Archive for September, 2006
It’s a super-busy day in the ad jungle but, fortunately, my post of the day just sort of fell into my lap.
From another news source, an additional update on my Zune prediction.
Back in July I wrote how Microsoft could take on Apple’s iPod:
Well, I’d go after a mass market– because you have to see who’s willing to bite and welcome them into the fold– but, beyond that, I’d use the X-Box, the console’s supremely advertiser friendly, 18-24 demographic, and the points– the Microsoft Points. […]
Advertisers will beat a path to Microsoft’s doorstep and the users will gladly watch their ads, all for the sake of collecting ethereal “points” used for the purpose of purchasing digital content [for their Zunes].
And this, from a story on CNN.com today:
For consumers looking to own a song, the Zune Marketplace will sell tracks for 79 Microsoft points. A user can buy 80 Microsoft points for $1 and points will also be redeemable at its online video game store, Xbox Live Marketplace.
Also, I received this note from a reader today which I’ll share here, not to break an email taboo but because I feel it’s relevant to the wider discussion:
Hello Mack,
I have been following your blog posts about Zune vs. iPod. It looks like it is going to be a fight to the death. Who do you think will be on the sidelines ready to throw in a punch or two (below the belt of course)? I have been following Creative for the past year and I like what they’ve been doing however they are David compared to those two Goliaths. I just wanted to pick your brain on the matter.
All the best,
Lumi
Interesting question.
In my line of thinking, this battle has grown well beyond a simple war for digital music/video players. I think this is shaping up to become a new (and important) salvo in the battle for the living room, with integration of the television -> video game console -> home stereo being the ultimate goal– and in a form you can slip into your pocket and carry with you. Portable music and video is simply the low-hanging fruit.
Apple is approaching it from a computer -> handheld -> content distributor angle. Microsoft seems to be approaching it from the computer -> game console -> handheld side.
If any other player were to jump into the game, I’d expect it to be someone who already has ties to content or who produces a box or two consumers use in their living rooms today.
Like who? Like Sony– who produces audio and video content, television sets, video game consoles and… digital music players.
We’ll have to see.
07/23/06: The original Zune prediction/marketing plan
08/18/06: Update #01
09/14/06: Update #02
09/28/06: Update #03
11/14/06: Update #04
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Thursday, September 28th, 2006 at 12:39pm
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Ad Jungle | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Microsoft, Zune, Apple, iPod, Carnac the Magnificent, Marketing
And we took a Silver and a Bronze, too.
We were awarded a Gold World Medal for the Budweiser spot, “Mini Mouth” and a Silver for the second spot in the same campaign, “Pinky.” Our spot, “Reality,” for the ED Bosques Clinic, a treatment center for eating disorders in Mexico, was awarded a Bronze World Medal.
The creative credits on the Budweiser work are: Aldo Quevedo (ECD), Jaime Andrade (CD), Jose Suaste (AD), Alex Toedtli (CW) and John Costello (Producer). Creative credits for the ED Bosques Clinic work include: Aldo Quevedo (ECD), Rose Gomez (AD/CD), Gabriel Gutierrez (CW) and Boris Nurko (Producer). We’re also appreciative of the production companies, directors, editors and post-production facilities that helped along the way, information which, unfortunately, I don’t have in front of me right now.
We love The New York Festival and, if we weren’t so freaking busy at the moment, we might go out and celebrate.
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Wednesday, September 27th, 2006 at 06:19pm
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Ad Monkeys, Ad Jungle | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Advertising, New York Festival, Dieste Harmel, Awards
AdAge has a good quality– but way too short in length– video of extracted comments taken from an interview with John Wren, CEO of Omnicom. It was shot during Advertising Week in New York.
What makes the video of interest, as AdAge notes, is the fact that, unlike many advertising holding company executives, Wren is rarely seen pontificating in public.
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Wednesday, September 27th, 2006 at 07:45am
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Ad Monkeys, Ad Jungle, Video | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Advertising, Omnicom, John Wren, AdAge, Video
I’ve added a new track to the Music for Monkey’s playlist: “The Mariner’s Revenge Song” by The Decemberists. I hope you enjoy it.
It’s sitting at track #70 and brings the total number of tracks available for your listening pleasure to seventy-five, and I think that’s as large as Music for Monkeys will grow. From this point on, if I add a new track, something else will have to go.
So look over in the right sidebar, scroll down to track #70 and have a listen. “The Mariner’s Revenge Song” is a lovely little ditty– actually, it’s more of a short story set to music– about a conversation between two sailors, had while they sit, trapped, in the belly of a whale.
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Tuesday, September 26th, 2006 at 08:21pm
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Site News, Audio | add this post to del.icio.us
I think I’ve mentioned one of the Art Directors on my team is a rock star. So who better to interview Lucia Ballas-Traynor, Senior Vice President and General Manager of MTV’s new “Tr3s” network? Right on. It’s José.
