Archive for the ‘People / Places’ Category

12 March 2010

Lawyers, Guns, and Coffee

by Rocky Prozeller

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All posts by Rocky Prozeller

Does Yosemite Sam enjoy the occasional shot of espresso? Perhaps, but as Starbucks recently learned fans of the Second Amendment sure do. The brewer of brown beverages found itself in the throes of a nationwide debate centered not on caffeine, but gun rights.

Does Yosemite Sam enjoy the occasional shot of espresso? Perhaps, but as Starbucks recently learned fans of the Second Amendment sure do. The brewer of brown beverages found itself in the throes of a nationwide debate centered not on caffeine, but gun rights.

After California Pizza Kitchen and Peet’s Coffee & Tea put a policy in place preventing people from packing heat on their hip when in stores, a gathering of gun-toting citizens were forced to find a new place to frequent—so they sauntered to Starbucks.

Legally, they’re allowed to lug their heavy metal in any of the 43 states which protect the principle; of course businesses bear the right to prohibit people from entering their establishment when wearing weapons—which represents the firepower behind the fracas.

Starbucks is staying centered, ignoring both the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence’s pleas to ban artillery at the bistro and OpenCarry.org’s overture calling for its 28,000 members to caffeinate there in a show of support.

Standing behind a belief that gun-control debate belongs in the legislatures and courts, Starbucks suggests adopting a policy of prohibition in states where it’s legal to roam with a revolver would place its employees in the untenable position of pushing law abiding customers out of stores—an unfair and potentially unsafe position.   

As we stand atop our virtual soapbox during these blog sessions, our solution usually starts with a simple adage: ask your customer. But is that a decaffeinated cup of caution in this case? Both sides sport ammunition in the form of numbers, so who does Starbucks select as a sounding board?

Ordering an opinion from Regular Joe is still justified. It’s the average customer (the many, many more who mind the middle of the argument) who matter most; uncovering their passion, or perhaps utter lack thereof, may provide a made-to-order PR solution. After all, finding an answer doesn’t have to be as difficult as dictating an order for a half double decaffeinated half-caf, with a shot of caramel. 

–

As you pull the trigger on the weekend make sure to get your fill of fun, but don’t forget to set those clocks accordingly on Sunday!

One Response to “Lawyers, Guns, and Coffee”

  1. Matt D. says:
    March 12, 2010 at 11:24 am

    How was I to know she was with the Russian’s brew? HOT!

    It is interesting to see an iconic corporation like Starbucks stuck between a glock and a hard place. Just for my personal amusement, I wish they would stop a second, put the frothed milk down, and take a stance…pro-guns or no-guns. Then other mega-moguls, like Mickey D’s, would be forced to stand up and declare their stances as well. At least then when I was ordering my non-fat, half soy, shaken, not-stirred double grande crappacino or my quadrouple-stacked, fake beef McCalorie patty, I would know if the dude next to me, who looked a little too angry about how much whipped cream they put on his drink, was packing heat or not. (Deep breath…exhale calmly…)

    You are totally right here though…all of us in the middle probably don’t care if Starbucks picks a side. But if I getted capped while frequenting their faux-groovy establishment…I will totally bitch about them not prohibiting firearms!

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12 March 2010

The Risk of Not Making Mistakes

by Bill Alberti

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Risk is a tricky concept. Business typically wants to limit, manage, or mitigate it. Eliminating risk altogether probably would be seen as the ultimate success (thank you, Six Sigma). But in life, most great things don’t come without some level of risk.

Getting married, having kids, quitting a job, taking a new one. Think of any of the biggest developments in your life or the broader world around you and I’d bet none of those happen without a fair amount of risk.

Risk is a tricky concept. Business typically wants to limit, manage, or mitigate it. Eliminating risk altogether probably would be seen as the ultimate success (thank you, Six Sigma). But in life, most great things don’t come without some level of risk.

