Author Archives: usenabasi_esiet

May 26, 2012

DAY 1: INTERNATIONAL PRACTICUM

After exploring the dynastic grandeur of the Forbidden City and Summer Palace as a cohort the day before, we were ready to formally begin the International Practicum at the Communication University of China (CUC) in Beijing. Shortly after enjoying a Chinese breakfast at the Nei Mmenggu (Inner Mongolia) Hotel, we met two CUC students who graciously volunteered to walk us to their campus.

There was an air of excitement as we walked down Dingfuzhuang East Street to the West Entrance of the CUC campus; this was the start of a 2-week immersion into the Chinese culture with the ultimate goal of improving our understanding of how marketing communications works in a worldwide context, and we were about to meet all the other CUC students who would guide us through this first-hand experience.

Upon arrival on campus at the Institute of Communication Studies (ICS) we immediately began the welcome reception, where we finally met our CUC counterparts. The ICS Director extended a warm welcome to us and gave a little insight into the university. In particular, it was a surprise to learn that CUC is the only institution in China solely dedicated to communication and the arts, and, as such, is a sister university to Emerson College, which also strives to bring innovation to these two fields.

The welcome reception continued with a brief introduction by each of the students and faculty participating in the practicum. The 14 CUC students – selected out of over 150 applicants to the practicum – represented a variety of schools and research centers at CUC, including the School of Advertising and the Institute for International Journalism. It was also a pleasure to find that our new friends at CUC were equally as eager to interact and share their experiences with us.

Once the welcome reception was over, we set out by subway to the Beijing National Stadium – Bird’s Nest (鸟巢) which was the site of the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. We had learned about the architects of the Bird’s Nest (Herzog and de Meuron) through a research project in our Creative Thinking and Problem Solving course in the fall semester and it was great to finally see the stadium in person.

Although we were not able to enter the Bird’s Nest proper, we were still able to see the architectural detail of the stadium’s exterior. It was also nice to have the CUC students accompany us as they were able to answer the many questions we had about the stadium and the Chinese culture in general. All in all, the day was a rather successful one and a perfect start to the international practicum in Beijing.

P.S. – For the next two weeks, we will be attending lectures on media and advertising at CUC, visiting advertising agencies and media companies in Beijing and Shanghai, and participating in several field trips; from the Great Wall to 798 Art Zone. Stay tuned for more daily recaps of our journey through China!

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April 11, 2012

THE FUTURE OF TV: A CREATIVE PERSPECTIVE FROM DAN WIEDEN

Written by: Usen Esiet

The media landscape has evolved tremendously in the past decade, with social media and digital technologies playing an ever increasing role in how brands communicate with their consumers. This evolution has raised the question of what role the television platform will play as we move through the digital era.

In an attempt to answer this question, ThinkTV has developed a brand new series which explores the new TV landscape and the opportunities it presents for advertisers. Through a series of in-depth interviews, five leading industry visionaries will give their insight and vision on the future of TV. In this episode, Dan Wieden, Co-Founder and CEO of Wieden+Kennedy, shares his perspective on the subject.

Wieden speaks briefly about the evolution of TV from a monologue platform to one that creates dialogue, citing brands like Nike, Levi’s and Chrysler. He also shares some insight into how Old Spice uses a combination of TV and online advertising to reinforce its messaging. Finally, rather than attempt to predict the future of TV, he speaks candidly about what kind of communication will prevail as the media landscape continues to evolve. (Hint – It’s the oldest form of communication).

Watch the video above and feel free to share your thoughts and comments.

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February 29, 2012

PREMIUM POSITIONING: NIKE+ FUELBAND


Written by: Usen Esiet

More recently, it has become widely recognized that up to 90 percent of new product introductions fail. These product failures can be attributed to a variety of reasons, ranging from a lack of proper target market definition to some products simply being too far ahead of the market. However, one particular reason which  is usually disregarded is that a majority of these products tend to be mis-positioned. More often than not, the success of a new product is largely dependent on its positioning, and a great example of this can be seen with the recent launch of the Nike+ FuelBand.

On its own the FuelBand is an innovative product which, in addition to tracking your steps, time and calories on an LED display, essentially makes use of a new unit of measurement – NikeFuel. Input your daily goals and the FuelBand will measure your movement – the closer you get to your goal, the closer to green you get on the LED display. FuelBand is also equipped with USB and allows for wireless syncing with your iPhone (or iPod) for more detailed data, instantly making your information available to share through your social networks.

