Is Apple stagnant? In a seemingly endless rain of new and tweaked products, even a few months without an Apple advertising campaign in my face seems like forever. What have they done lately?

From Apple’s Hot News section, today’s entries are “Newsflash: University hosts app design competiton” and “Says J.D. Power: Apple highest in smartphone customer satisfaction.” The previous 7 before that:

image: Flickr: kyz

• App Store Pick of the Week: Leaf Trombone: World Stage
• Delivering better patient care with iPhone
• Mac mini big on media-center capabilities
• Screening at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival
• The Year Was 1959
• Coming Attractions: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• App Store tops one billion downloads

Maybe Apple is working on perfecting what it’s got instead of releasing the next best laptop? Given that it recently published financial results for its fiscal 2009 second quarter, posting revenue of $8.16 billion, up from last year’s $7.51 billion, Apple must be doing something really well. That or it’s riding the wave of its last launch.

What could have potential become the next phase for Apple, Netbooks, is clearly being turned down by the company. Peter Kafka recently posted about Apple on Media Memo, apart of All Things Digital. He reports that “COO (and temporary CEO) Tim Cook’s dismissal of the netbook market will continue to spark speculation that the company is readying something that sits in between a laptop and an iPhone.”

Kafka goes on to quote Dan Frommer:

“When I look at what is being sold in the netbook space today, I see cramped keyboards, terrible software, junky hardware, very small screens, and just not a consumer experience and not something we would put the Mac brand on. So it’s not a space–as it exists today–that we’re interested in, nor do we believe that customers in the long term would be interested in. That said, we do look at the space and are interested in how customers respond to it. People who want a small computer than does browsing and email might want to buy an iPod touch or iPhone. We play indirect basis. Then of course if we find a way where we can deliver an innovative product that really makes a contribution, then we’ll do that. We have some interesting ideas in this space.”

Alright, so step into the netbook space and bring us something innovative! That, or drum up a wicked marketing campaign, feigning something genuinely new, and get everyone dancing with their Apple products in hand. Please.

Later this month, the House of Lords in the UK will be voting for proposals in a debate on the Health Bill. The proposal suggests removal of all cigarette branding in stores to prevent young people from taking up smoking.

The Times Online claimed that the “glossy tobacco displays” that are under attack are “designed to attract youngsters.” Simply removing them from sight, and keeping cigarettes themselves hidden from display does not infringe on the rights of smokers to choose their favourite brands. The article says, “ninety per cent of smokers already know which brand of cigarettes they will buy before going into a shop.”

Out of sight out of mind? Do tobacco companies rely heavily on having their branding appear prominently in convenient stores? Is it really a matter of recruiting new smokers or will hiding the branding effect sales to current smokers? In a cspnet.com article, the Premier Dalton McGuinty spoke to the temptation present for kids. “This is a health issue,” McGuinty said. “Science has demonstrated that these power walls are effective at enticing kids so we want to get beyond that.” Without the aid of regular advertising, tobacco companies need the point of sale displays to remain present in the minds of consumers. Its main purpose is to attract her smokers and stimulate sales. According to Smoke Free Action, “established smokers tend to be brand loyal.”

Image: Ontario Tobacco-free Network (theotn.org)

So how do companies gain new smokers? Despite regulations in 2004 in the UK that limited advertising at the POS to an A5 sized poster with 30% taken to a health warning, companies succeed by developing new variants of existing brands. Smoke Free Action cites a 50% growth of brand families since 1998. Benson & Hedges, as an example, grew from 4 brand variants in 1998 to 12 by 2008. This increase is meant to maximize the visual impact on the shelves of stores.

In Ontario, the first day, in May of 2008, of a cigarette display ban saw many store owners upset about what they considered too much government control. A FAQ sheet from Convenience Stores.ca answered, any “item with the name, logo, or distinctive design of a tobacco company or with any tobacco related words (i.e. cigarettes, cigars) which seeks to promote tobacco will need to be hidden from the public’s view.”

Preventing customers from touching the cigarettes before paying stops them from comparing two brands and thereby increases brand loyalty. The Windsor Star reported on the matter, talking to truck driver Rene LaPointe who said “he buys different brands and likes to try new products, but that the new regulation, [...] makes comparing cigarettes impossible.” Able to see both sides, store owner Sam Helou said, “‘as a businessman, it’s quite draconian. There are severe restrictions I never even imagined.’ …One bright spot, he said, is that he plans to advertise other things on the now blank space directly behind his cash register.

