More BMW Changes: Mini Appoints Dutch Shop for International Campaigns
Last week while attending the third annual Mini United 50th anniversary bash in England, (more about this later) I met briefly with Herr Dr. Andeas-Christoph Hoffman, head of Mini’s marketing and advertising throughout the world.
During the course of the conversation, I casually queried the youthful Hoffman if Mini would be following the recent BMW model of appointing a new creative agency for international advertising campaigns. “No,” he replied, noting “Our local and regional agencies are doing a good job for Mini.”
So imagine my surprise when news broke this week that a modest-sized Amsterdam, Netherlands, ad agency, BSUR, a 40-person shop organized in the late ’90’s, had been appointed to develop international campaigns for Mini. I attempted to contact Hoffman in Munich, but was told he was in meetings and was leaving for two weeks starting Friday.
Sure.
A spokesperson at Mini confirmed that U.S. advertising will continue to be handled by Butler, Shine, and Stern & Partners in Sausalito, California, which just launched advertising for the new Mini convertible. WCRS Advertising in London, United Kingdom, will continue to handle Mini as the agency in Europe.
The name of the BSUR agency is based on a very-odd-semi-acronym for “Be aS You aRe.” This also appears to be the agency’s brand statement based on their web site proclamation which details the philosophy as, “Building a strong brand is a matter of finding yourself. Define the true essence of your brand. Unlock your values. Visualize your mentality. Then live that essence every day. Aim to get all the brand cues right.”
Among the agency clients are brands such as Bacardi, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Glaxo, Samsung and Wrangler for which it has developed various campaigns. What they do to generate new business seems to work very well.
For a look at the agency’s positioning PowerPoint deck that could be part of their new business pitch click here.
Toyota’s New Prius Commercial: Cute Animation Reigns
It seems computer generated graphic animations have become the new favorite of creative directors and producers for hybrid commercials. Vivid colors, flowers, cute designs and bucolic, verdant settings abound. Check out Toyota’s new commercial.
Not Seen in America
And in the odd, but interesting category, this Toyota commercial from Japan has a very human touch.
Which is More Effective? Magazines? Television? Internet?
McPheters & Company, a specialist in “enhancing and documenting the advertising value produced by media brands” could finally resolve the infamous conundrum raised by John Wannamaker’s insightful statement, “I know half my advertising budget doesn’t work, I just don’ know which half.”
What makes the results of this study very interesting is the cooperation and collaboration of Conde Nast (major magazine publisher) and CBS Vision (yeah, that CBS) — usually highly competitive mediums for the advertising buck.
The company recently completed a study to find the relative effectiveness of ads on television, in magazines, and on the Internet. To do this the company used 30-second TV ads, full-page 4-color magazine ads, and Internet banner ads in standard sizes, and employed eye-tracking software to determine if (and how) Internet ads were actually seen by respondents.
In a very controlled situation, the study’s respondents, were in a laboratory venue and were allowed to spend 30 minutes with a single medium, either to watch a choice of sit-coms, read a magazine they selected, or surfed the Internet at will.
For control and accuracy respondents were asked whether they recalled seeing four ads that appeared in the medium they consumed. To establish “over-claiming” they were also asked whether they recalled seeing four ads that had not appeared. The adjusted “net” recall resulted in these major findings:
- Within a half hour, magazines effectively delivered more than twice the number of ad impressions as TV and more than 6 times those delivered online.
- Though TV doesn’t deliver as many ads per half hour as do magazines, net recall of TV ads was almost twice that of magazine ads.
- Magazines had ad recall almost three times that of Internet banner ads.
- 85% of Internet ads served appeared on-screen and could be identified by brand.
- Among web users, 63% of banner ads were not seen. Respondents’ eyes passed over 37% of the Internet ads and stopped on slightly less than a third.
- For Internet ads, almost all net recall could be attributed to ads that were seen.
- Internet video ads appeared much less frequently than banner ads, and their exposure skewed heavily towards young men. When they did appear they were twice as likely to be seen as banner ads.
Study results, in combination with information on probability of exposure, found that:
- A full-page, 4-color magazine ad, was determined to have 83% of the value of a 30-second television commercial
- A typical Internet banner ad had 16% of the value of a 30-second television commercial
According to Scott McDonald, Senior Vice-President of Research for Condé Nast, “Because different media deliver ad impressions at… different rates… time spent with a medium does not translate into value for advertisers.
This simply amplifies my own adage, “A well done medium is rare.”
Whose Commercial is this anyway? And why?
I’m very confused by this commercial. Click here. Is it a real commercial or a joke? And whose commercial is it? If it’s who I think it is, they should be ashamed. Not funny. Not a good commercial. Not in good taste.
Who says the Rich are Different?
American Express, the don’t leave home without it credit card purveyor, recently released its annual survey of Affluence and Wealth in America, conducted by the Harrison Group.
These are those people, who, based on my attendance at a “luxury conference” a couple of years ago when the economy was flourishing, carry the AmEx Platinum or more likely the exclusive AmEx Black card — no applications, please … they used to contact you. And the cost was in the thousands per year as I recall.
Highlights included that more than half (53%) of America’s wealthy worry that they could run out of money. Does that sound familiar?
Almost three out of four (73%) believe that the recession will last longer than a year and worse, the same group is deeply concerned that the U.S. could be headed for a depression. Sounds like a dinner conversation, doesn’t it?
This is according to the survey a cross section of over 1,500 upper middle class, affluent, super affluent and wealthy individuals (annual discretionary incomes of at least $100,000 up to $1 million), who were probed on the impact of the current economic turmoil on financial planning and spending.
Harrison and AmEx feel this group is a true representative of 10% of the American population, which accounts for half of all retail sales, 70% of all profit margins at retail and 80% of all non-retirement account assets. Must assume that’s the Madoff affect.
Not unexpectedly the survey predicted declines in purchases of fashion, automobiles, luxuries and jewelry. Spending for travel is the only category that has ceased to erode on a quarter-on-quarter basis. But according The New York Times, luxury hotels are showing a decrease in day rates and length of stays.
The spending of the top 10% has been offset by significant increases in their savings rate – up 12% since the first quarter of last year. The wealthy segment, which represents one half of the top one percent of the population, has increased their savings rate by nearly 20%. In total, this shift in priorities adds up to $600 billion in American savings accounts; concomitantly, willingness to invest in equity and related markets is off as much as 30%.
Optimism in the future continues to track lower
Less than 46% of affluent and wealthy households say that they are optimistic about their own future. And 78% report having experienced significant impact to their long-term financial security; as many as 52% of America’s wealthiest households are of the belief that they could lose everything as a result of the current economic volatility.
New family resource management practices are proving to have a silver lining, however. Respondents report an increase in conscientious savings, a newfound economic resourcefulness and a surprising enjoyment of life’s value-priced “micro-pleasures.”