Dogman wants to help you pay your mortgage

Nothing like a Facebook ad to add some credibility to our profession. I would like to find the people who click on this and preserve them for science.

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Intern Sweatshop: or How Ben Found the Secret to Internet Buzz

Fact: The internet is a great marketing tool.

Did I just blow your mind? Ok, so that wasn't exactly groundbreaking news. The internet's ability to cause buzz and spread things like wild fire is not lost on advertisers. But, the internet is a fickle place and getting your product/client/brand talked about and spread around takes something special. Here is an example.

Ben the Bodyguard is a grizzled, streetsmart Frenchman who knows about the seedy side of things. He has made a living keeping things hidden that need to stay hidden. Ben's most unique biographical tid-bit, however, is that he's an iPhone app.

Developed by Nerd Communications, Ben the Bodyguard is an upcoming way to keep the things you keep on your iPhone protected. And their marketing efforts are amazing.

First, personifying this piece of software was a stroke of brilliance. The app's job is to protect you, making it a "person" adds an extra, unconcious level of comfort. People are increasingly wary of technology's slow theft of our privacy, so helping us relate to a piece of software also helps us trust it.

Secondly, they gave Ben an intruiging personality and spread it through out their advertising. Their Twitter feed is written as if it is Ben himself tweeting. Their Facebook page is set up as a personal page, not a business page. You can't "like" Ben, you can "friend" him. Then there is their website. Oh man, their website. It went live last Thursday, and the internet exploded with links to the site. If you search Ben the Bodyguard on Twitter, it is still getting passed around a week later. I will now link you to the website and you can see why people are still talking about it. I warn you though, now I am going to blow your mind.

http://benthebodyguard.com/index-b.php


Kyle Sacks, Intern. Going to buy Ben when he comes out.

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Oh, good brief!

A semi-oldie but goodie. Here's to all you agencies out there just now getting around to your cards, invites, and clever flash e-greetings. You're not alone. You're doomed, of course. But alone? No.

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|| From The Judges Corner ||

It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it. Have a seat Mike Rowe, I’ve got this one covered. There are some things that people were born to do. I was born to judge people… in a bake-off.


As far as Tuesday mornings at the office go, this ranked among the best. Laid out before myself and the other judges were an array of deserts that could send the healthiest of people into a diabetic shock. We had pumpkin, we had chocolate, we had apple, I had collapsed in a sugar coma. I will say, when there is a smorgasbord-of-delicious laid out in the office, I feel bad having “more” than my share but being a judge means you get ONE OF EVERYTHING. I later found out that’s not necessarily a good thing.


Right out of the gate we had a clear front runner – pumpkin, white chocolate chip cookies. Simple, I know but the time and care that went into these… It really showcased the bakers expertise. They were moist but with a nice crust on the bottom. Not that thick char that I usually get. These morsels of heaven landed a strong 3rd in the competition.


In 2nd place, was my favorite, an apple pie with a delicious brown sugar and nut crumble. The apples were soft but not mushy. The crumble was a nice compliment without being overpowering. I’m salivating just thinking about it.


And the winner on the day was an office favorite – pumpkin cheesecake with a caramel drizzle. This judge is still challenging who actually baked it but unfortunately the criteria for the competition was on taste alone.

What a day. What a breakfast. Way to go Renegades. Anyone interested in a Christmas cookie bake-off? Or a birthday cake cook-off? Hot dog eating contest? Never mind. I’m going to lunch…




-- Jim Luparello Account Extraordinaire Lover of Little Debbie, Judger Of All

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Conan: Successful Social Media User

How does an ex-talk show host who has a very public spat with his old network for trying to change his timeslot, rebound after a do-not-appear-on-tv buyout deal, and end up at the top of the ratings?


The Answer: Social Media

Since his falling out with NBC in 2009, Conan was prohibited from appearing on television. Without his familiar zaniness outlet, Conan turned to one of the only places left for him to connect with his audience, a Twitter account.
This was literally the first fans would hear from Conan since the gag order.

Conan continually fed the masses of hungry fans who were bitter with NBC and Jay Leno for not supporting their uniquely-haired talk show host, bringing the #TeamCoco movement to a fever pitch.

