Often Copied. Never Equalled

Charles Caleb Colton the eccentric English writer said that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”. There is evidence of this across every walk of life. The best chefs have their recipes copied, the most impressive paintings are reproduced as prints and the most popular songs are the ones belted out at karaoke bars.  In a competitive business environment things are no different. The best food brands see their products imitated by own brand rivals and so on and so forth. When imitation is so common and easily done it becomes difficult for brands to distinguish themselves from their rivals and establish the image of being the best option in the eyes of their target market.

The Volkswagen Golf is the world’s second highest selling car ever. Its different models have won countless awards over the years and established the image of being the best hatchback on the market. A source of frustration for VW over time has been the inevitable efforts of competitors to communicate to customers that their offerings are every bit as good as the Golf. Volkswagen has successfully made light of this in the past with the campaign “Why drive something like a Golf when you can drive a Golf?” This was a very blunt but effective way to illustrate to consumers that the Golf was the benchmark in the market that all others strove to imitate so why bother with them when you can have the real thing.

This approach was so successful that it has been revisited for the launch of the new Golf GTI through the “My Way” ad. The ad features a number of karaoke hopefuls offering their personal take on how best to imitate the popular song “My Way” before presenting viewers with the original version as the new Golf GTI enters the screen driving through Las Vegas before demonstrating the cars handling capabilities going through a series of impressive manoeuvres. From start to finish I think it’s an extremely effective ad as its unique start creates curiosity that keeps viewers engaged so they are paying full attention when Volkswagen’s message is delivered.  The point the ad gets across is that like the famous Frank Sinatra song, many have tried to imitate the Golf but none have come close to the original, hence the tagline “Often copied. Never equalled”.

Shane Kelly

Volkswagen Side Assist

Volkswagen have launched a new range of technology called the VW Side Assist. It has been designed to take the strain off the driver when changing lanes by complementing both the exterior mirrors and the driver's method of glancing over the shoulder.

The Side Assist uses two radar systems placed at the rear of the vehicle to warn the driver of danger. The system scans up to 50 meters behind the vehicle and the blind spot either side of the vehicle. It is activated by pressing a button and will only work at speeds above 60 km/h.

Side Assist then signals the driver if any vehicle is within the critical zone for a lane change. The Side Assist will notify the driver regardless of whether a lane change is in progress or not. When a vehicle is in the critical zone the system alerts the driver by switching on a light on the exterior mirror on the side that hosts the potential danger. If the driver continues to indicate despite the light having switched on, the light then becomes brighter and begins to flash rapidly so as to draw further attention to the potential danger.

To gain awareness, Volkswagen launched a humorous print campaign using many well-known doomed events such as Hannibal Lecter, the Trojan Horse and Bonnie and Clyde. The print ad simply states "see things before they get dangerous", implying that the situation could have worked out differently if these people had seen the danger before it occurred. This is to mirror the Side Assist which will allow for fewer accidents on the roads through allowing drivers to see the dangers before they happen.

Volkswagen combined the print advertisements with a viral campaign using YouTube's already existing frame-by-frame technology. When watching the video the public is probed by a man standing on the pavement to place their mouse on a specific point of the YouTube play bar. A frame then pops up illustrating a second man falling from the sky, the man on the pavement seeing this then steps to the side to avoid the impending danger. This clever use of YouTube's resources allows Volkswagen to display, in an innovative and budget friendly way, the principal behind Side Assist.

On a personal note, I feel that while the campaign is very clever and draws attention to the new product, it neglects to fully explain how the technology works. In a cluttered market, is it enough for Volkswagen to use innovative advertisements to grasp the target audiences attention? Or must there be a factual component to the advertisement, highlighting how the technology functions?

Tayto Launch Limited Edition Package "As Gaeilge"

Tayto has announced the arrival onto shelves nationwide of a limited edition Tayto Cheese and Onion 6-pack designed completely ‘as Gaeilge’.

The pack celebrates Tayto as a proud Irish product that has been on shelves since 1954, now selling over one million units worldwide each day.

Tayto said that they expected it to be a ‘much sought after’ item with the run up to St. Patrick’s Day and during Seachtain na Gaeilge which took place from March 4th until March 17th. Gaeilgeoir and Irish model Roz Lipsett launched the campaign earlier in the month.

