The New York Times reports of a campaign in the US, with similar objectives. Sponsored by the American Egg Board, the campaign is developed by Grey New York.

The approach seems to be different here. The attempt is to say that an egg is the fuel to bring out superior performance. I like the visual metaphor of a broken egg shell showing a human being. But overall, I thought it was trying hard to please by saying everything and leaving nothing to the reader’s imagination.

On a separate note, creating demand for a category is one of the most exciting & toughest challenges in marketing communication.  There have been several campaigns to promote consumption of everything from milk to diamonds to Lycra to lamb. Not many of have been successful.

A recent generic sell that caught my eye is from Australia. They have been running a campaign to promote consumption of lamb since 1999. The ‘We love our lamb’ campaign has turned around consumer attitudes and won several awards. Their recent effort is a tongue in cheek take off on ‘romantic films’ with the tagline ‘Falling in Lamb’! You can view the (funny) TVC here.

A nice ambient idea for Volkswagen Eos. The attempt was to get people to sign up for a test drive.

Agency: DDB Düsseldorf, Germany
Chief Creative Officer: Amir Kassaei
Executive Creative Director: Eric Schoeffler
Creative Directors: Heiko Freyland, Raphael Milczarek
Copywriters: Felix Lemcke, Jan Propach
Art Directors: Fabian Kirner, Michael Kittel

Their print campaign for Mauritius Tourism was one of the most talked about (and successful). It helped an unknown destination to become one of the most sought after destinations for Indian tourists.

Does anyone know how this dad performed?

And when it comes to Management or Advertising books, I have hardly ready any. I used to read some fiction and a lot of magazines. My magazine list would span from MAD to Wired.

So I find it difficult to quote from renowned marketing gurus. But, hey, I can quote from MAD magazine. For instance, MAD magazine’s take on Kramer vs. Kramer was ‘Crymore vs. Crymore. It was filed under the ‘Hoffman/Hoffwoman Department’.

Here are some advertising related books that I have read and enjoyed thoroughly:

Truth, Lies and Advertising : The Art of Account Planning by Jon Steel Read more about this title…

Cutting Edge Advertising: How to Create the World’s Best for Brands in the 21st Century by Jim Aitchison, Neil French Read more about this title…

Cutting Edge Commercials: How to Create the World’s Best TV Ads for Brands in the 21st Century by Jim Aitchison Read more about this title…

Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy Read more about this title…

Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries, Jack Trout Read more about this title…

Confessions of an Advertising Man by David Ogilvy Read more about this title…

Lovemarks: The Future Beyond Brands by Kevin Roberts Read more about this title…

I have tried reading Disruption and some books by David Aaker, John Philip Jones but cannot say that I dived deep into them. The one author whom I desperately want to read is Jeremy Bullmore.

Apples, Insights and Mad Inventors: An Entertaining Analysis of Modern Marketing by Jeremy Bullmore Read more about this title…

Behind the Scenes in Advertising (3rd edition) by Jeremy J.D. Bullmore Read more about this title…

Another Bad Day at the Office by Jeremy Bullmore Read more about this title…

Jeremy Bullmore’s first job was a trainee copywriter with J Walter Thompson in London and he stayed with that agency until his retirement as Chairman in 1987. From 1981-1987, he was chairman of the Advertising Association and since 1988, has been a non-executive director of the Guardian Media Group Plc and WPP group plc. He was awarded a CBE in 1986.

I used to read his agony aunt column in the Campaign magazine. He offered great solutions in a unique style. His wit was acerbic but delivered with tongue firmly in cheek. Samples:

 Q: I’m the marketing director of a successful car company. I’ve got a few agencies working for me, and fundamentally I’m very happy with them. But one or two keep hinting that they’d like to raise their fees. Yes, they’ve done some great work for us, and, yes, I like them as people. But the fact is we could easily get someone cheaper. But maybe they wouldn’t be as good. What should I do?
A: You should count your lucky stars. Research undertaken on behalf of the Marketing Society consistently reveals that, at any given time, only 8.7 per cent of marketing directors are fundamentally very happy with their agencies. Fifty per cent admit to ‘almost daily exasperation’ and more than 40 per cent are ‘actively looking around’.
Furthermore, you are the marketing director of a successful car company. In the whole of the UK at the moment, there are no more than three marketing directors of successful car companies of whom only one is fundamentally very happy with his agencies. I think we know who you are, already.
Ask yourself this outrageous question: Do you think there might just conceivably be some causal relationship between the great work that these nice people in your agencies do for you and the fact that the car company of which you’re marketing director is successful?
I have every sympathy with clients who feel they’re paying too much for bad work. I have no sympathy whatsoever with clients who enjoy great work and a successful business – and who still lie awake at night wondering if they’re being ripped off.
I bet you keep your coins in a purse.

Q: I’m a creative graduate and want to get into advertising. However, I am torn between digital and above the line. Which one will afford me more money, women and drugs?
A: How many times must I remind you I’ve no first-hand knowledge of anything that’s happened since 1963? It’s true that I used to be something of an expert on Radio Luxembourg and split runs in the Daily Sketch and that I once won a Silver Quill from The World’s Press News. But I’ve no idea where you might get drugs. Have you tried Boots?

]]> http://adwala.wordpress.com/2007/10/24/management-advertising-books/feed/ 1 Lakshmipathy Bhat http://adwala.wordpress.com/2007/10/24/slogans/ http://adwala.wordpress.com/2007/10/24/slogans/#comments Wed, 24 Oct 2007 11:42:09 +0000 Lakshmipathy Bhat http://adwala.wordpress.com/2007/10/24/slogans/ Continue reading →]]> One of the key elements of effective advertising is the tag line or slogan. The creatives agonize a lot over it and so do clients. Like most advertising, slogans too get lost in the clutter of claims and counter claims. But when the right combination of strategy & inspiration happens, its magic.

The hallmarks of a good slogan would be:

- brevity

- distinctiveness

- unmistakably linked to the brand

Some of the classics from around the globe:

Closer home, these come to mind instantly:

Movies too have their share of famous blurbs. Some have become part of popular culture.

But then can you beat: ‘Dhundh – the fog’ or ‘Come fall in love, but don’t marry – Saajan chale sasural’?!