July 10th, 2008 09:58am
Cindy Harris
Wal-Mart, the world’s No. 1 retailer, has unveiled a new corporate logo that soon will be replacing the blue “Star” logo created in 1992 on everything from the front of the store to the bags in your cart…and probably everywhere else you look given Wal-Mart’s market penetration. It’s a decidedly softer image than the previous version, perhaps in response to its competition from higher-end discount retailer Target, whose advertising clearly targets the hip, suburban mom.
Critical response to the new logo has not been very kind. Some comments on an industry board run by Creativity.com includes:
Sixteen years of branding an identity and they throw it out the window to start over? Any brand manager worth their salt would know that consistency is key to maintaining and building a brand. Not that I was a big fan of the old logo. Both the old and new logo are pretty generic and look to have been made with basic fonts and dingbat icons.
The font (an altered Myriad?) and the star (a circle of apostrophes) are the proverbial “something my daughter could do in art camp”. Who got paid how much to do it?!
I like the logo type; however, what’s up with the ambiguous “sun” icon? It’s definitely more contemporary, but that’s where it ends. They went from in-your-face to indifferent.
What do you think?
Wal-Mart logos through the years:
1962 - 1964
1964 - 1981
1968-1981
1981 - 1992
1992 - 2008
July 8th, 2008 09:07am
Doug Burton
Web site security. Although this is a technical discussion, it can have a serious marketing and business impact. Especially when you are trying to drive visitors to your site and it is down for two weeks because the data has been hacked.
Microsoft has taken the unusual step of issuing a security bulletin for something called “Rise in SQL Injection Attacks”. Although not a particularly attention-grabbing title, this is an exceptional subject for a security bulletin because it’s not about a specific Microsoft product that’s patchable, but rather coding practices in general.
“SQL Injection” is a technique used to “hack” websites, and unfortunately, a great deal of websites are vulnerable to it (some estimates suggest “hundreds of thousands”, but it may be many, many more). Hackers typically use automated tools to find vulnerable sites, and then “inject” malicious code that can do any number of things. In recent weeks there has been a huge surge in the volume of these attacks.
These range from simply adding code that causes a virus infection on a visitors browser, to editing or changing any content on your website, or in the extreme case, completely wiping out the website. The consequences of an attack should be pretty clear - for less extreme attacks, you may not even realise there’s a problem, but it’s more likely that the attack may cause inconvenience or embarrassment. In the extreme case, a well-crafted attack can have disastrous implications to a business-critical website, totally disabling a business, or result in the theft of credit card data and associated financial loss.
Links to documentation on SQL injection and coding best practices:
SQL Server Injection Protection
Preventing SQL Injections in ASP
How To: Protect from SQL Injection in ASP.NET
Coding Techniques for protecting against SQL Injection in ASP.NET
Filtering SQL Injection from Classic ASP
Security Vulnerability Research & Defense Blog on SQL Injection Attack
July 7th, 2008 11:05am
Cindy Harris
Dove was lauded for its Campaign for Real Beauty when it launched four years ago with ads featuring curvy women in white underwear and an education campaign about the media’s manipulation of women and our perception of what “real beauty is.”
But as the New York Times reports today, the company now faces sagging public reception of the charitable aspects of the campaign (the ads often outshine the community service benefit of the program) and reputation-management issues (Dove corporate parent Unilever won’t disclose the exact percentage of sales that support the outreach programs targeted to young girls and women).
Solution? A new ad campaign, of course.
These new ads (see them here at Dove’s corporate site) make the connection between purchasing a Dove product and supporting the education of young girls about their real beauty crystal clear:
The commercial opens with a young girl being bombarded by media images of perfect women and then goes on to show the girl in a class about building self-esteem and that she pledges to see herself as “beautiful.” The spot closes with screens that talk about how many girls have been reached by the “Campaign for Real Beauty” and then declare the following:
July 3rd, 2008 09:21am
Cindy Harris
This weekend, we all feel patriotic and many businesses are likely to be decorating their spaces - or filling their promotions - with flags and related flag merchandise and displays. But before you err on the side of what looks good versus how to actually display the American flag properly, review these guidelines about how to display a flag indoors or out.
