Levi's Finally Gets it Right

Levi's Advertisement 2011

Levi's has finally figured out how to reach a younger audience with this new commercial. Everyone who has seen a Levi's commercial or magazine advertisement knows that the only people who buy Levi's jeans are moms and older men. Well now things have changed it seems, and even I find myself wanting to go out and buy a pair of Levi's jeans after seeing this commercial.
Why does it work? For one thing, the narrator sends a carefree, inspiring message. Not only the words, but his voice and the way he is speaking. The Go Forth campaign was a great decision. This message is clearly directed to a younger audience (possibly 18-mid to late 20's). Also the way in which the commercial was filmed gives the commercial an edgy, editorial, and almost high fashion feel which appeals to young women and men alike who are interested by fashion. It also gives off an artsy vibe with the use of dark and light colors, and interesting shots of people who are not just wearing Levi's jeans but also enjoying life and embracing exciting and carefree adventures. This commercial has definitely given the boot to mom jeans and opened a door for a whole new consumer: the young, hip, action seeking adult.

Geico’s Busy Little Guinea Pigs

When it comes to Geico, we usually equate the insurance company with the little green gecko we see in their campaigns. It is, however, not unusual that Geico releases a mini-campaign on the side.

In their most recent mini-campaign, they're slogan is "Easier Ways to Save". Humorous ideas shine through on each of these commercials; from teaching a child how to dunk like a pro, eating a pet fish instead of ordering sushi, and now rowing guinea pigs. Geico's comedic commercials are all about these ludicrous ideas of how to save yourself money.



These busy little guinea pigs, in a rowing boat, are used to power the man's computer because his electricity bills are too high. Even a free iPhone app has been released to go along with this commercial, which can be downloaded from Geico's site. The commercial has awkward details, cute animals, and this whole absurd idea that guinea pigs can be trained to row boots. It'll make you smile, laugh, and maybe even ask yourself, "what am I watching?".

Source: Adweek

Too Much Risk in Risque?

It isn't a secret that sex is a highly popularized theme within advertisements today. However, some innuendos and references may be translated differently when a mixing of international cultures is involved. This is the case with the Hope brand lingerie, sponsored by widely known Victoria's Secret supermodel, Gisele Bundchen. The ad has aired in several countries across the globe, but is receiving the most criticism from the model's native country of Brazil. The commercial is perceived as sexist and counterproductive to feminists, who feel what they've worked so hard to achieve is suddenly being erased.

The content of the ad includes the model coming home after a hectic day, stripping down to nothing, and then delivering bad news to her husband that she crashed his car. Brazilian officials released a statement highlighting their opinions on Ms. Bundchan "using her charm to lessen a possible bad reaction from her husband". They feel like the ad portrays women as sexual objects versus the image of power and strength of a woman that might banish sexist thinking.

The Hope representatives replied calmly yet assertively that they were merely depicting humorous scenes from everyday life, while showing that there was no depreciation of the female figure. They continue by suggesting it would be absurd for them to talk down to women, their main consumer of the product.

While I don't think the ad necessarily talks down to women or depreciates a woman's value I can see how some people might be offended by it. Again, this is a classic example of approaching certain advertising techniques with caution when dealing with an international audience.

There is a clip of the ad within an entertainment talk show video here. 

Advertising Week: "NY Fashion Week for Smart People"

Starting Monday, October 3, the eighth annual Advertising Week in New York, NY has a jam-packed agenda that will continuously last through Friday. The timeline for the event will include an impressive lineup of keynote speakers delivering insight on compelling subjects. Some of the major subjects to be discussed include social media, advertising finance, and increasing the diversity within ad professionals. The number of participants to Advertising Week is expected to exceed last year's 70,000 attendees.

Vice president for global marketing solutions at Facebook, Carolyn Everson, will deliver an address on the benefits of incorporating social media into a marketing organization on Monday. Representative speakers from ZenithOptimedia, Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Google will predict advertising spending within the United States and globally during a panel also held on Monday. On Friday about 100 students from 14 colleges and universities around the U.S. will attend the first ever Multicultural Media Talent Pipeline, a six-hour forum dedicated to exposing clients to an array of multicultural talent in the industry.

Advertising Week is also receiving more star power to help create an international buzz with several celebrities expected to make appearances like Steve Harvey, Jennifer Hudson, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Justin Timberlake. One draw-back to the five day long event is the division of the panels, programs and parties over multiple locations throughout Manhattan. The executive director of Advertising Week, Matt Scheckner, claims that by 2013 the event will be consolidated into a sole location, such as Bryant Park or Lincoln Center. I think this event will turn out to be very successful and in the next few years will have a presence in New York City comparable to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

I found all of these details surrounding Advertising Week in this article posted by The New York Times

Toyota Yaris' Awkward Commercials

Maybe you don't know who Michael Showalter is, but these new Toyota Yaris commercials will give you a good example.

Toyota has pulled him into a campaign to provide a funnier side to their newest hatchback, the Yaris. Showalter pulls in some of his regular awkward, white guy humor and uses it to explain the details and features of the car.



The features of the commercial include a tame atmosphere with mute colors and no music, to put emphasis on the commentary. It is surprisingly funny with such a simple theme.

With almost half a dozen commercials shaped up for the campaign, it's no surprise that Toyota would be taking a comedic approach for their latest release. Consumers, we can imagine, are still weary of the Toyota brand. With this lighthearted take, we can only imagine they are hoping to slowly turn things around.

Source: Adweek