Here is a great article about how crappy the Google logo is... and how that makes it even more awesome:
In truth, the logo is weedy, corny and ill-conceived. It’s the same with the Google homepage — a brutal display of functionality. Clearly, no graphic designer has been near it. Compare it to the home pages of other large corporations, and its obvious that Google has avoided hiring slick design companies and serious branding consultants. It looks like they’ve just gone and done it themselves.
And yet, I think there’s something magnificent about Google’s lack of design. There’s something defiant, almost obtuse about its reluctance to indulge in the sort of oleaginous branding and design that is now the corporate norm.
I also love how they change the logo on the days of specific events. Apparently, a 23-yr old webmaster named Dennis Hwang does them all. What other company bastardizes its logo so brilliantly and with such positive results? Look here for all the different variations they come in.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
NBC Loses on the Olympics
Apparently, the Winter Games did not live up to the network's expectations. NBC Universal attached a $70 million loss in the 1st quarter to the games (an 8% decline in profits from $709 million to $654 million).
The Winter Games drew revenue of $684 million, but NBC spent close to $600 million just for rights to air them. It's all Bode Miller's fault! The majorly hyped events fell flat with our athletes getting tossed on their arses.
It's not a surprise to most. The Summer games tend to draw bigger crowds (I don't know why...seriously). NBC is going to pump $1.2 billion into that with hopes of making $800 million to a billion. Maybe if we make the Olympics all about betting, more people would get into it? It's less Olympical, but much more American.
Something makes me think that Americans don't really care too much about the Olympics. With TiVo, I was able to watch every event (including Ice Dancing) and really take it all in. But I think I'm the exception. I guess most folks have enough going on in their lives to make that much time in front of the TV feel like a waste. Thank god that's not me!
The Winter Games drew revenue of $684 million, but NBC spent close to $600 million just for rights to air them. It's all Bode Miller's fault! The majorly hyped events fell flat with our athletes getting tossed on their arses.
It's not a surprise to most. The Summer games tend to draw bigger crowds (I don't know why...seriously). NBC is going to pump $1.2 billion into that with hopes of making $800 million to a billion. Maybe if we make the Olympics all about betting, more people would get into it? It's less Olympical, but much more American.
Something makes me think that Americans don't really care too much about the Olympics. With TiVo, I was able to watch every event (including Ice Dancing) and really take it all in. But I think I'm the exception. I guess most folks have enough going on in their lives to make that much time in front of the TV feel like a waste. Thank god that's not me!
Gladwell & The Narratives Behind Brands
Malcolm Gladwell (author of "Blink") recently had a book review in The New Yorker about “Why?” by Charles Tilly (Sociologist and Columbia University scholar). In the book, Tilly attempts to understand how we come up with reasons for everything. His hypothesis is that we rely on 4 general categories of any rationale:
1. Conventions - conventionally accepted explanations (“thou shalt not steal”)
2. Stories - a very specific account of cause and effect (“I was playing with my truck, and then Geoffrey came in . . .”)
3. Codes - high-level conventions, social rules and categories (if you're turned down for a mortgage, you’ve shown an inability to conform to a prescribed standard of creditworthiness)
4. Technical Accounts - stories informed by specialized knowledge and authority (giving patient and expert attention to every sort of nuance and detail)
On Gladwell's blog is a message from Jason Oke, Sr. Planner at Leo Burnett Toronto about the limits of market research, which is really cool:
How we feel about a brand, and which products and services we choose, is usually explained by a fantastically complex set of factors: the brands our parents used, the brands we see people around us use, the image of the brand, our personal experience with it, a sale, a half-remembered ad from 10 years ago, and so on. This is probably best explained as a story - we may both buy Tide, but there's a different narrative that brought each of us to pick it up.
But in market research, the answers people give sound more like conventions: "It's a good value", "my family likes it", "it tastes good." And it seems that because of the artificiality of the situation, the perils of introspection, etc, most market research actually encourages people to answer in conventions, and doesn't encourage the telling of stories. Many of these stories are probably complex and deeply buried such that they are hard to consciously access anyway.
1. Conventions - conventionally accepted explanations (“thou shalt not steal”)
2. Stories - a very specific account of cause and effect (“I was playing with my truck, and then Geoffrey came in . . .”)
3. Codes - high-level conventions, social rules and categories (if you're turned down for a mortgage, you’ve shown an inability to conform to a prescribed standard of creditworthiness)
4. Technical Accounts - stories informed by specialized knowledge and authority (giving patient and expert attention to every sort of nuance and detail)
On Gladwell's blog is a message from Jason Oke, Sr. Planner at Leo Burnett Toronto about the limits of market research, which is really cool:
How we feel about a brand, and which products and services we choose, is usually explained by a fantastically complex set of factors: the brands our parents used, the brands we see people around us use, the image of the brand, our personal experience with it, a sale, a half-remembered ad from 10 years ago, and so on. This is probably best explained as a story - we may both buy Tide, but there's a different narrative that brought each of us to pick it up.
