Marketing 2.0

Facebook Ads Make You the Star -- And You May Not Know It | Epicenter from Wired.com

More controversy about ads on Facebook. This is a good article from Wired that details some of the legal concerns over Facebook's latest strategy.
Link: Facebook Ads Make You the Star -- And You May Not Know It | Epicenter from Wired.com.

Chevy Tahoe: The Apprentice �

The age of user-generated advertising is upon us. Chevrolet recently put up a website to allow anyone to constuct an ad for its Tahoe SUV. You assemble your choice of short video clips, add your own text and insert a soundtrack. The only problem for Chevy is that not everyone is fond of big SUV's. Some of the ads are highly critical of the vehicle's gas consumption and impact on the environment. You can read about that in this NY Times article. In the meantime, head over to the Tahoe site and build your ad.

Link: Chevy Tahoe: The Apprentice �.

Firefox Ad Contest

Want to try your hand at producing advertising? Here's a chance to produce a 30 second spot promoting Firefox, everyone's (well mine that is) favorite web browser. Why not show those creative snobs from the big agencies that you've got what it takes to produce good promotional content. Who knows, you might end up designing campaigns for a paying client someday.

Link: Mozilla Firefox Flicks : Ad Contest.

Personalized Marketing

Here's a "good" article from Robin Good on personalized marketing. Robin makes a nice distinction between the personalized, focused marketing becoming more popular in our digital age, and traditional interruptive marketing from the old days when mass media ruled.

There are good examples such as Vans Warped Tour where companies are reaching their targeted audiences by sponsoring experiences that invite participation.

There is still a role for mass marketing but it is becoming increasingly irrelevant and unproductive. It simply costs too much to reach too many people who couldn't care less or have made up their minds with information received from new media outlets such as blogs, discussion boards and online communities.

The Internet has enabled diverse global conversations and advertisers can no longer control the message by buying airtime.

Link: Personalized Marketing for New Media - Interruptive Advertising for Mass Media - Robin Good's Latest News.

Milk Rap

So much mainstream advertising is mundane or just plain annoying. It's rare to come across a really clever ad that also communicates a coherent message. I've come across a great one courtesy of Adland . It was produced in the great white north, for the dairy farmers of Ontario. Check it out by following the link and then clicking on "Milk Rap."

Link: Freelance advertising copywriter. Food and beverage..

Paris Hilton's Spicy Commercial

Here's a link to Paris Hilton's controversial commercial for Carl's Jr. hamburgers. It has generated a lot of criticism for being overtly sexual. Take a look at decide for yourself. I viewed the commercial several times (purely in the interest of marketing research) and here's my observations:

- There's absolutely no redeeming qualities here, no brand message, no strategic positioning. It's pure titillation for the male audience and it succeeds at just that.

- Like her or hate her, you have to admit that Paris Hilton knows something about marketing. Tom Peters talks about "the brand called me" — Paris could have written the book on this.

- I hate being manipulated by advertisers at the most base level. Can't we have intelligent marketing? OK, it's just hamburgers after all.

- I would object to this commercial appearing on television as my 12 year-old son surfs the channels. I'm not a prude but I really do despise the overtly sexual content that's all over broadcast television lately.

- People are becoming famous (or infamous) for the strangest things lately. It seems that we Americans have a mania for celebrity status, sort of a collective celebrityitis.

- I'm not persuaded to eat at Carl's after watching this commercial. Hopefully, that doesn't mean I'm over the hill.

- OK, here's my last comment. The girl does have a nice pooper.

Link: Paris Hilton Commercial.