More ‘Badvertising’ – Cadbury trucks

After the viral success the Cadbury Gorilla achieved, there is nothing to like about this follow up advertisement.

 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX7dFmxqb60] 

According to startup blog here’s why:

  • Poor branding, the brand is just an addendum
  • There’s no real link between the category, chocolate consumption and the advertising idea
  • It’s not particularly sneeze worthy (using a Seth-ism) and slightly boring
  • The budget seems a lot bigger than the idea 

Start up lesson: Sometimes big budgets can be a disadvantage.

Given I’ve recently consulted for Cadbury, you can be sure my opinions on this blog are real and never contrived or influenced.

Cool brands

Cool brands are put simply, just like cool people. It’s not so hard to believe when we consider that brands (well known ones) have personalities. Brands have values, share ideas and represent something.

Brands are just like people, the personification of things or services.

So what makes a cool brand? The same stuff that makes a cool person.

Cool people:

·        Cut new ground

·        Dress how they want

·        Don’t care about being popular, which is why they ‘become’ popular

·        Do stuff they like, not what others like

·        Have strong opinions and values, don’t care what others think

·        Don’t try and impress – so they do

·        Are confident and relaxed

·        Aren’t selfish, mean or vindictive

·        Are often compassionate and kind

·        Are easy to get along with (easy to use?)

·        Take a while to be understood

·        Get discovered eventually as being – thought leaders

·        Cool in a crisis

             fonzie.jpg 

Hey, there’s plenty more personifications where these came from – so be

like Arthur Fonzerelli and add them to the comments.

Quote of the century

The late and great John Lennon said:

          “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans”

Hmm…. Maybe we ought, invent, create, live or just ‘start’ now.

                                 john-lennon.jpg

The love list

All entrepreneurs should keep a love list.

‘What’s a love list?’ you say…

It’s a list of companies / brands / startups with one thing you absolutely love about their offer. It could be their logo, a web page design, the way they answer the phone, their value added services, an emotional link to their product, an advertising campaign, their social responsibility, their green credentials, the product prices….anything. It’s not static, it changes weekly. It’s like a music top 10, it evolves.

Here’s my current love list:

Love List Who What I love…
1 Ripcurl Best wetsuits. They make surfing possible for me all year!
2 Ipod Industrial design
3 Borders books The library factor – read before you buy
4 Tivo / IQ Ultra convenience – no more bad TV
5 Youtube Instant entertainment – I can usually watch whatever I want, whenever I want
6 Qantas Club The decore & comfort. I feel exclusive walking into a members only club
7 Toyota Prius Gives my ego a massive boost every time I drive it.
8 Seth Godin He makes me feel smart
9 Tiffany The definitive packaging
10 Snickers Mr T get some nuts TV adv.

  Yep, you can see what drives me, but hey sharing ideas requires self exposure. Share  yours in the comments section. We’d love to hear it!

When things go wrong

Update – all fixed. phew… 

When things go wrong – admit it and fix it….

At this very second something is wrong with rentoid.com – people can’t join…a big issue for us.

While the tech team are on it, we posted this blog entry which might advise those who see the blog…

Any other ideas / solutions?