The Dentsu team composed three provocative print ads linking man-made violence to wildlife through incorporating tattoos (which is a symbol of a person’s commitment to their beliefs in China).  After a basic analysis it is easy to see that this campaign is communicating on many different levels for many different audiences.

After viewing a video from China Daily, in which the recent growth in positive Chinese attitudes regarding tattoos is discussed and attributed to the import of Western values, it may concluded that this campaign specifically targets Chinese male youth. Not only are these youth more accepting of tattoos, but as males entering a predominately male (and still socially conservative) economy they will encounter industry practices that may be harmful to the environment. Through linking the modern Chinese consumer’s interest in self-expression/conviction with interest in the environment, this campaign evokes the traditional Chinese value of the concern for the community over the concern for the self by including wildlife as part of the community. Well Done!

The Coca-Cola Security Camera commercial aired in June of 2012 as part of the international campaign Open Happiness. The commercial uses footage from security cameras around the globe to show genuine acts of human love, bravery, and goodness that although usually go unnoticed, exist and happen every day.

The ad concludes with Coca-Cola challenging the audience to look at the world a little differently. This heartwarming commercial illustrates that advertising can have a significant impact on both individuals and society at large in a positive way.

Advertisements have the power to direct consumer attention. The positive message of the Coca-Cola commercial reminds us that deeds of generosity and human benevolence are ubiquitous if we can simply remember to look for them.

Advertising is more than a profitable industry; it is an institution rooted in the classical liberalism values that shaped the current market economy. Because the influence of ads spread into the economy, cultural values, and social ideas, the range of stakeholders is incredibly vast and the entire industry suffers when one brand abuses this power through advertising irresponsibly

The theory of Agenda Setting posits the view that the media does not persuade consumers how to feel or think, but rather provides them with information to think about. From this perspective, the Coca-Cola campaign has a powerful affect on changing an individual’s attitude and additionally promotes the potential for positive social change.

This advertisement is socially responsible, ethical, and promotes a positive brand image for Coca Cola without encouraging a consumption lifestyle.

French fashion house Lanvin has been widely celebrated for casting ‘real people’ in its autumn/winter 2012 campaign. Based on the premise of “owning one’s individuality,” the ads feature a diverse range of individuals, ages 18 to 82, who were spotted on the street for their eclectic style. In Lanvin’s promotional video, each “non-model” showcases an ensemble from the collection while sharing a snippet of an offbeat personal story about anything from eating frozen blueberries to collecting salt and pepper shakers.

The luxury brand has been praised for not only avoiding current industry conventions, but also for challenging the misconception that ads must be brimming with exaggerated cheer and optimism in order to convey positive values. Lanvin’s creative director explained the intent as “showing how everyday people are interesting beyond what they are wearing,” in a way that is positive, yet quirky and provocative.

The Lanvin campaign stands in contrast to the underlying assumptions of Vroom’s Expectancy Theory as it defies the stereotypical roles and behaviors that its audience has come to expect. The fashion industry has a long history of using unrealistic beauty ideals and the cumulative impact of these ideals is increasingly problematic. Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory asserts that repeated exposure to similar images cultivates the reality that people come to believe over time; therefore, one can see how failure to possess the ‘desirable’ attributes perpetuated by the industry can often lead to feelings of inferiority.

Advertising, as an institution, will always selectively echo and reinforce certain values, beliefs and attitudes at the expense of others; however, advertisers have the opportunity to use ‘selective reinforcement’ as a positive cultural force. The Lanvin campaign gives us hope by demonstrating that an advertiser can choose a handful of uniquely endearing individuals to promote a product, even in high fashion, and still have an incredibly successful campaign. Advertisers must acknowledge that they have a key role to play as agents of socialization – now and in the future. It’s time to follow Lanvin’s lead (in addition to other recent, noteworthy examples) and show people that diversity is beautiful. Beauty is in the trained eye of the beholder.

In a series of 30 second spots, Best Buy demonstrates how family members can inspire and motivate loved ones to pursue dreams, business and even love through the gift of technology.

The campaign integrated true representations of traditional families of all genders, races and generations to exemplify that anyone has the ability to change lives with the gift of technology.

Best Buy also built a relationship with viewers by stating, “Let us show you how the right gift can make all the difference”, implying a hands-on and personalized in-store experience. They want to help you make a difference in someone’s life. They want to make your purchase matter.

