Suits you, Sir: the wonderful world of Mr Raja Daswani
Hong Kong tailor, Raja Daswani, always makes for an interesting discussion point at my copywriting seminars. I treasure an advertisement I found a year or two ago, in which he announces a visit to the UK and reassures lady readers that the men in their lives can be transformed through the purchase of bespoke suit. The language is curiously olde worlde and colourful, with phrases such as "fear not" and "significant other" making an appearance. At one level, I produce the ad as an ice-breaker, to demonstrate how quirky and idiosyncratic copy can actually be. The initial reaction of most students is to assume that Daswani is simply an eccentric and rather immodest businessman from Kowloon, whose grasp of English idiom comes from a formal schooling in a bygone era. Perhaps that's true. But over time, I admit that I am beginning to doubt this rather simplistic explanation. Could it be that Daswani is simply very clever in his application of advertising creativity? Is it possible that he - or those who advise him - realise that the more exotic and foreign he sounds, the greater the chance that customers will take an interest? It's his very eccentricity that provides his unique selling proposition.
A recent advertisement in The Sunday Times seems to confirm my theory. "Would you rather pay the same sum for a single, off-the-peg, chain store suit cut by a computer or sold to you by a spotty boy who thinks side vents are to be found on a Lambretta scooter, or for two bespoke, custom cut, hand-stitched suits, measured and sold to you by a man for whom suits are a lifetime passion?" That's a sentence and a half. It produces serious green wavy lines in the Microsoft Word grammar checker, as I prepare this blog entry. Not the kind of English easily constructed by a man who was schooled in strict rules of grammar forty years ago. More the kind produced by someone who's trying deliberately setting out to create a piece of copy that is exotic, amusing and memorable.
By the time you head towards the end of the ad, you get a sense of a man who is having some fun with the newspaper's readers. Daswani promises customers "the full Kowloon monty" and finishes with a real flourish. "It now remains to see whether the Raja revolution, with its inspired mix of artistic flair, entrepreneurial genius and digital technology, will see the end of the off-the-peg British chain store suit. On price alone, it's a sartorial solution that will even please the Suits in accounts." The suits in accounts? Suddenly, we have a level of colloquialism and wordplay that even many native British writers would find hard to match.
A quick web search reveals that Daswani is not only the chosen tailor of a number of British celebrities, but also running a highly profitable business. This kind of success almost certainly comes from nous, rather than naiveté.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is an advertising creative director and lecturer.
In 1968, David Ogilvy wrote a letter that was distributed at New York's Grand Central Station to help raise money for an African-American college fund. The opening line asked readers to look out of the train window when they reached 108th Street. Seeing with their own eyes the homes of the impoverished black students, they donated $26,000 in one evening. A simple idea that proved incredibly powerful. And an inspiration for this blog on advertising creativity around the world.
Friday, October 29, 2004
Sunday, September 12, 2004
Advertising creativity and the things that happen in supermarket aisles
"What if...?"
It's the question that all good advertising creatives have to be able to answer. When confronted with a selling proposition for a product or service, they ask themselves what would happen if they took the idea to extremes. It's in this zone that agency copywriters and art directors are at their most deadly and most innovative. It's here that they really earn their inflated salaries.
A good example would be the notion that the Danes love Carlsberg. On its own, the proposition is nothing special. But when you take it to its logical conclusion, the idea suddenly finds a new lease of life. If the Danes love Carlsberg so much, how might their adoration manifest itself? Perhaps they would marry the lager or send it love letters? Maybe they'd treat the brew with special care and attention? Alternatively, they might react angrily to the idea of anyone taking it out of their country. This latter twist was translated into some great television advertising. Once you've taken the idea to its limits, the scripts start writing themselves.
The latest Lynx campaign by BBH is also a great example of a proposition being worked through to its logical conclusion. A young couple wake up after a night of passion and retrace their steps. They find their underwear in the apartment, but have to wander the streets to pick up other items of clothing. Clearly they'd been undressing each other en route to their love nest. Eventually we arrive in a supermarket. Two trolleys have been left unattended, along with the couple's footwear. We've travelled back in time to the moment they first met. The idea is that you never know when you might need your Lynx. It's beautifully art directed, to be sure, by Nick Gill. But it's the leap of logic in the concept that makes it an exceptional piece of advertising.
I hope it brought the client out in a sweat.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is a creative director at a London-based advertising agency and a lecturer in advertising theory. www.philwoodford.com
"What if...?"
It's the question that all good advertising creatives have to be able to answer. When confronted with a selling proposition for a product or service, they ask themselves what would happen if they took the idea to extremes. It's in this zone that agency copywriters and art directors are at their most deadly and most innovative. It's here that they really earn their inflated salaries.
