Posts Tagged ‘Pop Culture’

I Feel The Need…The Need For Speed

As I stood in line at the grocery store the other day, I couldn’t help but notice how incredibly impatient I was. Despite the fact that the cashier and customer were moving at seemingly normal speeds and I had no immediate plans to do much else than watch TV and relax, I couldn’t help but feel this urge to simply leave my cash at the register, forgo my change and rush off. The more I thought about it, the more I realized this wasn’t an isolated incident. The need for speed consumed me daily and I was definitely no Maverick. As I incessantly strummed my fingers on the conveyor belt in hopes of reducing my irritation, I started to wonder how and why I had developed this unrealistic expectation of speed and immediacy.

As I stood in line at the grocery store the other day, I couldn’t help but notice how incredibly impatient I was. Despite the fact that the cashier and customer were moving at seemingly normal speeds and I had no immediate plans to do much else than watch TV and relax, I couldn’t help but feel this urge to simply leave my cash at the register, forgo my change and rush off. The more I thought about it, the more I realized this wasn’t an isolated incident. The need for speed consumed me daily and I was definitely no Maverick. As I incessantly strummed my fingers on the conveyor belt in hopes of reducing my irritation, I started to wonder how and why I had developed this unrealistic expectation of speed and immediacy.

From a very young age, we are trained to equate speed to superiority. Easy-Bake Ovens could bake muffins at lightning speed. Video games rewarded players who accomplished the most tasks against a ticking clock. Cars that reached certain speeds in the least amount of time were clearly the most coveted. Then along came the Internet – radically altering our perception of speed – taking the concept of immediacy to unprecedented levels. Long gone were the days of writing letters, waiting in checkout lines at stores and sifting through piles of research books at a library. We all reveled at how once-lengthy and arduous tasks were suddenly made immediate and convenient.

But, as the number and complexity of tasks facilitated by technology increased, so too have our expectations and perceptions of speed and efficiency. While we used to wait days to receive letters via traditional mail, waiting 10 seconds today seems like an eternity; and some might say anything beyond that merits lodging an angry complaint to explicitly express the exasperating inconvenience of the entire situation. I’ve started to think we might be experiencing collective amnesia, since most people seem to have no memory of the time when licking stamps and envelopes were the norm.

I’m no Luddite, but I think that all the technological advancements, designed to facilitate and improve our lives, have actually spoiled us and made us increasingly dissatisfied. Loud sighs and grumbling have replaced uproar and awe. We ungratefully assume perfection and anything short of flawless is disastrous. Just because Google was capable of retrieving 10,300,000 “Grocery Delivery” results in 0.20 seconds, was I right to expect my grocery experience to be just as speedy? Clearly not. Should I still be amazed by the Debit Card Machine, which not only is self-automated but also allows me to withdraw money? Clearly so. I’m well aware that my frustration was unjustified, but the feeling that I was owed 1.6 minutes of my life smothered any amazement I should have otherwise felt.

As companies and engineers furiously try to discover the next big thing, I can’t help but wonder what effect it will actually bring. Has the novelty of technology been taken for granted and have associated feelings of excitement been replaced with a sense of entitlement? Are new technologies making us happier and more relaxed or have they reached a point where the additional benefits are no longer appreciated, and instead leave us with perpetual feelings of disappointment and discontent?

2 Responses to “I Feel The Need…The Need For Speed”

  1. Chris Bailey says:

    Sarah, this sentence resonates strongly with me:
    “From a very young age, we are trained to equate speed to superiority.”

    Here in Texas, my 8 year old daughter’s reading ability is now being evaluated on speed rather than comprehension. So there’s another case example for how we’re training our youth toward speed as the ultimate goal.

    And is it that unsimilar to what our businesses expect anymore? When it comes to marketing campaigns, we prefer quick results over long-lasting relationships. We want cheap and easy quantitative data instead of deeper and richer qualitative data. And then we do wonder why we have these “feelings of disappointment and discontent.”

    Good food for thought as we enter this weekend. Thanks.

  2. Barry Silverstein says:

    I think much of this is absolutely true. Even small pleasures like browsing through a book store or record/cd store are giving way to quick selection and immediate downloads on line.