This campaign is an example to the industry that although we, as an industry, are selling products & services, we can make those products & services create a real difference. By simply encouraging consumers of all races, genders and ages to make a difference, the industry itself can make a difference. This socially responsible theme can be seen across all of Best Buy’s campaigns this year.

Capitalism has now become a cycle of consuming for consuming sake. By means of Cultivation Theory, if all campaigns found a way to create a sense of “making a difference” in some form (cause related or not), then perhaps the idea of consuming could be altered into consuming in the best interests of the whole.

By using an emotional appeal, Best Buy brought a sense of warmth, belonging, and inspiration to their campaign. They created aspirational characters that used technology to generate positive results. They cultivated a relationship with viewers by addressing that they want to help you make a difference in someone’s life. Best Buy is changing their industry and influencing ours by nurturing the idea of “making a difference”.

Actor Ty Burrell is featured in an advertisement for MasterCard this holiday season. Attired in traditional caroling regalia, he sings to inform a woman that her sweater purchase helped make a difference.

MasterCard is supporting the charity­­ Stand Up To Cancer with their “Click and Be Generous” campaign. They donate 1¢ for each online MasterCard purchase over $10 from November 12^th through December 31^st, with a max of $2 million in contributions.

Stand Up To Cancer’s philosophy is to use their funds to promote collaboration between cancer researchers working at different institutions. Burrell’s authenticity and enthusiasm for the project shines in another clip promoting Stand Up To Cancer where he explains that he lost his father to cancer and how hopeful he is about the research that has been made possible by Stand Up To Cancer.

The method that MasterCard chose for their philanthropy is a victory for both organizations. It helps raise Stand Up To Cancer’s profile while providing MasterCard recognition for its charitable endeavor.

The thirty-second spot does not tout a list of reasons why MasterCard is a superior credit card; rather, it utilizes emotional appeal to encourage people to use their MasterCard.

During this time of continuing economic challenges, MasterCard expects that the fight against cancer will encourage people to preferentially utilize the card when making a transaction during the holiday season.

In addition, the ad facilitates making a connection in consumers’ minds that the use of a MasterCard allows them to partner with a positive force in the world with the ease of purchasing an item online.

Donating 1¢ per transaction sounds small at first; MasterCard counts on the number of transactions made by MasterCard users to create a huge difference. This campaign shows that a for-profit corporation can use its business model to promote the well being of the community in which it resides.

With many recent commercials being based on slap-stick humor, sex, or mere celebrity endorsement, it’s refreshing to find a company that has opted for something the ad industry is in desperate need of; simple, emotive and smart advertising. Volkswagen is no stranger to great advertising, always pushing the envelope by creating memorable and thought-provoking ads that break the stereotype of what we have come to expect from car ads. This TV spot aptly named “Mileage” does just that by not focusing on the car at all (In fact the cars are never even showed), only showing the logo at the end of the spot and most importantly straying from the typical commercial casting.

This ad showcases people of all genders, races, and even ages laughing to their hearts content as the ad compiles shots of them merrily living life. The ad does something ads usually don’t do; it is a true and honest representation of society. It does not use many typical formulas we have come to expect, like displaying only Caucasians in their twenties, using only “attractive people”, or showing each demographic doing something we think of as stereotypical.  It provides a healthy and true view of the world that is often overlooked in the media.

Volkswagen has set the bar high with feel-good ads like this one, making a positive mold of society that other advertisers should follow. Everyone in this world is different, we all come from different backgrounds and have lived through very different experiences. None of us are perfect; none of us are constantly striving to look like the models we see on TV, none of will remain young forever. However, there is one thing everyone in the world and in this ad have in common, we are all citizens of the world and while we must celebrate our uniqueness and differences, things like laughter are universal truths we can all identify with.

Kudos Volkswagen for being a responsible role model and using the canvas of advertising to paint an optimistic representation of society.

Cause-related marketing is a popular term to throw around board meetings and stakeholder newsletters, but few companies can truly execute the concept well. Campbell’s has succeeded in creating a relevant, socially responsible, and forward-thinking campaign for the holiday season in their partnership with Feeding America. This is a great opportunity for a corporate and non-profit business to interact in a mutually beneficial relationship, while also creating awareness for a serious social issue. Feeding America states that an average of one in six Americans faces hunger and consistently goes without meals for several days.