And it’s an excellent show.
Want to know what MTV’s new plans are for this new youth-targeted channel? Want to know what’s up with the exploding Hispanic teen population? Tune in by visiting Latincast.net, scrolling to the end of the podcast list and downloading the MP4 file. (You might even find podcasts on other topics that are of interest to you on your scroll-down). They’re pretty much all hosted by José.
But, like I said, he’s a rock star.
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Monday, September 25th, 2006 at 10:32pm
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Ad Monkeys, Ad Jungle, Audio, Grupo Gringo | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Advertising, MTV, Podcast, Tr3s, Tres, Jose Suaste, Joint Method
I’m in Tahlequah, sharing a room with my brother. The funeral is tomorrow.
I forget, in between visits, how different the reservation is from the rest of the world. In some ways, quaint and charming. In others, not so much. Natural features and cities are named for what they are (Rock Creek, Coal Creek, Limestone Creek), or who lives there (Choctaw, Cherokee, Chickasha) or for what particular individuals might have accomplished (Tenkiller). On Friday nights, high school football stadiums fill up to watch the “Savages” do battle against the “Warriors” or the “Redmen.” (There are plenty of “Tigers” and “Cougars” and “Tornadoes,” too.) Then there’s the poverty, the alcoholism and the casino economies where, unlike tourist attraction-Las Vegas, the day-in and day-out, hardcore players are the people living within ten miles of the neon signs.
For the most part, the people are decent, honest and hard working and, to a man, they loved my Grannie. And that makes me think that, sometimes, Oklahoma doesn’t suck so badly after all.
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Friday, September 22nd, 2006 at 11:21pm
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: No Really, A Life, Monkey Travel | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Tahlequah, Oklahoma
No dogs joined the legion of the undead in the making of this commercial. Uh, I think.
No, wait. I’m sure of it.
Watch all three spots in the campaign, plus additional behind the scenes footage and outtakes over here. They’re all pretty funny (and include some footage that will haunt one particular kid for the rest of his life.)
I like that Yahoo! released the behind the scenes footage at the same time as the campaign itself; this should both drive more people to the videos and help them feel “in the know.”
And helping people to become “in the know” is the Yahoo! positioning, right? Yep, win-win.
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Thursday, September 21st, 2006 at 09:04pm
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Ad Jungle, Video | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Advertising, Yahoo, Television, Commercial, Garden, Funny
Today I’ll be making the long drive to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the capital of the Cherokee Nation, where my Grandmother lives and is in the hospital. She’s quite old, quite sick and has refused a feeding tube. I’m just today beginning to feel well enough after being under the weather to believe I won’t expose my mother and father, who are holding vigil and aren’t in the best of health themselves, to anything that might make them ill. My brother has also flown in from Florida, but I don’t so much mind making him sick.
I haven’t mentioned this impending trip on Adverb until now because, really, it isn’t much fun to talk about and has taken some time for me to deal with, anyway.
I expect my access to the Internet to be absolutely spotty and minimal at best over the next several days, which leads me to a joke I’m sure to get an email or two about:
Q: Why does Texas not simply fall into the Gulf of Mexico?
A: Because Oklahoma sucks.
Update: Too late. As I was finishing up a hot shower before heading out on the trip, my brother called to say my Grandmother– “Grannie” to us– passed away last night at 10:02. I’m waiting to hear back about the funeral arrangements.
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Thursday, September 21st, 2006 at 08:43am
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: No Really, A Life, Monkey Travel | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Grannie
Give me a white page and a good idea any old day. Like this one (found on the blog of Juan Carlos Labbé of Chile) from Amnesty International.
First, click on the small image for a larger view. Secondly, I’ll translate Juan Carlos’ commentary into colloquial English, hopefully getting it (mostly) right:
“In 1948, several countries signed the Universal Declaration of Human rights. Their intention was certainly good but, unfortunately, today we can say it wasn’t worth the paper it was written on. This warning from Amnesty International spells it out: in the left column, the countries that signed the agreement; in the right, those that violated it. There’s not much of a difference.”
(Sorry, Juan Carlos, please forgive this poor Gringo’s translation. I did my best. Saludos.)
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Wednesday, September 20th, 2006 at 01:40pm
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Ad Jungle | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Advertising, Amnesty International, Chile
Jason sent in a photo to show us what he’s been up to since leaving the team for Las Vegas. Yeah, I know– if you’re like me you’re asking “Jason who?” and need a little help jogging your memory. Well, I looked it up and it turns out Jason was my former intern junior Senior Art Director. He woke up one day and said, “Self– I’m tired of million-dollar production budgets; I want to design escort service flyers!” And, poof, off he jets to Sin City. I told him he’d be welcomed if ever he wanted to return but, after seeing how quickly he’s dumped J.D. and I for the fairer sex, my thoughts are beginning to turn to “what moves to Vegas stays in Vegas.” (If you want to see what Jason left us for, click on the Playboy logo.) He might be smiling now but, if you ask me, he traded Lions for Bunnies. Good luck, Jason– and keep sending pictures!
