New Breed of Advertisers: August 2009

Tiger, Barclays and "Fake"

I watched a bit of The Barclays Golf Tournament this afternoon. I don't catch much golf but I see enough to marvel at Tiger Woods' fandom. Unlike many celebrities who garner attention because they have pretty faces or make a splash on TV, Tiger is the real deal. Crowds stretch and shove and fly thousands of miles because it gets them within touching distance of genuine, unparalleled, talent.

And it isn't just the masses who bow. The greats in golf do the same. Here's a Nike commercial from early 2009 demonstrating the point:

During today's tournament, I caught another sign of the real deal. At least, that was the claim. I don't know enough to discern best from better in investment banking, but that's what Barclays - the bank - claimed. Maybe they aren't the best, but I sure liked their TV spot that said so:

From the agency that made "Fake": "Directed by Nicolai Fuglsig, the spot reached number one on AdCritic’s Top 20 and was also featured as the Spot of the Day. Campaign Magazine has also recognized it as the Ad of the Day..."

David Berman: Do Good Design

Graphic designer, David Berman, recently published Do Good ~~Design~~: How Designers Can Change the World. I wrote a note in my Moleskine months ago to learn more but then I forgot about it.

Today I found this video where David spells out his "three-part pledge for designers." Watch it here.

Buyer's guide and something I'd purchase

Answers from my previous post :

Moen disqualification: I see no conceivable reason to use a faucet extension as shown in the ad. There may be good uses for it, but this one just shows another helpless consumer wrestling out of a blanket. Regardless of the quality and actual benefits of the faucet, this presentation insults my intelligence. Won't buy it.

Kenmore disqualification: "Why use those heavy pitchers...?" This line betrays the picture of health in several ways: Pur water filtration, healthy diet (apple and non-Kool-Aid), and the other line of copy, "Ideas for the good life." Why would a family who cares about such things spend a couple of thousand dollars, at least in part, to avoid lifting a "heavy pitcher"? This isn't a valid perk. Won't buy it.

More compelling? This pork. I'd buy it, because it really is like bowling. (Click image to read text.)

Buyer's guide for my occasional break from thrift

I'm not quite ascetic. By birth and by religious conviction, I'm thrifty, at best. And once in a while, I even buy an extra product or service I don't need but that makes life easier. That's what this post is about: how I buy the extras.

When I succumb to this bit of self-spoiling (assuming I get through the subsequent and always-accompanying spell of buyer's remorse), I still like to know that both 1) my purchased good and 2) the act of obtaining it were necessary and intelligent. Let me explain.

1) A purchased good
By necessary, I mean that the purchased good ought to provide a service to me, perhaps practical, perhaps just pleasurable. Either way, it can't do nothing for me. By intelligent, I mean that the product must inspire and not insult my imagination, my aesthetic leanings, my logic and intellect, etc.

2) A good purchase
I also like to know that the purchasing itself was necessary and intelligent. Here, necessary means that even though the product may have been an extra, I "needed" to buy it. It was the right time, the right place, and so on (Same goes for spur-of-the-moment purchases, which are simply faster slow decisions). Intelligent means I made the decision for the right reason.

Examples that wouldn't make the cut
At first glance, the following two magazine ad products may appear to meet my "necessary and intelligent" qualifications. But they don't. One clue in each is to blame for my disinterest and disqualification: a visual clue in the first and a written clue in the second. Click on each image for a larger view and take a guess why. My reasons may be easy to spot, surprising to you or even disappointing, but guess anyway and I'll let you know in the next post.

Further questions to ponder: Do you have a buyer's guide? If so, how much is it informed by your faith? By your upbringing? Personality? Amount of disposable income?

Subaru. It's what makes a Human a Human

Houston Heflin (Abilene Christian University) asked me about the seemingly recent marketing interest in love. Great question. Immediately I thought of "Love. It's what makes a Subaru a Subaru." Then I found more examples. Tell me about ones that catch your attention. If I get enough suggestions, I'll do another post.

Here are three for Lipton Green Tea (listen to the song), Subaru Forester and - the funniest of the bunch - Klondike Bar:

How about this print ad for Newman's Own salad dressing?

I must also include a post from last year called "Sex from a box." It definitely belongs in this line-up.

Last night, I saw a commercial for Glade Lasting Impressions plug-ins. It would have been a perfect fit here, but I couldn't find it on line. Any help?

What do I think about this marketing interest? Here's a start:

1. Lovemarks
2. Lovemarks: Part 2
3. And my interview with the creator of Lovemarks (and possibly the biggest influence behind this love trend), Kevin Roberts.