Getting married, having kids, quitting a job, taking a new one. Think of any of the biggest developments in your life or the broader world around you and I’d bet none of those happen without a fair amount of risk.

However, from an early age we are taught to avoid risk. We understand that with risk comes mistakes. And mistakes can be painful. But making mistakes is also how we learn.

We aren’t born knowing that the square peg doesn’t fit into the round hole. We need to try it for ourselves. We experiment. We learn not only what doesn’t fit, we also learn what does. And in that process of learning we begin to see relationships—those between shapes and spaces, challenges and solutions, effort and satisfaction. More is learned from the time spent trying than if we got it all right on the first attempt.

But in business, mistakes mean more cost, more time, and lost opportunities. With the drive towards higher levels of productivity, higher margins, and more efficiency we don’t have room for mistakes.

Without that room, the ability of business to learn and grow is limited. Sure, companies can capitalize on incremental opportunities but they will miss the bigger breakthroughs because they didn’t see as many relationships, have as many experiences, or try as hard. They won’t learn as much from their mistakes, because they won’t make as many of them.

Companies need to create room for mistakes. To explore and try out stuff with their customers. To learn. And to do so faster, to get to the right solution sooner. When companies can make mistakes (ideally outside of the public eye) they can learn invaluable lessons from doing so and bring their customers better solutions because of it.

Risk isn’t that tricky of a concept if you think about it differently—not as the negative value of an event, but as a process capable of yielding positive, even breakthrough results. Make a practice of making mistakes. Create a private space in which to do so. Build a “learning agenda” for your company. And embrace risk. Because what’s true in life is true in business—most great things don’t happen without a fair amount of risk.

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9 March 2010

You Had Me at Happy Meal

by Jen Maltby

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All posts by Jen Maltby

It’s not easy for me to admit this, as I am not really known as the “emotional type,” but I need to get something off my chest…McDonald’s made me cry.

Allow me to explain:

It’s not easy for me to admit this, as I am not really known as the “emotional type,” but I need to get something off my chest…McDonald’s made me cry.

Allow me to explain:

It was a Saturday afternoon and my daughter and I were out running through my ever-growing list of errands when I realized that it was getting to be lunch time. I was too far from home to head there to satiate the persnickety cravings of a three-year-old, so I thought we should grab a quick bite on the road and the first thing that caught my eye was the “golden arches.”

Here’s the thing: I have never actually taken my daughter to McDonald’s before. There, I said it. I’m a vegetarian for crying out loud and I generally just don’t eat this kind of fast food. Hell, if I’m really honest, I didn’t really think I was a fast food kind of mom. I mean we buy organic and love Whole Foods, could I really take my daughter to McDonald’s? These thoughts rattled through my exhausted brain as I found my blinker turning on and my car cruising—as if being controlled by someone else—into the McDonald’s parking lot. With one click of the car seat buckle, I grabbed my daughter’s happy little hand and off we went.

Once inside, without a thought, I ordered my little lady a hamburger Happy Meal. The exact meal my mom had ordered for me close to 1 bazillion times before when I was a child. I got myself a milkshake (because, why wouldn’t I?) and we proceeded to a little corner table by the window. As my daughter tore into her bag with excitement and discovered not only French fries and a hamburger, but a toy surprise, she was absolutely GIDDY! She looked at me with such earnest three-year-old eyes and said, “I like this place momma, a LOT.”

That did it. Here come the waterworks. The feeling of nostalgia hit me like a tidal wave and I started to tear up like this was some sort of milestone moment in my daughter’s young life. I remember thinking, “What the hell is wrong with you lady, get it together!” But I couldn’t help but remember all the “special” meals I had at McDonald’s as a kid. All the affection I had for the brand that lay latent for 20 some odd years was back … with a vengeance.

Once I got myself together and my daughter happily gnawed on her tiny bag of fries, I started thinking about it. Why did I react this way? I guess it was a mixture of nostalgia, and a deep brand connection that caught me completely off guard. As a recovering member of the ad agency game, I couldn’t help but think if agencies could figure out how to harness this kind of connection with consumers it would be like uncovering the Holy freaking Grail. But it’s a tough nut to crack and it seems like there are really only a few iconic brands that will ever have permission to live on this kind of hallowed ground.

