Huxley Quayle von Blog

Something to replace awards as a measure of creativity.

We read this in AdAge today. The idea of cultural penetration has been around for a while in advertising. But the suggestion that measuring it and using CPU, Cultural Penetration Units as a measurement of creativity over awards seems particularly appealing to us. 

Why? 

Because cultural penetration tells you that what you're doing is hitting a nerve with your audience and that the campaign idea is effective. Awards tell you that a bunch of "hipper than thou" creative people think your work is cool. I'll take the public any day. After all, that's what we're paid for. 

In any case, here;s the article: 

CPU: A Unit of Measurement for Both Creatives and Marketers Case in Point: Goodby's 'TCOBO' Spots for the NBA Playoffs 

By Teressa Iezzi Published: May 26, 2008 

What's the measure of creative greatness? Awards are OK. But more and more, real success can be measured in CPUs: cultural-penetration units. ROI-obsessed marketers buy into all kinds of made-up metrics; this one is at least a less arbitrary indicator of business success, and it's one that both shrewd advertisers and creative types can get behind. 

CPUs are an amalgam of a range of brand-creativity feedback mechanisms: internet views and parodies, talk-show/ national-news/entertainment-show mentions, likelihood of awareness from siblings/aunts/parents (you know, like when everyone watched spots), and other indicators. 

How does a campaign pile up the CPUs? A recent push from Goodby Silverstein & Partners touting the NBA playoffs provides us opportunity to study a high-CPU brand initiative. "There can only be one" launched in April and immediately garnered acclaim inside ad circles. The spots feature a simple split screen filled with half the faces of two basketball stars -- forming, effectively, one superfamous, somewhat distorted visage. The pairings cover a who's who of the sport -- LeBron James and Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd and Steve Nash, Kobe and Shaq. They speak, in unison, of solemn sports things -- above all, victory. The spots close with a super that reads, "There can only be one." They proved simple, fresh and memorable in a tough category. 

But Goodby's ads were only the beginning. "TCOBO" went on to the kind of cultural notoriety marketers literally can't pay for. The campaign's CPU rating spiked when Time magazine reinterpreted its conceit on a recent Clinton/Obama cover. Other imitators followed -- "SportsCenter," Adam Sandler (to promote his upcoming film) and, of course, YouTube enthusiasts. The best tribute to date is a recent "Saturday Night Live" skit that also offered an Obama/Clinton pairing but with character-revealing out-of-sync dialog added.

 

So how and why does it happen? Why do the media and the public make a campaign their own? One of the effort's architects, Goodby Executive Creative Director Jamie Barrett helps us break it down. 

First, a bit of luck on the campaign itself. The original tag idea was "Who wants it more?" Turns out the agency couldn't use it. Whew. From a list of other options, "TCOBO" leapt out. (Oh, and the odd grammatical construction? Barrett says that was "just the way it came out of our heads. 'There can be only one' felt a little less colloquial or a little too melodramatic. 'There can only be one' just felt better." If you're a fan of the '80s cult movie "The Highlander," you may disagree.)

 A great directing team (Dayton Faris) made the spots sing, as did a good client in the NBA ("They embrace good ideas, they help make them better and they help make them real," Barrett says). Barrett says he "can't pretend that we thought we had anything other than a good ad campaign" but identifies some of the reasons for the monster cultural penetration. "For one thing, it's dead simple, so YouTubers and 'SportsCenter' and 'SNL' and others can easily take it and parody it and play with it," he says. "For another thing, it features a lot of cool people. It's not that often you get Kobe or Shaq or LeBron inches away from the camera, staring you down and speaking from the heart for 30 seconds. It's oddly intimate." 

That simplicity seems to be at the heart of many campaigns that hit big culturally, but there are many other, often intangible factors. For the best agencies, aiming for cultural uptake is nothing new. But what's key here is that creatives are beginning to care more about CPUs than awards, and that can only be good news for marketers.

