March 2011

Monthly Archive

What Camp Are You In? The Mayo Camp Or Miracle Whip Camp?

31 Mar 2011 | : Uncategorized

Miracle Whip is not afraid of its detractors. In fact, the Kraft brand is embracing them. For instance, when you visit the brand’s YouTube page, you can say you love, or hate, the product.

Here are some new TV spots that reinforce the split by ask, “Are You Miracle Whip?” It’s a strangely worded question, that echoes another strangely worded question: “Are you a PC?”

The brand’s YouTube page also offers free samples, in case you’re not sure which side of the mayo/Mircale Whip fence you’re on. Rupal Patel, senior associate brand manager at Kraft, told Clickz that Miracle Whip has given away 185,000 samples so far.

“What consumers tell us is that there’s no in between – people either love it or hate it. We recognize that it’s a polarizing product and rather than deny that, we’re embracing those who don’t like it and owning up to [the fact that] it’s not for everyone,” Patel says.


We Agree That Oil Is A Dirty Business

31 Mar 2011 | : Uncategorized

Our future depends on new ideas. Yet, certain old ideas–like the value of an expensive advertising and pr campaign–are resistant to change.

Let’s listen to Chevron’s positive spin for a minute and a half.

These ads don’t measure up to BP’s “Beyond Petroleum” farce, but they occupy that same space, where we can see an oil company as a good neighbor who creates jobs and invests in the community. Sadly, the truth is these investments in the community, while beneficial, do not measure up to the extraction costs levied by the oil industry on communities worldwide.

When Chevron and their cronies get serious about producing renewable energy, people will start to listen again, but no ad campaign is going to open the public’s ears to their moves in that direction. The commitment to renewable energy has to be tangible, we need to see it and benefit from it.


Teens Tell Teens To Be Safe Behind The Wheel, Becasue Allstate Wants Them To

30 Mar 2011 | : Uncategorized

Elephant Filmworks, a full-service production and post-production film company founded in Chicago, recently produced an eight episode teen-centric web series called “The Lines” for Allstate Insurance.

Here’s the first episode, which was released in January:

Here is episode 2, also from January:

“The Lines” is meant to speak to young drivers and empower them to make the right choices when they are behind the wheel. “This was an awesome storytelling opportunity for an exciting, emerging platform,” says Peter Williams, executive producer of Elephant Filmworks. “Allstate’s end goal was to connect with a younger demographic online. We worked to create an honest story that speaks to teens in their own voice.”

Teens own voice, huh? We can’t all be MTV, and I’m afraid that goes for Allstate in this instance. The scenes are forced and the writing and acting is stiff. Understand, I want Allstate to win with a series like this. The problem is advertainment, or content marketing, from a brand has to be as good, or better, than anything else out there.

I believe in time the hits will come, but it’s going to take proper investment and lots of practice.


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