Archive for the ‘Sam, Uncensored’ Category

Advertisers Need to “Get Real”

divider

September 29th, 2012

For decades, advertisers have chosen spokespeople who are the elite of the human gene pool – tall, svelte, proportionate and beautiful, the rest of the population has watched as these Adonis figures pushed product under the guise that they are ‘just like you.’ That [beauty] school of thought is no longer working and it’s time for marketers to go back to the chalkboard.

In an era where Photoshop slim-downs, airbrushed silhouettes and digitally eliminated pores are items to be checked off before a brand hits print, it’s easy to understand how audiences can be left feeling jaded. When the average American is exposed to 600+ ads a day, how can we expect them to remember, and differentiate between, the products that the same recycled, cookie-cutter model-types were promoting?

To really stand out from what has become the norm (or far from norm), advertisers need to get real. Authenticity, sincerity and simplicity are three powerful factors for driving home a message that audiences can relate to and appreciate.

Brands have already made huge impressions by introducing everyday people into their advertising campaigns. In 2004, the personal care brand, Dove, became a trailblazer by launching its Real Beauty campaign, the goal of which was to help change the Western perception that beauty is one size (and one age group) fits all. In 2012, high fashion house, Lanvin, hired real New Yorkers, not models, to pose wearing its clothes in an effort to portray and “celebrate individuals with individuality.”

When planning your next campaign, think about the people who will be buying, using and wearing your product. Remember the remorseful buyer’s sentiment of “It looked better on the hanger;” consumers won’t continue to buy a product if what they get isn’t in-line with what was advertised. Develop a campaign that will fit the person, not the hanger.



Thinking Ahead: Your Brand at Major Music Festivals

divider

March 12th, 2012

Music festivals provide an unparalleled opportunity for advertisers to get their brand in front of a crowd of 100,000+ amped-up fans.

With the music festival season kicking off with SXSW in Austin last weekend, now is the time to secure those coveted advertising/vendor spots and start planning in-festival promotions at the nation’s largest music events.

Here is a list of a few of the most widely attended music festivals in the United States:

  • Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, April 2012, (Indio, CA)
  • Electric Daisy Carnival, May 19-20, (New York, NY)
  • Sasquatch! Music Festival, May 25-28, (George, WA)
  • Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, June 7-12, (Manchester, TN)
  • Summerfest, June/July 2012, (Milwaukee, WI)
  • Lollapalooza, August 3-5, (Chicago, IL)
  • Bumbershoot, September 1-3, (Seattle, WA)
  • Austin City Limits Festival, October 12-14, (Austin, TX)

To pick our brains about innovative ways to market at music festivals (i.e. sponsoring hand washing stations, hosting a compelling karaoke fan stage, creating an unforgettable ‘chill’ zone inside a 3D glass display truck, etc.) contact us at 206.973.3660 or email samuel@beyondtraditional.com.



Best and Worst Super Bowl Experiential Promotions

divider

February 29th, 2012


We Stood Up and Spilled Our Popcorn For….

Bud Light Hotel

Honestly, what’s not to love about a Bud Light hotel takeover?

This year, Budweiser owned Super Bowl Village with an advertising arsenal of branded, outdoor lounges, ‘super’ secret pop-up bars and brought out the heavy marketing machinery by transforming the Hampton Inn in downtown Indy into the ultra-glam, VIP Bud Light Hotel, open to football fans in-the-know and wielding the right passes.

Everything inside and outside of the hotel (from canopies and welcome mats to complimentary pens, pillow mints and shampoo bottles) was rebranded to fit the Bud Light ‘glam’ theme.

During Super Bowl Week, the Bud Light Hotel served as an incomparable venue for the event’s hottest parties–including the Playboy Party, the Madden Party and a special performance by 50 Cent.

Budweiser continues to be an inspiration for us to push boundaries and never view any idea as over-the-top or off-limits.

Paul Mitchell Pop-Up Barber Shop

At the Maxim Gotham City Party (super hero-themed) on Feb. 4, the hair product brand Paul Mitchell brought a touch of refinery to Super Bowl week with its pop-up barber shop that offered guests free hair touch-ups and consultations. In acknowledgement of the party’s theme, Paul Mitchell remembered to include ‘super’ models and ‘super’ stylists to participate in the promotion.

We Politely Clapped For…

Heineken

Heineken also sponsored the Maxim Gotham City Party, and its tactics were less than innovative. A branded bar was set up in the space and brand ambassadors circled the venue passing out ice-cold beverages to guests.

