Next Stop: 1965

There was an incredible amount of buzz surrounding the season premier of AMC's Mad Men, which aired Sunday, March 25th. This chatter was rightfully earned, especially because it has been over a year since the fourth season ended. Viewers have been itching to see how the men and women of Madison Avenue will stir up more raunchy and dramatic entertainment. Newsweek was smart enough to latch on to this popular topic and mass following, and published a special 1960s Mad Men edition to bind the connection the weekly magazine once had with these driven advertising professionals. They also tried to imagine how a 1960s website would look (a bit contradictory...) and have created a temporary page over their original website to show us (it pops up when you go to the Newsweek site). 

The new issue features a cover story about the Emmy-winning show. That's not all. All of the advertisements in the issue are designed in the style that Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce (the fictional advertising company in Mad Men) might have produced. The ads are still for modern day companies, but readers might have to take a second glance to confirm it. Besides the blast-from-the-past advertisements, another extremely interesting aspect of this issue is the cover story, which was written by Eleanor Clift. She worked at Newsweek in the 1960s and attests to the show's accuracy (especially the relationships between men and women in the workplace... and the drinking... and the sex). The issue will on the stands this week (March 26th) and next week (April 2nd), so take a moment when you're walking by a newsstand to check it out! In the meantime, here are a few of the old-school advertisements that were designed specifically for this issue.
pictures courtesy of AdAge

Dunkin' Donuts really would have fit RIGHT in

An actual new model

The "Mayhem" character from the modern TV ads... so funny!

Tide ties in how long they've been around (1946)

I think it could be an interesting idea for a campaign. Instead of creating modern advertisements, an advertiser would place old-school style advertisements for the brand among the modern magazine ads. It would motivate readers to stop and spend time looking at the ad to determine why the advertiser went that route -- was it part of an overall campaign or a way to celebrate an anniversary? Either way, it's a creative tool to differentiate the brand's ad from the rest. It's a way to stand out. 


Interested in the advertising industry myself, I have become a loyal Mad Men fan and was sitting eagerly in front of the TV screen at 8:45 on Sunday night as I waited for the two-hour premier to begin. My thoughts? Well, I wasn't too impressed. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed that there was no real bang. Nothing screamed, "Mad Men is back and it's going to be a CRAZY season!" Luckily, they haven't lost me as a viewer because next week's preview looked incredibly dramatic and enticing. Phewf!


POGS,
AKtually Ashley

Sneaky Commercials (in a good way!)

Oops! I gave it away! The title of this blog post eliminates any element of surprise these commercials may have had (sorry!), but the element of creativity remains. Both happen to be public service-type announcements AND were created outside of the US. Though they seem to be average ads promoting products and playing on viewers' emotions, the deeper messages within these commercials have had immense global impacts. At the end of each video, you'll probably still think yourself "wow, I didn't think it would take that angle. Hmmm." -- or at least that was the exact thought that ran through my mind.

The first ad was created by a Swedish agency named Forsman & Brodenfors to fit with the "smoothness" campaign of their client, IQ. The agency created a spot for a smooth whiskey... but the real meaning behind the campaign is revealed half way through. 

I bet you weren't expecting that ending... I know I wasn't. The commercial plays on the traditional style of advertising alcohol products. The soft lighting, local bar atmosphere, and peaceful music really tricks viewers into taking the commercial (at least the beginning) for its face value. Once the binge drinking commences, however, viewers start to realize that the commercial isn't promoting a smooth whiskey after all.

Another commercial, which has gotten a ton of global attention, was made specifically to address an issue in Australia. The video has gone viral, and though it only exists in the online world, its creators are attempting to raise enough money to air the commercial on television in Australia. It's your average love story, but it isn't until the proposal at the end of the commercial that viewers realize the couple isn't an "average" couple at all. The commercial is touching and its global viral impact really shows the success of the campaign for change. It has around 3.8 million views already... wow!

An article by AdAge makes a good point: why have no campaigns in the US managed to make such an impact?

POGS,

AKtually Ashley

Brands Dictate What We Wear... On Halloween

On a college campus you expect to see a little bit of everything when it comes to creative (or not so creative) Halloween costumes. The holiday has the reputation for giving women the green light to wear a little less than is normally socially acceptable. Wearing lingerie in public is "OK" on Halloween (I guess), but wait, you're a mouse? The Last time I checked, that is not what a mouse looks like! 


This year, however, I was pleasantly surprised when this post by AdAge opened my eyes to a very different aspect of this spooky, and sometimes eerily bare, Halloweekend -- brands! On Halloween, AdAge tweeted, "Happy Halloween! Are you wearing a branded costume? Send us a pic!" and received various replies... including one from me! 

Yes, yes, I was the Energizer Bunny. There I was, thinking I was so creative, but then I scrolled down on @AdAge and found another Energizer Bunny! What are the chances?! It is totally expected to come across similarly dressed trick-or-treaters when you dress up as a policeman or cat... but another Energizer Bunny? I was shocked, and yes, a little bit upset, but I quickly bounced back to fully soak in what this truly meant. Brands have completely taken over our lives, and this sentiment can be proven by how people dress for Halloween. Marketers should definitely use this measurement tool to help determine the visibility and popularity of their brands. Progressive was probably the most effective in this activity because they used Halloween and consumers to generate awareness for their brand. On their website they gave visitors precise instructions on how to dress like Flo -- down to the shade of Mac lipstick she wears!


A few of the branded costumes, besides Flo, that I came across this past weekend included Bud Light Limes and Absolut Bottles. But the best costume by far, and AdAge agrees, was the Words with Friends app. I'm sure Apple is proud.


Another costume trend that has particularly gained momentum these past few years is YouTube. No, people do not dress up as YouTube itself, although that could be a great idea (write that down for next year), but as characters from viral videos. People love being current, and what better way to be current than to dress up like Sophia Grace and Rosie? Who are they? Check it out.

I saw about 5 different pairs of girls dressed as these Nicki Minaj fans. This YouTube video has over 1 million views and has only been up since October 5th. Sophia Grace is a very talented 5-year-old and was featured on the Ellen Degeneres Show for this video. I wonder if she knows that college students dressed up as her for Halloween? If not, her mom might want to keep it a secret for now. 5 years old is a little early to have an ego. 


POGS,
AKtually Ashley