"Buy the Way…" Insights on Integrated Marketing Communication

We have already initiated a good many discussions regarding various marketing and advertising campaigns from different brands. Another big part of the advertising field, as known as the educational promotion campaigns from the non-profit organization, should also be given enough weight.

Last year in May, the foundation ANAR¹ (Aid to Children and Adolescents at Risk), a Spanish nonprofit organization, developed a wonderful advertisement attempted to reach out victims of child abuse. They set up a bus-stop advertisement using a process called lenticular photography revealing two different images when you look at it from different angles.

An adult looking at the ad sees a child with the warning message “sometimes, a child abuse is only visible to the child suffering it”, but children under 4’5″, the approximate height of 10-year-olds, looking at it sees the same child with cuts and bruises on the face along with the hotline number in the message “If somebody hurts you, phone us and we’ll help you.”

ANAR Foundation says the goal of this ad is to provide the opportunity to kids who suffer from the abuse to speak up and report their abuse. The reactions to the ads have been generously very positive praising the ad for clever use of the technology, but Yahoo reports some people wonder whether by making a big deal out of the ad and how it works, “the ad campaign might be less effective, since everyone has now been let in on the secret.”² But writer from the popular photography says the story surrounding the ad could be more effective than the ad itself. “ It’s certainly done a lot to make people talk about the issue, and broadcast (the foundation)’s helpline far more widely than it might otherwise have been seen.”³

Here is the link to the video posted by the ANAR Foundation explains the technology behind the Bus-stop advertisement – Anar Foundation “Only for Children”. It has been viewed by almost 9 million people on YouTube and I personally find that very fascinating for an educational promotion advertising campaign. It is certainly worth thinking that, in the world of advertising where people focus only on selling products and generating revenue, how campaigns from non-profit organizations aimed at promoting values and social norms draw adequate attention from the public. Did this campaign show a betterment of using the technology? Do you think it is a good campaign overall although there is no “secret” anymore?

1. ANAR FOUNDATION http://www.semesteratsea.org/trips/anar-foundation/

2. Anti-Child-Abuse Ad Aims to Help Kids Speak Out by Displaying a Message Only They Can See http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/trending-now/anti-child-abuse-ad-aims-help-kids-speak-165043599.html

3. Lenticular PSA Gives Secret Messages to Abused Children http://www.popphoto.com/news/2013/05/lenticular-psa-gives-secret-message-to-abused-children

For a sport fanatic like me, September is a great month: rival college football teams battle for a spot in the newly added playoffs, MLB teams battle for the last wild-card spots available but, most of all, the NFL season starts. Though, this year this excitement has been overshadowed by feelings of shame, anger and doubts. All of this started when the NFL suspended Baltimore Ravens’ running back Ray Rice for 2 games for allegedly have assaulted his wife. At that time no evidence of the assault was made public and the league claimed not having any video of such act. Because of all the critics that the NFL had received, the league had to change its policy regarding the punishment for any of its affiliates accused of domestic violence. Unfortunately, last week TMZ revealed a complete video of the assault. Here are some links to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDzCcX1_Ifk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjGvL8Hw1Z4 (the videos may be pretty disturbing). The league initially had said that there was no video evidence available (notice that the incidence happened in a casino) not even from law enforcement agency; but recently the casino confirmed that the video was sent to both law enforcement agencies and to the league’s office. Did Commissioner Goddell in fact see the video, contrary of what he has admitted?

The NFL’s brand and its marketing took a “hit” worth of the best linebacker with this scandal: first the minimum punishment initially inflicted to Rice, second the lies about the non-existence of the video evidence and lastly the possibility that commissioner Goddell, arguably the most powerful in sports, actually saw the video but tried to cover the evidence to undermine the scandal in order to protect its company, all contributed in constructing one of the biggest branding challenges that the NFL has ever faced.

It is crucial to remember that the NFL has been voted the number one brand in term of consumer sports loyalty, and it is one of the most recognizable brand in the USA. Moreover, during the last few years the NFL tried to attract more female fans through the sale of merchandising products specifically made for women (jerseys, hats, etc…)

If this wasn’t enough, Saturday Adrian Peterson, a running back for the Minnesota Vikings, admitted to have beaten his four years old son. Hence, the league is facing the fact of having players, its employees, accused of abusing both women and children.

