A media publishing contact mailed me last week to ask if I knew a person who had been in touch with him regarding a marketing package for a client in the USA. Why was this of interest to me? Thet person had used a version of my company name and more strikingly the words they had used in their introductory e mail about their company was taken word for word from my website, down to the descriptor of the services I offer......
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery or a cyber pirate?
Wednesday 27 May 2009
Thursday 21 May 2009
Playtex moonwalk...sponsorship of the week
A friend of mine recently participated in the Playtex moonwalk, a Marathon distance walk which takes place at midnight and is in aid of Breast Cancer. Walkers train as per a running marathon and raise sponsorship to fund research.
Aside from a personal connection with this horrible illness and supporting our friend in her efforts,I was struck by the quality of the concept as an example of sports marketing CSR.
http://www.walkthewalk.org/Challenges/ThePlaytexMoonWalk
What a simple,clever example of ticking all the right boxes; a good cause, spot on targeting, PR, subtle branding, deep and meaningful engagement with the target audience......congratulations to whoever put this together, a great sponsorship,I wish I'd thought of that.
Aside from a personal connection with this horrible illness and supporting our friend in her efforts,I was struck by the quality of the concept as an example of sports marketing CSR.
http://www.walkthewalk.org/Challenges/ThePlaytexMoonWalk
What a simple,clever example of ticking all the right boxes; a good cause, spot on targeting, PR, subtle branding, deep and meaningful engagement with the target audience......congratulations to whoever put this together, a great sponsorship,I wish I'd thought of that.
Tuesday 12 May 2009
Ferrari's threat to leave F1
Ferrari have been the main attraction in Formula One for over 50 years, a by word for the glamorous and sexy world of the sport. How many GPs use the famous red car as the base image of their marketing collateral? The majority.
Despite 20 plus years without a World Championship in the Pre Schumacher era, the Scuderia continued to epitomise the values of Formula One, making the collective heart beat faster in a way that world championship winning teams like Benetton, McLaren and Williams could never dream of. They spend a king's ransom on the Gestione Sportiva, the race team side of their business, easily outspending and out resourcing competitors.
Today we read of their threat to pull out of the Championship if the proposed spending caps are applied in next year's series.
Spoiled brats or righteous indignation that their R&D laboratory will not be as fruitful if budgets are limited?
One thing about the sport of Formula One, Bernie always wins in the end.
If they pull out for a year and have to come crawling back, who wins....Bernie.
If they leave and the world Championship is the most exciting for years, who wins...Bernie. Chances of the championship being a damp squib without them.....they aren't winning many points tghis season.
This is a high risk strategy and when the risks are high.....you guessed it..Bernie usually wins.
Read the game guys, the world is a different place in 2009, go with the flow when times are tough and when the belts are loosened crank up the spend again.
Despite 20 plus years without a World Championship in the Pre Schumacher era, the Scuderia continued to epitomise the values of Formula One, making the collective heart beat faster in a way that world championship winning teams like Benetton, McLaren and Williams could never dream of. They spend a king's ransom on the Gestione Sportiva, the race team side of their business, easily outspending and out resourcing competitors.
Today we read of their threat to pull out of the Championship if the proposed spending caps are applied in next year's series.
Spoiled brats or righteous indignation that their R&D laboratory will not be as fruitful if budgets are limited?
One thing about the sport of Formula One, Bernie always wins in the end.
If they pull out for a year and have to come crawling back, who wins....Bernie.
If they leave and the world Championship is the most exciting for years, who wins...Bernie. Chances of the championship being a damp squib without them.....they aren't winning many points tghis season.
This is a high risk strategy and when the risks are high.....you guessed it..Bernie usually wins.
Read the game guys, the world is a different place in 2009, go with the flow when times are tough and when the belts are loosened crank up the spend again.
Tuesday 5 May 2009
Rugby penalty shoot out...great idea or travesty??
I was on a kids' rugby tour this weekend and didn't have access to a television to watch the exciting Heineken Cup semi final between Cardiff and Leicester which featured rugby union's first ever penalty shoot out.
A friend's rugby mad wife updated us by text, btw far faster than any woman over 40 should be able to text, as we shared a well earned beer in the New Forest late afternoon sunshine.
What she neglected 2 txt was that each of the penalties in the shoot out was taken by a different player from exactly the same spot, as opposed to being taken by a regular place kicker from different positions.
Hard on the Welsh player who missed but hats off to the European Rugby Cup, the organisers, for a ground breaking innovation. Such drama, traditionalists will be upset and some have even called for a coin toss. Rugby is growing in popularity and the European Cup had played a huge role in that growth. Increased profile calls for solutions for drawn games that other top sports have evolved, including cricket, football and golf.
Not ideal after a gargantuan battle and 100 minutes of high impact rugby but great television.....and guess what pays the bills?
I hope I'm at a match soon that has a penalty shoot out.......
A friend's rugby mad wife updated us by text, btw far faster than any woman over 40 should be able to text, as we shared a well earned beer in the New Forest late afternoon sunshine.
What she neglected 2 txt was that each of the penalties in the shoot out was taken by a different player from exactly the same spot, as opposed to being taken by a regular place kicker from different positions.
Hard on the Welsh player who missed but hats off to the European Rugby Cup, the organisers, for a ground breaking innovation. Such drama, traditionalists will be upset and some have even called for a coin toss. Rugby is growing in popularity and the European Cup had played a huge role in that growth. Increased profile calls for solutions for drawn games that other top sports have evolved, including cricket, football and golf.
Not ideal after a gargantuan battle and 100 minutes of high impact rugby but great television.....and guess what pays the bills?
I hope I'm at a match soon that has a penalty shoot out.......
Marcomms companies at risk as clients seek bankruptcy protection
I read with horror of the supposed $58m in fees owed by Chrysler to their advertising agency.
Blue chip brand and blue chip agency in a long term harmonious relationship of strategic partnership then bang...chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
I suspect they'll get some /most of their money back but that is a hell of a hit to take no matter how big the agency or their holding company.
It makes you wonder how well protected agencies can be and how big a bad debt does it take to sink a big agency or their holding company?
Blue chip brand and blue chip agency in a long term harmonious relationship of strategic partnership then bang...chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
I suspect they'll get some /most of their money back but that is a hell of a hit to take no matter how big the agency or their holding company.
It makes you wonder how well protected agencies can be and how big a bad debt does it take to sink a big agency or their holding company?
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