Chado Blog

Experiential marketing, utilizing unique marketing tactics giving consumers the opportunity to engage and interact with brands to create an emotional connection based on a branded experience, continues to evolve, finding new approaches to connect with consumers. One of the most interesting is the latest campaign from Pepsi’s Tropicana brand. In January, Tropicana traveled to the northern Canadian town of Inuvik, which experiences weeks of constant darkness during the winter, to brighten their day. Knowing the adverse effects of 31 days without sunshine they decided to bring them the sun. This seemingly impossible task was accomplished by constructing an inflatable electric powered artificial sun that was raised high above the town. While the locals gathered to watch the sunrise they were given bottles of Tropicana. Not a bad way to market your brand when you want to be associated with morning sunshine. The best part of video was the people’s reactions as they gathered to bask in the “sunshine” with an astonished look on their face. Instead of simply distributing product samples, Tropicana made it an event that will not be soon forgotten. This experiential campaign was especially effective because of the strong emotional connection they made with customers with the unique experience, they will always remember how Tropicana came to their town and did the impossible. They managed to give them an unforgettable experience that is impossible to duplicate at the perfect time and were able to center the whole experience on their brand.

As experiential and guerilla marketing techniques are used more frequently to make a stronger connection between the consumer and the brand I predict we will see more campaigns like this. After all providing customers with an experience centered on your brand is the best way to make an emotional connection and foster a strong brand relationship that will last long after the campaign is over.

“And Then There Was Salsa” is the new viral video from Frito Lay hosted on Vimeo. The video starts out as a normal web video then slowly expands out of the video frame and takes over the entire window giving the video a 3D look. Although similar viral videos with 3D elements have been done before, they haven’t looked this good. This new viral video is already creating buzz and is a good example of where the future of online advertisements and viral videos can go.

Chado Advertising & Design is proud to announce we will be volunteering our services to revamp the website for OAME, Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs. OAME was established in 1987 to stimulate community and economic development in Oregon. OAME provides assistance, services, and resources to minority entrepreneurs helping to build successful businesses. Their mission is directed toward eliminating discrimination and racism.  This organization does a lot to support new businesses and foster growth so members can realize their fullest potential and their local businesses can flourish.

Chado will develop and execute a comprehensive web marketing plan that will increase OAME’s online presences resulting in increased traffic, awareness, and networking capabilities of OAME. This new site and digital marketing campaign will also help appeal to a younger generation of entrepreneurs who could greatly benefit from OAME’s resources and services. This overhaul on their current website will include a new modern design layout, improved navigation, and integrated new media and social networking capabilities. The new site will continue to uphold OAME’s brand and values but with a more streamlined layout and aesthetically pleasing design. Along with the retooling of the main website, Chado is also developing a social networking system for OAME members called OAME Tube. This will be a fully functioning social networking platform where members can make their own pages and connect with each other by sharing images, video, blog posts, and discussions. This can improve communication and networking among members of the organization to help build a stronger community of members while reinforcing the great support system that OAME has built. Chado is very excited to do pro bono work and give back to this amazing organization.

Earlier this year Dominoes pizza launched a new campaign in an attempt to re-brand their pizza. With consumer behavior shifting towards natural foods and gourmet offerings Dominoes adapted by changing their recipe and using better quality ingredients to improve the taste. To announce this they chose a risky campaign where they would admit that their then-current recipe tasted bad and quoted customers saying the crust is like cardboard and the sauce tastes like ketchup. It seemed like a huge risk openly admitting to your customers that you have knowingly been selling them a bad product for over fifty years. Also, the existing Dominoes customers are not buying their pizza for its superior taste, they are buying it for convenience. I personally thought this ad would backfire and burn bridges causing Dominoes to lose their loyal customers that still continue to eat their pizza in spite of all the better alternatives available.
Although it was extremely risky for the brand to devalue all their past brand messages and product lines, this campaign accomplished exactly what it set out to do; it got people talking about the brand again. “New and Improved” is one of the most overused phrases in marketing and simply communicating that they have a new recipe wouldn’t have been as effective without publicly bashing their product beforehand. In early January when the campaign launched, people were actually talking, tweeting, and blogging about Dominoes and the brand received more attention than it has in the past decade.
Yesterday it was reported that their new recipe and brutally honest campaign has been a success, at least in the short term, as Dominoes has more than doubled its fourth-quarter profit with curious customers trying their new recipe. Time will tell if this success will last but this early victory has been very interesting. As long as they can keep the momentum going and the novelty does not wear off, Dominoes big gamble with their brand will be well worth the risk.

