not know what made Orbit Mist unique; from looking at the ad I assume it was either refreshing or mouthwatering. I trusted the knowledgeable and candy crazed blogger at Candy Addict to give me the low down on this gum. It appears the gum is flavorful and hydrating (hence the umbrella)

I’m glad the gum lived up to the hype what makes me want to try this gum is that amazing umbrella skirt. I was completely mesmerized when I saw that skirt because I wish I could wear it. Other incarnations of the ad includes a mop dress meant to look like a flappers dress, and a man in a plastic raincoat style suit. The umbrella skirt looks like something off Project Runway or a couture line; it’s innovative. I’m not as crazy about the bodice; but then again BBDO Energy is in the advertising industry, not fashion industry.