Eco Labels affect consumer purchase

Eco-labels Impact Consumer Behavior

by: David Wigder

Eco-labels influence consumer behavior in two ways. First, they introduce green as a considered attribute at the point of sale. Second, they enable consumers to comparison shop based on green. Over the past few years, there have been many new eco-labels launched by governments, manufacturers and retailers. Many of these labels are listed on Consumer Reports’ Greener Choices site.

Interestingly, the Natural Marketing Institute’s 2007 LOHAS Consumer Trends Databasereport determined that not all eco-labels have the same impact. In fact, consumers indicate that they are more likely to make eco-friendly purchase decisions if the eco-labels are also widely recognized and trusted brands in of themselves. Familiar labels for programs like the EPA’s Energy Star have a more significant influence on consumer behavior than others.

While such a finding reinforces the value of eco-labels, it does challenge the notion that CPG companies and retailers should necessarily launch proprietary labels to differentiate themselves on green.

Like all brands, eco-labels take significant time and resources to build. Moreover, given the sensitivities regarding greenwashing, for-profit entities may have to overcome a higher hurdle than government or a non-profit organization given the appearance of conflict if proprietary labels adorn their own products.

 

As such, Marketing Green recommends that product companies and retailers focus on disclosing product information about environmental impact to differentiate themselves in the market rather than trying to define new green labels. Disclosures provide consumers with information that can inform purchase decisions rather than certify a product’s greenness. This is what HP has done with its launch of Eco Highlights labels on its products.

Marketing Green also recommends that retailers simultaneously push for industry-wide labels. While some retailers may consider proprietary labels as a competitive differentiator, it is likely that broadly recognized labels will accelerate consumer adoption while reduce the cost to support them. 

 

Moreover, retailers should differentiate themselves by sourcing more green products. Arguably, this is one of Wal-Mart’s strategic priorities today. Greater variety combined with recognized eco-labels will likely drive more sales as well as consumer loyalty.  In the end, this approach is likely to have more impact for both business and the environment.

by: David Wigder

Eco-labels influence consumer behavior in two ways. First, they introduce green as a considered attribute at the point of sale. Second, they enable consumers to comparison shop based on green. Over the past few years, there have been many new eco-labels launched by governments, manufacturers and retailers. Many of these labels are listed on Consumer Reports’ Greener Choices site.

Interestingly, the Natural Marketing Institute’s 2007 LOHAS Consumer Trends Databasereport determined that not all eco-labels have the same impact. In fact, consumers indicate that they are more likely to make eco-friendly purchase decisions if the eco-labels are also widely recognized and trusted brands in of themselves. Familiar labels for programs like the EPA’s Energy Star have a more significant influence on consumer behavior than others.

While such a finding reinforces the value of eco-labels, it does challenge the notion that CPG companies and retailers should necessarily launch proprietary labels to differentiate themselves on green.

Like all brands, eco-labels take significant time and resources to build. Moreover, given the sensitivities regarding greenwashing, for-profit entities may have to overcome a higher hurdle than government or a non-profit organization given the appearance of conflict if proprietary labels adorn their own products.

 

As such, Marketing Green recommends that product companies and retailers focus on disclosing product information about environmental impact to differentiate themselves in the market rather than trying to define new green labels. Disclosures provide consumers with information that can inform purchase decisions rather than certify a product’s greenness. This is what HP has done with its launch of Eco Highlights labels on its products.

Marketing Green also recommends that retailers simultaneously push for industry-wide labels. While some retailers may consider proprietary labels as a competitive differentiator, it is likely that broadly recognized labels will accelerate consumer adoption while reduce the cost to support them. 

