pickmybrain-pr

How to put brands in consumer's shopping carts today

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:56:00 +0000

Supermarkets in Puerto Rico have become platforms for the increasing competition among brands trying to dominate in-store communication. Such communication is driven by innovation creating a demand for bolder ways to connect with consumers. In order to meet this demand and engage consumers when they are making their purchase decisions, Marketing Managers and Business Owners in Puerto Rico can count on CartArt Media.

CartArt is a visually appealing media that transforms regular shopping carts into mobile billboards. Its size (9 times larger than similar media) provides brand visibility with direct impact on sales. (Not bad for brands with limited or poor shelf space.)

The new media allows Marketing Managers to put their product in the shopping cart (in the form of ads) and be the only one traveling with prospects throughout the whole shopping journey.

One of the big pros is that consumers don't have to grab the cart or get inside the supermarket to see the ads. Cart Art is a moving billboard reaching consumers even when the cart is pushed away for storage. Think about exposure 24/7 for the duration of the campaign.

Unlike any other in-store media in Puerto Rico, it is supported with four world patents to ensure quality and safety and its success has been proven in United States, Canada, and Mexico. In marketing performance studies test stores with CartArt Media showed specific categories sales increase that ranged from 8% to over 60%.**

For many, traditional media is still the weapon of choice to build a brand and reach a larger audience. Those who need to reduce the impact of the current financial situation are still in the hopes of finding the holy grail of in-store marketing. Is CartArt the answer? At least, it has been for many brands in USA, Canada and Mexico.

For further details you can contact Nazario Group Media, exclusive distributors of CartArt in Puerto Rico the Caribbean and Latin America.

** CartArt Effectiveness Case Study in US (http://www.cartartamerica.com/#!media-kit/vstc2=blank02)

Reaparece el "sandwich board man" en Puerto Rico

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:11:00 +0000

Avistamientos reportados desde Canóvanas hasta Barceloneta y en SanSe 2012

SAN JUAN, PR (01.2012)- El "sandwich board man", históricamente considerado ícono de los orígenes de la publicidad, reaparece en una versión modernizada y se le ha visto pululando las calles de Puerto Rico con el nombre de AdMan Group.

Desde el día de Acción de Gracias, día venta del madrugador, y durante varios fines de semana de diciembre, las brigadas de AdMan Group han interceptado consumidores en vías aledañas a centros comerciales repartiendo muestras de la nueva línea con fragancia del producto Lestoil, de la empresa The Clorox Company.

Disponible en Puerto Rico desde verano 2011, AdMan Group es un servicio de la empresa puertorriqueña Nazario Group Media, que ofrece a sus clientes programas de exposición estratégica empleando grandes marcos lumínicos portados por promotores mediante el mecanismo de una mochila. "El 'sandwich board man' era un hombre entre dos pancartas caminando por las calles promoviendo el establecimiento que lo haya contratado. En nuestra versión moderna, el AdMan consiste de un marco publicitario como el que ves en un 'bus shelter' pero portátil ", explicó Santos Javier Nazario, presidente de Nazario Group Media.

Pandora es otra empresa que ha capitalizado en la innovación que ofrece el medio. "Desde la apertura de su nueva tienda en El Viejo San Juan, hemos colocados brigadas de AdMan que actúan como embajadores de marca respondiendo preguntas sobre la tienda. La activación más reciente, fue durante la celebración de las Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián", señaló Nazario.

El veterano publicista agregó que "a la hora de crear e implementar programas ejecucionales empleando vehículos como el AdMan, nos aseguramos de cumplir propósitos estratégicos. La innovación o el mero entretenimiento, por sí solos, no garantizan resultados. Por eso trabajamos en lugares y horas en que los prospectos están más receptivos al mensaje y en disposición de adquirir el producto, cuidando que todo detalle aporte a lograr la meta de vender".

Nazario Group Media ofrece exclusivos servicios de planificación estratégica para el desarrollo de programas ejecucionales enfocados en generar ventas. Sus servicios benefician a directores de marcas, dueños de negocios y agencias de publicidad, que buscan interceptar a los consumidores mediante activaciones creativas y costo eficientes. Además de AdMan, trabajan medios como Cart Art, iShelf, B-Line y Poletector, para los que cuentan con representación exclusiva para Puerto Rico, Caribe y Latinoamérica.