The new Tayto pack pays homage to the retro 1980s design.                                        
A limited amount of the new Tayto packs 'as Gaeilge' will be sold in supermarkets nationwide for eight weeks.

Megan Fitzgerald
Marketing Advisor

Topshop teams up with Google+ for LFW

London fashion week has always been an exclusive experience that was only available a select few, but this year that has all changed. At the 2013 LFW Topshop teamed up with Google plus allowing people to watch the show in real time from the comfort of their sitting rooms.

The fashion show was aired on Topshop’s own website, YouTube and Google+. Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn wore outfits fitted with micro-cameras allowing home viewers a model’s eye view of everything both on stage and back stage.

Google Hang Out events were set up to allow people at home to speak directly to designers and fashion editors after the fashion show and a Be the Buyer App allowing users to curate the collection and get tips from the buyers on how to put the looks together at home.

This is not the first digital innovation Topshop has been a part of. In 2012 Topshop collaborated with Facebook for LFW for its premium ‘Unique’ line. The link allowed 2 million digital users in 100 countries to view the show as it happened and shared it instantly via their Facebook page and buy the lipsticks that the models were wearing. Until the 2013 LFW collaboration it was the most watched live catwalk show ever.

In the first five days since the collaboration’s live video initiative began, there have been more than 4 million views across a multitude of platforms.  The show was streamed not just to Topshop’s own site, but also via embedded media players on news sites and top fashion bloggers and, of course, in the window of the iconic Oxford Circus store.  In the first five minutes of the live show there were more than 200,000 social media shares across all the social networks using the Shoot The Show feature.

Maria Morrissey
Marketing Advisor

Dismissing Social Media

Robin Kiely is the new Head of Communication for the budget airline Ryanair, and as part of his new position he has looked at the relevance of social media. While he agrees that some other airlines may use Facebook as a means of communication, he stated that “a Facebook account would not be helpful” to Ryanair.

Ryanair is sticking to its budget nature in not wishing to spend resources on having to hire more staff dedicated to the social media site. He stated that if customers wanted to get in touch the existing methods are still available, referring to their brands customer car line.

While it is commendable that Ryanair recognise the need to manage the page, when other brands fail by leaving their page without a plan, it seems that Ryanair may be shying away from social media to avoid the likelihood of the sites becoming a place on which dissatisfied customers can vent their anger.

The question is, should this fear still be relevant? With the way social media is going brands should have established content plans and rules of engagement for fans to abide by.

Although Ryanair do not spend very much on advertising, PR is of huge importance to the brand and a presence on social media could increase customer interaction and engagement. 

Ryanair is hugely online based with its flight booking and check-in systems so it would make sense to have an online system by which customers could engage with the brand itself.

So are Ryanair right in avoiding the social media and sticking to traditional media, or will this avoidance come as a disadvantage to the future prospects and advancement of the brand?

Claire Mc Nally, 

Marketing Advisor

QR McDonald's Marketing Form

Following up on the Coca-Cola anti obesity campaign, McDonald's is now offering nutritional information via QR code form on it's beverages and packages, following the healthy path companies are trying to create.  This has started on McDonald's products in the United States and will continue to world wide McDonalds' through out the year.

It is another controversial brand informing consumers about the health of their product.  The designs will be featured on all carry-out bags and fountain beverage cups.  These QR forms will also be communicating "brand stories" and delivering facts with a mix of text and illustrations.

McDonald's wants to engage with customers in relevant ways and celebrate their brand. Customers will be understanding where the food came from and the origin of the beef. Customers want to know more about the food they are eating; McDonald's feels this is the most innovative and cost effective way to produce engagement with McDonald's consumers. 

McDonald's feels they will have success due to their gathered consumer input on the new designs. The Global Advisory Council emphasized the importance of providing access to nutrition information and support using the packaging to connect customers to facts about menu items. The text is offered in 18 different languages.

Is it smart to put the QR code on the carry-out bags, as this would be after a McDonald's purchase and consumers would have already purchased their products. Is it smart for McDonalds to produce this QR form, do you think it will produce a high amount of brand engagement?

