When users “Google” the agency and click on Modernista, they are brought to the same results page — with an added nav bar. Clicking on “About” brings you to either Modernista’s Wikipedia entry or Facebook page.
The agency’s past work appears on Flickr, YouTube and del.icio.us. For company news, users are directed to Google News.
As MarketingVox points out, it’s risky as it means that competitors and potentially disgruntled ex-customers might have a way to place negative information within their web destination. You have to give them credit for walking the walk when it comes to the web.
I just visited the new Hyundai Hispanic marketing website and was very disappointed. Not only was the site boring, but it took me 5 minutes to figure out the navigation — clever, but way to complicated.
The site lacks visuals, of all things! I didn’t see a single picture of a shiny new Hyundai. The copy was good, but why, oh why, would they not use images or video? I mean, buying a car is a cultural and emotional experience, and there is no better way to communicate that but through visuals. Even when checking the “design” section — nothing — No pictures, no colors, no videos.
The company has a new head of multicultural marketing and is riding its third Hispanic agency in less than three years.
I visited LatinWorks site, (beware of the urban music on their splash page…) and immediately you can see that their Flash animator has a love for words and animated lines.
Hyundai’s new Hispanic slogan is “Discover it for yourself” but all I did was read about it… They missed the opportunity to provide their customers a truly interactive discovery process through the power of the web.
I haven’t seen the TV spots, so I won’t include those in this critique, but as far as the website, not effective use of marketing dollars, if you ask me.
I’m not a football fan, but the commercials should be noteworthy. I’ll post some comments and reactions as the game goes on. While the actual game is going on, I’ll be doing some online shopping trying to figure out how to use all the birthday money I got today. [Most recent posts at the top...scroll down for the whole thread.]
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Final post… I’m going to call it a night. Feel free to post your comments and reactions to the spots, either those featured below, or the ones I missed.
8:42 Ok! My favorite Super Bowl commercial for 2008 is the baby trader spot for E*Trade!! It was funny, entertaining, and right on message.
8:32 Genesis commercial was pretty good. Good re-branding for Hyundai. The Disney & Pixar’s “Wall-E” preview was cute too. It got laughs out of both of us.
8:22 Vitamin Water O’neal commercial was funny! Poor horse–I hope PETA wasn’t watching! LOL Very entertaining.
8:09 The Daytona 500 spot was cool! That was amazing graphics and animations.
7:50 Sounds like the half time show is about to start. Tom Petty? I don’t think I have ever heard of him. I keep watching the Sarah Connors Chronicles spots…I’ve been enjoying that show. I’m looking forward to Monday’s new episode.
7:46 Watching some local spots…blah, blah, blah… While the talking heads discuss sports (boooring…) I wanted to mention I did also like Budweiser’s “Breath of Fire” spot. Really funny. Even my wife laughed. Here is the spot via YouTube.
7:26 Just saw the new Narnia series “Prince Capsian” trailer! WOW! WOW! This is awesome! Can you tell I’m a HUGE Narnia fan!
7:14 I’m not sure what to think about the “accent” Budweiser commercials. It’s funny, but I don’t know that any one of the ethnic groups represented would appreciate the joke in the spot. I’m not all that PC, so I won’t say I find it offensive or anything, but I’m not sure it was good advertising.
7:12 Gross! The Career Builder “Follow your heart” spot again hits the “to graphic” category… good messaging though.
7:08 The movie commercials are good. The Garmin spot is cool, but I’m biased on account of family connections. I blogged about the new NuviFone a couple days ago.
7:02 Budweiser’s “Rocky” themed spot was cool. I’m not a beer drinker, so I have to tell you beer makers have their job cut out when it comes to making their commercials resonate with me. This one has a nice underdog tone that should appeal to lots of people, and those horses are just beautiful! Here it is via YouTube.
6:59 The GoDaddy commercial was weak. They are just trying to capitalize on people’s obsession with tantalizing content…I’m sure its working, but what does that do for their brand? Does the average American even know what GoDaddy.com sells? Sexy models and near-nudity does not count as a product differentiators.
6:55 FedEx ad was great. Funny stuff. Cars.com was funny too! Tide’s http://www.mytalkingstain.com ad was right-on! I’m not sure they planned their server loads accurately, but it finally loaded after a few tries.
Here is the talking stain spot from Tide. Well done and good messaging.
Here is the FedEx spot via YouTube.
6:54 Dell Red commercials was catchy. It’s a good cause, so its a creative way to ad “sex appeal” to a cause.
6:49 Dorito’s “message from your heart” commercial was interesting, but who was that? Was that some sort of web 2.0 spot voted on by fans? Update: So I headed over to the Doritos…man, that is a multi-media intensive site.
6:48 Bridgestone…not bad.
6:41 I guess NFL is getting behind MySpace and their hosting of the SuperBowl ads–they just got an on-air and on-screen plug. I’m not a huge fan of MySpace’s cluttered interface, so I’ll stick to YouTube.