And if you’ve already decorated or printed your fliers, change what you can and remember the rest for next year because there is in fact a right way and a wrong way to use the American flag and its likeness.
Oh, and don’t shoot your eye out with illegal fireworks. Have a happy and safe holiday!
July 2nd, 2008 08:57am
Cindy Harris
Few things have given advertisers the willies more than DVRs (digital video recorders), TiVo and the reality that consumers can now fast-forward through the commercial breaks with ease and aplomb. But data released Monday by TiVo seems to indicate that well-made, engaging TV commercials will continue to be seen by consumers.
In May, the top 4 most-seen commercials by TiVO viewers watching “timeshifted” broadcast TV (meaning they hit “play” on their TiVo instead of “fast forward” and actually watched them) were presented by:
Other marketing segments that saw good viewership of their commercials by TiVo users were Nasonex (my guess is that cute bee voiced by Antonio Banderas drew them in), SC Johnson & Son Inc., American Express, Thompson’s Water Seal (which reminds me it’s time for me to seal my deck too), Macy’s (Usher, Martha Stewart and Donald Trump making fun of his own hair), and Honda Trucks/Pilot SUV.
The results show that good commercials will get seen…but also shows that the more mundane commercials timed just right (allergy nose spray is a huge seller in May, as is deck sealant) will capture viewers’ attention.
The study also showed that simply placing your commercial within a popular program doesn’t mean it’ll get seen by a larger audience. Grey’s Anatomy, for example, is a huge ratings hit…but it also is one of the top “timeshifted” shows and viewers hit fast-forward on the vast majority of the commercials within those episodes.
So, despite the Chicken Little fears of the DVR and TiVo among advertising types (full disclosure - I love, love, love, love my TiVo and will watch commercials if they’re interesting), it all comes down to good content and consumers’ desire to hear your message - if you have both of those, you’re golden.
June 30th, 2008 02:26pm
Katharyn Havens
We have recently been taking a look at trends, not only in design but across the board in media and branding strategy. Pandora, (www.pandora.com) the ‘create your own radio station’ site, comes to mind immediately as a shining example of efficiency and simplicity. Mind you, simple on the front end, not behind the scenes where someone attached characteristics to thousands of songs after listening to each one. So, making note here, they spent time and much forethought on the back end before creating something that seems seamless and simple. You go to the site, type in one name and it creates your play list in a clean, visually-pleasing screen with no fuss or confusion. It is just efficient and I’m hooked already.
Bill Gardner writing for Logolounge.com on the trends in ’08 logo designs highlights several styles and points out, “There’s an overall move toward cleanliness - in type, in line, in color - as if ideas are getting more and more succinct. It may be an indication of the degree of seriousness with which branding is now regarded. And less is more common: less calligraphy, less Photoshop tricks, less artificial highlights.” (Read more at http://www.logolounge.com/articles/default.asp?ArticleID=607 )
So it seems, we move toward simple. It used to be that with the onslaught of cool Photoshop tricks it was trendy to “throw all you’ve got at it” and create something complex and intricate above all, just because you could. Though getting back to basics is not rocket science, really, who doesn’t want the acclaim of a simple swoosh, the recall factor of a golden ‘M’ or the punch factor of a little white apple. The iconic brands did not get there overnight or by chance, but they did build an empire with a simple logo. Perhaps in your design strategies this year – for logo, email, blogs, web site – think simple, think clean.
June 26th, 2008 01:42pm
Cindy Harris
National advertisers are looking to cash in on the “green” movement, picking up on consumer research that reports 79% of consumers would rather buy products from environmentally conscious companies, with 35% of them saying they’d pay a premium price for green goods. Advertising Age magazine put together a special report about green marketing and the companies that are doing it - including the big boys of Honda, Whole Foods and others.
