Links [Copied Edition]

I love reading Copyranter - especially his link updates. He's just posted his recent faves and he has a link to a Brad J Lamb ad that is all over Toronto right now (and it's brutal). Lamb is known as one of the major real estate guys in the city and his team dominates condo sales in the city. That being said, all of his ads are horrid and I'm glad people are starting to call him out on them. Check out Copyranter if you've never read it and if you're in real estate, please think of an idea that doesn't involve your head on a bus stop.

Well...there is a reason this was banned...

Inspired from a recent AdRants posts. I can see how a creative team might have gone this route (after all, it is a condom brief) but think that there is better work in the 'category' out there.

On another note, I'm headed on vacay this week so the post will be minimal. Feel free to send me and PJC stuff in your spare time and we will be sure to put it up. Thanks for reading.

Top 5 Wired Articles [March]

Just plowed through this month's issue of Wired. Here are 5 stories you've got to check out:

• A great (true) story about the largest robbery ever - over $100 million in diamonds stolen from one of the most secure places in the world
• Clive Thompson provides a short perspective on how to manage user generated comments in a way that doesn't piss people off. Fascinating read and worth it for anyone who has clients who want to be sure they can 'manage' he conversation in the social media space (even though you could argue that this isn't really...well...possible)
  
• Apple is challenging the tech world to their 'Touch' technology. This lawsuit is going to get ugly
• 7 simple ways that the US can fix the energy grid and get on the road to environmental enlightenment
• Check out how scientists are creating a map of the brain - pretty intense stuff

Once again, Wired doesn't let you down.

How Should Blogs be Ranked?

I came across a recent article in Marketing Magazine (our nemesis for the time being...) about their favorite marketing and advertising blogs. What interested me wasn't the list itself, but how the authors choose the blogs in the first place. In typical fashion, they were simply accompanied by a headline and their list of favorites - no reasoning or description provided.

While a agree with a number of their choices, I'd like to know a bit more about the blogs that they considered but didn't make the final 'cut'. (yes...this is AdJoke related...)

The list aside, however, it got me thinking about how blogs should be ranked. Sites like Technorati or Google Blog search provide users with different methods of ranking and creating lists - from authority scores to tag-based results. Alexa provides a decent look at web numbers in terms of traffic and page views but is this really the furthest we've come?

Obviously, any list should be based on a combination of a few key metrics (daily uniques, bounce rate, long-term return visits, tagging, etc). But I also think we should have a forum of 'marketing experts' - people like Seth Godin, Armano, Mitch Joel, Advergirl - who have one list that is optimized on a monthly basis based on what blogs they find most important to inform and educate themselves on everything marketing and ad related.

Think about how cool that would be for ad folks out there. I'd much rather read about what the top folks in the industry find interesting than the top 10 results that come up for 'Advertising blogs' in a Google search. Plus, I don't think it would be that hard to do.

Ad Age has a part of their Power 150 ranking that has a guy (Todd) who reads every blog on the list (there are over 960) each month and provides his personal score out of 20 for each blog (it can change on a monthly basis if the content gets better or worse...pretty much whatever Todd thinks.)

The total ranking uses a number of different metrics ( like Google, Yahoo tags, Technorati score, etc) but I like the idea that there is some "Super-blog reader" out there who influences the final outcome of the list.

Although Adjoke isn't very high on the rankings, Todd has given us a 13 out of 20. Considering that of the top 50 blogs only 5 have a higher Todd ranking (14 is the highest I've seen), it's not bad...not bad at all.

What's the point of all this? That traditional metrics aren't enough. We need a human factor because the quality of the content can't simply be defined unique visits or page views.

There are thousands of great blogs out there and most might never be discovered. Send us any that you love, that aren't in the top 10 of some random list and that are worth reading. We promise to share them (in no particular order, of course).

