Hey GM, if you're gonna shrink, shrink your ad budget.

Get rid of your logos. Your taglines. Your campaigns. Your brand equity. Become the car company of the future. Keep Cadillac, maybe Saturn separate... but no more buick, chevy, geo, pontiac, etc.
Now it's all GM. One hood ornament. One logo. One ad look. One agency. Slim down the messaging and the red tape of delivering said messaging. Corvettes are still Corvettes if they're GM. It's just a fuel/energy/financially efficient way to keep your company afloat while honoring the history... and embracing a future. There can be one website. One boss. One marketing team. The subsequent savings would be visible.

Maybe Cookies aren't so bad?

Yesterday I was browsing for men's wedding rings (I'm not cheap, these were just for style). So this morning during my routine checks of certain blogs, cartoons, news stuff, (it's all very OCD) And sure enough the rings I looked at were there, sparkling in a banner ad, ready for me to click and resume my search. I'm sure this is not excting to anyone, since this technology dates back to the early 90's. But it affected me today, and I found it to be compelling content in the simplest form.

Wow. Not really subtle.

Ok, I'm sure I'm not the first out there to notice this. I'm sure it's old news. But since I'm the only one who reads this blog, consider it my official comment - however late.

Hershey's must've gone to their agency and said "we want a happiness factory" Then the agency said, coming right up. Hopefully there was some pushback, but in the end it's way too similar. But coke did it better and first.



now the original



neither are examples of compelling content, but at least one is original.

If they're shorter, i think ill actually watch em

So Miller High Life is doing 30 1 second ads during the superbowl. The premise revolves around the well known price for a TV ad on the superbowl. "3 Million dollars? that's a hundred grand a second! If high life had a spot, all we'd need is a second..."

It's so true. You need a logo and a smile, that's it (at least with beer you do).

But what's more interesting is that since it's so quick, I will STOP MY DVR to watch it. When I'm fast forwarding commercials, a one second commercial will look like blip... a very intriguing blip. That's compelling content. A spot (which is not usually compelling content) which is specific to the modern media it's on, recognizes the bloated spending and messaging in tradvertising, and takes it on, head on.

We need more campaigns that recognize the DVR user. I propose a slow motion spot, viewed best in fast motion...1, 2, or 3 triangles fast.

CareerBuilder, Monster get to work

If you're agency's got some hard working creatives, get them to work on making this into something. The clock is ticking. Go.
Maybe this guy, once he's out of jail, could be placed at a new job, and you could be the ones to show the before and after.
I saw it first from another angle at Agency Spy.

Feeling better about Advertising

I found this to be compelling content. Not sure, but I think its Deutsch. Anyway, they're giving people something useful instead of giving them a pitch. This campaign says, here's ways to avoid needing our product ((but if you still do, here's our logo)). Tylenol offers tips to avoid pain, and asks for nothing in return. That is a big step forward in thinking, and a big step for print.

Worth a giggle

It works for the target. It's not useful beyond a chuckle. It's not Compelling Content. And it doesn't tell me what's awesome about the product, except that the company is good at being sarcastic. I just wanted this here for my future reference (if ever).

It should all be CRM from here on out...

I Just read this on Beyond Madison Avenue. Wanted to keep it here. I think this is a good insight. Advertisers need to take all that leftover TV money and reinvest it into the customers. Then they'll say, it's awesome to own a Volvo, they took all that bullshit money they spent on TV ads and turned it into an extended warranty, free oil changes, or free roadside assistance for me, a current customer. I'll be glad to share this experience with friends and websites.

That is, have you ever asked a car owner what they think of the commercials for the car they currently own? Or did you ask them, perhaps, what they think of the car they own?

Shell Oil takes a good swing

I got a copy of the long (9 minutes) version of Shell's Eureka in my Wired mag. I watched it, so what? Also, there were 2 print ads to go with it throughout the mag. Also, the video is easily found online and TV. So good job Shell. Although, they didn't buy the search, so I ended up with sleeping bags at first. ANYWAY, it's a good effort. The movie was a bit obvious and chocked full o public relations. But, entertaining and free. I'll dub this compelling content because they covered their bases by making sure messages matched across media, and because they did a movie, however short, with high production value and effort.

Via BeyondMadisonAvenue, I was exploring this viral campaign. The creators claim its part of the "Never Hide" big idea for RayBan. But I ask you, where is the website url, or even a logo? As for the action, where is the hiding (or the actively not hiding)? It's cool, don't get me wrong, but it is in no way compelling content. I think people will like it, and buzz will ensue, so that's a plus. And as a lifestyle piece, I think they're right on the target. But what does this video tell me about shades, or more specifically, RayBans and me together?

Last Night's News

Saw this car chase. Pretty funny. Not compelling content, but good advertising nonetheless. Thanks to AdFreak for the story.