 

Moreover, retailers should differentiate themselves by sourcing more green products. Arguably, this is one of Wal-Mart’s strategic priorities today. Greater variety combined with recognized eco-labels will likely drive more sales as well as consumer loyalty.  In the end, this approach is likely to have more impact for both business and the environment.

by: David Wigder

Eco-labels influence consumer behavior in two ways. First, they introduce green as a considered attribute at the point of sale. Second, they enable consumers to comparison shop based on green. Over the past few years, there have been many new eco-labels launched by governments, manufacturers and retailers. Many of these labels are listed on Consumer Reports’ Greener Choices site.

Interestingly, the Natural Marketing Institute’s 2007 LOHAS Consumer Trends Databasereport determined that not all eco-labels have the same impact. In fact, consumers indicate that they are more likely to make eco-friendly purchase decisions if the eco-labels are also widely recognized and trusted brands in of themselves. Familiar labels for programs like the EPA’s Energy Star have a more significant influence on consumer behavior than others.

While such a finding reinforces the value of eco-labels, it does challenge the notion that CPG companies and retailers should necessarily launch proprietary labels to differentiate themselves on green.

Like all brands, eco-labels take significant time and resources to build. Moreover, given the sensitivities regarding greenwashing, for-profit entities may have to overcome a higher hurdle than government or a non-profit organization given the appearance of conflict if proprietary labels adorn their own products.

 

As such, Marketing Green recommends that product companies and retailers focus on disclosing product information about environmental impact to differentiate themselves in the market rather than trying to define new green labels. Disclosures provide consumers with information that can inform purchase decisions rather than certify a product’s greenness. This is what HP has done with its launch of Eco Highlights labels on its products.

Marketing Green also recommends that retailers simultaneously push for industry-wide labels. While some retailers may consider proprietary labels as a competitive differentiator, it is likely that broadly recognized labels will accelerate consumer adoption while reduce the cost to support them. 

 

Moreover, retailers should differentiate themselves by sourcing more green products. Arguably, this is one of Wal-Mart’s strategic priorities today. Greater variety combined with recognized eco-labels will likely drive more sales as well as consumer loyalty.  In the end, this approach is likely to have more impact for both business and the environment.

HQvB hired by Travel Alberta International to stimulate travel from Australia

Along with our Calgary-based partner, Ambush Advertising Group, HQvB has given an assignment to create an online campaign for Travel Alberta International to get Aussies to come to the prairie province.

We're feverishly working on planning for the campaign now and will be readying for a fall launch. 

We're using Facebook to keep an international team on the same page and collaborating as we go through planning, creative and execution. It's a great way for people across time zones and on different continents to stay up on what's going on, as well as adding input.

Look for more client news in the coming week.

The Shock Doctorine

A provocative short film by the authojr of No Logo, Naomi Klein. Watching it, one can't help but wonder if new technologies aren't having a shocking effect on the ad industry, with clients and agencies willing to listen to anyone who shouts out "social media"!

It also leaves the question open about whether one could shock a community of people, a target audience in old world agency terms, in order to change their perceptions about an issue or brand.

Have a watch.

Advertising vs. Social Marketing

Here's the best explanation of when to use more traditional marketing/advertising and when to use social marketing, from Chris Bogan.

"If you’re Burger King and you’re looking to influence whether I go there or not, use plain old marketing. It’s just fine. It’s the right tool for the job. So is advertising. You don’t HAVE to use social media for that.

But, if you’re Burger King and you want to understand me, to get what’s really going on inside my head, and know what we have in common, then THAT is where social media can be useful. Talk to me. Get to know me. Ask me about me and the things that aren’t about you."

Personally, I think successful companies do both. Nike engages runners with Nike Plus. It gets to know them, understand them better and, through the dialogue, they get to like and trust Nike more. But, and this is a big but, Nike also does great marketing. They create great advertising that builds brand affinity and they create ideas that get people involved not just with each other and with the company, but with their brand.

So I think marketing and social marketing should work hand in hand. Or, maybe they should just become part of the larger sphere of marketing. You can use more traditional advertising to change how people think about your brand. You can use to engage, to point people towards a conversation. And then you can use social media to keep the conversation going and find out how your company can be more customer focused.

