Mother’s Day Began As A Failed Marketing Campaign

 

Each and every Mother’s Day, the people of this great world celebrate mom and mums publicly, and very commercially. Each nation may have its own unique date on the calendar, but the jovial lavishing of flowers and cards, candies and toddler-made Crayola masterpieces bear the same sentiment. Here in the US, we celebrate Mother’s Day on the 2^nd Sunday of every May (May 13, 2013)*.

 

But did you know that Mother’s Day originated from a failed marketing campaign? Not for commercial purposes, to my relief. Early in the 20^th century, a woman named Anna Jarvis held a memorial and laid her own mother to rest at Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia.[1] This would later be known as the first Mother’s Day. The year was 1908 to be precise, the same year the Chicago Cubs won the world series, the FBI was founded, and Portugal’s King Carlos I was assassinated.[2] Full of emotion, Jarvis was inspired with the idea that all families should celebrate their mothers, and her campaign for Mother’s Day was born.

 

In 1912, Anna Jarvis began trademarking the phrases, “Second Sunday in May” and “Mother’s Day” respectively. She insisted that the spelling “be a singular possessive, for each family to honor their mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world.” The spelling stands to this day. But it was not until 1914 that her campaigning efforts were successful and Mother’s Day became an official American Holiday. The bill passed with a unanimous House vote, and was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson.[3] But to her great disappointment, the American Holiday had been heavily commercialized by the 1920s. The commercialization stands to this day[4].

 

How do you honor your mother(s) each Mother’s Day? And for all the moms, how do you like to be honored?

 

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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_day#Founding

 

[2] http://www.amiwrong.com/misc/custom/quizScore.php

 

[3] http://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/110-2008/h274

 

[4]

How do you honor your mother(s) each Mother’s Day? And for all the moms, how do you like to be honored?

Series(al) Killer

If you haven’t heard by now, PepsiCo has has killed the Mountain Dew commercials surrounding a talking goat that has beaten up a woman and was in a police lineup.  The commercials have been cited as stereotyping Black males, racist and sexist.  Tyler, the Creator, a 22-year-old rapper/producer (who himself is African-American) created the campaign, which included some of his music group members and friends.  He has defended the commercials, denying any racism and claiming it was just supposed to be funny.  According to Tyler, his friends were “basically wearing their own clothes”.

I shared the commercial around the office and here are some of the responses:

1)  “Whoa… obviously they need a multicultural agency to help keep them from making stupid mistakes like that.  Often clients go out looking for what they think are “more creative, cutting edge” ways of reaching the young, millennial target through music talent, without truly understanding the nuances of the audience and not having the checks and balances in place that keep them from making this kind of grievous marketing error.

Maybe not overtly RACIST, but should have taken into account that there are 4 black guys in a police line up looking stereotypically criminal.  I understand this is a group but needed to include somehow a white guy(s).  Also suggests the idea of a white female being beat up by a black guy (although actually beat up by the  goat).  Just too far…”

2) “Call me insensitive but I didn’t see the commercial as racist. I’m not saying the spot deserves an ADDY but racism—no ma’am, no sir. I think the race card is being overused—can we play another card for subpar spots that contain black people? Advertising wouldn’t be advertising without criticism. I hope the PepsiCo brand doesn’t go into “super safe” mode and deliver creative that blends in with the rest of the ad noise.”

3) “Anybody think about the Doritos goat that beat up its owner for Doritos?  Yup, this is called “Biting,” pun intended.

The 4 Black males are all members of the same musical group as the “Creative” person who developed it for Mountain Dew, Tyler the Creator. Racist? That’s all about perception. Accidental racism almost always is. About perception, or lack thereof. If you don’t know the group, it looks really bad. If you know the group, it just looks like a watered down, weird version of their always-overtly-racy-purposely-offensive content.

If you think this is bad, don’t listen to eight bars of even ONE song.

My question, is why would Mountain Dew even put this in the market? They had to have known it would step on some toes. This was a marketing coup, IMHO.”

4)  “I find this commercial social irresponsible.  I understand that many people may know Tyler, the Creator and that he pushes the envelope, but I have no clue who he is.  The campaign is in bad taste and makes light serious situations.  Just reading Tyler’s Twitter was enough to make me cringe, I am not sure how Mountain Dew or PepsiCo thought it was in good taste to have this represent their brand.  What was the approval process?  Was a focus group used or did the company just throw the commercial online to test the waters?  Taking full responsibility is not enough after the fact.  Companies need to really do their due diligence before pushing a campaign such as this.  To me, this shows ignorance, arrogance and bad taste, all in the name of ‘creativity’.”

