Attack of the Marketing Zombies

You’ll have to admit, there’s something inherently fascinating about zombies. Tattered, undead people trolling the earth in search of the next warm body to devour in a spastic fit always gives a good scare and makes for an easy thrill. It’s even become something of a cult following- just Google Louisville Zombie Attack and you’ll know what I’m talking about. People want to pretend to be zombies.

Aside from the deliciously (pun intended) kitsch and implausible nature of zombie horror classics and the recently popular Walking Dead series on AMC, there are truly a few things that just need to die. Advertising zombies are one of those things.

You know what I’m talking about- the annoying spokesperson, the earworm jingle and even the holiday spot that’s been airing since the advent of broadcast television.

I asked a few of my coworkers

what ad campaigns they thought just won’t die- and if there were really daring, provide a few ideas that would breathe life into the tired old messaging. It seems insurance spokespeople won overall, but not without some heated debate about Flo from Progressive’s red lipstick.

See what we have to say and chime in and let us know which advertising zombie you’d like to see disappear…

Zombie: The New LEVI commercials

“Are they trying to sell to beatniks? Are beatniks even around anymore? Weird poetry doesn’t sell me. Maybe if it was for some new emo cologne or something maybe. Come on LEVI.”

Possible solution: Get rid of the poetry and have real people just say what they like about their jeans. The visuals are not bad, I just don’t feel like snapping my fingers after each line.

Zombie: Geico gecko –and- caveman

“They need to evolve to a new creature…”

“Every time I see the spot where he’s on the bridge in NYC, I hope he gets run over by the bike at the end… Which would be my suggestion to phase him out – have an online contest to seal his fate.”

Zombie: Flo from Progressive

“Flo from Progressive has got to go. No one should wear that much red lipstick.”

“Replace her with Clint Eastwood. Instead of an empty chair, it could be an empty bucket seat. If he told me to buy insurance from Progressive I would have to listen to him.”

The Second Screen

It’s a practice that you’re already familiar with- called ‘second-screen,’ it’s the use of another device while watching TV. Who hasn’t checked Facebook or emails on their phone, tablet or computer while watching a favorite TV show? Maybe you’re even reading this blog on your laptop while watching the news right this very moment. Nine times out of ten, you probably don’t even realize you’re doing it. Heck, in the course of writing this blog entry I must checked my phone at least three times.

I’ll have to admit; it’s a great way to pass the time in between commercial breaks and is truly multi-tasking at its finest…even if you’re just multi-tasking between leisure activities.

Just as the DVR shaped how commercials are made, “second screening” can present some new opportunities for brands to interact with an increasingly attention-deficit audience.

AMC, for example, does a particularly good job capitalizing on this by encouraging viewers to check out additional content and opportunities to chat with other fans of their show “The Walking Dead” as it airs via their online page “The Talking Dead.” In looking at some of the chat threads, which continue all week long, it looks as though the writers will have no shortage of creative content for many seasons to come.

This sort of second screen platform not only enables viewers to go from passively watching a program to engaging with other fans, but it also finally gives people a reason to watch a show in real-time as opposed to watching it on their DVRs.

It’s hard to imagine what we did before all of these distractions.

Shhhhh!

When I first began my career, I was a firm believer that talking equaled success. The more I could talk, the more successful I would be in all my pursuits- whether it be professionally or personally.

By talking, I signified that I had something to prove and wasn’t afraid to show it through a barrage of name dropping, jargon-infused statements I thought were sure to persuade.

As with many phases, this one fortunately passed quickly and gave way to a less aggressive and more becoming approach to conversing. One that stems from a confidence in knowing that I’m an expert and I’m more concerned with using that knowledge to provide you with a solution than boosting my own ego.

As marketers, listening is an invaluable skill, whether it’s to our clients or customers. Often the biggest issues a client faces can be discovered by reading between the lines (I tried to find a good hearing-related equivalent of this; however was drawing a blank, but you know what I mean!) Sure, there’s an odd creative idea that stems from nowhere, but without a foundation of need, even the best ideas can become useless.

I know this sounds like a fundamental life principal that should go without saying, however I’ve found through my own interactions and observations that taking the time to truly listen to someone is what will foster a deep and lasting relationship. Sometimes it even means tabling your ego, but in the end your work will speak for itself.

Friday the 13th

Although it seems as though we just had a Friday the 13th, we’re already at another impasse with that fateful and (reputed) unlucky number.

