'Family Guy' not PC enough for PC

The news that Microsoft was to sponsor a Family Guy episode was utterly disappointing to me from the very beginning. Sure, it's a tough market, and television is suffering - but there has to be a better way, other than allowing companies such as Microsoft the privilege to be a part of something 'cool' when they are in fact the absolute opposite of such a thing. In other words, regardless of the $$ they're willing to spend, they shouldn't be allowed - simply because they don't deserve it. There, I said it.

Now, the news that the deal was off, because Microsoft suddenly realized that Family Guy is not PC enough is more hilarious than anything I've heard all week. REALLY, Microsoft? Has anyone that was part of making that deal happen ever seen Family Guy? Has there been any research whatsoever? I won't even comment on the fact that, if you really didn't know what Family Guy was like, you might as well bury your head back in the sand, where it belongs.

But let's say, for sake of argument, that Microsoft knew what the show was like. In that case, were you really surprised to find out that the episode you were to sponsor focused on topics such as deaf people, the Holocaust, feminine hygiene and incest? REALLY?

I'm gonna give this one to Seth MacFarlane. My best guess is that he knew better than to allow Family Guy to be associated with Microsoft, and all he had to do to break this deal was HIS JOB. Well done, might I add! I hope that Apple steps in on this PR fiasco of national proportions, and keeps showing its growing consumer base what's it like to be cool, and to have a sense of humor.

As for Microsoft, I hear that the Teletubbies are looking for a sponsor, but it's a tough call, there's some really questionable hip movement on that show, and they do have an audience over the age of 2, so I guess that's out... Darn!

Back to work now!

adina caron
www.facebook.com/adinacaron
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"Make my logo smaller, please!"

You heard me. I said "smaller". Advertising is a business of surprises, and after 12 years of careful observation, of objections to "make my logo bigger, bigger, bigger, BIGGER!!!" time and time again, I find myself so surprised by this sudden change of direction.

Let me explain - I'm not really talking about clients asking that their logo is, in fact, smaller. But if you think about it, in the midst of this economic fiasco, every knee-jerk reaction to cut or reduce much needed advertising budgets equates to - literally - making the logo smaller.

And, while many cuts or reductions are justifiable to some extent, the biggest surprise for me is seeing so many brands (from small to big) that still refuse to utilize social media in their efforts to reach out to their consumers. Standing by and watching others make history is not where any company should want to be in this market. Allowing hesitation and fear shut down any opportunity to move forward isn't right either.Waiting silently while their brands's awareness disappears in the distance will be extremely difficult to overcome in a matter of months, when the players that are doing things right will be miles ahead.

So I guess it's my turn to say to Brand Managers out there, please, make your logo bigger!!! Just this one time :)

Back to work now!

adina caron
www.facebook.com/adinacaron
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Economic Crisis 2.0

It is virtually impossible to browse through any media outlet for more than 10 seconds without being inundated with data, reports, and “expert” advice on the current economic situation the world is facing. What I would call Economic Crisis 2.0 is the organic evolution that has developed at the level of each individual, and the behavioral changes that occurred as a result.

Whether living in Washington, DC or Bucharest, Romania, today’s men and women are learning to check their Twitter before breakfast, and they are understanding how the DOW Jones index controls their decision to travel, or simply buy a pair of shoes. CNN, Yahoo, Google, BING, MSN, Facebook, Twitter — The Economic Crisis 2.0 has made us all into savvy, educated, curious, yet terrified market-watchers, and it has put us on the path of becoming the ad-hoc analysts of our own lives.

After all, this changed everything. Our retirement plans, our vacations, our jobs, the car we drive, the number of children we have, the house we need to, or cannot sell, the brand of milk we buy for breakfast. Yet that being said, men and women around the globe will also argue that it is the Economic Crisis 2.0 that has taught them to save, plan, react, and be aware of the impact that their own actions have against the economy of a country.

It is “the power of one”, and it goes beyond borders. The power to change, to overcome the current crisis, does not lie in a board room. It is the individuals, it is us, all of us, that can bend the stock graph by understanding that the only viable solution for today is a smart and efficient plan for tomorrow.

