The Finch Post

Brand New Rap

Last week two iconic couples from history went head to head in a fierce duel. Fathers of Flight, the Wright Brothers, took on Donkey Kong’s nemeses, the Mario Brothers in a truly epic rap battle.

Like any great viral video, this one grabs viewers’ attention, holds it, and then induces an emotional reaction. But it does much more than that. This video is an example of brilliant collaboration and cross-promotion.

A joint project of Rhett & Link, and Nice Peter & Epic Lloyd, this collaboration works because it follows the same principles that should guide all businesses when pursuing strategic partnerships:

1. The relationship increases the value of each participant
2. It helps all parties extend their reach

In this specific case, the comedians were able to get in front of each other’s fans in order to promote their own brand, and despite the laughs, that’s no joke.

 

Seafood Shanty: A Shimmering Example of Brand Longevity

Iconic brands last, sometimes long after the companies behind those brands have closed their doors. Successful branding instills an emotional connection between populace and product that is rooted in memories and the feelings associated with those recollections. Simply put, these memory-makers nurture nostalgia.
 
One of our clients is such a brand. With 14 restaurants scattered throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey in its heyday, Seafood Shanty sadly sold its last shucked oyster in the early 90s. Until recently, that is. Earlier this week, the brand was resurrected, opening its doors to the cheers of an enthusiastic throng of hungry brand loyalists.
 
Diners didn’t need discounts as bait to reel them in, the image they had of the brand more than sufficed. That is the hallmark of powerful branding. It’s why new owner, Eddie Riegel, raised the restaurant from its watery grave.
 
In Riegel’s own words, the brand “brings back a lot of the great memories of my wife and me going to Seafood Shanty when we first started dating 20 years ago.” Some wondered if Riegel had lost his barnacles, but he knew that, just like him, others heard the siren song of the Seafood Shanty and shared in his enthusiasm and desire to feast on happy Shanty memories. After all, when a brand works and we’re caught in its net, it stays with us in our heads and hearts (and in this case, our bellies too).

4 of the Most Memorable Marketing Moments of 2011

In a year where the dollar was down and competition was up, businesses had to embrace the idea of thinking outside the box like never before. Since we appreciate good work even when it’s not our own, here are four of our favorite picks for 2011:

Bill(boarding) House

In 2011, Godialing (formerly Adzookie), an agency specializing in ad space on smartphones, introduced the world’s first billboard house. In exchange for converting homes into canvases, where their entire exteriors minus the roofs, windows, and any awnings bore the company’s ad, Godialing agreed to pay owners’ mortgages every month for as long as the houses remained painted. Home sweet smartphone?

Advertising Space

In a novel upselling scenario, KLM launched a viral video to make a case for why passengers should pay for the Dutch airline’s business class seats. The video, which showed a stranger invading people's personal space, highlights how much we value inches between strangers, especially when traveling! The message was clear: Avoid the tight squeezes and close quarters by purchasing a business class ticket, where the airline puts you next to an empty seat. We’re certain that this video was the ticket in helping secure skyrocketing sales for KLM’s business class section.

We’ll Drink to That

Although the launch of their new roast called Tribute Blend occurred in the summer of 2010, we’re including this on our list because Starbucks’ campaign was recognized by the Advertising Specialty Institute in 2011. The new coffee was promoted as part of Starbuck’s rebranding effort celebrating the company’s 40^th anniversary. To brew up additional excitement over the new blend, Starbucks sent out an exclusive email to their Gold Card members one week prior to announcing the new product to the general public. Individuals who responded to the email by purchasing a one-pound bag of Tribute Blend received a ceramic taster cup not available in stores. Only 4,000 of these cups featuring a new logo were produced. In less than 24 hours after the offer went live, the cups were gone. Consumers drank up this promotion, resulting in the most successful limited edition coffee run in Starbucks’ history.

