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Internet Celebrity

Posted By Vanessa Mentor as communications, on the web, strategy

Posted 01.13.2011

There are thousands of people everyday trying to make it “big” in the world. With shows like America’s Got Talent and American Idol the thirst for stardom is very apparent. Thanks to the internet and viral videos there is a new breed of stars, the ordinary people who were NOT trying to become famous at all.

Prior to 2010 if I said ‘Hide your kids, hide your wife” most people would probably go into a panic and assume danger was lurking. Now this phrase brings a smile to faces as they recall the viral “Bed Intruder” video. Antoine Dodson became an internet sensation when believe it or not, his sister was attacked in her home and the local news came to interview the family. Antoine was very upset and quite animated. The folks over at schmoyoho took his interview added a catchy beat and vocal effects which catapulted Dodson into the hottest thing on the internet. Since the video has gone viral Antoine has appeared on countless talk shows. The parody is actually sold on iTunes and with the profit Antoine and his family have plans to buy a home.

Most recently another unintentional celebrity has merged from the web. Ted William better known as “The man with the golden voice” is someone who had fallen on his luck. Ted was once on air radio personality who gave into his addictions to drugs & alcohol. Eventually his vices (which apparently he is still battling with) cost him his career and he has been homeless for quite some time. A local newspaper filmed him for their YouTube channel and the video was such a hit that in the matter of 4 days Ted William got a haircut, a home, reunited with his mother, a slue of TV show appearances, and what he wanted the most a job.

Your business could become a hit on the net as well. A flip camera, creative idea, and good marketing plan can result in an excellent web video. Although it is important to think outside the box don’t forget to stay relevant to your products and/or service. Trying out new marketing techniques could have a great payoff. Even if your video doesn’t quite reach viral status, your organization will be sure to have star power in the eyes of potential clients.

Tags: antoine dodson, bed intruder, blue daring, business, creating buzz, man with the golden voice, marketing efforts, social media, ted williams, Vanessa Mentor, viral video, vmentor, web videos, youtube
Posted in communications, on the web, strategy | No Comments »

The Gap Debacle

Posted By Amber Zumstein as Art & Design, branding, communications, on the web, outreach, strategic planning, strategy

Posted 10.29.2010

In case you missed it, a few weeks ago the Gap quietly released a new logo. The response to it was anything but quiet, it created quite an uproar on the internet, bloggers and social media outlets were swift in their attacks. After less then a week full of missteps, the Gap returned to their original logo with their proverbial tail between their legs. So, how did this mega-brand go so terribly wrong with their effort to re-brand?

The logo
A company’s brand should be a strategic and aesthetic extension of the logo, not the other way around. Gap’s refreshed logo looked an awful like the branding that was launched for their premium jeans line. Which to be honest looks a little bit too much like the American Apparel branding. This was done by their advertising agency, Laird + Partners, who does big name fashion ad campaigns. Should you allow your ad agency to do your identity work? Should you replace your iconic logo with a typeface from your recent ad campaign? Probably not. Advertising lasts for a few seasons and then it is onto the next concept, the same does not apply to a company’s logo. A logo’s purpose is to anchor a brand so that it is can be given the latitude to try different concepts from season to season. It should never be updated to match the current advertising.

The launch
Who launches a logo by simply replacing it on their website? Where was the Gap’s PR department? More importantly, where was the launch plan? In hindsight, their lack of launch speaks volumes of their energy and excitement for their new logo. With even minimal press, it could have helped the Gap tremendously to explain the new brand, instead the complete silence opened it up to speculation which had a snowball effect as people blogged and tweeted, and the comments piled up on their Facebook page.

The response
The Gap’s response to the outcry was unexpected to say the very least. Instead of standing solidly behind their new logo (for even a day), they basically shrugged their shoulders, rolled over and invited the masses to crowdsource their logo. They managed to offend the entire design community while also becoming the butt of their own joke, as the response was met with joyful mockery and satirical “logos.” All logos are subjective, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but at the end of the day, it’s the Gap’s responsibility to take ownership of their work and say we did this, we own it and it’s here to stay–not acquiesce a the first hint of disapproval.

