We just stumbled across this campaign by Vasken USA, intended to warm the hearts of those who see it, and the bodies of those in need of a little physical warmth this winter.
The viral video, which you can watch by clicking the image to the left, was produced by Caid, and supports Lands’ End’s “Big Warm Up” campaign by asking folks in Boston to donate coats for the homeless at SEARS locations. The video is customizable, and there’s an interface (though it’s the least slick part of the whole thing) for sharing it with friends through Facebook and Twitter.
All in all, a nice initiative, and bound to earn Lands’ End and SEARS some brand love during the holidays. (They’ll be airing a national version of the spot as well.) The supporting site (by Firstborn) is located at www.bigwarmup.com. Check it out, and if you happen to be in the Boston area and you’ve got a coat you’re not using…
We popped our head into the brand new visitors’ center for the Green Mountain Club in Waterbury last night, and boy is it a work of art.
If you’re in Vermont, have a look. This $1.5M green building has the feel of a trailside shelter or a lodge, only bigger. The lumber was harvested sustainably from plots in Bristol and some land belonging to St. Michael’s College. Heat and hot water are generated from a cord wood boiler, and there are composting toilets in the bathrooms and a 2k solar array on the roof.
But the really neat part is front and center: a model of the state of Vermont, built to scale with all the mountains and trails (including the Long Trail, which it is the GMC’s mission to preserve). There’s also a railing that runs around the room and up the stairs that displays the same information in a different way.
The evening was great fun – it was an open event hosted by the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR). Most of the people there were members of this organization, and it was a good time chatting with them about it. They’re all nice folks, and it seems very worthwhile; we’re thinking about joining up.
American Flatbread was there serving up delicious pizza as well. Thanks to all involved for throwing a good shin-dig!
We caught Miley Cyrus’ lively song about a month ago, a hilariously square rap in which let her fans know why she was deleting her Twitter account. In it she claimed, “I want my private life private.”
And yes, she stated this in a YouTube video.
That she made and released on the Internet.
Anyway, someone sent us a link recently to the interview below, the headline on which was “Miley Cyrus Thinks Twitter Should Be Banned!”
To be fair, yes, she does say this, but when one watches the video and considers the statement in context, the following things become clear:
1. She doesn’t really mean Twitter should be banned. She means Twitter and other online activities can be time-sucking, and prevent people from living fully and really engaging with one another.
2. This point would probably have more impact if:
a) It were edited for grammar and read aloud by Ian McKellan or Meryl Streep.
b) Miley’s blackberry wasn’t going off every 9 seconds while she was saying it.
3. If anything should be banned from the planet, it is the word “like.” We actually watched the entire interview below and counted the number of times Miley used this word, and the result was: no less than 60 times but not more than 70. Considering Miley spoke for about 4-5 minutes of the interview, that puts her mean “like” usage at somewhere around 15 times per minute.
Okay, yes, we understand that she’s just your average teenage millionaire with no formal education. But our 12-year old daughter looks up to this girl. Can we at least get her a language tutor?
We’re sure it’s only a matter of time before PETA catches wind of this little stunt and seizes the opportunity to preach about the rights of flies (much the way they did when the president killed one). And however they respond will likely make us all roll our eyes, but still this seems a tad cruel and unusual, even for Germans.
Publishing house Eichborn released 200 flies with mini-banners on them several weeks ago at the Frankfurt book fair. Ad agency Jung von Matt/Nectar says the mini-banners were designed “so that the fly could fly with it, but low and for short distances, constantly landing on visitors.”
Okay, thoughts:
1. Um, ew.
2. How did they sedate the flies?
3. Whose job was it to tack 200 banners onto groggy flies’ legs?
4. Why would you want to associate your brand with a disease-carrying insect?
The firm claims the banners were attached with wax, and that after awhile they fell off and the flies escaped unharmed.
Except for, y’know, um, the ones that got swatted by all the grossed-out convention-goers.
It’s always nice to do work for clients who not only outwardly appreciate it, but who also run a business that somehow contributes to the common good of society. (You may remember us lamenting the challenge of reconciling the ad business with our own conscience in this recent post…)
That’s why we are pleased to report that Asgood & Better is developing a logo, marketing plan and website for Collyn Rowley Brown, founder of the new Burlington, VT-based “Earth Pulse Acupuncture.” A&B’s newest team member, the talented Lara Dickson, is helping out.
Collyn’s practice uses acupuncture, Chinese herbs and bodywork to put an end to needless suffering and allow people to feel healthy and vibrant. Collyn is a miraculous person and a talented healer, and we look forward to working with her to build a strong brand for her new business.
We’re not sure how this unholy marriage came about (probably the result of some software developers, marketing creatives and Japanese game show producers getting drunk in a karaoke bar one night), but it has to be one of the most obscene campaign stunts ever attempted.
Windows is releasing its new operating system this week in Japan, and for a limited time it is offering a 7-patty burger for 777 yen.
Set aside for one moment the fact that a pound and a half of processed meat on a single bun is a culinary and circulatory abomination.
What about the message Windows is sending by offering it?
It’s heavy and overloaded.
It’s impossible to maneuver.
Buying it is sure to make you loagy, slow, and more prone to catching a virus.
Actually, now that we think about it, it might be the perfect ad for Windows.
Here’s the thing about “social” media. It’s not exactly social.
