A Dummy's Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Puppet
Mannequin American views and guidelines on marketing/PR trends plus bits of humor and interesting but useless information. For information on Chip's background, go to http://www.dale-brown.com/.
I'm Not Here
I'm on vacation. Actually, I'm home. Dale and Leslie are on vacation. I'm house sitting. So if you want a beer, come on over. I'm taking time out of my vacation to write blogs to make sure that you continue to be informed and amused. I hope you do the same for me someday.
First to Leslie and Dale. After Dale retired from racing he searched for a new hobby. His choice ... sailing ... more specifically, sailing a 48 foot yacht. Unfortunately, he has never been on a sailboat in his life. So he and Leslie are at a three day introductory sailing boot camp this week. Then they will board a 48 foot boat like the one pictured above, and will live aboard that boat for 8 days while learning how to sail. Assuming that they don't kill each other fighting over who will hoist the mainsail, they should come back tanned and seaworthy. At least that's the plan. (I neglected to point out to them that they will be sailing in the Gulf of Mexico during peak Hurricane season. Oh, well, I'm sure they'll figure it out.)
No Wonder Women are so Difficult to Understand
Ladies, have a look at this ad featuring skinny supermodel Kate Moss. How does it make you feel? Let me tell you how it makes you feel: It makes you hate your own body, but really want to purchase that handbag Kate Moss is advertising! What am I, psychic? No, I'm just a Mannequin American telling you what the advertising industry discovered in a breakthrough study about skinny models. Women love to hate themselves and keep coming back for more. Hey, don't kill the messenger ... I'm as surprised as anyone.
The new study found that "ads featuring thin models made women feel worse about themselves but better about the brands featured." They make you despise your own "normal" body, and "subconsciously" try to correct the situation by buying the brand that's advertised.
The Villanova professor who ran the study ferreted out just what advertisers bank on: masochism. "The really interesting result we're seeing across multiple studies is that these thin models make women feel bad, but they like it," he said. "I'd be cautious about using models in advertising that wouldn't maximize the attitudes and evaluations of the advertising and the brands," he added.
No telling what this means for Spanx.
PSA's Can Be Done Well
Campbell-Ewald has done some pro bono campaign work for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The commercials define parental responsibility down to the simple act of spending time with the kids. The 30-second PSA is sure to put a smile on your face. Even these wooden lips cracked a smile. Now I have to go get some touch-up paint. Check the PSA out here.
In the Opposite Direction
I'm not the type to get outraged by "sin." I figure we all do it to differing degrees and with differing amounts of humiliation and repentance. But I must admit that even I was surprised to learn that a rather effective ad for an over-the-line service had appeared on ESPN. It was for the Web site AshleyMadison.com, which is a sort of a Match.com for extramarital trysts. Are you kidding me? The tagline: "Life is short. Have an Affair," is repulsive even to me ... and I'm hard to repulse. ESPN needs to get some class. Oh that's right, it's saturated with overpaid athletes who think they're important. That's about as "un-classy" and repulsive as it gets.
Egotistical Marketing Doesn't Work
One thing I've learned working in marketing for over 25 years ... you "people-types" love to talk about yourselves. In brochures you tell other people-types how wonderful you are and blather on about your innovative products and excellent services. It's all about you.
Want a tip? Your prospects don't care about you. They care about themselves.
For content to be effective, it has to be about your targeted audience, not about your company or your services. Don't talk at prospects; talk about prospects. People love to discuss themselves. They love hearing about themselves even more. They want to feel as if someone cares... as if someone is listening to and acknowledging them.
People want to hear you hearing them.
A Dummy's Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Puppet
Mannequin American views and guidelines on marketing/PR trends, news from the world of puppets and ventriloquism, bits of humor and other interesting but useless information. I post every Tuesday and Friday. For information on this puppet's background, go to http://www.dale-brown.com/.
If You're Not "Clicking" at Work, "Click" at Home
According to my tracking software, more than half of my readers don't "click" on the links that are highlighted throughout each blog post. What?? I try to include links that will educate, entertain and make readers "water-cooler-worthy" conversationalists.
I understand that many of you read this "research-oriented" blog at work and you may not be allowed to view videos. If that's the case, view them at home. They're worth it. (The link in the following article is a great example. Don't miss it.) Links to web sites and general information are put here to inform, educate and sometimes provide a smile.
By not clicking on my links you're depressing my research team whose feelings are easily wounded. (... and whose bonuses are based on "clicks.")