Filling a stream with personal anecdotes and making headlines by following just one random Twitter user, Conan had tapped into the pulse of what drove his show, and in essence, himself to be such big hits.

Soon after, Conan also put on a brief 30-city tour, appropriately named "The Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour, which featured such acts as Conan and Jim Carrey dressed as Kick Ass and Superman performing Five for Fightings' "Superman (It's Not Easy.)"


Around this time he launched the appropriately named TEAMCOCO, which became the nexus for all things Conan including a special announcement in September that he would be launching a new show on TBS in November.

He followed this up with a Facebook where he would randomly take a Facebook fan's question and answer them on his Youtube channel.

After that it's a whirlwind of a live 24-hour webcam event, a mock first show called Show Zero, and of course the Team Coco blimp which featured it's own Foursquare badge if you were lucky enough for it to float over your city.

Conan O'Brien's social media experience illustrates one of the most successful uses of social marketing by a celebrity in connecting with their audience.

He had interactions and influence numbers that marketers drool over.

And what was the result of all of these social shenaningans?

When Conan's show finally premiered on TBS, the audience he had gained through his career at Late Night with Conan O'Brien and the Tonight show, the audience he had gained through Dancing Tacos, I Miss Conan videos, and exclusive Foursquare badges tuned in and put him on the ratings throne of late night television.

With his attention back toward his TV show, will the stream of content be hindered so much so that Team Coco's social presense dwindles? Or was this all merely a stop gap until he made it back to the airwaves?

Sean Sutherland, Associate Account Executive/Team Coco supporter

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A "digital" rebrand for prostate cancer awareness.

Now that our new contributors (Frick and Frack) have assumed the suit-n-tie role of thought-leadership and industry wonking, that leaves me free to spend my time mining the webz for things that make me giggle. Some of them even have a passing connection to advertising.

Exhibit A from Emery Pajer, hubbie of one of our loyal readers (and a good friend):

Conceptual Sketches for the Redesign of the Prostate Cancer Ribbon

Before:

After:

Recruiters, I want a finder's fee when you get this guy hired.

In other advertising shoulda-been news: Foursquare badges that should exist

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I'll take Ad Space for $9, Alex.

The "first" television ad in history cost only $9 for a 20 second placement.

In the day-to-day trials of getting a client-approved budget, I can't even imagine the conversation that takes place to sell a multi-million dollar Super Bowl ad. Perhaps the best card was played by Miller Brewing Co. for their 1 second Miller High Life ads. Why pay almost $3mm for 30 seconds when you get your messaging across in 1. Just in case you blinked and missed it - click here.

The early part of my career was spent in a pretty sterile environment filled with pencils and calculators buying ad space. Granted, this wasn't that long ago but the point remains. It's like building a puzzle without a point of reference. The basic goal is to buy the best rated programs for the lowest price to reach your target market. A 30 second spot, during prime time, on a Thursday night? Forget about it. Especially if you were working with a bare-bones budget. And then it happened. "Head On. Apply directly to the forehead. Head On. Apply directly to the forehead. Head On. Apply directly to the forehead."

Am I freaking out? Did I just witness a glitch in the Matrix?

And then it happened again. Like a bad dream, televisions all over the nation were being attacked by this repetitious assault. Now, 5 years later, I see the genius behind this campaign. I don't know if this product is still around but I still remember the brand and tag line. Can Head On really be classified with the "Where's the beef?" lady?

The real shocker was that it only took 10 seconds to get across. Why am I paying for 30 second spots when I could be buying 10? I didn't even know that was possible. The truth is, 10 second ads have always been around. Advertisers just didn't know how to use them properly. At the very best, you could take a 30-second spot, split it down the middle and use it to bookend another spot. It gets the consumers attention but is it memorable?

I don't know how well the 1 second ad tracked but in doing some research, myself and a fellow colleague watched the reel of spots that never saw the light of day. It may have fallen short of it's 15 minutes of fame but thanks to YouTube, advertising will live on beyond it's allotted media space.

-- Jim Luparello III Assc. AE Frugal Bugle

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