Has anyone seen the latest commercial from General Motors?  It’s difficult to see but they use the “rally cap” as their metaphor for the ad. If you’re not familiar with the rally cap, it’s a baseball superstition that started, I’m guessing, back in the 80’s. If your team was behind in the last inning, the fans would turn their baseball caps inside out and wear them that way. It showed solidarity among the fans to hopefully give their team a little extra luck to rally back and win the game.

The commercial shows the usual All-American lifestyle vignettes of people out and about but wearing their caps inside-out. The voice over talks about making a big comeback. It talks of new payment protection plans, financing, and warranties. The thing that I wonder when I watch this is who are they trying to rally: the consumer or themselves? Are they saying that we are about to lose the game (and declare bankruptcy) unless America rallies and buys their cars? Or, are they trying to tell themselves that they can make this comeback? And do most consumers even know what a rally cap is? Do the offers resonate with the consumer? To me, it sounds more like a threat than a sales pitch.

In this economy, and especially after the bailout, consumers don’t want to see a shiny, high-budget commercial made by out-of-touch executives and a clueless ad agency telling them to “rally”. Do consumers losing jobs and homes really want to see slick pricey cars, surfers on the beach, valet drivers, and Michigan Ave shoppers with their caps on inside out? I think consumers want to see something of substance and change. Not the same old, same old. How about an ad that simply says, “We’re cutting the cost of all our cars by 30%”, or, “Hey, we’re listening and we’re changing the way we do business”, or even, “ Let’s do this together, America.”  I think a little honesty and less pandering would go miles in the hearts of consumers.

In 1984, Lee Iacocca stood in front of the camera in a factory, looked you in the eye, and used straight-talk to explain the products, explain the company goals, and tell consumers what they wanted to hear. It was done low budget and to the point, which resonated well with the audience and was a very successful campaign.

Which do you think works better?

Author: Marc Obregon, President, Accelerator Advertising, Inc.

www.resultsdriven.info

Nothing seems to entertain more than those mini movies on TV that we call commercials. Commercials are so loved that even 20, 30, or 40 years later, people fondly recall their favorites from childhood, or even the new favorite viewed just the night before.

I most fondly recall the commercials from Saturday mornings when I would sit on the floor in front of the TV, watching cartoons in my pajamas. Mind you, this was way back when there were only 4 channels and the commercials were as much part of the fun as the cartoons! Personally, my faves include: “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz!”, “How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?”, “Ancient Chinese Secret!”, “You got your chocolate in my peanut butter!”, and “Hey Mikey, he likes it!”.

That classic Life Cereal commercial where the older brother yells, “Hey Mikey!” was so memorable in so many ways because every kid could relate to it. A food that mom wants you to eat because it’s healthy, a friend who dares you to eat it, and then the pass off to the ignorant little brother who gulps it down because he doesn’t know what healthy is. And, guess what… he likes it! The commercial was so popular, it was named, “One of the 50 Greatest Commercials of All Time” by TV Guide! I mean, I know I fell for the marketing and begged for Life Cereal when I was a kid.

The funny ending to this story is about the supposed fate of Mikey. According to urban legend, Mikey ate a packet of Pop Rocks, chugged a Coke, and died when his stomach exploded. I’m not sure how or when this rumor started but I remember hearing it a number of times as a child and even today. People love these types of stories. However, it’s all untrue. “Mikey” or John Gilchrist, the actor, is alive and well and is now a radio ad executive in New York (which I think is quite the fitting profession for a pop culture icon).

General Mills, the maker of Pop Rocks, tried for years to dispel the rumors. Their customer service line took untold numbers of calls from nervous parents asking about the tale. In 1979, General Mills, desperate to quell the rumors, took out full-page ads in 45 major publications across the country, wrote 50,000 letters to school principals, and sent the inventor of Pop Rocks on a PR tour to explain their safety.

