BATTLE OF THE SEXES EXPLAINED

Neuroscience is becoming a more and more important marketing tool. Major advertisers are taking advantage of the rapid growth of knowledge in this area and research agencies are making it part of their offering. One of the recent findings suggests that when communicating with men and women there are certain differences that need to be considered.

"For the first time researchers show that areas of the brain associated with language work harder in girls than in boys during language tasks, and that boys and girls rely on different parts of the brain when performing these tasks."

It appears that women like more context and abstract information than men. It could explain why women often provide more context and abstract representation than men."

This could have major implications for how advertisers approach talking to men and women: Men appreciate shorter to the point copy whilst women enjoy the additional context.

Ask a woman for directions and you may hear something like: “Turn left on Main Street, go one block past the drug store, and then turn right, where there’s a flower shop on one corner and a cafe across the street.” Is that why my GPS voice is that of a female?

Such information-laden directions may be helpful for women because all information is relevant to the abstract concept of where to turn; however, men may require only one cue and be distracted by additional information.

This theory would suggest that advertising copy aimed at males should be simple and direct, while female-oriented copy should provide more context.

Comics have often played up the differences between the male/female thought process. The following sketch may explain it better than any scientific study.

The findings for the abstract are published in “Sex Differences in Neural Processing of Language Among Children” (Neuropsychologia) authored by Burman, along with James R. Booth (Northwestern University) and Tali Bitan (University of Haifa).

IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?

Or … how arrogance in a marketplace will come back to haunt you.

The declining fortunes of WebMD have returned the stock to its IPO price of October ’05. At $23 and change, investors have waged a punishing battle that forced a retreat from a high of $60 just a few months ago. At the market’s close last week, an IPO investment of $1,000 in WebMd would be worth $1,029 today before trading commissions. Not bad for two and a half years!!



What went wrong? Why has this major player, committed to providing the very best medical information for consumers hit the skids?

Arrogance.

For several years, as the only major web outlet for drug companies, WebMd has been soaking its advertisers with exorbitant rates to reach the consumer and professional markets. They chose a monopolistic position they refused to alter. Pay or go away!

But monopolies eventually tumble, replaced by entrepreneurial newcomers in the form of Health Central Network, Everyday Health, Revolution Health, etc. …. a list that has begun to challenge "Ma Bell". Agencies and their advertisers long held hostage by WebMD now have alternatives that can ease the pain of high rates and an unwillingness to come to the bargaining table.

Where will WebMD wind up? If this commercial (spoof?) rings true, they are spiraling towards their own fate.


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THE FUTURE IS ....

Hulu (rhymes with WooHoo!) has been in development for over a year and promises to be the cutting edge web-based video on-demand service offering full length episodes of NBC and FOX programs including shows from Bravo, Fuel TV, Style, Sundance, Oxygen channels plus selected movies.

The site, www.hulu.com, is still in private beta and is open by invitation only. The teaser on the home page is available to all. Jason Kilar, Hulu's CEO previewed Hulu at the recent IAB Digital conference in Phoenix to a sell out crowd of digerati. Performance of the site was flawless, presented in a clean, uncluttered and user friendly environment. The quality of the program delivery was outstanding.

Hulu is the future of television.

One of the newer entrants into the world of gadgets we can't live without is Chumby. The handsome device is a "widget box", serving up your favorite streaming widgets, photos or radio stations. It's an alarm clock, a calendar or anything else you might find useful to stream to your desk or bedside stand. The unit will set you back $179, but the service is free and "connects" wirelessly thru a router. Visit them at www.chumby.com.

But don't take my word for it. Wired Magazine did a good job reviewing Chumby here.

EAT ME !!

This is one business card a card scanner will not accept!

The clever folks at Arigatou Co. in Japan are pushing a new laser technology utilizing a new CO-2, high grade engraver that can etch 700 characters per second on hard surfaced organic foods …. peanuts, beans, rice, pasta … with astonishingly sharp results.

The product line, Taberu Me, translates in English to “Eat Me” … not the most politically correct message for a client.

Drop 150 engraved peanuts, shell and all, into a glass canister for $50. It’s a small price for a very unique, eye-catching branding message. When you consider the cost of sending a tired bottle of wine or bubbly, the cost is downright cheap.

Alternatively, you can stay in the US and go to the M&M site where you can custom print your message on everyone’s favorite chocolate.

Line up those gift lists for any upcoming holiday!

IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

Art. It takes many forms. From a small child’s interpretation of a dream or a memory to the street artist and graffiti master or to the masters that hang in our museums. It can be a painting or the graceful lines of bridge or a skyscraper. The click of a camera or the plating of a meal.

What follows are several creative interpretations of art designed to fit a very common advertising vehicle ….the bag.

The photos speak for themselves, often making a statement or just tickling our fancy.

Against Foie Gras

The necklace is the handle. Genius !!

Anything placed in the bad is "hugged"

An event can also be created as an art form. Christo's gates in Central Park or the "freezing" of several hundred commuters in Grand Central Station as in this video....generating over 4.5 million views on YouTube in just two weeks!!

LET THE RIVER RUN

In the race for the presidential nominations, issues of healthcare, our economy and the Iraq war have overshadowed the importance of our environment. And while these issues have a significant impact on our lives today, the lives of generations to come will be impacted by the environment like no other.

