Group Presentations - Day 2

Yesterday was the last day of creative pitches as well as the last day of class.  Unfortunately the semester is coming to a close and I have only 3 more marketing classes to take, damn.  Truthfully, I've had a lot of fun here at Virginia Tech taking classes and have met a ton of cool people along the way.  In all honesty, there are a few marketing classes here that I can really take a look back on and say "I will actually use and apply the things I learned in that class more than once in my life," and this class was one of those classes.

Now onto the day two presentations.  Overall I thought the presentations were kind of middle of the road.  There wasn't a presentation that stood out and said "wow" but there was an idea that did for sure.  The overall pitch by Veritas was good, but their main idea was great.  The idea of having a closet on the corner and attempting to "re-dress" people as they go by, film it, and put it into a commercial was a very good idea.  I liked the fact of using real people and real experiences.  It would all them to show the world that they have a ton of combinations in this little street closet, which is maybe a tenth of what they really have, while focusing on each persons individual style.  It would give Uniqlo a lot of flexibility to feature many types of people of all ages in their commercials.  With that said, it would show the world how flexible they are, how many people one could shop for at Uniqlo, and also more importantly that it's easy and quick to create your own unique style.  I thought this idea was branded at the core and had great legs. Overall a great idea.

On the other hand, their print ad's were OK, not perfect, but then again who is.  I think the print ad's lacked that wow factor and I wouldn't stop turning the page in a magazine to figure out what the ad was for.  That might be a little harsh, but it's just my opinion.

The other group that went yesterday was OK as well.  One part of their presentation that I didn't quite understand or believe was feasible was when the first group wanted Uniqlo to redo their website and allow consumers to pick the clothes they already owned, and then match Uniqlo pieces with the clothes they currently own.  It was a "create your own look" kind of interaction on the internet.  I don't think this is really what Uniqlo is really about.  I think they want you to realize that no matter what two, three, four pieces you pick, you'll look good in them.  With that said, I don't think Uniqlo would want consumers on their website clicking on clothes from other brands.  Even though the consumer would be on Uniqlo's website, it still puts the competitors brand into the mind of the consumer.

I also don't think that other brands wouldn't allow Uniqlo to add their selection of clothes onto their website for this kind of interaction.  It's essentially saying that what the consumer already has is OK, and what Uniqlo has is better and can make what you already own look better.  That has a negative connotation towards the other brands which I don't think they would tolerate.

Taking into account everything I just mentioned, this is how I come to the conclusion that I don't think this idea is very believable or branded at the core.  I think it has potential, but it's just not there yet.  I don't want anyone to think that I didn't like the presentation, I did, I thought they did a good job, I just don't think it's feasible.

Group Presentations - Day 1

Today in class was the first day of group presentations and I just wanted to write a little bit about them. It was interesting how each and every group approached presentation day.  Granted each set of groups had a different creative brief to go off of, but overall, each group had the same goal in mind.

I found it interesting how many groups only did print ads and put little to no effort into the presentations.  I know that as a class I should expect some straglers and clear winners, but it seemed like some groups didn't do very much, now I could be completely wrong, and in that case I'll look like an ass, but then again this is just my observation and I'm not grading it.

There was one group in particular that did a good job today.  One group used a story board to imitate a commercial they would create between a mom and son mirroring a western duel from the old times over what to pack for lunch before school.  I thought this was a very good piece of creative.  It appeals to the mom because it's entertaining and still projects the benefits of the fruit over a candy or quick snack alternative.  At the same time, it could also be very appealing to the child because it's a funny kind of silly commercial of a mom and son fighting over what goes into their lunch box.  But that's why it's funny.  Because every kid remembers arguing, and frequently crying, don't act like you didn't cry, with your mom between the chips and the apple.

Overall I thought it was a decent first day of presentations and am looking forward to see what the other groups come up with for Uniqlo.

