Catching up

We're hatin' it- Unfortunately it doesn't look like McDonald's new campaign is going to be going away any time soon. "The US market will see a stream of new TV and print ads featuring a slicker, edgier look that is still synonymous with the McDonald’s brand identity. And the company hired one of the hottest American pop stars of the moment, Justin Timberlake, and hip hop mega producers the Neptunes to create a song for the campaign. The brand also gains access to its prime market by sponsoring Timberlake’s 2003 to 2004 global tour. The new campaign extends beyond advertising; the “I’m lovin’ it” attitude will be indoctrinated as philosophy in various facets of the company structure across the globe, including customer service and restaurant operations, menu food choices, and new restaurant decors." Slick and edgy are not adjectives I would ever use to describe McDonald's ads or the brand as a whole. I will do a happy dance when they stop running this awful campaign. And I'm sure I won't be the only one doing that either.

Dave Barry reflects on how Manly man pregame commercials can leave men feeling deflated. (hat tip to Clay)

A handful of holiday cards from agencies around the globe.

Thailand's Advertising Association has introduced a "pitching fee" requiring potential clients to pay between Bt50,000 and Bt100,000 if they invite a member agency to make a pitch for work. From the article: "Some business firms yesterday expressed dismay at a new rule that will make them pay advertising agencies that bid for their business. A "pitching fee" has been introduced by the Advertising Association of Thailand that will require potential clients to pay between Bt50,000 and Bt100,000 if they invite a member agency to make a pitch for work. The rule aims to deter businesses that invite an excessive number of agencies to compete for their contracts. The rule, which goes into effect next month, has been accepted by 44 agencies, which account for more than 80 per cent of local advertising billings. (hat tip to Dab) Wouldn't it be great it this was adopted worldwide? It sure does have some downsides to it and I wonder if fewer agencies from the AAT will be asked to participate as a result of this. But, for the agencies who put in 100s of hours and use loads of resources from out of pocket for pitches, it will be a great thing. This kind of thing really would benefit the smaller agencies more than those large conglomerates that have oodles of cash in the bank. Although now-a-days not so many of those even have oodles in the bank anymore. :/

Top 100 Ads of the 20th Century from the Calgary Herald. And USA Today's Most and Least Likable ads of 2003. (thanks Clay)

Barnardo's controversial campaign banned by regulators has been voted among the most successful of the past year by the advertising industry. Sweet! I'm glad for that. This was a great campaign...and an effective one too.

An interesting article from Aussie - " Advertising has come a long way since the days of "whiter than white". The new Heineken campaign doesn't make a single claim about the beer, and that's because most advertisers now realise we are more likely to respond favourably to their brands when they talk about us rather than them. As a result, although many people still regard marketing as a rich source of hyperbole, distortion and manipulation, there's been a steady softening of our attitudes to advertising."
The same site also has this interesting piece too- "Contrary to popular myth, advertising does not work by firing magic bullets of desire into our brains, forcing us to buy things against our will. Some feral advertisers might wish it were so, but the evidence to the contrary is overwhelming. Take the case of alcohol. Some of the most admired campaigns on TV are for alcohol brands, and spending on alcohol advertising continues to rise. If you believed in the magic bullet theory, you'd have to assume that we were promiscuous in our brand behaviour, being seduced by one campaign after another. You'd also assume that our overall consumption of alcohol would rise in direct proportion to the increasing ad spending."