The Vitamin Water brand continues to amaze me; not only do they have a wide range of flavors that are all very good, they also have some of the funniest and clever marketing campaigns in the beverage industry that have been remarkably successful. Since partnering with rapper 50 Cent back in 2004, the company has been using a mix of celebrity endorsements, intelligent social media marketing, and entertaining advertisements to reach new customers and build a very strong brand. In 2007, Coca Cola bought the company for $4.1 billion and has increased its availability world wide allowing it to quickly take market share from soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, and juice drinks alike. They have launched hilarious ads featuring the NBA star and self-proclaimed “Canadian Celebrity” Steve Nash that are truly the funniest ads on TV right now. Their newest ads featuring Nash spoof the successful Dos Equis “most interesting man in the world” ads with Nash as “the most ridiculous man in the world”. Previous ads featuring Nash have spoofed infomercials where he portrays a Billy Mays type of spokesperson praising Vitamin Water with a priceless cameo by 50 Cent. They have also just wrapped a successful social media campaign on Facebook that culminates with the launch of a customer-created flavor available next month. Their latest ad, celebrating the Winter Olympics, transforms bus stops in downtown Vancouver BC into a ski lift with Vitamin Water signage. Taking bus stop ads, which seem to be a dated medium that hasn’t experienced much change or innovation and turning them into a spot for photo opportunities centered around the Vitamin Water brand is a great idea. With Olympic fever and increased tourism pouring into Vancouver these ads are sure to receive a lot of attention. As they continue their media blitz with effective inspired ads across a range of different mediums, Vitamin Water is definitely a company to watch.

Chado Advertising & Design produced a high concept print ad for the Epic Group celebrating 31 years of Bangladesh Independence. Chado produced multiple concepts centered on the Epic Group’s constant innovation and cutting-edge technologies fused with imagery celebrating Bangladesh’s rich culture and tradition. The final ad will launch March 26th 2010 in major newspapers and magazines throughout Asia. The ad’s main focus is “Cutting-Edge Solutions, World-Class Manufacturing” with the Epic Group’s superior technology, constant innovation, and quality materials resulting in efficient, inexpensive, superior garment manufacturing. The imagery in the ad resembles the Bangladesh flag. The Bangladesh flag, which was adopted January 13th 1972, is green with a red circle in the center. The green background represents the lush vegetation and greenery of Bangladesh with its vitality and youthfulness. The red circle represents the rising sun and sacrifices the people of Bangladesh made to achieve independence. The ad also has a green background and the red center circle formed out of a two-sided coiled ribbon with one side displaying photographs from different Epic Group manufacturing facilities. This represents how the Epic Group is directly intertwined with the country of Bangladesh. The Epic Group was originally founded in Bangladesh in 1971 and maintains their flagship state of the art CIPL facility in Dhaka where they produce the majority of their high-quality garments. This new ad will effectively increase awareness of the Epic Group and their world-class manufacturing services to more potential clients while giving back and celebrating the history, culture, and independence of Bangladesh.

Follow our blog and twitter stream for more updates as the launch date approaches.

According to a recent study from the research firm TNS in conjunction with ESPN and Electronic Arts, 38% of sports video gamers spend at least as much time playing sports games as they do watching the same sport on TV during its season. This study suggests that advertisers are missing a major opportunity with in-game advertising. The sports gamer demographic is 75% male and half are between the ages of 18 and 34, on average they are single and have a disposable income. This demographic is increasingly difficult to reach using traditional media and sports games could be the ideal outlet. First, it would be very easy to implement; all sports games now feature online support and are constantly undergoing content updates, this would allow advertisers to place updated brand messages and ads into the updated game content so the in-game ads constantly change if the player is playing online or not. Also it would add to the authenticity of the game; broadcast sports already have many ads and brand messages displayed on the playing field and having the same look in the virtual environment would make the game more realistic while providing a new, largely untapped ad space. While this new medium is just starting to gain momentum, I predict this ad space will becoming increasingly effective and sought after.

The biggest night in advertising is finally over. With over an estimated 100 million viewers, who according to a recent Nielsen poll mostly watch the game to see the ads, it is no wonder why companies fork out millions of dollars for thirty seconds of airtime and choose to premiere their best ads. There were some surprising developments this year; Pepsi chose not to run an ad this year and focus on other campaigns and after a short hiatus auto manufacturers are back. It was no surprise that Budweiser had a lineup of very funny inspired ads but there were a few other companies that seemingly came out of nowhere with great, memorable ads. To celebrate all the great work that was done to make some very clever and memorable commercials I have put together a top five list of my favorite Super Bowl XLV commercials. (Although Budweiser consistently produces brilliant ads I opted to leave them out of the list because I wanted variety.)

