Keysplash Creative

DHL Packaging Goes Glam for Fashion Week

Susan Gunelius — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:40:30 +0000

Would you wear packing materials as clothes? In a clever campaign tied to DHL’s sponsorship of Fashion Week last month, top fashion designers created haute couture designs made entirely from DHL packing materials.

A photo shoot featuring models showing off the original garments and live models wearing them at Fashion Week created an integrated campaign that looked like an episode of Project Runway. It’s a unique and creative way to make shipping relevant to fashion.

Take a look at the DHL fashion week designs below. What do you think?

10 Common and Effective Emotional Triggers to Boost Your Copywriting

Susan Gunelius — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:29:24 +0000

My latest article for Entrepreneur.com has been published. This time, I explain how appealing to consumers’ emotional triggers can make your copywriting more effective, which is something I go into in greater detail in my book, Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps.

You can follow the link to read my article on the Entrepreneur website: 10 Common and Effective Emotional Triggers.

PETA Launches Distasteful Tiger Woods Ad

Susan Gunelius — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:43:36 +0000

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?

First Decade of 21st Century as Told by 92 Magazine Covers

Susan Gunelius — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:39:13 +0000

The Magazine Publishers of America and the American Society of Magazine Editors created an excellent video that tells the story of the first decade of the 21st century using 92 magazine covers. From Google to Twilight and everything in between, the big events are included. Check it out below or view it on YouTube.

How many brands can you identify on the 92 magazine covers?

10 Marketing Trends for 2010

Susan Gunelius — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:54:54 +0000

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.

Def Leppard Animated Series Could Become a Reality

Susan Gunelius — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 01:31:21 +0000

In the late 1980s when I was 17, Def Leppard’s Hysteria album was at the top of the charts in the U.S. My friends and I got tickets to see the band perform at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

One of my friends and I were able to sneak down from our first tier seats to the floor and ended up in the front row at the center of the stage. We had a blast, and I still remember her dancing on the roof of my parents’ car in the parking lot afterward and denting the it. We punched it back into shape, but a small dent lingered that I could always see from my second story bedroom window that overlooked our driveway whenever the car was parked there. I always wondered if my parents ever noticed it (sorry about that Mom and Dad).

Today, about 20 years later, I read an article on the MediaFreak blog about a new deal Def Leppard is considering that might include an animated series. I could write all kinds of things about marketing and branding related to this odd development, but I won’t. Instead, I’ll leave my post with this food for thought …

Pick and choose your brand extensions carefully. Remain focused and don’t forget your core audience.

I may not have listened to my old Hysteria album in a long time, but I still remember all the words to Pour Some Sugar on Me and I sing out loud when it comes on the radio. However, I don’t think I’d ever watch a Def Leppard animated series, and I can’t foresee such a series drawing in a broad, new audience either.

How about you?

100 Social Media and Content Marketing Predictions for 2010

Susan Gunelius — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:43:17 +0000

Joe Pulizzi of the Junta42 Content Marketing blog (and publisher of the Junta42 top content marketing blogs list, which KeySplash Creative is on) recently asked top social media and content marketers around the world for their industry predictions for 2010.

Predictions came from well-known names like Seth Godin, David Meerman Scott, John Jantsch, and more (including me!). You can read all 100 expert predictions here on the Junta42 blog. There is no doubt that the comments and predictions in this list will make you think and re-evaluate your strategies for 2010.

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

Building Brand Value the Playboy Way Review

Susan Gunelius — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:55:08 +0000

Mary Emma Allen of b5media’s HomeBizNotes.com blog published a review of my latest book, Building Brand Value the Playboy Way, last week, which I’d like to share with you.

You can read the full review here!

20 Must Read Branding Articles of 2009

Susan Gunelius — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:19:55 +0000

I write about corporate branding for a fantastic organization called Corporate Eye, and this week, I published a list of what I think were my 20 must read blog posts about branding that I wrote for the Corporate Eye blog in 2009.

While I can’t republish the articles here on KeySplash Creative Conversations, I can provide the link to my list of the top 20 must read branding articles of 2009 that I wrote for Corporate Eye.

I’m going to be publishing my list of the top 10 branding and marketing communications trends for 2010 in January and February on Entrepreneur.com, so stay tuned for those lists!

KeySplash Creative Blog Included in Junta42 List of Top 42 Content Marketing Blogs

Susan Gunelius — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:28:16 +0000

I’m happy to announce that the KeySplash Creative blog has once again been included in the Junta42 list of the Top 42 Content Marketing Blogs.

Over 300 blogs were included in this quarter’s review, and the top 42 are:

These are the blogs to read if you want to learn about content marketing!