Disney on a Diet: A Bold Commitment to Nutrition

Unhealthy fastfood, snack food, candy, and drink advertising catered to kids have always been somewhat of a controversy. The issue has only gotten more heated as childhood obesity continues to plague our youth and make our country self-conscious in the face of all those skinny, well educated foreigners. In a surprisingly selfless move the other day, Disney announced that it was requiring all of its advertisers to comply with strict nutritional standards. No longer will unhealthy brands be allowed to target kids on not only the Disney Channel, but on all of their tv properties, radio stations, and websites as well.

This play reeks of smart brand strategy. Disney is supporting a cause that is near and dear to its heart and taking a stand against brands who give children what they want but not what they need. By making a move that has real value to the company, Disney comes off as genuine and caring. So often when PR plays are executed without careful planning, simply so a company can say they are socially responsible, people can tell that they're just playing the game and the goal of the scheme is to make more money in the long term.

That brings me to the interesting part of this news, the fact that Disney is likely going to lose a lot of advertising revenue based on this decision. Think about how many properties Disney owns on all the different forms of media. It's one of the top names in kid's entertainment  and has thus been a major outlet for unhealthy sweets that can make a child's eyes go wide or fastfood options that attract kids with the promise of toys and busy parents with the promise of a quick alternative to a home-cooked meal. Think about all of those brands buying space on all of those platforms, and you've got a hefty sum. Now, Disney is certainly not pressed for cash, but it's still admirable that they're willing to give up a historically lucrative partnership to make our nation healthier, fitter, and possibly happier. What will really be curious, is whether in the long run, Disney bans unhealthy options from its physical properties like parks and cruise ships.

Now obviously this move alone isn't going to suddenly enlighten everyone on nutrition and fix childhood obesity. The majority of Disney viewers probably won't even consciously notice the difference. What will happen though, is that kids will start being primed with healthy messages rather than fast food. Passing through the produce section will trigger a memorable advertisement for berries. There will be brand recognition for 100% juice drinks and Kashi rather than Capri-Sun and Pop-Tarts. If more networks were willing to make a move like this (emphasis on this being a network decision rather than a government mandate) it could really make an impact on purchasing habits in favor of nutritious products.

All in all, I think this is a pretty admirable course of action for Disney, because it shows that they really do care about their fans. Perhaps we will start to see other companies take a similar stand. Even if the reasoning is a just bandwagon, me-too mentality, increased pressure on food makers might force change. There is some basis for this change, though it may be a little lofty. First, if they're banned from all these channels, visibility and reach go way down and sales will likely follow. Second, perhaps with less exposure, people's opinions will change and unhealthy options will no longer be so prominent in our country. This seems like a feasible scenario considering organic, low calorie, foods are being offered more and more. If taken up on a large scale, either of these options could force the state of our food industry to change or risk losing business. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the results of this decision, could be an exciting progression. For now, here's Simba eating a bug...slimy and satisfying.

Minority Report Style Posters Sell You Mono

That title probably has you confused. How can a poster sell you mononucleosis? That's ridiculous. Not so my friends, the Japanese have an answer! The brains over at Keio University have developed a motion sensing poster that reacts to viewer proximity. Not a bad idea in theory but their execution invites passerbys or lonely teens to plant a kiss on the screen, hence the mono. The prototype features a lovely lady who puckers up as you get closer and then blushes when you walk away. You can check it out below.



The researchers hope they can use popstars as the models on these posters and sell them to fans. Just to add to the creepiness, they talk about making the posters shampoo scented or adding lemon flavoring to the lips. If kids want to put up posters that they can kiss, they should go for it. I've already ordered six.

Where this gets weird is when the creators consider implementing this in digital signage. Can you imagine this in a mall...or on a metro...ew.

There are definitely some pros to technology in billboards and signage. Think of Minority Report; targeting ads based on gender and age and using audio to attract shoppers can really grab your attention. Sure it's a little creepy, but it might make your shopping experience a little bit more effective. Boards like this are already being implemented and viewers tend to like that the ads that appear when they get in proximity are more relevant to them. Kissable posters on the other hand are not the way to engage the on-the-go shopper.  There are serious hygiene issues here which should really turn the average person off from the idea. Also it's just weird. To be honest I can't really see celebrities jumping on this idea either because the more realistic the posters get, the more likely they are to start seeing an increase in dangerous stalker fans trying to see if Katy Perry really tastes like cupcakes. Or if Emilia Clarke really tastes like dragons (Game of Thrones ftw).