Lessons learned
So after all is said and done, the lessons learned are that you should choose a company that specializes in branding not in fashion advertising. Advertising and branding are two very different beasts with very different thoughts and strategies behind them. They should be handled accordingly, not conveniently. The re-brand should be strategically planned and well executed, it should not be an exercise in trendy typography. When it comes to launching a new brand, announce it, let people know and manage their expectations. Don’t quietly slip it into your website hoping to go unnoticed. Post launch (and announcement) stand by your decision and your brand, don’t be bullied by blogs and Facebook comments. The time and energy that it took to come to the point of launch should be well spent and well thought out, not a flash in the pan that was voted out as a failure.

The silver lining in all of this, is that the Gap has restored it’s old logo to the place where it belongs. Long live the blue box.

Tags: Amber Zumstein, design, Gap, launch, logo, re-brand
Posted in Art & Design, branding, communications, on the web, outreach, strategic planning, strategy | No Comments »

5 Tips for Pitching Creative

Posted By Amber Zumstein as Art & Design, communications, strategy

Posted 08.25.2010

As a creative professional, the hardest task is not the actual work but pitching creative to a client. A good pitch wins the client over with not only smart design, but most importantly a good case for why it works. A great example of a well-executed pitch is on the show Mad Men, the lead character Don Draper sells ideas like no other. His ability to articulate why ads make us feel a certain way and confidently telling his client exactly why the ad will work is pretty incredible. Who can forget the episode where Don pitches the Kodak carousel? This is what makes him a great (albeit fictional) creative director. It is interesting to think that as much as technology and time have changed, creative work still relies heavily on the pitch.

Pitching creative is always daunting and it never seems to come easy, but like most things, the more you do it, the better you get. Here are 5 tips for pitching creative to clients:

1. Put yourself in their shoes: Look at your idea from your client’s perspective. Is your idea unique and going to set them apart from their competitors? Sell your idea based on how it will differentiate them from everyone else and present the big picture changes that your work will do for them. Add value by comparing what they are doing now (this could vary from a website redesign to an entire branding system), and expound as to how much better they could be once the work is completed. What to do: Present “before” and “after” samples of work; it works wonders.

2. Tailor your idea: A great solution fits specifically to your clients’ needs, goals and strategy. Aligning your pitch with these specific talking points is always a win-win. What to do: Read through the statement of work or RFP, choose words that are used and integrate them into your presentation vernacular.

3. Practice: Try out your pitch on your boss, co-worker, friend, or significant other. Their unique perspectives can help you tweak your ideas and presentation. It may also help to get the nervous jitters out to try it out beforehand. Some people are natural presenters, others are not. As my old music teacher used to say “Practice makes permanent.” What to do: Practice. Dress professionally. Smile.

4. Use others’ success: Comparing your idea/concept with another successful product or campaign can make your idea seem more tangible and equitable. The key here is to not steal, but make to make a point of comparison. I read recently that Steve Jobs likened the iPhone 4 to a Leica Camera: “You gotta see this in person. This is beyond the doubt, the most precise thing, and one of the most beautiful we’ve ever made. Glass on the front and back, and steel around the sides. It’s like a beautiful old Leica camera.” What to do: Analogy is a great way to communicate an idea, use it wisely.

5. Fight for your Ideas: The biggest lesson that I have learned is to not give up on a great idea. This can be a delicate situation, but if you truly believe that your idea is great and will help your client, lobby for it. What to do: There are different approaches to this, a subtle “This concept is everyone’s favorite” can help point them in the right direction. Clients are human and will usually respond favorably to positive opinions by others.

Tags: creative work, mad men, pitching, tips
Posted in Art & Design, communications, strategy | No Comments »