So what do you think, what brands do you find yourself most strongly connected to? But WAIT, before you answer, I would challenge you to skip the first few answers that come to mind and REALLY think about it. The answers might surprise you as much as McDonald’s surprised me.

3 Responses to “You Had Me at Happy Meal”

  1. Karen Barone says:
    March 10, 2010 at 8:44 am

    Moxie. I’m a Mainer and nothing makes me more nostalgic or emotional than a bright orange can of this..um…unusual drink. I’m not a soda drinker, but Moxie knocks me out. (Okay, I’m starting to mist up.) I’ve even got an old Moxie ad (featuring Sox great Ted Williams) in my kitchen.

  2. Alan says:
    March 11, 2010 at 7:46 am

    Great post for the Sally Field moment, the reasons why you reacted that way and the implications. I think that kind of latent brand connection is often just waiting to be tapped but we tend to let our rational side get in the way of the message.

    Although i don’t have any brands that I connect with that really surprise me, I feel a similar generational connection to both Friendly’s and Snyders of Hanover Pretzels. Friendly’s because of all the quick weeknight meals with my mom and siblings that always ended with a little sundae – and the way it makes my kids feel when we go now; Snyders because I used to sit and watch Mets games with my dad and munch a big noisy, crunchy box of Sourdough Hard pretzels and now I sit with my son and a bag to watch Sox games.

    Thanks for sharing your brand “moment.”

  3. Fred says:
    March 11, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    My heart flutters just thinking about Reese’s peanut butter cups. When I eat them, I actually get teary-eyed because they bring me to such a happy place. Furthermore, I eat them so sparingly due to their nutritionless benefits that upon immediate tongue contact, the sensation is euphoric.

    I immediately feel as if I’m in a safe place of the purest happiness and unconditional love and warmth. I actually own a Reese’s pillow – who wouldn’t want to let their head retire on the laurel of such sweetness?

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8 March 2010

Growth and Culture: “What’s it really like to work at Communispace?”

by James Bailey

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At a recent company-wide meeting, a long-time client summed up the unique culture at Communispace: “You have really achieved a culture here that most companies only dream of… don’t ever lose it.”

There are a number of rewards that I’ve experienced as an employee at Communispace, all of which help to feed our culture continuously. Working with more than 100 of the best and most innovative brands on the planet is one. So is being associated with a revolutionary concept in the market research landscape—one that was co-innovated by our CEO and first client over 10 years ago. Of course working alongside some of the most talented, hard working, and fun people I have ever met is a constant source of job satisfaction.

At a recent company-wide meeting, a long-time client summed up the unique culture at Communispace: “You have really achieved a culture here that most companies only dream of… don’t ever lose it.”

There are a number of rewards that I’ve experienced as an employee at Communispace, all of which help to feed our culture continuously. Working with more than 100 of the best and most innovative brands on the planet is one. So is being associated with a revolutionary concept in the market research landscape—one that was co-innovated by our CEO and first client over 10 years ago. Of course working alongside some of the most talented, hard working, and fun people I have ever met is a constant source of job satisfaction.

I get a real jolt of pride and job satisfaction out of telling people where I work. These days, Communispace carries name recognition as a great place to work, and I’m routinely asked by my peers how they can get their foot in the door.

The question I am asked most often is something like, “What’s it really like to work there?” or “Is it really as cool as it seems?” My answer is simple and true: What you see on the outside is exactly what you get on the inside. No hidden agendas, no debilitating politics—just hard working individuals passionate about being the best at what they do.

Yesterday’s article in The New York Times highlights one of the really innovative aspects of our culture here. The message of the story just makes it even easier to respond to those questions with deeper conviction. 

