Flying People

Flying People Article

I just got home, sat down, and did a double take as I saw this on the front page of Yahoo...the article talks a bit about how the video was done for Chronicle and also about Thinkmodo, a company that specializes in viral marketing. I was definitely curious about it after seeing it in class earlier so figured I'd post it up!

Absolute never stops

Absolute Vodka places itself as top innovator and an incredible branding statement. Absolute uses mainly print materials and carefully selecting magazines and newspapers to target. They keep themselves update and fresh and always current.

Absolute does a great job incorporating new material to their distinctive element: the bottle. They have been able to use similar messaging and elements worldwide and still keep relevant to local audiences.

Ferris Bueller's new CR-V

While I would probably never buy a Honda CR-V I love this commercial where Honda brings back Ferris Bueller's Day Off. A 60 second version of it is scheduled to air during the Super Bowl. They've cast Matthew Broderick as himself skipping out on a day of his acting career and running around town in his new CR-V. I don't know exactly what the target market is for the CR-V, but I can see a part of it being those people with new families that don't want to opt for the minivan or full size SUV. These are the exact people that were around when Ferris Bueller’s Day Off came out, give or take 5 years. I'd like to say almost everyone has seen this movie, but if they haven't they know about it. I think it's safe to assume that at one time or another every one of us has played hooky from work and/or school to go get into trouble or as least do something other than work :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhkDdayA4iA

Google

I know we have already watched this commercial in class...but boy was this ad compelling! If you don't feel some emotion when seeing this, you may want to check for a heartbeat.

I loved this ad from the moment I saw it. My dad was the first one to send it to me.

Google took an extremely emotional and life changing moment and made it's service necessary, even when no one would usually relate email and a new baby. The company showed little clips to tug at the heart strings and create an emotional connection that almost any viewer would remember. I bet there were a lot of expectant parents out there that loved the idea of keeping an online diary of sorts for their newborns, to share every moment as if their child could already see it.

I think the fact that it was a father writing to his daughter made it even more memorable and compelling. A mother wanting to show her child every little moment of the first parts of their life is expected and overdone. However a father writing sweet things to his toddler daughter is without question very rare in ads. It just adds one more element to an adorable ad.

Honey Badger Don't Care

In 2011, the Honey Badger became a star. Missed it? It started with a hilarious YouTube video that has since become a phenomenon. And now, the Honey Badger is tv star.

What makes this advertisement interesting, is Wonderful Pistachios took an ordinary product and infused it with pop culture. Now a simple nut, not even a fan favorite, has a cult-following. Wonderful Pistachios understood that their product was stagnate, with no room for innovation. So when looking to increase sales through advertising, it was obvious that the innovation had to come from the perception of pistachios as opposed to pistachios themselves.

Enter current humor. Like the Honey Badger ad, many of the new Wonderful Pistachio ads play on pop culture. The infamous Winklevoss brothers, Khloe Kardashian, Angry Birds, Kermit the Frog and a keyboard playing cat all tout the tasty features of pistachios. When looking at the variety of "stars" chosen its difficult to see the connection right off. But these stars are related to one another in how consumers are interacting with the media. They are all current, popular and funny. They are understood by the reality-watching, YouTube surfacing, Facebook-addicted consumer. And now, so is the pistachio. Wonderful Pistachios understood the chaotic interaction that young consumers have with social media, tv and brands and targeted in on the elements that have stuck with the consumers, hoping that pistachios would too stick.

I Have Thunder Thighs

"My doctor called me a fat runner. He was surprised that my thighs were so muscular given my routine training for the next marathon. I was so excited to see the advertisement that I cut it out and taped it to my refrigerator."  As my friend recollects on the Nike advertisement I am reminded of the first time I saw the ad campaign a few years early. The artwork and message on that glossy magazine page captivated my attention once again.