A good example would be the notion that the Danes love Carlsberg. On its own, the proposition is nothing special. But when you take it to its logical conclusion, the idea suddenly finds a new lease of life. If the Danes love Carlsberg so much, how might their adoration manifest itself? Perhaps they would marry the lager or send it love letters? Maybe they'd treat the brew with special care and attention? Alternatively, they might react angrily to the idea of anyone taking it out of their country. This latter twist was translated into some great television advertising. Once you've taken the idea to its limits, the scripts start writing themselves.
The latest Lynx campaign by BBH is also a great example of a proposition being worked through to its logical conclusion. A young couple wake up after a night of passion and retrace their steps. They find their underwear in the apartment, but have to wander the streets to pick up other items of clothing. Clearly they'd been undressing each other en route to their love nest. Eventually we arrive in a supermarket. Two trolleys have been left unattended, along with the couple's footwear. We've travelled back in time to the moment they first met. The idea is that you never know when you might need your Lynx. It's beautifully art directed, to be sure, by Nick Gill. But it's the leap of logic in the concept that makes it an exceptional piece of advertising.
I hope it brought the client out in a sweat.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is a creative director at a London-based advertising agency and a lecturer in advertising theory. www.philwoodford.com
Friday, July 09, 2004
Corporate giant kicks ass
Any good salesman knows that the trick to securing a purchase is the small talk. I've been out on the road with reps in my time and it's the idle chit-chat with the customer that often makes all the difference. When the sales pitch isn't obvious, we tend to be at our ease. And before we know it, we're parting with our money.
Marketing people can be just as clever as the field sales team though. Take the latest effort from corporate giant, GlaxoSmithKline, for example. The owners of Ribena have created a website called www.ilovemydonkey.com, which looks for all the world as if it's a teenager's homemade homepage. The graphic design is atrocious, with turn-of-the-century, clip-art wallpaper and irritating animated gifs. And the copy has a beautifully naive quality to it too.
"Hello, my name is Nick. This website is about donkey, my best friend in the whole world! I won donkey in a Ribena competition - cool or what? He doesn't live with me, Mum says that's because there's no room for donkey in our house. He lives in a special donkey sanctuary."
The only way to understand this site fully is to visit it. There are donkey webcams and family albums and goodness knows what else. For the purposes of this blog, however, it's enough to say that GSK are making the most of the mania surrounding the movie Shrek 2 and are offering lucky punters the chance to win a donkey in a promotional competition.
The make-believe website carries banner advertisements claiming sponsorship from a certain popular children's drink. And, as if that weren't enough, there's a link to a real sanctuary, which genuinely seems to have money pouring in from Ribena.
The site made my friend Ropey laugh and he forwarded me the link. It made me laugh too and I forwarded it to others. This is what people in Soho like to call viral or what most ordinary folk used to call word-of-mouth recommendation. The salesman is putting his foot in the door. We'd like to say no, but we're smiling and we invite him in against our better judgement. Guess we just liked the look of his ass.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is an advertising creative director in London, England and lectures in both advertising theory and copywriting.
Any good salesman knows that the trick to securing a purchase is the small talk. I've been out on the road with reps in my time and it's the idle chit-chat with the customer that often makes all the difference. When the sales pitch isn't obvious, we tend to be at our ease. And before we know it, we're parting with our money.
Marketing people can be just as clever as the field sales team though. Take the latest effort from corporate giant, GlaxoSmithKline, for example. The owners of Ribena have created a website called www.ilovemydonkey.com, which looks for all the world as if it's a teenager's homemade homepage. The graphic design is atrocious, with turn-of-the-century, clip-art wallpaper and irritating animated gifs. And the copy has a beautifully naive quality to it too.
"Hello, my name is Nick. This website is about donkey, my best friend in the whole world! I won donkey in a Ribena competition - cool or what? He doesn't live with me, Mum says that's because there's no room for donkey in our house. He lives in a special donkey sanctuary."
The only way to understand this site fully is to visit it. There are donkey webcams and family albums and goodness knows what else. For the purposes of this blog, however, it's enough to say that GSK are making the most of the mania surrounding the movie Shrek 2 and are offering lucky punters the chance to win a donkey in a promotional competition.
The make-believe website carries banner advertisements claiming sponsorship from a certain popular children's drink. And, as if that weren't enough, there's a link to a real sanctuary, which genuinely seems to have money pouring in from Ribena.
The site made my friend Ropey laugh and he forwarded me the link. It made me laugh too and I forwarded it to others. This is what people in Soho like to call viral or what most ordinary folk used to call word-of-mouth recommendation. The salesman is putting his foot in the door. We'd like to say no, but we're smiling and we invite him in against our better judgement. Guess we just liked the look of his ass.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is an advertising creative director in London, England and lectures in both advertising theory and copywriting.
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Look who's stalking: cheeky Jaguar campaign uses anonymous letters
According to the BBC last month, luxury car manufacturer Jaguar issued an apology for a direct mail campaign that provoked 37 complaints to the British Advertising Standards Authority. Anonymous letters - arriving in what appeared to be personal, stamped envelopes - contained suggestive messages and the promise of a photograph featuring the recipient's 'perfect match'.