You Are Not Alone:

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:56:00 +0000

Sharing the right mindset can help you succeed in advertising

Improving your chances to succeed in the advertising and marketing business in Puerto Rico, has been your priority for a while. I bet you have done everything in your power to overcome the challenges granted by the global economy. You've redesigned your credentials presentation and your website; engaged your team to deliver great service and big ideas; and, like everyone else, streamlined your expenses. Still, you stay up at night asking yourself… "Is there anything ELSE I can do to improve my business ASAP?"

The answer is YES.

As I've witnessed over the last 18 months, working with advertising clients and agencies in Puerto Rico, you can stop begging for discounts in services such as copywriting and still make a profit. Discounts provide a temporary relief allowing you to meet your client's needs and cover your costs; but unless you work for charity, relying on favors and cheap services will only perpetuate your current situation.

Doubtful? Think about the time you invest searching for better priced products or services. How many times have you ran, jump or fought to save a client a buck or two, just to end up reporting those hours as overhead or administrative? Have you seen a significant increase in your ROI or is it only helping you survive?

Well, you are not alone. Like many people I know you can stop being a survivor and start enjoying the perks of a winner status. All you have to do is add "making a mental shift" to your to-do list.

The following are 4 ways to put your thoughts on the right track.

Think progression, NOT recession
Any marathon runner would tell you that looking back in the middle of a race will get you off track, make you lose your pace and miss the finish line. This means that every minute you spend talking and even thinking about how awful things are (or were) will keep you from moving forward to your goals. Instead, think about what you've done to change your situation and be proud of it.

Praise and bless the things you like as if you have earned them already
If what most gurus say is true, that your reality mirrors your mindset, operating from a scarcity mentality will only keep you from achieving the desired results. Have you ever caught yourself resenting how others have all the luck (i.e. resources or connections), while you have to work hard? These thoughts are only reinforcing the fact that you don't have what it takes to succeed. And, I'm sure this is not entirely true. The best way to counteract these sabotaging thoughts is to make a shift and truly believe that it's only a matter of time. The success you see in others is like any piece of clothing you've ever ordered from a catalog. You don't have it in your possession yet, but it's yours. It's on its way! So start thinking about what you will do with it when it arrives.

Success is NOT about hard work, but about the RIGHT work
Those who think that working hard is the key to success will certainly work hard to get there. But there's no universal law that requires long hours and lots of resources to be successful. The only reason some people achieve the desired results earlier in the game is that they know what needs to be done (and how), and when they don't, they ask for reinforcement. For example: In the past, I've been hired by clients to do some simple copywriting that they have done before by themselves or with their company resources. As they told me at the end of the process, they found that the amount of time and resources ($$$) they invested before turned out to be higher than what they pay for my services. The truth is that even when they paid full price, they were able to charge their traditional fees to their clients (higher than mine) and dedicate their own free time and/or resources to do additional billable work.

Be thankful
Yes, you've made all the right moves to improve your business. So, it's about time to stop whining for the lack of results and start appreciating the good things coming your way. Whether you want new clients, more work or money, if you have done all the right things soon you will see them. Like most new moms usually say, once the baby is born it's all about non-stop work and pure joy so the waiting period is the only time you will have to write the thank you notes. THIS is your time to be grateful.
---
The author is a Freelance Copywriter and Strategic Idea Planner with over 15 years of experience. Send your information request to Lizanne@pickmybrain-pr.com.

Divertida Campaña Digital para una Cerveza

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:27:00 +0000

No estoy segura si venderá más cerveza pero seguro captura la atención y divierte. Te presenta todos los datos sobre lo que podrías haber vivido hasta ahora. Definitivamente hay que probarlo para entenderlo y disfrutarlo.

¡Buen provecho!

Ver Campaña

Is your office the worst place to work?

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 21:53:00 +0000

This CNN article is a must read for Agencies & Creative Companies' Directors that want to increase their profit ASAP. I hope it inspire your team to find new ways to propel your productivity.