5. Hyundai’s “10 Years Strong Featuring Brett Favre”

Hyundai’s ad featured Brett Favre laughing off the fact that he will probably never retire. The ad, set in the year 2020, shows a locker room press conference where an elderly Favre is receiving an MVP award and mentioning that he will probably retire. I particularly enjoyed this ad because it is clever, effectively speaks about Hyundai’s warranty, and proves that absolutely nobody takes Favre seriously when he claims he is going to retire…not even himself.

4. Homeaway.com’s “The Griswolds”

In this ad/short film from Homeaway.com, a vacation house rental company, Chevy Chase reprises his role as the iconic road tripper Clark W. Griswold from the Vacation movies in this spot from Homeaway.com criticizing the poor service and high costs of staying at hotels. They aired a thirty second spot during the game that served as a trailer urging people to visit their site to view the whole 15 minute short film. I really enjoyed both the ad and the sponsored short film. I’ve been a fan of the Vacation movies as long as I can remember and I was very happy to see an ad give nods to the movies and effectively portray the iconic characters. They managed to deliver their brand message without alienating the viewer and making it all about the brand.

3. Snickers Candy Bars’s “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry”

This ad aired in the first quarter and was the first impressive ad I saw while watching the game. This short spot featured Betty White and Abe Vigoda getting tackled while playing a game of backyard football. Although a Snickers bar probably isn’t the best thing to eat for energy while playing a high impact sport they were able to deliver their message quickly and humorously. The only thing more shocking than seeing the elderly get tackled in the mud was the realization that Abe Vigoda is still alive.

2. Cars.com’s “Timothy Richman”

This cars.com commercial narrated key moments and accomplishments of the fictional genius Timothy Richman. His exploits include extinguishing a house fire as a baby, successfully delivering the birth of a baby Bengal tiger, and saving the lives of an entire cheerleading squad with his knowledge of tornadoes. The ad ends with Richman’s lone obstacle in life; buying a car, which was naturally made easy with the help of cars.com. I really enjoyed the narration and storytelling in this clever ad and the dialogue seemed to be directly taken out of the script of Wes Anderson’s “The Royal Tennenbaums”, one of my favorite movies.

1. Google’s “Parisian Love”

Google’s 50-second spot creatively told the story of a guy trying to get laid but eventually falling in love in Paris. I considered this ad to be the best for many reasons; first it was very effective storytelling that was conveyed only using screen shots of someone using Google. Instead of telling a story about Google they managed to tell someone else’s story using Google making it a memorable, relatable experience centered around their brand. Also, it was a very simple and straightforward ad but also managed to be humorous, sentimental, and genuine all at the same time, by carefully choosing content they were able to grasp a wide range of emotion and surprise the viewer in a short amount of time. Lastly, it had to be incredibly inexpensive to produce. Brilliant storytelling, effective message, and inexpensive production made this my top ad of the Super Bowl this year.

If you disagree or think an ad was missing let us know in the comments section below.

The U.S. House of Representatives have recently approved a bill that will limit the volume of television advertisements. The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act or CALM which was approved in late December will introduce guidelines from the Advanced Television Systems Committee that aim to ban excessively loud advertisements and advertisements that are noticeably louder that the program they accompany. Although it will be another year until the FCC will start enforcing this new bill it raises some interesting questions and ideas concerning ethics in advertising.

Its now common knowledge that television ads are made louder to draw attention and hopefully be more memorable to the audience, but does this tactic work anymore? In the early days of television advertising this tactic was very clever, however, as the viewers evolve they will become immune to a trick like this. Today’s viewers are much more skeptical of what they see and hear so this cheap trick to attract attention could come off as rude and unnecessary rather than effective. The excessive noise is considered annoying to most and is would make them more likely to change the channel making it counterproductive. Also, assuming that they will be more susceptible to the brand message simply because it is louder can come off as disrespectful and seem like you are insulting their intelligence. I believe that this now practice is on its way out and therefore does not require government intervention. It does not harm anything but the brand’s reputation. It is nothing more than an old ineffective trick that is losing its place in modern advertising.

After several months of speculation and rumors Apple has finally launched revealed their newest product, the iPad. For years tech blogs have been buzzing about a new Apple tablet to follow up their old tablet product The Newton and it has finally arrived.  What is it exactly? What does it do? What doesn’t it do? And how can it change the face of advertising?