"Everyone has their weakness," read a typed letter. "So, what might drive you wild? Could it be the touch of skin on your fingertips? A long, honed body? Firm sensuous curves? A deep, responsive purr?"
Discerning followers of 108th Street may have guessed that Jaguar was referring to the features of its new XKR model. The ASA, however, felt that the sexual content might potentially put a strain on relationships (if seen by a spouse or partner, presumably) or lead readers to feel that they were being stalked.
This controversial approach brings to mind an earlier text-based campaign for supermarket giant, Sainsbury's. When advertising job opportunities in a Stockport store during 2002, the firm sent a targeted SMS to 19-23 year-olds, which read "'I wnt u, I need u, I cnt get enuff of u." This too provoked an angry response.
The premise that sex sells is undoubtedly still true. But, unsurprisingly, people don't like it when their privacy is invaded with cryptic and saucy advertising. Particularly when a jealous boyfriend might get the wrong end of the stick.
From a creative viewpoint, this kind of campaign is undoubtedly innovative and fun, but I don't necessarily subscribe to the view that all publicity is good publicity. In both cases, I suspect the PR impact was largely negative and served to undermine, rather than enhance, the advertising spend. And there's no bigger turn-off in the business world than wasted money.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is an advertising creative director and lecturer.
www.philwoodford.com
Jaguar condemned
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/3748617.stm
Sainsbury's embarrassed
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/business/employment/0,39020648,2106640,00.htm
According to the BBC last month, luxury car manufacturer Jaguar issued an apology for a direct mail campaign that provoked 37 complaints to the British Advertising Standards Authority. Anonymous letters - arriving in what appeared to be personal, stamped envelopes - contained suggestive messages and the promise of a photograph featuring the recipient's 'perfect match'.
"Everyone has their weakness," read a typed letter. "So, what might drive you wild? Could it be the touch of skin on your fingertips? A long, honed body? Firm sensuous curves? A deep, responsive purr?"
Discerning followers of 108th Street may have guessed that Jaguar was referring to the features of its new XKR model. The ASA, however, felt that the sexual content might potentially put a strain on relationships (if seen by a spouse or partner, presumably) or lead readers to feel that they were being stalked.
This controversial approach brings to mind an earlier text-based campaign for supermarket giant, Sainsbury's. When advertising job opportunities in a Stockport store during 2002, the firm sent a targeted SMS to 19-23 year-olds, which read "'I wnt u, I need u, I cnt get enuff of u." This too provoked an angry response.
The premise that sex sells is undoubtedly still true. But, unsurprisingly, people don't like it when their privacy is invaded with cryptic and saucy advertising. Particularly when a jealous boyfriend might get the wrong end of the stick.
From a creative viewpoint, this kind of campaign is undoubtedly innovative and fun, but I don't necessarily subscribe to the view that all publicity is good publicity. In both cases, I suspect the PR impact was largely negative and served to undermine, rather than enhance, the advertising spend. And there's no bigger turn-off in the business world than wasted money.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is an advertising creative director and lecturer.
www.philwoodford.com
Jaguar condemned
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/3748617.stm
Sainsbury's embarrassed
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/business/employment/0,39020648,2106640,00.htm
Sunday, June 06, 2004
Super Thursday looms. But how super are the ads?
Although London's forthcoming Mayoral election is no doubt a pushover for Ken Livingstone in political terms, the competition's a little more intense when it comes to presentation. I recently received a booklet from the Greater London Returning Officer containing the manifestos of all the ten competing candidates. What's interesting about the format is that it effectively gives each contender an advertising space to use as they please. And how they've chosen to fill it is extremely revealing.
By far the most stylish effort comes from the Tory candidate, Steve Norris. Whilst others try to use every inch of the A4 landscape page, he reserves the left-hand half of the space simply for a headline and his picture. "If New York's Mayor can cut crime, why can't London's?" he thunders, demonstrating a confidence that is sadly lacking amongst his competitors. He also manages a tagline - the 'slogan' much beloved of advertising copywriters that sums up a product or campaign. "It can be done" is actually quite clever, as it can apply to his policy initiatives, but also address the belief (reinforced at the start of this article) that Livingstone cannot be beaten.
Ken4London is the ever-so-slightly self-conscious brand identity for Livingstone's own re-election campaign. The use of the number 4 is a nod towards the text and email language beloved of the capital's youth and the newt-loving maverick no doubt reckons himself to be in touch with first-time voters. The design values are certainly a bit cooler than New Labour's generally, which is interesting, as Livingstone is now, of course, the official Labour candidate. The only inkling of his connection with Tony Blair comes from a tiny party logo and some legalese at the bottom of the right-hand page. The use of Ken's signature - familiar to all of us who followed his self-promotional antics as Leader of the GLC in the early eighties - is a confident and personal touch. The only other candidates to use the device are Simon Hughes for the Lib Dems and Lindsey German, a stalwart of the Socialist Workers Party and representative of George Galloway's Respect Party.