The resiliency of our planet has survived eons of time without man. Nature saw to that. Our existence on this planet represents but the mere blink of an eye when measured in time. And in that blink, we have managed to upset the natural course of the planet's evolution. Man cannot cleanse the air we breath, replenish the nutrients we rob from our soil, or turn the nurturing sun's rays on and off. We use our oceans as garbage dumps even as we harvest its bounty.

Marketers have begun, in a small but important way, to focus on the benefits of cause marketing, in many cases developing programs that benefit the environment as they generate "feel good" points for their brands. Those efforts often create a loyal marketing base from which CRM programs and brand dreams are made of.

For those marketers that want to extend the reach of their Green initiatives, association with cause campaigns driven by viral marketing can help. One such "extender" that offers a donation to plant a tree for a simple sign-up for a Green Newsletter is www.MyGreenClick.com.

The offering is extended through Datran Media which is, in turn, building a base of consumers with a Green interest.

There is no cost to the consumer.

IN THE CROSSHAIRS

The swirling controversy over a Target ad in Times Square suggesting a young woman making a snow angel over a Target logo borders on the absurd. That is, of course, if your focus is on the ad.

Is the ad suggestive? Does the image whose logo sits as a “target” on a suggestive snow-angel pose offend you? Was it intentional?

Times Square Ad

The ad is as suggestive as the little minds that believe it was an intentional and subliminally contrived effort on the ad agency’s part to do ….what?

The real issue here is not the ad … it’s the response Target gave to the blogger that suggested it was inappropriate.

“Unfortunately we are unable to respond to your inquiry because Target does not participate with nontraditional media outlets … This practice is in place to allow us to focus on publications that reach our core guest.”

Is this company so far behind the digital times that it believes its own dribble that the internet is a “nontraditional media outlet”? If their intent was to start a viral backlash on a communications policy that responds with “we don’t care”, then it deserves the viral flogging …. and the loss of revenue from a good number of their “core guests”.

THE ROI OF SECOND LIFE

About a year ago I commented on the absurdity of Second Life as a marketing tool for consumer awareness and lift. Spending money in this virtual world was primarily driven by digital enthusiasts eager to play in a “cool” environment. Many clients took the bait and, without a strategic plan to form a knowledge base, saw no redemption.

Not so oddly, many agencies without a hint of remorse for flushing away significant marketing dollars, played up Second Life as the place to be seen and not heard (there is no audio synced with the experience).

What does Second Life look like today? The demographics are somewhat homogeneous with skews to lower income strata with an 18-44 age break. Gender is almost divided equally male/female. Typically, residents have an affinity to gaming sites, which provide an easier (and more accountable) marketing path for those advertisers looking to reach young gamers.

Here’s the kicker …. With all the hype the average number of unique visitors per day totals a "stunning" 8,500, or 255,000 uniques per month (December 2007). Hardly a maelstrom of consumer purchasing power.

Not all is lost, however. The single most compelling reason to play in this virtual reality is ROI. Not in the traditional sense, but in the Return On Intelligence. The residents of Second Life are the innovators and risk takers that should compel us to provide them with the platforms from which we can learn. They are the digital pioneers that will signal the next wave of digital standards. And marketers that ignore the benefit of intelligence gathering and its application to marketing endeavors will be the biggest losers.

The bottom line: Budget, plan strategically and above all, understand that Second Life is not about the numbers, but about the ability to learn and apply.

SUPERBOWL FEVER MOUNTS

It’s that time of year again when football fans turn their attention to the Superbowl teams, making bet on their favorites. For the advertisers scheduled to appear in the game, at an average cost of $2.7 million for a thirty second spot, the name of the game is ratings.

Traditionally, Superbowl ratings have hovered in the 40.0 range with shares of all viewing homes reaching into the 60 range.

Prediction: This year’s game will generate a 41.3 rating and a 61 share. This translates to 46,586,400 households at an average program Cost Per Thousand of $57.96. It is likely that commercial ratings will push that figure closer to $59.00.

Marketers note: We may also see a bit of an upset in regional ratings as the East Coast markets will have a greater interest in the game than would the Midwest or Pacific regions. Internet activity will also increase, driving traffic to sites reporting on the game. Plan accordingly.

When will the market see the next milestone at $3.0 million for thirty seconds? Look to 2010, with an average CPM of $62.00

Some may argue that the efficiency is lost to the egos of those who run their commercials in the game. It’s all relative. The hype and excitement generated around the commercials can energize a company internally for weeks before and after the game. Buzz (good or bad) will go a long way to elevate a brand’s status. And while the cost may seem initially high, compare the cost of reaching these households with the cost of reaching persons in households interested in medical advice that can range upwards of $100.00 on a CPM basis.

It’s an apples to oranges comparison, but nonetheless, argues that the Superbowl package and the ability to keystone a full year’s marketing effort around it makes it worth every penny. Anhauser Busch has, for years, been the exclusive beer sponsor, picking up four minutes in the game this year. I would argue that any other beer would kill for the opportunity to do the same.

NEVER POO POO GOOD IDEAS

With over 4.2 million views on YouTube, the following video is a great example of real-life situations creating a brilliantly executed message. Although not for all marketers, the rare few that would venture into this territory will reap its benefits.

All too often, this type of execution will find its way to some archives, rarely exposed to the public. Hats off to the adbakery.com for providing the platform for exposure.