Campbell’s follows the rules of creating a great cause-related campaign by  1) collaborating with an appropriate cause, 2) being very transparent about their donation intentions, and 3) gaining positive exposure by taking their campaign to the innovative digital scrapbooking site, Pinterest. Campbell’s has created a massive online version of their classic green bean casserole, where users can take part in adding to the visual impact of how many people could be fed simply by pinning and participating.

Other marketers could learn from Campbell’s positive example and create a relationship between their brand and consumers that is based on trust, respect, and a shared vision. Being honest with consumers is always in the best interest of the company because it leads to brand loyalty, which ensures a longer life of the brand and better business.

The Campbell Soup Foundation was initiated in 1953 and has a long history with philanthropy and donating part of their profits to worthy causes, as opposed to companies who have recently jumped on the bandwagon by treating a partnership like the cool or socially expected thing to do. Campbell’s is a leader in creating positive, wholesome messages that set an excellent example for other marketers in both their advertising content and partnership message by striving to create a positive difference in the community. They are a corporation with values that projects an image of warmth and heartiness which reflect not only their casseroles, but their goal of helping families in the holiday season through their donations to Feeding America.

December will be knocking at our door soon, offering us (omnipresent) seasonal lattes, promotional giveaways, finicky garland, jingle bells, buy-one-get-one deals, purchase incentives – the list goes on. Subaru is participating in all of the holiday hoopla again this year, but they have re-launched their successful cause-related campaign. This holiday season they continue the “Share the Love” campaign, which seems to have become an annual Subaru holiday tradition.

From now until January 3^rd, 2013, owners of any newly leased or purchased vehicle get to choose the nonprofit that will receive Subaru’s donation of $250. The charities include: USO, Meals on Wheels Association of America, Make-A-Wish, the ASPCA, and Alzheimer’s Association. Since the campaign debuted four years ago, the automaker has donated $20 million to multiple causes. Subaru knows their owners value a deal on a new or leased vehicle, but this car company has realized giving is far more meaningful than receiving.

Subaru exemplifies the expectations of social responsibility with their “Share the Love” campaign. Their marketing strategy illustrates the ideal, triune relationship between the consumer, the selected cause, and the company. The balance of these three entities is the crux of effective cause marketing and advertising – producing empathy, relevance, and identification. This carmaker has given their shareholders an opportunity to choose a charity most meaningful to them, and they’ve done it with such clarity and commitment to social change. It’s safe to say Subaru is dedicated to sharing the love for years to come.

References:

Sheehan, Kim. “Really Good Goods.” Controversies in Contemporary Advertising. California: Sage Publications, Inc., 2004. Print.

http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=388200005

5-Hour energy has released a new flavor of their popular energy drink in conjunction with the Avon Foundation for Women, which supports breast cancer. The flavor is Pink Lemonade is packaged in a special pink bottle so as to differentiate it from the standard flavors and to inform consumers about the donation 5-Hour Energy will make to Avon on their behalf. Fighting breast cancer is, for the most part, a universally supported cause, but 5-Hour Energy’s choice of foundation has been the subject of commentary. By choosing the Avon Foundation for Women instead of another foundation, such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure, 5-Hour Energy purposely chose a foundation that does not support Planned Parenthood.

Breast Cancer is a widely supported cause by both men and women, but tends to receive more support from women overall, due to the fact that they are more likely to be afflicted with the disease. Pairing a product with a cause is a fairly common occurrence, what makes this pairing so interesting is that the company that is paired with the cause purposely chose a foundation that supports a specific side of a polarizing debate. Through this choice 5-Hour Energy has decided to market to a primarily women driven cause, but at the same time chose a partner foundation that would possibly deter support from certain members of its target demographic by openly supporting a certain side of a controversial issue.

When 5-Hour made the decision to partner with Avon, they knew that they may lose a portion of sales due to the association with their stance on Planned Parenthood. At the same time I am sure that there are people, like myself, who believe in helping breast cancer, regardless of the supporting foundation’s beliefs on certain peripheral issues, especially if it is a product that would be purchased anyway. Either way, whether or not you support the stance of 5-Hour Energy on the issue itself, it is refreshing to see a company following their morals even though it may possibly infringe on sales.