In the process, you spend less on expensive traditional media and promotions, while getting more people involved in your brand.

That's our vision here at HQvB.

Does your ad agency's strategic planning process add real value?

After more than a decade of going to agency planning meetings and waiting endlessly for creative briefs, I've come to the conclusion that ad agency planning processes do more harm than good. Why? Because the process is more about "crafting a document" than it is about solving problems or identifying opportunities.

Why not just sit down with your agency and spell out what the issue is. INstead of going through a long, drawn-out process, why not ask them to come back with solutions, simply spelled out? In the midst of World War 2, Winston Churchill asked his admiral of the navy to, on one side of one sheet of paper, give him the state of the Royal Navy and outline his plan for winning the war.

If you can't spell things on one piece of paper, you probably don't have a good handle on what you need to do, was the thought. And we here at HQvB agree. We're hired to look at things differently. we're hired to proactively identify opportunities, and come to our clients with insightful solutions.

We're not hired to make documents, meetings and reports.

Apparently, we're not the only ones that think so. Here's what Nancy Vonk, Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy Toronto and winner of the Grand Prix at CAnnes last year had to say about this recently in Creativity:

"The starting point for any project should be media-neutral and ideally begins as soon as the client's problem or opportunity presents itself. Screw the 'brief.' I see that piece of paper, weeks or even months in the making, as a giant speed bump between the agency and a great idea. Just tell us the problem and let us have at it. The 'duh' here is that agencies have to stop behaving like ad agencies. We can be seen as our client's best possible problem solvers for any creative solution they may need. And that can include ideas for anything from new products to how to improve working conditions for farm workers who grow the cotton for the fashion brand's clothing. Then there's the need to be proactive. Most clients have opportunities and problems that haven't even occurred to them but could be brought forward by the agency, always with a solution attached."

When you look at it this way, you begin to wonder what value those armies of account people creating documents and meetings at your agency are really offering your company. Heck, even senior execs at those agencies don't think they're offering much value.

What Nancy thinks is the way to go is hard for agencies to accomplish, as most of them, including her own, work on an outdated model of selling units of time. Which is why so many people get involved in any given project. And why it takes so long to draft those documents she talks about. It's how the agency makes money. It's how they feed their machine.

At HQvB, we've traded in this old notion for a model based around the valuation of our solutions. It allows us to focus on what we, and Nancy, think is the important part of the business, solving problems in creative ways.

Want to weather the recession? Think old.

Boomers ready to spend: Ipsos Reid
by Terry Poulton
Dodgy economy notwithstanding, boomer-age Canadians are ready, willing and - as the country's wealthiest demo - able to spend their money.

That's the clear message of an Ipsos Reid survey set for release today at the 2008 conference of the Canadian Newspaper Association and Canadian Community Newspapers Association, says Ipsos SVP of public Affairs John Wright. "The research shows that at a time of ever gloomier economic forecasts, this is a group that needs to be reached out to, as it represents tremendous potential for growth."

But there's a downside. The survey of 1,980 Canadian adults aged 44-62 - one of the largest polling samples of this demographic in recent years - found that while eight in 10 boomers self-identify as having "big buying power," four in 10 feel advertisers ignore them.

Wright agrees with the respondents' complaint. "For decades, advertisers have chased younger audiences to gain loyalty and market share," he notes. "In today's economic conditions they might be better off to refocus on a group that combines maturity with money and a desire to spend it."

CNA president/CEO Anne Kothawala is on the same page: "Clearly, there's a disconnect between who advertisers think they should be marketing to and who actually has the resources and intention to spend. In other words, fistfuls of ad dollars are missing the boat."

According to the Ipsos Reid survey, taking a vacation (39%) tops the list of boomers' spending priorities in the next 12 months, followed by purchasing home electronics (35%), furniture (31%), mutual funds or investments (31%), appliances (24%), a car (23%) and a computer (23%).

