Ads on Twitter Are Okay By Me

Being a part of the *special* 900,000 users that access Twitter through Hootsuite, couldn't help but notice something new popping up in my Feed.

A dull yellow highlight around the word Promoted Tweet (or Promoted depending on where you look) with a message from a big name brand like Nintendo or Best Buy, brands I don't actually follow.

These brands have paid a premium to Twitter to appear in users feeds via the Promoted Tweet veil.

Like most entrepreneurial ventures in life, it all comes back to earning/making money.

And this is the way Twitter chose to do it.




Announced back in April, Twitter has utilized these Promoted Tweets in a way where they're not terribly annoying, in my opinion that is.

Unlike other websites, where ads appear in the typical right hand column or in Banner ads, these purchased advertisement tweets show up in general feeds and haven't been too much of a distraction so far.

These ads feel like a natural extension of the service, much like other advertisements on the web.

When I go to YouTube, I can expect to watch commercials now.
When I want to read an article on the Baltimore Sun's website, some ads appear about a Baltimore mom making $134.95/hr.
Head to any of the big networks that host old episodes for streaming, and you're going to be treated to the same 30-sec ad from a sponsor at regular broadcast commercial spots.

Okay, so those are annoying, but we still use those services. Following this line of logic, I wouldn't expect Twitter users to be bothered by this new form of advertising.

I've done searching on Twitter, and am finding that few seem to share my apathetic attitude toward these ads:




Maybe I'm just not getting hit as hard as other users, but I really don't think these Promoted Tweets are the devil.

If anything, they're a smart way of reaching Twitter users with brand messaging. At least we're not being forced to watch a :30 sec Dove spot everytime we refresh our feed.

Jury's still out on all of this. What do you think about Promoted Tweets on Twitter?

Sean Sutherland, Associate Account Executive/Promoted Tweeter (not really)

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Intern Sweatshop: Beer Advertising, You Never Let Me Down

Over the years there has been one type of advertisement that people have called sexist, inappropriate, homophobic or stereotypical. But beer commercials are freaking hilarious.

I can’t keep track of all the times I’ve fallen out of my chair laughing while watching a football game or TV show and seen a new beer commercial. Beer advertisements have been cracking me up since long before I ever consumed the malted barley and hops they were advertising.

A perfect example is Budweiser’s classic “Wassup” commercial that aired during the 2000 Super Bowl. It was so simple, yet so hilarious—all ages could laugh at it. (Although, there is an ethical question about making beer commercials that appeal to children, but I won't get into that with this post.)

Check it out:



Over a decade later, beer advertising is still going strong. Yes, they may portray woman as sexy bartenders and party-goers and men as “manly” only if they drink the correct beer, but that doesn’t make them any less funny. I don’t know about you, but most commercials involving guys being made fun of for wearing Speedos or bejeweled jeans will always make me laugh.

These ads definitely display distinct differences in the genders through their ads, but they are obvious exaggerations to me. Also, sometimes it’s refreshing when commercials can make fun of stereotypes in an obvious way. Just like this Heineken ad from back in 2008—still hilarious in another language:



It’s nearly impossible to please every person watching your commercial, especially when it involves alcohol, sex and humor, but at the end of the day, as long as you get some big laughs, hold onto your loyal beer drinkers, and don’t offend too many people, you’ve done your job.

Cheers to beer ads: for giving me something to enjoy during halftime.

And I will be looking forward to seeing some funny ads tonight during the Ravens' game. So have any favorite or hated beer spots of your own? Dos Equis? Coors Light Press Conference? Almost any ad for Bud Light? Let us hear them!

Lisa Lucantoni, Brewksy-Ad Lovin' Intern

Here at the Agency Confessional we don't advocate drinking or not drinking, but if an over-21 intern brings us a 6-pack every now and then, well, that tends to look good on their reviews. Please drink responsibly.--George

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Intern Sweatshop: RockMelt May Potentially Rock My Internet, Hopefully

RockMelt (yeah, it's an awful name) is a new browser based on Chrome that integrates social networking, chat and news right into your browsing.

It. Looks. Awesome.

Let's be honest, some of us have too many programs running on our computer. I, for one, am a big news/social network nut and can have five or six programs running at a time. RSS feed readers, chat clients, Twitter clients, link sharing apps, the kitchen sink: it's too much. I've tried moving it all online, using web apps for everything so I can do it all from my Internet browser. Good idea, but now I perpetually have five or six browser tabs open. This predicament is why I was very excited when RockMelt was announced yesterday.

You can check Twitter, share links and get feed updates without visiting any of those sites. It might finally be the all in one Internet workflow I have always dreamt cautious dreams about. Disclaimer: I am a bit weary of having things popping up right in my browser. With my present setup, I can ignore the tabs I have open or just close them if I need to focus. RockMelt might prove to be information overload. Techcrunch put it bluntly.

The other forseeable downside is privacy. Having all our social networks tied right into our browser could be the next step toward ol' Zuckerbug tracking literally everything we do. The implications are a bit creepy. Google and Facebook already tailor ads to your search terms and interests, respectively. Imagine if Facebook started sending you chat messages based on the sites you visited yesterday? Yeah, not cool.

Though I am a bit guarded in my excitement, I am definitely excited to try RockMelt. Downloading the browser is still invite only, so I'll have to wait for my potential social network salvation for now. Until then, check the intro video and let me know if you're as intruiged as I am.



Kyle Sacks, Future Early Adopters Anoymous Member/Intern

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Eye for an Eye or Thanks for a Vote

We can do this the easy way or the hard way...

Voting over at The Baltimore Sun Mobbies is currently underway and your(and ours) favorite blog, The Renegade Agency Confessional is currently sitting 2nd under the business + technology section.

