Coke turns 125

... and their iconic "Hilltop" commercial turns 40. They've celebrated by updating the commercial and really playing up the nostalgia factor. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the new commercial online, so here's the original. I'll be sure to post the new one when I find it!

I saw the ad for the first time while watching TV with my family on the Easter weekend. My mom immediately started singing along, and afterwards my parents talked about their memories of the original commercial.

This prompted me to do a little research. The idea for the song came to Bill Backer after his flight was forced to wait in Shannon, Ireland for a heavy fog in England to lift. Many fellow passengers were furious with their accommodations, but the next day Bill saw some of the most upset passengers laughing and sharing stories together over bottles of coke and snacks. Here's some of what Bill had to say about the experience:

"I began to see the familiar words, 'Let's have a Coke,' as more than an invitation to pause for refreshment. They were actually a subtle way of saying 'Let's keep each other company for a while... So that was the basic idea: to see Coke not as it was originally designed to be --a liquid refresher -- but as a tiny bit of commonality between all peoples, a universally liked formula that would keep them company for a few minutes." 

Coke is one of my favourite brands, and is undoubtedly one of the most successful brands in the world. I think its because they are great at making memorable commercials that make people feel good. From browsing their website, I noticed they even have sections dedicated to stories, which are submissions from employees and customers, and "Coke Lore" to support their likable image.

Will Coke be around for another 125 years? No one can say for certain, but with such a strong commitment to their brand image, I'm sure it'll be around for a long time.

"Reply All"

I know this is from the Super Bowl, but I just saw it for the first time right now and can't stop laughing.

I'm pretty sure everyone has hit "reply all" by accident at least once, and immediately gotten hit by a wave of embarrassment. I've done it so many times that, when I have a really important reply, I type in the email address manually!

I love the way Bridgestone subtly showed shots of the tires (never the whole car) throughout the commercial, then tied it together at the end.

Since it is a Super Bowl commercial, its a good way to grow brand awareness, and differentiate itself from competitors. I can't think of any other tire brands at the moment, but because of this commercial, I think the Bridgestone name will stick with me in the future.

I also think this commercial helps Bridgestone gain some positive brand associations. To me, the brand now seems creative (I would never think emails could promote tires!), has a sense of humour, while still seeming reliable.

Exam Time

Its that time of year again. Time flies! I'm trying to focus my attention on school, so check back in 2 weeks!

Lost is found

I came across this video today and was reminded that, although Lost ended almost a year ago, the brand remains extremely strong.

The key to this brand strength belongs to the ability to build a strong fan base. Lost appeals to the sci-fi group (who tend to be very powerful brand supporters), but is still a survivor story that is easy for a wider audience to relate to. Because Lost established a set number of seasons early on, it gave fans something to look forward and defend.

Lost fans are pretty unique. During the "final season" of the show, I was on a co-op term. Several of my co-workers were fans of the show, and we ended up establishing an informal Lost fan group! The lunch  hour after the show aired would be spent discussing he show, and we would share links to interesting articles and theories.

Even though the complexity of the show caused some viewers to lose interest, it only made those who continued to watch more loyal. It also translates into increased DVD sales - one of my co-workers purchased every season as it became available on DVD, but still purchased the complete package for the bonus footage!

Fans are important for every brand, especially when they become brand ambassadors as in the case of Lost. Reading other peoples' opinions and discussing the show with others really enhanced the brand experience for me. Also, now that the show is over, the fans are the only ones keeping the Lost brand alive - even the ones poking fun at the ending like the ones who created the video!

Johnson's "Advertorials"

I've been seeing a lot of "Mommy Minutes" commercials lately... I think I watch too much HGTV!

These commercials feature the Mom Show host  sponsored by Johnson's, in support of babycenter.ca. I visited this website, and it is a wealth of resources for every stage of being a Mom. There are videos, pictures, articles, and fun tools like a calendar to help you track your child's development.

The website prominently states that Johnson's is a sponsor, and the articles discussing Johnson's products are clearly labelled "Advertorials", so they are not being sneaky or dishonest with the promotion.

I think this is a great alliance for Johnson's, and very well executed. In today's society, all parents want to make sure they are doing the best thing for their child. They have tons of questions, and the Internet is a great resource to find answers without risking looking foolish in front of others. One website that provides answers to most questions as well as a forum to connect with other parents is sure to get a lot of traffic, and therefore is a great place to increase brand awareness and salience.

I am not a mother, and although I may have used Johnson's products when I was a baby, I don't have any direct experience with their products that I can remember. However, seeing these commercials and visiting the website make me associate the Johnson's brand with the words caring, helpful, and trustworthy. If I were to have a child, I would definitely look to Johnson's, and I'm sure many feel the same way.

Charlie Sheen flops

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that Charlie Sheen's brand was on the brink of trouble. That prediction seems to have come true, as his debut performance of his "Violent Torpedo of Truth" stand up tour flopped. 

ew.com has put together a timeline of the show if you're interested, but I think they summed up the performance nicely by stating:

"Charlie Sheen unleashed his Violent Torpedo of Truth Tour on the Motor City on Saturday night before a crowd that greeted the actor with an adoring standing ovation and concluded with booing and walkouts"

Where did it all go wrong?

I think that stand up comedy was just an inappropriate brand extension for Sheen. He's used to working in a film or TV environment that's scripted, recorded, and edited. Even the recent string of interviews (the source of his now infamous one-liners) are very different from stand up.

Its very difficult to perform alone in front of a crowd for over an hour. We've seen countless actors flounder while hosting award shows (this year's Oscars is still a painful memory). It seems like Sheen was so quick to capitalize on his fame he forgot to actually create a show worth watching.

EW subsequently developed 5 ways to fix Charlie Sheen's live tour. Great tips, but I'm not sure the show is salvageable. Sheen is way too egotistical to ask for help, and even if he did, people are already starting to turn on him. This is unfortunate because most of those who have already purchased tickets are among Sheen's biggest fans.

April Fools!

As we all know, today is April Fools Day! I hope any tricks played on you were all in good fun. WestJet decided to participate in the fun with the above video.

I think this is a fun way to promote the brand's core values (cost savings). Although the video is a joke, they do provide a link to a 10% off coupon in the description on YouTube. I know some people don't like being tricked no matter how obvious the joke, so I think providing a reward like that is necessary,

It seems to be getting positive feedback. One of the comments on YouTube was:

"WestJet... You're Amazing. This is Awesome. Best airline ever..." 

It hasn't exactly gone viral, with just under 2,500 views, but I don't think it was intended to. I still think its a good joke and a great idea for the brand!