New Honda

W+K has just launched a new spot for Honda. As per usual, the work is very good and the concept is getting a ton of coverage across Europe. What I've always loved about the Honda work is that they think big. With an positioning about the Power of Dreams, you pretty much have too.

Shaping the Conversation

Once again, President Obama is using the internet to get his message out the way he wants. Over the last week, he has gone on a national tour to promote his economic package and get the message out to American's that the economy is on the road to recovery.

On Tuesday, he had a large question and answer session with the national press. You've probably seen this before: he stands at a podium in the Whitehouse and answers poignant questions from the White House Press Corps. All well and good - especially if you are over 50 and don't really use mediums other than news and TV to get your daily intake of the news.

But Obama realizes that he's missing a huge portion of Americans by only having a large press conference - most notably, younger citizens who were a key reason why he won the election in the first place.

To get his message to them, he's doing something very simple but revolutionary - especially when it comes to the Presidency - he's hosting an session online where he takes questions from anyone. The session is occuring today and the White House reports that by 7AM this morning there were over 77,000 questions already submitted. Obama will answer key questions and use the forum to continue his public campaign to spread the word about the state of the economy.

Detractors would say that this is just a stunt. That real people who submit quesions have an extremely low chance of having them answered and that the Moderators will just pick the layups that best-fit Obama's pre-determined responses. Maybe.

For the people who actually do get a question through, it will be a pretty cool feeling ("Hey mom, Barack just answered one of my questions!"). I think the people who should be really interested in this approach, though, are onces who have made their living as 'traditional' journalists.

Here is the message Obama is sending to them: "You don't control the whole story anymore. I will get my message out, my way."

In the past, the White House question period was one of the most important parts of the democratic process. Veteran reporters, through their investigations and stories, asked educated questions and reported back to the world how the President and his team responded. They shaped the stories that the world consumed and that was that.

Now Obama is using the web to speak directly - on a one to one level - with his citizens.

For brands out there who are still afraid of blogging or getting involved in the conversation, this should be the greatest example ever of how to show them that you must participate actively to get your message out properly. If you're brand thinks it would be hard (due to the types of comments they might get or the conversation that might be generated), imagine how tough it would be for a President.

MINI Does it Again

This quote says it all:

"I think we're in a viral!"

It's about time a smart-brand made fun of all the fake viral vids out there. Loving this.



From Adrants

Fallon has learned a few things...

I like the Fallon blog. It always has a great presentation once a month on a hot topic and it's full of cool insights that any ad planner would be interested in.

They've been blogging for over two years now and have put together a quick deck (below) on some of their key learnings. My favorite part is how they show how a simple blog can enhance the mentions and image of the agency as a whole.

Fallon Brainfood: Agency Blog Secrets Revealed!

View more presentations from akispicer.

RIP Viewfinder

I never thought this day would come. Reading last week's issue of The Economist tonight, I stumbled upon a short article about the death of the Viewfinder.

Fisher-Price, the manufacturer of the device that has been a staple of Americana for the last 70 years, announced the elimination of the toy due to declining sales. Sure, the web is more exciting and you can pretty see anyplace in the world with a quick, click of a button but the Viewfinder was a great toy. As I kid, I used to love looking into these things and watching a show about the latest Disney character or random far-off place. It was simple and sweet.

"In all," the Economist writes, "more that 1.5 billion [Viewfinder] reels have been produced, everyone to the same size and format, and usable in every model of Viewer ever made."

That's a ton of content and a lot of cool memories. I love the web but I'm going to miss this little guy.

Simple Navigation Makes a Big Difference

A super-smart colleague of mine just helped LG launch their new US website. It was a massive undertaking and as result of some smart planning, the new experience is slick, simple and very user friendly.

What I love most about this site is the navigation on the left-hand site. I love how it always stays with you. To a user not in the digital space, you'd never think about how intuitive the nav is, you'd just be happy that it works seamlessly and you know exactly where you are within the site.