    That being said, I must admit to taking great pleasure in rolling through an EZ pass lane and hot have to wait to pay cash! I’ll take that time saver every time.

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Status Update on the “American Dream”

For the last year or so, one topic that has gotten a lot of press in the wake of the housing crisis has been the shake-up of the “American Dream.” There was a segment on NPR last spring that interviewed “strategic renters,” which included one couple who rented their family home for 40 years so that they would have money to take exotic vacations, as well as some young up-and-coming types who could afford to buy but didn’t want to be tethered to a mortgage, just in case their dream job popped up across the country.

For the last year or so, one topic that has gotten a lot of press in the wake of the housing crisis has been the shake-up of the “American Dream.” There was a segment on NPR last spring that interviewed “strategic renters,” which included one couple who rented their family home for 40 years so that they would have money to take exotic vacations, as well as some young up-and-coming types who could afford to buy but didn’t want to be tethered to a mortgage, just in case their dream job popped up across the country.

At the same time, anecdotally, so many people I know don’t seem motivated by the same things, especially when it comes to work. One friend left a solid job in finance to pursue her dream of becoming a personal chef. My own dad, who is maybe the hardest-working person on the planet, recently turned down some amazing opportunities to … wait for it … enjoy retirement (and he looks and feels the best he ever has – love you, Dad!).

I know that change happens slowly and I find this shifting American Dream fascinating, whatever it is. A few months back, the IdeaSpace team of rock star facilitators (IdeaSpaces are Communispace-owned Men’s, Women’s and Youth communities) asked members what they thought about the status of the American Dream, and what their American Dream looks like. Their responses are captured in a video that we shared back with our members, and quite frankly, it makes me giddy. Check it out!

So, what does your version of the American Dream look like, these days?

One Response to “Status Update on the “American Dream””

  1. The freedom to think, to explore, to express freely, to guide others, to care for the earth, to be safe, eat good ice-cream and find my spiritual path. Essentially, the American Dream is FREEDOM to live the life I want to create.

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Treme-ndously Guilty

Okay, let’s just get this out of the way: I’m not delusional. Here are the facts: In April 2009, I made a strong request (in this very blog) for more television programming like HBO’s The Wire. In April 2010, HBO, David Simon and other members of The Wire’s team, premiered Treme. Coincidence? Unlikely.

Okay, let’s just get this out of the way:  I’m not delusional.  Here are the facts:  In April 2009, I made a strong request (in this very blog) for more television programming like HBO’s The Wire.  In April 2010, HBO, David Simon and other members of The Wire’s team, premiered Treme.  Coincidence?  Unlikely.

This unambiguously causal relationship has left me with a nagging sense of responsibility:  TREME WAS MY REQUEST AND I COULDN’T MAKE IT PAST EPISODE 5.  I’m a disappointment to myself.  Go ahead.  Judge me.

The show started off so strong.  It had all the hallmarks of Simon’s work: (1) location as a main character; (2) the people, dialogue and situations were brutally authentic; (3) the connections among characters were tenuous, but clearly promising; and (4) it was gorgeous to look at.  Truth be told, I was almost in tears at the end of Episode 1.  I had a David Simon show again; my life would return to its natural order (that is to say, I would be obsessed with “good television” once again).  Additionally, and this can’t be overstated, Elvis Costello was in the first episode.  I’d watch Elvis Costello read the phone book.  (And for the amount I’ve paid for his concert tickets over the years, he should offer to do it for me.  Another topic for another blog.)

And so I watched…

Episode 2:  Not much progress in the plot, but there were promising narrative threads.  I just had to wait for Simon to pull them.

Episode 3:  Not much progress.  Just pull the thread, David.  Pull it!

Episode 4:  Pull the stinking thread!  Give me something.  Please.  Just hint at a narrative arc.

Episode 5:  Seriously?  Where is this going?  Jazz is important. I get it.  Sheesh.

Episode 6:  Didn’t watch it.  I just stopped caring.

I turn to you now, readers.  Did anyone stick with Treme?  If so, please make an argument for me to go back and pick it up On Demand.  After all, I MADE this happen.  I should see it through, right?