As you will see in the article, our growth is not inhibiting our culture at all. In fact, it continues to evolve daily.

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25 February 2010

A Cure for “Terminal Niceness” at Xerox

by Renee Piazza

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This past Sunday, I was derailed from my usual routine of bee-lining straight to the Modern Love column in The New York Times (by the front page of the business section), where the cover story read “Xerox’s New Chief Tries to Redefine Its Culture.”

Ursula Burns, who was appointed CEO this past July, describes an environment at Xerox where the employees are simply too nice to one another. She wants them to “become more fearless and be more frank and impatient with one another” to help the company grow.

This past Sunday, I was derailed from my usual routine of bee-lining straight to the Modern Love column in The New York Times (by the front page of the business section), where the cover story  read “Xerox’s New Chief Tries to Redefine Its Culture.”

Ursula Burns, who was appointed CEO this past July, describes an environment at Xerox where the employees are simply too nice to one another. She wants them to “become more fearless and be more frank and impatient with one another” to help the company grow.

Ms. Burns’ call for brutal honesty within her organization got me thinking—can Xerox’s 130,000 employees leverage anything we know at Communispace about building the kind of community that will cure Xerox’s internal positive bias? Here’s what I came up with:

1. Build intimacy.
Give Xerox employees a platform to be heard in a way that doesn’t make them feel like they are one of 130,000. Intimacy is what drives participation. For us, that means that a community of 500 members has better participation than, say, in a community of 2,000. With larger size comes increased anonymity, which means less engagement.

2. Talk to the same group of people over time.
Knowing what to ask is important, but knowing when to ask can be even more important. Our members become increasingly loyal about the companies who sponsor a community, and this makes them more honest over time. They become more committed to your success and stop being polite and when they feel you are committed to listening—and that you aren’t going away.

3. Close the loop.
Take listening one step further and close the loop. Tell them what you are doing with the information you heard, and how it is making a difference. This will make everyone feel that giving feedback—both good and bad—is a good use of their time.

4. Let your customers help.
Gather the customer stories—both the ones who’ve been loyal for years and the new ones you’ve acquired through Affiliated Computer Services—that will help open up the conversation. They are uniquely poised to keep everyone honest if you have the kind of relationship with them where they feel that you are truly listening.

And who knows—maybe in a few months the NYT headline will read something like “New Culture Redefines Xerox.”

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17 February 2010

Wavering Brand Loyalty: The Toyota Recall

by Mark Cohen

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When did Toyota stop taking its customers seriously? When did it stop listening to them? Why would a self-described Toyota loyalist even ask these questions? Bear with me for a few moments and I’ll explain why.

When did Toyota stop taking its customers seriously? When did it stop listening to them? Why would a self-described Toyota loyalist even ask these questions? Bear with me for a few moments and I’ll explain why.

My journey as a Toyota loyalist began at a young age. As a child I always knew my family could depend on our Corolla station wagon or hatchback to safely get us where we needed to go without any worries or drama. It’s hard to recall even one time when these cars let us down. (Well, maybe the time when one of my parents left the headlights on and drained the battery, but I don’t think that counts.) Even as a kid I remember admiring a company that seemed genuinely focused on making products of the highest quality—even its marketing seemed to take the high road and eschew negative mentions of other car brands.

Not surprisingly, when my significant other needed to replace his troublesome Pontiac, I strongly encouraged him to consider a Toyota. He saw the light, and for the past six years we’ve been driving a completely reliable Matrix which hasn’t let us down once. It seemed a given that our next car would be a Toyota (we’ve been coveting the Prius), but the recent recalls and Toyota’s handling of the situation have me questioning this choice and wondering what happened to the company I’ve admired for so long.