German's decision to run with a first-person quotation is, in principle, a strong idea in an election where personality counts. Many candidates have reached for the quote marks. The trouble in German's case is that we're talking first-person plural rather than singular. Good socialist that she is, she defers to the collective by using her space to put forward the views of her party and there's not much sense of individuality at all. The testimonial endorsement by Galloway (described as a "Respect Member of Parliament", even though he was never elected as such) will play well with those who are already convinced. But is there any point in preaching to the choir?
Boxing promoter, Frank Maloney, is the Mayoral Candidate for the UK Independence Party. London isn't going to be their strongest constituency, but I think Frank will do better than most people expect. I'm not sure, however, that his electoral showing will have much to do with his two-page ad. The purple and red colour scheme looks word-processed rather than professionally typeset and makes you feel as if you've gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson. And someone should tell the UKIP that if you box off and underline everything that you want to stand out, you end up with nothing standing out.
One final word on the Lib Dems. The Simon Hughes ad looks as if it's a local leaflet. It is incredibly busy and you don't know what to read first. It also enters the record books for the largest number of candidate pictures in an A5 space. There are four mugshots of Simon on the left-hand side of the booklet alone. And another one on the right for luck.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is an advertising creative director and lecturer.
Although London's forthcoming Mayoral election is no doubt a pushover for Ken Livingstone in political terms, the competition's a little more intense when it comes to presentation. I recently received a booklet from the Greater London Returning Officer containing the manifestos of all the ten competing candidates. What's interesting about the format is that it effectively gives each contender an advertising space to use as they please. And how they've chosen to fill it is extremely revealing.
By far the most stylish effort comes from the Tory candidate, Steve Norris. Whilst others try to use every inch of the A4 landscape page, he reserves the left-hand half of the space simply for a headline and his picture. "If New York's Mayor can cut crime, why can't London's?" he thunders, demonstrating a confidence that is sadly lacking amongst his competitors. He also manages a tagline - the 'slogan' much beloved of advertising copywriters that sums up a product or campaign. "It can be done" is actually quite clever, as it can apply to his policy initiatives, but also address the belief (reinforced at the start of this article) that Livingstone cannot be beaten.
Ken4London is the ever-so-slightly self-conscious brand identity for Livingstone's own re-election campaign. The use of the number 4 is a nod towards the text and email language beloved of the capital's youth and the newt-loving maverick no doubt reckons himself to be in touch with first-time voters. The design values are certainly a bit cooler than New Labour's generally, which is interesting, as Livingstone is now, of course, the official Labour candidate. The only inkling of his connection with Tony Blair comes from a tiny party logo and some legalese at the bottom of the right-hand page. The use of Ken's signature - familiar to all of us who followed his self-promotional antics as Leader of the GLC in the early eighties - is a confident and personal touch. The only other candidates to use the device are Simon Hughes for the Lib Dems and Lindsey German, a stalwart of the Socialist Workers Party and representative of George Galloway's Respect Party.
German's decision to run with a first-person quotation is, in principle, a strong idea in an election where personality counts. Many candidates have reached for the quote marks. The trouble in German's case is that we're talking first-person plural rather than singular. Good socialist that she is, she defers to the collective by using her space to put forward the views of her party and there's not much sense of individuality at all. The testimonial endorsement by Galloway (described as a "Respect Member of Parliament", even though he was never elected as such) will play well with those who are already convinced. But is there any point in preaching to the choir?
Boxing promoter, Frank Maloney, is the Mayoral Candidate for the UK Independence Party. London isn't going to be their strongest constituency, but I think Frank will do better than most people expect. I'm not sure, however, that his electoral showing will have much to do with his two-page ad. The purple and red colour scheme looks word-processed rather than professionally typeset and makes you feel as if you've gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson. And someone should tell the UKIP that if you box off and underline everything that you want to stand out, you end up with nothing standing out.
One final word on the Lib Dems. The Simon Hughes ad looks as if it's a local leaflet. It is incredibly busy and you don't know what to read first. It also enters the record books for the largest number of candidate pictures in an A5 space. There are four mugshots of Simon on the left-hand side of the booklet alone. And another one on the right for luck.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is an advertising creative director and lecturer.
Thursday, February 19, 2004
The Mystery of Carlos Soto: how the Dutch put Dalarö on the map
At first it seemed like just another ordinary day on a small Scandinavian island. But something very strange was afoot. According to witnesses, no fewer than 32 residents of an otherwise normal Swedish town made their way to their nearest Volvo dealer and parted with good money for the new S40 model.
It may have been a freak coincidence. But perhaps they were propelled into their purchase by some unknown force?
