The Love You Take

Welcome to Sonny's.  Let's talk about music.  As we wrap another decade, let's focus on the music of 2000-2009.  Question:  Who has the top-selling album in the first decade of the new millennium?  Britney Spears?  N'Sync?  Eminem?  Kanye?  Fifty Cent? 

Nope.  The top-selling album of the decade is The Beatles:1.  It topped all contenders by selling more than 11 million copies (source: Neilsen SoundScan).

The Beatles are amazing.  45 years after coming to the US, and more than 30 years after they stopped recording, they're still on top.  They are still relevant to millions of consumers.  Respect.

Listen to nearly any new band and you still hear the influence of The Beatles.  They didn't invent the sound, but they made it mainsteam.  They made it famous.  They made it rock.

Great brands, like great bands, don't have to be the first to do something -- they just have to do it better.  And, with more consistency.  They inspire.  They endure.

We miss you John and George.  The mark of The Beatles is forever indelible on the landscape of music.

- Butch

Cultural Morality & Tiger

The book, The Man in The Mirror, speaks to the subject of "Cultural Christianity."  Simply, it's the concept that our culture shapes our beliefs, and Cultural Christians often pick and choose their faith values based on what is convenient or works best for them in a given situation.

For the sake of conversation, Sonny's Cozy Tavern is going to borrow the concept and call it "Cultural Morality" in the case of Tiger Woods and his sponsors.  Tiger is like gold to his sponsors.  Nike built an entire golf empire from the ground up around Tiger.  Buick seems almost cool with Tiger.  I want a Breitling watch just like Tiger.  The PGA Tour would stagger to its knees without Tiger.

Tiger's image was always squeeky clean, almost super human.  Until this week. He hit a tree and a fire hydrant with his Escalade, and the story grew from one of an auto accident to one of "transgressions" with at least three women to date. 

So far, none of Tiger's sponsors have backed out of their very lucrative branding deals.  Many have already come out with statements standing by Tiger.

A case of "Cultural Morality" based on money to be gained by the sponsors?  Would these same sponsors have stood by and maintained brand relationships if it wasn't Tiger -- and they didn't make millions off of him?  You think John Daly would have received the same support?  Butch doubts it, but that's what we're here to discuss.

Cultural Morality or genuine care and loyalty to Tiger?  What do you think?
- Butch
 

Brand Voodoo

When people find out that I work in advertising, the talk almost inevietibly finds it way to the subject of subliminal messaging.  Subconscious mental manipulation.  Mind control.  Books have been written about it.  People actually believe that we all practice it... like some kind of secret advertising society ritualistic brand voodoo.

We've all seen the stories -- hidden pictures of naked bodies in the ice cubes in Dewar's print ads, the "SEX" design on Pepsi cans, and the male body part in the Joe Camel caricature.  I'm sure you have many of your own examples.

Fact is, I've been in this business for 24 years and I've never sat in a meeting where anybody plotted about placing any hidden messages in any clients' advertising.  It just doesn't happen.  It seems ridiculous to me.  I call it all incidental coincidence... even the examples cited above, I believe, were not intentional.  Rather, they were created by someone finding something after the fact and creating a story. 

You see, good marketers understand that good brands are like good friends.  Good marketers strive to create brands that are honest, genuine and care about you.  Good brands want a lifetime relationship, not a quick sale.  Subliminal advertising is counter intuitive to the concept of building genuine, honest and long-term relationships.  A friend who tries to manipulate you is not a friend for very long.

What do you think? 
- Butch

PS -- I did work with an illustrator who hid written messages in his advertising art, but they were generally declarations of love for a girl or pithy little messages all for fun... that's a whole different story.

Running Lessons

Good talk happens at Sonny's Cozy Tavern.  Butch had a good discussion recently with a friend who has run three Boston Marathons.  I am a three-time marathon finisher -- but, at 200 pounds (a certified "Clydesdale" in running circles), I have little hope of ever qualifying for Boston.  Still, we both found common ground in exploring the life/business lessons that we've learned from running:

• Set big goals. Push yourself harder than you can imagine.  You'll achieve things you never dreamed.
• Have a plan.  Stick to it.  You have a much greater chance of succeeding if you have a clear road map and a well-devised strategy.
• Have a backup plan.  Be ready to overcome any obstacle that may get between you and your goal.
• Be aware of your surroundings.  Keep an eye on your competitors, fellow runners, the road beneath you, and the road up ahead.  Learn from those around you, keep your target in sight, and anticipate the hazards.
• Surround yourself with better runners.  Don't settle.  Ever.
• Enjoy the journey.  Soak it all up. Enjoying it makes it seem like it's really not work at all.  
• Savor the victory, but do not stop.  Keep moving.  The finish line marks the start to your next run.   