The rumors had done their damage, though, and by 1983 General Foods stopped marketing Pop Rocks. In 1985, Kraft bought the rights to the product, initially marketing it as Action Candy before reverting back to the original Pop Rocks name, where it now seems to be doing well on super market shelves. Perhaps the new generation of children do not know or remember Mikey, his “Life”, and his supposed fate. Although as recently as 2006, new rumors have popped up about a child in Brazil who died after swallowing Mentos followed by a Coca Cola chaser. These have not been proven to be true either.

Whatever the case may be, this is all a telling tale about how much brands can be helped or hurt by things out of their control and how much they become a part of the pop culture, good or bad, whether they want to or not.

And as a side note, it’s funny how Coca Cola didn’t seem phased by the hype. They never addressed the issue or seemed to be damaged at all by the stories. Maybe they are so big, such a large pop culture icon, and loved so much by Americans that no one wants to believe that they can do harm. Except to them selves… New Coke - 1985, but that is another blog altogether. Hey, thanks, Mean Joe!

Author: Marc Obregon, President, Accelerator Advertising, Inc.

After attending the 106^th annual American International Toy Fair in New York City this past weekend, we at Accelerator Advertising are excited to see how well the toy industry is going to do this year. We were there to develop new strategies for packaging, designing children toys, and marketing the latest trends of going green and lead-free.

We explored every inch of the Jacob K. Javits Center and when talking with toy marketers they gave a general mood of optimism, given the current condition of the economy. They were also excited about the upcoming holiday season. The upbeat tone was obvious on the show floor as buyers and sellers were once again working deals for the forthcoming year. Several people said that in their first day they placed more orders than in the entire week of toy fair last year!

The newest and hottest trends were prevalent all over the fair with “green” materials used in the production and packaging of many newly launched products. We say products such as eco-friendly plush animals and biodegradable bags.

Another hot trend was being organically certified, which featured many more products than expected. Child safety is always a concern, and with the indecencies of lead poisoning in the past few years lead-free seems to be a number one selling point for retailers.

Another American International Toy Fair has come and gone and we can truly say that after what seemed like miles and miles of toy we’re sad it’s over and can’t wait for next year! Also, we’re eager for the upcoming year in the toy industry. It should be one for the record books!

Author: Timo Matero, Founder - Director, Accelerator Advertising, Inc.

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Legendary ad god David Ogilvy said, “I
avoid clients for whom advertising is only a marginal factor in their
marketing mix. They have an awkward tendency to raid their advertising
appropriations whenever they need cash for other purposes.”

As an agency founder and industry leader, I can attest to the veracity of that statement. As
soon as sales slump, forecasts go south, and stock values decline, many
of our clients tend to raid the advertising war chest in an effort to
spread the wealth around their overall budgets.

While this maneuver may seem to make sense in the CFO’s office, it brings dismay and disaster down the hall in the CMO’s. I
can hear it now: the CMO looking at the “spending cut” memo and
thinking to himself, “So after two years of raising our profile,
generating momentum, and capturing market share, we’re pulling to the
wayside and let our competitors who ARE advertising zoom right by. How much will it cost for us to catch up and take the lead…. again? Just brilliant! ..

Here’s a few compelling reasons why companies should advertise MORE in a downturn economy, not less.

1. Your competitors may be pulling back on ad spending and efforts. This means you will gain an edge in the market without adding the extra dollars it would take in a good economy.

2. Because ad spending by the big companies is down, mediums are forced to drop rates accordingly. Newspaper
ad revenues are plummeting; cable and broadcast TV media rates are
becoming softer; even digital and mobile ad revenues are being affected. It’s a buyer’s market!

3. Because your ad dollar will go further, now is the time to try allocating funds to newer mediums and testing new platforms.

4. Advertising in a downturn economy bolsters your brand thanks to less noise in the market place.

5. Your brand has an incredible opportunity to relate to, and engage with, your target in a lifestyle affinitive way. Consider Walmart’s Save Money, Live Better campaign that puts their price value at the core of the audience’s aspirations.

