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New display ad units achieve rising stardom

Posted by Jodi Harris on March 1st, 2011 at 6:06 am

While most of the advertising industry seems to be looking to the bright, shiny mobile platform for revenue and engagement salvation,  there is a core contingent that realizes that it's better to fix the existing problems of reliable performers before abandoning them in favor of the next big thing.
This is one of the many reasons that some key players in online advertising have tasked themselves with returning the humble display ad to its former glory as a dependable, useful, and attention-grabbing mechanism for consumer outreach. And so at its 2011 Ecosystem conference, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) proudly announced the winners of its Rising Star competition -- an effort to promote new, more brand-friendly ad formats that will spur greater creativity, flexibility, and scalability in the display market.
At the announcement presentation, Quentin George, chief digital officer at MediaBrands, got right to the heart of the problem that exists with currently available ad units: "The next million consumers coming online [will do so] on a mobile device. The ecosystem we've created does not translate there," he said. These new units aim to develop a new class of ad units that can scale, and have the functionality and capabilities that brand advertisers... Read more

Posted in Ad Serving | 1 Comment »

If you can't earn your traffic, steal it!

Posted by Jodi Harris on February 17th, 2011 at 8:25 pm

When Chrysler aired its Super Bowl spot where Eminem declared his love for all things Detroit, the car company had a buzz-worthy hit on its hands. But unfortunately, the company lost out to General Motors when it came to capitalizing on that fan favorite.
Quickly realizing the power of the Chrysler ad, GM marketing chief Joel Ewanick roused his troops to bid on the keywords, "imported from Detroit," according to The Wall Street Journal. So anyone who conducted a Google search for this phrase would see a paid search ad from Chevrolet as the first link.
Though GM got its fair share of success from its own game-day spots (including one with the cast of the television show "Glee"), the company certainly benefited from its slick strategy of stealing some of  Chrysler's thunder.  Ewanick also bought other search phrases, including “Darth Vader,” in attempt to capitalize on Volkswagens' must-see Darth Vader spot.
"We did the right thing to ride the wave,” Ewanick said. “Someone said, 'Gee, they did better than us.' But we did better because of them."
As I discussed in my last post, even the most wildly popular Super Bowl ads need to have a plan in place for extending their ads' branding value,... Read more

Posted in Creative Best Practices, Opinions, Social Media, Word of Mouth | No Comments »

What I hope Chevy does after the Super Bowl

Posted by Jodi Harris on February 4th, 2011 at 11:05 pm

It's taken long enough, but a handful of marketers are finally starting to embrace available opportunities for  bringing their Super Bowl spends into the digital age.
This year, we'll see the first Twitter hashtag in a Super Bowl ad (at least, according to Audi's claim), and many more companies are avoiding a "techie" foul by building sites, Facebook Pages, and mobile experiences that extend the value of their $3 million investments.
This year, Chevy is among the brands that are  getting a jump on the competition by releasing its five game-day spots in advance, on its Facebook Page and on its nicely-skinned-for-the-occasion YouTube channel. Most of the spots are cute, and a few are even pretty funny (though the Chevy-turned-Transformer wreaking havoc on an auto dealership during an open-to-the-public event could be viewed as a bit insensitive, post-Tucson).  But one, in particular, stood out for me, not necessarily for its humor or innovation, but rather for how well its concept would lend itself to ongoing, social-driven branding value.
Take a look at the Silverado spot, Tommy:
Mischievous Tommy finds himself in all sorts of predicaments, but fortunately, the Silverado can save the day, by helping dad pull him out of a well, haul boulders... Read more

Posted in Creative Best Practices, Social Media | No Comments »

Kevin Smith goes rogue, goes social, and goes for broke

Posted by Jodi Harris on January 26th, 2011 at 11:08 pm

Could "Silent Bob" be the new crowned prince of social media and marketing innovation? 
As a New Jersey native and former resident of Red Bank, N.J., I'm no stranger to the innovation and artistry of the area's favorite son, director Kevin Smith. His imaginative strategy for thrusting himself into the indie film spotlight, coupled with his humor and self-deprecating candor, have earned him a solid place in Hollywood -- and in the hearts of one of the most rabid fan bases in all of entertainment.
But even if he blows it all on his latest idea, I still think he'll have a solid career to fall back on -- that of a social media marketing strategist.

Smith has announced that he will self-distribute his new film, Red State, through an unconventional viral/social media marketing campaign. That's right. No studio, no expensive traditional media buys, and, perhaps, no turning back, as Smith has also vowed to leave directing behind and focus on creating a new, highly transparent  film distribution system that empowers outside-the-system filmmakers to tell their stories.
"When the costs of marketing and releasing a movie are four times that film's budget, it's apparent the traditional distribution mechanism is woefully out of touch with... Read more

Posted in Entertainment, Opinions, Social Media, Word of Mouth | No Comments »

Starbucks reinvents the pay-phone concept

Posted by Jodi Harris on January 19th, 2011 at 8:48 pm

You're already paying for your calls on your phone, and perhaps some of your other bills by phone. Now you can pay for your morning caffeine fix with your phone.

Starbucks announced today that it has enabled mobile payments at 6,800 of its stand-alone stores and 1,000 of its operations in Target stores through an app for use on the BlackBerry, iPhone and iPod Touch. The app payments are tied to Starbucks reward cards, and customers can also use the app to check their balances, reload their cards, and earn free drinks.
As the first truly mainstream brand to offer an option to pay for goods by swiping your mobile device across an in-store scanner, Starbucks is solidifying its reputation as an innovator when it comes to promoting both its products and its overall brand online.  Want to browse the web for free while you are checking the job boards in an overcaffeinated frenzy? Starbucks had you covered from the start. Got an idea for making Starbucks better? Let hem know about it on the My Starbucks Idea site. Want to get over 19 million Facebook users to "like" you? Take a Page from Starbucks.
Sure, not all their experiments have enjoyed the... Read more

Posted in Wireless | No Comments »

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