Why Carlsberg's friendship check is genuinely moving
A video for Carlsberg beer shows men supposedly losing in a poker game and phoning close friends for a bailout in the early hours of the morning. When the friends arrive, they are greeted by a staged, seedy scene before a crowd toasting their loyalty and courage is revealed. "[W]hat's clear with this one film is that Carlsberg has deftly positioned itself not as an obtusely 'social beer,' but as something far more meaningful: as the beer for actual friends," writes Will Burns. Forbes
(3/13)
Gatorade picks another winner from product-history barrel
The latest TBWA\Chiat\Day spot for Gatorade draws on its sports history much like Element 79's mid-2000s spots did, writes David Gianatasio. The authenticity of the brand as an icon of winning "gives Gatorade a shared meaning that transcends its sporty origins and helps ads like these appeal to anyone hoping to catch lightning in a bottle," Gianatasio writes. Adweek/AdFreak blog
(3/13)
Samsung's flash mob in Times Square attracts a crowd
Samsung unleashed a dancing flash mob in New York's Times Square to promote the impending release of the Galaxy S IV. The dancers assembled a box with the words "Be ready 4 the next Galaxy." Mashable writer Anita Li calls the flash mob "cheesy" and "ill-advised." Mashable
(3/13)
Other News
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Digital agencies consider their future at SXSW
With brands becoming more comfortable with forging direct bonds with tech startups, some SXSW attendees were questioning digital agencies' continuing role in connecting the two, writes John McDermott. "The general sentiment among tech entrepreneurs at SXSW was that we're experiencing 'the beginning of the end' for digital agencies," McDermott writes. R/GA's Kyle Bunch says digital agencies need to "work with startups to make the pie bigger rather than fight over the same slice." Advertising Age (tiered subscription model)
(3/13)
Execs: Social fans matter but engagement matters more
Social-marketing numbers matter -- not the quantity of friends amassed, but rather the number that interact with the brand, according to panelists at the 4A's Transformation conference. "We do believe that people's best customers should be their fans. ... But it's not about getting more fans than your competitor because that's a chase to the bottom," says Blake Chandlee, Facebook's vice president of global partnerships. Adweek
(3/13)
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Saks' omnichannel "Evolution" grows the brand amid change
Saks Fifth Avenue's "Project Evolution" marketing and merchandising initiative is credited with growing the brand to the point of happy confusion. "There's so much integration between store and online sales that we can't report the numbers separately; they just don't make sense because we are moving inventory from one to another all the time," CEO Stephen Sadove said in a presentation to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Retail & Consumer Conference. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily
(3/13)
Other News
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KFC is winning back Chinese confidence one stanza at a time
Yum Brands seems to have stanched the catastrophic losses at KFC China stores after reports of hormone-laced chicken, writes Anita Chang Beattie. Sales were flat in February, after a devastating 41% plunge in January. KFC's "Operation Thunder" initiative aims at winning back consumer confidence through such programs as a poetry contest where contestants must use the phrase "the chicken are innocent." Advertising Age (tiered subscription model)
(3/13)
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AAF's Advocacy and Action: Advertising Day on the Hill
Join advertising professionals from across the country in Washington, D.C., on April 17 for the American Advertising Federation's Advocacy and Action: Advertising Day on the Hill. In the morning of this premiere conference you will hear from legislators and regulators who make and enforce the laws that directly affect how the advertising industry does business. In the afternoon you and your fellow attendees will demonstrate the power of AAF's grassroots network by heading to the Hill and visiting with your elected representatives. The event will conclude with a special reception in the U.S. Capitol. Don't miss this exciting chance to make a difference in Washington, D.C.
View sponsorship opportunities or register for Advocacy and Action: Advertising Day on the Hill.
AdCamp 2013 | Advertising camp for high school students
AdCamp is an education initiative to teach high school students about professional opportunities in the advertising industry. This year we will be hosting AdCamp in Chicago, Houston, New York and Washington, D.C. Go to our website and see what parents and students had to say about the AdCamp experience. It's a unique opportunity for young adults to get a true grasp of what advertising really is. Minority scholarships are also available. Get involved today!
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