4 Responses to “Treme-ndously Guilty”

  1. Tom Smith says:

    Karen:

    My wife is as much a fan of HBO and David Simon as you and watched until the very sad end. It’ll be interesting to see if it has another season. It certainly could with NOLA’s current problems. Will the city survive? Given the spirit of the natives, I think so. But stay tuned.

    Tom

  2. Karen Barone says:

    Hi Tom,
    Season Two is an open question, for sure. Yet, a sweet prayer for NOLA and her coastal sisters is always in order. Thanks for reminding me what it’s really about…there’s still work to be done. Now more than ever.
    Sincere thanks,
    Karen

  3. Julie says:

    Oh Karen, come back! I agree — the pace is a little plodding, but the medium is the message. Recovering and rebuilding consists of relentless baby stepping, not search/voyage–>epiphany–>resolution. Treme demands that we walk in these characters’ shoes, experience the false starts and dead-ends as well as the breakthroughs.

    And actually, as I think about it, quest is the mainstay of any good narrative, and there’s a whole lot of that going on in Treme — the quest for the missing brother, for hope, for renewal. There’s also a lot of failure going on, and I wonder if part of the lukewarm response to Treme (as I know many Simon fans who feel as you do) is simply that as Americans, we’re not used to seeing that in prime time.

    Or maybe my senseless love for the music simply guarantees that I’ll love this show, no matter what.

  4. James Bailey says:

    Although I agree with Julie’s comment, I totally understand where you are coming from, Karen. My advice: Jump to the season finale. I actually stumbled into Treme because I was too lazy to move my couch-potato bottom off the couch after the season premier of True Blood.–the finale of Treme followed and I was sold. The next day I started watching from the beginning and have loved every minute of it.

    I hear that they are releasing the soundtrack in conjunction with the premier of the second season, so it looks like the stories will continue…

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Will Tweet for Dates

What do you do when you’re new to a city and newly single? You give yourself up to crowd sourcing, of course. Or at least that’s what one eligible bachelor who is new to New York City has decided to do. Meet Brian. He is on the hunt to go on 30 dates in 30 days with your help.

What do you do when you’re new to a city and newly single? You give yourself up to crowd sourcing, of course. Or at least that’s what one eligible bachelor who is new to New York City has decided to do. Meet Brian. He is on the hunt to go on 30 dates in 30 days with your help.

Brian seems pretty savvy in social media. He has the “Big Four” media covered: a webpage, a Twitter account, a Facebook fan page and a Youtube account. With all his bases loaded, Brian’s dating life is bound to be busy this upcoming month.

In a culture where we love to scrutinize others’ lives and where “reality” entertainment is king, Brian seems to be bound for viral stardom. I must admit, I’ve already followed him on Twitter, subscribed to his Youtube page and amcurrently debating which one of my NYC friends I can convince to go on a date with him.

Brian’s plan is genius. He combines two of Americans’ favorite types of entertainment: dating shows and shows where the viewers call the shots. Take the popularity of shows such as The Bachelor, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, for example. Hopefully, since the viewers get to choose the girls for Brian, we won’t have another Vienna scandal on our hands.

Plus, how can you not want to watch a shy guy make awkward phone calls asking girls he met online on dates?

So what’s your bet? Will Brian be able to go on 30 dates in 30 days?

One Response to “Will Tweet for Dates”

  1. karthikeyan chandrasekar says:

    No way because there are many other brian’s too available in the city, who also wish to go on 30 dates in 30 days.

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Alternatives to the Comfort Food of Search

The way we search is changing. Whether you’ve noticed or not, more and more people are using content-specific alternatives to Google searching. Why? What does this mean to those of us trying to reach our audience?

Google is the comfort food of search

The way we search is changing. Whether you’ve noticed or not, more and more people are using content-specific alternatives to Google searching. Why? What does this mean to those of us trying to reach our audience?

Google is the comfort food of search

Image via Flickr @trekkyandy

We all use Google. I use it everyday. Josh Cole, an executive producer at Tippingpoint Labs, calls Google the “meat loaf, mashed potatoes and peas of search.” It’s hearty, straightforward and the traditional comfort food in the Internet search world. However, Google’s not the best search engine for finding a meat loaf recipe.

