Spare Mikey the Details

Creating a great ad – one that is captivating, memorable and on strategy – is incredibly difficult. Ruining it is a cinch. Consider the classic line from the "Mikey" Life Cereal commercial, “He likes it.” Now, change that to “He likes the wholesome taste and nutritional value of it.” How quickly that simple, nostalgic phrase plummets into a cereal bowl full of forgettable mush.

I came across a Business Week article that argued for the side of “less is more” in terms of detail in advertising. In short, no matter how important your message is, consumers won’t tune in if it’s BORING. Information is of course imperative, but ads should focus on drawing people in, not spoon-feeding them.

Effective advertising often conveys a message in a roundabout way. Not by defining an issue, but by illustrating it. Not by reciting a fact sheet, but by telling a story. Not by listing the ingredients of a product, but by showing you how damn delicious that product is. Not by...you get my point.

Aside from the chiefly dull world of pharmaceutical advertising, the information deemed essential in any given ad is often up for debate. Packing it in is a poor decision. Consumers are bombarded with ads that for the most part they would prefer to avoid. Successful messaging is about quality, not quantity (particularly in the arena of donated media, Ad Council friends!).

But many issues and products are more complex and abstract than cereal. Accordingly, quantity – in terms of information – is certainly a factor when tackling issues like autism, global warming or financial literacy. Such topics are not easily summarized. Herein likes the conundrum. Just how do we communicate these immense matters in a :30 ad? Or on a transit shelter? Some say the more information we can squeeze in, the better. Wrong people, we’ve got to keep it snappy!

Rather than cramming an ad chockfull of information, we need to convey a single message creative and powerful enough to grab consumers’ attention. If our target takes note of the issue (and hopefully seeks further information on it), then we have done our job. This is not to say details are trivial - quite the opposite. They are just better suited for websites, fulfillment brochures, and the like.

The article that inspired this one opened with Voltaire’s words, “The best way to be boring is to leave nothing out.” No matter the topic, we are better off keeping the message simple yet compelling if we want to make an impact. I will leave you with a quote from legendary ad man Bill Bernbach – “There is practically nothing that is not capable of boring us.”

Tea Time at the Movies

This month’s movie recommendation: The Darjeeling Limited. Wes Anderson’s latest (and possibly greatest – at least in terms of initial viewings) is the tale of three brothers journeying through India. They seek healing, their mom and a good high. It is sibling rivalry meets sweet lime meets brotherly love...in that order. And much of this takes place inside a tiny train compartment.

In Francis, Peter and Jack (played by Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman, respectively), Mr. Anderson has created three wonderfully peculiar gentlemen, their personalities as contrasting as their looks. They have downfalls. They say nasty things. They brawl. That said, they are benevolent and exceedingly likable. Even their enlightened but distant and eyeliner-heavy mother (Anjelica Huston), demonstrates her compassion. Such qualities of redemption carry through in all of Wes Anderson’s films, as do remarkably well-chosen soundtracks.

I think that’s really the basis of the Wes Anderson formula:
A handful of wry characters (including at least one sad clown) + Big Hearts + Fabulous Music (Sixties or foreign tunes to be at least one-third of the selections) + Detailed Sets +/- Muted or Monochromatic Color Schemes = Endearing, Lovely, Hilarious Movies. Voila!

I haven’t been to India. The scenery in the film is breathtaking. Though one thing that stood out to me and others was the lack of crowds. It made the country appear for the most part desolate. I imagine this was intentional. Wes Anderson doesn’t strike me as a happenstance sort of moviemaker. By the way...during the outdoor peacock feather ceremony, was anyone else wondering what the Bose speaker was plugged into?

