Another nice spot for Nissan’s (UK only) Qashqai:
I think this is a really nice evolution of their pre-launch viral push.
Category: brands
“Inspiration?”
Maybe it’s just that all caveman look the same to me. Maybe there really are no new ideas. Knowing the ad guys who grew up watching this stuff on Saturday mornings, it’s the latter.
Qashqai
Nice viral-type campaign for the Nissan Qashqai. There are some interesting comparisons to be made here:
1. Compare the viral effort with the corporate effort.
2. Compare the 2004 concept and 2007 production models
There’s a notable dilution of the styling on both counts.
Nice Clothespins
Nice copywriting and package design from the good folks at Target. Proving – once again – you always have the opportunity to make something cool, even if it’s a little project.
VCAMs — Just a Fad?
Current has been running viewer-created ad messages (VCAMs) for a while now. 99% of the ads prove the being consistently clever and creative while delivering a compelling, coherent brand message isn’t as easy as it looks.
Here’s how it works: Current lines up a sponsor; the first was Sony, followed by Toyota and L’Oreal. The sponsor provides assets (primarily photos and logos) and a creative brief; a little background on the brand, the feeling they want the ads to evoke, etc.
Next, Current viewers download the assets, ignore the brief, and set to work on their commercials. The results generally look like local commercials for global brands, with a few notable exceptions:
[Edit: video embed lost to the ages]
This example was created by an animation and visual effects studio
However, even the quality submissions don’t do a great job of representing these big-name brands. It will be interesting to see if consumer-generated advertising is a passing fad or if consumers and companies can mature the process and create truly compelling work.
Doin’ it well
When you think of things corporations do well, blogging isn’t usually top of mind. (with notable exceptions.) GM has been blogging for about a year and a half now, and—surprisingly—they’re getting it right.
They serve up interesting content on a fairly regular basis (although they seem to cotton to press release-like posts). They don’t seem to place many (if any) restrictions on the dialogue with their customers, as evidenced by the critical comments sprinkled throughout. I would be surprised if this effort wasn’t driven by an ad or marketing agency, but overall, they deserve kudos for doing something and doing it well.
In a recent post by Bob Lutz(GM VC), he cites blog comments as a factor in the reintroduction of the Camaro.
The power consumers hold over brands these days is amazing—from Dell recalling 4M+ batteries to AOL’s recent woes—companies who aren’t proactively managing their brands are being forced to react to increasingly damaging media coverage, much of it driven by bloggers. Companies who don’t understand or choose to ignore this new reality are going to fade away.
I don’t know if GM can change its image or turn the company around with a blog, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Aug 16 addendum // metacool’s view on GM’s blog, specifically, their use of flickr