Here's the link [for the article and a TED Talk video]: Why the office is the worst place to work - CNN.com*
Hope you all have a successful and profitable day,

3 reasons to "Advertise where it really counts"

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:45:00 +0000

2010 is the perfect time to be bold, take calculated risks and leverage on innovation to compensate for constantly shrinking advertising budgets. For those hoping to find new and efficient ways to get the message across and generate sales, here's a newfound opportunity in Puerto Rico called Mediakart.

Their slogan says it all: "advertise where it really counts". The shopping cart handle ads available in some major supermarket chains offer a promising opportunity to increase brands' chances to win consumers at point-of-purchase. As if that wasn't enough, check the following reasons to consider it.

Reason #1: Made in Puerto Rico
In a nutshell, Mediakart was created in 2004, by Santos Javier Nazario, a veteran Senior Producer with names like Grey PR (formerly known as WING) and Y&R featured on his resume. After a couple of years it was acquired by Flexcomm, Inc., a locally owned company that now manages the network of more than 7,000 shopping carts, available at Grande, Pueblo, Selectos, Supermax, Econo and Kmart. (Over 60 stores, and counting).

Reason #2: Proven results
The list of brands that have tried the media includes Licor 43, Cap'n Crunch, Café Yaucono, Suiza and Tres Monjitas. Considering that Mediakart is almost booked until August 2010, it seems the little ads on the shopping cart handles are doing well for brands and supermarkets too.

It's hard to have low expectations of a media that places a brand between shoppers' hands, literally, during the 30 to 90 minutes they spend doing their grocery shopping. If it was up to me, I would say "forget branding"; conversion of non-buyers into buyers requires a compelling message such as key product advantages or an incentive to buy i.e. discounts, sweepstakes, etc. Unless you are placing your ads in shopping carts at a bookstore, don't waste such a golden opportunity with "too much information".

Reason #3: Experience

We all have witnessed how several "alternative media" have died while trying to make it big in-store. However, Mediakart has grown slowly but steady during the last five years. Clearly, as the original creator, the new management, integrated by professionals with experience in advertising, B2B sales, and servicing, know what needs to be done to make it work. Since nowadays everyone is talking about shopper marketing, consumer marketing and trade initiatives it's up to their determination to stay strong and keep up with the new demands of such a high maintenance industry.

Here's Mediakart's eCard with details in numbers. Impressive? Yes. Believable? You tell me.

Want to know more? Read the FULL STORY

10 useful facts about internet and mobile use

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:12:00 +0000

Do you think that internet is far from dying? What about mobile as the next BIG marketing hit? If like many of us you are facing the biggest and fastest changes of the communications landscape in the history of technology, you know about the hardships of keeping up with those and updating marketing plans and business models accordingly. Well, today is your lucky day. The following are the most recent stats about mobile and internet use in the US. Whether it is for you reading pleasure, as a conversation starter or for a quick fix to your current plans the following list provides useful updated information as of April 2010. Enjoy!

text messages outnumber phone calls in the US
95% of all text messages are read within 15 minutes
17% of all text messages are forwarded virally
20% of people respond to a text message
twice as many people use text messaging as use email. (There are twice as many mobile phones as there are PC’s.)
mobile search grew 130% in 2009
1/3 of human kind has mobile internet access
1.8 billion people will send a text message today
the worldwide number of users of mobile banking and related services is forecasted to grow from 55 million users in 2009 to 894 million users in 2015
by the end of 2011, over 75 percent of devices shipped in mature markets will include a GPS.

SOURCES:
Gartner, Inc., Berg Insight, Social Media Marketing Plus Blog, Joel Comm.

10 tips for advertising and marketing newbies

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

A little while ago, I spent some time with a couple of friends (former colleagues and clients). In the group there was this new acquaintance, a recent college graduate, picking our brains for insights about how to succeed in the glamorous business of building brands. As we all shared opinions, the conversation escalated to a fascinating "that was then, this is now" dynamic. We had a lot of fun sharing experiences. In most cases we agreed unanimously on many things we had to learn the hard way and wish the upcoming generation of professionals already knew before joining the troops. At the end of the gathering the college graduate was so excited and grateful, that I decided to write about it.

