I Am Iron Man
April 30, 2008
As far as super-hero movies go, Marvel Entertainment is the top dog. Marvel has created the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Daredevil and of course the Amazing Spider-Man. Iron Man is the latest action movie produced by Marvel that opens this week. And in the future Marvel has thousands of characters in their arsenal that could be brought to the big screen.
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The real hero here is 3D special effects. With studios such as George Lucas’s Industrial Light & Magic, there is no limit to what can be achieved on screen. Effects such as characters flying are now so realistic, that it’s hard to believe it was actually created on a computer.
Other heroes are storytelling and marketing. Stan Lee, the original publisher of Marvel Comics in the 60s and 70s, sold millions of comics because of his ability to tell great stories about real people. Well, if you consider people being bitten by a radioactive spider and attaining super powers real that is. And he also knew his target market. If only I had kept my original Iron Man comic books #1 through 10.
Take a Good Look at Your Website. Okay Now Look Away.
April 16, 2008
A fair number of people call me every week to take a look at their business website. Usually they are looking to improve the branding of their company. When I ask for the URL address of their website, a number of them preface the conversation by saying: “This isn’t what we want.” or “It’s really old.” or “Could you look at our competitors website instead”. I even had a person once say: “Please don’t look at our current website!” I guess that’s why they are calling for advice. These businesses are seeking to improve how they look to the world.
We’ve all seen websites that are successful and many that are not. How do you determine when it’s time for minor updates or wholesale changes? Below is a brief list of seven items for your review. If you answer “no” to any of these items, then it’s time for a redesign of your website.
- You are proud to show your website to anyone (not just your mom)
- The content accurately describes your business
- The information is up-to-date and relevant
- It’s easy for someone interested in your services to contact you
- Your website has been redesigned within the past year
- You’ve had more than 50 visitors in one day
- You spend more time on your own website than a competitors
By carefully looking at every page of your website you can determine the next step. Of course, if that’s a painful process then it’s time for an overhaul.
Super Bowl Commercial Top 5, Number 1
February 8, 2008
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Number 1, Budweiser takes the top prize for the best commercial on this year’s Super Bowl with its Bud-Lite spot. Of the 97.5 million viewers this year, a Super Bowl record, the majority of viewers are male, beer-drinking individuals who love football. This is an audience tailored-made for Budweiser. Although this is not an epic TV commercial such as the original ’1984‘ by Apple Computer, it was a hit with the target audience.
Super Bowl Commercial Top 5, Number 2
February 7, 2008
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Number 2, FedEx created a wild TV commercial for this years Super Bowl. It features an office that decides to use carrier pigeons to deliver all of their packages. However, larger packages require larger birds. Visually, the spot is well directed. The FedEx website landing page for this commercial could have been a lot more creative. Tomorrow, we will feature the number one Super Bowl XLII commercial.
Super Bowl XLII Commercials: Number 3 - Budweiser
February 6, 2008
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Number 3, Budweiser is the top dog (no pun intended) when it comes to Super Bowl advertising. They were the only advertiser to run seven commercials during the event this year. And at 2.7 million dollars per 30 second spot, Budweiser takes the Super Bowl audience seriously. Fortunately, there was a record audience to watch the New York Giants defeat the New England Patriots.
One would expect that any company who spends those kind of dollars on one event would create a memorable commercial. Budweiser went back to the well and produced a spot featuring the Clydesdale horses. Using the ‘Rocky’ theme song, the storyline revolved around a horse that didn’t make the cut, then was trained for a year by a Dalmatian. Of course, the horse made the team the following year. It was one of the few Super Bowl commercials that actually told a positive and uplifting story.
Super Bowl Commercial Top 5, Number 4
February 5, 2008
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Number 4, Tide developed a creative Super Bowl commercial and website for their Tide-to-Go product. The commercial starts with a basic job interview. However, the employer cannot hear what the candidate is saying because a stain on the candidate’s shirt is speaking at the same time and interrupting the whole interview process.
I found this spot to very funny and original. It is one of the best Super Bowl commercials this year in featuring the product’s main benefit, which is to remove stains. As a theme, ‘Silence the stain instantly’ could be better, but there is a great website tie-in for the product as well.
Super Bowl Commercial Top 5, Number 5
February 4, 2008
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The Super Bowl is over and the New York Giants have pulled off one of the greatest upsets in football history. There was also another competition between companies that produced the best commercial that ran during the Super Bowl. Each spot spent around 2.7 million dollars for the 30 second placement. USAToday has the 2008 ad-meter ratings, and over the next 5 days I will give my humble opinion on the the top 5 most creative and memorable Super Bowl commercials for 2008.
Starting at number 5, Bridgestone created a terrific spot featuring screaming animals and people reacting to impending doom for a squirrel in the middle of road. Because the car has Bridgestone tires, the driver is able to easily maneuver around the animal. Great brand identity featuring the product in use. I especially liked the tiny insect scream.
Apple Commercials Continue to be Funny
January 23, 2008
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Apple continues to create TV commercials that are funny and extend the brand. A recent Apple commercial, ‘Quote’, is another in a series of ads featuring the characters ‘Mac’ and ‘PC’. The spot promotes Leopard (their new operating system) and the reaction by ‘PC’.
Citibank Shows the Danger of Exercise
December 13, 2007
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Using unexpected humor can help identify your brand. A Citibank commercial shows the lighter side of defective merchandise while promoting their service. People love to laugh at themselves, so you don’t have to be serious about your product or service all of the time.
Knorr Frozen Entrees Uses a Bad Word
December 12, 2007
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Knorr Frozen Entrees has taken a different approach to reach their target audience. To get your attention, their TV commercial uses a bad word. It’s creative, interesting and it works. Think ouside-the-box with your target audience and you will attract attention to your company’s website as well.
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