The National Football League is facing an incredible challenge: overcome an enormous amount of critics concerning topics that the league had previously tried to address with campaigns that were positively portraying its sport in favor of both women and children (women merchandise and “play 60″ for kids). Potential outcomes of this branding crisis could be a wide decrease in the interest in the sport and the league over multiple platforms and sectors: tickets and merchandising sales, broadcasting ratings, sponsorships opportunities and media coverage could all decrease.

The NFL faces the urgency of having to re-brand itself: the question is how to do it. Should the NFL launch new campaigns in order to attract more women? Should it launch campaigns specifically aimed at the fight against the abuse of children? If yes, what could be some good ideas. Should commissioner Goddell resign if the video had actually reached the league’s office, provided that somebody could prove that? These are some of the many question that are at the top of the discussions about NFL in different media platforms and that I would like you to consider. One thing is certain, the NFL needs to stop its downfall. Waiting that awesome catches, throws and tackles will take over the spotlight surely won’t be enough. Fans will not forget what some of their favorite players have done.

The NFL needs to be able to utilize its vast financial and marketing resources. The league is featured in many media platforms: TV, magazines, apps, videos, videogames….People can potentially receive NFL related news and articles pretty much everywhere they go. The opportunities for different integrated marketing campaigns are there. The league could potentially develop a series of marketing campaigns presented on different platforms. For example, producing specialized merchandising objects (as the NFL already tried), hire women executives and promote such hiring on magazines and TV, use players’ public images to promote the idea of how women and children will all be beneficial to the sport. CBS already missed an opportunity for overturning the situation when the broadcasting company decided to cancel Rihanna’s performance (who was victim of domestic violence) during the broadcast of last week Thursday night’s game.

On this note I’d like to collect your opinions and ideas about what kind of marketing campaigns the NFL should implement. Also I would like to know if you believe that the extents of this ” brand crisis” are as serious as I think. I believe that the image of the NFL could take a serious hit, also seen the competition of other professional leagues, if something is not done soon. At the same time, I believe that the passion for football is so deeply rooted in the American people that, with its numerous resources, the NFL as a unique opportunity for turning this negative situation into something positive by providing support for crucial issues like domestic violence. Only time will tell us how this scandals will change the face of the NFL brand but, as far as now, the future may seem pretty obscure.

This is the article on which I based my marketing argument and from which I gathered some information:

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/after-ray-rice-nfl-needs-go-big-restore-brand-women-160009

Video Link:   Coca Cola: Hello Happiness

This video called ‘Hello Happiness’ was published by Coca-Cola in March 2014. It depicts South Asian construction laborers in the United Arab Emirates using the tops of Coca-Cola bottles as currency in a branded phone booth that allows them to make a three-minute international call to their families back home. Coke is paying for the phone call, branding the booth, and the laborers are paying for the Coke bottles.

This video shows laborers in hard hats and reflective vests lining up to use the special phone booth, and grinning. One of the labors said to the camera “I’ve saved one more cap, so I can talk to my wife again tomorrow.” According to the ad, construction laborers in the United Arab Emirates have an average income of $6 per day and have to pay up to $0.91 per minute to call home. A bottle of Coke costs $0.54 in Dubai currently, so the laborers are paying $0.54 for a three-minute call rather than $2.7.

More than forty thousand people made calls using the five special phone booths installed by Coca-Cola in Dubai labor camps. In April 2014, after the booths had been up for about a month, the company dismantled them.

This campaign was created by the advertising agency called Y&R Dubai and belongs to part of a larger push into digital advertising in this region. On the whole, this ad was a success since it spread virally on the Internet and the majority of the comments were positive and supportive on social media.

However, there were also objections to this campaign. “So now all they are going ot drink is coca cola. One of the most unhealthy beverages on the planet, while they work in sweltering heat under slave like conditions.,” one commented on the Youtube. Another viewer of the ad said “No offense, but ‘Happiness’ would be working conditions that don’t cause thousands of deaths, non-exploitative contracts, fair wages”. The question is whether Coca-Cola is shedding light on a little-known human-rights crisis and, in its own small way, helping to alleviate the troubles of the victims of that crisis, or whether it is adding to the exploitation of migrant workers in the Middle East and Asia.