Seeing the semi-prequel Hotel Chevalier in advance is recommended though not necessary. It certainly makes the ending more charming. What is necessary? Tea, of course. My friends and I got hopped up on a pot of darjeeling at Sympathy for the Kettle before seeing the movie. Oh, and tea cakes are essential as well. I made some lemon sponge tea cakes and smuggled them into the theatre. They proved both a treat tastier than Milk Duds and a way to befriend strangers seated next to us. One of them in turn gave me a “smile” card promoting Random Acts of Kindness. Take that, Blue Meanies!

In closing, I read that Wes Anderson is directing some AT&T ads. I haven’t seen the work yet but would love for him to take on a PSA. One of my fave Ad Council spots at present is for our Inspiring Invention (bing!) campaign. It has Wes Anderson qualities to it - the little girl is dynamite deadpan, and the invention sounds a bit like Owen Wilson. See for yourself...Follow this link and click on Bandage Puller. Enjoy.

Brand Loyalty: Mind Over Matter

What’s in a name? Everything, if you ask a brand manager. Next to all those established brand name products lining the supermarket shelves are copycats vying for your attention from the cheap seats. Woolite or Wool Wash? Kleenex or facial tissue? Cheerios or Tasty O’s? The examples are endless.

While I pour a glass of milk, let’s consider two brands of chocolate chip cookies – The classic Chips Ahoy and the lesser-known Chiparrific. Both are crisp cookies full of chocolate chips. Both are sold in blue packaging. But you give me a taste test, and I will tell you the Chips Ahoy cookie tastes better, hands down.

I wonder, would a blind taste test yield the same results? Could it be that my subconscious cajoles my taste buds into choosing the Chips Ahoy brand, due to its evocative scrumptiousness? Marketing has a magical quality to it – an ability to make two remarkably similar products seem worlds apart. One cookie conjures up images of a lovable grandma in an embroidered apron, rising long before the sun to bake sweets from scratch. The other suggests factory presses and cheap chocolate.

There are certain items I pledge my brand allegiance to. For other products, the generic version is suitable, especially if the price is right. Next to cost and product composition, marketing plays a large but obscured role in consumer decisions. Why else would so many people choose the costlier brand name over a generic substitute when the two are nearly identical?

I think it is often a case of mind over matter. That is not to say consumers sit back hypnotically as advertisers charm them with snappy slogans, pulling persuasive rabbits out of hats. But I’ve got to give them credit. Through stories, testimonials, and unique messaging, they help transform brands – essentially, everyday products – into anything but everyday. The Pillsbury Dough Boy represents homestyle comfort, not crescent rolls. Subway has turned deli sandwiches into diet pills. Nike doesn’t sell shoes. It sells oomph.

A couple of summers ago, every ice cream truck I saw roaming the streets of New York was labeled Mister Softee. This year, there is a new truck in town, and he goes by the name of Captain Softee. I’ve yet to determine if the Captain is a four-wheeled imitator or if he’s the real deal, sprinkles and all. A taste test is in the works...

Call Me Old-Fashioned

"All God's children got rhythm. All God's children got swing." Or so they sing in "A Day at the Races," a full of laughter Marx Bros. gem.

I fancy old movies, old photos, old tunes, and old fashions. I think one of you once accused me of secretly being 80 years old? It was just after I talked you into recording a Mr. Ed marathon for me while I was on holiday. Sure, you might say I am fond of pop culture relics.

This Marx Bros. film is just comedy at its best. Silent films are for yesteryear, but I’m here today to shout about them from the rooftops. Gone are the days of Harpo Marx (my favorite of the brothers), only to have been replaced with plenty of junky flicks. Gimme a break! I miss the days of Nell Carter.

Those milk bottles they used to leave on doorsteps…That would have been swell. Listen to Three Dog Night’s "Old Fashioned Love Song." Lovely tune. And another thing, old camera film produced photos on such thick paper. Sure, you had that flash bulb popping overhead, but the paper was nice.

I also like the past because (now) I can afford it. My pocketbook can’t cover all the fun "here and now" gadgets that I secretly desire. New computers, newer digital cameras…I can't keep up. I may be the only living girl in New York without an iPod. I'm considering painting my headphones white.

