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Online shopping is not just my obsession, it’s my primary mode of shopping. In the spirit of true confession, I admit I’ve grown so accustomed to purchasing the majority of my housewares and clothes online that I can’t stomach confronting an overstuffed rack at Nordstrom’s. The thought of digging through piles of clothes to find my right size makes me queasy. And, oh the horror, not seeing the garment displayed on a model or as part of a styled outfit gives me the hives. I’m a visual person and I need to see the shape and movement of a garment on a real person. And that is just one of the reasons I can see marketing genius in Madewell’s new mobile marketing campaign.
If you are not familiar, Madewell is J.Crew’s sister company. Madewell embraces a hybrid urban, Americana, chic aesthetic; it’s all gauzy tops, textured patterns, and classic jeans. If I remember correctly, the company made a big splash on the retail scene about 3 years ago and has steadily accrued a crowd of dedicated fans ever since. But Madewell is setting its sights on something larger than urban buzz.
To promote their tailored jeans, Madewell is sending a Pop-Up store to untapped frontiers.To bring the jeans to the people, Madewell has outfitted a 1978 Airstream trailer with a denim bar, a braid bar, and dressing rooms. The trailer is currently on a tour of America, hitting some major cities but also stopping in little towns were no brick and mortar Madewell stores exist. Shoppers are encouraged to hop on board, slip into the perfect jeans and experience the expert quality and cut of Madewell denim.
But here’s the catch: you can’t buy that perfect pair on deck. So what can you do? You can take a picture of yourself in the jeans to post to Facebook, search the area surrounding the trailer for golden tickets, and get a free ‘do at the braid bar. You have to purchase the jeans online or in a store. What a brilliant way to engage consumers through multiple channels: online shoppers get a chance to really experience the jeans with no commitment to purchase; in-store shoppers get the full retail experience but are driven to the website for purchase; and those who have never experienced the Madewell brand are given a personal, customized introduction. Plus with the added social media and in-store incentives, Madewell is committing a grand feat of brand channel cross-pollination. For more information on the Airstream activites click here.
A new analysis of gender-specific social media chatter has revealed what occupies women and men’s daily thoughts. Can you guess? No, it’s not shopping and sex. But it is another guilty obsession of most Americans.You can scroll down to see the final results, but before doing so let me mention that the below infographic was created by social media monitoring company Netbase.
To get the data for the graphic, Netbase analyzed 27 billion online conversations taking place over the course of one year. After the conversations were observed and collected, Netbase used natural language processing to search for the phrase “I want X.” The data was then analyzed and compiled into a top ten list for each sex.
Think you know what women and men want most? Keep reading to find out.
John Carter landed in theaters this past weekend with a quiet thud. In reality, it should have landed to a symphony of gold coins falling from the pockets of Mickey Mouse’s red shorts to the floor. That’s right, Disney ate it big time on this cinematic flop, coming in second place at this weekend’s box office.
But how? It seemed all the pieces were in place for the film to be a smash hit. An esteemed director of other Pixar hits (Wall-E and Finding Nemo), Andrew Stanton, stood at Carter’s helm and the film boasted a plot that would resemble Indiana Jones on Mars-an almost surefire guarantee for box office gold. Yet when Carter hit American big screens it-as a New York Times article stated-was treated as a corpse.
But perhaps Carter’s box office death was not in vain. Disney has made it clear it will not point fingers and place blame but, rather, look at this as a hard-earned lesson. We can learn something here too. One of the key missteps that Disney and Stanton took was a lackluster marketing campaign that failed to consider its audience. Pixar creates quirky, fun-loving animations, not war-torn epics about outer space and the Civil War. Most of Pixar’s target audience doesn’t know of Edgar Rice Burroughs or the Barsoom novels. Nor is Pixar’s audience familiar with Taylor Kitsch (star of TV series Friday Night Lights). Marketing also did little to educate and attract this crowd. So when creating a new product (of the film kind or any other) be sure to consider your audience. Be sure to ask questions like: What has appealed to my audience in the past? Who are they familiar with? What’s the best way to educate them about a new product? How can I make them care about this product too?
If Disney had considered some of these questions during the (many) rounds of production for John Carter and subsequent phases of pre-release marketing, then the film may not have derailed and disappointed.