If I’m looking for a recipe, I go directly to Recipezaar or FoodNetwork or maybe even Yummly. I know that at all of these sites a search for “meatloaf” is going to return to me the most relevant search results possible. I’m only going to get meatloaf recipe results.

Now, let’s say I was looking for the title of an album by Meat Loaf, the singer. You know, the guy who sings “I’d Lie for You” and “Paradise by the Dashboard Light”? I wouldn’t use Google. I’d go right to AllMusic.com and search for “Meat Loaf” and I’m guaranteed to get only one result—Meat Loaf, the singer.

This is how I search when I know exactly for which type of trusted result I’m looking. I call these kinds of sites (search engines for recipes, music, movies or events) Branded Content Aggregators.

Branded content aggregators are the future of search

Search results for Meat Loaf on IMDB.com

I define branded content aggregators as “human-edited websites that deliver results from trusted sources delivering a consistent quality and volume of valuable content.” So, Amazon.com could be considered a branded content aggregator for products. Or IMDB.com (the Internet Movie Database) is a branded content aggregator for all things movie- and television-related.

These content engines are amazingly powerful and deliver a vast amount of focused, reliable and smart results designed to deliver exactly the information I’m looking for without having to search through pages of “ten blue links” from Google.

So, branded content aggregators are tremendous sources of information, but they also provide brands and community members with wonderful opportunities to engage and participate in an active community by creating, curating and editing valuable content designed to make their experience better.

The Semantic Web is here—and you helped build it

Tim Berners-Lee, proponent of the Semantic Web

For years, people have been advocating the standardization of all Web data, searching for a way to build a machine language that supports a more intuitive and content-rich experience. Tim Berners-Lee calls this the Semantic Web.

Here’s the deal, Tim. The semantic web is already here. Every one of the branded content aggregators I visit understands the content, the lexicon and architecture of their specific niche better than any machine language ever could.

If I search for “pineapple” on AllRecipes.com, I get a list of the recipes that include pineapple as an ingredient. I don’t get the history of the pineapple. If I wanted that, I’d head to Wikipedia. Millions of individual contributors on millions of branded content aggregators have built semantic understandings of their specific niches to address their specific lexicon. That means the semantic web is already being built.

Harnessing the power of branded content aggregators in two search engines—is this the future of search?



So what if you don’t know where to find a branded content aggregator for your specific need? Where do you go? Who can introduce you to new, trusted sources?

I use two search engines that draw only from trusted sources to provide relevant results and contextualized navigation. I suggest you head over to DuckDuckGo.com and Kosmix.com and try searching for “meatloaf” (the dish) and “Meat Loaf” (the artist) with both search engines.

Each is an innovative search experience and a great use of branded content aggregation!

3 Responses to “Alternatives to the Comfort Food of Search”

  1. Ron Blau says:

    What about WolframAlpha (www.wolframalpha.com), which calls itself a Computational Knowledge Engine? Though not a universal search engine, it’s very different and very informative.

  2. Andrew Davis says:

    Ron,
    I love Wolfram Alpha. I would call it a branded Content aggregator actually, because it’s the place I go for all things numbers! It’s great!
    Thanks for the reminder!
    - Drew

  3. Andrew Davis says:

    By the way, Ron, I highlight Wolfram Alpha in the session that inspired this post.
    Check out the video here:
    http://vimeo.com/13370259
    Thanks again for commenting.

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Taking an Online Gamble?

Chatroulette has become an overnight sensation for those in the know on the Web. Started in November of 2009, the concept is relatively simple: Chatroulette is a website that pairs random strangers from around the world together for webcam-based conversations. Similar to a speed-dating session, you can skip to the next chat at any time if your partner is boring you (or perhaps sharing too much skin—gross!) The site has become a favorite among college students; which was how I first heard of it. While taking a break from studying for exams, my roommate and I decided to take a spin on the site, and we soon found ourselves face-to-face with a wide array of different characters—pantless men, a pair of singing Japanese teenagers and a college-aged guy serenading us with his guitar were some of the highlights.

