The Marketing Week – 30/8/2013
Welcome to The Marketing Week, your guide to the good, the bad and the ugly in the marketing industry over the last seven days.
CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK
MTV Catfish Season 2
To describe this campaign in too much detail would spoil the surprise – the video speaks for itself.
To promote the second season of American docudrama teen series Catfish, MTV appointed creative agency Ralph to design a video where fans of the show can “chat” live with the its stars. The video is being seeded via MTV UK’s social media platforms, MTV.co.uk and via paid-for promoted tweets.
The video hammers home the show’s core premise: that you never really know who you are chatting to online.
GOOD WEEK FOR
Cadbury
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzjM24AKijk
Cadbury had the Twittersphere buzzing this week after thousands of fans questioned whether it was behind a mysterious viral. The cringeworthy footage featured a hapless Romeo being slapped by his would-be bride after a failed marriage proposal in a packed out shopping centre. Observant viewers noted the chocolate maker’s branding emblazoned on a toy train that passes the ill-fated couple and surmised it was a stunt to promote its Bourneville brand. While Cadbury has yet to officially confirm its involvement, there can be no doubt that the cheeky video has lifted its profile during what is a traditionally quiet period for chocolate.
BAD WEEEK FOR
Unilever
Unilever was unable to escape the watchful gaze of the Advertising Standards Authority for the second week running when a Pot Noodle ad was banned for being “crass and degrading”. The FMCG brand, buoyed by the euphoria of having its much-criticised Marmite ad escape censure, was brought back down to earth with a bump when the watchdog ruled Pot Noodle’s comparison between between a girl posing in a “provocative” way and a food product in the spot was “sexist”.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Nespresso launches first Oz-focused campaign
Coffee brand Nespresso has opted to replace international superstar George Clooney with regular Ozzies in its latest Australian campaign, writes AdNews. The brand hopes that associating Nespresso with local faces will help tap into the “emotional side” of customers there.
Emirates shifts global media planning account
UAE-based Emirates Airlines has appointed Havas Media to take care of its global media planning activity, after a pitch which saw incumbent agency Starcom Mediavest lose out on the account estimated to be worth $150m.
ONE to WATCH
Foursquare
With start-ups such as Snapchat and Tinder emerging as the next big thing in the start-up world, it’s easy to forget some of the more long-standing names on the circuit. One such firm is location-based check-in service Foursquare. However, earlier this week rumours emerged from its New York base that it was in discussions with investors for further funding after its recently launched ad products delivered stronger than expected results. Foursquare’s chief revenue officer, Steven Rosenblatt, was reported to say its revenues were “well ahead of what we anticipated” since the launch.
TWEETS OF THE WEEK
Carlos Domingo, Telefonica Digital, director of product @CarlosDomingo
“Agree. Horrible UX RT @mashable: A call for Twitter to remove the new-look conversations with blue lines”
Google North and Central Europe product lead for mobile search monetisation Husseyin Savas @hsavas
OK Foursquare is now confident enough to start pushing proactive recommendations. That’s what computers are for. Congrats @dens
Alex Packham, social media manager at Sky’s Now TV @alexpackham
LinkedIn is so sticky now. I spend a lot of time reading on there and return visit much higher than previously.
Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson @richardbranson
Wince when I hear the words #outsidethebox but like the sentiment. Who can come up with a fresher phrase? http://virg.in/otb
Marketing consultant Sam Bridger @marketingmog
Is there a more unlikely ad scenario than that San Pelligrino water one? 3 blokes break into a hotel kitchen to cook & drink water?! Right..
DATES FOR THE DIARY
2 September The Premier League’s transfer window closes – ending the three big will they/won’t they sagas of Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez and Wayne Rooney. It looks likely Suarez and Rooney will stay put in the UK, but a move to Real Madrid for Bale may boost his sponsorship earnings to record levels.
3 September The Chartered Institute of Marketing and Bloomberg will hold their first “Growth Summit”, which will look in detail at the first full year results from the CIM’s Marketing Confidence Monitor.
3 September Pernod Ricard will host a roundtable to discuss its half-year results and industry trends.
6 September IFA, the annual consumer electronics event held in Berlin, begins. Rumoured product announcements expected include the Samsung Galaxy Gear smart watch, a flagship Xperia smartphone from Sony and LG’s tablet comeback.
