ANA Marketing Maestros

Marketing for Cooking-Toys Might Need a Few New Ingredients

By Cara Brooke Schultz

Advertisers in the toy industry should pay attention to a new demographic: male ages 2-11. Yes you read that correctly, 2-11.

According to a recent Adweek article, data over a five-month period ending in February showed significant numbers for the Food Network, “The overall male audience for Throwdown with Bobby Flay is 36 percent, but jumps to 47 percent in the 2-11 age bracket; overall male audience for Iron Chef America, also 36 percent, jumps to 45 percent in the 2-11 bracket. And on TLC, the audience for Cake Boss, 30 percent male overall, jumps to 36 percent among those boys.”

It seems as if this large audience is going unnoticed—or maybe not? After taking a quick look through a few Web sites, I noticed more cooking-toys being manufactured in primary colors rather than in pastel pink and lavender. Another subtle difference, boys were being integrated into the advertisements alongside girls for the toy packaging. The Adweek article, “Half Baked” explained, “Today, male celebrity chefs are driving the current food craze and more boys than ever are watching those shows.” 

 

Although most of the toys are still advertised for young girls, keep an eye on how advertisers might soon be changing their ingredients for this stale recipe. 

 

Battles on the TV Screen

By Cara Brooke Schultz

Companies battling it out on the small screen is not new. In fact, Burger King had a slew of commercials in the 1980s taking jabs at McDonald’s.

And who can forget Pepsi’s commercials arguing how it tastes better than Coca-Cola.

Recently you’ve probably watched the public scuffle between AT&T and Verizon Wireless. If not, here are two commercials for your viewing enjoyment: 

With all of these public feuds taking place throughout advertising history, how does it affect you as a consumer? I personally rather hear why the company is better for me as a consumer; I could do without these public punches thrown at each other over the television screen. What do you think—do these commercials waiver your thoughts when making a purchase?  

Has Social Media Overtaken One of the Biggest TV Advertising Events of the Year?

by Adrienne Tallacksen

Is it April already? I could swear this is an April Fool’s Joke. It turns out that Pepsi is sitting out this year’s Super Bowl and is instead focusing on social media. Rather than spending millions on a Super Bowl ad, Pepsi has opted to promote its Pepsi Refresh Project campaign using social media tools including Facebook and Twitter. The campaign is aimed funding community projects through grants distributed by Pepsi. The projects are submitted and then voted on by visitors to the campaign’s website.

   
Pepsi’s agency, TWBA Worldwide, is quoted as saying, “The Super Bowl is just too extravagant for something like this.” This brings to mind a number of issues—cause marketing, social media, and a post-recession backlash against excess are just a few. Now that companies aren’t feeling the pinch of the recession as much, will more turn back to cause marketing? How will traditional media play into Pepsi’s campaign, if at all? Does corporate responsibility mean being frugal with your ad dollars?

Obviously, many brands feel that the high prices of Super Bowl ads are worth it. Pepsi says it’s trying to create a movement through this campaign.  Is social media the only venue brands can use to create movements, or is there a place for traditional media in movement marketing, too?

“My Bologna Has a First Name”

By Susan Burke

This week, two of the most famous jingles in advertising retired—Oscar Mayer’s “My Bologna Has a First Name” and “I Wish I Were an Oscar Meyer Weiner.” The shift, engineered by the brand’s new advertising agency, McGarryBowen, is part of Oscar Mayer’s efforts to promote all of their meat products, not just bologna and hot dogs. In a January 14, 2010 New York Times article, Sean Marks, director of marketing at Oscar Mayer, said “there was an opportunity for the brand to get back to that sort of joy and exuberance that I think the brand has used throughout the years.”

The new campaign centers on a tag line that Oscar Mayer (a division of Kraft) believes better captures the modern spirit of their brand: “It doesn’t get better than this.” The new commercials, which premiered during Sunday night’s Golden Globe Awards, focus on images of families and suburban life. And while there is still a song associated with the ads, it is no longer a jingle.

Although I was never a bologna eater, even as a child, I certainly knew those songs, just like most of you. In fact, “My Bologna Has a First Name” was probably a huge contributor as to why I am able to spell “b-o-l-o-g-n-a” today. In honor of childhood memories, take a quick break and enjoy a little advertising history:

A NYC McDonald’s Receives More Than Your Average Facelift

By Cara Brooke Schultz

Do you have an upcoming informal business meeting? Perhaps you might consider having the rendezvous at your local McDonald’s accompanied by flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi. This isn’t the first time McDonald’s has performed a facelift on one of their locations; all throughout the UK and France numerous McDonald’s have gone under the knife. The changes to the NYC location: multiple outlets for plugging in laptops, upholstered vinyl chairs, subdued lighting, modern painted walls, and employees in trendy all-black uniforms.

 

So why did the Chelsea-location feel the need to get work done? According to an article written by MSNBC, McDonald’s spokeswoman Danya Proud said, “People are using our restaurants differently today than they did five, 10, 20 years ago. People are multi-tasking, doing more on a given day […] you want to be able to open your laptop, log on and get some work done while you’re eating.”

Proud said the redesign of several locations in the UK and France was an attributing factor to McDonald’s growth in Europe. It seems as though the Chelsea-location won’t be alone for long. So, what will be next—a McDonald’s conference room that can be rented out at an hourly rate?

Are You a Bacon Lover? Wendy’s Sure Hopes So.

By Cara Brooke Schultz

Is social media an increasing aspect to your marketing plan? For a growing number of companies, social media is an important force driving communication between the brand and their consumers. Wendy’s wanted to drive more people to talk about their brand via social media. In order to get customers to tweet about their new product—the Applewood smoked bacon burger—Wendy’s started the “bacon hunt” contest.

According to an Adweek.com article, customers will follow @UrBaconMeCrazy on Twitter and Tweet answers to questions such as how many strips of Applewood smoked bacon would appear on the mythical double baconator. Customers are awarded points and required to use the hashtag #bacon in all of their Tweets. Throughout the contest Wendy’s is giving away several $200 Wendy’s gift cards and once the contest concludes on Friday, November 20, a lucky person will win $2,000.00. Since the contest started nearly two weeks ago, Wendy’s has drawn 1,773 followers on Twitter. Are you going to get in on the fun and Tweet #bacon?