Monday, December 31, 2007

Collection of Ads

Where can you see current creative?

Firebrand, a site launched last month is dedicated to TV ads has some interesting pieces from television around the world. While still in beta (and having a few technical and layout issues) the idea of good ads as good content is interesting. Yes, they could be on YouTube but if I'm interested in what ideas actually get produced then this cuts through the clutter.

Particularly enjoyed the Braveheart ad for "The Mail on Sunday".

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Marketing and Advertising Defined

What do these terms mean?

In a recent MBA course I taught at Neumont University on marketing I had to define these terms. While there are myriads of technical definitions; here's what we came up with to capture the main point.

Marketing: the alignment of a need with a solution to everyone's benefit.
Advertising: publicizing the fact

Thus, marketing must understand who has a problem to be solved and then figure out how to make the exchange of benefits profitable to both parties.

On a side note, Neumont is interesting in that it focuses on two-year Bachelor's degree in Computer Science -- that's it. Students attend college full time, work on industry-sponsored projects, and graduate with 100% placement and above average salary. The founders (and venture capitalist backers) designed the program for what enterprises need in software developers.

Sales and Marketing Babel

What if we shared a common language?

Sales and marketing continue to talk in different languages. Consider the 'sales pipeline' and the 'brand pyramid'. Both tools should focus on helping to align people and solutions better; but we talk about qualified, buying stage, etc. in the sales cycle and emotional benefits and brand essence in marketing. In the end sales and marketing want the same customer - one that is deliriously happy with the solution.

The brand pyramid should be held up as a sales tool and the sales pipeline should be as a marketing tool. Maybe we should have "brand pipelines" and "sales pyramids" to help with alignment.

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Lattitude is the New Black

What do you do when your stuck for a brand name?

Well, two vodkas have used their location to create a brand. Both 44 North and 42 Below are flavored vodkas based on local fruits, huckleberries and manuka honey, respectively. Grizzly bears vs. bees; interesting positioning. Great ads as well.
I've had the one from Idaho; need to get to New Zealand.