The story about the new dating app “Tinder” being used by Olympic athletes caught my interest. It is supposed to put out your picture for others to say yes or no to hanging out with you. The people are within a 10 mile or so radius of you.

I asked my 20-something co-worker Chris to sign up and try it. We thought it would be very cool around our office building and nearby restaurants and bars. Messages starting popping immediately, but they were from fake people trying to get info and sell products.  I hear if you stay on for more than an hour, real people pop in. However, my friend got apprehensive and left the app.

Do you think the app will grow in popularity? How can they make it better?

Here’s the Olympic athlete link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/02/14/sochi-on-tinder-tumblr_n_4791181.html

Thanks,

Jana

I really like the Geico lizard being apprehensive about insuring the brown m&m.  The humpday camel spot with Ms. Brown is even funnier.  Great win-win in this positive mash-up:

http://adage.com/article/news/m-m-s-geico-s-characters-star-tv-ad/291971/

Obviously humor and multiple spokes-creatures help Geico be successful.

I am having a great time watching the breakfast advertising wars between McDonalds and Taco Bell right now. If you have not seen the Taco Bell breakfast commercial yet watch it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKAcOawiaNk. The ad features people named Ronald McDonald, though not the McDonald’s restaurant Ronald McDonald talking about how they love Taco Bell breakfast.

What I love about this commercial is that McDonald’s has been positioned for years as America’s source for breakfast on the go. Taco Bell played into this by humorously swiping at the breakfast champion without ever actually mentioning McDonald’s.

McDonald’s brand is omnipresent in the breakfast world. Conversely, if I had to guess, I would say approximately zero (sober) people think of breakfast when they think of Taco Bell (yes, I’m excluding stoners and the hung over – it’s no longer breakfast if its afternoon). This was Taco Bell’s way of introducing the brand as a tasty breakfast alternative, so tasty in fact, that even Ronald McDonald(s) loves it.

Taco Bell seems to have struck a blow with this ad campaign as McDonald’s seems to have taken notice. After the ad began airing McDonald’s posted this photo on their Facebook page http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/533965636da8115c4215d9a2-960/mcdonald’s%20taco%20bell.jpg. Here McDonald’s responds in kind by referencing Taco Bell’s most infamous mascot the Chihuahua mascot in a rather humorous yet condescending manner.

Not to be outdone, Taco Bell responded on Instagram http://instagram.com/p/mGq1DzQhGm/ with a video of someone whistling Old McDonald Had a Farm while changing out of McDonald’s socks and into Taco Bell socks then stating “much better.”

Hopefully this advertising and social media feud continues to heat up. Brands seem to be at their best when competition is fierce.

Nothing new about that. Mexican fast food chain, Taco Bell, broke into a new menu daypart last week: Breakfast; and they did it with nothing better than one competitive (-and some may allege “creative”) advertising campaign. The “Big Idea”? Ronald McDonald. Wait? Isn’t Ronald McDonald a brand icon of one of Taco Bell’s major competitors? Absolutely, but humor and advertising can sometimes get along. Can’t they?

It all started with the idea of recruiting an army of people legitimately named “Ronald McDonald”, and –they were paid- to stand in front of a camera and literally say “Hi, I am Ronald McDonald and I LOOOOVEEE Taco Bell’s new breakfast”. Creative –sure. I’ll give them that.

As expected this went viral. I mean- Ronald McDonald “loves” Taco Bell? Of course the video quickly landed on all social media sites, YouTube, and every .com news/marketing site you could think of… As I saw how this satire spread all over the internet, I couldn’t help getting money-rolling eyed thinking of how much brand exposure Taco Bell was getting from this, and how much money they were saving on their media reach, because the truth is, the public was taking care of spreadin’ the word about Taco Bell and their new breakfast line.