If you haven’t heard, AMC’s Mad Men will be returning in March. And with that triumphant and highly anticipated return will come many marketing opportunities for media outlets and consumer brands. Before it’s extended hiatus, the series had sparked a new wave of midcentury interior design trends and a specialty clothing line at a national outfitter. These retro fads grew to a crescendo just as the series dropped off the TV screen and out of fans and consumers lives. But never fear, Newsweek is aiming to get audiences revved up for the new season. The news magazine will celebrate the season 5 premiere with a Mad Men-inspired issue.
According to Tina Brown, editor of Newsweek and The Daily Beast, the magazine’s structure and design will pay homage to 1960s America but its content will remain culturally relevant, including a cover story on the series and a feature on the role of advertising in America’s culture. In addition, Newsweek has issued a call to clients and creative agencies for ’60s-inspired creative that has the look and feel of a vintage print ad but contains modern products and messages.
We’ll have to wait ’til March to see the final print product and for the season premiere of the show but until then we can dream about the output. What type of products or creative would you like to see in the Mad Men-inspired issue of <i.Newsweek? Which agencies or clients do you think will or should contribute to the issue?
I receive an iPad 2 as an early Christmas present this year. A lovely little gadget, my husband thought it would be an ideal present for a frequent traveler like myself. I would no longer need to dedicate space in my carry-on for the bulky novels, library books, and trashy magazines that accompany (and amuse) me on long plane rides. But what my husband intended as a considerate, thoughtful gift slowly began to put a wedge between us. The iPad 2 became a catch all for my “to do” and shopping lists. It tagged along with us on our weekly trips to Target and Whole Foods. Then it cozied up on the couch with us for our weekly episode of HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire.” It sat with me in the kitchen while I cooked and it even came to bed with us one night. (I fell asleep playing “Plants Vs. Zombies.”) My lack of attention to daily chatter and life in general was first a frustration, then an annoyance, then an issue of jealousy for my husband. We turned the iPad 2 off and we talked. The iPad doesn’t come out to play as much now.
This year, as I’ve listened to folks from all walks of life, I’ve picked up on a theme about technology and relationships. Many of my girlfriends feel they can’t connect with their husbands because their husbands are so busy connecting with their phones. I’ve also heard rumors of banning cell phones and texting from the family dinner table. Focus group participants talk about feeling too connected to technology but not connected enough emotionally. It seems people struggle to use technology to build or even make better those intimate moments of human connection. So when Microsoft’s “Keep Shopping” commercial popped up on a DVR’d episode of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” I paid attention. The commercial features a dad shopping for grocery’s using Microsoft OneNote (an organizational tool that comes with Office 2010) to buy groceries. He’s accessing the program on his phone, his kids are accessing it from their home PC. After he picks up the usual eggs, milk, etc. more curious items pop up on the list like coconuts, candy, and soda. Dad realizes his kids are masterminding the list. Laughter ensues and then this messages flashes on the screen,”It’s a great time to be a family.”
Here, Microsoft is using warm fuzzies and funnies to illustrate how technology can connect families and even enhance their relationship through increased communication. But is this a reality or a marketing ploy? Turns out, Microsoft conducted research to add some proof to the pudding. According to a survey conducted through Impulse Research, 64% of surveyed parents age 22-40 said technology brings their families closer. It’s even more important to younger parents (age 22-30) with 74% reporting the same.
Microsoft takes its lead from this report and is now committed to a whole “how to” campaign for connecting families through technology. To look at their bullet list of how to connect over the holidays and get advice on”…how to take advantage of all technology has to offer and help ensure screens don’t become a barrier to connecting,” click here. To tell me what you think about Microsoft’s overall campaign, the “Keep Shopping” commercial, or whether you think technology is a tool for distraction or relationship enhancement, head to the comments.
Yesterday, Advertising Age announced it’s Marketer A-list, including it’s Marketer of the Year-Coca-Cola (still going strong after all these years)-and other smart, innovative brands like L’Oreal, Starbucks, Amazon, IBM, and, newcomers, the Kardashian “Klan.” I must give props to Ad Age for so boldly calling attention to the bits of brilliance that comprise the Kardashians’ branded empire. Sure they are annoying but part of that aggravation comes from their ubiquitous nature. Going to the mall? You’ll find the Kardashians “Klan” at Sears, selling their own shiny, slinky brand of club and professional couture. Looking for a new fragrance? Kim K.’s got you covered. And you can’t turn on E! without running into at least one of the families’ members or spouse spin-offs spring, summer, fall, or winter. Rounding out the empire is the Kardashian stamped facial care line PerfectSkin, the weight-loss supplement Quicktrim, and the sisters’ original claim to fame, their brick-and-mortar clothing boutiques, Dash.