Here's the article 10 Things to Know Before You Start Working in Marketing or Advertising. I'm sure that if you are currently working in the industry, you could certainly add or replace one or more items on this list. Feel free to share your point of view. I'm confident there's a newbie out there that would really appreciate it.

[Associated Content is a global digital content platform I write for every now and then, L!]

Exploring innovation while you wait

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:51:00 +0000

Hello there! I know it's been a while, but I've been running like crazy getting a lot of things done. My recent adventure? Exploring the e-publishing industry.

My gut says it provides an innovative opportunity to promote brands that:

Want to leverage on social media to build their fan base
Want to build or solidify their personality as an advocate of the arts or new talents, and the environment as well.

I'm keeping a journal of my every move, hoping that when there's a success story to tell, I can share every detail. You are welcome to witness the process. Just visit the following links.

Name of the eBook: "Sexo Sentido: Historias de una generación en celo"
ePublisher: http://www.smashwords.com/
Facebook Fan Page: "Palabras y Compania"
Blog: entre.palabras.&.compania

Choosing LOVE over SEX to win Puerto Rican consumers' hearts

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:03:00 +0000

Sorry Valentine's Day haters, but the season to spread the love is here.

Like it or not, it's time to cue the love songs, clean the flower vases and pay a visit to the Hallmark's section of your favorite store. For advertising and marketing. it's time to break the pattern and leverage on this usually missed opportunity.

Saint Valentine's is often overlooked because there's not enough time to create something worthy right after the holidays. Some colleagues blame the decision makers for being too heartbroken (or cold-hearted) to see the weeks prior the V-Day as an outlet to build love for their brands and give back to their customers. Since I'm a believer, I hope that the upcoming days prove me wrong.

Whether you believe it is a true holiday or just a marketing ballyhoo, most women I know dig love and everything else that promises finding, enhancing or extending the lifespan of the elusive feeling.

If you are one of the few that still thinks that sex sells but love doesn't, try again keeping in mind that most shopping decisions in Puerto Rico rest in female hands.

Still in doubt? Try this! Find an all female party of two or more and ask them the following questions

1. Which of the following films have you seen? The BreakUp, The Proposal, The Ugly Truth, He is not that into you.

2. Which of the following movies have you seen more than once? Pretty Woman, Don Juan De Marco, How to lose a guy in then days, Dirty Dancing, The Notebook.

3. Which of the following movies have you seen? (Yes, more movies.) Marriage and other 4 letter words, Portrait of an affair, Fashionistas, Manhunters.

To finalize your conclusions you must know that the answers provided for question #3 are names of porn films (do not reveal this fact).

Without doubt sex sells to men (and to some women too). But does love can also do the trick? I believe it can and I bet the producers of Grey's Anatomy, The Bachelor and Tough Love would agree.

For the believers' reading pleasure and inspiration, here's my wish list of initiatives I would LOVE to see
clients executing to win clients and build love for their brands.

1. "Love letters" contest
IDEAL FOR: Publications, internet companies, social media, office supplies, stationary, pens and markers and postal services brands.
* I'll dedicate a 200+ words post to praise the brand/client/agency the do their part to rescue this almost lost tradition.

2. "Create your love song" contest
IDEAL FOR: Radios stations, beers, musical instruments, karaoke companies and any other brand aiming for the singer-song writers and their fans.

3. (Another) "Free hugs" campaign
IDEAL FOR: Hand sanitizers and antibacterial products brands.

4. "We love you too" program
IDEAL FOR: Banks, gas stations, supermarkets, soda, beers, cell phone companies and other brands willing to give back $$$ or products to repeating or long term clients.

5. "Best wedding proposal" contest
IDEAL FOR: Hotels, liquor, radio stations, TV networks, wedding supplies companies.

6. "Where’s Cupid" contest
IDEAL FOR: Radio stations, TV networks, shopping malls, retail stores, wireless companies and any brand willing to leverage on consumers love for scavenger hunts.

7. "Hot Cupids" baggers, escorts or bartenders program
IDEAL FOR: Shopping malls, retail department stores, supermarkets and nightlife venues any brand targetting the female shopper.

8. "Singles Night Out"
IDEAL FOR: Bars, restaurants, producers and other swilling to create a unique for-singles-only event, with a buffet and/or activities to encourage the subtle-but-not-cheesy mingling. Add a contest to the mix, offering a big prize to any couple resulting from the event that gets engaged before Christmas 2010, and you'll have a brand property.

