Coca-Cola Falls Flat Tackling Obesity

Posted by Jon Thomas, 23 Jan 2013

This past weekend my beloved New England Patriots, a team in the U.S. National Football League, lost in the conference championship game, falling one game short of the Super Bowl. I was devastated and inconsolable, and even as I write this I sadly consider what could have been.

Up until what ultimately became the Patriots’ final game, their season was fantastic. They won 12 out of 16 games and earned the second seed going into the playoffs. But against a motivated Baltimore Ravens team, the wheels came off and the Patriots were handily defeated, at home no less. I wholeheartedly expected the Patriots to at least make the Super Bowl, if not win it. I never expected this. 

I had a similar surprise as I watched Coca-Cola’s two-minute spot addressing the obesity problem, which is often blamed on the soda industry and high-fructose corn syrup. If you haven't seen it, take a look. 

Share

When Political Ads Attack, Everyone Loses

Posted by Andrea Fjeld, 11 Jan 2012

With additional reporting by Adam Uhrynowski.

We’re all familiar with mudslinging in political commercials, debates and speeches. In the recent Iowa caucuses, negative advertising was more apparent than ever. But why do America’s leaders spend so much time pointing out the competition’s flaws and defending their political (and personal) histories rather than promoting themselves? Does it even work? What if brands reverted to this tactic? We’ll answer these questions and more after the jump.

Share

Pepsi’s “Social” Vending is Cool but Somewhat Antisocial

Posted by Andrea Fjeld, 09 May 2011
One-upping Coke’s touch-screen dispensers, PepsiCo has unveiled a line of socially enabled vending machines that let caring consumers gift a pop to a friend…or colleague, family member, crush, stranger — anyone, really — regardless of location. What's a socially enabled vending machine? The video says it all after the jump.
Share

Are Super Bowl Ads Worth the Dough?

Posted by Keith Blanchard, 04 Feb 2011

The New York Times reports that Fox is charging advertisers an estimated $2.8-3 million for every thirty seconds aired during this year’s Super Bowl. Pretty steep, sure, but there's plenty of reason to believe the money is worth it. The Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA) found that last year 24.3 percent of viewers thought the commercials were more important than the actual game. So advertisers have a captive audience. But are they actually taking away and retaining any information from the ads?

Share

This Soda Pop Eccentric is a Content Marketing Genius

Posted by Jon Thomas, 17 Sep 2010
To say that John Nese is passionate about his job is an understatement. When Nese, the proprietor of Galco’s Soda Pop Stop in Los Angeles, was asked to describe his product in one word, he simply replied: “Happy." How about two words? His second answer was “Smile." So who is this wacky soda man who speaks like Frankenstein? Turns out he's a brilliant storyteller. And he had the cajones to stand up to Pepsi.
Share

Media Titan Hearst Joins the Post Advertising Age

Posted by Luke Dringoli, 22 Jul 2010
Well, well, well. Looks like grand old guard of media's past, Hearst Corporation, has given up the ghost and accepted the new world order. It can be ignored no longer: marketers and brands are fast encroaching on publishing territory as they morph into full-fledged content providers ('Every Company = Media Company'). So, what are cash-strapped media-making giants like Hearst (and others, such as Meredith) to do? Warning: pigs will fly.
Share

Pepsi Ditches the Super Bowl for Social Media

Posted by Luke Dringoli, 01 Feb 2010
We’re already a few weeks into the new year. So what does the upcoming decade hold for the ad world? Pepsi’s betting on social media (and cause-based marketing). In fact, last December the company announced it would abandon Super Bowl advertising for a $20 million social media campaign.
Share

Singing for Your Breakfast at BK

Posted by Luke Dringoli, 04 Jan 2010
Burger King wants to get you wet. Really wet. Well, if you like that sort of thing. The brand is pushin’ it with its “Singing in the Shower” campaign for the UK market. Billed as The World’s First Guilt-Free Shower Cam, Brits (or peeping Toms worldwide) can ogle BK’s bikini-clad breakfast babe shamelessly singing and dancing in the shower each morning (9:30 to be exact).
Share