 Nike's "My Butt" advertisement campaign was run in a three part series capturing the attention of young female athletes in multiple sports. Nike seemed to leverage the young female trend of cutting magazine clips (Pintrest is the next generation of this trend) to pin up as inspirational artwork. The ad was beautifully designed with an elegant font type and reminded displayed on my walls throughout high school and college.

 The artwork only complemented the inspirational messaging to create an extremely compelling advertisement. The ad captured the attention of female athletes everywhere whose training to be fit gave them a bodily shape different that the size two model, and honored her dedication to health and fitness. The ads began with a provocative introduction proclaiming "my butt is large" or "I have thunder thighs" and continued to honor the hard work and dedication of a young female athlete, myself included. 

http://www.adwomen.org/2011/06/controversial-nikes-campaign-for-women/nike-women-i-have-thunder-thighs/

Carl's Jr. Ads

I find the Carl’s Jr. advertisements quite interesting. The ad that I chose features a reality TV star Audrina Patridge, laying on the beach wearing a revealing, sexy, glowing gold bikini while cramming the giant juicy Carl’s Jr. Teriyaki Burger into her mouth. It’s interesting that fast food commercials are starting to use “sexy” celebrities in their ads in order to attract customers. In a way, I think this method really works in attracting male and female customers. In the photo, Patridge has a seamless bust, toned abs, and lean legs; she has the perfect body. This fact makes people wonder what her secret is in obtaining this body.  The ad answers the wondering secret showing Patridge delightfully indulging the enormous calorie-filled burger on the beach.  This is appealing to both males and females, as the ad includes good food and a good-looking woman. Men are enticed by both subjects while women are attracted to the image of looking sexy while eating a fat, juicy teriyaki burger. The idea of seeing Patridge eat a burger with a perfect body becomes a trick to my mind, that anyone should be able to enjoy a burger without feeling guilty. 

(http://www.slashfood.com/2010/09/02/skinny-celebrities-pushing-fatty-food/)

Coca Cola: the best and positive message ever!

I wanted to comment that regardless of a Company or Product that interests us, that there are commercials that stay in our memories forever. Sometimes these memories are positive, sometimes negative.

One of my favorite commercials is a Coca Cola commercial I saw in Spain. The message was: "Estas aqui para ser feliz" which in English means “You are here to be happy.” During the commercial, there is a Coca Cola bottle only once. They don’t advertise the product itself, but only a comparison of the product with happiness itself.

 It was real story. They found the oldest man in Spain with a baby that was about to be born. The old man welcomes the baby to this world with a very positive message.

The video has more than one million views in YouTube, and people have used it on their Facebook walls as well as personal e-mail messages. Many people might not drink Coke, or be fans, but I am sure that we all share the message:  “You are here to be happy.”  It goes beyond the product itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzc3FFJDKU8

Reimagining a Classic

I grew up a bricklayer. Not with stretchers, headers and mortars, mind you, but I definitely worked with bricks. I would make houses, people, cars, planes and all sorts of objects and items from bricks of a variety of sizes and colors.

If you couldn't tell, I'm talking about LEGO bricks.

The catalog of LEGO products is extensive and they've benefited from licenses with companies such as Lucasfilm, enabling the company to create engaging, life-like scenes. Even I recently completed a LEGO set, when I built my very own Space Needle replica.

However, Most of the ads I've seen for LEGO over the years have been formulaic: kids building and then playing with a variety of LEGO creations.I'm sure most of us have seen these if we've watched even 10 minutes of children's programming. I was pleased, then, when I saw a print campaign that drives at getting older kids (including me) to remember the fun that LEGO provides.

The "Red Brick" ad for LEGO is just one in a series of four ads.

Ultimately, a company like LEGO is all about creativity. LEGO can absolutely provide fun as they've shown in ads for years, but what sets them apart is the ability to turn a series of LEGO blocks into, well, anything. While I'd feel quite silly playing with my GI Joe or POGS, LEGO has reminded me that it makes more than toys - it makes whatever I want it to make.