Renowned documentary-maker Carlos Soto is called out to make a film about the events. His previous work on "Tears of Bethania" seems to make him the perfect choice for the car-maker. He flies to Sweden and shoots footage proudly displayed on an official Volvo website.
And then the rumours start flying around.
Some people say that Soto has been questioning the whole purpose of the project on his own web pages and feels he's been somehow misled. Others have gone one stage further and questioned the existence of Mr Soto himself.
The truth is out there. But we have to travel to Amsterdam to find it.
The innovative spoof campaign is apparently the brainchild of Volvo's rostered European ad agency, MBVMS Fuel Europe. One of the interesting aspects of the project is the way it breaks new ground in terms of mixed media platforms. The mockumentary itself can be viewed on the web or by DVD and is supported by television ads that simply give a flavour of the subject matter and a URL for Volvo Cars. Meanwhile, the creation of the Soto website adds a strong viral element to the campaign. Creatively, it's one of the most intriguing and elaborate ideas I've come across in recent months and I suspect it could run and run. Perhaps the "Mystery of Dalarö" will join the JFK assassination as a perpetual talking point? The creatives are certainly having too much fun to let go of the idea.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is a creative director at a London-based advertising agency and a lecturer in advertising theory. www.philwoodford.com
Read more:
The Mystery of Dalarö
http://www.news40.volvocars.co.uk/flash/default.asp
Carlos Soto
www.carlossoto.com
At first it seemed like just another ordinary day on a small Scandinavian island. But something very strange was afoot. According to witnesses, no fewer than 32 residents of an otherwise normal Swedish town made their way to their nearest Volvo dealer and parted with good money for the new S40 model.
It may have been a freak coincidence. But perhaps they were propelled into their purchase by some unknown force?
Renowned documentary-maker Carlos Soto is called out to make a film about the events. His previous work on "Tears of Bethania" seems to make him the perfect choice for the car-maker. He flies to Sweden and shoots footage proudly displayed on an official Volvo website.
And then the rumours start flying around.
Some people say that Soto has been questioning the whole purpose of the project on his own web pages and feels he's been somehow misled. Others have gone one stage further and questioned the existence of Mr Soto himself.
The truth is out there. But we have to travel to Amsterdam to find it.
The innovative spoof campaign is apparently the brainchild of Volvo's rostered European ad agency, MBVMS Fuel Europe. One of the interesting aspects of the project is the way it breaks new ground in terms of mixed media platforms. The mockumentary itself can be viewed on the web or by DVD and is supported by television ads that simply give a flavour of the subject matter and a URL for Volvo Cars. Meanwhile, the creation of the Soto website adds a strong viral element to the campaign. Creatively, it's one of the most intriguing and elaborate ideas I've come across in recent months and I suspect it could run and run. Perhaps the "Mystery of Dalarö" will join the JFK assassination as a perpetual talking point? The creatives are certainly having too much fun to let go of the idea.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is a creative director at a London-based advertising agency and a lecturer in advertising theory. www.philwoodford.com
Read more:
The Mystery of Dalarö
http://www.news40.volvocars.co.uk/flash/default.asp
Carlos Soto
www.carlossoto.com
Sunday, February 01, 2004
Next time you visit the seaside, make it Koksijde
One of the hardest parts of writing a blog about advertising creativity is the fact that you have to take the rough with the smooth. Or, to put it another way, you can't always define creative excellence unless you're prepared to look at some examples of work that's fallen short of the mark.
Sometimes people have the very best of intentions, but still fail. One example I came across recently is a direct mail piece for Flanders-Brussels Tourism. This eight-sided, colourful mini-brochure is trying to persuade me that I should camp myself out on a beach just west of Zeebrugge. A difficult job at the best of times, as this bit of the Belgian coast isn't currrently the number-one destination for eager holiday-makers from the UK.
Sponsored by the Flemish Government and the European Fund for Regional Development, the mailshot has high production values and some intriguing photogaphy. There's just one drawback. It makes no sense whatsoever - presumably because of mistranslation. It's not possible to convey the full sense of the thing without showing you the pictures, but the headline copy reads as follows:
re-action
or no action
but where?
Here
Yellow
submarine
or earth bound pleasures
Knowledge
makes you go free
I don't want to embarrass anyone or to irritate the good people of Belgium. Although I've never sunbathed in Nieuwpoort or Wenduine, I certainly enjoyed Brussels very much on the couple of occasions I've visited the city. I'm also sure the people responsible for this brochure speak English a great deal better than I speak Flemish.
Nevertheless, there's no getting away from the fact that the words I've transcribed above are absolute gibberish. And you shouldn't assume they make a lot more sense with the photographs either. Youths in winter coats splash around the sea front, whilst a glamorous couple sips champagne and munches oysters from a table set up in a sand dune. Plastic dolls recline in deck chairs and a computer-animated mermaid swims towards us. None of the images is particularly well connected with the text and the overall effect is somewhat surreal.
