She's the Taste of Chicago

I think it is amazing how one icon can be used throughout history with few changes to represent the same product!  The Morton Salt Umbrella Girl has been an enduring icon since she first appeared on the table salt packaging in 1914.  Recently while I was driving through downtown Chicago, I saw a billboard with this iconic image with the words “She’s the Taste of Chicago.”  Unfortunately, since I was driving, I was unable to capture this image, but I believe it is a great advertisement that shows the history of the Morton Salt in the past and present.  This play on words is excellent, because Morton Salt is the main brand of salt for Chicago, Illinois.  This billboard was displayed during the Taste of Chicago, the nation’s premier food festival showcasing the diversity of Chicago’s dining community, and there is no doubt that Morton Salt was used in many if not all of the food items available.  Morton Salt truly is the “Taste of Chicago” during this festival and throughout the entire year, and this is a great advertisement to promote this historic product!       

Scan And Go

I am sure many of you have seen this image in magazines, product information labels in stores, on coupons, and on signs:

It is called a quick response code (QRC) and is pretty simple to use; all you have to do is get close to it, point your phone at the code, and scan it.  Using your smart phone to scan this code brings you directly to the mobile site of the product advertised, without you having to type in the long URL.  It is a new, easy way to interact with the company and product advertised to access information, websites, reviews, videos, and more.  This unique opportunity to provide interested customers with more information beyond the initial attention grabber enhances the value of each printed piece.  I am assuming advertisers and marketers can track response rates of scanning these codes, which gives them additional insight on how to modify their techniques to increase the amount of views and purchases.  These codes seem to be beneficial to customers, marketers, and advertisers. 

I think this is an amazing new phenomenon that will change the way advertisers promote their product in the present and future!  Our world today is truly becoming digital, and I wonder how these scan tags will affect the future of print advertising.  While this scan tag technology is just beginning, I believe it is an innovative technique that will affect print and digital media in a positive way.

Behind the Scenes of Harry Potter

Last night at midnight marked an end of an era for many loyal Potter fans because July 15, 2011 is the debut of the last movie in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.  As I arrived at the theatre to watch the epic battle that would take place between Harry Potter and his primary antagonist, Lord Voldemort, I could not help but realize all the advertising that has contributed to the success of Harry Potter today. 

This decade-long phenomenon has produced countless advertisements to promote the books, the movies, and Harry Potter destination sights.  I think this movie, Part 2 of Deathly Hallows, specifically did a great job advertising.  Each print advertisement, billboard, and bus advertisement featured a different character from the series and the phrase “It All Ends 7.15.” This was creative because it linked each advertisement and it ties them all together.  This 3 word slogan is brilliant because it builds suspense for the final movie and tells the whole essence of the film.

I also enjoyed how the advertisers tied the first and last movie together by creating similar posters and billboards.  One advertisement of the first movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, depicts boats traveling towards Hogwarts at nighttimev (image on the left below).  Similarly, an advertisement for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 illustrates the same Hogwarts castle from the same angle and at the same time of night; however, this image shows the castle on fire with no boats heading towards it (image on the right below).  These two advertisements were created in like of one another, and there similarities are certainly no mistake.  Creating these two advertisements in light of one another was a great idea and helps tie the series together.

After learning about how to create a commercial this week, I could not help but think about the commercials for the latest Harry Potter movie (see below).  This commercial does an effective job portraying the main events of the movie without giving too much information away.  They composed a compelling, exciting advertisement that appealed to their target audience.  The call to action at the end was clear: see the movie 7.15 in 3D or 2D.  I have seen commercials for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 for months now, and recently, channels such as ABC Family have even shown sneak peeks to the upcoming movie.  These sneak peeks help built the anticipation of the movie and hopefully attracts more people to go see it in theatres.  Commercials and sneak peeks are a smart way to advertise to get the message out to a wider variety of people.   

With seven books and eight movies, Harry Potter has become a world-renowned phenomenon and has created travel destinations around the world.  For example, in London’s King Cross Train Station where the wizards board the Hogwarts Express, there is now an image of a cart going through the wall at Platform 9 ¾ for fans to see and take pictures.  Also, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened June 18, 2010 as a theme park in Orlando, Florida.  These two places should not be overlooked as great advertisements for Harry Potter!  They are exciting advertisements because it grabs the fans attention and helps them become a part of the Harry Potter world.  It takes them into the visual world of Harry Potter to experience life as a wizard themselves.  Even though they are nontraditional ways to promote a series, these destinations are great interactive, life-like advertisements!          

I think Harry Potter is a great series, and their advertisements help bring awareness to it and contribute to its success.  By splitting up the last book into two movies, Harry Potter was able to last longer to amuse the public while it creating captivating advertisements and a huge profit.  Harry Potter fanatic or not, I would recommend going to see this movie; just like the advertisements, it will not disappoint.

Miller Lite, The Official Beer Of Summerfest

Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is an eleven daylong event known as “the world’s largest music festival.”  Live music is offered on 11 stages throughout the grounds from noon to midnight, including the 23,000-capacity Marcus Amphitheatre.  This year was the first year I attended Summerfest, and it was a fun, enjoyable experience I will always remember.

