February 2012
12 posts
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Substance Required...
“The larger, more eye-catching, obtrusive, and exotic the advertisement, the less likelihood that it deals with a real and solid business.” Rudolf Cronan, in Germany’s first advertising handbook, 1887
Is 'Living Green' All That Good?
David Owen, a New Yorker writer, exposes some hypocrisy, fallacy, and interesting facts about green choices in a new book, The Conundrum.
It is based on a compelling premise that the more efficient an activity gets, the more people do it, therefore, canceling out environmental benefits. This is based on a proven economic principle called the “rebound effect” (“the behavioral or...
"Do you have a laptop in your pants or..."
This pair of jeans has a set of speakers, a wireless mouse and a keyboard embedded into the upper thigh. So, you can type — literally — on your lap
The dungarees of the dot com age are the brainchild of Dutch twenty-somethings, Erik de Nijs and Tim Smit, of design company Nieuwe Heren, which translates to “new gents.”
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New Study on Influencers from Weber Shandwick
The Company Behind the Brand: In Reputation We Trust
Monumental shifts in the reputation landscape today are transforming how and what companies communicate. Radical changes caused by the Internet, globalization, NGOs/third parties, diminishing returns on traditional media, a more demanding general public and increasing social activism have created a new dynamic where the company behind the...
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New Yellow Paper from DDB: "We Love to Share"
Social media is undeniably a hot topic in marketing. Yet, with all of the interest and activity, there are amazingly few standout examples to draw on and learn from. This is because social media gets tangled up in the technology when its essence is in human behavior. It has so quickly become a part of our society because it has recognized the fact that people love to share.
Through the centuries,...
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DDB China Group, Beijing New Office
talktoneil:
Some pics of our new office in Sanlitun, Beijing
The entrance.
Ground floor reception. Spiral staircase to third floor on left.
First to third floor glass wall and access to office. Spiral staircase to right.
More of the spiral staircase.
The Bar area.
The Bar area with people.
Boardroom from the outside.
Open meeting area.
Boardroom on the inside.
...
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Hmmmmm
“The guy you’ve really got to reach with your advertisng is the copywriter for you chief rival’s advertising agency. If you can terrorize him, you’ve got it licked.” Howard Gossage
January 2012
9 posts
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Global Study: Parent Company Reputation Drives...
The following is an article from Campaign Asia Magazine written by Matthew Miller on January 19, 2012.
An online study commissioned by Weber Shandwick finds not only that consumers are aware of the parent companies behind product brands, but also that 70 per cent avoid buying products from parent companies that they dislike.
The study, conducted in fall 2011 by KRC Research, surveyed 1,375...
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My friendly petition for Amazon.com
A book is not a sewing machine or dog collar or tennis racquet or gourmet popcorn. Amazon sells a great range of products and allows consumers to rate and review them which is great. They then recognize Top Reviewers for their efforts. However, they do not differentiate between the very different product categories. So why should my book review of “War and Peace” be weighted the same...
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A New book on the Iconic Beetle
Thinking Small…
How does something enter the annals of popular culture? What qualifies as popular culture? It is kind of like - if you say you are cool - you are not. Other people have to recognize the qualities that make you cool for such a label to be authentic and credible. Author Andrea Hiott has chosen a subject that is undeniably part of global pop culture…the Volkswagen Beetle....
December 2011
13 posts
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The Role of the Unconscious in Sales
The Economist’s coverage of Ernest Dichter, the Viennese psychologist, whose impact on advertising is seeing a resurgence, is a compelling piece. Not that one should subscribe to the belief that advertising can unfairly persuade and manipulate, but in that the pursuit of effective advertising continues to prompt the debate of science versus art. I was not familiar with the gentleman but...
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"Think" in 20th Century Communications
The classic IBM “THINK” sign was said to be a permanent feature of IBM offices around the world until the 1970s. The “THINK” concept as company mantra originated with IBM founder Thomas J. Watson Sr. in the 1940s.
Bill Bernbach ignited the Creative Revolution within his agency, DDB, and the entire advertising industry with the Think Small campaign for Volkswagen. It is...
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The Promise and Perils of Content Marketing
The marketing world has finally discovered that honest and valuable content makes a difference in interacting with consumers. Not surprisingly, marketers had to name and define this activity. It is referred to as “Content Marketing” and definitions abound but it is meant to encompass all marketing formats involving the creation or sharing of content for the purpose of engaging current and...
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WatchA Presentation on 1,000 Facts And Figures About Social Media In 30 Countries…tons of stuff and it is good to know that offline brand experiences are the starters of online brand conversations.
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53 Signs You Work in Public Relations
1. Your day starts and ends with a cup of coffee.
2. You can power-walk in 5-inch heels with your laptop bag while checking your BlackBerry.
3. Inside jokes with your colleagues will get you through the day—especially the insanely stressful ones.
4. You constantly engage in “PR is dead” and “the press release doesn’t have a place in business” arguments.
5. You are so used to putting the client...
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4 Quotes on Content Marketing
“Content marketing is a commitment, not a campaign.” – Jon Buscall
“The rule of 5 is that each and every content development undertaking should produce content assets that can be used at least 5 different ways.” – Ardath Albee
“Think like a publisher, not a marketer.” – David Meerman Scott
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‘Top-Drawer’ Business Books of 2011
Books are highly subjective – what appeals to some will not appeal to others. Business books specifically tend to resonate best when they address a pressing issue or interest and when they provide inspiration. In previous years, I have contributed lists of the “best” business and marketing books. I have assembled my own and conducted podcasts to share them. Those opportunities were cool but I was...
November 2011
31 posts
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Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) had really clever... →
mean-charlene:
Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) had really clever advertisements for VW.
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What Makes Brands Great
I spent over six fun and educational years as the Global Director at Interbrand, the leading brand consultancy. As you may know, Interbrand publishes an annual report on the Best Global Brands ranked by brand value. Their methodology is rigorous and the most respected of the brand valuations models. From a more qualitative view, they suggest 10 attributes that are drivers of brand value…here...
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Chopsticks not Trees
Every year, Chinese consumers use 45 billion pairs of disposable wooden chopsticks, which amounts to around 25 million trees, or 200 square meters of demolished forest area. If this rate continues, forests will disappear from China in just 20 years.
DDB recycled over thirty thousand pairs of wooden chopsticks from restaurants all over Shanghai, washed, processed and designed them to create a...