New Article Connecting Facebook, Social Networks to our very beginnings

Just wanted to share this new article that came out in Nature which MSNBC picked up. In it, a group of researchers show how social networks have been around for ages and they're apart of evolution as a species, among other interesting findings.

Hope everyone enjoys it!

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/25/10234789-facebooks-roots-go-way-way-back

And here is a video they did in case you'd rather watch than read.

Save the Planet, Hug a Polar Bear

I think it is safe to say that people today are inundated with ads from every angle whether it’s online, TV, radio or elsewhere; it’s hard to go even an hour without an ad staring you in the face. In order to make it through the clutter, good ads (the ones that stick with you) are rare occurrences and hard to pull off with an audience that has ever-increasing impatience. However, it’s still possible.

One such ad is the Polar Bear ad for the Nissan Leaf. This ad speaks directly to its target market with eloquence and heart. Nissan focuses the ad on a real issue that its market cares passionately about - the melting of the ice caps and struggle to save the polar bears. Once its audience is hooked it turns and connects the success of this struggle with driving a Nissan. Among the beautiful music and imagery, the ad resonates with viewers not only for it’s ability to tell a story, but also for it’s ability to show how our actions at home can effect the world, and sometime for the better.

It’s a wonderful ad that convinces you that by driving the Leaf you will save the polar bears, and who wouldn’t want to save the polar bears if they could?

where’s your mustache?

I have always been a milk fan. Growing up my mother used to tell me, “drink your milk, you’ll grow big and strong.” So I did. I drank gallons of the stuff. But apparently I was one of the few. That was until the “got milk” campaign. I remember these advertisements well. And while they were marketed on all above the line channels, the television commercials really struck me as compelling and memorable.

I doubt many eleven year olds knew Aaron Burr prior to this commercial, but the story line, irony, and humor connects with any age.

My fandome of this campaign culminated in a tv production class in middle school where I portrayed a news anchor with a box of donuts, an empty carton of milk, and hysterical laughing.  

hay tu bo thuoc la vi suc khoe ban than gia dinh va cong dong

 

While traveling in Vietnam this last fall I saw this billboard to encourage the locals to stop smoking. The copy loosely translates to give up smoking for the health of your home and community. At first I was surprised to see advertisement that encouraged people to stop smoking because smoking is so prevalent throughout Asia. 

The other thing that struck me about this billboard and the one below for aids education was how straight forward the messages were conveyed with the graphics. Neither of these ads required you to understand the local language to get the message.

 

'Happy to help' - anytime, anywhere...

While working for a client from the telecommunication industry a few years back, I came across this then recently launched ad of the primary competition. The moment I saw this ad, I knew this was a winner all the way and have gone back to YouTube every now and then to watch it over and over again. Take a look.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibs9gZ7t-X4

So, Vodafone India is the third largest mobile network operator in India and they have this awesomely creative media team which has come up with some of the most viewed Indian ads over the years. What makes this particular ad so appealing is its huge cuteness quotient. Both the girl and the dog are adorable. The pug is the mascot of the company and he helping out the little girl in the ad on every occasion represents the customer-friendly orientation of the brand, that the company is eager to help the customers at any time of the day and hence the tagline ‘Happy to help’. Moreover, the background song is beautiful with heartfelt lyrics and adds to the feel good factor of the ad. The ad definitely made a lasting impression and has stayed on with me over the years mainly because it reminds you of beautiful things in life and that there is always someone round the corner ready to help.

