An Unlikely Investment

As you already know, I am a big fan of electronic dance music. It turns out, I'm not the only one. I'm not talking about the millions of EDM fans around the world. I'm talking about investors. For years the EDM industry has consisted of up-and-coming DJs, veteran artists, and weekend-long festivals. These festivals are all around the world; some are annual, like Tomorrowland, and others are traveling acts, like Sensation White. These festivals have become valuable brands, which are able to sell tickets on their name alone... though headlining DJs help to amp up the crowd. For example, for the Electric Daisy Carnival, which just expanded to the New York area (it's usually in Las Vegas), 60,000 tickets at $100 sold out in three hours. That was before the headliners had even been announced. It's not only about the incredible lineup, but it is also the expectations of the audio-visual performance that makes these festivals epic. They are (without fail) absurd, breathtaking, etc., etc. They're indescribable.

Sensation White

This music genre has shifted from being a marginal part of the music business to a fundamental segment of the mainstream. It's appealing due to a frequent flow of fresh stars and its huge youth following. "If you're 15 to 25 years old now, this is your rock 'n' roll," said Michael Rapino, the executive of Live Nation Entertainment. The success and profit margins of these festival promoters has attracted various potential investors from the music industry and Wall Street. Though no official offers have been made, this rush to invest can be likened to the dot-com era. It's growing in the US... fast. Investors want to be the first, and know they need to act before the bubble pops.

These festivals are also a great opportunity for corporate and brand sponsorships. Especially those targeting the EDM-loving youth. Though an association with these rave-like festivals could be risky, I think it provides a great opportunity. But the EDM industry's potential is being recognized quickly, so marketers (and investors) should act fast!

Armin at Electric Dance Carnival

POGS,

AKtually Ashley

Sorry! Girls Only.

Imagine walking down the street and having advertisements change based on your gender, age, or race. This trend of ultra-targeted advertising has already started in London. Plan UK, a not-for-profit organization that helps children in third-world countries, launched a facial recognition billboard to promote its "Because I'm a Girl" campaign on February 22nd. As you may already assume, the ad is not the same for everyone. With 90% accuracy, the interactive advertisement scans pedestrians and identifies their gender. If it recognizes a woman, it allows her to see a 40-second campaign video, which promotes sponsoring a girl from a developing country to receive proper education. On the other hand, if it detects a man, it shows relevant campaign statistics and directs them to the Plan UK website. The purpose of this somewhat exclusive method of advertising is to show men "a glimpse of what it's like to have basic choices taken away." Personally, I think it is a bit creepy, but I'll have to get used to it (I'll explain why later).

The billboard, located at a bus stop on Oxford Street, cost Plan UK around $47,000 to execute (with help from Clear Channel UK, 3D Exposure, and Curb Media), and will only last for a total of two weeks (one down, one more to go). They hope to raise $400,000 in donations during the next four months, and believe the high-tech, emotion-inspiring billboard will motivate many of these donations. The amount of press the organization and its campaign has received due to the billboard will certainly help fundraising efforts as well--cue the need for PR professionals!


The 40-second video is part of a longer documentary, which showcases three 13 year old girls: Jasmine from the UK, Bintou from Mali, and Sur from Thailand. It highlights their differences, commonalities, obstacles, and dreams. If you have three minutes to spare, take a peak. Beware: it's emotionally riveting.

This new breed of outdoor advertising has incredible implications for the marketing industry. The technology used in Plan UK's billboard is the first of its kind and can be compared to the iPad and Xbox Kinect (combined). Not only does it scan faces, but it also measures the distance between the viewer's eyes, width of their nose, length of their jaw line, and shape of their cheekbone, to determine their gender. Ultra-targeted advertising through facial recognition software is in our near future. Some shopping malls are already testing the technology to more effectively reach and appeal to shoppers. 


I hope this technology can eventually be applied to television and the Internet. Maybe one day I'll stop seeing advertisements for arthritis medication or Viagra. One can only hope!


POGS,
AKtually Ashley

Babies: The Up and Coming Target Market

The Vinci Tablet

At first glance, this product looks like an oversized iPhone with a protective barrier, right? This tablet is actually pretty close to an iPhone... but is marketed to an entirely different segment... children 0-4 years old. The red ring surrounding the tablet is a drool-proof bumper. Yes, drool-proof. When a product needs to be drool-proof, it's probably a sign that the electronic should not be targeted at drooling children in the first place... common sense, right? But manufacturers and marketers can no longer afford to ignore this youthful, drooling segment. The Vinci, which 2 year olds probably cannot even pronounce, is allegedly the first-ever educational handheld device for kids. It sells for $389 to $479... WOW. I personally can't bring myself to buy an iPhone or iPad, but a 6 month old owns a $300-$500 Vinci? Lucky kid. This new product is innovative and definitely fills the market opportunity of electronics for infants... whether or not there is actual demand is an entirely different story. This product, and various digital marketing tactics aimed at society's youth, is raising many questions concerning the impact on childhood development and ethical boundaries. The issue (and this topic in general) is described in depth in this AdWeek article. 