It starts with knowledge, and this is where we are. Ready to plan for a better tomorrow, ready to change. The Economic Crisis 2.0 is just the beginning — I for one am ready for change...

adina caron
www.facebook.com/adinacaron
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If I can't scuba, then what's this all been about?? What am I working toward?

Classic! Love Creed on The Office — and last night's season premiere was no exception. It's like a yo-yo, with ADD. On coffee overload. There really is no rhyme or reason everything that goes through this character's mind — what an irresistible train wreck!

It's not the fact that he comes off with the most "off-the-wall" s#*^t; so far beyond that. It's the fact that, afterwords, the most outrageous stuff imaginable (being about Creed) makes perfect sense! There really are no boundaries to this character's insanity, I absolutely love it! Makes me think of the South Park episode depicting how the Family Guy writers come up with their jokes. Another classic!

And now, after everything else we've learned about Creed, he brings us the best Office quote so far: "If I can't scuba, then what's this all been about?? What am I working toward?"

I think we should all do our Creed quote of the day, and throw something in there (i.e. "scuba") - as long as it's off the wall, it doesn't have to be true! Here, I'll start :)

"If I can't air guitar, then what's this all been about?? What am I working toward?"

Cheers all & have a great weekend!

adina caron
www.facebook.com/adinacaron
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www.linkedin.com/in/adinacaron

Mad about "Mad Men"

Since the third season started, I've been wondering what is it about Mad Men that I really love that much? Clearly, the show has a good concept & story-line, the acting's not bad, the direction/cinematography is - frankly - the best I've seen on television, and the "flavor" of those long-gone advertising days is ever so present, you could swear that you smell the cigarette smoke and the hard liquor 5 minutes into the show - but really, there has to be something else that makes this show so incredibly addictive... I've been trying to find that "je ne sais quoi" for some time, and then it hit me: it is the most incredible collection of cliché characters on television.

Think about it: we have (in no particular order, and to name just a few):

- the Casanova with an identity twist (Don Draper), a man of genius with a tumultuous past, whose inner turmoil seems to absolve him of his sins
- the adulterous middle-aged boss (Roger Sterling), sleeping with his oh-so-young secretary (about to change into the mid-life crisis divorcee cliché!)
- the over-achiever (Pete Campbell), whose behavior shifts from good to evil and right back where we started from one episode to the next
- the Barbie-doll housewife / poor little rich girl (Betty Draper), more troubles per pound than one could ever imagine, classic case of depression and inability to understand the boundaries of her own happiness, or lack there of
- the diva (Joan Holloway), once center of attention, now somewhat matronly, settling into a life of evident misfortune and abuse out of an unhealthy need of being envied
- the ugly duckling (Peggy Olson), who doesn't seem to find her place just yet in this "men's world", but who we can't help wanting to see succeed
- the activist (Paul Kinsey), fighting for equal rights in the early days
- the wonder-kid (Ken Cosgrove), young published author and co-head of a department
- the average Joe (Harry Crane), passed over here and there, envious of his co-workers and tied down by his own lack of courage
- the fake husband (Salvatore Romano), trapped his marriage, and having a hard time coping with his sexuality in a time when being gay was not publicly accepted
- the semi-senile rich guy (Bertram Cooper), who mixes an eclectic art taste with a relentless desire to make a profit at all times
- the back-stabber (Herman "Duck" Phillips), whose shady moral character will help him get ahead, but ultimately destroy him personally and professionally
- the old timer (Freddy Rumsen), who loses it all despite his history and tenure
- the reproductively-challenged wife (Trudy Campbell), naive and unprepared to handle life with all its difficulties
- the player (Jane Siegel), determined to sleep her way to the top
- the power business woman (Bobbie Barrett), mixing business with pleasure, strong and confident

And the list could go on and on... There isn't ONE character or situation in this show that we haven't seen before. From where I stand, at least, it really is that simple: it's got to be the shell, the series of curtains beautifully draped over the "same old thing", that make this show what it is.