9. "Love Connection" initiative
IDEAL FOR: Internet providers, search engines, wireless companies and other brands willing to develop or strengthen their social network, creating a forum for couples to exchange messages or singles-and-looking to post their profiles. The twist? Let viewers choose best love expression or vote for their favorite potential matches.

10. "Sharing the Love" PSA campaign
IDEAL FOR: Media, internet and communications companies joined by any brand willing to do co-marketing and sponsor a contest in which participants submit their ideal way to demonstrate some love to the cause or charity of their preference. The PSAs could consist of winners’ testimonials, visuals of the "love demonstration" to the intended recipient and special thanks to the participating sponsors.

And now, some ideas I would NOT love to see.
1. Saint Valentine's Massacre themed event- (ie. Paint ball, video game, internet game build around the concept of exterminating Cupid.

2. Any charity campaign in which customers pay a dollar for a paper HEART printed with the phrase "I love (write your favorite cause or thing here)" and a space to write their name. Can you imagine? "I love (sex, dogs, foods, helping people...)"

3. "I love product X" campaign (do I need to say more?)

4. "The worst breakup" contest- I agree it could be hilarious to read/hear the stories, and for those who know the characters it would be even better. But unless the client is a mental health practitioner/clinic or a new film with the topic as the story line, I hardly see myself recommending clients to associate their brands to such a Machiavellian event.

Final thought: There's no reason to dismiss the opportunity just because the season is too short to run a decent program, campaign or promotion. Considering the times we are living, stretching the “love season” until the holy week - to say the least, would not hurt a soul.

I look forward to read your comments and hear from those who need help with concept development or tactical planning for any of the previous ideas or new ones. Spread the love!!!

Pic by Adrian van Leen for openphoto.net CC:PublicDomain

"Free for all? In 2010?!!!"

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:08:00 +0000

The official answer to the question is a big YES!!! I'm sharing ideas and experiences without disclaimers or hidden costs. The only dollar sign I foresee in the horizon is near a nominal membership fee if we ever exceeded the quota of exclusive members. (It will only apply to new members.)

What motivates me to commit to this is that the last 15 years represent a very rewarding professional journey. It’s been a privileged to work and learn from great local (and global) clients and colleagues. Even I still have many miles ahead; I feel it’s time to return the favor.

As Anais Nin once said, “my ideas usually come not at my desk writing but in the midst of living”. And apparently, I’ve been living intensely since July'09, when the world became global headquarters for the idea creation and strategic planning taking place in my head. As a result, ideas have been piling up at a rate much faster than what clients’ budgets can handle.

It seems only fair to share them through this blog before their expiration date, hoping they will help colleagues, clients and friends in their quest for business solutions.

As aware as I am that no one knows everything, I look forward to read posts of members sharing a different point of view. It’s only a matter of time until this blog takes a life of its own. Considering the initial feedback, am excited to see it has the potential to transform into a digital version of a brainstorming room.

2010, the year to make things happen!!!

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:40:00 +0000

We all have our hopes high for the 2010. There's this general optimistic spirit that has many of us jumping around waiting for the great things to come. If you are one of us, keep in mind that now that the New Year is here the waiting is over and it's our turn to make things happen.

I wish all the best for the next 12 months and look forward to hear from you and continue working with those who trust my expertise to help make bolder and better creativity and strategies.

To begin 2010 stretching the gift giving spirit of the holidays, I invite you to take the poll on the right column and let me know the topic you wish to read about next.

Reduce your chances of wasting money on outdoor media

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:31:00 +0000

An incorrect design in your outdoor media advertising could be the same thing as flushing money down the toilet. A nice little trick to help you determine if the next billboard or bus shelter artwork has the impact and readability to meet your objectives is to apply the rule of thumb, literally.

If you have the artwork in your computer open the file and make sure to zoom it until it fits the screen (you should be able to see from top to bottom and left to right).

