Should movies and advertising really mix?

We've become familiar with brands slipping product placements into movies, mixing brand names into our favourite characters lives. When done in a subtle and logical way we're usually accepting of this practice. Lately I'ved a new trend that leaves me wondering how close should entertainment and advertising mix. Both Anchorman 2 and Super Returns have partnered with brands to release advertising campaign which also act as movie trailers. 

Essentially these are ads for movies inside ads for products. I'm assuming it allows movie promoters to push their new releases at a reduced cost - but could this negatively affect a movie release? Do you risk your audience tiring of your lead character before the movie even hits cinemas? And does your opinion of that character change when they become associated with a brand?

How the movie name or characters are used will determine the resulting impact. While I think the following adverts work well, the approach should be used sparely by promoters. It won't always work. And it may just alienate your audience.  

Take a look at these examples and then leave a comment letting me know if you are more or less likely to watch these movies? 

1. Ron Burgundy Sells Cars 




See more Ron Sells Cars Ads on the Dodge Youtube channel.

2. Superman Returns for Carls Jr  



Thankfully Carl Jr choose to have Superman as a background character rather than actually holding a burger! Maybe the promoters knew that would be a step too far.

How did these ads affect your desire to see Anchorman 2 and Superman Returns?

Make Me Famous! Attention Grabbing Personal Marketing

There's something about humans that makes us love seeing our own names in print. It makes us feel special. Noticed and appreciated. 

My attention was grabbed by NZ Marketing's personalised cover:   

Here's some other examples:  

1. Nutella Personalised Jar Labels 

A Facebook app allowed Nutella fans in Belgium to personalised their jar labels. A limited number were available each day and they went quick. The promotion was extended due to the begging of Facebook fans. People were encouraged to share photos of their jars on Instagram also - I particularly liked this version: 

Similarly Coke has also released named bottles and cans in several countries:

2. Westfield Valentine's Day Billboards 

This competition to have your Valentine's message made into a billboard resulted in two marriage proposals but I thought this was the best winner:

3. Porsche "Closer than you think" Campaign 

A Toronto Porsche dealership came up a brilliant direct mail concept. While it's not exactly "named" it's certainly personal marketing. They parked a new Porsche outside affluent homes and took a photo then left a flyer saying "It's closer than you think". Resulting in a 32% response rate - even if this is a little creepy it was effective! 

Photo source: http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/great-direct-mail-piece-puts-porsche-your-driveway-142230 

The Nike ad that's not for Nike

At first, I was certain this was a Nike campaign. High production values, beautiful slow moment capture and an intriguing script. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was actually for retailer Rebel Sports (on second watch I spotted the Puma and Adidas clothing). It's quite a departure from the usual weekend sale ads and good to see them layering with a brand building campaign.   

Have a watch and let me know what you think of the new direction, you might even learn a bit about sprinting. I did. 

Fly Buys Billboard Surprises and Delights

Fly Buys have installed an interactive billboard at Wellington Airport that truly delivers on their brand position "Everytime you swipe, something a little bit good happens". It was great fun watching the genuine surprise and delight as people swiped their Fly Buys card to dispense a blue gumball. The concept captured the attention and imagination of adults and children alike and I'm sure will improve the brand perception for anyone who interacts with it. 

The billboard is an evolution to one that appeared the same time last year which was covered in lollipops. I like that they have added the need to swipe your card which brings the concept back to the brand proposition. 

A similar billboard also appeared in Britomart in Auckland this month and humorously dispensed Jaffas.

And while we're on the subject of Fly Buys I'm also loving their Dream Machine Kombi which is currently touring the country. 

Here's a quick video of the Dream Machine in action - spreading delight across New Zealand. 

To keep up with Fly Buys fun marketing ideas you can follow them on Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. 

Top of the Pop Ups - Lasting Impressions, Temporary Stores

Pop up stores cater perfectly to our short attention spans and fascination with the new. A pop store can provide a brand access to high foot traffic locations, integration with large events and flexibility from retail leases. When well executed a pop up store can become a powerful brand statement and create a lasting experience for customers. 

Here's a few of my favourite New Zealand pop ups:

Rekorderlig's Winter Lights Bar
This week Rekorderlig launched their "Winter Lights" bar in Auckland. Complete with a pine forest and fireplace the pop up bar cost $400,000 to create and promote.

Emma Rock, Rekorderlig Brand Manager, describes the pop up as "a winter wonderland that delivers an immersive experience and brings our Beautifully Swedish mantra to life” (Stoppress.co.nz). 

(SEE MORE POP UP STORES AFTER THE JUMP)

ASB Succeeds On Facebook

 

ASB's current marketing campaign "Succeed On" is all about celebrating successes, large or small. I think creating a Facebook app that trades "likes" for a lower home loan rate is a success worth celebrating. Other than being a great idea, the execution is pretty envy worthy. 

Effective Bus Advertising for St John

Some effective bus advertising for St John that made me stop and think. The illustration of a relatable and easy to comprehend statistic makes this a powerful message. 

It's St John's appeal week, you can donate on their website.

What do you think? Does this approach make you more likely to donate?