If Your "Network" Shows Up for Real, It's Really Funny
This is clever and it made everyone in our office who previewed it, smile. In fact it's so clever and entertaining that I'm surprised that Verizon hasn't done more with it. In the video, a guy is standing in a park and he makes a call from his cell phone. When he turns around he sees the entire Verizon network crowd from the TV commercials behind him. The group follows him around the park while he's trying to explain to his friends what's happening. The closing tagline reads, "Where will The Network show up next?" This could become interesting if they do more of them.
It's a bit sad that this video has been on YouTube since July 15 and it only has 5,282 views. I think they need to learn how to do a better job of promoting what is to this point, a viral campaign.
Who Can I Sue?
A new Web site called Whocanisue.com will launch in September with a multimillion dollar marketing push. The site will match plaintiffs and attorneys and it's currently seeking attorneys to participate.
Here's what the founder says about the site. "The name makes it sound nefarious, (ya think?) but it's not," said Curtis A. Wolfe, a practicing attorney and CEO of Whocanisue.com. "There's a need in online legal marketing for a solution that's not just a directory service." Wolfe then poked himself in the eye with a swizzle stick and immediately filed suit against the stick manufacturer, the liquor company, the bar, the bartender and his wife who had paid for the drink. (Okay, I made that part up.)
The site will allow users to peruse content about their legal interests and potential claims and take a 5- to 10-question confidential screening "path" that lets them know if they're qualified for a particular claim. As consumers complete their questionnaires, they'll receive up to five ads for attorneys in their local area who bid on those ad placements in real time. The user can then choose an attorney and connect with him or her via instant messaging or phone.
Sort of reminds me of the joke, "Q: What do you call 20 dead attorneys at the bottom of a swimming pool? A: A good start." My apologies to Ron Petak and the handful of other non-ambulance-chasing solicitors.
In Marketing, Change for Change Sake is Costly
Marketers have a tendency to get tired of their successes far sooner than customers or prospects do. The reality is that when you hit upon a really good marketing program, you need to stick with it for awhile. Maybe you can't foresee a 100-year-plus commitment like Michelin has, but how about more than a decade? American Express has offered exclusives for gold- and platinum-card members for more than 20 years. And scores of company's have used "mascots" for decades to help people immediately associate mascot visuals with particular companies. There's nothing wrong with periodic upgrades to ensure that your marketing bucks never stop working ... but don't change just for change sake.
Broken Link
I know. I know. I received several emails informing me that my link to the spoof Guinness commercial just went to YouTube, and not to the ad. I'm sorry. And I now have a good gauge on the types of links my readers prefer ... those that go to half naked women.
I think the link broke because the ad got pulled and re-published. As I said before, the ad illustrates the pleasures of multitasking among friends ... while naked. Guinness is acting like it's really upset over the ad. Meanwhile the brand is getting worldwide publicity with few complaints from normal people. And trust me, Guinness is not "really" upset about it.
Click on the link above and try again. I'm pretty sure it will work.
His is Bigger Than Yours
A Russian billionaire has christened his futuristic superyacht 'A' so nothing can precede it in the list of all-time great vessels. Andrey Melnichenko, 36, had his boat custom-built so he and his wife can traverse the world's oceans in luxury - and cast-iron safety.
Launched by the same German company that built the Bismarck, the 390 ft. steel yacht is like a modern-day dreadnought. The razor-sharp bow will cut through Arctic ice. Clamshell doors at the rear open upwards, James Bond style, to release two 30 ft. speedboats. It burns an economical 700 gallons of fuel per hour. The bed in the master suite rotates so the inhabitants always have the best view of the ocean ... (wouldn't it typically all look the same?)
In short, the guy went overboard for this boat. For more info on all of the amazing features of ‘A,' go here.
Depicting Murder is Okay ... Showing Skin, Not so Okay
We all know that it's okay to blow up stuff on TV, kill and torture people on TV and show gruesome details of all types of real-life accidents on TV. But show a fleeting glimpse of a human body part and the country freaks out. This is America after all, and in America nudity is bad. Nudity is something to be shunned. Sex is bad. Sex is nasty and should never be thought about. Put a potato sack over it. (Never mind that most of us will never kill someone, but most of us are likely to have sex. It's still better to show scenes of the former and pretend the latter doesn't happen.)
Anyway, that's why a new advertising campaign featuring Eva Mendes for Calvin Klein's Secret Obsession has been banned, after being deemed too risqué for TV. Now if she would have killed someone in the ad that would have been okay.
A Dummy's Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Puppet
Mannequin American views and guidelines on marketing/PR trends plus bits of humor and interesting but useless information. For information on Chip's background, go to http://www.dale-brown.com/.
The Use of Humor in Business Settings
For my money, the use of humor is one of the most underrated tools in a business to business marketing/communications tool chest.