They say there is no new idea out there, everything's already been "done", thought of, concepted, executed. And while I can't agree with that, I have to say that - when it comes to Mad Men, it is true, though I couldn't think of any better way to re-invent the wheel!

adina caron
www.shoptawgroup.com
www.facebook.com/adinacaron
www.twitter.com/adinacaron

To BING or not to BING?

Is that really a question worth asking? I must admit that I went back about three times and gave this infant search engine a fair shot -- mostly because I liked the Hawaii spot at some point, but that's not enough to sell me on an alternative to Google - oh no.

I don't deny the fact that some of the graphics BING uses are "pretty" -- I am a visual person, and I like pretty! But I don't go to Google (or BING) to see pretty, I go there to find it -- it is a search engine, not Creativity Online...

As far as the technical "improvements" to Google (as they would like to claim), it's nice that they tried so hard to bring in the Travel section, Shopping, Videos, etc. -- though your average person travels what... twice a year? Or zero, in this economy? As for the videos, I just did a random test, looking for "Hung" clips (the new HBO show) - if you type "Hung", you find a jumble of things, most of them not related to my search. Try "hung TV show", and you find NOTHING related to the show... Only the third try, "hung HBO" brings in some clips from the show -- now how is that better???

And last but not least, my biggest "beef" with their creative strategy is that they created a "non-problem" -- which is ok for certain products, when you're trying to create a certain "personality" of a brand or product, but not at this scale... When competing with someone as widely spread and successful as Google, you better have something more than creating a fake problem, and NOT following through when the consumer actually tries your product -- am I the only one who sees this??? I've used Google for years, I have no problem with the volume of information I get when I do a search, therefore, I don't need another search engine to resolve a non-problem. With the current positioning, I went to their site to find something that is simply not there, and -- though they have some good intentions lost in there somewhere -- I left disappointed.

To think they could have banked on the visual aspect -- a search engine that supports the search with imagery one click before Google -- and that is bottom-line visually appealing! As consumers, we relate to most things visually, and they had the right mind-set here. They don't seem to know it though, or why else would they not have built their creative strategy around that?

Oh well, back to work now! Got some Googl-ing to do! (which b/w sounds a hell of a lot better than "binging"!!!)

adina caron
www.shoptawgroup.com
www.facebook.com/adinacaron
www.twitter.com/adinacaron

A pre-historic measuring stick

Like any self-respecting social media junkie, I find myself having to talk about the obsession with "measuring results", "social media ROI", and "effectiveness". It's virtually impossible to have a conversation about social media without having to answer the inevitable "how will this sell my product?" question.

And frankly that's normal, given the economy state that we're in. What I find intriguing here, is that there are already so many theories tailoring a response for the savvy, the skeptical, the novice, the CEO, the curious, the finance guy, etc. This is a topic that has been looked at from every possible angle, and despite all explanations and interpretations already out there, the lack of metrics might be the single obstacle that holds back companies that could truly use the benefit of what social media has to offer.

Sure, social media is not for everyone; neither are radio, viral videos, window displays, and talking babies commercials, if you ask me — but why is it that when it comes to social media (the newest, fastest growing, most innovative communication form, virtually forward thinking and ever-changing by nature), we're faced with the request to find some pre-historic measuring stick that will measure this medium's results in meters and inches?

Truth is, one could write a book about the numerous "intangible" things a company does to promote their brand, sell a product or service and be profitable. Can we tell, for instance, what the ROI is on sweeping the floors in a restaurant? Or on having a sign outside a hair salon? On having a nice lawn in front of a sales center? On using red instead of blue? On switching two words around in a press release? It may sound like a joke, but think about it — there is a multitude of things that truly create the brand experience, which (along with price, need, urgency/promotion, advertising, location, and sometimes pure luck) can lead to a purchasing decision. So few of these are truly measurable, and none of them really work alone.

