What would you think if you saw this walking down the street?
Read about this project here.
Standing Out
Soon I will have a post about how to make it into the workforce in a new city, but as a kind of lead-in to get everyone thinking about how to stand out amongst a stack of plain-faced resumes, I just want to share this awesome interactive resume that could help you make it anywhere.
Geico Camel Makes a Comeback
Okay, so it’s not quite Wednesday anymore, but it doesn’t have to be. Geico’s camel (from the Hump Day advertisement, if you have not seen it) is back, and as enthusiastic as ever, though this time it’s not limited to one weekday anymore.
It’s interesting to me how Geico manages to claim certain characters and reuse them effectively again and again. The gecko, the cavemen, and now the camel. It’s a common topic in my advertising classes: how is it that this works so well for Geico, and so poorly in some other cases (take Progressive’s Flo, for example, who most seem to think is worn out or just plain annoying at this point)? Geico’s consistency and relatable humour seem to draw people in. Even if some commercials are better than others, everyone knows the brand’s multiple faces and the slogan, “Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance.” So what is it that Geico and The Martin Agency are doing right?
Illustration Spotlight: Rory Kurtz
I read about Rory Kurtz today in my Communication Arts magazine. I think the colors and emotions in his work are so unique and inspirational, and very impressive considering he has only been drawing professionally for three years. He cites the above piece as one of his favorites. Everyone should check out his online porfolio.
Cheese
I just hurried over to Facebook to like Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. Why in such a rush, you may ask? Well, because I just had the most earth-shatteringly delicious batch of mac and cheese, of course. Actually, that isn’t true, although it sounds fantastic and that may be my next step. The real reason? This article. I’ve always loved Kraft, and their mac and cheese is pretty much a staple in my kitchen for when I’m feeling less than creative. Let’s surpass my swooning over these new delightful flavors, and get right to the point of the blog: advertising. This campaign covers everything. From video and radio to social media, Kraft has it covered; it even has its own website (a pretty cool one, I might add)! While the ads may seem a little cheesey (insert chuckle here), that’s entirely the point. They have even given it a name: “new-stalgic.” They have created a whole history for these brand new flavors so that their customers will feel a timeless connection to the new products just as they feel for the 75 year old brand.
“Prankvertising”
I was pretty surprised by this video (from this article today in Adweek), despite the fact that I knew what was happening.
What is your opinion of this so-called “prankvertising”?
Comment with your thoughts!
UPDATE 9/9/13: My teacher just shared this blog post regarding this advertisement, which discusses an entirely different concept as a possible followup to this advertisement or other “prankvertising” in general, which turns a simple viral video into inbound marketing and draws in even more potential customers.
Taco Bell: “A” for Effort
Another interesting article I stumbled upon a few days ago.
This article had me reminiscing about Taco Bell’s most recent Super Bowl commercial.
I’m a fan of Taco Bell’s new “Live Mas” image. Are you?
Sweet Advertising (Pass it On)
(So I managed to lock myself out of my WordPress account for a period of time due to Google Authenticator in combination with some phone troubles. Minor oops, but I’m back!)
I know I’ve missed sharing plenty of great articles since my last post, but I’ve had this one saved on my computer for a couple of days. I love chocolate, so this caught my attention right away, of course, but I was also really impressed by the creative here. I have been searching for anywhere selling them online since I stumbled upon this, to no avail. But, in reality, I love the idea behind this and the way it was communicated.
One Second on the Internet
What this webpage represents is striking, especially when I consider it in terms of my future in the world of advertising. Everyone should check it out!
UPDATE: One Day Later – “Monkey See, Monkey Do”
Just last night, I posted some updates on the Cheerios “Just Checking” commercial in my post “Monkey See, Monkey Do.” Today, I stumbled upon an article in AdWeek which shows Cheerios’s first commercial since this controversial spot in May along with some commentary on the Cheerios brand which I found interesting. It looks like comments on this video have not yet been disabled, though some commenters note the switch back to the stereotypical media portrayal of an all-white American family. One commenter shows frustration with the switch, saying, “So sad to see Cheerios fold to peer pressure… to appease hateful individuals. I guess its clear what target market is Cheerios aiming for.” Others appreciate advertisement for what it is: “Beautiful. Very touching.” Others still hold a grudge for the last commercial: “A European family having breakfast together such a beautiful thing. But the damage is done and irreversibly damaged your brand for ever. We never forgive and never forget.”
Will this commercial take Cheerios back to the down-low, as they prefer? Or will they continue to blow up our newsfeeds? Only time will tell.
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