6:39 This explains why I didn’t get the Pepsi ad…I don’t watch Saturday Night Live. I’m a little handicapped here as a cultural commentator…
6:37 The ads seem funnier and I certainly get the message better when I’m giving it a second look in YouTube. Here is the Pepsi spot via YouTube.
6:35 Sales Genie…nice, but didn’t look like Super Bowl material.
6:34 Diet Pepsi max ad… hmm…. funny, but not memorable.
6:26 The Audi “Old luxury on notice” commercial was just weird! It took me a few seconds to even get it. I think it started off a bit slow. With today’s ad saturated audience, you got to catch their attention early — this spot didn’t do it. Frankly, I also think it might have been a bit to graphic for prime time TV. [ok...seeing it again, it's not graphic at all. Goes to show I totally didn't get it. Is it because I'm not filthy rich?]
Nice car, but the commercial falls flat for me. Here it is via YouTube:
6:25 Bud Light Fire commercial made me laugh!! LOL
6:22 I’m thinking of getting the Microsoft Zune 4GB MP3 & video player. This is what WalMart description says:
It’s brand-new, super-slim and goes anywhere. Highlights include wireless sharing, video playback, innovative touch controls and a built-in FM tuner.
6:13PM First commercial worth noting…the new Chase “Secret Agent Man” commercial. I’m not a huge fan of the black & white video-my TV might be the reason the image is just to dark–but the script is funny and memorably highlights Chase credit card’s security features.
Stop the Presses blogged about the Johnson & Johnson lawsuit against the Red Cross, and the PR mess they are creating for themselves.
The two most storied brands in pharmaceuticals and rescue & relief are going toe-to-toe. Johnson & Johnson and the Red Cross have peacefully shared the iconic red cross symbol for more than 100 years–until now. J&J is suing the Red Cross for trademark infringement, claiming that the charity has violated their original agreement of 1895 by licensing use of the red cross logo on products in direct competition with the drug giants’.
Johnson & Johnson is right in protecting its brand, as the blog post affirms, but they certainly seem to be going to far. I’m not sure they are making a smart move, but I guess only time will tell.
The lesson is basic, though:
When it comes to your company’s decision to litigate against a sympathetic and valuable adversary, make sure that the lawyers work with marketing, public relations, and other communications and brand professionals so that every possible consequence is considered.
The following story illustrates the reality and cost of living in today’s Internet driven information age. The fact is that every business and organization out there cannot afford to forget that any given customer or stakeholder may just be the author of a blog with thousands of readers.
Dean Barnett wrote a blog post titled, “My Valentine to Delta Airlines” and chronicled hour by hour his horrible experience flying on Delta Airlines. I usually don’t have a problem flying on Delta, but then again, I usually fly Southwest–I hate having to fly through Atlanta regardless of where I am going.
Delta obviously missed the “negative earned media” cost of not taking care of its customers.
I find out that for inexplicable reasons the second leg of flight 1546 took off at 8:19, five minutes after we landed on the original Flight 1546. Why didn’t they hold the flight for us? Or why didn’t they fly us to Boston on a mostly empty plane? I assume it was because neither one of these would have been cost effective options for Delta. Customer service seems not to have been a factor in the airline’s crude calculus. As we make our way to the ticket counter, we are a tad annoyed.
When I used to work for a well-known large Colorado Springs non-profit, I used to joke with co-workers to “beware of the brown-badges.” As our security was pretty tight, all employees where required to wear a ID badge, with a picture. Over the years, these tend to fade to a dull brown, hence most employees who had worked there for more than 10 years tended to have brown badges. They where also usually hard-set in their way, are incredibly resistant to innovation and change, and are usually defensive to any sort of criticism.
Beware of the brown-badges Dean.
9:15 p.m. – As we leave the desk under the watchful eye of the supervisor who seems understandably wary of us going postal at any minute, I extend my hand and tell him he’s a good guy doing a hard job. In truth, I didn’t think he was a particularly good guy, at least in his capacity as a Delta customer service representative. I thought he had grown way too comfortable giving customers the shaft. If he had any remorse over being the Delta employee in charge of treating its paying customers so poorly, he hid it carefully. He shakes my hand and smiles. I then give him a shot at redemption and myself a shot at catharsis. While we’re having this tender moment, I ask him in all sincerity, “Do you have any idea how much your airline sucks?†He begins yelling at me that he’s been with Delta for 24 years, and he thinks they’re great. I yell back that California will tumble into the sea and Rosie O’Donnell will win the Miss Universe contest before I fly Delta again. We say our farewells.
There is a price to pay. I’m not really sure why this whole event happened to Dean and the other customers flying Delta that day, but one thing is for sure–someone didn’t include the cost of loosing these customers and the many more they will lose from among the readers of the various blogs spreading the word.