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Wednesday, September 20th, 2006 at 09:51am
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Ad Monkeys, Ad Jungle | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Advertising, Las Vegas, Jason Tisser, Playboy
I’ve been sick since Saturday. I stayed home yesterday and will do the same today.
Bed, fluids, tissue and Tylenol. Gah. And I’m a whiny little wuss when I’m sick, too, so the She Monkey’s being a real trooper putting up with me.
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Tuesday, September 19th, 2006 at 08:46am
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: No Really, A Life | add this post to del.icio.us
I knew I should have gone with “Pronoun” instead of “Adverb” because pronouns are where It’s at.
Ebay is making a big trademark protection push today, lawsuits-a-flying, building on groundwork laid back in March with the application for trademark on the phrases “You Can Get It On eBay” and “You Can Sell It On eBay,” in which the word “it” is in three colors. Previous lawsuits centered on protection of their name, with “BidBay,” “BrickBay,” and “PerfumeBay” all feeling the sting of the auction giant’s lash. This next round of suits promises to literally take the color out of the blandest of words.
EBay’s latest trademark battle is rooted in how important marketing and branding is for a large swath of companies that mostly exist only on the Internet. Sometimes, a good slogan or catchy ad theme is key to standing out among a crowded field of competitors. (Dow Jones Newswire via Morningstar)
But don’t tell the New Marketers. They think It’s all about social blew-point-oh.
Whoops. I just got sued.
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Monday, September 18th, 2006 at 10:10pm
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Ad Jungle | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Advertising, eBay, Trademark, Lawsuit
And I didn’t even know it was broken. Those already signed up were receiving email notifications just fine; anyone new who tried to sign up encountered errors. It’s all fixed now.
If you’d like to receive an email notifying you of new entries here on Adverb, just enter your email address into the field in the upper right area of the sidebar and click the “sign up” button. All good stuff, no spam, and you’ll be among the cool kids on the block who are in the know ahead of the hoi polloi.
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Monday, September 18th, 2006 at 07:40pm
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Site News | add this post to del.icio.us
The lovely creature to the left is a Madagascar hissing cockroach. The image you see is at 2/3rds scale; the damn things are actually 3-inches in length, can run at speeds of up to three miles per hour and, true to their name, will drown out your screams with a hissing noise while chasing you around your house (and, being faster than you are, they will catch you).
They are also to be, according to a Fort Worth Star-Telegram article, the featured snack at an upcoming Six Flags promotion. And, yes, I said snack.
It seems the Dallas-area park is buying out the supply of grotesquely large, mutant cockroaches from regional pet stores and will offer up their nature’s bounty to the public during the first weekend of its annual Halloween festival.
Those who successfully down a live cockroach will be given a “Flash Pass,” allowing the holder to skip to the front of any line at the park’s various rides. Additionally, they may wish to consider allowing the pass holders to skip to the head of the line at bathrooms as well.
The cockroaches, which taste “just like chicken,” albeit creepy-crawly, hissing chicken, “were chosen because they are considered a delicacy in many Asian and African cultures.” Huzzah. Education and culture sharing has reached a new high-water mark in Dallas. Next up, receive a free enema at all public libraries when signing up for a library card.
Overheard at the promotion: “Dude. That is so not what I thought when I read they were passing out free roaches.”
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Sunday, September 17th, 2006 at 04:41pm
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Ad Jungle, Ad Nauseam, Monkey Town | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Advertising, Promotions, Six Flags, Cockroach
Proving a half-strength Arsenal team is still better than any team that takes the field for Manchester United, Nacho– a writer at work– owes me a six-pack after the Gunners’ one-nil win over Satan’s own Forces of Evil.
It was a great game which I look forward to recounting over several cold beers.
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Sunday, September 17th, 2006 at 12:31pm
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Ad Monkeys, No Really, A Life | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Arsenal, English Premiership, EPL, Manchester United
I found this “Johnnie Walked” ad (click on the image for a larger view) over at the blog of Juan Carlos Labbé, an ad blogger from Chile (escrito en español) who, in turn, found it on Coolz0r who, I believe, is in Belgium. Isn’t global connectivity great?
At first, given Johnnie Walker’s recent work in Beirut, I thought maybe the brand had taken on landmine eradication advocacy. It turns out it’s an anti-drunk driving poster for the organization, “RED.” (And, no, I’m not submitting the landmine idea to Ad Mashup.)
You’ve got to wonder about the brand appropriation that’s going on, but what’s Diageo to do? Beat up on a non-profit advocacy group?
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Sunday, September 17th, 2006 at 09:49am
Mack Simpson
Entry Filed under: Ad Jungle | add this post to del.icio.us
Technorati Tags: Advertising, Johnnie Walker, Drunk Driving
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