Humor creates rapport, defuses tough situations, endears you to co-workers, and puts hair on your chest. Well, maybe not the last one, but you get the idea. Too many business people think they have to act a certain way, a serious way, in order to be taken seriously. Of course that is sometimes true, but probably not as often as they may think.
Even in this wireless, tuned-in, 24/7 world of e-commerce and instantaneous global communications, business is still about relationships. And humor helps build and bond "relationships."
I've been invited to take part in serious business, sales, distributor and employee events for a lot of companies including J.I. Case, S.C. Johnson, Kohler Company, A.O. Smith, Tandy, G.E. Medical, Master Lock and many others. Often I'm on stage with the president of the company or another executive. I'm there to get attention, add some humor, reinforce key messages and help put management in a more favorable, approachable light. And it works.
(Me and a younger Dale appear with the President of A.O. Smith at an Employee Product Quality Meeting.)
What's the key to effective comedy in business settings? For my money, whenever possible, involve a monkey. Unfortunately that's not usually practical. So beyond that, people like people who do not take themselves too seriously. Making fun of yourself subliminally signals that you are confident, secure and easygoing. Who wouldn't want to do business with someone like that?
But you need not just use self-effacing humor to be effective; really, almost any type will work. Whether it is a joke you memorized, the quick wit of a well-timed jab or just a humorous observation, humor in the workplace works. This all said, a few words of caution are also in order:
Don't use stereotypes
Avoid racy humor
Avoid sexist humor
The bottom line: Lighten up! Crack a joke. Have some fun and don't be so serious. A light touch goes a long way. If you need help, just give me a call or email Dale at dale.l.brown@bmpr.com. He's had a hand in my corporate programs for quite a while.
Louie Loses His Head
Here's Dale and Louie the Jockey doing some entertaining and education during their "Comedy Writing" workshop. (Books and videos are still available at http://www.dale-brown.com/ )
What workshop attendees didn't see was this bit of "behind-the-scenes" puppet examination and diagnosis. In the photo below, Dale holds Louie's head while our friend and Mannequin American internist, Dan Fry, used a flashlight to analyze an elusive, intermittent squeak. The cure? Louie took two quick shots of silicone spray. The only side effect was that he slurred his words for next the couple of hours.
What's That Smell in the Movie Theatre? It's an Ad.
Popcorn, and perhaps body odor, are the scents usually associated with movie theatres. But in a European cinema you might just smell bread, chocolate or whatever else an advertiser wants you to. A company called Cinescent is giving marketers the chance to pump out the scents of their brands in German theaters, where it first tested the technology for Beiersdorf's Nivea. Exit polls showed a 515% rise in recall for the Nivea ad compared with moviegoers who saw the spot without the scent.
For the test, a specially-made 60-second spot showed a typical sunny beach scene with people lying around on deck chairs and sunbathing on towels while waves crashed and seagulls cried in the background. As people wondered what the ad was for, the scent of Nivea sun cream permeated the cinema and a Nivea logo appeared on screen along with the words "Nivea. The scent of summer."
The technique is dubbed "endorphin branding" and claims to provide dynamic psychological and emotional triggers that can enhance sales.
If they can do it for ads, eventually this technology may be available for the movies as well. Just think how the smell of gunpowder, burning rubber and sweat could have enhanced all those Rambo movies.
Only in America
Artist Peter Gronquist's designer weapons called "The Revolution Will be Fabulous: A Weapons of Mass Designer Show" were on display at Gallery 1988 this past May.
The collection includes guns, semi-automatics, chainsaws and rocket launchers clad in designer fabrics and adorned with luxury logos by Gucci, Hermes, Prada, Dior and others. Prices start at $3,000 for the weapons shown here. Once again proving that in American, anything can be called "art." Click here for more photos.
A Dummy's Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Puppet
Mannequin American views and guidelines on marketing/PR trends plus bits of humor and interesting but useless information. For information on Chip's background, go to http://www.dale-brown.com/.
Check Out These Three Marketing Web Sites
Laugh at NOLAF
My latest source of advertainment is NOLAF (the National Organization for Legislation Against Fun). NOLAF is an undemanding time-waster. So if you're a government employee, I just made your day. It's a very clever Web site and offers lots of laughs. But does it sell? That's for you to determine.
Here's How to Save Water
Conservation can be funny! Here's a link to Sukle Advertising + Design. The site is clever and worth a look. But the reason I went there was to see their promotion for Denver Water. Believe me, you'll enjoy this. When you get to the site, click on the "Denver Water" button in the upper left-hand corner. You'll get an ad with flowers in it. But click on the "forward button" at the bottom of the page to see how they promoted water conservation during a University of Colorado football game. Listen closely to what the P.A. announcer says and laugh along with everyone in the stadium. Or just click here to see the promotion on YouTube.