Chatroulette has become an overnight sensation for those in the know on the Web.  Started in November of 2009, the concept is relatively simple: Chatroulette is a website that pairs random strangers from around the world together for webcam-based conversations.  Similar to a speed-dating session, you can skip to the next chat at any time if your partner is boring you (or perhaps sharing too much skin—gross!)  The site has become a favorite among college students; which was how I first heard of it.  While taking a break from studying for exams, my roommate and I decided to take a spin on the site, and we soon found ourselves face-to-face with a wide array of different characters—pantless men, a pair of singing Japanese teenagers and a college-aged guy serenading us with his guitar were some of the highlights.

According to an article on CNN.com, one of the reasons why Chatroulette has become so successful is the sense of anonymity that comes with connecting to random strangers.  Like its namesake game, Chatroulette offers a chance to feel the rush of exhilaration in anticipating the unexpected.  However, is this the only appeal of the site?  If a similar venture were to be launched on a social-networking site, where one theoretically knew all of their contacts, would the appeal be gone?  I personally don’t see myself putting a service like this to much use. The limited numbers of my friends with whom I chose to Skype or video chat are the ones who aren’t  scared away by my messy-haired, no makeup, poorly lit, double-chinned self on screen. Call me vain, but I don’t see a lot of appeal in exposing that side of myself to the cyber world. 

What do you think?

One Response to “Taking an Online Gamble?”

  1. Kate says:

    Am I that roommate? haha. and you know i love chatroulette!!

    but i agree with you, if i knew the people on the other end i would run away!!!

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Old Spice’s “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” Campaign is Fantastic

Old Spice has been getting all sorts of praise for its “Man your man could smell like” advertising campaign. The premise is simple: jacked dude explains to women that if their men used Old Spice, they could smell like him—while all the while he is shirtless doing amazing feats (and riding horses… backwards). It’s cracked me up from the start and is absolutely brilliant in its absurdity. Understandably, the ads were instantly viral.

Old Spice has been getting all sorts of praise for its “Man your man could smell like” advertising campaign. The premise is simple: jacked dude explains to women that if their men used Old Spice, they could smell like him—while all the while he is shirtless doing amazing feats (and riding horses… backwards). It’s cracked me up from the start and is absolutely brilliant in its absurdity. Understandably, the ads were instantly viral.

With their new series of ads though, they’ve taken brand participation to a new level. The Old Spice twitter handle is written in the “voice” of the actor, which is funny and is a great way to make the brand accessible. But tweeting isn’t all—the company is also taking the time to individually respond to “@OldSpice” tweets with commercial-style video responses.

So when Kevin Rose, the founder of Digg.com tweeted “i’m considering buying old spice body wash just so they keep making these epic commercials – http://bit.ly/K87jz” while also complaining about a fever in a later tweet, Old Spice guy responded with this:

Absolutely love it. Now, I may not be a marketing guru, but I do think I know funny. And this, dear readers, is funny. Funny things get passed around and talked about. And that, I’m pretty sure, is marketing gold.

So what do you think: Is this an effective campaign? Do you think that as brands look to engage deeper and deeper with their customers we will be seeing more of this direct participation? Or, even more importantly, does a funny, viral campaign even affect sales? Will Old Spice be able to measure the effectiveness of this campaign?  Let us know what you think in the comments!

5 Responses to “Old Spice’s “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” Campaign is Fantastic”

  1. The thing that makes this advertising campaign so effective is it’s just ludicrously funny, and because no one knows Mustafa’s name (and he’s been signed as “talent” to NBC for a series to be developed), everyone keeps calling him “The Old Spice guy”. Brand, brand, brand.

  2. Lou Tamposi says:

    Steffani–I completely agree. If nothing else, this keeps the Old Spice brand buzzing. Do you think Mustafa is so linked to Old Spice that if and when NBC develops a series around him it will generate even more hype for Old Spice?

  3. Mike P says:

    Hype is 1 thing, but a more interactive and engaging experience with the brand would be to follow up with free “product” or attach coupon codes or other incentives to get people to purchase the product. That is a more integrated campaign, IMO

    Mike Pascucci
    @mikepascucci

  4. Barry Silverstein says:

    I agree it’s a brilliant campaign. It has brought an old, tired brand back to life. It’s not often agency and client teams are able to be bold and use humor in a way that has this much impact. I wonder what if any copy testing research was used or if they just went for it?
    Very cool.

