advertisingatitsbest

I don’t think I have really done anything on either of my blogs about the Olympics over the last weeks, and really probably should of, because as you know they were extravagant, remarkable and simply amazing.

So I guess a brief recap on how huge and fabulous and overwhelming they were is better than nothing!

With all of the numbers finally in, it is fact that the Beijing Olympic 2008 Games are the most-watched event in US TV history, ever. Historically, Olympic games hosted in North American time zones usually lead the way in viewers, so in mroe ways than one this is an amazing accomplishment of the Chinese Olympics.

Nielsen Media Research has verified that 211 million viewers tuned in to China’s Olympics on NBC Universal’s broadcast network and cable channels through 16 days of coverage. This beats the previous record-holder, the 1996 Atlanta Games, by 2 million, said an article from Trendhunter last week.

I had heard on a news broadcast a couple weeks ago that hundreds of thousands of people across the world were downloading videos of the Olympics and watching online, so it is also very important to note that in our world today of declining TV ratings and competing Internet feeds, NBC boasted 11% higher ratings (averaging 27.7 million viewers per night) than its coverage of the Athens Games in 2004.

I would be curious to see if there was an increase in viewership in a certain timezone or country.  Has anyone seen any numbers like this?

What do you think the increase in viewership resulted from?

Was it the fact that host country has the largest population in the world, so everyone in China tuned in?  Was it newsworthy athletes like Shawn Johnson and Micheal Phelps?

What are your thoughts?

Did you watch?  On TV? Online?  Both?

Source: Trendhunter 

I read about this all over MSNBC last week and I didn’t really think anything of it; but apparently it has caused quite the gossip and discussion having Jessica Simpson be the spokeswoman for a beer called Stampeded Light Plus.

Jessica is already known as a singer, a dancer, an actress (those Daisy Dukes meant something!), Proactiv spokesperson, designer, entrepreneur, and now this! According to a recent Trendhunter article, “Simpson is part of Stampede Brewing Co. Inc.’s “Drink Smart Campaign”, aimed at health conscious Americans.  Stampede Light Beer is, according to the company’s website, made from mountain spring water, German Hops, and malted barley… grown in the USA.  It is also “infused” with Vitamin B and other natural antioxidants.”

The article continued, Stampede’s maker, health and fitness expert, Lawrence Schwartz says that he wanted a beer marketed for those who care about themselves, “like us” (meaning people like Jessica Simpson and all other humans who make fitness a priority in their lives).

So, what are your thoughts?

What do you think of the beer first off?  Ever heard of it?  Ever had it?

And then what are your thoughts on Jessica Simpson as the spokeswoman?  Good fit?  Will it help sell the beer?

I am personally impartial on the whole thing…I’m not one who purchases products based on the spokesperson and nothing about the ad actually jumps out and grabs me.  I’m curious what others think!

Source: Trendhunter

I thought it was just Corona and Bud Light Lime in the world of flovored beer, but apparently I was all wrong! 

In a recent article by Trendhunter, the article showcases 10 outrageously flavored beer.  Read the full article here!

Some of my favorites discussed in the article are below.  Well, I am not sure if you can call them favorites, because I’m not sure I would even have the guts to taste them!

1.  Banana

British company, Wells has a banana bread flavored beer out that is dark amber red in color and apparently has a honey sweet taste.  And now, that I have move passed the idea of outrageously flavored beer, such as banana bread, I am of course drawn to the packaging.  What do you think of the label?  Would you try the beer?

2. Pizza

Mama Mia’s Pizza Beer is claiming their product to be “the world’s first culinary beer.”  Not only is this beer supposed to have delicious flavor for drinking, but it’s also supposed to be great for cooking. This is one I can’t even imagine the taste of!  You? What do you think of the labeling for the Mama Mia’s beer?

These are just two of my favorites. Make sure you check out the rest at Trendhunter!

Do you think these are high selling products for the companies?  Would you taste them?

Ikea is an innovative company with innovative products.  So, how does their advertising measure up?

Ikea has countless creative advertising techniques and overly unique promotions.  Let’s take a few days and view a variety of their campaigns; some new…some old!

Beginning with a play on one of the most recognizable campaigns in the word!

1. Absolut-ly Fabulous

Ikea takes advantage of the infamous Absolut ad campaign, and actually placed furniture and created a 3D billboard mocking the set up of a New York apartment on this billboard in Soho.

Source: Marketallica

My personal favorite is next and sorry about all of the photos, but Ikea takes it above and beyond with the endless possibilities of this campaign!

2. A little fabric goes a long way

Ikea recently took on a mission of covering the streets with fabric. To promote the company and their products, Ikea used:

Bus wraps,

The interior of buses,

Benches,

Parking Meters,

And even bicycle seats.

Source: Marketallica

3. Happy Birthday!
“To celebrate its’ 40th anniversary, the IKEA in Stockholm decorated its’ store like a birthday cake. IKEAs are still few and far between in the US but are very popular in Europe as the brand has been around since 1943. Instead of creating a whole anniversary campaign, IKEA used what they already had, their store, to promote the celebration,” Amy Gifford’s past article on Inventor Spot explained.

Source: Marketallica
What do you think of Ikea’s advertising techniques?  Which one of the above three is the most effective in getting Ikea’s message across?

If you have seen other Ikea ads that are effective, creative and innovative, please share!