The ad enjoyed immense success among the Indian audience and the pug became so popular that price of pugs shot up by more than 100% during that period! Needless to say, Vodafone got a huge mileage out of the ad and had eventually come up with several more ads in that series – most of them equally if not more compelling. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qedh62-LYiU

The Internet Moves Pretty Fast...Whether or Not You Look Around

Ferris Bueller's Day Off is (unashamedly) one of my favorite 80s movies, so when I heard that a new "homage advertisement" was being created for the Super Bowl, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, more of something I already like would ostensibly be a good thing; on the other, what if the new version isn't as good? (See also: Tron: Legacy)

Eventually, curiosity gets the best of me and I head to YouTube to check it out, not knowing what the ad was even about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhkDdayA4iA&NR

Matthew Broderick still kills it. I know it's nostalgic, and that it's pandering to the carefree(?) 80s aesthetic that I was too young to appreciate the first time around. The ad itself is largely predictable, but it's still full of nice touches, with the music from Yello going a long way to set the scene.

On repeated viewings, what I appreciate most about the ad (other than MB's spot-on vocal inflections) is how seamlessly the automobile being pitched is worked into the proceedings. "The car" was undoubtedly a key component of the original film, although the Ferrari and Honda CR-V are worlds apart. However, given that Matthew is all grown up with a family, it sort of makes sense that 2012 might find him in a different ride.

As for why I found it compelling, I like that they were able to reference and make use of the Ferris Bueller character without showing the world a middle-aged Ferris (the ad makes it quite clear that we're watching Matthew). Seeing the actor revisit one of his beloved characters gives everyone a nice feeling of familiarity without the uncomfortable idea that the iconic Ferris grew up just to hawk cars. Second, the final segment shows how much fun anyone (not just a famous celebrity/fictional character) can have in a CR-V, while also serving as a nice callback to the garage valet in the film.

In the modern era, we recognize that actors occasionally need to mix commerce-focused work in with the rest of their art. Cheers to Matthew and Honda for giving the people more of what they want without ruining something they love.

"Living Vicariously" Advertising

Disclaimer:  I admit that I do put some effort into collecting scarves, but otherwise, I am both AARP member and the mother of an eight year old boy with ADHD.  Yes, I am tired.  And you are more likely to find me on Black Friday helping the anarchists at the Westlake Center conduct the "buy more stuff" anti campaign than buying the "stuff."

So when I tried to think of my favorite ad, nothing came to mind.

Instead, I thought about how the average kid sees around 300 advertising commercials a day.  I thought about how my son often sounds like a ramped up (and more violent) version of Mermaid Madison in "Splash" after her day in front of a TV.  I tried to think about where one could go nowadays where there isn't a TV or a radio or computer or people staring at their handhelds. 

Yes, I am "adverTIRED."

But last Friday night after work, I was sitting in the PCC in Edmonds eating pizza from the deli.  In front of me was the store's in house tabloid publication.  It described the specials, yes, but also featured opportunities to take part in cooking classes, try novel recipes, and take my child to a special exhibition at the Burke Museum about growing organic foods.

And in a single moment, I forgot that I lived in suburban Shoreline and that the cloud cover for the last week or so had reached down to my ankles.  

Did I sign up for the cooking classes or see the exhibit?  No.  Instead, it "felt" like I had done it ... experienced it.  Suddently the pizza tasted better ... somehow more wholesome. 

It's that kind of thing that keeps me coming back to the PCC ... that and the Tickled Pink scarves they sell.

Love Puppies and Kittens, Hate Sarah McLachlan

Back in December the Social Media Club of Tacoma hosted a social media brainstorming event at the Tacoma-Pierce County Humane Society. The Humane Society already utilized Facebook but wanted some ideas for how to build specific campaigns that they could promote online.

As the event was wrapping up I commented to one of my coworkers that I found it surprising that after more than 20 years working for the Humane Society in different capacities, their Development Director was remarkably unjaded and still seemed to feel genuine compassion for the thousands of animals that came through her facility each year. I casually asked her about the well-known BC SPCA television commercial featuring video clips of puppies and kittens set to a tear-jerking song by Sarah McLachlan. You know the one:

Are you crying yet? Or did you mute it or pause it because you remember the first time you saw it and it made you bawl like a baby? 