Thankfully, if you’re reading this, you’ve hopefully survived the second Friday the 13th of the year unscathed. Believe it or not, there are three Friday the 13ths this year, each of which 13 weeks apart from one another. Crazy, huh?

Personally, I’m no stranger to the number 13. I don’t avoid it by any means, and in fact could argue that my life has been peppered with a string of milestones associated with the number 13… a verse read at my confirmation was from chapter 13 verse 13, in college I lived on floor 13 room 13…and it goes on. For a society that avoids this number at all costs, I certainly have no trouble finding it!

But I know a lot of people who get caught up in superstitions, and if it has anything to do with Stevie Wonder’s song Superstition they might be on to something. According to MSN the scientific name for someone with a fear of Friday the 13th is Triskaidekaphobia. I’ll leave my curiosity for the derivation of this word for another blog, but if that’s you: rest assured, you’re not the only one out there. Other famous figures reputed to be triskaidekaphobic included President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Napoleon and President Herbert Hoover.

While there aren’t any hard numbers for how many estimated triskaidekaphobic individuals are out there, Smithsonian Magazine cites fear of the number 13 costs Americans a billion dollars per year in absenteeism, train and plane cancellations and reduced commerce on the 13th of the month.

If I were the number 13, I’d hire someone for some reputation management and a positive word of mouth campaign…but that’s just me.

We're all Slacktivists

By now we’ve all at least heard of the Kony2012 video, if not watched the entire plea, urging people to help rid Uganda of Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army.

Through this and other similar social media phenomenon, I’ve been introduced to word that’s relatively new to my vocabulary: Slacktivism.

The concept is simple and thrives off of anyone engaged in social media and motivated enough to hit the share button. To protest, support or engage in any issue, you don’t actually have to get up, move or do much of anything anymore. Thanks to social media sharing, everything you need to become a slacktivist lies in the palm of your hand, literally.

Surely the occupy Wall Street movement would’ve garnered an even greater following had they shifted the movement to “Occupy Facebook Timeline.”

I’ve read various reports citing that each time a person shares content on their facebook page it is seen by an average of 135-140 people. When multiplied even a few times over, images, videos and articles become viral- the results of which you see everyday from your friends and family via your favorite social media channels. I suppose that makes us all slacktivists to some degree- whether it’s your favorite animal rescue, food pantry or other charity. Naturally, we ‘like’ their Facebook pages and posts, but what are we actually doing to actually help the cause itself?

This leads me to contemplate the true impact of slacktivism. If you’re an organization simply trying to raise awareness for a cause, then slacktivists undoubtedly are your best friend (if the message is right). If your call to action is more than two mouse clicks away, you’ll likely not receive the social splash you’re hoping for.

The leap between a viral social statement and fully-engaged activism requires a lot passion and a strong call to action- one that hasn’t yet been done with overwhelming success. The Kony 2012 movement has made an effort to blur the lines between slacktivism and activism by encouraging people to sign up for an action kit and take to the streets April 20th- we’ll just have to wait and see if the millions of people worldwide who posted this video to facebook jump to their feet and make a statement.

Back!

It would be a shame to abandon a blog that's captured many years of professional adventures...so, I've decided to return (if only for an occasional update or rant!)

Besides, what would one think if my last blog post ever were to be entitled "for the love of doughnuts!" Probably something to the effect of, "she must have eaten herself into a coma."

Not quite, but my travel and travail from that point in 2010 to this very day will forever remain a mystery due to my blacked-out blogging.

I suppose eventually the online world becomes littered with gavestones of many digital endeavors for all of us, but if for no other reason than my love of tradition and all things nostalgic, I'm back to blogger.

For the love of doughnuts

Today is national doughnut day. As I walked in the door the sweet, sweet smell of sugar, frosting and fried goodness wafted towards me and all but pushed me in the office kitchen.

One glazed doughnut and extreme sugar rush later, I realized that I LOVE manufactured holidays like National Doughnut day. Who cares that a consortium of doughnut makers collaborated, and maybe even schemed, to put this holiday on the map? I don’t. My stomach didn’t. My jeans might later, but that’s a different story.

The point is, today is a day to appreciate doughnuts in all their glory. Bernard’s bakery in Newport is a great place for some fresh doughnuts. As is the doughnut shop in Lebanon. In fact, if you drop by the Doughnut Shop at 4am, they’ll sometimes give you yesterday’s doughnuts for free.

So, why NOT celebrate? Glazed, powdered, jelly-filled, sprinkled, crème-filled, frosted…DELICIOUS!