You’ve heard from us.  Now we want to hear from you.  What are your thoughts around Mountain Dew’s campaign?

Oh Ship!

The title alone made you want to read more.  You probably had to read it twice to make sure you read it correctly.  Similarly, a great ad grabs your attention.  But what about the content?  Should consumers be satisfied with the continuous shove of celebrity endorsements or stunned by an ad that uses shock methods to draw them in?

Recently, Kmart aired their latest commercial online.  They “Shipped Their Pants”… and drawers and bed.  It was enough to get the buzz growing around Kmart and letting customers know about their strong online shopping presence.

In about a week there were over 11 million hits and consumers made their own versions of the 30-second commercial.  Does that alone constitute a great ad?  Was the intended message effectively conveyed?  Shelf life is critical.  The message needs to hit hard while there is still a buzz.

About two months ago, the “Harlem Shake” hit the Internet with everyone from the Armed Forces to DiscountMugs.com to the Miami Heat players posting their rendition.  Right now, it’s old news.

Testing the waters online can be a great strategy.  Advertisers can see if there is in interest and possible move the commercial into other mediums. However, online advertising may not crossover as seamlessly to television or radio.  There might be some backlash for what can be seen as an immature attempt at humor once aired.

Remember, we live in a digital age.  If the consumers don’t like it, believe that they’ll let you know.  Instantly!

I Am Not Spanish!

Image by: hispanic-marketing.com

Often times it’s quite obvious when someone is not familiar or in some sort of contact with other ethnicities.  It’s an uncomfortable subject but it doesn’t have to be.  In marketing, it’s imperative to not only know your target audience, but understand and properly address them.

Imagine if you will a marketer presenting to a potential client.  The marketer is the “expert” on selling widgets to a particular demographic.  In the presentation, the marketers says, “And we completely understand and are leaders in marketing to the Spanish”.  Hmm.  What’s wrong with that statement?  Just because some speaks Spanish, doesn’t mean they’re from Spain.  The proper term is Hispanic or Latino.  The terms Blacks and African Americans for the most part are interchangeable.  But Africans and African Americans are NOT substitutable.  (If you don’t know the issue with this, please see me for an explanation.)

We all want to sound smart and be at he top of our game.  Just don’t try to be something you’re not.  Not having the right representation could shut you out of an entire market and label your business as insensitive, culturally unaware or even racist.  In the search for business, make sure to have the right partner that truly understands a particular market, not just their stereotype.

Millennials Want Something New

Image by: blog.cmbinfo.com

I’ll admit it.  I never had a MySpace page and I was hesitant to get on
Facebook.  Twitter…me?  Insta…who?  But I quickly learned that if I
wanted to keep up with the changing times, I needed to try something new.
Facebook is my best friend and popular restaurants now follow me on
Twitter.  Social media has become a way of life for me and I have the Apps
to prove it!

As a company, when you’re trying to reach your target market, keep their
form of communication in mind.  Good luck sending Millenials a letter in
the mail and expecting them to reply.  Or, tweet my 77 year-old grandma
and think she’ll re-tweet.  Although there may be exceptions to the rule,
let’s look at current trends.

African American Millennials (16%) are significantly more likely than
Hispanic Millennials (10%) to regularly use social networking sites to
make sure they purchase the best product at the best price.*  If your
company is stuck in 1999, it’s time to fast forward.  Millennials are the
driving force behind social media.  One good idea will be shared, liked,
re-tweeted and copied.  Just look at the new “Harlem Shake” phenomenon.
Everyone from members of the Army to the Miami Heat have jumped on the
band wagon.

It’s okay to try something new.  Just make sure you’re using the right
platform to reach your target market or you could be missing out on an
entire generation of customers.  Adapt, change and grow.  Your target
customer is!

MIL ­ TS2. Which, if any, of the following websites do you belong to, and
which one do you use most often?
MIL ­ SH2. Which of the following resources do you regularly use to make
sure you purchase the best product at the best price?
Base: 16-30 year olds  (African American = 339, Hispanic = 464, White =
1509)

Time to Move Your Furniture

Image by: discover.realestate.com.au

My parents built a home in 2000.  I know that place like the back of my hand.  I can easily walk through the house in the dark.  Why?  Because the furniture never moves.  The couches are stationary, beds stay in the same place and the world might come to an end if I move a plant.  My parents liked that everything had a place and go by “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it”.  