I originally found it very compelling (as did many other people) but after a couple views I couldn't stand to watch it any more. I, like many of the people I've casually asked, now mute the television or change the channel as soon as I see the ad come on because it's thoroughly depressing.

My question for you is: At what point should an organization like that change its message? Their ad was extremely powerful and drove people to action the first couple times they saw it, but now people actually avoid watching the ad. Do you think the SPCA is just going for the "one time sale" when it comes to donations? Or are the subscribing to the "no such thing as bad press" belief? I mean, that ad is 4 or 5 years old... but we're still talking about it.

Just A Little Prick

A couple of years ago, as I rode home from work on the bus, I found myself twisting in my seat. “Did I just see what I thought I saw?”

I laughed out loud. Hilarious. My next thought was, “What is this?” Looking more closely, I found the call to action. “This is brilliant. Are they allowed to do this?”

I was in the early days of my career in public health. I was researching campaigns around physical fitness, climate change, parenting, pedestrian safety, and STDs, but I had never come across a campaign like this.

The billboard I saw was part of a campaign being run by Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC), the health department in Seattle. They had received funding to address HIV/AIDS in Seattle, and their research had indicated that the highest risk population in Seattle were men having sex with men, mostly in their 20s and 30s, living in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

PHSKC began convening groups of men in the target group to evaluate messages around HIV and AIDS. The resounding message was “Don’t tell us about condoms. We know about condoms. Oh, and whatever you do, it would be cool if it was funny.” PHSKC was listening. Eventually, PHSKC landed on messaging around a more convenient way for testing that only required a small “prick” of the finger or a mouth swab.

With the audience defined and the call for action determined, now PHSKC needed to figure out the creative. What would their visual and written messaging be? And what would they use for dissemination? After a couple of ideas that did not resonate with the audience, “Little Prick” was born.

“Little Prick” was highly effective. The campaign ran throughout the Capitol Hill neighborhood on billboards and chalked onto sidewalks. Coasters wound their way into pubs and bars. HIV/AIDS testing continued to increase throughout the campaign.

But the campaign wasn’t run without some caution flags. PHSKC, afterall, is a governmental organization that wanted to save lives by preventing HIV/AIDS infections without angering other voting, tax-paying constituents.

PHSKC held meetings throughout the neighborhood, particularly if there was a billboard going up nearby. They told businesses and residents about the campaign, its purpose, and what it would say. The prepared internally for angry calls, upset citizens, and potential city outcry. PHSKC was completely prepared, but apparently, so was the city. Not one angry citizen called. Not one upset individual voiced concern.

Sidewalk chalk outside pubs in Seattle's Capitol Hill

The “Little Prick” campaign demonstrates dedicated public health professionals working to reduce risk and illness. They listened to the target audience and worked with the community to explain what was happening to develop support for an initiative. Afterall, public health is responsible for the health of all people, not just the non-controversial, politically safe health issues.

I have presented the “Little Prick” campaign in a number of speeches and trainings for public health departments. One woman from Wyoming once told the class, “This would never work with my citizens, not even my gay men in their 20s and 30s.” That’s the point. It’s creative and effective because this campaign knows its audience and audiences are not the same. What works in Seattle may not work in Wyoming. Find out about your audience, find ways to get them the message where they are, make that message meaningful, and you’ll have a powerful campaign.

Visually memorable

When a single viewing of a television commercial stays with me for more than twenty years, it must be effective advertising.

Surprise ending commercial | Break.com

Watch the commercial before reading further and then let me know if you agree.

I saw this commercial only a single time in my Paris hotel room in the late 80's or early 90's --- twenty-year-old memories tend to be imprecisely dated. When I read this blogging assignment I knew I wanted to showcase it, but I had only a small hope that a pre-Internet commercial from France would find its way to posterity. I recalled the entire sequence: the birds rising from the field, the hunter slogging his trophy up the hill to his little hatchback which was clearly the focus of the commercial. Or not.

