December 2013
KFC ad draws Christian ire
Published December 17, 2013
If pressed to come up with two things that Americans love universally, you could do a lot worse than replying “Christmas” and “fried chicken.” Somehow, those two popular forces are now in opposition, as a recent KFC marketing campaign has the company in hot oil. It seems that a Christmas advertisement, which features the line “all our stupid songs”, has drawn the … Read more »
Specialization and the future of marketing
Published December 16, 2013
Consumers today are inundated with more messaging than ever before. In order to stand out in a crowded field, it’s no longer enough to simply announce your intentions and hope that people respond. You have to create an experience, and if it doesn’t speak to a person that you’re trying to reach, it’s not going to resonate, and you won’t convert. Joe Saracino, CMO at Erwin … Read more »
The marketing of no marketing: How a sneak album put Beyonce in the spotlight
Published December 13, 2013
Super-famous performer Beyonce never really disappeared from the public mind, but her most recent work is being hailed as an act of genius that’s certainly increased her presence online and got fans and media outlets talking about her again. For those who haven’t heard the news, Queen Bey released a reportedly lavish digital album through iTunes with relatively little fanfare, especially … Read more »
‘The cameras are always on': Our culture of public image mishaps
Published December 12, 2013
Journalists have been having a field day with a recent photo that made the rounds on the internet after Nelson Mandela’s memorial service earlier this week. One candid moment, in which three world leaders took a snapshot with a personal phone, has become imbued with meaning and commented on throughout the media. The now-infamous photo depicts President Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron … Read more »
When fans take over your content marketing for you
Published December 11, 2013
Fans of the much-loved television sitcom darling “Seinfeld,” which reigned supreme during the 1990’s, endlessly appreciate its attention to detail and absurd quasi-fictional world. This often included fake movies with titles and premises just a hair beyond what we see all the time in the Cineplex. From “Checkmate” to “The Chunnel,” these fictitious films were … Read more »