SAMSUNG MICROCODES

In the current world of noise and clutter, it's always a challenge for #brands to get the attention of their target audience.

Every marketer keeps thinking of new ways of reaching their consumer through their advertising and #communication. Now what if you start incentivising people to watch your ads across the different platforms? That is exactly the idea behind #Samsung Microcodes.

This is an initiative in Australia where, Samsung Australia has hidden codes in their ads around the country to celebrate the launch of the Galaxy S20. These codes are extremely tiny and could be hidden in their TV ads, posters, online ads, mobile ads or any other #advertisement that they roll out. The first one to find a winning code gets a free Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G!

Such a creative way to engage people, get them to pay attention to every ad on every platform and also build excitement for the new launch!

CHEERS TO ALL

It is the role of advertising and communication to build brand equity and drive sales. However, it is also the responsibility of advertising and brands to understand culture and play a role in breaking stereotypes.

The HEINEKEN Company has launched a lovely ad film that uses only the power of visuals and lyrics to break a strong stereotype associated with drinking beer.

Don't miss the last line, where they do not mention beer at all. Very smart!

DONATE YOUR WORDS

hashtag#Cadbury has launched limited edition Dairy Milk packs in UK with no words on the front of the pack. They have partnered with Age UK to support loneliness in the older generation. Research found 4.5 million older people felt lonely in later life because people don't talk to them. The campaign 'Donate Your Words' will donate 30p to the charity for every limited edition bar sold. The initiative is to encourage people to recognize and speak to older people in their communities. The #launch is also supported with a film that tells stories of older people who feel alone. It is quite obvious that only #brands that have strong icons and colours can pull something like this without the fear of whether #consumers would recognize the brand or not.

POWER OF COLOUR

There is a lot of thought that goes in every logo, packaging design, product design and other attributes of a brand. While multiple factors do play a role, #colour is definitely one of the most important ones because catching the attention of the consumer even before consumption is crucial, and visual cues like colour can help in that aspect. Here is an infographic from #Ogilvy USA that gives an insight into how most #brands use colour. The rules aren't set in stone and there will be quite a few cases of brands and marketers who have broken the norm, but it is a good indication of the usual approach. Now please have a look at your favourite brands and see if they are following this approach or not. 
I will be happy to discuss examples that you have come across. 

                               Image Credit: Ogilvy USA
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                               #logo #packaging #kunalviews #design

HAPPY MEAL VS. UNHAPPY MEAL

The rivalry and battle between McDonald's and Burger King is becoming quite similar to the cola wars of Coca Cola and Pepsi few years back. Everyone knows about the Happy Meals from McDonald's that have been there in existence for years! 

Now, as a challenger brand, #BurgerKing had to do something to shift the conversation to its own combo meals. Therefore, a few months back, they announced a range of 'Unhappy Meals' and called it Real Meals. These meals were launched in collaboration with Mental Health America to raise awareness for Mental Health Month of May. This was built on the insight that no one is happy all the time. That’s the message Burger King is trying to communicate with these meals. The “Real Meals” include the Blue Meal (feeling blue), Salty Meal, Yaaas Meal (excited), Pissed Meal and DGAF (Don’t Give a F---) Meal to celebrate "being yourself and feeling however you want to feel."

They launched these meals in special boxes and also did a campaign called #FeelYourWay, which you can watch on the YouTube link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjxRUEA0Tdo&t=14s

hashtag#QSR #marketing #kunalviews #challengerbrands #branding #insight #consumer #McDonalds #food #colawars

FOOD ON YOUR MIND?

Are you a foodie and do you often think about food?
Do desserts make you go weak in your knees? Does your imagination run wild and you think about food as an extension of your personality? Well, #McDonald's believes so, and they launched an outdoor and print campaign in Portugal showing different people imagining their own McFlurry with #KITKAT, #Oreo and M&Ms. The visuals, conceptualized by TBWA are colourful, whacky, eye-catching and appealing to the #Instagram loving target audience that loves posting pictures of food in unique and different ways. What are your views on this #campaign?

hashtag#marketing #branding #food #advertising #outdoor #print #QSR #mcdonalds

CELEBRATING 200 YEARS

Collins Stationery, a Scottish brand of stationery just achieved the milestone of celebrating 200 years of being in existence. 

To commemorate this occasion, the company came out with a commercial, walking people through its origins, its history and key achievements. It is a beautiful film, created through hand animation, using only #paper as a medium to tell the entire story. 

The work was done by the #advertising agency Superunion, Singapore, and it just goes to show the power of simplicity and powerful #storytelling.

                                      #communications #history #creativity #simplicity #brand

IKEA LAUNCHES A NEW FONT!

You read that right. hashtag

#IKEA has just released a new font that is inspired by its own sofa collection and aptly called Soffa Sans - The World's Comfiest Font. This was done in response to the various sofa creations that users came up with, using Ikea's sofa planning tool - Vallentuna. Inspired by their #creativity, IKEA decided to launch this font using the same tool.

This font is free to download for all and a total of 1,434 sofas make up this font!

Marcos Tejedor, from IKEA UK and Ireland says:

“We’ve been really enjoying seeing the fun that people are having with our sofas, and the innovative solutions they are creating. Inspired by their creativity, we’ve launched Soffa Sans: the world’s comfiest font. Its modular form and relaxed letter-spacing makes it one of the most versatile fonts out there and we’re looking forward to seeing where it’s used.”

So, are you ready to enjoy working with the comfiest font?

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#inspiration #idea #font #marketinghashta#idea

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LIQUID DEATH - MURDER YOUR THIRST

How eye-catching is a name and line like that! It is bound to stop you in your tracks when you come across a brand name like that in the aisles of your grocery store. Then you realize that it is not a can of beer but rather a can of water!

Liquid Death is a brand that has been launched by a Silicon Valley start-up and it has been gaining the interest of lot of investors. I am not surprised as it ticks many boxes:

1. The packaging is bound to disrupt the market which has always seen packed water in a certain style.

2. Coming in an aluminum can rather than a plastic bottle seems like a right step in a world that is becoming more and more conscious of the environment.

3. The brand name is quite catchy, and the font reminds you of a metal band, which is not a surprise, as the founder Mike Cessario happens to be a former drummer.

4. The can looks as good or even better than the regular beer cans, so even if you do not drink beer while your friends do, you would not mind ordering Liquid Death and enjoying with your friends.

Water has never looked so cool!

                        

 #packaging #startup #siliconvalley #marketing #brand

Retail: Starbucks opens its biggest store in the world

In a time, when #brands are struggling with their retail space, trying to maximize their returns per square foot and wondering whether brick and mortar still makes sense in the digital world, #Starbucks defies all convention and goes forward with a massive store launch in #Tokyo.

 It is not yet another cafe, but rather a #retail theater! It's an experience, and the moment you give #consumers not just a physical product but also an emotional experience, you have a winner on your hands. 

Calling it a 'Roastery' is a way to premiumize the Starbucks brand further. It not only acts as a brand amplifier but also as an #innovation lab where new menus, products and designs can be tested out before being rolled out at a larger scale.

The #coffee space will continue to get more exciting! 

You can read all about it the link below:

Starbucks opens it biggest store in Tokyo