I could not help but notice all the advertising that took place around the grounds that loomed over the mass amounts of people for all to see.  One brand in particular stood out because of its constant presence throughout the grounds: Miller Lite.  Before even walking into Summerfest, there was a sign to advertise that Miller Lite is the “official beer of Summerfest.” 

Almost everywhere I went inside the grounds, I was able to see a sign advertising for Miller Lite.  There were blimps overhead to advertise Miller Lite, which is a nontraditional form of advertising that grabs people’s attention.  On the sign to designate where the beverages were you could guarantee Miller Lite was advertised.  While watching Britney Spears at the Marcus Amphitheatre, there were signs for Miller Lite on each side of the stage to suggest you purchase one while watching the show.  There is even a stage named the “Miller Lite Oasis” which increases brand recognition and allows Miller Lite to advertise with larger signs. 

Miller Lite is the official beer of this event and promises it is a “great taste of Summerfest.”  I thought Miller Lite did a great job promoting its product and made great use of its partnership with Summerfest.          

Paper, Plastic, Or A Reusable Bag?

“Paper or plastic?” is the common phrase heard around most grocery and drugstores when the customer is checking out with the clerk; however, there is another choice that is better for the environment—reusable shopping bags!

Reusable shopping bags are a great way to advertise your company, because unlike plastic and paper bags, these shopping bags are not intended to be discarded after each use.  Just about everyone uses some sort of bag to carry merchandise from the store, and it is a great idea to use the same bag over and over again.  Reusable shopping bags are built stronger to last longer, and the production of them does not harm the environment.  They are seen as a better alternative because plastic bags are not biodegradable and kill thousands of marine mammals every year who mistake this litter for food.  

Drugstores, such as Walgreens, promote these shopping bags to advertise their company, their website, and recycling.  Their logo is enlarged on the bag which allows anyone familiar with the company to easily recognize it.  This is a great strategy for stores in general because it increases brand exposure and recognition, but Walgreens in particular has definitely demonstrated their social responsibility to sustain the environment.  With the campaign “Green Is Our Middle Name: Walgreens,” the account executives creatively and efficiently tied the company name of Walgreens to environmental practices.

So, next time you are in the grocery store or drugstore, what kind of bag are you going to use to carry your purchases—paper, plastic, or a reusable bag? 



The Looney Tunes Take Flight

As I sat down in my Spirit Airline seat that I would occupy for about two hours from New Jersey to Chicago, the above image was the first sight that had met my eyes.  On the front of my tray table was this advertisement for Cartoon Network’s Looney Tunes show, which depicts Porky Pig saying “It’s easy to get through security when you’re not wearing pants.”  When I saw this nontraditional advertisement, I couldn’t help but smile and chuckle.

At the end of April, Turner Broadcasting System’s Cartoon Network started to debut a new advertising strategy onboard Spirit Airlines.  Images of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and other Looney Tunes characters appeared on the overhead bins, walls, and tray tables to promote the new series of The Looney Tunes Show on Cartoon Network.  This is a great way to advertise to families as they travel on vacation during the summer months.  These advertisements are definitely something you cannot miss and are a fun, modern, entertaining way to advertise.  After being seated in front of this small billboard on your tray table for a reasonable about of time, it is likely that this advertisement and show will stick with you and you will remember the brand and message after you left the aircraft.  In fact, the Looney Tunes advertisements have recall rates of up to 94 percent!  This is a huge percentage, especially compared to traditional advertising that has a recall of a mere 5-12%.  This is definitely a unique form of advertising that obviously works to grab people’s attention and have them leave the aircraft informed and ready to turn on The Looney Tunes.     

http://www.globalonboardpartners.com/press-releases/cartoon-network-advertising-experience-looney-tunes-onboard-spirit-airlines/ 

Advertisements On The Beach

This week, my family is on a vacation in New Jersey.  I was very excited for this trip before we even arrived, because I thought I could just lie on the beach all day with no worries or concerns.  However, this was proven wrong the first day on the shore because there is just so much to see and do at the beach that I personally have never noticed before.  Since my advertising class begun this summer, I have become aware of the marketing communications that are constantly going on around me.  These marketing communications are everywhere you look, even at the beach!  While I was sitting there relaxing, I could not help but notice the different advertisements that surrounded me.  There were ads on the beach itself, in the ocean, and even in the sky hovering over us.  For example, beach-goers can rent chairs and umbrellas from Steger Beach Service, and they printed the name of their company in an easy to read font on the back of the chairs so other people will think to rent from them too.  On the beach, everyone there could be seen as an advertisement for a company or brand too based on the brand of beverage they were are drinking, the company or destination they had displayed on their beach towel, etc. 

Steger Beach       Services

 

On the ocean, there were different signs and messages on the boats to encourage people to sign up for day trips on the water, such as the Whale and Dolphin Watcher Cruise. 

Finally, in the air, there were countless advertisements attached to the tail of a parasail or attached to a small plane to advertise different restaurants, hotels, and activities to do while in Cape May, New Jersey. 

I realized that these are great ways to advertise, because many people at the beach have nothing else to do but look around and take in their surroundings.  It is also beneficial for vacationers because it gives them ideas on what to do while in town.  Advertising is truly all around us and offers great insights and ideas.