Cool Marketing Thoughts

This Mexican ad by Swedish wodka maker Absolut caused angry reactions in the United States.

The ad shows a map of North America as it was in 1830, when the Southwestern United States was still part of Mexico. The ad was created by a Mexican subsidiary of TBWA. When news of the campaign reached the US, reactions varied from “they shot themselves in the foot” to “an ethnic supremacy/nation-erasing campaign“. This poll from the Los Angeles Times which drew more than 50,000 responses, shows how the isssue has stirred emotions:

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Time for environmental action! The “Coalition for a Cyanide Free Romania” is a civil society initiative that was formed to support a legislative proposal to ban cyanide in mining in Romania. Its concerns are based on social, economic and environmental grounds. Obviously that is a cause worth mentioning, and I’ve been asked to contribute to the general buzz, which of course I will. The campaign kicked off with a few x-mas cards that have been sent around, and it was also supported by spreading the stickers below.

Agency: Next, Romania
Campaign website
Hugs for Andrei Chirica, PR coordinator

Christmas cards are added after the jump: Read the rest of this entry »

Waaaay better than a fine polished campaign that warns you of the consequences of drugs use during your night out, waaay better than a list of things that might happen and incredibly more powerful than a pointing finger or the Eye of God staring at you from a silly triangle with a message below it in the sense of ‘thy shallt not get stoned’… This image will appeal youngsters, it will show them how ugly they look and how it will definitely make some people realize this is NOT how they want to look like. I have no idea who came up with this or what it was used for, but if you put this in a toilet in a club, or even at the entrance, I think it will have an effect on many drugaholics.

Thanks, Dave

Arns sent me this image of a campaign that grabbed his attention. I too like the idea that has been executed here. Although some people don’t even look at traffic signs anymore, I do think this one will have a certain impact because of it’s simplicity. It’s not a shocking image, there’s no partial nudity or whatsoever, but it still transmits a clear and uncut message. No idea who created the campaign and where… but it’s a good one.

Thanks, Arns

Everyone makes phone calls and sends text messages every day. Imagine the profit a mobile operator makes would be exclusively used to sponsor ecological or social projects… wouldn’t that be a very cool USP?
Ello Mobile, a new mobile operator thinks so and has launched a campaign in which they announce that every cent of profit will be donated. It’s a Belgian project, but I think it could work in other countries as well. Flemish actress An Miller and actor Filip Peeters, both very well known in the Belgian TV and theater scene, have been asked to do a very simple teaser-campaign, they’re the brand ambassadors. There are some clips on YouTube directed by Jan Eelen to spread the word. Eelen has had a hand in practically every qualitative humoristic TV series Flanders has known for the last decade.

I really like the idea, and helping out for a good cause while you don’t have to change anything in your mobile behavior… that can only be good, I think.

The clips are in Dutch, but basically all the actors say is ‘call me’.

As a really cool surplus, check out this clip that wasn’t supposed to be released.

These two clips were made to create awareness around road safety. There’s a different approach for every clip. The first one is Danish and it’s in fact to promote wearing the seat belts, the other one is Irish and is to point out that you need to keep to the speed limits at any time because you can never predict what’s going to happen. Road safety is a very difficult topic to create awareness around because you need to change other people’s behavior, so there are not so many successful ways to do this. It’s pretty weird how people will only change their behavior when something bad has happened to them or to friends or family close to them. That’s why I think the approach in the second clip is the right one. The shock effect sucks you right into the story drama, it makes it personal and you feel instantly involved. It will make you think, and hopefully act accordingly. The first clip, even after seeing it several times, looks too much like an average stunt clip from a moron. It takes too long before any action occurs and even when it is occuring, it happens very deep in the scene. You, as a viewer, are not really involved because it happens so far away. The message in the first clip is: even stunt drivers need to wear seat belts. The message in the second clip is: if you can’t control your vehicle, very bad shit is going to happen. One way or the other, it’s all in the message and the way you bring it.

Video: World Record Two Wheel Driving [source]

Warning: this is a very, very graphical clip.

Video: Speeding [thanks, Arnaud]

I really like this ad for Unicef. It’s so simple and at the same time it makes such a powerful statement. This ad was made for the German branch of the Unicef foundation, to create awareness around the issue that 1.5 million children die every year from drinking polluted water. And that massive number is only the children! That’s like a sixth of my country’s entire population!

Thanks, Derrick

Advertising Agency: Serviceplan Hamburg, Germany
Creative Directors: Alex Schill, Axel Thomsen
Art Directors: Maik Kaehler, Till Diestel, Amelie Graalfs
Copywriter: Christoph Nann
Photographer: Joerg Kritzer
Published: March 2007
Credits via AdsOfTheWorld

On March 16th, Comic Relief - The Big One - raised a massive £40,236,142 million - the biggest ever total on a Red Nose Day night and the money is still pouring in! The mammoth seven hour show on BBC ONE, featured the biggest line up of presenters ever including Jonathan Ross, Russell Brand, Lenny Henry, Davina McCall, Graham Norton, Paul O’Grady, Fearne Cotton, Kate Thornton and Chris Evans, who was overwhelmed by the success of the show, saying ‘This is by far the most exciting Comic Relief night I’ve ever been to - it’s the best comedy ever’. One of the most memorable highlights was Ricky Gervais’ special ‘appeal film’ starring Sir Bob Geldof, Bono, Stephen Merchant, Jamie Oliver and Andi Peters. It’s brilliant :)

Video Link

Via Tales Of Drudgery & Boredom