It's very hard to give any persuasive advertising message a real-world, colloquial flavour that is understood and appreciated by native speakers of a language. That's why professional copywriters exist. It's also why the whole business of international advertising is fraught with danger. Even when moving between American, Australian and UK English, it's essential to tread very carefully.
A reconstructed screen grab from www.flemishcoast.co.uk is included in the brochure and tells me that the best time to experience the Belgian coastline is the late summer. That's when I can apparently enjoy it "intensively". By my reckoning, that gives them seven or eight months to revisit the marketing campaign.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is a creative director at a London-based advertising agency and a lecturer in advertising theory. www.philwoodford.com
One of the hardest parts of writing a blog about advertising creativity is the fact that you have to take the rough with the smooth. Or, to put it another way, you can't always define creative excellence unless you're prepared to look at some examples of work that's fallen short of the mark.
Sometimes people have the very best of intentions, but still fail. One example I came across recently is a direct mail piece for Flanders-Brussels Tourism. This eight-sided, colourful mini-brochure is trying to persuade me that I should camp myself out on a beach just west of Zeebrugge. A difficult job at the best of times, as this bit of the Belgian coast isn't currrently the number-one destination for eager holiday-makers from the UK.
Sponsored by the Flemish Government and the European Fund for Regional Development, the mailshot has high production values and some intriguing photogaphy. There's just one drawback. It makes no sense whatsoever - presumably because of mistranslation. It's not possible to convey the full sense of the thing without showing you the pictures, but the headline copy reads as follows:
re-action
or no action
but where?
Here
Yellow
submarine
or earth bound pleasures
Knowledge
makes you go free
I don't want to embarrass anyone or to irritate the good people of Belgium. Although I've never sunbathed in Nieuwpoort or Wenduine, I certainly enjoyed Brussels very much on the couple of occasions I've visited the city. I'm also sure the people responsible for this brochure speak English a great deal better than I speak Flemish.
Nevertheless, there's no getting away from the fact that the words I've transcribed above are absolute gibberish. And you shouldn't assume they make a lot more sense with the photographs either. Youths in winter coats splash around the sea front, whilst a glamorous couple sips champagne and munches oysters from a table set up in a sand dune. Plastic dolls recline in deck chairs and a computer-animated mermaid swims towards us. None of the images is particularly well connected with the text and the overall effect is somewhat surreal.
It's very hard to give any persuasive advertising message a real-world, colloquial flavour that is understood and appreciated by native speakers of a language. That's why professional copywriters exist. It's also why the whole business of international advertising is fraught with danger. Even when moving between American, Australian and UK English, it's essential to tread very carefully.
A reconstructed screen grab from www.flemishcoast.co.uk is included in the brochure and tells me that the best time to experience the Belgian coastline is the late summer. That's when I can apparently enjoy it "intensively". By my reckoning, that gives them seven or eight months to revisit the marketing campaign.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is a creative director at a London-based advertising agency and a lecturer in advertising theory. www.philwoodford.com
Sunday, January 18, 2004
Time travel and TV sponsorship
A number of news sources reported this week the decision of the Omnicom Group to employ Robert Riesenberg as Chief Executive of 'Branded Entertainment'. In a nutshell, this business is all about media organisations and clients working with agencies to produce TV shows that promote a product or brand.
Worried that consumers are skipping 30-second commercials or surfing the Internet, advertising executives are looking for new and creative ways of imbedding their products in entertaining television programmes. But is the idea really anything new? Far from it. The early days of television in the United States were full of this kind of sponsorship. Back in the fifties, it wasn't uncommon for shows to be named after the sponsor and the boundaries between the entertainment and commercial elements of the programming were unclear to say the least. What's more, market research showed that recognition of the respective brands was high. Anyone who's interested in the detail would be well advised to check out Stephen Fox's excellent history of American advertising, The Mirror Makers*.
In the UK today, there is probably fairly low tolerance of overt product placement, but we are very much used to television programmes including references to their sponsors at the opening of the show and the start of commercial breaks. I think viewers would be left in little doubt that "French Leave", for instance, is sponsored by Bonne Maman (the fastest way to France). And where would Graham Norton be without light, silky smooth TIA LUSSO® Cream Liqueur?
It's interesting that advertisers are returning to some of the oldest tricks in the book in order raise brand awareness among their target market. And it ties in with the theme of one of my earlier blogs: there are very few spaces left today in which it's possible to escape a sales message.
Offers of sponsorship for 108th Street are always welcome, of course ;-)
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is a creative director at a London-based advertising agency and a lecturer in advertising theory. www.philwoodford.com
Read more:
Riesenberg to join Omnicom
http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=39580
Graham Norton and TIA LUSSO® Cream Liqueur
http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/graham/optin.html
*The Mirror Makers: a history of American Advertising, Fox S, Heinemann, 1990
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0434147273/qid=1074466782/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_11_1/026-8895624-8202839
A number of news sources reported this week the decision of the Omnicom Group to employ Robert Riesenberg as Chief Executive of 'Branded Entertainment'. In a nutshell, this business is all about media organisations and clients working with agencies to produce TV shows that promote a product or brand.
