A new Harvard study shows that shoppers—at least the crazy rich ones who frequent ABC Carpet and Home in New York City (if you’ve ever been inside ABC, you know the sort of people we’re talking about)—will not only gravitate toward products labeled “fair trade” over identical but unlabeled products, but will buy even more of them when the prices are raised.
marketing
Is This Fashion Ad Promoting Gang Rape?
By 10.22.07
How offensive do you find this Dolce & Gabbana ad? The folks at NOW Foundation have it at the top of their list of offensive ads, describing it as “a scene evoking a gang rape and reeking of violence against women.” In fact, it was banned in Spain earlier this year after public outcry, but was published in Esquire here in the U.S.
Healthy Cereal Commercial Or Metaphorical Poop Fest?
By 10.18.07
A commercial for Kellogg’s All-Bran seems to have gone back to the source and adopted the crazy butt-obsessed attitude of the company’s forefather, because as the actor talks in the foreground about how great his cereal makes him feel, in the background you can see several over-the-top metaphors for… well, let’s just say “pulling an I-beam out of my wall” is going to take on a whole new meaning. And in case it’s not explicit enough, wait for the tag line.
Free Facebook Gift: Walmart Ghost Cookie
By 10.15.07
Today’s free gift that social network site Facebook users can electronically give to each other appears to be a frosting-coated ghost cookie in a plastic bag. Oh, and the cookie says Walmart on it. Spooky. Now is time for a fun Halloween game. Make this simple marketing ploy into a metaphor, and then read a lot into it.
Man Documents Efforts To Get Off Spam Lists
By 10.12.07
Our favorite moment: when Halleran asks, “If I cancel my account with you guys, will that stop the mailing?”, and the man on the other end just sighs in angry exasperation.
Many Shoppers Just Aren't Buying Christmas Stuff In October
By 10.12.07
Apparently a lot of U.S. consumers feel the same way as our readers do about stores putting up Christmas displays before Halloween—that is, they don’t like it. A new survey finds that despite early store displays, 40% of shoppers don’t plan on starting Christmas shopping until after Thanksgiving, an increase of 10% over the previous year.
Counter-Marketing Campus Credit Card Pushers
By 10.11.07
PIRG volunteers are manning booths in campuses nationwide designed to look like fictional “FEESA” credit card stand, BusinessWeek reports, except passing out lollipops that say “don’t be a sucker” and informational brochures about the dangers of credit card abuse. A worthy counter-marketing campaign, though someone should give them some more money so they can give out free tshirts too, and at least match their opponents’ irresistible offerings.
Neuromarketing Promises Greater Manipula- er, "Effectiveness"
By 10.11.07
Neuromarketing is a new audience measurement approach that uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), along with other fancy brain reading machines formerly reserved for the medical industry, to observe and measure brain activity in people exposed to advertisements. The resulting data can be used to craft more effective ads and target them more accurately to the right consumer. Says the director of a neuromarketing consultancy, “Emotions cannot necessarily be accurately described. We can see the discrepancy between what you say and what your brain says, and reduce the margin of error.”
Stores Know You Don't Like Christmas Marketing In October, But Don't Care
By 10.9.07
A “Christmas Creep” article in the New York Times gathered a bunch of quotes from retailers explaining why they feel the need to start marketing Christmas two holidays in advance. The verdict? They seem to know it irritates you, but they don’t really care.
Sony Rips Off Artists For New Bravia Campaign
By 10.6.07
They say there’s no new ideas in advertising, but after seeing the latest ripoff routine, where Sony Bravia totally jacked an independent artist team’s work for their new ad, we disagree. They do have one idea. It’s that it’s totally okay to blatantly steal other’s work, repackage it, and get away with it. But we’ve got to wonder, what are these firms thinking? If consumers discover the cut and paste job, isn’t that a pretty negative backwash on the client they’re supposed to be promoting? Or do they figure, hey, it’s just a few thousand internet geeks and artists, they don’t have any money anyways, who cares, let’s snort some more coke off the copying machine glass?
Hey Nets Fans, Welcome To The Izod Arena?
By 10.5.07
The New Jersey Nets have located their perfect sponsor after what was said to be a rigorous search. Izod!
5 Marketing Tricks That Unleash Shopping Frenzies
By 10.4.07
- Artificially limit supply. They had a giant warehouse full of Beanie Babies, but released them in squirts to prolong the buying orgy.
- Issue press releases about limited supply so news van show up
- Aggressively market to children. Daddy may not play with his kids as much as he should but one morning he can get up at the crack of dawn, get a Teddy Ruxpin, and be a hero.
- Make a line of minute variations on the same theme to create the “collect them all” effect.
- Make it only have one highly specialized function so you can sell one that laughs, one that sings, one that skydives, etc, ad nauseum.
People Suddenly Love V8? What?
By 9.29.07
An article in Newsday asks the question: “Why are Campbell’s V8 juices suddenly selling?” We didn’t even realize they were.
The University Of Iowa Removes Athletes From Credit Card Promotions
By 9.29.07
This University of Iowa credit card scandal is getting more interesting every day. Today’s development: The University has “backed away” from allowing athletes to be used in the U of I alumni association credit card program.
Virgin America Is Trying Too Hard
By 9.28.07
According to OK! magazine, Virgin America will be hosting “the first-ever supermodel in-flight pajama party this November,” with the Victoria’s Secret models. No, you’re not invited. Yes, someone else is. Yes, that person probably has a camera.
New Consumer Types To Define You
By 9.28.07
Are you a karma queen or a geek god? A couple of fancy New York branding types have released a new book that suggests several new consumer “types,” including those two as well as the “innerpreneur,” the “denim dad,” and the “parentocrat.”
Gum Company Paid ADA For Study That Earned It Their Seal Of Approval
By 9.28.07
For the first time ever, the American Dental Association is putting its seal on some Wrigley’s chewing gum products—they’ll now say that the ADA considers them products that are “clinically proven to help prevent cavities, reduce plaque acid and strengthen teeth.” The ADA and some health professionals say that this is a perfectly acceptable application of the seal, because a full study was carried out that proved the products work. The only problem is, the study was privately funded and the gum companies partially paid for them.
"Green" Credit Cards Are Silly
By 9.25.07
Bankrate has an article about co-called “green” credit cards that donate a portion of your purchase to environmentally friendly causes. Why are we saying they’re silly?