  5. Jack Cahill says:

    I agree with Barry. I remember the first time I saw this ad, I did a double take and thought to myself, “that was Old Spice?!”. Great job of making me start thinking “cool” about a brand I had pretty much forgotten about. And Lou, it cracks me up everytime too. Nice post.

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Another Reason To Hate The Yankees

Every April, hope springs eternal for all 30 teams across Major League Baseball. For some teams, that hope can peter out after a poor couple of months. The knock on Major League Baseball is that the same few teams make it to the playoffs every year, without the parity seen in other leagues. like football’s NFL.

But today, in July, MLB wants to give you a reason to believe in your team. More specifically, they want you to give them some cash to give you a reason to believe in your team.

Every April, hope springs eternal for all 30 teams across Major League Baseball. For some teams, that hope can peter out after a poor couple of months. The knock on Major League Baseball is that the same few teams make it to the playoffs every year, without the parity seen in other leagues. like football’s NFL.

But today, in July, MLB wants to give you a reason to believe in your team. More specifically, they want you to give them some cash to give you a reason to believe in your team.

That’s why they introduced Postseason Ticket Reservations, the newest and boldest ruse by MLB to get fans (along with their wallets) involved in the game. Pick your favorite team, and pay a fee ($10–$20 per reservation) to reserve the right to buy tickets for specific playoff games at face value. The fee is the same for every participating team — so yes, it costs the same to reserve a ticket for a Red Sox playoff game as an Orioles game. (I had to retype that last part a few times — I can’t type when I’m laughing.)

Anyway, every team participates, except the Yankees (shocking). The fee is not refundable, as you might expect. So if a Baltimore fan pays $41.00 for the chance to buy a couple of World Series tickets, and the team loses 112 games, the bookkeeper … err, uh, MLB pockets your money. It’s easy to complain about the League’s greediness here, but really, they are giving the average fan a chance at a unique experience and a monetary reason to stay involved through the dog days of July and August. Except for Yankees’ fans, whose team doesn’t seem to care about them.

So, do you like what MLB is doing here? Will you be betting on your team’s playoff future?

*Pat Griffin is the author of Pay No Attention to That Man Behind the Curtain where he explains how we have arrived at the confluence of media and technology, and how under this new paradigm neither will ever be the same.

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FIFA Fever: Athletic brands take front stage

The World Cup has always been surrounded with ad campaigns from various brands trying to get a piece of the action, and this year is no exception. Some of the world’s top brands that have partnered with FIFA include Coca Cola, McDonald’s, VISA and SONY, to name just a few. In an event of such magnitude, athletic companies compete for center stage. Adidas is FIFA’s official partner but other companies have done their part to make themselves visible to the worldwide audience the World Cup draws. PUMA is one of these athletic brands that created an elaborate campaign to attract global audiences.

The World Cup has always been surrounded with ad campaigns from various brands trying to get a piece of the action, and this year is no exception. Some of the world’s top brands that have partnered with FIFA include Coca Cola, McDonald’s, VISA and SONY, to name just a few. In an event of such magnitude, athletic companies compete for center stage. Adidas is FIFA’s official partner but other companies have done their part to make themselves visible to the worldwide audience the World Cup draws. PUMA is one of these athletic brands that created an elaborate campaign to attract global audiences.

PUMA enlisted the collaboration of much sought-after artist Kehinde Wiley to create four original pieces of artwork featuring three of the best football players in Africa –Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon, John Mensah of Ghana, and Emmanuel Eboué of the Ivory Coast. The theme of this campaign was “African togetherness.” The company also created a unity uniform for African national teams.

PUMA has differentiated itself from the other athletic brands by relying on their long-established relationship with African football. Unlike the other brands, PUMA has had a presence in Africa for over a decade, sponsoring football teams in many African nations. Because the 2010 World Cup was held in Africa, creating this campaign was a clear fit for PUMA.

Additionally, the company introduced The PUMA Africa Collection, an apparel line inspired by the Kehinde Wiley portraits. And as part of their social responsibility efforts, PUMA is donating a portion of the Africa Unity Kit sales to programs in Africa that support diversity.

