One of the most rewarding aspects of the agency biz is the opportunity to work with so many different companies and organizations. I feel fortunate that we get to partner with a wide variety of clients. Manufacturers, restaurants, churches. Churches? Absolutely.
As you might have heard, the historic Second Baptist Church of Indianapolis is undergoing an exciting transformation. Under the leadership of Sr. Pastor David W. Greene, the church has embraced a new vision called "Purpose of Life Ministries". <<< Purpose of Life Ministries in the Miracle Mile Parade, Sept. 5, 2009
MZD is partnering with Purpose of Life to launch their new brand through interactive and social media tools, PR program and new creative campaign.
What is it about fairy tales that captivate us so? Perhaps it’s the way they bring out our inner child, or maybe it’s the enchanting idea that “happily ever after” really is possible.
Or, maybe it’s because they offer white steeds, brave knights and a no hassle rewards program.
Lost? Don’t worry, here’s a little story from the folks at Capital One that might help you out:
Now that we’ve cleared that up, we can discuss why so many advertisers choose to wave their magical wands over storyboards and sprinkle their ads with little bits of folklore.
Inner child, happily ever after, blah blah blah. The easy answer here is: women.
Moms, wives, daughters, girlfriends and lonely spinsters make up a considerable portion of the consuming population. And these consumers, whether they’ll admit it or not, have always dreamed of being the heroine in their own fairy tale, of braving considerable odds, of being swept off her feet by a Tuscan chef after snacking on Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Haven’t heard that one, huh? How about the tale of the charming man who finds the lost cell phone of a poor young girl, whose boorish sisters attempt to say the phone is theirs?
Of course, if I lost my cell phone I wouldn’t care if it was a frog prince that showed up at my door to give it back – as long as it was returned, but I suppose a dashing young man sells those features a little better. Although, I’d have to wonder how said dashing man found my house…
Speaking of frog princes, have you seen Pepsi’s take on the old classic?
Now THAT is a lady who knows what she wants – she wants an ice cold Pepsi even more than she wants a rich, handsome man to call her very own. And we all know a man is what every woman dreams of. Right?
I’m sorry. That was pretty stereotypical, wasn’t it? Sort of like the ads for milk.
But, wait! There’s more Milk Magic where that came from!
Hooray! The brave, milk-bearing knight hath alleviated “that time of the month” and rescued the princess and her peasants from overwhelming mood swings! That’s not weird at all…
I think the lesson to be learned here is that fairy tales can be used beautifully and to great purpose if they are used correctly. They are, after all, strange, mystical tales meant to inspire and teach a lesson.
The (myriads of) fairy tales passed down through the years are excellent foundations for a great ad. Pepper the tale you’re weaving with a little humor and irony and you’ll be a hero.
By MZD Interactive When it comes to internet marketing, social media, Web 2.0 or whatever the catchy phrase-of-the-day is, there are a lot of “experts” out there. But when it comes down to it, there rarely show their clients work. Is this because they are over-protective or is it simply because they really have no work to show? It reminds me of the motivational speakers out there.
They charge $300 a pop to tell you how to make millions of dollars and be the best at your profession yet they themselves are simply successful and rich because of the people paying for their books and seminars. Granted, there are exceptions but it seems there’s a lot of talk out there with very little results.
As an advertising firm, our potential clients and current clients want to see what we’ve done in the past so that they know what we can do for them right now. And you know what? They have a right to see what we can do, which is why we told you about our ongoing success with Spaghetti Warehouse on Facebook and Twitter.
And it is why we are redesigning our Web site to show not only our great work in traditional media but also our great work on the internet and in social media. So, be sure to check in at our Web site at www.mzd.com and see what we’re up to. We’re constantly adding new things, so our clients now and down the road can get a better picture of what we’re capable of.
At MZD, we can talk the talk just like everyone else but we think our walk is really what you want to see.
When I leapt feet first into advertising over a decade ago as a creative, the learning curve was fairly short and sweet. Or at least compared to a creative’s learning curve today.
Back then, I basically created radio spots, TV spots and print ads. The print ads could then be resized and tweaked with copy for billboards, bar coasters, table tents, POS, postcards, brochures, posters, t-shirts, bus shelters, bus wraps and whatever other item we thought would make sense to put our clients message on.