But in market research, the answers people give sound more like conventions: "It's a good value", "my family likes it", "it tastes good." And it seems that because of the artificiality of the situation, the perils of introspection, etc, most market research actually encourages people to answer in conventions, and doesn't encourage the telling of stories. Many of these stories are probably complex and deeply buried such that they are hard to consciously access anyway.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Gladwell & The Narratives Behind Brands
Malcolm Gladwell (author of "Blink") recently had a book review in The New Yorker about “Why?” by Charles Tilly (Sociologist and Columbia University scholar). In the book, Tilly attempts to understand how we come up with reasons for everything. His hypothesis is that we rely on 4 general categories of any rationale:
1. Conventions - conventionally accepted explanations (“thou shalt not steal”)
2. Stories - a very specific account of cause and effect (“I was playing with my truck, and then Geoffrey came in . . .”)
3. Codes - which are high-level conventions, social rules and categories (if you're turned down for a mortgage, you’ve shown an inability to conform to a prescribed standard of creditworthiness)
4. Technical Accounts - stories informed by specialized knowledge and authority (giving patient and expert attention to every sort of
nuance and detail)
On Gladwell's blog is a message from Jason Oke, Sr. Planner at Leo Burnett Toronto, which uses this theory to explain the limits of market research:
How we feel about a brand, and which products and services we choose, is usually explained by a fantastically complex set of factors: the brands our parents used, the brands we see people around us use, the image of the brand, our personal experience with it, a sale, a half-remembered ad from 10 years ago, and so on. This is probably best explained as a story - we may both buy Tide, but there's a different narrative that brought each of us to pick it up.
But in market research, the answers people give sound more like conventions: "It's a good value", "my family likes it", "it tastes good." And it seems that because of the artificiality of the situation, the perils of introspection, etc, most market research actually encourages people to answer in conventions, and doesn't encourage the telling of stories. Many of these stories are probably complex and deeply buried such that they are hard to consciously access anyway.
1. Conventions - conventionally accepted explanations (“thou shalt not steal”)
2. Stories - a very specific account of cause and effect (“I was playing with my truck, and then Geoffrey came in . . .”)
3. Codes - which are high-level conventions, social rules and categories (if you're turned down for a mortgage, you’ve shown an inability to conform to a prescribed standard of creditworthiness)
4. Technical Accounts - stories informed by specialized knowledge and authority (giving patient and expert attention to every sort of
nuance and detail)
On Gladwell's blog is a message from Jason Oke, Sr. Planner at Leo Burnett Toronto, which uses this theory to explain the limits of market research:
How we feel about a brand, and which products and services we choose, is usually explained by a fantastically complex set of factors: the brands our parents used, the brands we see people around us use, the image of the brand, our personal experience with it, a sale, a half-remembered ad from 10 years ago, and so on. This is probably best explained as a story - we may both buy Tide, but there's a different narrative that brought each of us to pick it up.
But in market research, the answers people give sound more like conventions: "It's a good value", "my family likes it", "it tastes good." And it seems that because of the artificiality of the situation, the perils of introspection, etc, most market research actually encourages people to answer in conventions, and doesn't encourage the telling of stories. Many of these stories are probably complex and deeply buried such that they are hard to consciously access anyway.
What You Don't Know Might Hurt You...in 3-5 Years
AdAge recently held a discussion with a panel of influential marketers discussing how new media will play an increasingly important role in future advertising methods.
While TV still plays a heavy role in ads for now (an average 400,000 internet video streams vs. 28 million people watching 'Desperate Housewives'), marketers have to understand the possibilities of these new platforms, or sooner-or-later they’ll fall behind other companies with more pioneering on-line digital efforts.
Basically, the market currently doesn’t have the tools to account for how new media advertisements reach consumers. Everyone seemed to pan Nielson Media Research for not being on top of these new platforms, and that new firms that can better track data and develop accurate statistics will be more influential in the coming years.
While TV still plays a heavy role in ads for now (an average 400,000 internet video streams vs. 28 million people watching 'Desperate Housewives'), marketers have to understand the possibilities of these new platforms, or sooner-or-later they’ll fall behind other companies with more pioneering on-line digital efforts.
Basically, the market currently doesn’t have the tools to account for how new media advertisements reach consumers. Everyone seemed to pan Nielson Media Research for not being on top of these new platforms, and that new firms that can better track data and develop accurate statistics will be more influential in the coming years.