 With such efforts and immense amounts of cash that go into campaigns aimed at huge sporting events drawing even bigger audiences, as we are seeing in the World Cup, I can’t help but wonder how effective this particular sponsorship is in terms of revenue. It is clear that supporting a social cause, like the one PUMA is doing with diversity programs in Africa, is viewed positively by the consumer; but does this actually translate into dollars for the company? Will consumers buy the Kehinde Wiley-inspired items because of the “African togetherness” theme this campaign communicates or simply because the styles are appealing to the consumer? Or is it really just FIFA fever that is driving consumers out to their favorite sporting goods stores to buy World Cup apparel? 

I encourage everyone to chime in. From a marketing perspective, do you think these types of sponsorships really bring in big money for a brand or are other factors playing a role? Have you purchased World Cup apparel? Why? Do you support one brand over the other? Are social responsibility efforts important in your purchasing decisions? Or did you just like the style, regardless of the brand or the company’s support for socially responsible causes? 

If you’d like to see the portraits, merchandise, and making-of videos of PUMA’s campaign visit: http://africa.puma.com.

2 Responses to “FIFA Fever: Athletic brands take front stage”

  1. Janet Bednarz says:

    Lorena – This is a true confession of a born-in-America Baby Boomer: the World Cup is barely on my radar screen. My brother-in-law is from Spain, and every four years he rattles the chains of his provincial in-laws to get with the World Cup program! But we barely do. I keep an eye on the headlines to see how Spain is doing – but that’s about it. So…I have not purchased World Cup apparel.

    I do pay some attention, however, to the socially responsible actions of sports apparel brands. For example, I avoid Nike products because a number of years ago they were exposed for engaging in exploitive sweatshop practices in oversees manufacturing facilities. Their continued endorsement of Tiger Woods as a Nike spokesperson has alienated me even further.

    Patagonia, on the other hand, is an excellent example of being an environmentally and socially responsible business, so I try to buy their sports gear when I can.

    I like what PUMA is doing in Africa. Will it give them a good return on investment? Probably not with American-born Baby Boomers like me. But perhaps yes given the rich diversity of World Cup enthusiasts around the globe.

  2. Lorena Leonard says:

    Janet, thanks for your message… your point of view is quite interesting! I wasn’t aware of Nike’s involvement in sweatshops and I’m glad you brought that up. I don’t necessarily lend all of my support to a particular brand because of their social responsibility efforts but it does help. However, I am appalled by companies that are involved in immoral manufacturing practices and I try to boycott these -such as Guess, whom I’ve been boycotting since the 90’s for having children in sweatshops in Central America.

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The Me Networks

To paraphrase Billy Idol, I’ve been “social networking with myself.” It’s not as dirty as it sounds, I promise.

Forget therapy. So long, self-help books. I’ve got two online sources that will put you back in touch with YOU.

I give you:

To paraphrase Billy Idol, I’ve been “social networking with myself.”  It’s not as dirty as it sounds, I promise. 

Forget therapy.  So long, self-help books.  I’ve got two online sources that will put you back in touch with YOU.

I give you:

FutureMe.org.  Now you can send yourself emails in the future.  Need to psych yourself up for that big presentation next quarter?  Send yourself a pep talk to arrive the day of.  Need to change your diet, but don’t think you’ll stick with it?  Send periodic emails that will arrive every New Year’s Day for the next five years.  Note however, you can also send future emails to other people.  Approach with caution lest you end up like a favorite co-worker whose ex-boyfriend recently received an email she sent him SEVEN YEARS AGO via FutureMe.org. (Gulp.)

And if email isn’t enough…how about creating a better version of you with whom you can speak and interact?

I humbly offer:

LifeNaut.com. Through uploaded pictures and information you can create an avatar that can interact with you, and better yet, your loved ones long after you’ve shuffled off your mortal coil.  Sure, the goal is to create an accurate facsimile, but are you going to upload that elementary school report card displaying your “unsatisfactory” in chorus or that unfortunate school photo with the bi-level perm and one hoop earring from 1985? (I may have revealed too much.) No, you’re going to populate that avatar with documentation of your beauty, talent and smarts. 

Of course, there are multitudes of ways to use these sites.  But for me, I’m “friending” myself, hedging my bets and choosing online self-creation over online self-actualization.  Let’s be honest, future imperfection is so 2009.

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