PETA Launches Distasteful Tiger Woods Ad

I’ve written about my disliking of PETA’s marketing strategies in the past (you can read those posts here, here and here).  This week, PETA launched a new billboard ad that truly takes the cake in terms of being downright distasteful.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about Tiger Woods’ infidelity.  PETA seems to have decided that Tiger Woods’ family problems is the perfect fodder for a new billboard, which will be rolled out in Tiger’s own town, Windermere, Florida right where he, his wife, and his children (albeit to young to read, but that’s not really the point) can see it.  You can check it out below.

According to Virginia Fort, a PETA campaigner involved in the ad’s creation, the billboard ad is, “a fun, tongue-in-cheek approach. … We’re sure Tiger will appreciate our attempt — from a story that’s distracted the world and followed Tiger — to turn it into something positive for little tigers.” (via The Orlando Sentinel)

I think that’s the worst attempt at justification I’ve heard in a long time.  I wonder if Tiger Woods will sue, and I wonder how many people PETA will offend with this “tongue-in-cheek” ad.  What do you think?

10 Marketing Trends for 2010

My 10 marketing trends for 2010 were published on Entrepreneur.com.

If you’ve been reading my content for any length of time, then you can assume the word ‘transparency’ is probably included in that list, and guess what?  You’re right!  I won’t give the rest away though.  Follow the link above to read the complete article.

What’s your prediction for marketing trends in 2010?  Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Why No One Believes GM, Ford and Chrysler Deserved Bailouts

Months ago, I published a post on another blog I write for about the fate of GM, Ford and Chrysler.  I received a lot of negative comments on that post from people who disagreed with my assertion that mismanagement brought about the failure of the Big 3 U.S. auto manufacturers — specifically, focusing on short term gains rather than long term strategy. It’s a trap that executives and managers everywhere fell victim to as stockholders demanded double-digit growth year after year.

There’s a reason why GM, Ford and Chrysler found themselves circling the drain.  I think this chart says it all.  The only surprising thing is that GM, Ford and Chrysler survived as long as they did before they tanked.

The lesson for marketers to learn is this — don’t be the blue lines in this chart.  It shouldn’t take a decade to make the necessary changes to reverse those market share trends.

Brand Transparency – A Conversation with Alan Siegel of Siegel & Gale

Last week, I received a copy of Siegel & Gale’s report, “Siegel & Gale Simplicity Survey: A Clarion Call for Transparency.”  If you know anything about me, then you know that I am a big advocate of simple, clear and straightforward marketing messages and using common sense in marketing.  I’m anti-shock advertising and hard sales messages.  Consumers don’t have time to translate corporate rhetoric to try to figure out what you’re telling them.  If you don’t get your message across quickly, you’ve wasted your time and money.  Never has the need to be transparent been more crucial than it is during an economic downturn when consumers are actively searching for honest companies to do business with. 

Reading the report by Siegel & Gale put hard numbers around much of what I always preach to clients.  In short, consumers want simple language, honesty and clarity from brands.  After reading the report, I was lucky enough to secure a few minutes of Alan Siegel’s, Chairman and CEO of Siegel & Gale, time to talk about his position on simple and transparent marketing. 

I asked Alan what steps companies should take first to reposition themselves as transparent.  His response was to focus on the inside first.  In other words, policies must be set for developing clarity.  He indicated that much of the information companies provide to employees (and customers, for that matter) is self-serving with little personality. [Read more]

2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid – No Wonder U.S. Auto Companies Need a Bailout

If you had any question in your minds that U.S. auto manufacturers are completely clueless, the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid from General Motors will certainly make it clear that these companies do not deserve a bailout.

At $72,000, the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid is probably meant to say, “Look at me!  I’m rich and I care about the environment.  Aren’t I wonderful?”  However, when I see this car, I think, “Look at me!  I leased the heck out of this car and now the bank is foreclosing on my house, and I hate the environment but this car makes me feel a little bit better about it.”

The new 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid improves fuel efficiency by 50%.  That means the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid gets a huge 21 miles per gallon!  What do you think?  Does GM deserve a bailout?

There is simply no doubt that U.S. automakers still don’t get it.  There’s a reason why the Toyota Prius is growing more popular everyday and large SUVs are being traded in for smaller cars.  Why can’t U.S. auto companies figure it out?

Update: The 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid has been named to the Yahoo! Finance Best and Worst of 2008 list as the worst car of 2008.

Image: General Motors

Microsoft’s Latest Misguided Marketing Effort – A Clothing Line

Bet you never thought you’d hear that Microsoft is launching a clothing line? 

But it gets even better (or worse, I suppose would be more accurate).  Microsoft is launching a clothing line and turned to rapper Common to help.  Apparently, Common would ad “street-cred” to Microsoft’s new line of T-shirts imprinted with phrases that celebrate Microsoft’s heyday. 

It reminds me of that old Sesame Street clip with Cookie Monster singing, “one of these things just doesn’t belong,” but in this case, none of these things just doesn’t belong.

Oh my.  Where to begin?  According to an article in Ad Age, Microsoft’s T-shirt line is an extension of its advertisements that responded to the very popular Mac vs. PC commercials.  Well, the Microsoft commercials were not particularly successful, so why not launch a T-shirt line?  You can see the logic, can’t you?  Neither can I. [Read more]

1 Million Google Andriod G1 Phones Expected to Sell in 2008

Should Apple be worried?  What about RIM?  Could the iPhone and Blackberry have some real competition from the Google Android G1?  According to the Google Android G1 handset manufacturer, HTC, they expect to sell 1 million Google Android G1 phones by the end of 2008, which is up from an original estimate of 600,000.

From what I’ve heard so far from people who have tried the Google Android G1, they’re impressed with the phone, and it seems to be a real competitor.  The major problem – the less than satisfying T-Mobile network and service. [Read more]

11 Phrases that Destroy Brand and Marketing Innovation

I wrote a post for Corporate Eye today that I want to share with my readers on KeySplash Creative Conversations as well.  It’s called 11 Phrases that Destroy Brand Innovation. 

In the post, I share 11 of those phrases that anyone who has ever sat through a corporate marketing meeting is sure to have heard before – probably too many times to count. 

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Nobody wants that.
• We’ve already tried that.
• Who’s going to take the blame if it doesn’t work?

Take a look at my post on Corporate Eye and share your additions to the list of phrases that destroy brand or marketing innovation.  Or leave a comment here on KeySplash Creative Conversations with your brand and marketing innovation killers. 

Come on.  You know you have some to share!

Image: Flickr

Time for a PETA Marketing Strategy Shift

I was reading Branding Strategy Insider today, when I saw a post by Mark RItson about the need for PETA to re-invent its brand strategy.  I found the post to be incredibly timely as I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to provide my opinion to PETA about how I thought their marketing strategy has to change for the brand to remain relevant and the organization to make a difference in the future.  Here is what I wrote to PETA:

As a marketing and branding professional, I am not a proponent of shock advertising, which I think PETA has a history of relying on.  I believe there are far more effective methods of communicating messages and shock advertising provides short-lived bursts of awareness but little for long-term ROI.  Additionally, I think the celebrities who endorse PETA aren’t always the best for the PETA brand [e.g., Pamela Anderson].  PETA has a reputation as an all or nothing brand.  In other words, people view PETA as a bit of a cult, “either you agree with us 100% or you’re out.”  I think with a more inclusive approach and message, more people would be supportive of PETA and animal rights would become a less trendy cause (sort of how supporting the environment was in the late 1980s/early 1990s) and more mainstream.  [Read more]