I guess part of me believes Toyota is a casualty of its own success. Like so many companies that grow large very quickly (perhaps too quickly?), it seems to have lost touch with reality and with its customers. Perhaps it even saw itself as immune to these types of problems. You can almost imagine company executives’ naïve disbelief at hearing news of the problems—this could NEVER happen at Toyota! It’s troubling to hear how customers’ concerns were initially ignored and how Toyota initially blamed the sudden acceleration problem on drivers. This type of behavior makes you wonder if besting the Big Three became more important than the brand’s pillars of quality, value, and reliability. I’d bet you that most Toyota owners could care less about the company’s ascendancy and simply want to know that their concerns matter—especially when it comes to safety.

Despite the recent recalls, I still have faith in the company—especially since I continue to experience the quality of its products on a nearly daily basis. I haven’t given up hope that Toyota will do some serious corporate soul-searching, review its priorities, and once again see the customer as its main stakeholder. After all, I still have my heart set on getting a gas-sipping Prius.

What are your experiences with the Toyota brand? How do you think Toyota has handled its recent quality problems? What, if anything, can it do to recover? A loyalist wants to know.

2 Responses to “Wavering Brand Loyalty: The Toyota Recall”

  1. Diane Mimmo says:
    February 19, 2010 at 8:33 am

    Great article! I am not a lifelong Toyota enthusiast, but the Venza and the Highlander are on my list of candidates for our next crossover/ SUV and these incidents have tipped me back in favor of the Honda products. Even with all the bad press, I don’t think they are in danger of losing customers to the Big Three- in my opinion they are still above and beyond in terms of quality…but maybe in danger of losing customers to other Japanese automakers.

  2. Sarav Chithambaram says:
    February 21, 2010 at 5:04 pm

    I agree the sentiments you penned in this article. As a long term Toyota loyalist, all my 3 cars I owned/own are Toyota, I am very disappointed. The way Toyota is dealing with the situation is not right. I had to bite my tongue and make a official complaint to NTSB about my 2010 prius. I feel Toyota should have taken ownership of the problem and done something better to preserve confidence in the brand. They missed the boat of telling their customers that they do care and go to any lengths to provide them a better experience. The previous Rav4 I owned for 10 years and it never failed on me. And I hope Toyota will do the same.. I can see lots of class action suits brewing in the background.

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12 February 2010

The Thrill Is Gone

by Rocky Prozeller

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While you worked last Friday, I moseyed to a movie matinee.

Boasting better than a billion bucks worth of worldwide sales, audiences flocked to ‘Avatar’ with force and it seemed time to follow. The flick, now favored among Oscar options for Best Picture (uncommon for the Sci-Fi category), proved an entertaining experience, fashionable 3D eyewear et al. Given relaxation was the reason for vacation, I decided to double-down and watch ‘Up’ (another Best Picture Oscar nomination nod) later that evening.

While you worked last Friday, I moseyed to a movie matinee.

Boasting better than a billion bucks worth of worldwide sales, audiences flocked to ‘Avatar’ with force and it seemed time to follow. The flick, now favored among Oscar options for Best Picture (uncommon for the Sci-Fi category), proved an entertaining experience, fashionable 3D eyewear et al. Given relaxation was the reason for vacation, I decided to double-down and watch ‘Up’ (another Best Picture Oscar nomination nod) later that evening.

Initially, the range in ‘Rocky Ratings’ was minor: both ranked as reasonably entertaining ways to spend some time. But as I contemplated clips and quips from both, my scale started to swing—‘Up’ soared as I lost connection to ‘Avatar.’

Fondness for devilishly clever details in ‘Up’ expanded the movie’s entertainment value; conversely, outrage over cheap copouts from its counterpart failed in forming a long-standing liking of ‘Avatar.’

As researchers we strive to monitor consumers’ opinions in the moment, intent on protecting the integrity of their insight by securing reactions before they have a chance to slip away. But doing so fails, in part, to procure a rounded reaction.

The missing metric is the linger level; understanding both the initial reaction AND the end result after the excitement wanes and we’re left with our more methodical opinion. Measurement at the point of purchase only captures a piece of the psychology involved in the decision making process. To gauge a truly accurate account we have to collect consumer feedback on a continuum, speaking with the consumer several times over an extended period.