Locally, we have special reports on the local newscasts and a Go Green blog here at RRStar.com…but little local advertising is focused yet on companies’ environmental policies. Is your company green? Do you advertise that fact? It may be a strong selling point to consumers and the time has probably come to look at the topic as your gear up for next year’s ad campaigns. Take a look at the Ad Age special report and learn what the big brands are doing and brainstorm ways to incorporate a green message in your ads - chances are, it’ll make your bottom line more green too.
June 25th, 2008 09:32am
Doug Burton
Next year, Sapporo, a Japanese beer company, will start labeling its beer bottles with the amount of carbon emissions associated with production and disposal. Japan’s is also working on standardizing how carbon can be measured and labeled on consumer products.
In the UK, the Carbon Trust, a government-funded independent company, is developing a similar scheme, set to launch in the coming months. According to their site, companies like Coors and Coca-Cola will add the carbon label.
Will this added transparency provide a competitive advantage? Are these figures meaningful to the consumer? And will people really track their carbon impact? We shall soon see.
According to the Carbon Trust’s research, reported in an Independent article, 66 percent of UK consumers want to know how much carbon is associated with their consumer goods. The UK labeling program will have a one year trial period, so we will hopefully find out how accurate that statistic is.
June 25th, 2008 09:29am
David Milroy
As KMK Media’s graphic designer, some of my time is often spent educating clients about graphic design and how it works. Design is a critical piece in any successful campaign; here are some tips about how you can work effectively with any graphic designer to make your pieces better and more effective:
1. Know your budget. The size, layout and print quality of the piece are all affected by the amount of money you have to spend.
2. Know your project. Is it a brochure, a trade show display or a postcard? Who is your target audience? Will it be mailed or handed out? All of these elements will dramatically impact your design work from the start.
3. Planning and forecasting. Work with your designer up front to discuss concepts and goals for the piece(s) and then work with him/her to set up a realistic production calendar with milestones and a “drop dead” print date. (A word to the wise - it’s often easier to build in a few “cushion” days to any print deadline you may have and be sure to count holidays, when printers and even designers are closed.)
4. Feedback…and then some. Working with a designer is the ultimate give-and-take. We need - and expect - constructive feedback throughout the process. If you don’t like something, tell us up front. It’s much easier to make a change in the early stages than the day before it’s supposed to go to the printer.
5. Final copy first. The design phase is not the time to be doing massive rewrites of copy. Make sure the copy you submit has the sign-off of all parties involved. Small text changes are OK but massive rewrites will only delay the process and likely cost you more in design fees.
6. Changes are OK…to a point. If you find yourself going back and forth with a designer more than 2 or 3 times on a project, likely it’s because you were unclear in your direction at the beginning of the project or too timid in your criticism. Design is a dialog and it only works when both sides are talking to each other. Again, more changes = more delays and higher costs.
7. Keep an open mind. Graphic designers do this for a living - be open to their ideas and suggestions. Oftentimes, we can suggest a better way to design a piece so that it gets the results you’re after.
For examples of good design, visit Creativity Online…a great source for the leading edge in advertising creative.
June 23rd, 2008 09:38am
Cindy Harris
Not to be outdone by the Superbowl, NBC Universal is cashing in on the August 8 start of the Summer Olympics in Beijing. According to this piece in the June 19 USA Today, sponsors have already shelled out $40 million just to be part of the action and may likely spend upwards of half a billion dollars to be part of the pageantry that mark the modern-day Olympic games.
A dozen — including U.S. companies such as Coca-Cola (KO), General Electric (GE), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Kodak (EK) and Visa (V)— have spent about $40 million just to be top-level Games sponsors and will spend up to 10 times that to exploit the tie-in with ads, promotions and events in the USA, China and other world markets.
“It’s a lot of money but it’s got breadth and depth and will run all summer,” says Kevin Lane Keller, professor of marketing at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. “The potential is there. It’s what marketers decide to do with it.”
Here’s an example of what to expect. Visa is going with a theme of “Go World” (at least right now).
Saw a TV version of this - narrated by Morgan Freeman - over the weekend during the diving and gymnastics trials:
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