The trend of marketing to infants is not necessarily new, but is getting increasingly aggressive and competitive. Brands like Disney have been doing this for years! Marketing was once limited to logo/mascot-printed clothing, packaged goods, or toys, but is now expanding into the digital and interactive world. There is now a TV "network" for infants online, called BabyFirstTV.com, which has subscription-based videos, games, educational activities, and music. Luxury clothing designers (ie. Versace and Marc Jacobs) are beginning to gain loyal infant consumers with trendy lines for the infant fashionista. Cynthia Rowley has designed diapers for Pampers. They run for about $15 (a bit pricey for disposable toilets)... but I do have to say, they're adorable. 

This market is becoming increasingly popular, meaning competition for infants' brand loyalty is becoming more and more important to companies and marketers. They're competing to become the first brand to establish a relationship with the child and hope to maintain this relationship as the child grows. You may be thinking that these efforts will go unnoticed and aren't worth the time, money or effort, but the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood reports otherwise. They found that by 6 months, babies can form mental images of corporate logos and mascots. Additionally, as soon as infants can speak they can (and will) request brands. Other reports have found that by the age of 3, kids can recognize an average of 100 brand logos. 

How many of these can you link with a brand? An easier question may be: how many can't you link with a brand?

I absolutely love this brand alphabet. It was introduced to me in a class a few years ago, and it really holds true to the belief that brand logos are completely imprinted in our brains. You see the "P" and automatically think Pez Candy or the "C" and know it's from Campbells Soup. Kudos to these companies, their marketing teams of the past have really done an incredible job developing consumer recognition with their brands. It's amazing, but it's life. We can't help but associate colors, mascots, fonts, etc. with brands and companies. It starts at a young age, and stays with us forever. 

That is what this new marketing trend is trying to establish and maintain. It will no longer be just Disney Princesses on onsies or Tony the Tiger on cereal boxes... The Vinci, Apple, Fendi, and other luxury brands are entering the competitive market. These brands, as well as more traditional infant-targeting companies, are beginning to establish themselves through innovative digital tactics and aggressive efforts to reach this baby market through all possible touch points.

It's a new world out there... no boundaries.

POGS, 

AKtually Ashley

Wonderland? Neverland? TOMORROWLAND.

"House" music. "Techno" music. "Electronic Dance" music. These genres describe the current lifestyle and trend of teens and 20-somethings across the world. These labels, however, do not give the experience justice. 

Tomorrowland is a three-day annual music festival that takes place in Boom, Belgium. Fitting name for the town, right? It features a long list of Global artists who perform for a reported 120,000 attendees who travel to this festival from all over the world. 

Not only did this video grab my attention for the full 14 minutes, BUT it also made me realize the marketable value of a promotional "after" video. This is a great way to promote an event and get people interested. It also allows the attendees to re-live their (hopefully) amazing experience -- while simultaneously crossing their fingers in hope to spot themselves in the video!

The Tomorrowland 2011|Official After Movie gives me the chills and makes me smile. I admit it may be because I really enjoy the music and the vibe, but it also definitely has a little tiny bit to do with the transformational aspect of the video. It has an unreal ability to transfer excitement and thrill to the viewer, which is definitely something marketers and event planners strive for. I bet they never thought of looking to the "rave" industry for insight!

"Turn up the love now." -- Swedish House Mafia


Just admit it. You LOVED it!


Side Note: 
The greatest part about NOT having a specific focus for my blog is having the flexibility to write about topics like this! Can't fall short on expectations when there's nothing specific to expect!


POGS, 
AKtually Ashley

First of Many!

So here I am: avoiding long overdue Globalization reading and the crisp fall winter weather. I've mulled over starting a blog for quite some time and after some heavy convincing from friends and family... my blog is officially born! 

I read fashion blogs, but am not particularly passionate about fashion. I read foodie blogs, but most focus on food photography and recipes (I am not a photographer nor a cook). I read AdAge, PRWeek, and the like, but focus my reading particularly on specific industries or brands I am engaged with and enthusiastic about. Therefore, my blog will feature all of these topics, as well as anything else that grabs my very valuable attention. ;-)

For now, I’ll leave you with this video, which features the Contrex Water Strip Commercial. I won’t give it away, but it’s incredible. Very clever. Very creative. Very risqué. Whether this experiential campaign could occur on the streets of New York or Boston is something to think about… and strive for.


POGS,
AKtually Ashley