Undeclared Baggage

2011 was a big year for airlines as evidenced by another one making our list with their “Unexpected Luggage” video. On December 24^th, a Spanair flight from Barcelona to Las Palmas arrived close to midnight. The 190 passengers on board were in the air during Christmas Eve. To see to it that those who celebrate Christmas had an opportunity to share in the festivities, Spanair surprised its passengers with wrapped presents delivered on the baggage claim conveyer belt. The feel good viral video helped Spanair’s message take flight, bolstering the airline’s brand as a company that cares about its customers.

What are your favorite picks for the most memorable marketing moments of 2011? Leave us a comment and let us know.

Bottoms Up!

Amidst all the gloomy news out there, it’s important to remember there’s much to celebrate. Here’s to all of our clients who give us the opportunity each day to support their success in times that are tough for many.

Great Interview Answer Reveals the Truth About Brands

In a recent interview to fill a new position, I asked a candidate who had spent a lot of time working with non-profits whether or not he would find the same value in working on behalf of some of our corporate clients such as Modell’s Sporting Goods or WWE.  He replied that nothing could be more rewarding than selling the baseball glove that enables a boy and his Dad to have a catch, or the ticket to a memorable event that puts smiles on the faces of an entire family.

While not only a great interview answer, he hit at the core truth of what we do – whatever the role our clients’ products play in the professional or personal lives of their customers, winning brands accomplish something meaningful.  Those who work in our business must always respect the importance of what we are selling to the person who is considering whether or not to buy it.

Inspiration to go

And now for a personal anecdote... I (Daniel) returned yesterday from a trip to the Pacific Northwest, which included a visit to the world's first Starbucks in Seattle and the Nike world headquarters in Portland. Say what you want about either -- they are two amazing success stories who elevated themselves to the top of their industries and have managed to stay there for quite a while. I (like many) am personally inspired by the extent to which these brands have become essential to the lives of their customers; and I look back at the story of each one's rise to find a common illustration of exactly what it takes to achieve that type of dominance -- most importantly, visionary leadership and a relentless focus on (and steadfast execution against) the needs, desires and mindset of the customer.

 

Front of the first Starbucks store at Pike Place Market

My 6-year old scaling the Nike office climbing wall

A view of one of the many office buildings on the Nike campus

The Art of the Product Demo

You must read this article and watch the video below. We are driven to share it, which is the entire point of the article. The writer tries to dissect the reasoning behind this video's “viralness” and to ascertain what brands can learn from it. For us, it makes us think about how to make the demonstration of any product as entertaining as possible. The product demonstrated in this video is a person – an impressionist to be precise; and the product demonstration couldn’t be more brilliantly conceived or executed.

 

 

 

Flying Finches!

Beyond expertise in Brand Strategy, Brand Design and Brand Demand, beyond providing grounded business insight, brand strategy expertise and design excellence; we Finches just know how to enjoy life!

 

www.flyschoolcircusarts.com

Communications Home Run

 

What is it that makes this ad so appealing?  We at Finch Brands love communications that tap into the emotions of the target, even if the product is not usually rendered in such a way. 

So here comes VIM – a 30-year staple in the Canadian market – definitely needing a new image.  Instead of the typical before/after comparisons or smiling Supermom, their agency’s answer to how best to express the product’s cleaning power is simply brilliant. 

And beneath the Hollywood drama and humor of the ad is a simple truth – the less time spent cleaning, the better.  Packing a meaningful positioning punch amid emotional and memorable creative is a true communications home run.

The ad, which was launched in 2004, still comes up well before the product itself when you enter “VIM cream” into Google. The commercial also got a ton of press and notoriety including winning a Gold Lion at Cannes in 2004. The ad also has around 30,000 views on YouTube, not too shabby for a one-off commercial. 

While it’s hard to know the direct impact on sales, reintroducing a mundane product with great emotion and surprising creative work is a recipe for brand revitalization and financial success.

That's the Spirit!

Once again Spirit Air reacts quickly and with reckless abandon to current events with a homepage promotion fit for The Terminator. You may remember their last one following the oil spill with "check out the oil on our beaches" campaign featuring a woman with suntan oil slathered on herself.