The best advice I've received from a fellow runner came from a 62-year-old Cancer survivor I met during the 2005 Chicago Marathon.  He said, "Running marathons taught me that I could do things I never imagined.  That's what made me believe that I could beat Cancer.  Never forget this feeling.  It will surely come in handy for you someday when you really need it."

I will never forget it, friend.  I trust that I will need it someday.

What lessons do you take from your every day that shape your life, your approach to business?
- Butch

Reserved Seating - The Movie

Butch went to the movies this past weekend.  Our local theatre is testing a reserved-seating-only policy.  You pay $2 per ticket more for this benefit.  In a press release about the test, the company explains that reserved seating gives guests an enhanced "experience."

I didn't like it at all.

1.  It slows the box office sales process.  Each customer has to take the time to select their seats from a computer monitor.  Green seats are open, red seats are claimed.  I'm color blind.  They all looked the same.

2.  It forces you to choose a seat next to someone you can't see.  If I don't want to sit next to the five teen girls who talk throughout the entire movie, I no longer have the option of making that decision once I enter the theatre. (Reminds me of the new SW Airlines policy of now letting Business Class fliers board the plane before families with small children... as a special benefit.  The best thing about babies being on board first was that I could choose not to sit next to them.)

3.  It's a ridiculous addition of incremental staff -- hence, the $2 per ticket increase.  Each theatre screen has attendants who show you to your seat.  No thanks, I don't need that.

4.  One of the benefits touted by the company is that you can now show up at the last minute because you have a reserved seat.  This is the same company that sells my clients pre-movie theatre-screen advertising because they have a "captive audience."  Not anymore.  Hope the cost of advertising just went down, because the number of eyeballs just went down (more last-minute arrivals AND fewer people due to increased cost).

Overall, I found it to be an unneccesary and forced "experience."

Great idea or epic failure.

What do you think?
- Butch

Willie Aames: Famous & Broke

Last night, Butch and the gang at Sonny's Cozy Tavern watched the VH1 special Famous & Broke. The show chronicles the recent struggles of actor Willie Aames.

Willie was a teen idol in the late 70's/early 80's, an actor on Eight Is Enough and Charles In Charge into the '90s.  My sisters had posters of Willie on their bedroom walls when I was kid.  We all thought Willie was on top of the world.  But, as the show reveals, Willie was troubled.  He was a lonely guy.

Cut to a more recent time.  I was doing a radio commercial for a client, and Willie Aames was one of the talent we'd hired for voice work.  He came in, delivered his lines like a pro and joined a few of us in the studio to just hang out.  He saw my friends and I having a great time, laughing & cutting up, and I think he just wanted to be part of that -- just regular guys hanging out.  He shared his personal story.  Teen idol, drugs & alcohol, failed relationships, lost soul finding God, the whole story.

After chilling with us for some time, Willie said, "Hey, guys, this was fun.  You guys are cool.  You want to go grab a burger someplace?"  For varied reasons, we all had to bow out.  I actually saw disappointment on his face.  As I drove home, I felt bad (sad for Willie), because I realized that Willie really did want to hang out with us.  He was a recovering celebrity who just yearned to be a regular guy.  I wish we had gone with Willie to grab a burger.  He was just looking for some friends -- real friends, not fake celebrity-chasing friends.

In watching Famous & Broke last night, I saw the same Willie Aames.  A guy who is good at heart, who just wants a regular life, but has trouble attaining it because everyone treats him like Willie Aames, the celebrity.  I'm glad to see that Butch's friends at Waddell & Reed have given him a break and hired him to be a Certified Financial Planner, helping those who have also struggled with money management like himself.  I'm pulling for Willie.

Willie, if the offer's still good, my friends and I would love to just have a burger with you some time.  Sorry we couldn't make it last time.

Brand perceptions are tough to break, even though not always accurate.  It's true, you can't always judge a book by its cover.

What do you think?
- Butch

Error Jordan by Nike

So, Michael Jordan's son, Marcus, is a freshman basketball player at Central Florida University (CFU).  CFU has a brand licensing contract with Adidas.  That means that the school, the coaches and the players all agreed that the players wear only Adidas shoes during games.  Apparently, all players except Marcus Jordan.

After agreeing to play at the school, knowing that they were in an Adidas contract, he's decided that he's only wearing his dad's Nike Air Jordans.  His decision to break the contract will cost the school its $2 million partnership with Adidas.

Lots of questions here:
Marcus Jordan, just a rich spoiled kid?
Why would the school/coach allow this and not just kick him off the team?
Is it a carefully orchestrated PR/merchandising move by MJ and Nike?
Should MJ/Nike step in and pick up the check for lost revenue?

Ethics and trust are a big part of brand partnerships.  How would you handle this?
- Butch