However, Nike (or presumably its ad agency Wieden+Kennedy) recognized that an innovative product such as the FuelBand needs to be backed by an equally innovative positioning. Hence, the development of the tagline, “Life Is a Sport. Make it count”, which successfully integrates Nike’s ongoing Make It Count campaign. Although the idea of life being a sport is well-known and even sometimes used in everyday language, it wasn’t until now that the phrase has been commercialized. More importantly, this clever move on the part of Nike also has important implications for the brand.

First, it elevates Nike’s brand value and perception in the minds of consumers. This idea of life as a sport creates a unique brand association because it essentially redefines the meaning of sports, and in turn serves as a key differentiator for the Nike brand.

Second, it establishes a competitive advantage in the minds of customers, particularly because it embodies the timeless value of life which other brands within the sportswear and equipment industry are yet to do.

Third, this positioning widens Nike’s target market. In particular, non-athletes and non-traditional athletes (break dancers, free-runners, etc) now have a stronger sense of connection to the brand because they can all relate to this universal idea of life.

Ultimately, marketing the FuelBand using this idea of life as a sport helps convey Nike’s unique value proposition and reinforces the brand’s superiority within the sportswear and equipment category. Although the FuelBand won’t be available worldwide until May, you can watch the spot below in the meantime to see which activities count and don’t count. And yes, impersonating MC Hammer does count.

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December 30, 2011

Ad of the Week: Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs

Written by: Usen Esiet

The Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs is currently using this creative and compelling ad to raise awareness of the need for more foster families for youths between the ages of 15 and 17.

The ad, which was developed by Try/Apt, combines the deep metaphors of journey, transformation and connection. The ad’s message is shown through the eyes of a girl drawing herself as she grows older. In her drawings, she shows herself move from a state of happiness as a child to a state of isolation and sadness in her youth. In the background, we also see plants and butterflies transform into trees and birds.

It isn’t until towards the end of the ad that the deep metaphor of connection truly comes into play. Still through her drawings, the ad shows that having caring foster parents will redefine this young girl’s story by putting her on the path to a bright future. As such, the ad ends with the following line: “It’s never too late to help someone on the right track.”

In addition to the deep metaphors at play here, the ad is also operating on a very high context. No words are spoken throughout the ad as it relies heavily on the strong visuals and the rather compelling Canon in D, one of the most famous pieces of music by German Baroque composer Johann Pachelbel.

This concept choice for the ad is particularly interesting because Norway, along with a few other Scandinavian countries of Northern Europe, is traditionally seen as a low context culture. It demonstrates that audiences can be receptive to concepts that use message styles that deviate from their known cultural context.

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November 24, 2011

The Future of Global Marketing Is Mobile

Written by: Usen Esiet

The article in 234Next is an example of how technological innovations impact global marketers and make global expansion of multinationals both possible and desirable. In addition, it is further evidence of the growing revolution in global communications.

In Nigeria, one of the fastest growing mobile markets with triple-digit growth rates, InMobi – the world’s largest independent mobile advertising network – recently started making efforts to enter the market with hopes of getting local advertisers to move their advertising platform to mobile.

InMobi’s desire to enter the advertising industry in Nigeria, as well as other countries like South Africa, Kenya and Ghana, is due largely to the fact that there are over 500 million mobile phone subscribers in Africa, and this number is expected to increase to 824 million by 2015.

Although entering the Nigerian market presents boundless opportunities for InMobi and local advertisers alike, several issues need to be taken into consideration in order for this market development strategy to be a success.

One of the major challenges InMobi faces is the need to educate local advertisers about the opportunities that exist in mobile advertising. In Nigeria, a majority of mobile advertising is done via SMS, and advertisers are not yet fully aware of other types of mobile advertising available to them. In order to enter the Nigerian market, InMobi must first deal with this industry-wide issue of the relatively low awareness of the full range of benefits and opportunities available through this platform.

Another major challenge InMobi faces has to do with the low network connectivity and accessibility that plagues Nigeria. As a matter of fact, according to the Connectivity Scorecard 2011, Nigeria is one of the lowest ranking nations in terms of connectivity. While it might be easy for advertisers to show banner and text ads, it will be a lot more difficult to show rich media video ads, which prevents them from truly leveraging the power of mobile advertising.

