The Inkwell

Who do Americans trust more these days – J.P. Morgan or Dr. Pepper?

If you’re employed by the soft drink industry, then raise your glass. Because when it comes to peddling products one in three Americans may trust your advertising most.

A recent poll by Adweek Media/Harris Interactive asked participants to rank their trust in advertising messaging across five industries: soft drink, fast food, pharmaceutical, automobile and financial services.

Survey said? One third of Americans – or 34 percent – believe soft-drink companies are the most honest in their ad messaging.  On the flip side, close to two in five U.S. adults – or 38 percent – put the least amount of stock in financial companies.

While these numbers may initially seem like wow, as strategic communicators we may want to take a closer look.  Maybe we’re not really comparing apples to apples.

All told, the survey shows that the soft drink category outpaces the others by 12 percent.

The poll goes on to reveal that the fast food industry ranks second in trust (earning 22 percent of consumers’ trust), the pharmaceutical category ranks third (18 percent), and the auto industry in fourth (14 percent). Lastly is the financial services category with just 13 percent of the consumer vote.

Impressive numbers for advertisers like Pepsi and Roy Rogers. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t step back and question whether measuring soft drinks against pharmaceuticals is fair.

Can we really benchmark Coke’s subliminal messages of fun and sunshine against a commercial aired by GlaxoSmithKline?

The average American household watches eight hours and 15 minutes of television every day; the average American is exposed to 167 commercials daily*.

When you leverage these numbers against the AdWeek poll, the take home is two-fold:

1. Content is king – we know our brands, but we must know our audiences and how to engage and connect with them to build their trust.
2. Advertising might not always be the best vehicle to drive consumer confidence. Perhaps we’re better off considering social media or integrated PR campaigns to build a brand.

A quick glance around a dinner table with friends offers the reality of what we’re all up against when trying to win consumer confidence and earn market share.  Our jobs range from selling to children, to selling books, to selling bonds, to selling drugs.

Despite what Dr. Pepper/7 Up would like us to believe, we’re not all Peppers. Although it sure would be nice.

I’ll admit it; I don’t eat red meat. But Smith & Wollensky ‘s new ‘Steak for Stock’ campaign is pretty well seasoned…

The premier steakhouse is swapping out NYSE and NASDAQ stock bonuses for good grub. And it works.

Why?

Smith & Wollensky’s primary target is the fiscally fit carnivore who powers Wall Street.  The chain’s patrons adore their steakhouse friendly expense account and love their bonuses even more. If you pair the two, you’re poised to earn some serious sizzle.

‘Steak for Stock’ has all the accompaniments of a buzz worthy promo:

• It’s absurd yet hilarious
• It’s viral
• The copy is super clever
• It’s founded on digital (if the feedback gets too rough, then you just take it down)
• It’s packaged for PR
• And it offers up a moral: when the going get touch, the tough get creative.

Well done Smith & Wollensky!  No, I don’t mean the steak…

Of all the ads to win our hearts during last night’s Superbowl who covets the smart thINKing prize this year?

One word: Google.

Google’s ” spot Parisian Love” had it all.  A fantastic “lede” that piqued our interest, sparked anticipation, an amazing yet practical story (that, smartly, also conveyed the Google story) and a memorable, heartfelt ending.  All without casting a single actor. We loved it!  Watch it below and judge for yourself.

Our other favorites broken down by quarter were:

1. Snickers’ “Celebrity Sack”: Why? Because Betty White just works
2. Budweiser’s “Bridge“: Creative, unexpected and memorable
3. ETrade’s “Wolf Style” : Yes, expected. But they still made the room full of people I was with laugh out loud
4. Audi’s “Crimes“: It’s funny with a moral. Issues can be important without consuming our lives.

And that’s a game called, folks.

To the layperson, Superbowl Sunday means beer, football and friends.

But to us “creatives,” it means all eyes on the prize – a.k.a. the commercials.

Admittedly, we watch the game like freaks.  We savor every commercial in the same way those around us chow down on buffalo wings.  It’s the cross we bear for being “clever.”