As the internet started to boom, there were web sites and eventually web banners. Still, all in all, the message was always the same, it was one way. For centuries, advertising has spoken to the customer. It has told the customer what they should think. It has told the customer what they should do with the client’s product. It has controlled the client’s brand message almost completely. Sure, there has always been word of mouth, but it never had the reach that advertising had.
Until now.
Over the past two years, social media has boomed and agencies have either sunk or swam like there’s no tomorrow. Our clients are no longer in control of the message, their customers are.
While it’s still important to use traditional advertising mediums to build awareness and put their message out there for the masses to absorb, that initial message is just a spark to start the fire rather than the fire it once was.
Social media is where the message is fanned by the masses developing into an inferno. That inferno, while sometimes daunting, can go wild but it can also be controlled. Think of your clients’ message as a forest fire in social media. It might not be possible to put out the flames, but it can be pushed and directed towards the consumers fueling it with positive sentiments and kept at bay or reduced towards the consumers fueling it with negative sentiments.
The only way to do this is for clients and their agencies to jump into the fires rather than sitting back and watching their brands burn. And as a creative, it is my duty to my clients to understand this wild fire of social media and know or learn how to fight it, how to control it and how to turn it into a positive experience for both the clients brand and their consumers.
The learning curve is steep now and as a creative, you must not stop learning or you will surely drown amongst the waves of this social media hurricane.
The advertising world has indeed changed and tomorrow it will change again. Are you going to sink or are you going to swim.
While it’s more work, it’s tougher and I’m constantly having to learn something new, I am swimming and I’m loving it.
This years Press Grand Prix winner at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival was “We Are Animals”, a Wrangler campaign from Paris hot shop Fred & Farid. A stark contrast, to the Wrangler we all grew up with, is what propelled this campaign to the top. Wrangler has always brought to mind images of cowboys, lassos and something our father wears (or at least mine). This campaign basically gives a big “F.U.” to that stereotypical view that has been ingrained into us over the past quarter-century.
This campaign while simple is also simply brilliant in its thinking and execution. If this campaign was to ever roll out around the world, I think it could be a very good thing for Wrangler. Clothes are all about emotions and the way they make you feel. A simple label can say sexy, tough, rich, trendy, rugged, confident or cool. This campaign’s emotion or theme is that at the essence of humans, at the core of our DNA, we are animals and we are primal and we are sexual in nature. Remove all the glitz, the technology and escape to be human again, to be the animals that we are.
The images are models in animal-like poses in nature. Whether it’s the “deer in the headlights” caught by society and normalcy or the “animal by the lake” going for a drink before the noise of humans pollutes the serenity and peace, these images hint, not so subtlety, at our Darwinian roots with three simple words, “We are animals.” Indeed we are.
Is it just another case of “sex sells”? Are you asking yourself “But where’s the product?” and “Where’s the call to action?” Or do you get it? Do you understand that in today’s world, with every ad and tv commercial and radio spot yelling at us to buy this or do this and think this, that an ad like this breaks through the noise and clutter not by making the logo bigger or using bright colors or flashy lights but by being simple and letting the consumer do a little bit of thinking. Sometimes we want to tell the consumer everything in our ads. But sometimes by saying nothing or little at all, we say it all and more. And that can make all the difference in the world. Just ask Fred & Farid.
David Lubars, the president of the Cannes Lions press jury, said the campaign had won because the idea could work globally to change the US-centric view of the Wrangler brand.
"It is a very emotional campaign, you can see how it can go into all kinds of areas," added Lubars. "The theme is we are animals, a very primal, sexual approach. Before the brand was about middle-aged cowboy jeans from America. Now it takes a whole different look overnight."
"It grabbed me by the gut," said Gerry Graf, chief creative officer of Saatchi&Saatchi, New York, and a jury member. "I felt what they wanted me to feel. A simple image and a few ads worked on four or five different levels for me. It changed my image of Wrangler. It's talking about primal urges."
US judge Gerry Graf, the chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, said the campaign "screams raw sex". "That's what you want when you put on some jeans. That's what I want," Graf added.
By Jason Acquisto
alled "Purpose of Life Ministries". 