It seems as though some brands have learned the lesson (history really does repeat itself!) and they fight to stay on the forefront of things. After all, this internet thing caught on, and so did the e-mail, then google ad words, etc. — so maybe the way to look at this, is to acknowledge the fact that the metrics and the analytics ARE coming. It won't be a pre-historic measuring stick (forgive my bluntness, will you?), it most likely won't be anything that we've seen or used before, and (as long as we're not testing in a vacuum), it will never be as precise as a scale — however the risk at hand is that (if we've learned anything through this communication "revolution" for lack of a better word) by the time all THAT will happen, the companies that pioneered social media are likely to be miles and miles ahead.

So what does that mean, for the hundreds of companies still "on the fence" about using social media? Well, first of all, if you don't know that much about it, take the first step, and talk to a firm that specializes in that, like The Shoptaw Group. Most companies that are utilizing social media successfully hire agencies like ours that "ghost" behind the scenes to some extent, and that's how you get the right blend of relevant content, brand consistency, targeted promotion, outreach, and other fancy words that basically result in profit for a client. Secondly, try it yourself, as a user/consumer. You don't have to master every single outlet, just try a couple of things and see for yourself how they work. Third, look for case studies, instead of metrics. This industry is just too young and analytics are still in the making, but case studies such as Dell, Wal-Mart, and so many others already out there speak volumes in terms of the incredible reach these media outlets already have. And last but not least, look across the street. More and more of your competitors are probably already doing social media, and while sitting on the fence might not hurt your business today, it's likely that it won't help you tomorrow.

And don't forget, social media is not for everyone, and various outlets are a better fit for various companies, so if you're gonna sit this one out, do it because it's not right for your company culture, goals or business plan — but not for lack of metrics and analytics.

Back to work now!

adina caron
www.shoptawgroup.com
www.facebook.com/adinacaron
www.twitter.com/adinacaron

No sleeping, eating or dating!

My name is Adina Caron, and I work in Advertising.

What better way to start, than to recognize the obvious truth - cannot possibly identify this career as anything other than a vice. How else can one rationalize the late work nights, or the obsession to know every possible Adobe shortcut? The addiction to Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, LinkedIn, Google, let's face it - any social media outlet known to man, not to mention the uncontrollable instinct to take a photo on my Blackberry the second I see "anything good" - whether it be a new soup can in Bloom, or an art festival poster at the Smithsonian - in the words of the most beloved and most hated Jim Carrey, "somebody stop me"! And truthfully, this whole advertising thing wouldn't be a vice in the first place, if I wouldn't really, really, really, really loved every minute of it. Really.

And I'm no spring chicken - you could say I've been around the block a couple times, and though I've had my fair share of surprises this industry had to offer, I have yet to see anything that will top what this economy has done to us all.

As far as work goes, I started off with the big boys, over in the far lands of Eastern Europe - worked for D'Arcy, DDB and Grey for a number of years. To summarize those years spent working within the network of the Top 10 Ad Agencies, I could give you a long list of what I did back then, or better yet, what I didn't get to do: I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, and most certainly didn't date! And if you work in advertising, I know you know what I mean.

It's no shock that through those blurry years I ended up surprising myself numerous times - or not remembering how I ended up doing something, or being someplace. And I'm not talking about having one drink too many, oh no: I'm talking (visualize Guy Ritchie's drink/airplane quick collage in "Snatch" here) drink, tattoo, wedding, bye-bye family, airplane, Washington DC -- WAIT A MINUTE!!! Now you know how I feel :)

No good sag-way from that to the economy, is there? Let me try at least... I currently work for The Shoptaw Group, which is a boutique advertising firm in Georgetown. I started this blog with the intention of sharing my views on what this economy is doing to us all - well, to me as an advertising addict at least, and here I am talking about my personal life - I guess they really do go hand in hand!

I'll leave you with this trailer for Snatch, a movie with a great soundtrack, which - if you haven't seen, or haven't seen recently, might be worth looking up. I love it when movies live past their expiration date, don't you?

Back to work now!

adina caron
www.shoptawgroup.com
www.facebook.com/adinacaron
www.twitter.com/adinacaron