But if you look closer, you can see that the navigation allows you to scroll back and forth without changing your current page or hitting the dreaded "Back" button. Why does this matter? Because in large sites you can get lost - quickly. And you can often miss what you are looking for because a capable IA hasn't thought about how the content should be structured and flow.

These ideas are never given enough credit - they're not the sexy 60 second spot or the cool Facebook app. But they matter and allow brands to keep consumers feeling good about them (and help them find what they are looking for...a key step in any purchase decision).

Great idea, Jenna, and nice work to all the LG team who worked on the redesign.

Some Cool TV

AdAge's article on the month's most liked TV spots got me thinking about some of the new advertsing out there. Here are two worth checking out.

Coke - 102
This feels like old Coke too me - all brand and feel good. It's a nice idea and I hope that the guy is real.


Microsoft - Kid
I'm not a big fan of the "I'm a PC" work. It started off with a huge splash with all that Jerry and Bill stuff and really fell off the map after the big-celeb filled 60 launched. My guess is that this is all over the US in all types of mediums but up North, we don't see much of the big Green giant. Still, this is one of my favorite spots of the campaign. A bit scary when you consider that every 4 and a half year-old is probably more tech savvy than 90% of people 30+ in the world.

The Rookies: Kylie, Age 4 ½ from Windows Videos on Vimeo.

Minority Report - It's Here

I've always thought that Minority Report was a cool movie from an advertising sense. The idea that billboards could have eye scans that would access our data and create targeted messages just for us seems crazy - until you realize that many digital sites and online ads (um...Facebook?) are getting close to this.

Still, the real world seems like a safe place. Until you watch this TED talk.



Simply astounding. The idea that you could look someone in the eye on the street and instantly find out their interests, their hobbies and..well..their information is crazy. Sure, I can find out about you after we meet by Google-ing your name but still...I've got to wait a few minutes.

The applications for this technology are endless. If they make it look cooler and a bit less intrusive, it's going to be big. Maybe not in 5 years...but soon enough.

Southwest Rap [Give this guy a raise]

Props to PJC for finding this bad boy (I stole the post). If I'm an executive at Southwest airlines, I give this guy a small bonus and a few free flights for his family and friends. This is going to get big. Nothing like some good old family fun every once and a while.

Great Advice from KR

We've posted about Kevin Roberts before (he's the CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi worldwide) but I loved his recent post so much I had to blog it.

Roberts talks about how easy it is to become sidetracked - especially during a stressful, economic time. There is always so much going on, too much work to get through in the day and not enough time to really think about the things that matter - in life and in work. So how do you overcome the stress and the huge pile of papers on your desk?

Make a list.

Kevin suggests these 5 key things for your list (that you should make Tomorrow):

1. Refer to your 100 Day Plan. (Saatchi operates under the idea of creating 100 day plans in order to accomplish the important goals that can't wait. I love this idea and think it has huge potential wherever you work)
   
2. List what needs to be done next.
3. Start each item with a verb. You want a list of real, physical actions you will take.
4. Cross off at least half the items on your list. Decide what’s to go and what’s to stay based on importance, not urgency.
5. Get started.

Simple, straightforward and upfront.

It's funny but isn't this exactly how great campaigns are created? A single-minded message, a straightforward brief and a strong point. Most importantly, great work requires focus. Ignore the stuff around the edges and just focus on what matters.

But remember, write it down first.

Diddy talks Twitter

Follow his tweets at @iamdiddy

Follow mine at @pcrowe

Samsungs Best Effort to date? The viral continues

Well Samsungs back with another viral video. I am not sure where they found these guys but good for them.

Check out some of their other efforts here and here

Training for the big game

Really enjoy this new video from the folks at Lowe. To help promote a soccer game on April 1st between Uzbekistan and Australia, Lowe created this video (which has gone viral) and a few TV spots.

It's along the lines of the usual "Is it real?" video but I like the concept and think it's pretty funny.

