Toshiba puts its hat in the ring

Just found this ad by Toshiba-- I think it's a pretty good example of something I've talked about here before: in the tech industry, often times the best way to get consumers to consider you is by drawing them in emotionally and then supporting them with the rational and technical information instead of vice versa. For example, the Sony Bravia campaign "Color like no other." I watched "Balls" and "Paint" and thought "Yup, got it."  This commercial has a similar strategy:

Not only is it a cool ad visually, but it reinforces the message that things are changing, technology is advancing, so don't you want to be with the company thats making those innovations happen? Truthfully, I've never thought about Toshiba this way, but they've given me cause to think about it.

I will say that it's not quite as strong strategically as it could be...it talks about sharp, clear picture and the "timesculpture" doesn't necessarily demonstrate this in the way that the Sony commercials demonstrate color, but it's still worth taking a gander at. And who's to say every had has to be rationally strategic? Sometimes finding a way to get eyes on the screen is strategy enough if the product sells itself. But that's a whole 'nother topic for another day...

Fashion Magazines- The New Frontier?

I've been rendered useless for the past half-week by sickness, so I apologize for the lack of updates. It did, however, give me a chance to watch some TV and read some magazines, something I probably ought to do more of as an advertiser.

Besides learning that I'm in love with 30 Rock and/or Tina Fey, I also realized something unique about fashion magazines. You actually want to look at the ads. That's pretty much the POINT of fashion magazines. Sure, there's always an interview with a fashionable star, and there's always a few beauty tips and "good buy" kinds of pieces, but for the most part, its ads, and you look at every single page.  I started thinking about how brands could use this to their advantage. Of course, there are some things that they'd have to keep in mind.

First, as with any "community" you decide to join, you have to understand their ways. Ads in fashion magazines are always:

     -beautiful, 

     -simple (not a lot of words, etc), 

     -and emotional. 

They don't hard sell you, they just bring you into that moment. Word-heavy, rational benefit kinds of ads stick out like a sore thumb.

Second, there has to be a brand fit. Cheez-its will never be a strong fit in a fashion magazine. They just won't. But Apple, with their focus on sleek design, might. The same goes for BMW.

Third, the ad has to be beautiful in it's own right. You can't just imitate the way fashion brands design their ads. You can't put Cheez-its in the hands of a woman wearing a beautiful avant-garde dress--it will instead look like a parody. You have to find a way to make your product beautiful the same way clothing brands showcase their products. 

Bill Gates + Jerry Seinfeld + Microsoft = ??

There's been a lot of chat surrounding the new spot for Microsoft, produced by Crispin Porter + Bogusky. I'll be the first to say that the relationship seems like a bad fit, and that I would have loved for Fallon to get it instead. However, I actually like this new spot, and not just because I interned there and have blind loyalty.

Much like recent Skittles ads, this spot is simply enjoyable, if a bit strange. It's a teaser spot to create buzz about an upcoming product from Microsoft. What more could they have done with it? There was no technical features to discuss yet, and truthfully, ads aren't always the best place for that kind of information--oftentimes in B-to-C advertisements for industries like technology, the best bet is to focus on the emotional rather than the rational. Apple has been doing a great job of showing how it's often more important to tell consumers the emotional benefit (faster, great way to store your photos, thinnest notebook, "Twice as fast, half the price" etc.) rather than the rationial "2.5 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo." ("What?") Naturally, Microsoft can't take the same stance of "personality wins," but they've done a good job of just getting people talking and making them actually watch the strange exchange between these two "celebrities."

Alex got a text today from a friend saying, "Do more stuff like the Jerry Seinfeld Microsoft commercial." My parents, without knowing it was CP+B, both said they found the spot very funny. I think the problem is that a lot of people in the industry hated the ad before it ever came out--they didn't want CP+B to succeed. I certainly had my reservations about the agency choice, but I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy the spot.

Only confusing bit- I thought Bill Gates left Microsoft...why would he know what's coming up?