No Limit with the new GoPro HERO3

Just in time for the holiday season the popular brand GoPro has released their newest product.  They've released their camera with even more functionality and just plain awesomeness.  The GoPro HERO3 is their newest camera which has more features on such a small camera than I ever thought was possible.  Here are a few of the top things:

• Takes pictures up to 12MP
• Shoots hi-definition video at 1080p
• Waterproof to 196 feet deep
• Weighs only 2.6 ounces
• Has built in wifi

Needless to say, this is one badass camera.  

Most people strap the camera to their helmet, bike, snowboard, skis, or anything they want to pretty much while they're doing the things they love the most.  The reason I chose this product to write about was the advertisement or teaser video they released the go along with the release of the HERO3.  If you haven't seen the video here's the link to check it out GoPro HERO3 Video

I think this video was a great piece of creative that the GoPro team put together.  The people that use GoPro are extreme and daring.  They really enjoy going places that others can't and love what they do.  This video effectively shows all the features and benefits that the product brings and is not biased towards one activity or another.  The video does a good job at showing all the various places the camera can mounted from helmets, chests, skis, surfboards, and bikes.  It's a bit longer than usual video at 5 minutes but during that 5 minutes it's packed with action shots from all around the globe and people doing things I didn't know were possible.  By going out and actually shooting the video in the teaser video with the GoPro with all these different viewing angles and points of view, it adds a ton of credibility and character to the video and the company.

Another effective thing they accomplished was the media they chose to launch this video over.  They didn't choose a TV commercial or radio advertisement, they chose what most of their target will like and be able to see.  By putting it on youtube, it allows people to share it with their friends, watch it virtually anywhere, post it to twitter or facebook, and comment on it.  The target market here is big on sharing what they feel and do on the internet, hence why they would want to buy a GoPro in the first place, which is why youtube is perfect.

I don't do half of the things that are in the video but it gets me excited to go snowboard, wakeboard, and waterski just from watching it.  It even makes me want to go do the things I am terrified to do just because how cool it looks in this video.  Everything from the exciting stunts to even the smallest details such as the music is right in line with GoPro's brand image.

I think I might actually ask for one for Christmas now.

Earl Cox - The Martin Agency - Speaker Prep

Earl Cox from The Martin Agency was supposed to come speak to us in class last week but ended up not being able to make it due to an important meeting that had popped up last minute.  Any which way, I decided to learn a little bit more about him.

Earl Cox attended Virginia Tech and got his undergraduate degree in communication then went down interstate 81 a while and got his masters at UVA.  I hope he wasn't corrupted by the other wahoos to start wearing suits to football games and copying their state rivals lunch pail defense way.  Earl now works at The Martin Agency which is a widely known and respected company.  They work with recognizable companies such as GEICO, Pizza Hut, Hanes, and Wal-Mart on a regular basis.

The overall brand perception seems to be pretty solid.  I looked at their twitter page and facebook page and they seem to do just what they're supposed to do with these websites.  They post pictures of giving back to the community and updates on work, ect.  I don't think they have a problem in that category.

I think a strategic issue they still might be facing is getting the Norwegian Cruise line brand name back to where it was before the most recent crash/incident.  It must be tough to try and help a company overcome an event that was heard around the world with such negative connotation.  

I would ask Earl how they combated that problem of the crash and how they changed up advertising and the work they did for Norwegian after the incident.

I would also ask Earl what his most challenging thing to work on has been and how he worked through it.

Kelly Fisher - Got Milk - Speaker Prep

Today Kelly Fisher is going to come speak to the class about her involvement in the Got Milk? campaign.  The campaign was started in 1993 by the Milk Processor Education Program with a goal of promoting the consumption of milk and also informing people that it's the world's number one thirst quencher.  I have no arguments here, milk is my favorite breakfast, lunch, and dinner beverage six out of seven days a week.  I haven't tried to "One gallon of milk in an hour" challenge yet, but I think I could do it.

Anyways, when the campaign started it was very bland compared to where it is today.  It started with scenes of people with a mouth full of some kind of dry food and looking to milk to act as some kind of washing down savior for their dry food. Now a days, they have incorporated famous athletes, actors, and even Batman, which by far, no questions asked, is the best super hero of all time.

