John Winsor

Hummer Love

Karl Long points to FUH2.com, another great example of anti-co-creation. There's even a YouTube video (above)!

Quote of the Day

I came across in the Wall Street Journal's Drive Buys by Jonathan Welsh where reviewed the new Ford Expedition EL and the Chevrolet Suburban:

"With their big gas tanks, a fuel stop can be jarring - it cost $97 to fill the Suburban, making it necessary to fish out a second AmEx card when we exceeded a station's $75 charge limit per card."

Ouch!

Who's Counting at Forbes.com?

With all of the buzz over the recent article called "Don't Marry a Career Woman," it seems Forbes.com has some new attention regarding their audience size. I guess it depends on who's counting.

Fashion Skull

Have you noticed a proliferation of skulls in art and on clothing lately, as I have? What has made this once forbidden image a fashion statement.?

Is it the growth of Latin culture and it's increasing importance in American culture? Or, is it the influence of the Goth look?

If nothing else, it's fascinating to watch the forbidden become mainstream.

Maximizing Viral Marketing

Smirnoff's Tea Partay

Amex's RoddickPong Ad

There have been two ads floating around YouTube hoping to catch the viral wave that have left a very different impression on me. First, there's Smirnoff's Tea Partay that I posted about the other day. And second, there's the Amex Ad with Andy Roddick playing tennis with a pong paddle.

While I understand that the Amex Ad was made for TV and then migrated to YouTube, I thought that the Amex banner logo at the end was too blatant of a promotion for the brand and left a bad taste in my mouth. It actually stopped me from sharing the video with others because I didn't want to feel that I was trying to push Amex on others.

While the Smirnoff ad was made for the on-line environment, I loved the subtlety a verbal mention of Tea Partay.com at the end of the video without a big logo splash.

Maybe it's just me, but advertising is all about context. What works in one environment doesn't work in another.

What do you think?

Is Urban Outfitters Anti-Cocreative?

While commenting on my post about Johnny Cupcake Karl Long brings this wonderful insight:

That particular design was ripped off by urban outfitters, johnny had sent them some designs and they stole the concepts.(Karl points to a blog, Urban Counterfeiters, with the subtitle of "Bringing American consumers reports from small companies and artists who have been taken advantage of by large corporations. We wish for these corporations to be held accountable for their actions and to change their business practices.")

Very bad form and something they are becoming known for. That's like anti-co-creation.

I like Karl's concept of anti-cocreation in regards to companies appropriating others' ideas. The great thing about the information highway is the bad press that can be created from anti-cocreative actions. It evens the playing field.

Age Matters

Alain Thys of Future Lab contemplates the provocative question: "Why do traditional marketers & media always think that it's the "young" who make up the digital space and the "old" ones who watch TV?" with some surprising facts.

Here's his conclusion:

All to say that next time you think about that mediaplan for the "older demographic" it's probably worthwhile to think beyond "old media". Your mum has evolved with the times you know.

What People Want

Seth Godin has a magical way of taking a hard to answer question, like "What do people want?" and giving an elegantly simple answer.

In today's world of information overload we need more cultural editors with Seth's wisdom.

The Power of 730,000 People

There's been a lot written lately, both good and bad, about the power of YouTube as an ad medium, especially when it came to Agency.com's video.

I just noticed that Smirnoff's Tea Partay video has gotten over 730,000 views in two weeks. Who can argue with that? 

Thanks!

I just noticed that I received a Blue Ribbon in the Branding Blogs category from Mike at ConverStations. Thanks, Mike!