Social Hallucinations

Radiohead Kicks Ass

Radiohead has got people and music business talking when they've offered their latest album to download and offer people to pay for it the price they want. No label, no promotions. I've been waiting impatiently for the first results, wondering whether music fans are ready for such shift and how are they going to react. The results have proved Radio head has a strong base of fans - there has been 1.2 million downloads, average price was $8 per album sold and it brought estimated profit of about $10 million - all that in just one week.

Music industry is changing in rely to the generation FREE, people who want and expect certain things to cost nothing. Anti-pirate groups chasing them will not change anything, the new sales, promotion model can make a difference, which Radiohead is a good example of.

Tags: music, radiohead, album sales

Do the Green Thing!

I feel like staying green this week. Green makes me happy and I'd love to make you and Earth happy too :-) All you have to do is join Green Thing website. It's just an easy, monthly thing, it is a community that makes it easy and enjoyable to be a bit greener. Every month you'll get a different Green Thing to do. All you have to do is do it. This is exactly the micro change I wrote about yesterday. There are lots of cool videos, you can make friends with people who think green like you. You can see how much CO2 savings you made.

October's Green Thing is Walk Once and in order to make your walk even more enjoyable, you can download cool  walking tunes and walking words written by a talented musicians and writers. You put it on your iPod and listen to as you walk...and you can't stop smiling!

Tags: green, environment, micro change, green thing

This Ad Got a Flip

I have been sitting at focus groups with teenagers yesterday and I was pretty surprised with their advertising awareness. It was pretty exciting to hear them talking about ads and what is catching their attention. Today, I've got from my friend at Dist the link to great videos with girls explaining while ads got a flip.

I am pretty reserved to hearing people's rational analysis of ads, but those girls had very insightful comments. The whole series of videos just showed how detached from their customers advertisers are. Behind some rational words, real gems were hidden - precious insights like those two:

Videos are done by 3iying, which is an all Girl Creative agency, based in New York City, a think tank working to make better ads, products and media for other girls. Good intiative and we should watch and listen very carefully what they have to say.

You can watch all videos here

Tags: 3ying, advertising, print, girls, insights

Blog Action Day

I've had a long at work today and when going through the office I was inspired to writing this post. It was before 10 p.m., empty office, you couldn't find a soul but there was so much light! Light in kitchen, toilet, in halls. Wherever you looked, it was light. I felt enlightened. I was wondering for a moment whether some people has found out that I can be afraid of darkness. But seriously . .We talk a lot about global warming and protest against huge 4 WD tracks. We focus on huge things. We fight against big corporations, we make demonstrations, shout and ... Is this the right way? I must admit, I doubt it. I am against fighting the monsters who destroy Earth. I opt for ordinary people taking their time to pay attention, clean around themselves and switch off the lights. My grandparents who dedicated their life to help orphans  used to say, that we should never think that our help will change a world, we should focus on saving just one child, as this is what will make a difference. Our small efforts, our personal involvement and will to influence and change our closest surroundings can make a difference and contribute to saving the planet. Not huge declarations, not manifestos. It is not about words, it is about changing behavior. Our  "green behavior" on micro level, on daily basis, like turning off the lights, sorting trash, avoiding unnecessary printing  will add up and become to something bigger, something that will create the global awareness of the environmental problems. Changing our behavior, learning our kids to act in green way, influencing our friends to take some action - this is the way to contribute to saving the planet.

So keep on fighting and getting greener :-)

Tags: blog action day, green, environment

Quote of the Day

“We’re not in the business of keeping the media companies alive, we’re in the business of connecting with consumers.” T. Edwards, Nike

Tags: Nike, connections

"We Write Ads or People Die"

The Trial of A Few Creative Men

Tags: advertising, a few creative men

Ask or not to Ask?

I've just found on YouTube a great example presenting how dangerous asking people to express their opinions about advertising can be. Participants of the focus group were asked to judge the famous Apple commercial "1984", that by the way was called to be one of the best ads ever. There was shown animated version. What was result? They were pretty dissatisfied with the ad and came up with a couple of improvements and incredible comments presenting the complete lack of understanding of the concept. The video shows the risk of asking people to evaluate whether the commercials are good or not. We ask people to be experts and they want to live up to our expectations. They do their best to rationalize, have meaning on every aspect of ad and sound professional - they want to help us from the depth of their hearts. However, it is not exactly what we want out of focus group. We don't need people expertise, we need to gain knowledge of what people feel when seeing ad, how deep it touches them and which effect it has on their emotions.

 

Here is the original version of Apple ad.

So don't ask your focus group for advice how to change the ad or your product. Talk to them about their feelings, associations advertising / products evoke in them - it gives you a lot of insights to work with. The better you understand the people, the better ads / products you can make. And never forget your gut feeling, that can often guide you to the right solutions.

Tags: research, ad testing, Apple, focus group

Truth in Advertising Sells

Honesty is a virtue but used in advertising can send you to nuthouse.

Tags: advertising

Let's Chat

They start with being open but then become overwhelmed and go to F*** word. Good one!

Viewer Voices: Where We Respond To The Opinions Of Our Uninformed Viewers

Tags: let's chat, communication

Teenage Affluenza

Great satire on our problems and affluenza sickness.

We have what ever we dream of and we still unsatisfied, and crave for more. Don't you think, it is time to give back.

Tags: affluenza, poverty, charity

What a Bunnies!

UPDATE!

The commercial is ready! You can see it here and it is super cool.

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Sony Bravia sets the new standards for advertising. Advertising isn't the sales pitch any more, it is not pushing the message "color like no other". Advertising is just an end product. What is fascinating is the whole process of creating advertising and hype around it. This is another example of the advertising as content (I wrote a couple days ago about FirebrandTV). People may hate advertising, but they love entertainment. Content that is King is alive and kicking. See the latest behind the scenes video on Bravia's website It shows how those cute bunnies were made. 

Btw I love the black and white pictures of New York.

Tags: sony bravia, play doh, advertising

Dove Strikes Again

Dove continues their showdown with beauty category. They've released next video. Great work again. They dare to stand up, have a clear meaning and challenge the whole category they are operating within. They take social responsibility. It is great and I could wish they reduce their traditional media spend to leverage the promise - their concern for healthy beauty perception among children and teenagers that are especially vulnerable.

Tags: dove, advertising, social responsibility, csr

Apple Bummers

One brand bummers are advantage of other brand. Apple can feel it on their own skin. I must admit, I'm pretty surprised following the development of iPhone bummers. I was sure that Apple nailed it and had the passion and respect for consumers but the latest actions they've taken prove something different:

-  kind of monopoly practice - making an exclusive deal with one mobile operator AT&T.

- price drop of the iPhone by $200 - it is great news but not after you got the ambassadors of your brand to stay in line for a few days and pay full price of  $600 (I can almost hear Steve Jobs saying: "You Geek Suckers!" )

- war with hackers - unlocked iPhones become useless after software update ("He, he, suckers again")

- the new update removed also all 3rd party applications and ringtones ("You play only with toys I give you")

What about being open, what about collaboration and nourishing the most powerful of relationships a brand can get - it is ambassadors? It seems like a silly mistakes and makes me wonder whether Apple has some bigger plan. But I hardly believe it.

Some brands like Nokia are just turning Apple's bad publicity into their advantage. They've already placed posters all over New York. Clever.

Via B.L. Ochman