The ad is part of the new anti-smoking campaign from the city’s health department showing shocking photography of exactly what smoking does to your body. This is not the first time the health department has taken this type of controversial approach. Last year the NYC health department had advertisements warning of the health risks of soda. The ads depicted soda bottles filled with body fat being poured into drinking glasses. New York also has free condoms available at stores through out the city to promote safe sex. A lot of people think these sort of initiatives are vulgar but I find them not only refreshing but totally appropriate. New York is known for being this sort of gritty and real city. Deemed the city that never sleeps, everyone in NY is always on the go and in hurry. New Yorkers get a bad wrap for being “mean” but in actuality they are just so on the move they don’t have time for unnecessary pleasantries and small talk. A feel good wordy advertisement would be totally wasted on this fast-paced community.

Here at Blue Daring we really value information consumption. We think it is important to understand your target audience and deliver your message in a consumable way that resonates with them. The NYC Health department presented a real in-your-face ad approach to a real in-your-face city. Would this campaign work in a small middle-of-nowhere town? Fuggedaboutit no chance. But it is right at home in New York. Knowing your audience and adapting to their tone and lifestyle is a sure fire way to have a successful campaign.

NY ANTI SMOKING POSTER

I suspect the recession to be the driving force behind these campaigns.  Think of it like a rocky relationship.  The consumer was being treated badly and in turn started pulling away.  Now the corporations are trying to get back in their good graces. Like the saying goes you don’t know what you got til it’s gone.

Your audience is ultimately who will make or break you.  That is why Blue Daring has always valued the importance of information consumption.  Researching your target consumer and familiarizing yourself with their specific needs is critical.  Taking what you learned and customizing your messaging to align with your client is what will guarantee that they truly understand your vision and make your organization stand out from the everyday mob of solicitations we all encounter.

At the end of the day people want to work with and engage companies that they feel truly understand them and that they can relate too. If your messaging is on target with your audience the competition will fall by the wayside and it will be all about YOU.

With Cold weather soon comes the holiday season and with the holiday season comes the slue of marketing pieces in the mail from different companies. I always considered this time of year the marketing collateral and mailers equivalent of the Superbowl. Granted there is going to be stiff competition I find it also be a great way to challenge your organization to think outside the box and come up with a clever piece that will stand out from the pack. Whether you opt for a classic corporate feel or a modern funkier look you should always consider these thoughts when sending out a piece that represents your brand.

• Is your branding consistent and recognizable?
• Is the message clear and concise?
• Is this piece relevant to your target audience?
• Do you have a clear call to action?

Investing the time and efforts into great design is really important to make sure your message is properly consumed. Sending current and potential clients a smart well thought out piece during the holidays can insure your organization the gift of new business in the New Year.

Some bigger name companies and celebrities however have taken the @ symbol in Twitter too literally. Instead of engaging with their audience they just simply talk at their followers. Most people can understand that celebrities and major corporations are busy and do not have time to reply to every single person however, when you have over a million people following you a few hellos might be a good idea. In fact there was an informal Twitter campaign going around called “un-follow Diddy” were people encouraged all of Sean ‘p. diddy’ Combs fans to stop following the hip-hop mogul in an attempt to make him appreciate his fans. I follow a few large companies and celebrities and I definitely appreciate when they interact with me. People love customer service and like to not only feel like their opinions matter. I encourage you all to not just tweet your own horn but to really interact and put the social back into social media.

Guess what?  I loved it!!  I suddenly thought to myself…’Wait a second… super large icons and type are usually recommended for elderly users… Am I getting old?’ 

The answer to that question is complicated, but for the sake of this discussion, let’s just say, no.  ‘Big’ websites [and website content] are not only becoming more prevalent these days, but a reflection of a social phenomenon that is implicit of this technologically-driven generation.  People are unable to consume tons of information.  You can give them tons of info, but guess what they’re not going to read it.   This is the end product of an era that is beyond saturated by new forms of media — a modern brain trained to skim through everything and read nothing.  Have you by chance noticed how much more difficult it is to read a book? (Great article to that effect…) 

Now this saturation has been the case for the last five (5) years or so… why now is the web getting into BIG?  Well, web professionals are now becoming smarter about conveying complex actions, information, and emotions using less “stuff”.  Gone is the day when a disco ball of a Flash movie won the hearts of users and professionals alike.  Big, clear and simple HTML wins.  People go online to seek information, that’s it.  One’s ability to deliver that quickly and clearly means the difference between an effective website, portal or application, versus a website that is cool for cool’s sake. 

As the web leaves its partygoing 20s and moves into its more mature 30s, the insecurities that led it to mask itself in bad make up (pointless graphics) and talk too much (pages overwhelmed with text) make the way for a self-confident straight-shooter.  The thirty-something web uses big, simple icons, short text, and wastes less time on fruitless meanderings. It speaks clearly, simply and in a way that EVERYONE can understand.  For instance, think about traffic signs anywhere in the world.  Big, simple symbols that mean stop, go, walk, etc… in anybody’s language… THIS is the future of the interface!

So case in point… It’s the web that’s getting old, not me. (whew!)   Then again, my birthday is around the corner…

I later discovered (through Google) the reasoning behind this animated effect; they wanted viewers focused on what the characters where actually saying. Now I commend them for thinking outside of the box and trying to be innovative however I would say in my personal opinion this is a major failure. When this commercial comes on I get so fixated on the animation, that the only two things that pop into my head are “why is this animated?” and “where have I seen that face before?”

The whole thing makes me go back to a saying we use a lot here at BDC, Keep it simple stupid. For example, a center for elderly people in the community does not need a full flash website however, applying that same technology to a flash header displaying photography on the homepage might be a nice touch. While we certainly encourage our clients to think outside the box, be modern, and use new technology we also stress the importance of keeping things relevant and simple so that your target audience can properly consume your message. Remeber you always want to communicate your ideas quickly there’s no need to draw it out.