If you have a hard copy, tape it to a wall or ask someone to hold it for you. Now step back… keep walking getting away from it until you see the art is tiny enough to fit in your thumbnail. Now answer to yourself, how does it look? Can you read the text? If the layout looks like a tiny little mess and there is now way to read the copy you might be wasting your money. Notice I used the word "might".

The thing is the when most billboards and bus shelters are designed, clients still don't know the location in which they are going to be placed. If you're lucky to find the availability (and the budget) to place your ad on a traffic jam hot spot it is very likely that drivers will have time to read it and figure out its meaning. But if such piece ends up everywhere else, in which, under normal circumstances, cars are moving at least at 20 MPH, drivers and passengers will have only seconds to notice, appreciate and understand your message.

I know, using the thumbnail scale may sound extreme. It's ok if you want to find a new scale such as a whole finger or the hand, my recommendation is to get on the road with people that work in an unrelated field and identify which ads are only readable when they are “in your face". Also, count how many words you can read as you drive by. Did you catch the logo? Can you remember three specific details about the visual? Certainly, in outdoor media the old proverb “less is more” is a great guide to increase your chances of success.

The important thing is to keep yourself from letting the size fool you. You may have a 10 story building size mesh but if you fill the whole space with images and copy you will never get your message across.

The following are additional simple guides to help you create or approve the artwork for a potentially
memorable outdoor media execution.

1. Better to have your product name once, big enough, than twice or more. (Same applies for logos.)

2. Choose visuals wisely. Try to stay away from crowded or highly detailed pictures. Ask yourself if the image contributes to the communication objective. Does it really say something that is not said in the copy or is just a decorative item.

3. Always "prioritize". Since humans can only process one thought a time, even if that process doesn't follow the intended order you need to decide in which ideal sequence the stimuli should be internalized. The most important, and probably the biggest one, should be your focal point.

4. Use one single powerful message (seven words or less). Billboards, bus shelters and Meshs are the equivalent of a print advertisement. The fact that you have more space doesn't mean you have to follow the title/body copy/call-to-action structure. Well, you can do it BUT.... it is very likely that you, the copywriter and your competition will be the only ones to read it.

5. Take that one shot. In the ideal scenario we can hope drivers will look at your ad, at least once. If you segment the message you decrease your chances to get the whole idea across. For example, title on top, slogan on the bottom, etc. Eyes should flow through the stimuli effortlessly (meaning you should be able to read and appreciate everything in the artwork without rolling your eyes left and right, or just maybe once).

6. If using a slogan, make sure it is absolutely necessary. Sometimes we think of it as the last name of the product or brand, but in outdoor media it can be a burden crowding the ad or overpowering the main message. I usually recommend its use if it completes the idea of the intended message. If it adds a secondary line of thought, it’s a no-no.

7. If our friends from the legal department insist you must include “too much information”, it’s time to revisit your media plan. Including outdoor in your media mix for the sake of numbers, doesn’t guarantee you will reach the target.

Final thought: I respect if you decide to create outdoor media ads in a different way. I only hope that if the response is far from what you expected, don't surrender to the temptation of playing the blaming game. Before blaming the agency, the strategy, the account executives, the creative, the location or the media itself for the lack of desired results, revisit this post and try to identify how did the artwork approved missed the mark.

Pic by Michael Jastremski for openphoto.net CC:Attribution-ShareAlike

STEAL THIS: Idea inspired by a real scientific challenge

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:21:00 +0000

I just read the CNN's report "MIT wins $40,000 prize in nationwide balloon-hunt contest" and it reminded me how much consumers love scavenger hunts. Marketers have known this fact for ages. We've seen many promotions aiming to engage a target in such a playful manner. In most cases, a big cash prize is the great incentive to participate in the hunt at any cost.

Well, the DARPA Network challenge quoted in the article and, more importantly, the web of incentives created the winning team can be used a source of inspiration to create an exciting opportunity for wireless companies, banks, beer brands and any other business willing and able to develop and leverage on social networks to build a brand and engage with consumers in Puerto Rico.

First, let’s summarize some details.

THE CHALLENGE
The DARPA Network Challenge, also known as the red balloon competition, offered $40,000 to the first one to report the exact location of 10 red, 8 foot, weather balloons placed across the continental USA.