To sum it up, the old adage still rings true: “In good times advertise, In bad times, advertise even more.”

PS: And for you cynical types out there,
Accelerator is a media neutral agency that receives no commissions for
planning or placing media. In fact, we obtain the agency discount and
pass that allowance on to our clients. This
allows our agency to make non-biased media recommendations and focuses
the client’s dollars on getting results, not getting us rich.

Author: Mr. Timo Matero, CEO and Director, Accelerator Advertising, Inc.

If you’re a marketer there’s possibly one time and one time only in your entire career when THE IDEA will come into your life. You know – THE IDEA that will put game-changing points on the board, move the needle, and make your career.

You know the kind of idea I’m talking about – the
kind of fresh, share-stealing, eye-popping idea that makes everyone in
your department, division, company and industry stand slack-jawed in
AWE and enviously murmur in their minds, “I wish I would have thought
of THAT.”

I am talking about the kind of idea that puts YOU on the map, lets you write your own ticket, and helps you make your career. Success as you’ve known it to be will pale in comparison to the success you know when THE IDEA is put into action on your brand. This IDEA is so big it will require its own special budget, which they will give you… willingly.

If you’ve experienced THE IDEA, you know to what I’m referring. If you haven’t, then you’re probably sitting in your chair wondering how to go about getting your very own IDEA.

Here’s how.

1. Be prepared. Know your market. Know your brand. Read all you can about the market you’re operating in. Follow trade journals, read press releases, go to conventions, know your market inside out. Then study the impact your brand has on that market.

2. Become your target. Shop where she shops. Dine where she dines. Read what she reads. Watch the programs she watches. Soon
enough you will see opportunities to connect with her in ways you’ve
never thought possible, and ways to improve your product for her no one
else has imagined.

3. Be open to new ideas. If your agency strategist recommends an unproven path, consider it. If a cabbie tells you he thinks he has an idea for a better widget, listen to him. Great ideas come from everywhere if you’re willing to listen. Remember, you’re only an expert in your market – not in everything.

4. Be ready to capture all of your thoughts on a notepad, PDA, voice recorder, napkin, whatever. Often THE IDEA won’t appear all once, but in small parts and pieces.

Congratulations! THE IDEA is on its way!

OK, so what happens now? When THE IDEA comes, don’t tell anyone right away! Of course you’re excited. It’s THE IDEA, after all. You’re pumped. You’re jazzed. But now is not the time to disclose THE IDEA. You first must explore it further. Study it. Try to sink it.

Get your facts down, understand the barriers and the rewards of THE IDEA. This is no time for team sharing, committees, or allowing glory-grabbing upperclassmen to steal it away from you. This is the time to keep quiet and document your progress every step of the way.

After that, make THE IDEA presentable. Make it into a formal business case. When you are ready to announce it, THE IDEA should be solid, comprehensive, well thought out… and yours.

Ready to make your mark on the world now? THE IDEA is out there waiting for you – now go get it!

Organic. Green. Eco-friendly.

These are the buzzwords in today’s society, words
that convey a newly heightened environmental consciousness. Consumers
everywhere are beginning to switch to re-usable tote bags and
energy-efficient light bulbs, taking small steps to reduce their carbon
footprints and protect the environment. The individual is now empowered.

But what about the company?

All too many corporations talk about going “green”
but ultimately don’t do much more than throw a few recycling bins in
the lunch room and hope for the best. This can seem extremely
frustrating to eco-minded associates, not to mention hypocritical to
the public as a whole. But before anybody goes pointing the finger,
hey. Consider that some businesses may not know how to make a
difference or motivate their employees to go green. They’ve plastered
the walls with posters of the Earth and quotes about the tips of
icebergs, but now what…?

We at Accelerator would like to offer our advice
on how to tackle this problem. We hope that our own success story can
inform you, inspire you, and maybe make you laugh. Here goes!