After all, who among us hasn’t altered an opinion about a product we just brought home or an experience we engaged in after the rush resided? Think about it for a few days and get back to me.

–

As is custom, some sounds to send you sailing into the weekend in style; happy chocolate and flowers this 14th friends.

One Response to “The Thrill Is Gone”

  1. AHR says:
    February 21, 2010 at 11:20 am

    Ahhh… the psychology of it all! I make many snap decisions which I usually end up rescinding (or regretting). I am also swayed by other people’s opinions. Sometimes I can’t even tell which reaction is the authentic reaction. Great thought to focus on both.

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11 February 2010

Vancouver 2010: Snowboarding preview

by Mike Jennings

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Now that the Super Bowl is over, you may find yourself looking forward to the pageantry of the Winter Olympics. Here’s who and what to look for in snowboarding this year…

Now that the Super Bowl is over, you may find yourself looking forward to the pageantry of the Winter Olympics. Here’s who and what to look for in snowboarding this year…

  • Lindsey Jacobellis – In the Turin Olympics Lindsey went a little too big off the last jump in the snowboard cross final and it cost her the gold. Afterwards the U.S. press criticized her for showing off and letting her country down. Lindsey would later explain how snowboarding is supposed to be fun and how she wanted to match the enthusiasm of the crowd with a stylish finish. Makes sense to me. Let’s see if Lindsey can redeem her honor.
  • “The Flying Tomato” – All sports have those athletes that come along and not only dominate a sport but also change its direction. What Tiger Woods is (was?) to golf, Shaun White is to snowboarding. I just want to say that I personally rock his signature line of Burton apparel and yes, I snowboard better because of it.
  • The Double Cork – It’s hard to describe this controversial halfpipe maneuver, so you’re going to have to click here to see it for yourself. Invented by Shaun White, it was deemed necessary for unseating him in Vancouver, but after Kevin Pearce fell hard and into a coma trying it in training, some called for a ban by the International Olympic Committee. No official ruling as of yet, so we’ll have to wait to see what happens.
  • Torah Bright – I felt this Australian phenom got robbed when she finished 5th in the halfpipe finals at the Turin Games. Since then, she won gold at the 2007 and 2009 X Games and is a favorite in this year’s Olympics. However Torah had to pull out of the 2010 X Games after suffering two concussions in three days in January—adding fuel to the fire to eighty-six certain maneuvers in Vancouver. Reports say she’s recovered physically, but as I can attest, concussions come with psychological effects as well.

I don’t know where I stand on banning maneuvers at the Olympics. On the one hand, I don’t want a governing body capping the level of competition in snowboarding. On the other, I realize each year this level gets more and more dangerous. What do you think?

5 Responses to “Vancouver 2010: Snowboarding preview”

  1. Sandra Atlas says:
    February 11, 2010 at 6:18 am

    I tend to be conservative — so, I think that capping the competition can be a good thing, if it helps to saves lives and prevent traumatic injury. Sometimes, people will to do almost anything to make their statement to the world. Setting some reasonable limits might help to keep the sport safe and prevent devestating injury.

  2. Mike Jennings says:
    February 11, 2010 at 6:25 am

    I see your point, Sandra. To add to it, I wouldn’t want people tuning in with the hopes of seeing someone get hurt. That’s what the UFC is for!

  3. Adrian W. says:
    February 12, 2010 at 7:46 am

    Capping the competition would hurt the sport of snowboarding. These athletes are the best at what they do, they are Olympians. Why should any one tell them that they shouldn’t push the limits of their sport? They are not going to go out there and try a trick they have never done before just so they can hurt themselves and get on television. They practice these tricks. If there were a cap on the sport, it would hurt the sport because people would get bored of watching the same tricks over and over. I’m sorry to say, injuries are part of any sport. They don’t put a cap on football because someone gets hurt do they? If people tune in because they want to see someone get hurt, they have a sick mind. Some people watch NASCAR races just for the wrecks, and NASCAR is capped. They are capped because they have restrictor plate races where they limit their top speed. Let the sport take care of itself. If people get hurt, people get hurt. That is what happens in sports.