Signed: Christina McCarthy 29/1/13

Coca-Cola Obesity Campaign

An anti-obesity ad rolled out this week from an unlikely source: Coca-Cola.

The world's biggest beverage company debuted the "Coming Together" commercial in hopes of flexing its marketing muscle in the debate over fizzy drinks and their impact on public health.

Attempting to make consumers aware of the calorie content in its fizzy drinks.

The theme ties into the company's "Live Positively" and "Open Happiness" campaigns.

The soft drink giant unveiled a campaign that will take on what it's calling "the issue of this generation." The first ad in the campaign, the 2-minute spot, notes that Coke can "play an important role" in the fight against obesity. The ad also points out that of its 650 beverages, Coca-Cola now offers 180 low- and no-calorie choices. In addition, the company has introduced smaller-portion drinks which Coke intends to have in 90% of the country by the end of the year. It's unclear whether another ad in the series will run during the Super Bowl. Coke has purchased three 30-second spots during the big game.

In  the campaign, Coke cited several anti-obesity initiatives, including nutrition labeling, school beverage guidelines and Coca-Cola Troops for Fitness, which offers "military-style fitness classes like calisthenics, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups and other fitness and nutritional techniques to families in communities most in need of wellness services."

The push comes after the Center For Science in the Public Interest has been a vocal critic of Coke, linking its soft drinks to obesity and diabetes. The beverage giant is diving face-first into the fray about sugary drinks and health, releasing a two-minute commercial, helping to solve the problem while simultaneously trying to shift some of the blame to other, unnamed foods and, perhaps most oddly, to consumers themselves. Or, as the voiceover gleefully chirps, "If you eat and drink more calories than you burn off, you'll gain weight!" Thanks for the pointer.

Michael Jacobson, executive director of the CSPI offered the following statement about the campaign on its Facebook page:

"They're trying to stem the tide of criticism by taking a page out of crisis control 101, which is to pretend like they're concerned about the issue. If they were serious, they would stop advertising full-calorie drinks, charge less for lower calorie options, and stop fighting the soda tax. They're just running feel-good ads aimed at neutralizing criticism."

What do you think of Coke's new campaign?

McDonald's is launching a new global packaging design that uses QR codes to give consumers nutritional information about their food. It is the next brand to promote informed decisions about health. Are Coke and McDonald's starting a new trend for companies?!

Fiona Lucey
Marketing Advisor

Advertising standards and the level of complaints received in 2012

This year the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) received a record number of complaints. Over 2000 complaints were received in the 12 month period. 

This represents an increase from the average 1500 complaints received yearly.

The highly controversial Paddy Power advertisement ‘Ladies Day at Cheltenham’, topped the pole. This advertisement posed a question to its viewers to spot whether the women in the advertisement were born female or were transgendered. The catch line for this advertisement was “Separate the stallions from the mares”.  This video was withdrawn prior to determination of the case, however it’s still available on Youtube.

Other advertisements that encountered complaints were a nightclub’s Facebook campaign and billboards opposing abortion.

As these boards have limited scope to deal with areas such as political and religious advertising there is likely to be reform in advertising standards this year with investigations already in place.

This poses the question:  Is the value of creating a non-traditional “controversial advertising campaign” outweighing the traditional medium of advertising. It certainly appears so!

Giants such as Paddy Power revel at the idea of media attention and controversy. Power said himself that he “makes no apology for pulling all the stops and building the brand around gimmicks and ads to amuse people and earn media attention”.

The success attached to such controversial campaigns is likely to increase the amount of complaints received year on year which leaves with the question: Will advertising standards solve this or drive further media attention?

Stephen King (Marketing Advisor) 07/01/13

Gun Control in America

Recent events have re-opened the debate for stricter restrictions on gun control in America. The Government has constantly in battles with the biggest pro-gun rallying organisation, the NRA in attempts to tighten gun control. The second amendment of the constitution gives Americans the right to bear arms. However, following the recent shooting in the Sandy Hook Elementary school in Connecticut has led to protests at the NRA headquarters near Washington DC. On top of this the White house has also spoken out against guns. Vice President Joseph Biden is considering measures that would require universal background checks for gun buyers and track the movement and sale of weapons through a national database.