8 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Company’s Carbon Footprint:

1.) Climate control. Here
at Accelerator we keep the heat set low in the winter and the air
conditioner set high in the summer. When possible, we also throw open
our windows and doors to let the sunlight in. Doing this greatly
reduces our daily energy consumption and allows us to show off the
fancy sweaters our aunts knitted us all for Christmas. Change your
office climate, change the world’s!

2.) Get some ink.
Soy ink, that is. Here at Accelerator we make a point of asking our
printers to use soy inks instead of petroleum-based inks. Soybeans are
a hardy, renewable crop that remove damaging greenhouse gases from the
air, require little or no irrigation, and produce a naturally vibrant,
cost-effective ink that smudges less than traditional ink. Why would we
want any other kind? To stay consistently environmentally friend we
also make sure to print our soy ink on paper with a high post-consumer
content, which not only saves our forests but also requires far less
energy to produce.

3.) Light’s off. In
addition to using energy-efficient light-bulbs (the start-up cost is
higher, but these guys will seriously save you money!), we make a habit
of turning off all unnecessary lights. If your office has windows and
the sun is shining, why turn on all those universally unflattering neon
lights? Nobody looks good under those. We like to keep things light and
airy to improve the mood and help the Earth. Just note that if you
follow our example, make sure there are no skunks outside.

4.) Ugly mugs. There’s
no glamour in drinking out of those pale gas-station-style paper cups.
Not only do they have to be thrown away (you can’t recycle soggy paper
cups), but also they lack convenient handles for when you are trying to
carry your coffee and four donuts at the same time. Even worse, they
have a huge, sneaky unseen carbon footprint – consider the difference
in energy required to produce, pack, ship, and dispose of a ream of
foam-paper cups versus the energy required to make and rinse a ceramic
mug. That’s why at Accelerator we use mugs. We use real silver wear and
reusable containers, too. This saves us money and (for better or for
worse) exposes employees’ personalities. Should we be worried when our
boss shows up with a “Silently Plotting My Revenge” mug?

5.) Carpool. Don’t
just do this when gas is expensive – do this whenever possible. It
gives you extra time to prepare for meetings, saves you gas and parking
frustrations, and promotes the sharing of cool new musical artists.
Plus, you get to be seen with your entourage. We at Accelerator all
drive small, fuel-efficient cars, so there’s never any problem rotating
who drives. Now we just need matching sunglasses to increase our professional appearance. Or not.

6.) Respect the print media – and the Internet. Everyone
in the course of their careers has probably made the shameful mistake
of printing out a 100-page nonsense document on the office printer. We know better now. Adopt
a policy not only of printing as little as possible, but also of
recycling printer components. Purchasing reconditioned toner for
printers reduces plastic waste in landfills and saves electricity.
Plus, purchasing printer paper with high post-consumer content makes
you extra smart. Here at Accelerator we not only do all of these things
regularly, but also embrace the power of the Internet when it comes to
reading industry news and trade publications. We kind of miss having all the paper airplanes around, but… seriously. Get online and stay informed.

7.) Recycle like you mean it.
Seriously. Recycling printer paper is great, but recycling cans,
bottles, and junk mail is even better than that. At Accelerator each
employee has a cardboard box at his or her desk near the garbage can.
We collect them all at the end of the week and voila! They are ready to
be taken to the recycling station. It’s a great way to save the
environment while feeling a little less guilty about your Diet Coke
addiction.

8.) Listen and learn. Finally,
just stay alert. We’re always looking for new ways to make our office
more eco-friendly. Do you have some ideas for us and our readers? We’d
love to hear from you! We strongly encourage the exchange of ideas
between friends, family, clients, and the community at large

Well, that’s all for now, folks. We look forward
to hearing from you! We sincerely hoped that these suggestions helped
and that you will join in Accelerator in becoming a lean, mean, green
machine.