Thankfully, Ad Age tempers its praise by turning a critical eye on the brand, citing the all-too-realness of the Kardashians’ reality shows as a danger to their brand. Recent press surrounding the potential “fake” wedding vows between Kim K. and NBA husband Kris Humphries could damage a brand that hinges heavily on creating a lust worthy lifestyle and reputation. According to Kris Jenner, keeper of the family brand, this is a smart move in itself. Momma Kris thinks that people love the transparency of the Kardashian Klan and long to see them grow. Showing the growth cycle means looking at the family as a whole-the good, the bad, and the ugly. Whatever the formula, the Kardashian brand seems to work despite the family’s general lack of talent, unless you consider their talent an unequivocal knack for being famous.
Don’t let the Kardashians spot on the Marketer A-List dissuade you from checking out the rest of the line-up. There’s some great ideas percolating about extending brands beyond coffee, beyond culture, and bringing it all back to the human. To review the rest of Ad Age’s Marketer A-Listers click here.
“It’s like being a policeman. You analyze people the minute they are in front of you. It can be very subtle. Shoes say a lot.” – Ari Versluis, Dutch Photographer
Ari Verslui and his creative partner Ellie Uyttenbro size people up the minute they meet them. They’re not judgmental per se, they’re just accustomed to categorizing people according to style and attitude.
You see, Verslui and Uyttenbro have been scanning the crowds for similar identities for years. This is all a part of their creative process for, “Exactitudes,” a photographic collection that explores the dress codes of various social groups. Their project is rooted in a basic theory: humans use clothing, behavior, and attitude to reflect originality and identity. Versluit and Uyttenbro both explore and demystify the concept of originality in their work by handpicking pedestrians who fit a specific identity to model their “look” in a studio photo shoot. Photos are then organized by social group and fit into a grid, defusing the appearance of individuality and originality. Photographed subjects represent such social groups as “teknohippies,” “bimbos,” and “gabberbitches.”
The fifth and most recent edition of “Exactitudes” features social identities culled from the Italian café scene. Photographic stills of sweater-frocked, prickly-bearded male “Americanos” and tight-lipped, fur-ensconced women of a certain age, a.k.a”Sciura Decaffeinatas” are featured. A compelling and interesting study in the incongruities between originality and conformity in style, this is a creative project to keep an eye on. Most importantly, Verslui and Uyttenbro dare to challenge the human quest for a special and unique identity. Their work invites everyone, even those who classify themselves as subcultural, to ask: “How original are we?”
To read more about the new edition of “Exactitudes” click here. Or here.
For those of you who follow all things fashion, your head is probably spinning from the blogosphere’s New York Fashion Week reports. But have you met the newest fashion week blogger, Marina? If you’ve been following Missoni for Target’s marketing campaign you’re probably familiar with the 25-foot tall marketing marvel. Yes, twenty-five feet tall. Marina is, in fact, a doe-eyed blogging mannequin/doll outfitted in a gigantic Missoni for Target dress and tights, easily recognizable by the fashion house’s signature zigzag design. She’s also styled with a chic mod haircut and armed with a larger-than-life smartphone (for blogging/social media purposes, of course). Marina certainly looks like a hip chick you’d like to follow on Twitter.
This week Marina will be available for just that. Flown in from Italy, Marina plans to spend her time in New York tweeting and Facebooking her whereabouts, contributing to Target and Missoni’s Tumblr blog, “All the Way Up Here,” and making special cameos at hot spots like the Missoni for Target pop-up store in midtown Manhattan. A genius move from NY ad agency, Mother, who lovingly crafted the super-sized model. For all purposes and intent, Marina appears to be the perfect concoction of fashion-forward style (cheap-chic courtesy of Target and Missoni), technology (she’s a living doll, well, kinda, her limbs are operated by puppeteers), and social media (Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr). She’s the ideal companion for New York Fashion Week and an eye-catching advertisement for Target’s latest line. Want to tweet with Marina? You can reach her at @MarinaWithStyle or via text at 1-917-409-7260. Or you can catch Marina over the weekend at these locations:
Friday, Sept. 9, 4 to 6 p.m.: Times Square (42nd Street and Broadway)
Friday, Sept. 9, 7:30 to 10 p.m.: Fifth Avenue at 58th Street
Saturday, Sept. 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Merchant’s Gate, Central Park
To see Marina in action, click on this link, scroll down to the small square box, click and press play.