Although InMobi faces a few challenges, as outlined above, there are several opportunities and likely positive outcomes of entering the advertising industry in Nigeria. One of the major opportunities for InMobi is the possibility of gaining first mover advantages in the Nigerian market since domestic competition is nonexistent. InMobi could gain loyal customers and advertising experience before any other local or multinational competitors arise in the market.

Another major opportunity for InMobi is that entry into the Nigerian market could be a gateway into other markets in West Africa like Ghana, and subsequently other markets in Africa like Kenya. InMobi could even develop best practices based on advertising experience in Nigeria, which could be useful in other markets across Africa.

Based on the aforementioned information, I recommend that InMobi collaborate with the Advertiser’s Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) to hold workshops for local advertisers to improve their understanding of mobile advertising and its benefits. In addition, in collaboration with ADVAN, InMobi should offer discounted accounts to local advertisers who attend these workshops in order to further encourage them to advertise on InMobi’s platform.

Optimal Entry Mode Matrix

Furthermore, based on the Optimal Entry Mode Matrix, for a protected company like InMobi who possesses patentable know-how about mobile advertising and desires to enter an emerging market like Nigeria, the optimal entry mode would be to engage in a joint venture, like the above-recommended collaboration with ADVAN.

Although InMobi has previously held a forum in Nigeria, it was only limited to a few stakeholders in the advertising industry and it was an independent effort. Working with ADVAN would symbolize an institutional recognition of mobile advertising, since they are the umbrella association for all advertisers in Nigeria and one of their main objectives is to contribute to improving advertising education through organizing /participating in courses, seminars and workshops relevant to the industry.

 As highlighted above, one of the major drawbacks of being a first mover is that customers will need to be educated and working with ADVAN would be an effective way to overcome this drawback. In addition, collaborating with ADVAN could increase InMobi’s credibility among local advertisers.

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November 11, 2011

Ad of the Week: Harajuku Mini for Target

Written By: Usen Esiet

Target is gearing up for the release of its most recent exclusive retail partnership – with Gwen Stefani – and has released a commercial promoting the new Harajuku Mini for Target fashion line for babies, kids and tweens.

One of the reasons why the ad is successful is because of its dominant theme of fun and play, which is highly relevant to kids and tweens. Throughout the ad, which resembles a live action video game, we see kids playing around, dancing, and just generally having fun.

In addition, the ad’s key message is conveyed heavily through the concept of transformation, which is one of the seven deep metaphors as outlined by Gerald and Lindsay Zaltman in their renowned book, Marketing Metaphoria.

According to Zaltman and Zaltman, “Transformation may be the most pervasive deep metaphor among consumers. Nearly all goods and services are intended to facilitate or retard passage from one state to another.”

In the ad, we see kids transforming into wearing clothes from the Harajuku Mini line as they play and interact with their surrounding. The ad also shows Gwen Stefani transforming into a mini Harajuku doll, and even closes with a cheeseburger transforming into the Target bullseye design logo.

This use of transformation helps convey the message that the Harajuku Mini line will add color to both the kids’ wardrobes and personalities, and it reinforces the newness of the Harajuku Mini line.

Let’s see if the Harajuku Mini line sells out as fast as the Missoni for Target line come November 13 when the collection becomes available nationwide, both in stores and online.

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October 6, 2011

Ad of the Week: Sony Playstation 3

Written by: Usen Esiet

Sony recently released a new ad as part of its ongoing ‘Long Live Play’ campaign for the Playstation 3 (PS3) gaming console. The ad, by Deutsch Inc. Los Angeles, is titled “Michael”.

This ad is successful for two main reasons. First, as opposed to focusing on one particular video game, it incorporates video games from a wide range of genres (from action to puzzle platformer) which appeals to a variety of PS3 users. Second, as opposed to the traditional approach of showing people playing these video games, it brings the main characters of each video game to life and the story is told from their perspective.

However, this ad also fall short on one account. Take a look at the 60-second version of the ad below to see why.

This short version completely loses the essence of the full-length ad.  I actually saw this version on Hulu before watching the full-length ad and I couldn’t quite understand the ad’s message. There were no relatable characters and it was unclear if the ad was meant to promote a specific game or the PS3 gaming console itself.

One might argue that the 60-second version was intended to serve as a teaser for the full-length ad, but there was no real indication of this. The ad, which barely had any dialogue, relied solely on the imagery to hint at something more to viewers, but this did not work as intended. I would still be confused about the ad’s message had I not seen the full-length version.