Worried that consumers are skipping 30-second commercials or surfing the Internet, advertising executives are looking for new and creative ways of imbedding their products in entertaining television programmes. But is the idea really anything new? Far from it. The early days of television in the United States were full of this kind of sponsorship. Back in the fifties, it wasn't uncommon for shows to be named after the sponsor and the boundaries between the entertainment and commercial elements of the programming were unclear to say the least. What's more, market research showed that recognition of the respective brands was high. Anyone who's interested in the detail would be well advised to check out Stephen Fox's excellent history of American advertising, The Mirror Makers*.
In the UK today, there is probably fairly low tolerance of overt product placement, but we are very much used to television programmes including references to their sponsors at the opening of the show and the start of commercial breaks. I think viewers would be left in little doubt that "French Leave", for instance, is sponsored by Bonne Maman (the fastest way to France). And where would Graham Norton be without light, silky smooth TIA LUSSO® Cream Liqueur?
It's interesting that advertisers are returning to some of the oldest tricks in the book in order raise brand awareness among their target market. And it ties in with the theme of one of my earlier blogs: there are very few spaces left today in which it's possible to escape a sales message.
Offers of sponsorship for 108th Street are always welcome, of course ;-)
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is a creative director at a London-based advertising agency and a lecturer in advertising theory. www.philwoodford.com
Read more:
Riesenberg to join Omnicom
http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=39580
Graham Norton and TIA LUSSO® Cream Liqueur
http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/graham/optin.html
*The Mirror Makers: a history of American Advertising, Fox S, Heinemann, 1990
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0434147273/qid=1074466782/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_11_1/026-8895624-8202839
Monday, January 12, 2004
Lone Ranger leads fight against junk mail
Gerry Ranger has stacked up more direct mail than most people. According to the BBC, the pensioner from Gloucestershire, England collected over 700 mailshots in the course of a year in order to demonstrate the amount of resources that are wasted through this particular form of advertising.
If I had a penny for every time someone's told me they throw all 'junk' mail in the bin, I'd certainly have collected enough cash to buy one of those carriage clocks they give away as a free gift with insurance offers. The general consensus is that direct marketers are on a hiding to nothing. But as someone who's written direct mail myself, I have to let you in on a little secret. The mailshots do work. Otherwise businesses, charities and even local estate agents would have given up sending them out a long time ago.
The aim of every marketer, of course, is to get their list as near perfect as they can, so that they're targeting people who are genuinely interested and minimising their printing and postage costs. But despite huge advances in segmentation and computerised databases, this remains a bit of a pipedream. That's why there's a recognition that the vast majority of mailers will find their way into the rubbish. Response rates to cold mailings can be as low as 1%. But that 1% response provides enough return on investment to make the exercise profitable.
And this, of course, is one of the big problems with the online junk that we call spam. Although virtually no one replies, the cost of sending out hundreds of thousands of e-mails is practically nil. So it only takes a handful of Viagra purchases to leave the spammer quids in.
Mr Ranger apparently hopes that his junk mail mountain can be turned into some kind of Turner Prize winning installation. Its originators no doubt saw it as a work of art when they first mailed it.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is a creative director at a London-based advertising agency and a lecturer in advertising theory. www.philwoodford.com
Read the original press report at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3389777.stm
Gerry Ranger has stacked up more direct mail than most people. According to the BBC, the pensioner from Gloucestershire, England collected over 700 mailshots in the course of a year in order to demonstrate the amount of resources that are wasted through this particular form of advertising.
If I had a penny for every time someone's told me they throw all 'junk' mail in the bin, I'd certainly have collected enough cash to buy one of those carriage clocks they give away as a free gift with insurance offers. The general consensus is that direct marketers are on a hiding to nothing. But as someone who's written direct mail myself, I have to let you in on a little secret. The mailshots do work. Otherwise businesses, charities and even local estate agents would have given up sending them out a long time ago.
The aim of every marketer, of course, is to get their list as near perfect as they can, so that they're targeting people who are genuinely interested and minimising their printing and postage costs. But despite huge advances in segmentation and computerised databases, this remains a bit of a pipedream. That's why there's a recognition that the vast majority of mailers will find their way into the rubbish. Response rates to cold mailings can be as low as 1%. But that 1% response provides enough return on investment to make the exercise profitable.
And this, of course, is one of the big problems with the online junk that we call spam. Although virtually no one replies, the cost of sending out hundreds of thousands of e-mails is practically nil. So it only takes a handful of Viagra purchases to leave the spammer quids in.
