Jonathan Waxes Philosophical
One of the things we strive for in the communications industry is simplicity.
Or, to put it another way, reduction.
In an optimal marketing equation, everything is reducible, everything is simple.
Take for example, the brain.
Now you might reflexively say that the brain is anything but simple. Yet when you look at a single neuron, a single synapse, it’s a rather rudimentary circuit. The complication comes when you multiply these base components by the billions. Suddenly, through nothing more than volume, simplicity gives way to complexity.
IBM knows it.
They’ve been able to replicate simple brain sequences. So they thought, why not put those sequences in a powerful cortical simulator and generate a full, working model of a mammalian brain.
Trouble is, even though the simulation works, they can’t seem to figure out how.
Upon reaching a certain level of complexity, the model becomes just as abstruse as the genuine article. And it doesn’t just happen with cognitive science.
McDonalds tests everything. Every burger, every secret sauce. They test single-blind, double-blind, focus groups, massive regional trials. A sandwich is simple. But a billion sandwiches are inexplicably complex.
Which is why despite all that testing, you still see phenomenal product failures like the Arch Deluxe.
And this is our fate in the modern world. From Adam and Eve to the most chaotic, unpredictable system in the universe.
But enough about D.C. traffic patterns.
Here’s to a safer — and simpler — new year.
Brands on a bigger mission
Companies are always looking to keep things fresh by reinventing themselves, and one company who has done this quite well is Lacoste. They are putting even more meaning behind their famous crocodile logo and donating money to help protect this endangered animal. What a smart business move. They are strengthening their brand, and giving back at the same time. If all companies could find a way to make their brand more meaningful, it can change the way people perceive you, and isn’t that what branding is all about? This is the kind of generosity that pays back two-fold. Knowing that you, as a customer, are even just a small part of something bigger, it is so rewarding. I think we should all ask ourselves “how can I do more?” and never settle with the status quo.
Fruit Slice Candy Gets Around
I traveled to Providence over the Thanksgiving holiday, and I noticed a few things while I was up there.
First, Dunkin Donuts is slightly more prevalent than the Catholic Church.
Second, Stop and Shop has a new logo that’s REALLY reminiscent of
Giant Food’s new logo.
Here they are side by side:
Who designed this thing, Jayson Blair?
And I don’t care that the two companies are now merged into one by their conglomerate ownership (awkwardly titled “Royal Ahold”). It’s still brand prostitution. One name, one logo—that’s my rule. Otherwise, it gets extremely disorienting for the traveling consumer.
This is exactly the kind of thing that makes mergers so irritating. Plus, it muddies the water for other companies that seek intentionally misleading false affiliation.
Here’s the worst case scenario. Two companies, same name, one logo, no affiliation whatsoever:
Bunch of royal aholds if you ask me.
Is Augmented Reality the Future of Advertising?
Reality is boring. Consumers have been living and breathing in reality for far too long. They demand messaging that is interactive, imaginative, and in real-time. A new digital technology called augmented reality (AR) has recently become one of marketing’s hottest trends. AR enables vivid virtual computer generated imagery to appear alongside the real-world environment, creating a mixed reality on a computer or mobile device. Consumers are then able to manipulate and interact with these living objects in the real world through a monitor.
I love keeping up with cutting edge technologies and industry trends because you never know when a fresh idea can enhance a campaign or brand image. Even though a new technology may be all the range and innovative, every business and industry shouldn’t rush out and attempt to quickly insert it into a new media approach just because everyone else is doing it. But if a trend is able to align with given business goals and audiences, experimental technology and strategy can sometimes brilliantly go hand-in-hand. There are a few good marketing examples of experimenting and adopting AR technology that achieves these objectives.
BMW and the USPS have not only used AR to create something viral that helps drive consumer buzz, but it also serves as a strategic application that flaunts products/services. In BMW’s Z4 campaign, a virtual car displays the car’s features and creates an interactive game by allowing the user to mark up his or her desk while controlling though the computer keyboard. USPS’ new AR application allows consumers to simulate priority shipping options when making a decision on packing size differences.
New Android mobile devices have just released an app called Layar, and the iPhone is now developing Twitter 360, which will become some of the first augmented reality browsers on mobile. The apps will create real-world GPS compasses and visualize twitter friends in real-time through a phone’s camera screen.
Even print publications have gotten in the mix. Esquire Magazine just released an experimental AR December issue that features an introduction on the cover by Robert Downy Jr., three dimensional celebrity interviews, and interactive fashion features through your webcam. While development of the issue cost a great deal of time and money, the magazine is still constantly attempting to progress.
Many believe augmented reality is the future of advertising. This new technology already has the ability to create amazing interactions between digital and print. In a quickly evolving mobile world, augmented reality just might give new relevancy to future print usage if tactics continue to evolve. Any Smartphone could have the potential to turn an ad into an interactive 3D masterpiece. As long as it continues to be used strategically and not just as a gimmick, future possibilities for AR marketing are endless.
Get ‘Em While They’re Young
According to the British Psychological Society (what, isn’t that where everyone gets their news?), the “age-of-acquisition” effect has now been proven applicable to corporate brands.
For those unfamiliar, the effect basically observes that individuals have an easier time processing information they encounter at an early age—in other words, while their brains are still maturing.
Now, Andrew Ellis and colleagues have observed the same kind of hard-wiring effect for brands. Which means that the key marketing demographic may not be 18-49 at all, but rather 0-5.
Gives one a whole new appreciation for the Babies ‘R Us marketing strategy, doesn’t it?
Additionally in the experiment, Ellis observed that older participants had an easy time recognizing long-defunct brands from their youth, but a difficult time recognizing current popular brands.
In fact, participants over 80 professed nearly 100% brand loyalty to the Hudson Motor Company, even though it hasn’t produced a working automobile since 1954.
So what’s the takeaway? Maybe it’s something that I’ve long suspected, but secretly feared: that ubiquity is truly more powerful than logic.
Whatever the reason, it helps explain my persistent hankering for a Charleston Chew.