Guinness Sexed
And finally, here's a spoof Guinness ad from illegaladvertising.com that illustrates the pleasures of multitasking among friends ... while naked. It's office friendly, but be prudent.
More Convention News
Anyone who has ever attended the International Ventriloquists' ConVENTion knows Phillip Jones. He's the official photographer of the convention and a long-standing member of the all-important hospitality committee. I'll never know how he's able to function on so little sleep. Below is a photo of Phillip with his look-alike Verna-created puppet. I'll let you decide which is which.
What you may not know is that Phillip is still an active member of the Army Reserves. In fact, he has been serving our country for 40 years ... and still counting. Here he is in his dress uniform. Thanks Phillip!
Dubai Introduces First Rotating Skyscraper
This isn't marketing related, but it was just too interesting to pass up.
With such extravagant land developments as The World shaped private islands, the Palm and ambitious, unusual architecture like The Burj Al Arab luxury hotel, Dubai has become a paradise of building and architectural design.
The latest addition is the Dynamic Rotating Tower. It's the first rotating skyscraper to be self-powered and completely prefabricated. Each floor will rotate independently at different speeds, resulting in a unique and forever evolving shape. (Bring your Dramamine.) The building will have 80 floors and be 1,380 feet tall. And you'll be able to park your car on the same floor, right outside your condo.
Construction has begun. Click here for more photos and information. To see the building in motion, go here.
A Dummy's Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Puppet
Mannequin American views and guidelines on marketing/PR trends plus bits of humor and interesting but useless information. For information on Chip's background, go to http://www.dale-brown.com/.
Drink a Lot ... But Responsibly
Today's "drink responsibly" messages, in which brewers and distillers who depend on young drinkers to consume heavily, must also spend money to suggest "but not too heavily." That, of course, is sound ethical advice. But let's be honest. It's also a bit disingenuous. These messages emanate not from good conscience but from regulation and fear of litigation.
Think about it ... it's expensive for these companies to devote 5% of their total ad budgets to undo the other 95% -- especially since the "responsibility" messages are typically lame, working directly against the edgy/sexy/macho/cool image many distillers spend years and fortunes trying to cultivate.
But one product is gaining attention, praise and sales by being both honest, and clever.
Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum has swashbuckled to prominence in the last decade. The 17-year-old slogan: "Got a little Captain in you?" - suggests the slightly subversive influence of liquid courage. Characters end each ad vignette by striking a buccaneer pose. The guys in the original ads apparently spent entire weekends in bars ordering Captain and Cokes. They seemed to be nice guys, but they also depicted the reason safe-drinking messages need to exist. Because when these types leave for home, they can be menaces.
The heroes of Captain Morgan's new how-to-behave-drunk spots are exactly as cheeky and subversive as the ones in the how-to-get-drunk ones. Last year, two charming, over-served guys went into a pizzeria and ordered a pizza for home delivery. Then they used the delivery guy as their designated driver to get them home. Funny and responsible.
This year, a guy is asleep in his apartment when he's awaken by a text from his lunkhead buddies at a bar. The message includes a photo of his friends posed with three hotties and the caption "GIRLS! OREILLYS! NOW!" The guy jumps out of bed, gargles, deodorizes and rushes to O'Reilly's -- only to find a dead scene, a safe-sex poster featuring the identical hotties and his friends waiting for him to drive them safely home.
It's clever and honest in one of advertising's most callous genres. Note too, that the mischievous boys always go home unaccompanied by babes. This yields a probably unintentional but equally refreshing subtext: Get a little too much Captain in you, and you fail every time.
Click here to see the ad.
Billboard
Sharing at the Vent Convention
During the first night of this years' International Ventriloquists' Convention attendees had the opportunity to meet and talk one-on-one with professional vents. Here a crowd gathers around Dale (they mistook him for someone who knows something) to ask questions and get advice about performing, puppet manipulation, marketing and more. Some even asked for his autograph. (He probably had to print his name in crayon.)
The red ribbons on nametags indicate first-time attendees, of which there were over 80.
Below is a picture of Dylan Burdette who we first met when he was 5 years old. For some reason Dale actually had an impact on Dylan, who decided that he wanted to become a ventriloquist. (I offer my sincerest apologies to Dylan's mom.) Now, each year Dylan comes to the convention (with his mom) and appears in the Junior Open Mic sessions, and each year he demonstrates marked improvement. Dylan also takes part in the convention's Junior Vent University and says it "... really helps to improve every aspect of my ventriloquist skills." While Dale encourages Dylan, I mentor his Mannequin American partner, Reggie.
We always look forward to seeing Dylan and offer kudos for his having a dream and being willing to put in the effort to make it a reality!
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