THE WINNING STRATEGY
The MIT Team accomplished the mission in less than 9 hours with the help of over 4,600 people. No, they did not recruit 4,600 MIT students. The assistants were internet users that responded to an attractive invitation to share the big prize. The MIT Team created a web of incentives offering $2,000 (per balloon found) to the person that provided the exact location and lesser amount cash prizes to anyone in the chain that lead to inviting the person that provided the exact location.

Now, imagine this:

HYPOTHETICAL BRIEF:
- Client: a wireless company
- Main objective: generate increased use of text messaging, data downloads and wireless connection consumption for a period of 4 to 6 weeks
- Target: 18-49
- Budget: $100,000 (willing to leverage on co-marketing opportunities to maximize investment)

THE IDEA: A four to six weeks contest
1. Each week "x" number of items will be publicly “hidden” (accessible through main roads or avenues). These could be flags, inflatable items, billboards and/or bus shelter ads, you choose.

2. By Individual subscription, the first participant to report the exact location of all items, will win a prize and go to the final round.

3. For the final round you could use moving targets instead of the original items i.e. branded vans doing specific stops that will be documented to determine the final winner.

4. Since reality shows are "in", the winners of each round could work to build and strengthen their network, with the option to offer sharing their prize at their discretion. (Of course, client's legal department should fine tune this). A dedicated channel at You Tube would provide for them to publish video updates and receive video messages of fans showing their support.

5. The final round could start on a Saturday and in co-marketing with a TV station, radio network or an event producer (or all of them), general population could monitor the progress of the participants and rule for their favorites.

6. Certainly this could only be possible with the help of the IT people, who would kindly figure out the way to monitor and validate the veracity and trajectory of the social network that lead to collecting the information presented by the winner. Keep in mind that this could be accomplished using a computer, by phone or any other media that allows internet connection (ie. Cable company through TV or gaming consoles)

I know it sounds like a very high tech complicated event but it doesn't have to be. It's just like any regular promo except that instead of calls you would be using internet and social networking. And instead of GPS coordinates you can use street names or roadsigns to identify the exact location.

To make it even more relevant and unique, you can create a web "city" and design the contest around it to build unique targeted members’ data base. (I know, this layer adds at least $15,000 to the required budget but it desn't hurt to dream).

Well, that kind of sums it for now. Lucky for you, pickmybrain-pr blog reader, none of my current clients can take advantage of a big promo recommendation right now, so I'm sharing this idea in the hopes that it inspires you or motivate any of your clients. (Don't worry my dear clients, there's more where that came from.)

Now I look forward to see who's the first to “steal this”.

Final note: If you throw this idea in a brainstorming and, as it sometimes happen, someone else jumps in saying “That's exactly what I was thinking, I read the article too” and then repeats your idea word for word. You can discreetly recuperate the ownership of the idea by asking three tricky questions to validate if they in fact read the article. The questions are: “who created the challenge?”, “what is DARPA?”, “what was the event commemorated with this challenge?”.

Fuel your power to innovate

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:06:00 +0000

Last week I was surfing the web for inspiration. The following are three places that really made me feel like a kid running wild at Disney World. They helped me reach my immediate goal but also took me into an inspiring journey for future projects.

Steve Shapiro's 24/7 Innovation blog

Jeffrey Phillips' Innovate on Purpose blog

Drew Boyd's Innovation in Practice blog. (This one really got my attention since the author firmly believes that "innovation is a skill not a gift, and can be learned by anyone." I don't disagree at all, but will read more about him to find how did he mastered the art of teaching innovation and better yet his criteria to measure innovative capabilities in a professional.

I hope you find them great sources of information and inspiration.

Come back soon for more introductions or links to refreshing “voices” in the world of innovation today. I look forward to your suggestions about other authors or bloggers worth watching.

PEPSI Ads, Connecting Big With Consumers

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:06:00 +0000

(A little over a month ago, Tactical Media Group shared with their Facebook friends the album Pepsi en Tactical Mesh. I really enjoyed viewing the executions all at once and feel compelled to write what I like about them.)

These Pepsi Ads are hard to miss. The use of simple, catchy phrases makes them easy to read even if you run fast by them. Personally, I don't know their specific strategy but considering Pepsi is a veteran brand in our market, my best guess is that they want to solidify their position in the consumers’ top-of-mind by reconnecting with them in a very personal level.

