June 2010

In this week's Cannes-focused Adhocracy column, Advertising’s leap across the digital divide, Simon Houpt discusses this year’s Cannes Lions award winners and how they effectively erase the division between cyber and traditional media.



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


AdWeek, June 23, 2010
The World Cup brings with it a sense of cultural identity and celebration and heartbreak felt by an entire nation when a favoured team falls flat. For brands like Nike and ESPN, however, this global phenomenon also means a boost in consumer perception and loyalty. Read the AdWeek article

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In this week's Adhocracy column, Brand identity: It’s all in your head, Simon Houpt discusses the science behind why some people adapt brand identities and others resist the power of marketing.

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


AdWeek, June 21, 2010
After clearing out sex-themed applications from the iTunes store, Apple has changed its mind and relaxed its censorship guidelines—or some of them, anyway. While Cosmopolitan’s “Sex Position of the Day” and Sports Illustrated swimsuit models are deemed acceptable, critics complain that a double standard has prevented other applications from joining the fold. Read the AdWeek article

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With every passing month, social networking becomes more entrenched in Canadian culture. As Forrester Research reported last year, 57 per cent of Canadians now use social networking at least once each month – more than our US counterparts (their number comes in at 51 per cent, while the United Kingdom – third on the list – comes in at 38 per cent). In fact, of the 12 countries regularly surveyed by the research company, Canadians are "the most active social networkers" in any market.

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BY MARK SWARTZ, THE CAREER ACTIVIST®


Sooner or later everyone does something dumb at work. Missing a crucial deadline. Accidentally sending confidential data to the wrong e-mail address. Or, if you happen to work for Apple, inadvertently leaving a prototype of your super-secret new phone in a very public bar.

The point is that when you do screw up, it’s up to you to try and fix things quickly...


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In this week's Adhocracy column, Will this Really Sell Toronto, Simon Houpt writes about the G20’s impact on Toronto and, given the tenor of the event, how the attempt to market the city could actually backfire.

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


AdWeek, June 14, 2010
“Snacking out” is the newest trend amongst penny-pinching consumers, and it may be the key in helping dining establishments stay afloat in the wake of the recession. As people become less likely to go out for meals, companies like Starbucks and Taco Bell have shifted their advertising strategy to encourage spending during snack time or happy hour. Read the AdWeek article

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In this week's Adhocracy column, Muhammad Gets a Makeover, Simon Houpt writes about how a British campaign peddles the softer side of Islam, by rehabilitating the battered reputation of an ancient religion.

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BY SHAWNA RICHER
THE GLOBE AND MAIL

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There are few things more Canadian than the country's best-guarded secret. To that end, a summer marketing campaign is betting you can't keep your mouth shut. Cadbury hid golden keys in 10 Caramilk bars at a corner store near you, and are offering a chance to win $250,000 if you can keep that whole caramel-inside-the-bar trick on the down-low for six months. Folks who find the keys win a trip to the Cadbury factory in Toronto, and one key will open a vault. The secret lives in a sealed envelop, and if it's returned without being ripped open, or steamed open, or X-rayed, you get the dough. Sounds easy as (chocolate caramel) pie.

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


AdWeek, June 8, 2010
Your brand doesn’t succeed because your cars are the fastest or your clothes are the most durable. Particularly in the age of blogs and Twitter, positive customer experiences are what make or break brands—and these experiences start not with a customer service department, but with a corporate culture that permeates through every facet of the company. Read the AdWeek article

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BY SHAWNA RICHER
THE GLOBE AND MAIL

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3,300 Trademark violations in 84 countries from the 2006 World Cup, according to FIFA. Soccer’s governing body didn’t pay attention to rights infringements until the 1990s, when ambush marketing took off as an alternative to exorbitant sponsorships. In 1994 there were 258 violations reported in 39 countries, and by 2002 the number had spiked to 1,884 in 94 countries.

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