The other day, I spotted an old electric can opener in the trash bin. This machine was twice the size of a teacup poodle. Forget about bringing that back. But the old movies are spectacular. Popcorn goes really well with Duck Soup. You'll get that joke if you too are old(-fashioned).

May: (The Month Following) National Poetry Month

April was National Poetry Month, making this article yesterday’s (or last month’s) news. But in that “glass is half full” sort of way, let’s imagine I’m getting a jumpstart on next April’s rhyming fun.

Poetry month…For me, it conjures up A-B-A-B rhyming patterns, Emily Dickinson, and the ever-enjoyable Haiku. What is a Haiku, you ask? It’s a form of Japanese poetry in three unrhymed lines of five, seven and five "syllables." The syllables are a loose translation of morae, the phonetic units used in Japanese poetry.

I briefly considered writing this piece entirely in the form of Haiku. Bad idea. As Haikus often describe nature, the weather forecast might look something like this:

Sunshine
Happy on my shoulders,
Mother Nature sprinkles love.
Bust out your flip-flops.

Clouds
Cumulonimbus,
I don’t get it, weatherman.
Do I need rain boots?

Snow
Brrr baby, it’s cold,
Jack Frost dances in the sky.
Must make hot cocoa.

Meteorologist
Warm fronts and cold fronts,
What the hell is a Doppler?
Local forecast, please.

Global Warming/The End
Poetry is fun,
Always, not just in April.
But we need ice caps.

My Nemesis, The Elm Tree

“Tree pollen, get your fresh tree pollen! Blowing steadily in from the west, it’s sure to be plentiful this year. Guaranteed to give you runny noses and itchy eyes. But wait, there’s more – Some of you lucky folks will even get sinus headaches and eczema!”

Blossoming trees, blooming flowers, and birds chirping. The telltale signs of spring are here. Yet sneaking up alongside the warmer temperatures and greener grass is a sinister character known as tree pollen. And let me tell you, this invisible monster is tricky.

I read a Times article the other day that centered on this surprising truth: allergies – frequently thought of as a childhood affliction – can spring up at any point in a person’s life. How awfully strange that you could one day hop out of bed, settle down to a crossword puzzle, a cup of coffee, and a pecan roll, and suddenly find yourself allergic to those very pecans on that very roll!

According to the Times article, a number of factors can trigger allergies, such as moving to a new city or getting a pet. Yet the interesting bit is that allergies in adults have steadily increased over the past few decades. I for one am extremely allergic to trees…the Elm is the worst of them all. But it wasn’t until the past couple of years that my allergies became incredibly obnoxious.

While there is something to be said for a genetic predisposition to allergies, a relatively new theory blames improved living conditions. To explain, let’s take a look at two fictional characters: eight-year-old Jack and his 80-year-old grandpa, Quinley (cue the irony, stage left):

A. Compared to grandpa Quinley, Jack has grown up in a world of vaccinations, antibiotics, and cleaner food and water. In other words, he has had far fewer environmental challenges.
B. Without such challenges, Jack’s immune system has not developed in a balanced way.
C. Jack is now predisposed to allergies, and unlike grandpa Quinley, he may be hypersensitive to allergic reactions. And you can bet grandpa Quinley never had to use antihistamines.

Another school of thought is that increased air pollution as well as indoor air contaminates have led to a rise in allergies (and in Kleenex sales, one might presume).

Whatever the reason for their existence, allergies can have a miserable affect on quality of life, not to mention they can increase the risk of developing asthma. But there are ways to combat (or avoid) the elements. Can we get a PSA campaign in the works here? “Kleenex is for lovers”…“Fight green trees with green tea”…etc. After all, how can we expect Smokey Bear to fight forest fires when he’s busy fighting the sniffles? I want to live with the trees, not hide from them.