Shawn Keith has spent his entire professional career (or some would say, wasted it), focused on marketing, interactive, and technology.
Shawn was fortunate to begin working with technology in college and transferred that knowledge to an advertising / marketing career and ultimately, directing interactive marketing strategies for some of the largest and influential technology, financial services and media companies.
As a result, he is able to effectively synthesize business, marketing and technical goals into actionable strategic plans and processes.
Gizmodo offered up an interesting overview of a new television ad by Grasshopper phone systems where the main "icon" of the company, a grasshopper, is placed stationary in the center of the ad throughout the commercial. It is definitely an interesting way to circumvent auto skipping of commercials on DVRs.
It led me to think about the online environment and how most ads are "storyline driven", meaning the add must first get the attention of a web visitor, then tell a building story, leading up to a frame or two of pay off, usually a logo and some type of CTA (click me, call me, etc.).
The grasshopper example illustrates an underutilized opportunity for online marketers to circumvent the uninterested eye of the web visitor. Let's mix things up, show the logo at the start of the animation, use it though the sequence leading up and through the CTA. Web visitor's are not sitting around and waiting for a great story to unfold. If they are interested, they are interested now, not 30 seconds from now.
In the world of contrasts, Microsoft has pulled of one of the most disparate acts of brand inconsistency in the past year.
Its corporate campaign, initially using Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates in a “buddy picture” approach to building warmth with the general consumer market. While the general concept of the paring seemed promising, the actual implementation failed to connect with the message to be delivered as well as with its intended audience. Not only did the concept come off half-cocked, the writing generally assumed that Jerry Seinfeld is funny in any circumstance and that standard “geek cliches” are all that are needed.
As a contrast, Microsoft’s efforts toward supporting its ad network through its “Bring The Love Back” campaign, not only carries the intended message well, but provides a strong viral appeal. It is true that this is a highly targeted message, geared toward a small audience of advertising professionals. However, in this case it is not the message as much as the success of this campaign appropriately balances the message with the delivery concept. The combined approach of the campaign, through the positioning of this as a romantic comedy, packaged within a faux movie trailer, general commercial and a “behind the scenes view” of the production gives the campaign legs, no matter which version of the advertising you see. It just works and is easily apparent when contrasting it against the Seinfeld/Gates “buddy picture” concept.
Checking email this evening was depressing. Hal Riney, one of my advertising mentors, is gone. His approach to advertising and communicating resonates within me and when thinking about truly great advertising, very few move me the way his work has done. Riney’s words and pictures conveyed sincerity, credibility and warmth. When I started my career there were so many greats who inspired me. Today, my number is finite and rapidly dwindling.
Hal Riney was able to deliver strong and appealing messages through his advertising, without having to resort to the hard sell. That was his amazing and unique approach. Moreover, Riney’s commercials contained very powerful and positive messages and ideas. His work has forever changed the perceptions about traditional or political advertising campaigns.
His work spanned decades and crossed all industries. Hal was as well known for his agency’s work as much as his voice over talent. He not only did voice over work for his agency, but also lent his pipes to other agencies’ best spots. He was recruited from Botsford Ketchum by David Ogilvy and opened O&M’s San Francisco office in 1976. His solo rise to greatness started in 1985 when he bought the San Francisco office from Ogilvy (another of my advertising mentors). As I jumped into the advertising world in the late 80s and early 90s, the work produced drove my communications thirst.
Earlier, the 1984 political advertising campaign, created by the Reagan’s Tuesday Team (featuring Hal Riney’s golden voice), did not only bring him the victory at the elections, but also showed how this kind advertising works, without the nasty PR attacks and media combats that we’re now used to (hey Obama, Clinton and McCain, take note). The “It’s morning again in America” 1984 Reagan for president political advertising campaign has rightfully taken its place of honor among the hundred of the most fascinating advertising campaigns of the 20th century… along with some other Riney greats.
Here are a few spots that highlights Hal’s unique approach…
Hal Riney working on behalf of Ronald Regan's Tuesday Team
Hal Riney & Partners Controversial Spot for First Union
Finally, a return to greatness. The Coca-Cola’s entry into the 2008 Super Bowl cavalcade of commercials returns the embattled brand to greatness. After years of letting Pepsi steal the thunder — using celebs like Britney Spears (now that was a great choice, Pepsi) — the drink giant last year made it a priority to leverage this global marketing opportunity to its advantage. In 2008, it really paid off.
Weiden + Kennedy helped to elevate the sugar water giant’s marketing game by delivering a spot that not only delivers the brand essence, but also plays to the human emotion of overcoming adversity (was this foreshadowing of the Giant’s ultimate path in this game?), all without in-your-face music, fast cuts, or inappropriate content. A novel approach to marketing in today’s world.
Great job to Coke, its brand managers, agency and senior management who embraced the simplistic greatness of this spot. Check out all of this year’s Super Bowl ads and more about the agency’s that delivered greatness — or not so greatness — on Ad Age’s website.
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