Mr Ranger apparently hopes that his junk mail mountain can be turned into some kind of Turner Prize winning installation. Its originators no doubt saw it as a work of art when they first mailed it.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is a creative director at a London-based advertising agency and a lecturer in advertising theory. www.philwoodford.com
Read the original press report at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3389777.stm
Saturday, January 03, 2004
Here's your change, sir. And a free advertising message...
According to Newsstream, a highly innovative guerrilla campaign has been launched to promote the new American mini-series Traffic. The show, which is set to reach television screens at the end of January 2004, is concerned with the trafficking of drugs, guns and human beings. Reports say that agency GoGORILLA Media is placing stickers on new dollar bills and getting bar staff to hand them out as change to punters in swanky bars across New York and LA.
Undoubtedly a great idea and one that seems well targeted and in keeping with the theme of the television show. But it does beg the question: how much further will advertising intrude on our every day lives and personal space? Former US Presidential candidate, Ralph Nader - and other activists associated with the anti-globalisation movement - claim that there are fewer and fewer spaces that are advertising-free. Kids are bombarded with marketing messages in school - an issue of growing concerns to parents in the UK as well as America. Interactive billboards in some parts of the States are now capable of picking up radio frequencies in cars and switching messages according to the demographics of the traffic queue. Hardly a day goes by without some new medium being exploited.
What about the radio data system? That's the clever gizmo that flashes up the name of the artist and song as you're driving along in your motor. Very soon, according to reports, it's going to be sending out messages to accompany your radio advertisements too. A bank in North Carolina is experimenting with the idea this very month and seems likely to be flashing up messages such as "FREE GIFT" and "CALL NOW". A superb example of direct and intrusive marketing? Or simply an additional hazard on the roads to distract drivers?
If you think you can escape the commercial bombardment by taking to the air, I have to advise you that won't even be safe at 35,000 feet. Advent Airads™ are designed to greet you as you open the overhead locker.
Some people, however, clearly welcome the intrusion of advertising. Jim Nelson, for example. The financially astute Illinois resident apparently auctioned space on his head and now sports a tattoo advertising web firm, C I Host. They reckon Jim alone has brought in five hundred new customers. It really is a case of how to get a head in advertising.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is a creative director at a London-based advertising agency and a lecturer in advertising theory. www.philwoodford.com
Read more:
Dollar bills promote TV mini-serieshttp://www.newstream.com/us/story_pub.shtml?story_id=11793&user_ip=62.252.64.4
Visual ads on car radios
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/31/business/media/31adco.html?pagewanted=print&position=
Mile-high advertisinghttp://www.adventads.com/benefits.html#captive
Personal advertising space
http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/031208/49386.html
According to Newsstream, a highly innovative guerrilla campaign has been launched to promote the new American mini-series Traffic. The show, which is set to reach television screens at the end of January 2004, is concerned with the trafficking of drugs, guns and human beings. Reports say that agency GoGORILLA Media is placing stickers on new dollar bills and getting bar staff to hand them out as change to punters in swanky bars across New York and LA.
Undoubtedly a great idea and one that seems well targeted and in keeping with the theme of the television show. But it does beg the question: how much further will advertising intrude on our every day lives and personal space? Former US Presidential candidate, Ralph Nader - and other activists associated with the anti-globalisation movement - claim that there are fewer and fewer spaces that are advertising-free. Kids are bombarded with marketing messages in school - an issue of growing concerns to parents in the UK as well as America. Interactive billboards in some parts of the States are now capable of picking up radio frequencies in cars and switching messages according to the demographics of the traffic queue. Hardly a day goes by without some new medium being exploited.
What about the radio data system? That's the clever gizmo that flashes up the name of the artist and song as you're driving along in your motor. Very soon, according to reports, it's going to be sending out messages to accompany your radio advertisements too. A bank in North Carolina is experimenting with the idea this very month and seems likely to be flashing up messages such as "FREE GIFT" and "CALL NOW". A superb example of direct and intrusive marketing? Or simply an additional hazard on the roads to distract drivers?
If you think you can escape the commercial bombardment by taking to the air, I have to advise you that won't even be safe at 35,000 feet. Advent Airads™ are designed to greet you as you open the overhead locker.
Some people, however, clearly welcome the intrusion of advertising. Jim Nelson, for example. The financially astute Illinois resident apparently auctioned space on his head and now sports a tattoo advertising web firm, C I Host. They reckon Jim alone has brought in five hundred new customers. It really is a case of how to get a head in advertising.
© Phil Woodford, 2004. All rights reserved.
Phil Woodford is a creative director at a London-based advertising agency and a lecturer in advertising theory. www.philwoodford.com
Read more:
Dollar bills promote TV mini-serieshttp://www.newstream.com/us/story_pub.shtml?story_id=11793&user_ip=62.252.64.4
Visual ads on car radios
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/31/business/media/31adco.html?pagewanted=print&position=
Mile-high advertisinghttp://www.adventads.com/benefits.html#captive
Personal advertising space
http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/031208/49386.html
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