Here are some fast-facts from the Ontario Tobacco-free Network:

• The PowerWall, a retail store product display — one of the tobacco industry’s best hooks for addicting young people, is about to come tumbling down in more than 10,000 stores in Ontario on May 31st, 2008
• The ban on retail displays means children and others will no longer be exposed to tobacco industry advertising near corner store cash registers
• Eliminating PowerWalls prevents temptation for adults who have made the decision to quit smoking
• Progressive action by the government, with the encouragement and support of community and youth leaders, led to the inclusion of the Power Wall ban in the Smoke Free Ontario Act (SFOA).
• In 2006, the tobacco industry spent about $40 million on PowerWalls in Ontario alone
• Independent studies show that PowerWalls boost average product sales by 12% to 28%

This time last year, Apple was deemed the most inspirational brand based on consumer impact. This makes me consider is brands can be inspirational whether or not you can get behind the product.

Consider: Have you ever loved a commercial, enjoyed the cleverness of a billboard ad, or really appreciated a logo design without having to submit to the product or service?

And when an ad really does hit home, do you walk away remembering the branding behind the message? A brand can aim to deliver a message other than their own brand promise - a seasonal greeting, a message of hope in trying times, or something that states the company’s position vis-a-vis a particular issue or cause.

If a brand shows this human side, this integrity, are you more likely to consider the company when making future consumer decisions? If we were to be completely pessimistic, is it bad that a company would waste effort on trying to buy consumers through pathos-laden messages? Or can a message outside of the brand messaging ever be altruistic and genuine?

Share your favourite commercials from the years and whether they’ve inspired you in any way - towards the brand or otherwise.

With nostalgic shows like Mad Men causing folks who were there to remember the old days of advertising agency greatness, and a new crop of would-be advertisers to consider the field, it is interesting to note just how much advertising has truly changed.

Jingles, peppy slogans, and the right imagery associated with a product made guys like Don Draper legendary. These days, this is still occasionally the case - but for the most part, ad agencies have had to adjust. They have had to decide what business they are in and fundamentally do more.

Peter Van Allen’s article about how ad agencies are coping with the recession touched on one some crucial advice senior executives are offering to their clients - which at the same applies back to how ad agencies themselves are now running their business.

“In this climate, where a sale is more difficult and the bottom line is more sacred, brand loyalty is paramount,” said LevLane President David Lane. “Adding ‘velocity’ to the sales process and getting existing customers to return again and again is critical.”

Yes, it makes a difference how loyal I am to a store or a product. Having faith in a particular brand name, or associating it with something positive and in line with my values/wants/needs, is more important than ever before. The same goes for how loyal clients are to their ad agencies.

Going above, exceeding expectations and fundamentally providing more value to each and every client on their roster is crucial…and more than just placating them in order to keep money coming in the door. It’s about being available for the client after hours when crisis strikes. Working with them to figure out the one thing they missed during the days where advertising dollars could just be spent without careful consideration for how effective that spending really was.

Image: Newscom

It’s about being twenty steps ahead as a company, and offering greater value in ways that extend past the final, tangible, radio jingle or print ad.

There has always been, and always will be more that can be done. If you are in advertising, pay close attention to how much more your competitors are doing (you better catch up). But even if you aren’t, when you are in a services industry - the same principles apply.

Yesterday I talked about getting your branding message onto a billboard with effective results. Today we’re taking it a step further.

Advertisers continually attempt to infiltrate our daily routines so that their messages enter our subconscious until the moment we need to make a buying decision. And generally, we soak it up.

What if you could position – literally – your brand somewhere that no one else has gone? Somewhere where the real estate is wide open?

Image: flickr Si1very

This Where’s Waldo stunt by Vancouver artist Melanie Coles goes beyond simply being seen since the very nature of Where’s Waldo is that he appears somewhere after much searching.  Imagine that rather than Waldo, that were your brand. There are other examples of branding popping up in the middle of your Google Maps experience.

Take KFC who gave this a whirl a few years ago. Back then, the effort itself was publicity enough. But I wonder if Google Maps were more of a household thing, would it have driven the campaign that much more?

Rooftop messaging has been around long enough to make its mark, yet I’ve yet to hear of a campaign that really took off.  I think the success in this strategy lies in creating an experience rather than just tricking a customer into looking at your ad by popping up where you wouldn’t expect it. It’s about viral marketing in this case. Like the Waldo stunt, knowing something is out there and having to seek it out brings the customer that much closer to your brand. And can anyone say “partnership with Google”?!

Would you rather customers see your brand or interact with it? How far would you go to reach your target audience?

Print, digital, digital, print… advertisers might have a hard time coming to terms with where to place their message these days, but one thing that remains is the classic billboard.

I recently stumbled upon this advert for a paint company called Berger Paints and was terribly impressed by the creativity involved. It reminds me a bit of another cut-out inspired billboard that had me stopped in the street, except rather than be impressed I was downright confused (and cannot now, for the life of me, remember what brand it was). Berger Paints on the other hand, did this one correctly.

