What do snackfoods and a 1970s Vegas icon have in common? Sales. Advertising's goal is making the product stand out from the rest. With more and more messages vying for consumer eyeballs, that’s becoming a tricky proposition. Enter the random ad—combining product with the bizarre to capture viewer attention. Agency Wieden + Kennedy has achieved a perfect balance for client Emerald Nuts with its 2007 Superbowl ad casting Robert Goulet as an evil villain who wreaks havoc on low-energy office workers. The message of the ad is simple: "The natural energy in Emerald Nuts helps you stay alert so Goulet won’t mess with your stuff." Goulet offers an inspired performance, eating postits, dancing on desks, pouring coffee in keyboards, and spider-walking across the ceiling (my favorite part!). Whether or not you enjoy nuts, fear decades-old lounge singers, or love quirky video, you owe it to yourself to follow the advice of Robert Goulet’s self-styled motto and "check it out."
OKGO is the new band known for their video shot entirely on treadmills. We went to their concert at Michigan State University recently. In addition to thoroughly enjoying the concert, I also enjoyed seeing their consistent use of vintage wallpaper-inspired patterns in nearly every aspect of their show, videos, cd packaging, even the shirt worn by the lead singer. With OKGO's latest album now loaded on my ipod, I've taken a new interest in looking for the use of these old-fashioned patterns in new-fashioned ways. I was surprised at how prevalent they've become. My colleague Don Burnett recently returned from Mix'07, and as we debriefed over coffee, I was pleased to see that the conference's cutting-edge website was rife with organic leaves and "swirly-doos." Perhaps in our modern world, it's comforting for us to see these natural patterns, much like we're peering through the leaves at jungle's edge, making sure no predators will get us when we emerge. In any regard, I think the use of patterns—vintage and otherwise—will continue to increase. One of the takeaways from my meeting with Don was how Microsoft's new Silverlight technology will allow designers to easily incorporate these patterns into our designs as layered images, moving backgrounds, animations, and more. It is a brave new world, wallpapered with exciting possibilities.
My sister-in-law is trying to convince me to run the Detroit Marathon with her this year, primarily because the recent mailing they sent out says we'll receive "An awesome 'Detroit Bling' commemorative finisher's medal." I swore in 2005, after finishing my second Detroit 26.2, and third marathon in total, that I was done for a while. But bling—even sight-unseen—might just tempt me back across the starting line. I often advise clients that when it comes to promo items, you have to think beyond the cheapest option, and you must absolutely get beyond pens, mugs, t-shirts, and water bottles. Some recent projects that underscore the emphasis on making items matter include:
Chelsea Aquatic Club Logo Dogtags
We created these items as end-of-season awards for the club members. They were so well received by the 7-13 year old swimmers they were used again the following season. Vendor: John Hales, Brand-It Promotional Products, Tecumseh, Michigan
University of Michigan College of Architecture + Urban Planning Polycarbonate Water Bottles
Water bottles were provided to members the college community to encourage using tap water. The selected bottles were insulated and could hold both hot and cold liquids—reducing the use of paper cups. Vendor: Carolyn Koblin, Stanley Thomas Inc. Royal Oak, Michigan