Source: Amy Gifford/InventorSpot

“It’s a tradition in Brazil for every company to run the Warm Winter Campaign among its employees. All of the funds that would be used to acquire printed media for the SBT 2008 Warm Winter Campaign was spent on pullovers, blankets, hats and scarves that will be donated at the end of the campaign,” started a recent post on Ads of the World.

These articles replaced the traditional printed media instruments and the posters turned into pullovers.

The blankets into the campaign collecting recipients.

Hats turned into bathroom medias.

The scarves turned into direct mails.

What do you think of Brazil’s technique to get nation wide support of the warm winter campaign?  Know of any other good nation wide campaigns that are effective for the good of the population?

Source: Ads of the World 

The first time I saw the whole concept of body painting, I believe it was some crazy Playboy bunny stunt. Next thing you know it is gracing the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated. So what is next with the whole idea of body painting?

Advertising. And it has already started. The following three ads use the idea of body painting to share their marketing messages with consumers.

1.) Ultra Thin

What better way to show the thinness and perfection of a feminine hygiene product than by using a totally naked (or fully painted) model? Ultra Thin Panty Liners recently used these print ads created to promote the launch of their product in South Africa. The images of girls wearing nothing but body paint convey the message quite clearly: even in the tightest pants or dresses, no one is going to know she’s using the product.

2.) Would you like fries with that?

The Rock n Fries print ad promotes the McDonald’s fries (McFries) by having a hand posing as a packet of fries with the Rock ‘n’ Roll sign. The hand is painted in the iconic red and yellow McDonald’s fries packet with the fingers serving as fries, explains a recent Trendhunter article.

3.) Hot Wheels

This Hot Wheels print ad campaign depicts ‘finger paintings’ of tiny people posing along side of the latest Hot Wheels toy cars. “The toy cars look so real that with the ‘finger models’ you would think they were life-size,” says a recent article in Trendhunter.

What do you think of the idea of body painting in general?

Do you think it makes for quality advertising? What do you think of the three ads above? Which is your favorite?

Source: Trendhunter

The past couple days we have been looking at the amazing creativity advertisers have come up with in regard to bus shelter/stop advertising.  Now, what have advertisers done to the actual vehicles that are picking consumers up from these bus stops.

I personally think bus shelter and bus advertising is very eye catching, especially when advertisers take the creativity to the next level.  How do you feel about the attention grabbing of this advertising.

Check out the following three very creative bus ads that have recently been seen in the streets.  Do these grab your attention?

1) Take a bite!

National Geographic used this bus wrap to grab the attention of riders and driver bys!

Source: Small Business Commandos

2) Flexible

What a great way to use every part of the bus for your ad!  These Dr. Best flexible toothbrush ads sure made a statement!

Source: Design Idea

3) Bus on Bus

Isn’t this Mobil ad creative?  Using an actual bus on a bus to use the wheels of the real bus to fit with the wheels of the bus in the ad!

Source: Auckland Daily Photo 

What do you think?  Which one is your favorite?  What other great bus ads have you seen?

Does bus advertising grab your attention?

Bus stop advertising is really grabbing my attention these days.  After yesterday’s post, I did a little more research adn found three more amazing bus stop ads.

Advertisers are literally transforming bus stops into promotions to sell the latest and greatest.

What do you think of the following three bus ads?

1) For here or to go?

Strange Business, shows this bus stop literally transformed into your favorite fast food restaurant.  Talk about a total transformation!

2) Walkie Talkie

What better way to get the consumer’s attention, while they’re waiting for a ride, than with an interactive bus stop ad.  Chrome Walker website explains this ad for Solo actually calls for consumers to try out the walkie talkie feature of the phone while waiting.

3) Stuck in a cartoon?

This Simpsons themed bus stop makes you feel you are actually part of the chaotic cartoon.

Which of these three are your favorite?  Would they grab your attention?

Outdoor advertising is everywhere and bus and other transit stops are joining the long list of very creative advertising.  Companies ranging from sports to cell phones to fast food have all been jumping on the bus shelter advertising wave.

The following three outdoor shelter ads are just a few of my favorites!

1.) Stop Global Warming!

This first bus shelter ad was actually done by students in an advertising school for the Natural Resources Defense Council.  The copy reads “Water is reaching the most unexpected places. Stop Global Warming.”  The ad uses a bus stop with a  pip system that allows for water to collect in the plexiglass compartment over the poster map of the world.

2.) Star Wars

This Star Wars ad at a bus stop sure shows the power of the light saber.

3.) Ride the Wave

Quicksilver turned this bus stop into your favorite surf spot.  The stop was wrapped in what appeared to be the ocean waves and benches were replaced with surf boards.

What do you think?  Which is your favorite of the three?  What other great bus stop ads have you seen?

Source: Ads of the World

Denver Water is a company that serves over 1.1 million consumers in the Denver area.  Their mission is: “Denver Water will provide our customers with high quality water and excellent service through responsible and creative stewardship of the assets we manage. We will do this with a productive and diverse work force. We will actively participate in and be a responsible member of the water community.”

To help them fulfill their lofty mission this outdoor billboard campaign from the Denver Water Company promotes the conservation message, and of course, the betterment of the whole community.  The tagline for this campaign is: Use only what you need.

In this first billboard, they get the message across bright and clear with using bright lights on only a small portion of the billboard.

This second billboard makes quite a statement with the boxer shorts shown through out the week.

And finally, the large hose ad really grabs your attention in using more than just the average size billboard by going all the way to the ground with the “hose”.

What do you think of the campaign?  Strong message?  Which of the three ads is your favorite?

Source: Ads of the World