BY DIANNE NICE AND SIMON HOUPT
THE GLOBE AND MAIL

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Keeping it clean

Unilever doesn't want a monkey on its back. After Nestlé felt the wrath of social media users last month for trying to quash a gruesome Greenpeace video that criticized the company for purchasing palm oil whose production allegedly harmed the Indonesian rain forest habitat of the orangutan, Unilever has taken out ads in the British press trumpeting its sourcing of sustainable palm oil. The ad features a lush forest, and the declaration: “What you buy in the supermarket can change the world.” Which is true. Should we take that to mean Unilever is about to make its cleaning products biodegradable?


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In this week's Adhocracy column, "A few simple questions remind us of what's important," The Globe's advertising and marketing reporter, Simon Houpt, writes about a Vancouver YMCA campaign that focuses on "social dislocation." It seems, we've all gathered around our computer screens rather than visiting a park, venturing outside or meeting up with others at the local Y.

The social media campaign and animated spot represent a returned focus to "brand essence" for the iconic 125-year-old YMCA brand.



Read More >> A weekly compendium of interesting items from the world of media, marketing and advertising.


MediaWeek, April 4, 2010
Media departments are no place for guessing. With millions—even tens or hundreds of millions—of dollars at stake, clients want hard data showing that their budgets are being well spent. Read the MediaWeek article.


Read More >> A weekly compendium of interesting items from the world of media, marketing and advertising.


THE GLOBE AND MAIL, Harvey Schachter, March 29, 2010
In this week's Morning Manager column, Harvey Schachter shares seven questions managers should ask to assess their readiness to rebound from the recession. Read Harvey Schachter's Globe and Mail column.


Read More >> BY DIANNE NICE
THE GLOBE AND MAIL

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Booty call
Normally we wouldn't condone posting pictures of your buttocks on Facebook, but maybe just this once. As part of its campaign to raise awareness of cancer screening, the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada is inviting all exhibitionists to upload pictures of their backsides (or, for the shy, a “stand-in butt”) to getyourbuttseen.ca. Then on March 31, we're asked to form a giant “buttmob” and post our posteriors as our Facebook profile pictures in a show of solidarity against the disease. We are totally behind this idea. We're going to sit on the office photo copier right now. Who's with us?

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In this week's Adhocracy column, "The beauty – and burden – of having choices," The Globe's advertising and marketing reporter, Simon Houpt, writes about the effects of choice on consumerism."

His engaging story is based on an interview with Sheena Iyengar, Columbia Business School professor, who has just published a book entitled The Art of Choosing . Houpt also weaves in Malcolm Gladwell's pop psychology musings.



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THE PROACTIVE REPORT, Sally Falkow, March 17, 2010
This one-page guide to investing in marketing efforts through social media is a definite keeper. Share it with your colleagues. Read Sally Falkow's blog.


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In this week's Adhocracy column, "Going beyond the 'dark green' with a non-nonsense pitch," The Globe's advertising and marketing reporter, Simon Houpt, unveils a new campaign for Bullfrog Power that asks people to "pay more."

The campaign is based on the premise of educating consumers about the hidden costs of conventional energy.



Read More >> A weekly compendium of interesting items from the world of media, marketing and advertising.


THE GLOBE AND MAIL, March 10, 2010
Over the next 20 years, a great demographic shift could alter Canada's economic, political landscape. Marketers should take note.

Read More >> BY DIANNE NICE
THE GLOBE AND MAIL

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The many roles of Barbie.
In her 50 years, Barbie has held down a number of jobs: surfer, rock star, ballerina. As part of her “I Can Be” campaign, Barbie has commissioned an Angus Reid survey that reveals Canadian girls are a pretty ambitious bunch. For instance, more than half of the girls surveyed said they would rather own their own company than be a secretary or a stay-at-home mom. We're curious, then, why Mattel has decided to bring out Barbie dolls in the likeness of Mad Men's Joan, the cheating secretary, and Betty, the alcoholic stay-at-home mom. Martha Stewart seems a more fitting choice: Ex-Con Domestic Diva Barbie?

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In this week's Adhocracy column, "Doritos opens a grab bag of potential," The Globe's advertising and marketing reporter, Simon Houpt, focuses on a current contest launched by Doritos that spurs participant to rack up the most social media points by sending their amateur video into viral orbit.

For ad execs out there who may be wondering if this spells the beginning of the end for agency-produced spots, you need not be too concerned. Houpt analyzes in detail.



Read More >> A weekly compendium of interesting items from the world of media, marketing and advertising.


MediaWeek.com, Feb. 28, 2010
Research executives at the nation’s largest media shops are morphing into money-marketing managers, akin to the role of a McKinsey or Accenture consultant.

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