  4. Mike Jennings says:
    February 12, 2010 at 10:16 am

    Thanks, Adrian, for representing the other side. I agree, banning the double cork would definitely affect “the sport” of snowboarding, but snowboarding itself would continue to evolve. Even if Shaun White wasn’t allowed to do the move in the Olympics AND the X Games, he’d still do it and it would get captured on video for all to see and emulate. I don’t know, maybe we just need better helmets.

  5. Adrian W. says:
    February 16, 2010 at 12:59 pm

    I agree Mike, those little shells they call helmets don’t help much. Keep in mind though, no helmet is going to stop someone from breaking their neck and becoming paralyzed. You can’t prevent athletes from performing with lots of safety regulations and you can’t let them go out there and risk their lives. Every sport in the world could be safer in a way, it’s just a matter of finding that common ground where people can agree that it’s not too dangerous and that it doesn’t take too much away from the sport.

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5 February 2010

And the Best (Big) Picture Award Goes to…Pepsi

by Karen Barone

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I live for awards season. I love the Golden Globes, honestly believe the SAG Awards really do mean more, and [deep sigh] swoon over the Oscars. It is in the spirit of film awards, that I offer you some 2010 Super Brand Awards:

I live for awards season. I love the Golden Globes, honestly believe the SAG Awards really do mean more, and [deep sigh] swoon over the Oscars. It is in the spirit of film awards, that I offer you some 2010 Super Brand Awards:

Best Actor: Domino’s Pizza
I know that the idea to address consumer complaints in ads has been polarizing, but I’ve loved every minute. You’re advertising that you’ve changed; you’re listening to your consumers; you’re advertising that you’re listening. You’re so Meta—the Daniel Day-Lewis of pizza.

Best Supporting Actress: Diapers.com
You’re the new exemplar of online shopping. The selection! The free shipping! You’re the picture of flexibility, versatility, and consistency. You remind me of a young Amazon.com.

Best Director: The International Red Cross
Your “text ‘Haiti’ to 90999” campaign provided individuals an easy and affordable way to help victims of the earthquake. You harnessed the power of social media and of mobile devices to create change. Your work will be copied, but I doubt it could ever be out done.  Mmmmm… the “Avatar” of philanthropy. 

Best (Big) Picture: Pepsi
Kudos, Pepsi! When other, less innovative, brands are spending an exorbitant amount to advertise during the Super Bowl, you’ve made a bold move and decided to end your 23-year run as a big game advertiser. Instead you are using $20 million marketing dollars to listen to and better the lives of your customers. You’re the advertising equivalent of De Niro in ‘Raging Bull.’ Bravo!

One Response to “And the Best (Big) Picture Award Goes to…Pepsi”

  1. Rocky Prozeller says:
    February 8, 2010 at 11:46 am

    Despite distancing myself from the Oscars after the shameful decision to increase the number of nominated films for Best Picture from 5 to 10 (really, double?), I’d like to cast a vote for:

    Best Original Screenplay: Will It Blend by Blendtec – captured my heart with their crushing campaign of introducing a new ingredient (iPods, baseballs, video cameras and more) to their blender blog daily. http://www.blendtec.com/willitblend/

    Best Adapted Screenplay: Intel – the good folks of Intel have effectively given a personality to their inanimate product with their latest campaign. The ‘Our Rockstars Aren’t Like Your Rockstars’ series proved equally poignant in several mediums from TV to print, no simple task. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqLPHrCQr2I

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29 January 2010

The Source of Bauer’s Power

by Rocky Prozeller

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The following takes place between 9:00pm and 10:00pm.

Monday night means a Bauer power hour, a sixty minute stay in the land of make-believe following the FOX show, ‘24’. Engaging in our weekly espionage means moving lights to their “off switch” and a vow of silence from all sofas—a tradition eight years running.