Monday, April 17, 2006
VH1's Favorite Lyrics
In a poll of over 13,000 music fans, the following lyrics were selected as the top 5. Keep in mind that this poll was done in the UK, and those Brits don't know shit. Bob Dylan isn't even listed in the top 10, and Coldplay is #5?!? Fuck that!!
1. U2 - One "One life, with each other, sisters, brothers."
2. The Smiths - How Soon is Now? "So you go, and you stand on your own, and you leave on your own, and you go home, and you cry, and you want to die."
3. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit "I feel stupid and contagious, here we are now, entertain us."
4. Bob Marley - Redemption Song "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds, have no fear for atomic energy, 'cause none of them can stop the time."
5. Coldplay - Yellow "Look at the stars, look how they shine for you."
6. Eminem – Lose Yourself "Look, If You Had One Shot Or One Opportunity, To Seize Everything You Ever Wanted, One Moment, Would You Capture It Or Just Let It Slip?"
7. Robbie Williams – Angels "And Through It All She Offers Me Protection, A Lot Of Love And Affection, Whether I'm Right Or Wrong"
8. The Who – My Generation "Hope I Die Before I Get Old"
9. Radiohead – Creep "I'm A Creep, I'm A Weirdo, What The Hell Am I Doing Here? I Don't Belong Here"
10. Marvin Gaye – What's Going On "Father, Father, We Don't Need To Escalate, You See, War Is Not The Answer, For Only Love Can Conquer Hate"
1. U2 - One "One life, with each other, sisters, brothers."
2. The Smiths - How Soon is Now? "So you go, and you stand on your own, and you leave on your own, and you go home, and you cry, and you want to die."
3. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit "I feel stupid and contagious, here we are now, entertain us."
4. Bob Marley - Redemption Song "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds, have no fear for atomic energy, 'cause none of them can stop the time."
5. Coldplay - Yellow "Look at the stars, look how they shine for you."
6. Eminem – Lose Yourself "Look, If You Had One Shot Or One Opportunity, To Seize Everything You Ever Wanted, One Moment, Would You Capture It Or Just Let It Slip?"
7. Robbie Williams – Angels "And Through It All She Offers Me Protection, A Lot Of Love And Affection, Whether I'm Right Or Wrong"
8. The Who – My Generation "Hope I Die Before I Get Old"
9. Radiohead – Creep "I'm A Creep, I'm A Weirdo, What The Hell Am I Doing Here? I Don't Belong Here"
10. Marvin Gaye – What's Going On "Father, Father, We Don't Need To Escalate, You See, War Is Not The Answer, For Only Love Can Conquer Hate"
Burger King On Xbox
Talk about cross-platform promotion! The "King" will have his own shoot 'em up game, created by Microsoft for the Xbox system. It will be distributed through BK restaurants during a 5 week December promotion. The games will come with the purchase of a value meal for a very reasonable $3.99. Burger King expects to sell nearly 7 million games.
This is a new venture for the No. 2 fast-food chain, which has been pushing the boundaries of nontraditional media ever since ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky took over. I was actually at the meeting when that happened. I was fairly unimpressed at the time but and had no idea what a profound affect this agency would have on the brand.
The new marketing strategy has helped create more buzz and build stronger loyalty among its key market (16- to 34-year-old men) than possibly it has ever known. Viral videos, wacky characters on its menu and in commercials, even the “Have it your way” confessional box on Fox's reality show “Unanimous” - these all give BK an edge and coolness I didn't think it could pull off. But it does.
Who would have thought that BK, the archetypal "me too" brand, could be such a pioneer?
Of course, this doesn't make the franchisees' lives any easier. The corporate structure is nototrious for costing the franchisees money because of new logos, signage or packaging. Each restaurant will need to purchase 900 units of the game in order to make its profit of 20% to 25%. They would break even when about 73% of the games were sold. Don't be surprised if this game is hard to find.
This is a new venture for the No. 2 fast-food chain, which has been pushing the boundaries of nontraditional media ever since ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky took over. I was actually at the meeting when that happened. I was fairly unimpressed at the time but and had no idea what a profound affect this agency would have on the brand.
The new marketing strategy has helped create more buzz and build stronger loyalty among its key market (16- to 34-year-old men) than possibly it has ever known. Viral videos, wacky characters on its menu and in commercials, even the “Have it your way” confessional box on Fox's reality show “Unanimous” - these all give BK an edge and coolness I didn't think it could pull off. But it does.
Who would have thought that BK, the archetypal "me too" brand, could be such a pioneer?
Of course, this doesn't make the franchisees' lives any easier. The corporate structure is nototrious for costing the franchisees money because of new logos, signage or packaging. Each restaurant will need to purchase 900 units of the game in order to make its profit of 20% to 25%. They would break even when about 73% of the games were sold. Don't be surprised if this game is hard to find.
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