Visual, a French optical chain, continues in the same vein even today. Here is another clip from a 2006 commercial with the same "theme."

Saxophones

And here is there 2012 campaign. You don't need to read French to "get it."

The commercials always run with no text until the after the visual punch line. The formula continues to be effective after more than twenty years.

Absolut

Magazine ads that has always caught my attention are the ads by Absolut Vodka.  The success to their campaign is clever marketing campaign as well as the bottle design.  Each ad has their own personality and people relate to what they see.  In the example below, the image of an iphone is something everyone is very familiar with.  These images get stuck in your mind and you will remember all these ads.

The vodka was created in Sweden in 1879 and came around to the U.S. scene in 1980.  The first ad run in the U.S. for Absolut was a print ad featuring the iconic bottle with a halo above it. The headline read: Absolut Perfection.  By 1991, 3.7 cases were sold annually. 

I’m not a big vodka drinker but when I do purchase vodka, Absolut is always my choice.  Overall I like the design of the bottle and it always catches my eye.

I Want You to Want Me

I like this  Diet Coke Cheap Trick Advertisement because it's sexy, funny, and evocative--and it has absolutely nothing to do with Diet Coke, though a few cans of the beverage appear in the montage. I have loved Diet Coke off and on over my life, and I remember a few years back when I was watching seasons of Weeds. The main character was always drinking Diet Coke. This was very effective product placement because after several years of not drinking Diet Coke, I took it up again. This Cheap Trick Diet Coke commercial packs a lot of punch for 31 seconds. The woman in the ad (who watches her neighbor floss, shower, and get ready to go out while singing Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me") says, "You can't rule out a guy who knows all the words to one of the greatest songs of all time." I must be just the right demographic, because if you appeal to me with rock and roll, you're halfway there.

Advertising: We put that S*** everywhere!

One advertisement that has always stuck with me was one on the radio. My friends and I were driving home from a weekend out of town and listening to the radio. As commercials came on we would instinctively turn down the volume until the music came back on. However one commercial in particular made us stop and listen before tuning out. It was a goofy announcer stating he was at such-and-such state fair with this year's farm & garden winners. He then intro-ed a winner, saying she had grown the biggest pumpkin in the fair's history. A sweet old lady voice said 'Thank you'. How had she done it? asks the announcer. 'Frank's Red Hot' replies the sweet old lady. Pause. Then loudly: 'I put that *BEEP* on everything!' The commercial was simple but effective. Everyone in the car paused, listened, got confused with the woman's answer & had a great laugh when the punchline was delivered.

While the commercial itself was cute & clever what makes it a good ad in my mind is how well it stuck with all of us. To this day those of us that were in the car will randomly credit something to Frank's Red Hot, or randomly exclaim 'I put that S#*! on everything!'. And we always laugh. The beauty of the ad was not just the clever set up or punch line, it was the mutual experience it created. The interest, confusion & group belly laugh - it was a shared moment. Why I know it was a good ad? Now I can't pick up ANY hot sauce without thinking of the cussing granny.

http://cdn.hiphopnc.com/files/2011/03/franksredhot.jpg

Santa has Siri!

Since I was young, I’ve always been a big appreciator of advertisements but most particularly if they are on TV or print. I’m a visual person and to actually come from a culture wherein media plays a big part in our everyday lives, I remember having to watch all ads that are being shown on TV since we didn’t have the ability to skip the ones that we don’t like or any of them at all. It didn’t really bother me that we have to watch them all which is the opposite of what we can do now wherein we can choose to either skip the ones that we don’t like or all of them. With an advertising background like myself, I found it quite appalling at first that consumers now have the ability to skip ads when they couldn’t before. Although, I would say that I am not completely opposed to it since there could be some ‘not-so-good’ ads out there that sometimes you just can’t stand to watch.