Image: www.coloribus.com

Even if the sky is not a crisp monochrome, I still think this ad works. I would even venture the notion of locals waiting to see what each day looks like through the Berger lens.

Berger’s logo is minimal but striking against the stark white of the rest of the board and therefore stands out well. Berger’s tagline is “Natural Finish Colours.” A reflection of nature I guess? Though I would add that this also reminds the customer that Berger can create any paint colour you request.

Compared to their website which is dominated by purple, this billboard does send the nature message.

According to the website, Berger, “offered people a chance to transform their homes through the power of imagination.” I’d say that brand promise is carried through in this billboard.

How well do you think this billboard worked? Will customers walk away with Berger on their minds or will it be “that really creative billboard that that paint company did”?

Round 1:

Would you like to advertise with us again?

I’ll have to think about it, cash is tight. Maybe next time.

Round 2:

You said you’d think about advertising with us - any conclusions?

I just don’t have the money right now.

Round 3:

Would you like an ad at a discount?

I can’t give anyone money! At all! Goodbye!

–

I’ve been talking to a lot of small business owners recently and they’re feeling that it’s like this - they have no money to spend and they have to battle the ad sellers coming to their door to try and win money.

It shouldn’t be like this.

Sure, money’s tight. It’s tight for everyone. But pushing people away does no good for either of you - it’s been shown that the companies who continue to advertise and have their name out in a recession are the first to recover.

Publications selling ad space will also collapse without support - if you want to advertise ‘next time’ there might not be a ‘next time’. Supporting them now, if you can, will be leverage to ask for a discount in the future.

Some are resorting to barter, which can create a win-win situation. You get an ad, they get discounts at your business as part or full payment.

Of course, it does depend on their sales staff…and how pushy they are to try and make a sale.

So here’s some ad tips…

1. If you have the money to advertise, make sure you’re being strategic. What’s your aim in advertising? Where can you best reach your customers?
2. Preserve relationships. Recession or no, cash or no…business has to involve other people.
3. In that vein, make your services the best you can without spending more - friendly service, a handwritten note with purchases…it’s all in the little touches.

It’s no longer the ‘Coke side of life’. Goodbye to spectacular, joyful ads like this:

But wait.

This sounds a little familiar:

It’s the ‘new’ song called ‘Open Happiness’, a collaboration by artists from Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco and Gnarls Barkley, amongst others.

The song is a big part of the new Coke tagline and campaigns - which ironically feature much less of the song, opting for some retro and anime influences:

Well, it sounds the same and the creatives are the same (Wieden + Kennedy, one of my favourites), so what’s the big change?

According to Coke reps, the ‘Coke side of life’ message wasn’t translating across cultures, leaving less mature advertising markets confused. The new ‘Open happiness’ message is meant to be simpler and go back to principles we all understand.

We’ll see if it’s enough to get past rival Pepsi’s buzz from SuperBowl advertising.

What do you think?

Is the new message easier to understand?

Does it come across well in the new ads?

Source: AdAge

The latest green branding to catch Brandcurve’s eye is not a product or a service…it’s an awards show.

The One Show gives out awards for the best advertising across a variety of industries and media. (And yes, the controversial ‘Whopper Sacrifice’ campaign by Crispin Porter is an entrant.)

However, this year there’s a new award…the Green Pencil.

It’s apparently meant to do something like this…

How?

Well, to be honest it’s a bit vague. The award is meant to go to the best environmental advertising - not sure whether this is the best ads for an environmental cause or the most environmentally-friendly campaign.

In other ‘green’ efforts, One Show has stated that paper entries will be recycled, and packing reduced where possible. They also mention something about a carbon footprint, but this is also vague.

All in all, it’s a step which is well-intended, even if it’s not entirely clear.

Either way, online registrations for the competition will be open until February 6, and we’ll be looking out for the winners!

How much does the country of origin of a product matter to you?

A lot, Starbucks are betting for Chinese coffee drinkers.

With the Lunar New Year coming up on Monday (Jan 26) the Asian branches of Starbucks will be offering a new brew which will incorporate Chinese coffee. Called ‘South of the Clouds’, it will be the first international coffee chain to use beans from China’s Yunnan province (previously well known for its tea).

The question is: Will Chinese customers react well to coffee from their own country?

Starbucks claims that they are experiencing consistent growth in China, although it was only a few years ago that coffee was practically synonymous with ‘Nescafe’. Gourmet coffee in a country which has traditionally consumed tea has been a big step - perhaps helped by Starbucks’ infiltration of popular culture overseas.

Chinese consumers have lapped up foreign brands, especially in the luxury market.

Will they really want to drink coffee from their own backyard?

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