The iPad can be best described as a convergence between the iPhone and a Macbook, fusing together specifications from both product lines. Initially it looks like nothing more than a giant iPhone, utilizing an improved operating system based on the iPhone OS. It also has about the same thickness measured at a half inch. The screen is slightly smaller than a Macbook’s with 9.7 diagonal inches of screen and has 1024×768 resolution. Apple has reported that the battery can last about ten hours on constant use with a one-month standby rating! This would make the iPad an excellent travel companion. Models will support Wi-Fi and some will also support 3G. Unfortunately, it seems that AT&T may be the only provider at this point, which is bad news for their already terrible 3G coverage. Navigating the system is done by hand utilizing a touch screen similar to the iPhone. The touch keyboard should be a bit easier to use than the iPhone, as it is nearly life size and can be typed on using fingers instead of just thumbs. It would still be awkward to type on but a definite improvement over the iPhone. By taking technologies from the iPhone they are ensuring that the new product will have a small learning curve and will be easily adopted by current iPhone users.

The interface seems pretty good, but what about media and apps? The tablet handles various types of media like music, pictures and video, supporting 720p HD playback using iTunes as the default player. The iTunes software for the tablet is a redesigned hybrid between the mobile iPod interface and the full iTunes program including features from both for improved functionality. Videos can also be enjoyed using a YouTube app similar to the iPhone’s. Speaking of apps, the iPad will have full support of all iPhone apps as well as some new apps made specifically for the iPad. Its also been confirmed that iPhone users can transfer their apps to the iPad so they don’t have to buy them again.

Apple also plans to use their iPad to compete directly with Amazon’s Kindle. With the iPad’s release they will enter the eBook market with a new program appropriately named iBooks. They have also designed a new iWork suite specifically for the tablet including new versions of Keynote, Pages, and Numbers with new interfaces designed for the touch screen.

As great as this new product seems, there are a few things that I would want to see before I would drop over $600 on a tablet. My biggest problem is it does not support multitasking. You can’t listen to music while writing in a word processor or open twitter while browsing the internet. Most professionals wouldn’t even consider using the iPad as an alternative to their computer without the ability to multitask. Another obvious improvement would be adding a camera. The current design doesn’t include a camera so there is no possibility for taking pictures or using iChat. Also, this makes the incorporation of augmented reality apps impossible. The other glaring problem is it does not support Flash making it unable to view streaming video directly from web sites while leaving wide barren gaps in web pages you are viewing. When most sites utilize flash and one of the main selling points of the product is using it to surf the web, it is paramount that Flash is supported. Lastly, the name; iPad. Since its introduction this morning there have been quite a few allusions made on tech blogs comparing the tablet’s name to feminine hygiene products. While my mind doesn’t immediately go there, I think they could have come up with something a little better. Just think of how difficult it’s going to be differentiating between an iPad and an iPod in Boston.

This new product has the potential of being awesome; it combines the functionality and interface of the iPhone with more programs like iWork and their new iBooks software. The new iWork software would make this perfect for giving impromptu presentations using Keynote to clients and a few improvements like Flash support, an HDMI port, and widescreen would make it perfect for media. Problems aside, it is sure to sell out and open the door to tablet computing.

Now that we have a firm understanding of what the iPad is and what it can do, how can it be used for advertising? With the increased screen size and potential for media viewing plus increased functionality with the touch screen and internet connectivity there is great potential to improve the mobile advertising/interactive advertising experience.

With 3G connectivity, the iPad is always aware of your location so location based ads in real time are a definite possibility. Also, with the larger screen, there will be increased media consumption on the iPad potentially using its technology to introduce a new medium for interactive advertising. The iTunes store could offer media specifically made to view on the iPad that could utilize the touch screen to make movies and shows more interactive for the viewer. This could enable the user to touch the screen and link to a product being shown in the media or directly answer a call to action from a mobile ad. With the ability to literally touch what you are viewing, branded apps have the capability of being more interactive. The iPad is also expected to improve the gaming experience of Apple products with its improved screen and functionality so in-game advertising could be applied to game apps. Lastly, the new iBook capabilities could reinvigorate traditional print ads. Newspaper and magazine ads could take back their audience when the content is viewed through an iPad. Also, while reading through and viewing an ad the user would now have the capability to touch the ad and link directly to the offer.

To conclude, the iPad may not be perfect but it opens up seemingly limitless possibilities for advertising that have never been realized before. With the potential for highly interactive ads, direct connectivity, and the possible re-emergence of newspaper ads through iBook, the iPad could become the next great medium for advertising.

The iPad tablet will ship in 60 days to America and only the Wi-FI models will be available internationally.