This raises the issue of consistency in advertising. Because the 60-second spot lacks the dominant “long live play” theme, it fails to have the same impact on viewers as the full-length ad. Ultimately, the full-length ad deserves applause, but I still believe the issue of consistency should have been taken into consideration more.

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October 1, 2011

PUMA® PROJECT PINK: KICK IT IN PINK

Written by: Usen Esiet

Last week, Kristina Fields, Director of Marketing Communications for PUMA® North America, gave a presentation to students in the Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) program, which I was able to attend along with a few other GMCA students. She discussed at length PUMA’s IMC strategy for its Project Pink initiative, which is dedicated to promoting breast cancer awareness in conjunction with women’s soccer.

“The main goal [of Project Pink] is to empower young women to maximize their potential and affect real change in themselves and in their communities through the power of soccer,” said Fields.

Fans nominate and vote for breast cancer charities through the Puma website. Every time fans tweet using #projectpink, PUMA will make a $1 donation to the winning charity. Project Pink products like soccer balls, gyms sacks and apparel are sold at stadiums, retail stores and online. The winning charity receives 100% of the proceeds from the Project Pink initiative.

PUMA uses various tools (media, public relations, social media, project pink soccer games, etc) to engage with its target audience – the soccer girl. However, they work hard to ensure these tools complement each other and retain a consistent message which its target audience can relate to. This consistency enables PUMA to create an easily identifiable brand identity.

As part of the initiative, PUMA partners with Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) athletes like Marta Vieira da Silva and Karina LeBlanc. These athletes wear pink boots and goalkeeper gloves during project pink games and also attend various Project Pink stadium events. “[Their involvement] helps reinforce the performance message of the program,” Fields said. “They act as role models to empower and engage the soccer girl,” she added.

PUMA also partners with TV star Nina Dobrev to help engage with the soccer girl. “She’s a relatable, aspirational role model who speaks to our target audience,” said Fields. “Known for being fit and healthy, she has roots in sports as an athlete growing up,” she added. In particular, PUMA’s partnership with Nina allows them to leverage her strong social media presence.

Project Pink also serves as a brand differentiation tool for PUMA. As opposed to only promoting breast cancer awareness during the month of October, PUMA captures the soccer girl with year-long messaging that speaks to who she is both on and off the pitch. As a result, PUMA does not fall within the category of brands frequently criticized for “pinkwashing”.

PUMA also differentiates themselves by creating a “branded experience” during Project Pink stadium events. The pink PUMA cat tattoo station and a polaroid mural are only a few examples of interactive activities that make these events memorable for the soccer girl.

“Project Pink requires a strong balance of brand marketing with product marketing,” Fields revealed. A balanced coordination of both marketing activities has enabled PUMA engage effectively with its target audience while helping raise breast cancer awareness, thereby resulting in the continued success of the Project Pink initiative.

Overall, Kristina Fields’ presentation provided us with a detailed view of how the various components of integrated marketing communication can best be combined to deliver value to consumers.

Click here to view the charity gallery and vote for your favorite one.

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September 14, 2011

Palladium Boots x Pharrell: “Tokyo Rising”

Written by: Usen Esiet

As Prof. Cathy Waters alluded to during our first Marketing Management in a Global Environment class, marketing is about storytelling and Palladium Boots’ new online campaign really exemplifies this idea.

Palladium has teamed up with tastemaker Pharrell Williams for a 5-part video series titled ‘Tokyo Rising’. The documentary film follows Pharrell as he explores the places, culture and artists of Tokyo, and how the people of Tokyo are dealing with the aftermath of the Japan earthquake and tsunami.

One of the reasons why I think this campaign is successful is because the story is told from a Japanese perspective. These storytellers are dynamic, talented individuals from the worlds of fashion, art, design and music, and they make up Tokyo’s creative class.

Throughout the documentary film, as Pharrell travels across Tokyo to interact with some of these individuals, he is shown wearing different pairs of Palladium boots. By consciously integrating their product into the documentary film, Palladium becomes a part of the story being told and is able to position their brand as one that is relevant in contemporary/popular culture.

In addition, because Palladium’s boots are being worn by an influencer like Pharrell, it elevates the perception of their brand as one that is youthful and stylish in the minds of consumers. This in turn creates a social distinction among Palladium’s customers.

Click here to watch ‘Tokyo Rising’ in its entirety and please feel free to share your thoughts.

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