While the party itself offered excellent exposure, we would have liked to see Heineken push the envelope, or if nothing else offer guests a takeaway, aside from a free beer that would eventually end up in a recycling bin. Even something as small as a branded beer cozy would have been something for attendees to take home and forever associate the Heineken brand with one of the best parties they had ever attended.

We Are Throwing A Flag On…

NFL Projections in Super Bowl Village

Following the visually mind-blowing halftime performance and the week of 3D-centric, experiential parties and campaigns, we were less-than-impressed by the NFL’s use of projectors to brand the sides of buildings, and a giant XLVI, in downtown Indianapolis.

We believe the NFL left a champion opportunity unrealized– it had the arena to take something as tried and true as a building projection and make it functional, interactive and awe-inspiring.

By piggybacking off the 3D projection trend (now widely recognized after the NYC Saks building Christmas projection and the Chevrolet Sonic 3D claw game promotion) the NFL could have taken its building projections a step further by adding in a digital clock counting down to the Super Bowl or even taking advantage of the space by projecting players’ images running the football across the downtown Indianapolis skyline.

While the NFL’s projections were photo worthy (see below), they lacked that ‘wow’ factor and over-the-top showiness the Super Bowl is infamous for. Perhaps the NFL was anxious about upstaging its advertisers, but at the end of the day…it’s the NFL’s stage, isn’t it?



How To Manage Multiple Campaigns Without Breaking A Sweat

divider

December 11th, 2011

In a creative agency, every week is a busy week–and then there are weeks where it seems like every client is running three campaigns and time-management skills are stretched to the the limit. Don’t tell clients ‘no’ because a workload seems overwhelming or impossible. At Beyond Traditional, we are strong believers of ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way.’ Here are three best practices we use to expertly handle the needs of our clientele.

Be A Masterful Multi-tasker

Here at Beyond Traditional, we aren’t strangers when it comes to tackling several campaigns at once. Prioritization and day-by-day planning have helped us stay on top of multi-campaign workloads. We optimize our performance by taking on the most pressing projects first so we are able to address unscheduled wants, needs and fire drills without added stress.

Hope For The Best, Plan For The Worst

Disciplined organization and communication are key when it comes to executing multiple campaigns. For each event/campaign, we recommend organizing all event plans/schedules/routes/maps/contact numbers and background information into folders for each team member. As plans are updated and changed, it’s essential to make sure everyone on the team has the same information.

Think ahead to what the next steps are beyond what’s right in front of you. Planning improves actuation and leads to accomplished goals and bolstered metrics of success. Even the smallest of oversights can mean a disaster for a campaign–which is why it is important to have Plans B, C and D ready for activation in case Plan A hits the fan.

Trust Your Team

Even though you’d like to be in the middle of all the action, at some point you need to accept that you cannot be in 20 places at once. Trying to micromanage every single event will only lead to high blood pressure, lack of employee confidence and a soured reputation for your business. Loosen the reigns, take a deep breath and prepare yourself to handle the occasional curve ball, knowing you have a solid support system to back you up and be decision-makers when you aren’t available. Empower your teammates to be accountable leaders and instill that you are all working together toward a common goal.

Finally, never be afraid to take on new challenges and push yourself and your business to strive for higher goals. You can’t be the best without working to get better every day.

 



Mission Possible: Cavalier Campaigns Leave Lasting Impressions

divider

December 1st, 2011

How do you encourage out-of-towners to travel and spend their money in your city? If you want people to come to your town, you have to think outside of the box and entice them by first bringing a little bit of your city to them:

If you’re trying to invite people in Cleveland to come to New Orleans, why not unleash beignet-wielding brand ambassadors and jazz quartets out onto the streets of Ohio? If you want Portlanders to fly down south and shop in up-and-coming, chic Atlanta boutiques, why not launch a runway show of Georgia’s hottest fashions in the middle of PDX’s hippest neighborhood, the Pearl District?

It’s that type of different thinking that led to our partnership with premier local advertising agency, Copacino + Fujikado. As a part of a joint venture, Beyond Traditional helped build and launch a mobile ‘snow globe’ for Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau to encourage people to spend the holidays in Seattle. Over the course of six weeks, the snow globe made stops in Seattle, Wash., Spokane, Wash., Portland, Ore. and Vancouver, B.C.

The results? At the Rogers Santa Parade in Vancouver, B.C., the Seattle snow globe vehicle was a show-stopper. At Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, tens of thousands of Portlanders were convinced that a trip to the Emerald City for the holidays should be on their Christmas lists.

When it comes to promoting tourism, don’t shy away from brazen,  guerrilla advertising techniques, don’t be afraid to explore uncharted territory –that boldness could allow your client to become the star attraction of another city’s holiday parade!