This week, I’ve been getting lots of forwards to sneak peeks of this year’s ads. None have been funnier to me than this spot by Bud Light.

Why is it a winner?  It’s funny from the kick-off, the absurdity grabs your attention, and even when it’s “game over,” you’re still laughing.

Bud Light’s “Clothing Drive” is a scenario we all would love to see in corporate America.  After all, isn’t healthy competition is what good sports is all about?

Check out this case study by clicking here – “Let us Entertwain You”: Twitter Unleashes a World of Potential for the Entertainment Industry. This was written as a project for the Strategic Communications course I just completed at Columbia. Find me on Twitter at @cleverink.

Intro:
On October 11, 2009, Miley Cyrus declared she was quitting Twitter, shocking more than two million fans that were following the teen celebrity on the micro-blogging service (Twitter Counter). Within moments of her announcement, a flurry of “tweets” – updates in 140-characters or less – began surfacing worldwide, and throngs of disappointed fans took to the Internet and their PDAs to spread the news, many pleading with Miley to reconsider. By the time the mainstream media got wind of the story, thousands of updates had posted across the “Twitterverse,” scooping leading news outlets that make millions off of generating first run headlines.

Stories like these – from the US Airways flight that crashed into the Hudson to the plotted terrorist attacks on Mumbai – illustrate Twitter’s powerful, real-time updating features that are ushering the web-based service, being called the fastest growing Internet communications tool of today (nielsenwire, June 2009), past mainstream media to be first at the gate when it comes to disseminating news and pop culture gossip….(click here to download the Case Study and read more.)

“I’m gonna live forever; I’m gonna learn how to fly…”  Lyrics we all remember from the 80′s, and the spirited message LG Mobile is banking on with its new ‘Get FameUs’ promotion.

In short, LG Mobile has partnered up with the team behind the soon-to-be-released remake of “Fame” to create a promotion that targets teens and tweens. The promo, which urges youth to submit their personal rendition of the film’s anthem theme song, is offering a chance at fame –  plus a booty of $50,000.

At the center of “Get FameUs is a dedicated website that serves as the point of entry and that also features exclusive film clips, production photos and plenty of viral opportunities to engage friends and family. Now you may be thinking, “Who cares? This is SO High School Musical.” But take a closer look. LG Mobile created this promotion using some pretty smart thINKing.

Most people today are obsessed with viral videos.  Honestly, can you say you’ve never stopped working to click on a link a friend sent of someone rocking it out on YouTube?  Think about the recent wedding processional video that became an international sensation, even making it onto a national morning show just days after their wedding. Today’s web tools are allowing people who would otherwise be unknown become known – and overnight.  Couple that with teens, the most invincible consumers today, to offer them a chance at fame, and you’re going to get attention.  Teens most valuable tech tools are their cell phones.  Recent reports show that approximately 79% of all teens (17 million) have a mobile device, and most of them are texting and sending photos multiple times each day. So why not tap into the tools they use most to build awareness – especially if that tool happens to be your core business.

Current social media sites and networks offer the unique ability to talk to A LOT of people at once but in a one-to-one type dialogue.  In essence, LG Mobile said let’s get as many teens as we can to submit their performance videos, and let them tell all of their friends and family to vote for them.  In the process, we’ll toss in the chance for a lucky few to win some great prizes, all the while making this key demographic fully aware of our line of cell phones, plans and technologies.  It’s like the old game telephone we played as a child tweenified.  And it’s the way many popular brands are targeting this demographic (just check out how many “Gleeks“ are already enlisted on Twitter to support Fox’s new hit show “GLEE” after just two episodes have aired) to push, peddle and sell.

Behind the scenes, Get FameUs is a pretty clever way LG Mobile is going to get people to “remember their name”.

During tough times, nothing beats getting something for free.  And even if it won’t pay the bills, chocolate makes people happy.

Check out Mars’  Real Chocolate Relief Act, a digital initiative where viral meets consumer awareness.