Now me being their child, I’m the complete opposite.  I’ve lived in my home four years and arranged my bedroom furniture at least six times.  Couches change places every few months.  I even trade my dining room and kitchen tables just to see how I like it.  I remember the first time my husband and I decided to move the couches.  We were both nervous because neither of our parents move their furniture.  Then a light bulb came on…We’re grown! We are not going to know if we like it unless we try and hey, it takes about five minutes.  If we didn’t like it, we could try something else.

Which are you when it comes to reaching your target audience?  Do you go with the “If it’s not broke” method or “Never know unless you try”?  Keep in mind that although your marketing and advertising methods worked great in the 1980s, times have changed and so has your target market.  Their needs are different.  For example, if you were a hotel advertising to business people in the ‘80s, you would probably highlight your friendly customer check-in and your business center with a fax machine.  Today, it’s all about Wi-Fi, convenience and speed.  

Travel among Women, Asian-Americans, Hispanics and African Americans have risen significantly in recent years and continuing to soar.  The Asian-American population is projected to increase by 31 percent between 2010 and 2020.  At 47 percent, Asian-Americans reported the highest share of hotel/B&B stays in 2010 with Hispanic travelers second at 42 percent.  These numbers are steadily increasing and in order for advertisers to effectively capture the attention of the growing population, their advertising to reflect each group’s needs.  

Sources: Suzanne Cook Consulting, LLC; U.S. Travel Association; U.S. Travel/Ypartnership travelhorizonsTM; TNS Travels America; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Retired and marketable as ever!

All-Star Weekend.  In my opinion, the best weekend all year.  Athletes, celebrities and of course, basketball.  This weekend is filled with color commentary, flashbacks and a show of the best of the best NBA players.  This past weekend in Houston was no different.  However, it appeared the most hype was surrounded around…Michael Jordan.

The attention was not because of Jordan’s six NBA championship rings or his ownership status of the Charlotte Bobcats.  All the talk was on two things.  The first is that his Royal Airness turned 50 on Sunday.  The second, Jordan earned $80 million last year.  Yes, he is retired from the game of basketball, but remains one of the most bankable athletes in the world.

The entire week was spent reporting on the many accomplishments Jordan has made throughout his career.  Old interviews, former coaches and highlights created a timeline of the greatness and marketability of the former Chicago Bulls player.  During the 1997-98 season, he was paid more way more than any other player (like $33 mill to $5 mil).  This was a huge breakthrough for African American athletes.  It appears that just about everyone wanted and still wants their brand associated with Jordan.

AARP capitalized on marketing in several ways.  First, Jordan is on the cover of AARP Magazine for February.  It’s his birthday and all eyes and mouths are already fixated on this birthday milestone and churning out reports.  Secondly, it’s All-Star Weekend.  There’s more activity this weekend and greater visibility among not just athletes and celebrities but also with fans.  Thirdly, the use of social media.  AARP had a stream of tweets mentioning their newest celebrity member.  They included a photo of the Jordan magazine cover, statements about him and a “Welcome to AARP” tweet with a photo of his new card (minus the membership number).  During a broadcast on TNT, AARP’s Happy Birthday tweet was highlighted.  In turn, AARP re-tweeted the highlight and recognized TNT.

Let’s get back to the $80 million.  Hanes, Gatorade, 2K Sports and a host of other sponsorships and investments make up a small portion of his earnings.  Nike alone accounted for $60 million last year!  It seems that just about every athlete has their own shoe line: Kobe, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose.  Now pause.  Not only does Jordan have his own shoe line, he has his own brand.  The “Air Jordan” franchise encompasses phonemes such as Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and MLB star Derek Jeter.  Jordan has truly revolutionized sports marketing for multicultural athletes and utilized his likeness to the fullest.  Everyone “Wanna be like Mike” and decades after the debut of the Jordan shoes, they are still a hot commodity, even becoming collectables.

Marketers have found a solid niche with African Americans endorsements.  Michael Jordan’s athleticism and marketability has paved the way for countless African Americans.   This has transcended to other cultures to play not only at the highest level but also get paid at the highest level.

What athlete before Jordan or since has come so far and has been as marketable?