Japan, I still love you despite this facial faux-pas. Let's put that prototype technology to better use and continue kissing real life people.


http://gizmodo.com/5898267/posters-that-react-to-being-kissed-are-the-worst-idea-ever

Find Your [Brand] Voice

My obsession lately has been with brand voice. Social Media has brought brands into a dialogue with their customers and customers into a dialogue with each other. What that means, is that brands need to figure out how to translate their image into diction, syntax, and tone, and then convey that to their Facebook fans and Twitter followers. There's nothing worse, than Tweeting something witty to one of your favorite brands, one you aspire to emulate, and then receiving in return, 140 characters of lifeless PR script. I think what it comes down to, is that not everyone has figured out how to be themselves online. For companies, it's extra difficult because an individual, with their own unique personality has to interpret and adopt the brand identity. A lot of companies seem to be taking cautious action; getting into the space and being active, but regulating what can be said and how, which results in a stiff, sort of sickeningly corporate voice. 

The other day, I read an article by Jack Welsh, the legendary head of GE about political authenticity. He was talking about how Mitt Romney hasn't been able to overtake the Republican Primary because he's trying to make himself out to be an everyman when he clearly is not. People don't believe him. Mitt's ever-changing persona is simply an example of personal brand voice. I think Welch makes a good point. A candidate that was real, and not afraid to be his or herself would probably run away with the election. Obviously they should act professional and moderate their speech. But be genuine, joke around, have some fun, act like you would in your everyday life and people will like and trust you more. Without getting too political, I think Obama has done a good job with this. He's always seen out and about at local places that him and his family enjoy. Some people think he should be working rather than having fun, but it's nice to know that he's still a normal guy, despite his title.


Being genuine is as important for brands as it is for politicians. Tweets, posts, and videos should all sound natural and not too scripted. Fans already personify companies, so a spontaneous kind of dialogue will get them excited about conversations. Think of how Wheat Thins addressed Twitter haters and adoring fans with a personal visit and lifetime supplies of product. I think the main recommendation for both people and companies is to really put some time into their online personality. Think about how dialogue should flow and what your company wants to say. Develop this and maintain it! If you want to really engage your audience, don't just talk about product all the time. Talk about trends in your industry, related products, and things that your customers and more importantly you find interesting. That'll keep you genuine.

In closing, I want to come back to that point about acting professionally and moderating your speech. Speech should first and foremost reflect your brand. If you're Nickelodeon and you're speaking like a lawyer, you're going to fail. Most companies should speak respectfully and watch your language, but it's stupid to freak out if a curse word is slipped. I was really annoyed when, I think it was Chrysler, fired their social media person because he accidentally tweeted the word "shit". Brands should avoid cursing but if your audience is college students or older, it really shouldn't be a big deal. Everyone curses, and for younger audiences it can actually help make yourself look a little more real as long as you're not throwing out four-letter words like a rapper.

Braille burgers are why I love advertising

Well I'm a little late with this find, but this little video made me so happy that I'm going to write about it anyway.



What you have here, is a case by Creativity on a campaign they did for South Africa's Wimpy. To promote a new blind-friendly menu, the agency used sesame seeds to spell out braille messages on burger buns and distributed them to 15 blind people around Johannesburg. As you'll see in the video, the results of this campaign were great, but that's not really what I'm concerned with. The reason why I love this video is because this is the type of unique, creative idea that leaves clients and consumers (and me) with wide eyes and a dropped jaw.

If you've ever worked with me on a project you know I get giddy about stuff like this. This campaign paired a unique situation with a unique solution, but there's opportunity for this level of wow-factor in any campaign. You just have to dare to be a little different. It's important to take some time and determine the best mediums and technologies to use to get the greatest effect. In this case, targeting a few people who were probably chosen because of their potential reach. In the end, their reactions went viral, which is generally the goal. Sometimes leveraging a trendy new technology gets people excited. But sometimes using traditional media and building curiosity, mystery, or just a visual experience can work just as well.

If you want another good example, Mini turned a campaign for one of their cars into a game, and Coke made vending machines friendly. While you're waiting for those to load, here are some tips for how to think up better, more creative ideas:

• Understand the situation. Is the client or product or message one that needs to make a statement? Are you not currently the go-to product? Are their barriers to persuading consumers or making them aware?
• Brainstorm the right way. This process can be great or it can ruin everything. It's really a balancing act. You want to think big and not worry about being safe, but at the same time the simplest ideas can be the best. Minimalism ftw! It's also important to avoid being critical and discouraging people from being interesting. It's okay to play devil's advocate and encourage others to think a little deeper into their idea, but for the most part don't be quick to throw things away.
• Collaboration is key. There's nothing better than a session where ideas bounce back and forth between team members and you watch them evolve into something great. What I've found is that to avoid groupthink, leaders should throw out questions rather than options. This way, people can't simply agree. You can phrase questions to imply your ideas, but the main goal here is to get people participating. Sometimes an idea just comes to you, but it rarely takes full shape until you get multiple perspectives.