In a nutshell (no pun intended; I usually opt for chocolate sans nuts), every Friday through October, Mars is giving away real chocolate to 250,000 people.  Getting your free chocolate starts by entering a birth date, (a GREAT demographic analysis tool for the Mars’ marketing team) dumping visitors into a world where “real chocolate” takes center stage. Not only can visitors enter to win free chocolate, they can learn all about “real chocolate” (U.S. Standards require that cocoa butter be the only source of fat, except for milk fat), find out how to spot “fake chocolate,” and bring friends, family and co-workers into the mix via a virtual vote that will ultimately award an entire city with free sweet relief.

In addition, a digital choco-community allows visitors to post to  blogs, share opinions and answer questions like “What Every Day Object Would you Want to Turn to Chocolate” and “How Does Chocolate Give you Relief?”

While this site’s most valuable tool is certainly its data capture mechanism,  stealth-like viral and educational elements combine well to inform consumers about the quality of Mars products.  At the end of the day, the Chocolate Relief Act serves up some pretty smart thiNKing. Plus, it’s a sweet deal for chocolate lovers everywhere.

Growing up my brother had an unreasonable fear of sharks.  Granted we were taken to see JAWS while at the beach, but he was afraid to even shower for weeks. This bus, promoting the National Geographic Channel’s “Built for the Kill” television program, would certainly get his attention.

One minute here and gone the next is the overall theme of this bus wrap, enticing thousands of passersby to tune in to watch all about one of the world’s most Googled species. What brilliant, smart thINKing by National Geographic who created this “moving billboard” with a bite.

Imagine driving to work and seeing a slew of fellow commuters get swallowed alive. You’d stop twice and look? Sure, and then you’d do a triple take. And if there was time, you’d even snap a shot with your camera phone and send it out to all your friends. So there you have it – both recall and viral marketing at its best.

So next time you’re on the road, check out all that’s clever around you.  Chances are, it won’t be nearly as memorable as this bus.  Which kind of makes you wish you could rent it for a day and park it outside your boss’ office at lunchtime, huh?

So I know we already posted today, but just a quick post on why it was smart thINKing to stop at Crumbs Bake Shop when picking up dessert for a farewell dinner tonight.

Present from left to right, starting from the top:

S’mores: Chocolate cake topped with graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate chips
Good Guy: Vanilla cake frosted with rich vanilla cream cheese and rimmed with rainbow sprinkles.
Fluffernutter: Vanilla cake filled with marshmallow cream cheese frosting and topped with peanut butter cream cheese frosting drizzled with white chocolate and edged in white sprinkles.
Peanut Butter & Jelly: Vanilla cake topped with peanut butter frosting, crushed peanuts and a jelly swirl

It would probably be smart thINKing to go for a long run now, too!

The Ad Council’s summer campaign,  “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving,” is indeed generating lots of buzz.  Smart thINKing for sure – it’s creative, compelling and, best of all, takes a difficult topic from zero to eighty while encouraging others not to do the same.

At the centerpiece of this campaign is a microsite featuring a call-to-action pledge asking visitors to vow to not drink and drive this summer.  The pledge reads:  I’m going to be smart; I won’t drive while buzzed. Even just one too many drinks can impair my driving and lead to devastating consequences. It’s just not worth it. Buzzed driving is drunk driving so I’m going to make sure I make responsible choices that don’t endanger myself and others.

Sure, the pledge is good idea; but, here’s where it gets really good. Not only can visitors e-sign the pledge, as soon as they do their name appears in an I’ve Signed the Pledge section, offering the instant gratification today’s youth crave. Similarly, those taking their e-vow can alert their friends that they’ve done so via Twitter and their other social networks. Visitors can also access each of the elements from this integrated campaign, including  TV ads, radio, print/outdoor, and interactive.

What really strikes our creative fancy is the inventive print work.  Recipes (see the image to the right) for popular drinks like the Black & Tan or Margarita take center stage , but in this case they’re recipes for disaster. After all, who wants to sip on a It’s Not Like I’m Drunk Cocktail that combines two parts tequila, one part triple sec with an automobile, a missed red light and a false sense of security?

“Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving” is a solid campaign that delivers all of the elements needed to generate awareness today. The campaign ties personal with community, and that’s no easy task.  Talk about driving a message home safely.