The following takes place between 9:00pm and 10:00pm.

Monday night means a Bauer power hour, a sixty minute stay in the land of make-believe following the FOX show, ‘24’. Engaging in our weekly espionage means moving lights to their “off switch” and a vow of silence from all sofas—a tradition eight years running.

Through the years, the couches, company, and even the TVs used to take it in have changed, but the time dedicated to the drama has not—it’s always a full sixty minutes. Despite the advent of the DVR, advertisers are still guaranteed complete attention to their commercials among our group, a ritual reserved solely for this single show.

The commercial breaks, often overruled with the frenzied fast-forward button, create a chance to build anticipation as the two-plus minutes are spent agonizing over the story line and what comes next. Simply stated, speeding through sponsorships would stall the total satisfaction served by Bauer.

TV networks turn to Nielsen to verify their viewership and judge consumers’ jubilee for a given show, but what the ratings don’t reveal—the show finished a tough third last Monday, even falling behind a rerun of ‘Two And A Half Men’—is the manner in which the show is seen.  

Our fixed formation of five viewers adds a solitary stat to the show’s overall ratings when we watch on a single TV—missing not only more numbers, but the show’s status as a weekly event. Beyond the basic data lies a paradigm probably produced for other programs (everything from ‘American Idol’ to NFL games): a show’s ability to create an experience for its viewers.

Because we extend our enjoyment by watching real-time rather than recording, we tend to talk through the two minute respite—often about the commercials providing the pause.

As advertisers roam through the bevy of broadcasts to pick their placements, they’d be wise to noodle a new metric of success, one which accounts for audiences by gauging the richness behind the ratings—now that’d be something even Jack couldn’t stop; well, not in a single day anyway.

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As you march on through the waning days of January’s winter-wonderland, we encourage you to stay warm by dancing as if no one was watching.

2 Responses to “The Source of Bauer’s Power”

  1. Matt D. says:
    February 2, 2010 at 7:59 am

    I have viewed the program from its inception 8 seasons ago from many a couch, with an ever-shifting band of 24 brethren beside me. And yes, we do enforce the “shut your mouth between clock-beeps” law that naturally pairs with such a show when it is being presented in “real time.”
    Still, as I finally exhale from the fast-paced, Bauer-fueled action to take a deep breath with a word from our sponsors, I am not sure how closely I watch the ads. I agree that the 2 minutes plus adds the needed level of anticipation to the show, which luxuries like DVR allow us to avoid, yet I seem to use those minutes to break my fixed gaze on the screen to reflect upon Jack’s uncanny ability to overcome any odds (be it a nuclear blast or the shakes from heroin withdrawal).
    You have a great point that ad exec’s are now faced with a new demon to slay…the viewer’s ability to fast forward commercials when they have DVR’ed a show. I am not sure there is even a way for them to conquer that beast, unless they approach TV execs to develop more 24-like shows that need the commercials to increase the show’s intensity.
    I do find one thing interesting related to ads after so many Bauer-soaked years though. I tend to pay close attention to commercials featuring 24 actors. Be it the bold and morally fortified, late President Palmer making sure I’m in good hands with Allstate or Keifer using his “sweet” voice to purr about Sprint, I can’t help but watch and remember good times from past seasons.
    Maybe that’s the key…cast all advertising with 24 staff.
    Kim Bauer on the hood of a Mustang slinging car wax? Chloe convincing me how well Ex-Lax works?
    Now that would be one hell of a day!
    …beep-beep, beep-beep…

  2. Kate DeVagno says:
    February 2, 2010 at 5:20 pm

    The only show I’ve ever dedicated my (real) time to was “The Shield” on FX. Despite not watching much TV, during “The Shield” I was keenly aware of the edgy commercials… especially a Ketel One Vodka ad that was largely panned by ad agencies but really made an impression on me. I never DVR’ed through that one, and we have Ketel One in our freezer.

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