Anyone who has been to a social media event and seen a bunch of bowed heads tweeting into their iPhones, barely paying attention to the presenter at the lectern, can tell you this. We’ve invented a medium of communication that shackles us to these little devices.
But this technology, as we have seen, has the potential to bring people together in new and exciting ways. The trick is to bring them together in person, in a manner that allows people to interact meaningfully, without the devices getting in the way. We think this is where social media is headed, and we’re excited about that chapter.
Take for instance this recent article in the New York Times about Foursquare, the rapidly growing service that allows friends to broadcast their locations. People can swing down and join them, or let them know what else there is to do in the area that’s cool. (We’re going to try out, though we’re pretty sure the Burlington, VT version won’t be quite as exciting as the NYC one.)
What are your thoughts? What’s the future of “social” media?
“We’re from the American Pistachio Board, and we’d like to talk to you about doing a national television ad for us. Do you like pistachios, Levi?”
“Uh, yeah, I guess.”
“Good, good. We can hook you up with a lifetime supply, you know. Not a lotta pistachios up there in Alaska, are there?”
“I dunno, actually -”
“No, wouldn’t think so, they grow in warmer climes. Down here in California, for instance. Must be gettin’ cold up there these days, son; how’d ya like to fly down to LA and shoot a little spot for us? Hang out on the beach, chase a little tail…”
“Okay, yeah, I guess so.”
We can only assume the ad below began with a conversation like the one above, and that all Levi had to do to cash in on the Pistachio Board’s millions was sell out what little dignity he had. If this kid had anybody looking out for him, perhaps they would have advised him not to appear in a campaign with the words “protection” and “nuts.”
Then again, if he had anybody looking out for him, we probably wouldn’t even know his name, would we?
A&B co-founder Nathan Hartswick made a trip to New York last week to participate in the Pratt Institute’s “DIY” series.
In the afternoon, he gave a presentation to a small but appreciative audience on blogging, social media, and building personal brands. A Q&A followed, with some good discussion about how to create an audience for your personal brand (and more specifically how to drive traffic to your blog).
That evening, a larger crowd turned out for a panel discussion on blogging that included, in addition to Nathan, Emilie Baltz (contributing writer to Core 77), Eric Gaskins (fashion designer behind The Emperor’s Old Clothes), Richard Sarrach (architect and founder of Core Formula), Kristin Sorra (illustrator of children’s books), and Chei Wei(architect and founder of Future Feeder).
After each panelist talked for 5 or 10 minutes on what brought them to blogging and how it has changed what they do, the panel took questions from the students. Topics ranged from the value of advertising on your blog to thinking before you post something embarrassing, and the panel finished up by talking about what they envisioned for the future of online publishing. Each panelist had a unique viewpoint, and overall it was an exciting discussion. (If we can scare up any video for you, we may try to post that at a later date.)
Our thanks go out to the Career Services team at Pratt for their hard work and hospitality, and to the other panelists for a great and educational experience!
Admittedly, we’re biased. Whenever a video comes out that skewers the absurdity of the ad agency, we usually get a kick out of it. But if we make the mistake of sending it to people who aren’t in marketing, they rarely laugh along with us.
This one might be an exception. While the whole “marketing stereotypes brainstorming dumb ideas in a conference room” has certainly been played out, Fox Mobile Studios’ web series does have some fun characters and decent writing, and doesn’t rely as heavily on its backdrop as one might expect.
The series is Fox’s first foray into “branded entertainment,” developing content that integrates the brand directly into the plot. In this case, the story centers around an ad agency landing the Altoids account.
We’re not sure why they chose to release all 8 episodes at once (isn’t a web series supposed to be…you know, serialized?), and we’ve only watched the first episode so far, but it seems lively, entertaining and fun.
And even though the blend of entertainment and commerce is even more obvious here than it is in most product placement, it’s somewhat refreshing to have it right up front. (It seems a little more realistic than every single character in a major TV show driving some type of Nissan vehicle.)
Who knows whether it will rise above the fray, but we’re betting that if it does, catch phrases such as “Let’s sell some mints, bitches!” will help Altoids in doing just that.
Market This! is a blog about fun and interesting stuff in the worlds of marketing and popular culture. It is written (mostly) by Nathan Hartswick, co-founder of the virtually-based marketing firm Asgood & Better.
You'll find everything from commentary on ad campaigns to music and film reviews here.
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We just stumbled across this campaign by Vasken USA, intended to warm the hearts of those who see it, and the bodies of those in need of a little physical warmth this winter.
We popped our head into the brand new visitors’ center for the 
We caught Miley Cyrus’
We’re sure it’s only a matter of time before PETA catches wind of this little stunt and seizes the opportunity to preach about the rights of flies (much 
It’s always nice to do work for clients who not only outwardly appreciate it, but who also run a business that somehow contributes to the common good of society. (You may remember us lamenting the challenge of reconciling the ad business with our own conscience in 
We’re not sure how this unholy marriage came about (probably the result of some software developers, marketing creatives and Japanese game show producers getting drunk in a karaoke bar one night), but it has to be one of the most obscene campaign stunts ever attempted.
Here’s the thing about “social” media. It’s not exactly social.
“Hello, is this Levi?”
A&B co-founder Nathan Hartswick made a trip to New York last week to participate in the Pratt Institute’s “DIY” series.
Admittedly, we’re biased. Whenever a video comes out that skewers the absurdity of the ad agency, we usually get a kick out of it. But if we make the mistake of sending it to people who aren’t in marketing, they rarely laugh along with us.