My appreciation is that what makes this campaign relevant to the consumer and the product as well, is their encouraging refreshing approach. Whether or not the reader believes in signs, anyone who’s having a hard time and sees one of these might feel they just received a dose of empowerment. Considering that "refresh everything" is an invitation the brand has been sending to consumers for a year now (at least), I wonder if my appreciation of the local campaign is too far from its original intention.

For me, these Ads are good examples of smart use of media space because....
1.They show a healthy balance between “white” space and number of words
2.Location, size, font type (also, the use of few words allow for bigger letters) and color palette represent a skillful combination to increase their chances of generating impact.
3.The color palette is also something worthy of compliments; it certainly communicates the refreshing benefits of the product.

To see more photos visit: PEPSI en Tactical Mesh.

How did you cross over from creative to strategy?

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:46:00 +0000

Now, I'm aware that it has been many years in the making. I started writing poetry at a very early age and during my childhood I took many classes that certainly exercised my creative soul (ie. ballet, painting, guitar, among other.) In college I went for Marketing, the closest thing to advertising.

One day, in my early years as a copywriter, I learned that any word itself has no meaning; that words only mean something in the mind of those who use them (same goes for ideas). At that point, strategy became part of my process and, many times, a source of inspiration.

Creatives usually receive a strategic document (AKA brief) with each job. After my realization about words I saw that tool in a new light. I didn't always inspire me but it did helped to sell a few ideas that some thought clients would never buy.

The original idea of making the crossover came from a visionary (now a very good friend) that at the time was HR Manager of Grey PR. He was hiring a planner in a year when the position was still new to the local industry. The requirements? They were more like a profile, a particular skill-set and background mix, instead of years of literal planning experience. He was convinced I had “it” and explained a job description very different to what I knew from working with planners in the past.

I did further research and found an upcoming trend with a whole new vision of the planning role. It turned out that most activities attached to the position, where the same I was already doing as a Creative Director @ARC/Leo Burnett. Certainly, he was right. So I made the move and I loved it. I had the chance to learned from masters, other Creative/Strategic Planners that were making historical changes in advertising mecas such as England, Brazil and Mexico.

I'm new to advertising, what is exactly what you do?

noreply@blogger.com (L!) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:30:00 +0000

Well, most of us in the field get that a lot. My usual reply is that I get paid to read, think, write and talk. And yes, that is something we all do except that I get paid to do it exclusively for a specific client, brand or product that needs to solve a particular problem or meet a certain objective.

In a more familiar TV show context, let’s say I do for my clients what doctors do in the hit series House. They hold meetings to throw ideas based on what they know about medicine and patients history. They agree on diagnosis and decide the best course of action. For example, the options for the best course of action could be treat the infected liver (the cause) or treat the fever (the symptom). The treatment could go from antibiotics to surgery or both. Translating this into what I do:

- The product or brand is the patient.
- I read and/or ask questions to understand the “patient’s history”.
- The “throwing ideas part of the meetings” is brainstorming (thinking).
- Using my experience and whatever information available about the “patient” to identify the problem to be solved or the objective is the diagnosis.
- Deciding the best course of action is defining the strategy.

To understand what in my job is equivalent to treatment, let’s take a closer look to our example:
- I do make recommendations ie. Antibiotics vs. surgery, etc. meaning I could tell you “your best option is to do a TV Ad or a web banner’s campaign” or whatever applies.
- I can provide you with the antibiotic or the scalpel in the form of an idea, a text for an ad or a PowerPoint presentation of a Marketing Plan if that’s what you hired me for.

BUT MY JOB ENDS HERE.

What I’m trying to say is that I do not administer the treatment or, in advertising terms, I do not design the ad, produce the commercial, buy the media spot, or coordinate the event. The farther I can go, if you ask for it when you hire me, is to be part of the process to make sure everything is according to strategy or within the creative scope you approved. Also I can be there to help you making decisions about the project ie. during the casting process, the approval of a layout, creating a presentation, etc.

I hope this helped you get a better idea. As you can see there's not much glamour or parties involved; not in my role. If you asked the media people that's another story. f you need more info let me know ;-)