While the shootings in Sandy Hook has been the catalyst for these talks mass shootings is not a new problem in America. In reality the problem stems much deeper. Thirty-four Americans are killed every day by firearms. Each year, on average, 100,000 Americans are shot with a gun. Of these, over 31,000 are fatalities, 11,000 of them murders and 18,000 suicides. While the Sandy Hook shootings was the worst of the mass shootings this year, there was 15 more mass shootings in America in 2012. They are:

1. February 22, 2012—Five people were killed in at a Korean health spa in Norcross, Georgia, when a man opened fire inside the facility in an act suspected to be related to domestic violence.
2. February 26, 2012—Multiple gunmen began firing into a nightclub crown in Jackson, Tennessee, killing one person and injuring 20 others.
3. February 27, 2012—Three students at Chardon High School in rural Ohio were killed when a classmate opened fire.
4. March 8, 2012—Two people were killed and seven wounded at a psychiatric hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when a gunman entered the hospital with two semiautomatic handguns and began firing.
5. March 31, 2012—A gunman opened fire on a crowd of mourners at a North Miami, Florida, funeral home, killing two people and injuring 12 others.
6. April 2, 2012—A 43-year-old former student at Oikos University in Oakland, California, walked into his former school and killed seven people, “execution-style.” Three people were wounded.
7. April 6, 2012—Two men went on a deadly shooting spree in Tulsa, Oklahoma, shooting black men at random in an apparently racially motivated attack. Three men died and two were wounded.
8. May 29, 2012—A man in Seattle, Washington, opened fire in a coffee shop and killed five people and then himself.
9. July 9, 2012—At a soccer tournament in Wilmington, Delaware, three people were killed, including a 16-year-old player and the event organizer, when multiple gunmen began firing shots, apparently targeting the organizer.
10. July 20, 2012—James Holmes enters a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises and opens fire with a semi-automatic weapon; twelve people are killed and fifty-eight are wounded.
11.  August 5, 2012—A white supremacist and former Army veteran shot six people to death inside a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before killing himself.
12. August 14, 2012—Three people were killed at Texas A&M University when a 35-year-old man went on a shooting rampage; one of the dead was a police officer.
13. September 27, 2012—A 36-year-old man who had just been laid off from Accent Signage Systems in Minneapolis, Minnesota, entered his former workplace and shot five people to death, and wounded three others before killing himself.
14.  October 21, 2012—45-year-old Radcliffe Frankin Haughton shot three women to death, including his wife, Zina Haughton, and injured four others at a spa in Brookfield, Wisconsin, before killing himself
15. December 11, 2012—A 22-year-old began shooting at random at a mall near Portland, Oregon, killing two people and then himself.
16.  December 14, 2012—Adam Lanza murders a reported twenty-six people at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, including twenty children, before killing himself.

This highlights that the problem is bigger than any one event. There must be some action taken to try to help prevent such atrocities happening in the future. The NRA feels that the guns aren’t the problem and that the problem lies with the mentally unstable using them. But the guns ended up in their hands due the general availability of guns. You can go into Walmart and buy assault rifles along with your weekly grocery shop. There seems to be something wrong with that picture. But even some members of the NRA are finally identifying with this as Virginia Senator Mark Warner who has been awarded the NRA's highest member rating, has said “enough is enough.  We all need to come to the table and end up with appropriate restriction.” A Gallup poll released recently showed that 58 per cent of Americans now support new gun-control laws, up from 43 per cent in 2011. It’s good to see such a jump but these restrictions need to be put in place soon to help prevent such events happening in the future.

The NRA has to realise that their proposed solution of people carrying more firearms for protection is not the way forward. However, this just doesn’t make sense to me you don’t combat an addiction with more heroin, Alcoholism with more drink so why would you try to combat shootings with more guns? They propose that there should be armed guards in all schools. Really what needs to be done is to impose stricter regulations on the purchasing of guns. An in-depth background check for each potential buyer including a mental health evaluation should be imposed. As proposed by the vice president there should be more diligent tracking on the movement and sale of weapons through a national database. These restrictions along with others could help to prevent the guns falling into the wrong hands. Hopefully some good can come from the Sandy Hook shootings in the form of new gun laws to help to prevent such mass shootings from happening again in the future. The time for change is now.

Cian Kiely – Marketing Advisor