As far as I’m concerned, though, Delta is dead to me. It’s not a brother, not a friend, and I want two days notice when it comes to visit our mother. But that’s no big deal. I’ve loathed Delta for a long time. But my wife is a loyal flyer and a Silver Medallion member. Or should I say “was.” Delta is dead to her, too. When you treat customers like something you stepped in, there will be consequences.
Full disclosure: I am employed by Townhall.com. The views expressed on this blog are not necessarily the views of Townhall.com.
…worst of all was the attitude of the Delta employees at the counter that morning. They gave the impression of actually enjoying the process of delivering the bad news — including the supervisor whom I asked to speak with.
I was uploading some behind the scenes video of a Republican presidential candidate, and was amazed at how a un-scripted casual video can make a huge positive difference in image building. Up to this point, I have not seen this particular candidate in a positive light. My impression has been that he is a typical beltway insider who has been in DC for much to long.
Watching short clips of his interactions with voters all around the country, I found myself laughing and enjoying his sense of humor and his friendly personality. Now, I realize that video editors have a lot of control over the message of a video, no matter how “unscripted” it may appear. Nevertheless, the lesson is clear — put down your guard, and let your stakeholders see more of the real you. Behind the scenes video go a long way to humanize your business or organization, and strengthen your relationship with your constituents or customers.
I came across this article in today’s editor of the Wall Street Journal, and fortunately, its available for free on their online edition. I came across a posting about my current job opening on a blog I used to read on a regular basis (not as much these days…). I landed the job, in part, because I was an active blogger and read political blogs–I’m currently an Assoc. Editor and Online Community Manager for the leading conservative politics and opinion website, Townhall.com. Since then, I have only had one company recruitment effort (not quite an offer) as a result of blogging, but I certainly agree with the article’s premise that blogging helps establish your personal brand and highlight knowledge and experience.
Some job seekers call recruiters’ attention to their blogs as a way to boost their candidacy. In an interview for a public-relations job in late 2004, Kevin Dugan says he told recruiters at Cincinnati-based FRCH Design Worldwide that he had been writing a blog for two years. “Blogging was a way for me to build credibility,” he says. “It was a way to show my writing skills pretty easily as well as my knowledge of blogging and the public-relations industry.” Mr. Dugan, 36, got the job and continues to write his blog, which he says generates about one job lead a month.
I like to highlight innovation ideas, I will blog about training sessions, or comment on freelance client project I may be involved in (only pro-bono projects these days…).
“If you’re currently job hunting, say so in your blog’s ‘About Me’ blurb,” she advises. “Say you’re interested in learning about opportunities in your field.”
If you are not job hunting, do it anyways. Its your brand, and you never know when it can spark an idea, start a conversation, or establish you as an expert. The key thing to remember: who you are comes out in your blog. Make sure you are exercising maturity, wisdom, and character in what you write, and how you express yourself. Otherwise, you may be branding yourself in a way employer’s may not be wanting.
I have been experimenting with what is being called “web 2.0″ design. I’m not really a graphic designer by trade, but being a web-guru requires a keen eye for design, usability, and branding.
This one I did for a logo contest being run by Smashing Magazine. It doesn’t seem like my entry got to far, but to be fair, its perhaps not very original.
This one is a blog header, including a logo, for a financial and lifestyle radio show.
Got to have fun sometimes…keep the creative engine lubricated and running smooth.
Today’s corporations have new channels through which to get their message out. Whether it is in response to a crisis or public criticism, or to proactively do brand messaging, the mainstream media channels are not the exclusive venue anymore.
Seeking to get in front of the brewing storm over rising gas prices, the American Petroleum Institute on Thursday hosted a conference call for bloggers with its chief economist, John Felmy. Realizing it won’t get favorable treatment from the liberal media, Big Oil is turning to bloggers to share its message.
I had the opportunity to sit in on one of these conference call meetings with Ken Cohen, the vice president of public affairs for Exxon Mobil.He spoke to a group of conservative bloggers at the Heritage Foundation’s weekly bloggers’ lunch. Blue comments on that meeting:
Cohen’s focus was on global warming, but his presenceat the meeting was a clear signal that the company was willing to engage with a new medium.
They are smart in doing so. Whether the criticism on big oil is called for or not, I’ll let you decide (I have my own views, of course…), but every company has the mandate to ad value to their stock holders, and should have the opportunity to share their side of the story.
It is foolish for a company to not make use of the new-media channels (Blogging, YouTube, etc.) and make sure their side of the story is getting out. Ultimately, the consumer appreciates having more information with which to make an informed and educated judgment or decision.
JetBlue just jumped to the head of the class! How do you make lemonade from lemons? JetBlue is leveraging a bad customer service moment — a real bad one — and using it to leverage a viral campaign to spread the message of their new Customter’s Bill of Right.
They are using YouTube.com to distribute a video directly to consumer, and gaging by the comments, I think its working. I certainly have a very positive impression of them overall, dispite their big fiasko highlighted in the news all last week. I suspect as far as branding, JetBlue just might come out on top on this one. Check out the video.