Have a Website? You Need to Read This...

A few months ago, someone once challenged me on my web 'knowledge' (not that I have much). It was an in the moment, fun insult but the proof point about my lack of knowledge was the fact that I didn't read the official Google Blog. I laughed it off in the meeting and, when it was over, ran straight to my browser and added the blog to my Reader.

Turns out the joke was on me. The Google blog is sweet.

Not only does it give anyone access into one of the most forward-looking digital companies, it provides users with excellent tips and tricks for all their web endeavors.

Take their series on creating a great website. The first post discusses how to use Google analytics to your advantage. It's a quick read and well worth it.

The second is more about site design. Google's top four tips?

• Tip #1: Pass the 8 second test. At first glance, a visitor should understand the purpose of your website within a few seconds. People are busy and have limited attention spans — you want to keep them from hitting the dreaded back button.
• Tip #2: Tell them what's in it for them. Create clear and tangible benefits (e.g., "Save more! Make extra money! Look better with our product!").
• Tip #3: Use compelling images. Try product images instead of generic stock photos, icons with blocks of text, and buttons instead of links. Keep in mind that a low-quality, irrelevant image can kill your site's credibility.
• Tip #4: Close the sale. Help your visitors take the next step. Make that step clear and easy to reach; don't make them hunt for it. Action words like "buy now" may work better than "add to cart," for instance.

Great thoughts - especially the 8 second test. How many sites have you been too where you just don't know where to begin let alone click? Read the full post here.

Twitter StreamGraphs: Real Time Visuals

Mashable has a great post today about 6 visualization tools for Twitter. I've been playing with a few of them and Twitter StreamGraphs is one worth testing out. It takes real-time Tweeds against a key word of your choice and gives you a great visual (that's recent...the picture above is from the last 8 hours or so) about how your term is being used - based on the last 1000 Tweeds that have the term in it.

This tool is valuable when it comes to understanding how users are talking about your brand. I used "Skittles" as a test and you can see some of the different associations with it over the last couple of days (for some reason 'kill' is now appearing, most likely because everyone at SXSW is sick of hearing about the social marketing campaign that recently launched).

Test it out against the brand you're working on if you have a minute. I guarantee if you send the visual through to your client they will think you are a novice social media expert.

Changing the Game

In times of recession, businesses and brands either panic or reinvent themselves for the better. They change their business model and give their consumers something different - a new product or service, a new way to engage or ask them for their opinion or, simply, a message that surprises them and forces them to think differently about what they previously thought about your brand.

Take the Florida Panthers. For years, they've been a team in the NHL that has been on the wrong side of winning. Losing records and a market more interested in the NBA lead to low ticket sales. Florida isn't Toronto and they need to do whatever they can to get people into the games. And by people I don't mean crazed Hockey fans, but casual viewers as well.

That's why I love Randy Miller so much. Miler has been the announcer for the Panthers for the past few seasons and is also the host of a popular radio show. One day on his show, he asked his listeners to send in recommendations on pop cultural references from Hollywood movies and Randy guaranteed that he would try to insert them into his actual NHL broadcast after the Panthers scored a goal. Sounds fun doesn't it?

Within a few weeks, he had hundreds of submissions and the broadcasts started to slightly change. Here's a clip of some of the latest:



Game changing. I love it and wish that I could watch every game with Randy announcing it. Imagine the possibilities and the added excitement around a goal being scored. It's sweet, fun and different - three key things to think about when you're trying to change a product that's been the same for the last 100 some-odd years. It also asks people to be involved in something that's been closed to the public forever. With Randy, I now have a vested interest in the game (and the goals) with the hopes that he will read my suggestion.

Sure - there are people that don't like this. It hurts the game, takes the focus away from it. Whatever. As a casual fan, this is sweet. Next time in Florida, I'll swing by a game just to hear Randy scream out the calls.

Thanks to Dave for the heads up!

Woa...