With the advent of internet and as I got older, my own perception about whether or not a simple ad is either powerful, effective or neither also changed. I was used to ads wherein oftentimes celebrities are being featured holding a product or two and while that is effective, I thought that there is something else that they can do other than just endorsing the brand. The ad that I want to talk about is from a company that has been around for a while and still continuing to create and invent things that we never really thought we want or need until they did. Apple Inc. has been well-known for their computers but to me personally, I really didn’t pay attention to them until they came up with the iPhone back in 2007. In my opinion, Apple has done an amazing job in marketing themselves and maintaining a certain level of pride and prestige tied to their names that is being passed on to their customers which has allowed them to have a huge following.

I particularly like the ads that they make with any of their products be it for a computer or an app, but for the purpose of this writing the iPhone. I like that their ads gives out simplicity but yet powerful and effective in having their message to come across to the consumers without the frills. It’s more than just beautiful faces and celebrities but rather it is a collection of real people about what’s really going on around them living their everyday lives which I believe is powerful in itself. And that’s what makes a compelling ad!

http://www.apple.com/iphone/videos/#tv-ads-siri-tour

Hyundai Card

I'd like to introduce TV ads of "Hyundai Card ", one of the S. Korea's premier financial service companies. In the brief eight years since the launch, their effective marketing has led their market share jump to 14% from 2% (ranked #2 in terms of transaction volume). The beginning of this growing was a launching TV ads. Even though we’ve never heard of 'Hyundai Card', we talked a lot about the card after watching a launching ad.  They presented their massage clearly with graphics and proper music. It was so impact without many words. A creative and stylish ad derived high awareness of the card's character. They kept offering variations of ads after the launching ad. The massage is consistent - and consistently recognizable to their intended audience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pi7-Fu6CS0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=pqKqv0EIc_M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4IFp1epEcs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOIkldgVcXQ

We could see the card is not just a payment tool, it's a lifestyle. They differentiated customers by lifestyle and created the M, R, T ,H cards.( M is for automobile, R is for shopping, T is for travel, H is for housing) Customers could choose their own cards depending on their pattern of living based on interests and get more rewards and discounts than any other cards. They’ve got strong customer loyalty, as measured by card usage per customer.

Behind of the marketing innovation, there's CEO Jung, the center of attention. People say “There are many CEOs who are managing bigger companies, but there are not so many CEOs who care a lot about design in Korea." I also could see it when I met him to design his house. He had lots of design books at his office and walls were covered with credit card design schemes. As I remember, he was the only client who cared about designer and knew the latest trends that he'd wanted to apply to the house. Although his background is M.B.A., he has a sense of design more than anyone else. He inspired me and it's one of the reasons I'm studying marketing as a designer.

Dear Sophie

I know that this was shown in class, and most of us probably saw it even before that, however when I think of an ad that is compelling, it was the first and only one to come to my mind. I realize that they were intentionally shooting for the emotional angle but I still cried pretty heartily upon the first viewing and for a few viewings after that.

I think it’s compelling because it took a simple idea of a father and a daughter and the love that they share and because so many people can relate or at the very least understand it, the video appealed to such a broad range of consumers. If I take a step back, it’s actually pretty crazy to think that I would watch 90 seconds of a stranger’s home movies, and then cry afterward. Yet it’s what happened, and I think it’s a pretty incredible feat on Google’s part.

Moreover, I also think they did a great job at branding themselves as an emotional company that has to bring itself to life both in front of the computer and out in the world. I read an article that quoted Loraine Twohill (Google’s Vice President for Global Marketing) as saying, “It’s about emotion, which is bizarre for a tech company.” I do understand that it’s not a connection I would’ve made on my own but I think it’s worked out very well for them at least in my instance: just last weekend as I was searching Google for movie showtimes, I sighed to myself as I thought about this video and picked up my phone to give my dad a call just to say hello.