So, after claiming that Ronald McDonald “loved” Taco Bell, of course McDonald’s responded gratefully for the admiration Taco Bell had shown. McDonald’s response was clever, clean, creative, humorous, and of course MTGV (made-to-go-viral). “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” was their response (Checkmate!) -Ouch, Taco Bell! That was a slap in the face accompanied by a cute picture of Ronald petting a little Chihuahua (AKA Taco Bell’s mascot).

Was Taco Bell satisfied with this? Oh no.. They still had not one, but 2 (or maybe more) cards to play. Next comeback was a short social media video of a man (that seemed to be Ronald McDonald) taking off his red and white striped socks and putting on some new ones with tacos printed on them, all to the rhythm of “Old McDonald” and sealed with a “Ahh.. much better” line supposedly coming from Ronald. I mean… The breakfast war was on by now.

Just in case this Taco Bell’s Ronald circus was not enough for Taco Bell to make a statement, they launched one more video using the same creative concept.

So, after watching a war between tacos and Ronald, here are my two pennies: Clever, Taco Bell. Bravo. However, I was quite disappointed by the lack of strategic thinking on the development of the first commercial (Yes- the one with the “I’m Ronald McDonald and I love…). Taco Bell “Vive Mas”, has always taken pride on meeting the needs and wants of a hard-to-reach target demographic: Millennials. So why in the world, would Taco Bell use people from older generations (or older Millennials) to deliver that message? Did they skip “Targeting 101”? Yes, there were some young individuals on the commercial, and even a “Ronald McDonald Jr.”, but what’s with the setting? They couldn’t use a more vivid, young, colorful, “Vive Mas” kind of set?

On a different note, -again, kudos to TB for being creative, but someone’s gotta draw the line. How much more exposure do they want to create for McDonald’s? not just as a brand, but also as a breakfast destination? And let’s not forget the ultimate mention of the Egg McMuffin and how it’s been an icon of breakfast for decades. I mean, come on Taco Bell.. you gotta know that publicity is publicity after all…

It’s certainly been a week filled with a suculent breakfast war, whose’ gonna serve the next round? We shall see.

Back in the 1980’s and part of the 1990’s before the internet really took hold, divorce was just as scandalous as an affair. People could be winners in the image race by how they behaved and took charge of the problem for example Ivana Trump came out the model for first wives everywhere. Ivana Trump is best known, not for for her business savvy or multiple marriages afterwards but for her famous saying “Don’t get mad, get everything.” Prince Charles is still recovering his image from Princess Diana’s manipulation of the media. Diana was a media maverick in that she was able to get her causes publicity because she gave what the people wanted, a story line of unhappily ever after. She gave details to the public so they felt like they knew her and could relate but they never knew her next move. Princess Diana was always three steps ahead until her death.

Now in the time of social media, marriages and child rearing can spawn into lifestyle websites. Take for instance the latest in trends “Conscious Uncoupling”, Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin have announced on Gwyneth’s lifestyle website Goop that they will be ending their marriage in this manner. Goop is a website magazine that points out the positives that life has to offer.  Skeptics observe that this term is not a movement in how family’s are handling separation but the next move in living with divorce in the eyes of the media. By making “Concious Uncoupling” a trend it is actually an attempt in keeping within the positive imagery that Paltrow has portrayed throughout her career. The newest trend overall in divorce coverage is to give the media nothing to report by going out with the partner and looking romantic or amicable. Kris and Bruce Jenner have been showing signs of romantic gestures in public but Kris has been shown with a young boyfriend. In their case, it could be keeping up with the story lines of “Keeping up with the Kardashians”   No matter what the case may be, who will come out the winner?

Goop.com (2014). What’s goop?. Retrieved from:http://www.goop.com/about/whats-goop

Farrell, M.J. (1990). The trumps head for divorce court. People Magazine, (33) 8, Retrieved from: http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20116915,00.html

McClear, S. (2014). Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s split has not stopped them from sticking together : Why celebrity couples cannot quit each other. NY Daily News, Retrieved from: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/celebs-gwyneth-paltrow-give-new-meaning-breaking-article-1.1746014

Roberts, R. (1997). The princess and the press: A dance ending in death. Washington Post. Retrieved from:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/diana/stories/press0904.htm