The Got Milk? campaign has grown and statistics show that it's achieved around 90% awareness in the US.  While they have always tried to stress the importance of the nutritional value of milk, they have also tried to convey the message to consumers that it belongs in the "cool" and "hip" category of beverages along with popular sodas and sports drinks.

How tough was it, compared to other products you've worked on, to come up with a campaign for a simple and, no offense, bland product like milk?

Do you think you've reached your top out point of awareness in the US? I feel like everyone knows of the campaign these days.  If so, how going forward are you going to reposition or realign your campaign to keep trying to get new customers?

New World Record

Recently I've been getting into other types of action sports such as snowboarding and skiing.  I had never really had any interest in these until very recently and there's a ton of cool stuff surrounding those sports, and they're a lot tougher than one would imagine.  Anyways, I got to looking at some of the Red Bull ads and I came across not really and ad, but an event.  I guess you could say this event served as an advertisement, but more importantly I think it signified how Red Bull wants to be viewed by the general public: Bad Ass, with a capital B.

Every year Red Bull does something crazy and wild to get people's attention and to remind them that they are extreme and love taking it to the limits.  Last few years they've constructed these giant ramps and jumps up in the Alps and had snowboarders and skiers come up and hit some of the biggest tricks in the world.  Here's a link to some of the past events they've had all combined into a commercial: Red Bull

This years event was aimed at breaking a free fall world record.  This type of stunt is outrageous and awesome at the same time.  The fact that they got someone to agree to jump from 128,100 feet is beyond me but yet again, Red Bull does what most think is impossible.  Here's the link to the highlights of the event if you missed it Free Fall World Record - Red Bull
Events like this stick in my mind like no other, which is why I think of Red Bull immediately when words like crazy, mind blowing, adventurous, and daring come up.  In my mind, this is why Red Bull has remained as the undisputed champion of the action sports world.

Here's a mini Creative Brief on Red Bull.

Advertising Objective:  To show the world that Red Bull remains at the top of the action sports world.  They want people to know they are continuing to take things to the next level.  They want people to be able to connect their extreme and daring side to Red Bull.
Who:  People who like to take their every day life to the next level.  They have a past of enjoying nontraditional sports such as snowboarding, skiing, skateboarding, and biking.  They enjoy being the first to do something and don't mind putting themselves in danger to do it.  Their goal is to do things on a daily basis that will be a good story to tell their kids one day.  They aren't scared to do anything and are probably the leader of their friend circle.  They enjoy hanging out with friends more than anything else and don't stress about school or work.  They aren't into "name brands" or "chain stores."  They most likely shop at local places and don't have a twitter.  They probably do have a facebook page in order to show their friends photos of their latest outings.
Insight:  I live to feel the rush
SMP:  Take things to the next level each and every day
Why Believe:  Red Bull has continually pushed the limits each and every year.  They strive to be the first to do a stunt and always try to do it on a national stage to get the most viewers out of it in order to create "buzz."  They have consistently impressed the world with their extreme new stunts.

Speaker Prep - Julie Talbot - Burt's Bees

I had the pleasure of listening to Julie speak last semester in my marketing comm class and look forward to seeing her again, even though she didn't choose my team's project! ha!  I got to interact with her a lot last semester while doing the Burt's Bee's project for her, I even found out she took my dad's class when she went here to VT while getting her Marketing degree.  Small world yet again.

I think a strategic issue they're facing right now is still brand awareness and the lack of consumer confidence in their product.  Many people like Burt's Bees but not because it's an effective lip balm, but because it's "cool" and they like "top of the line products."  And yes, did you notice I didn't say Chapstick?  That's one of Julie's pet peeves BTW, just in case you were wondering.  And yes, she will get offended if you say it around her when referring to Burt's Bees.

Questions for Julie:

What did everyone back at Burt's Bee's think of our projects last semester?

Did any of them get selected and actually implemented?

-Bees fo life