2nd just isn't going to cut it.

So if you enjoy the absurdity and commentary that is standard fare here, please do us a favor and take a second and vote for us. Here I'll make it easier for ya:



If you do, (and even if you don't) we'll keep bringing you the constant stream of engaging, Mobbie-worthy content that you've come to expect from us.

Sincerely,

The Renegade Agency Confessional Contributor Team
-M. M. McDermott
-George Convery
-Sean Sutherland

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Apparently Everyone Knows Photoshop

Those who espouse the viewpoint that You get what you pay for might want to take a look at this Texas Department of Public Safety Vehicle Inspection sticker.

It's not bad. It has it's own flair. And a cowboy coming from or heading to his horse with a saddle on his back just screams Texas. Was it done by some fancy agency or some graphic design whiz kid? No, it was created by inmates at the Texas State Prison. And according to this article from the San Antonio Express News, this particular image was scanned by an inmate serving a life term for aggravated sexual assault.

Unfortunately, it looks a lot like this photograph

because the image was taken from a photo in a 1998 issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine, taken by David K. Langford, who also still owns the copyright and is suing the state for damages. Langford said that photo has generated income for him for the past 25 years, and “If they'd called me first, I'd bet we'd have had a deal in five minutes."

Instead, what seemed like an inexpensive alternative to a traditional graphic designer will end up costing the state of Texas plenty. If you can do a cheaper and smarter than using a reliable designer or agency, you're a fool not to. But if you don't exactly know what you're doing, then the fool might end up being you.

One other note, I'd seriously investigate this prison. I saw The Shawshank Redemption, and who knows what else may be going on there between a crooked warden and yet another incarnation of the Kurgan from Highlander. The three people who get that joke will think it's hysterical.

George C. Convery, Copywriter

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Halloween, Yep We Celebrated

If you haven't been paying attention, Sunday was Halloween. Not content with letting the little ones have all the fun with costumes, Renegades represented in style.



As part of the annual Renegade Halloween Costume Contest and Awkward Parade, about a dozen or so Renegades donned outfits that ranged from the satirical to the outright weird all in the hope that Terri would give them an envelope with some form of prize in it.

Here, in order of their merit and vote getting, are your winners:



Jennifer Stine, EVP/COO, wins it with commitment as Neytiri from Avatar.



Ryan Engles, AAE, and part-time chilean Miner



Jason Bloom, Senior Editor, shows what happens when you work in Construction and have yourself an accident.

Head over to our Facebook page to check out more costuimes and other pictures from our Halloween hijinks.

Sean Sutherland Associate Account Executive/Zombie for Halloween Next Year

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Intern Sweatshop: I'll Take a Fajita Burrito with a Side of Social Responsibility

It was cold, and it was dark, and we were standing outside...wrapping each other in tinfoil for free burritos. On Halloween, Chipotle Mexican Grill does their "Boorito" promotion. If you come in on October 31, dressed as a burrito, you get a free, well, burrito! My friends and I have participated for years. The costumes range from elaborate tinfoil suits to simple tinfoil bracelets. This year, however, Chipotle is mixing it up a bit.

For Boorito 2010, instead of coming dressed as a burrito (wearing varying amounts of tinfoil), Chipotle is asking people to come dressed as a "horrifying processed food product." When you come dressed as a "horrifying processed food product," you can get a burrito for a discounted price of $2. Chipotle has promised to donate up to one million dollars from the Halloween proceeds to Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.

Chipotle has taken what was a playful promotion and upped the ante considerably. Though honorable, is this really a good move marketing-wise?

Jamie Oliver is a celebrity chef and health food advocate who is dedicated to helping people eat healthier. His Food Revolution is aimed at changing how Americans eat (you mean a box of Twinkies a night is bad for me?). A big part of Chipotle's identity is that all their ingredients are naturally raised and never processed, so it makes sense that they would team with Jamie to help raise awareness about processed vs. organic food.

Chipotle is one of the largest food chains in the country to be fully dedicated to organic ingredients. I will venture so far as to say that Chipotle could be a case study on how to operate a large, organically focused food chain. With Boorito 2010, they are going the extra step, advocating for a cause they believe in. It shows them as socially conscious and willing to sacrifice for it.

The fast food industry is continuing to get knocked over health concerns, so Chipotle's fresh, caring image is something they are wise to play up. This promotion with Jamie Oliver has the potential to build extra awareness about Chipotle's practices concerning their delicious food and hopefully bring in new customers to eat said food. Continuing to get their name associated with health food causes is a big step toward this.

However, Chipotle could catch some backlash from consumers over the change.

The problem is, despite it being for a good cause, a lot of people will be upset that the burritos are no longer free and that the costume requirements have gotten more demanding. People can no longer put some tin foil on their head and get free food. A few of my friends didn't even know about Jamie Oliver's involvement or the donation. All they had heard, via word-of-mouth, was that what was once free was now $2.

Chipotle is going to have to work hard to make sure people get the full story. They have sent out mailers, made a Youtube video with Jamie (see the bottom of this post), and put up a page on their Facebook, all of it explaining the Boorito 2010 promotion. The social media push was an especially good idea because most of previous years' Boorito participants have been us millennials. It’s a good outreach, but come this year’s Allhallows Eve, we’ll see how well it worked.

I think this promotion is a smart move. They took a promotion that was essentially bringing them nothing besides tinfoil to clean up, and turned it into something that could move their whole brand forward in consumer’s minds. There is the risk that some people won’t come out this year because of the price, but overall, the potential gains vastly outweigh the potential backlash. I’ll be there and I plan on dressing as some good ol’ high-fructose corn syrup! No, I haven’t thought through the logistics of that yet.


-- Kyle Sacks, High-Fructose Corn Syrup

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