Advice for young creatives going to Portfolio Night

The creative partners here at HQvB have been asked to join other leading creative directors and pass our wisdom, experience and knowledge to the next generation of advertising creatives. Since we only have a few minutes with each, I thought I would pass on some advice here:

1. Don't get bitchy when a client turns down you first idea. Some of the biggest awards I've won have been created on the second round after I've been pushed past the first round ideas.
2. If you want a job, nothing stands out lie a really well done, visually interesting long copy campaign. Whether you're a writer or an art director, nothing says you can craft work like a great long copy ad.
3. It's the new digital world and you're supposed to be on the cutting edge of it. I've seen too many books full of visual pun print ads. Why not show the CD you're meeting with that you can think cross-platform with a cool digital ida that uses traditional media to steer people to it.
4. Don't try to be cool Just be yourself. People like you, so don't try to BS.
5. Have a good answer for "what ads out there currently do you like?" Just about every CD asks this question, but rarely do you hear a good answer. It shows you're paying attention to the industry and are a student of the business.
6. If you're a writer, do some radio. Make it funny. Radio is really hard and if you can prove yourself on this, then you'll go places.
7. Don't show any ads with prices, starbursts, or "..." at the end of headline. Just don't, they all suck.
8. Have fun. This is supposed to be fun.
9. Lastly, have you're parents and friends insult you for a couple of weeks. This will toughen your skin up for the criticism you'll get from a good CD. It may not be in the job description, but taking criticism well is something all CDs look for.

The advantage of starting new.

This is from an article in the New York Times. It talks about how hard big agencies are finding it to change to the new reality of our world. I got me thinking. One of the reasons why it's sometimes an advantage to start a new company is that in doing so you force yourself to create a model that suits the reality of today. Most agencies were created to work well in another reality dominated by traditional media. So it's their DNA. It's tough to suddenly your change your DNA. Which is why the dinosaurs dies out. If they could have changed their DNA, they would have survived on.

Lee Clow thinks the answer is to hire young people. We don't think so. What good is hiring young people if you stick them into a model designed for another time?

Which is why we think we have an advantage in today's digitally dominated media world. Our company has started there. And so we're creating a model that suit the new reality.

Here's a bit from the article:

LIKE Cher in the movie “Moonstruck” ordering Nicolas Cage to “Snap out of it!” — and slapping him across the face to emphasize her point — speakers at an advertising conference urged the industry to stop wallowing in self-pity and get on with the challenges ahead.

“We should just stop talking about what was,” Tom Carroll, president and chief executive at TBWA Worldwide, part of the Omnicom Group, said here on Tuesday at the start of the leadership conference of the American Association of Advertising Agencies.

“It’s like driving in the fog,” said Mr. Carroll, who is also the chairman of the association, known as the Four A’s. “You’re not sure what’s ahead of you, but you have to keep driving.”

Mr. Carroll acknowledged that it would be hard work to “change the way we do our business,” but called it a necessary response to the profound shifts in media, consumer behavior and technology that are remaking the advertising landscape.

“All industries recalibrate themselves,” Mr. Carroll said, illustrating his point with a rhetorical question, “How’d you like to be in the CD business?”

Mr. Carroll’s tough-love talk was echoed by a colleague, Lee Clow, chairman and chief creative at TBWA, who in wearing onstage his trademark garb of a T-shirt, jeans and sandals was perhaps the most casually dressed speaker in the 90-year history of the conference.

“Stop whining,” Mr. Clow told the estimated 380 attendees. The new realities “shouldn’t be scary,” he said, because they offer “a huge opportunity for us” to become far more useful to marketer clients as they seek more effective ways to sell products.

“If you want to participate, you’ve got to start hiring young people,” Mr. Clow said, “and don’t tell them what to do — ask them what to do.”