It's been a busy couple of days. PJC and I have been working on some fun new business stuff and AdJoke has been neglected. I promise a ton of cool stuff this week so please don't give up on us. We will be back soon.

A Different Approach to Cell Phone Advertising

You can't deny it - Droga 5 has done some great stuff in the last few years.

A collegue of mine just flipped me a link to this spot from Australia:



I really like the "hit them hard" strategy of this spot. The tone of the voice at the end brings some good humour to the spot in contrast to the first 70 seconds of good, old fashioned heartwarmingness.

The spot captures the feeling that a lot of people have about their cell phone provider: hate.

Long contracts, legal, 'too good to be true plans' and add-on pricing has done this to telcos everywhere. Some are better than others, no doubt, but Droga 5's work doesn't let any of them leave untarnished.

When you check out the microsite, you can watch some good comic videos about the services and also explore what Net10 is, how it works and - most importantly - how your current cell phone comany is evil.

I really enjoyed the site experience - it's simple, the tools at utility that's practical (not just how much I would save but stores that are close to me and even a tool to help find someone to take over my current contract).

A good campaign from start to finish. And one that doesn't pull any punches.

I Know Times are Tough But...

In the last two days, we've seen some examples of marking and ad people going to the streets and the web to show companies how great they would be. While I completely sympathize with anyone who has recently been laid off due to the current economic circumstances, some of the tactics that have been going on take things a bit far.

For example, last week in Toronto a guy stood on a street corner with a megaphone, telling anyone who passed by that he was a qualified marketer looking for a respectable company to work for. I assume that he used this tactic to 'generate buzz' about himself but a quick Twitter search shows that nothing really registered.

While I applaud out of the box thinking, I don't know if I could see a managing partner or creative director approaching this guy and give him an interview on the street. Maybe you'd quickly pass him a card and tell him to get in touch later, but the situation (and mega phone) don't really create a comfortable environment for the director of HR to come and chat with you.

In another attempt, Shawn Norman Stewart created this video - called "Dear Droga 5: Please Hire Me!" and sent it to the agency:



The spirit of the guy is clear - he desperately wants a job at a top shop. But are these guys looking for desperation, or potential? It takes someone who is super-keen and ambitions to succeed in the ad world and for creatives, it also takes a ton of talent. This might get him in the door (which I'm sure was his goal) but he's going to quickly have to prove that he can do more than low-quality videos to make it at Droga 5.

Again...the effort is there. But are the days of cold calling the CD or walking into a few dozen lobby's with your CV over?

What do you think? Good idea or useless stunt?

The Links

Some great stuff you may have missed over the last few weeks:

• Seth Godin explains the power of a New York city panhandler
• Like random Japanese TV shows? How about one with a Helicopter opening a beer bottle?
• Great list of 20 iPhone apps that you need to have
• Ford is trying to be more social - by bribing Americans everywhere.
• Advergirl puts together her list of 10 authentic brands (Montreal is one of them)
• Adnews released their Digital Agencies of the Year (yes...Razorfish is top again)
• Think that your cell phone bill is too high? Let new start-up Validas tell you what you should be paying (for a small fee, of course)
• Now THIS IS SWEET. YouTube: Remixed.
• Read Perez Hilton? The #1 site that gives him most of his traffic? (Hint: it's NOT Google)

And my final (non-link) is a video you should check out:

Vanilla Ice Does Virgin

Virgin Australia has launched a new campaign called "Right Music Wrongs." The campaign, created by the Droga5 crew, focuses on artists (like Vanilla Ice) apologizing for the music, culture and news they created back in the day.



A small microsite has been created which allows users to upload artists who the think are guilty of Music Wrongs and there are already a few dozen there.

For a simple site, it's got a nice look and a straightforward approach. Virgin stands for music and this is a nice campaign from a brand perspective. But if they are trying to raise awareness for a new concert series or product, it falls a bit short.

Via Adverblog.