A steady flow of thoughts about advertising
and marketing from True Creek.
Posted by truecreek on March 20, 2012 under More Dam News, Opinions. Everyone has them. | 
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Very cool new site from Microsoft. Self-effacing copy can often do the trick. Surprises you in a way that keeps you intrigued. Check out the graphs. Nice design, overall.
The Browser You Loved to Hate.
Posted by truecreek on March 2, 2012 under Opinions. Everyone has them. | Read the First Comment
You have to be kidding me. Here you have passengers who have just disembarked from a hellish three-days adrift in the Indian Ocean. After fearing for their lives due to the ravages of an uncontrollable fire, they had to endure an environment that I’m sure was just lovely. No AC. No electrical power. And the toilets were overflowing. Must have been a dream vacation on the high seas.
With just a little bit of effort, Carnival/Costa could have assembled a small army of people whose sole responsibility would have been to help passengers with their luggage once they reached dry land. No biggie, right?
Instead, they had to schlep all their own luggage around.
Just a little help at the dock could have gone a very long way. Shame on you, Carnival.
Posted by truecreek on January 17, 2012 under The Work | Be the First to Comment
Lots of color often makes for a wonderful shot. Had a chance to work with one of the brand new Fairfax Connector buses a few weeks ago, during a shoot for the 495 Express Lanes. From what I understand, each bus is about $500,000 and change. Even the tires had Armor All on them.
The 495 Express Lanes will be completed in late 2012, so there will be more on this site as the year progresses. Check out Transurban’s new site here.
Posted by truecreek on January 16, 2012 under The Work | Be the First to Comment
The final poster in a five-part set. These educational posters will be in lobbies and common areas of buildings around the 495 Express Lane corridor.
For more information on the 495 Express Lanes, click here.
Posted by truecreek on January 10, 2012 under The Work | Read the First Comment
Over the past few months, we’ve been working hard for our newest client, Transurban. The company will serve as concessionaire and long-term operator of the 495 Express Lanes.
The public-private partnership with Virginia will deliver the most significant package of improvements to the Capital Beltway in a generation – providing congestion relief and new travel choices to one of our busiest roadways.
Transurban will be operating the road upon completion.
To help the client reach their audience, we’ll be handling media planning, placement and reconciliation. We will also provide creative services for the client, including radio, print, online, out-of-home and more.
Over the next few days, I’ll be posting work that we have completed on their behalf.
The lanes will be completed in late 2012, so there will be much more to come. You can also check out the site here.
Here are two of the introductory posters we just completed:
Posted by truecreek on September 27, 2011 under Opinions. Everyone has them. | Be the First to Comment
One of my all-time favorite skits on SNL was Alec Baldwin’s ‘Schweddy Balls.” If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out here.
But should Ben & Jerry’s actually crafted an ice cream under the moniker? Don’t know if I’ll be rushing out for that flavor, but I have to admit I did ask my wife to check for it last night at the grocery store….
The whole thing has prompted a group to ask people to boycott Ben & Jerry’s. Fox News has been all over it and of course, NPR just appreciates the recognition.
Even CNN had a poll. Looks like a ‘split.’
Posted by truecreek on June 2, 2011 under Opinions. Everyone has them. | Be the First to Comment
I am so glad to see that the U.S. auto industry has come back. Collectively, the domestic automakers have made some amazing strides in a very short period of time. The culture change alone has been astounding, never mind what they have done on the design and production side of the equation.
The cars being produced by GM, Ford and Chrysler are amongst the very best in the world. As Chrysler says in one of their spots, ‘perhaps we should RAISE our standards and buy American.’ Or something like that. I wholeheartedly agree.
For the entire article, click.
Posted by truecreek on May 16, 2011 under More Dam News | Be the First to Comment
Looks like we’re really setting up for a nice summer at the movies. If you haven’t placed your schedules yet, it’s time to move forward. Summer is a tough time to reach your audience with your message. But it looks like they will be in the theaters!
Posted by truecreek on April 28, 2011 under More Dam News | Be the First to Comment
From AP in today’s USAToday. Could really be a game changer when it comes to how we market food to our kids. Several agencies have introduced new guidelines. The story here.
Posted by truecreek on April 25, 2011 under Opinions. Everyone has them. | Read the First Comment
Spurlock has done it again with “POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.”
As he did in “Super Size Me,” Spurlock pulls you through the story, working hard to educate you on the nuances, verbiage and acronyms that are a critical part of the storyline. In this case, he’ decides to make a movie about product placement, financing it through product placement. It’s just a hoot.
He gradually becomes a learned student of the process. He makes one presentation after another to agencies and their clients, changing and adapting his pitch along the way. Finally, when he’s asked by one prospect “how much?’, he seems a bit taken aback at first. Then he calmly spits out a fair, but low, number.
Many of the marketers he presented to seem to have been taken aback by his unpretentious nature in the meetings. It’s was like like they were listening to their crazy brother or sister at the dinner table. You know what they are saying sounds weird, but than again….
You know he’s not trying to, but he makes more than a few of the marketers look pretty stupid in the process. And I think that is one of the things I find most interesting about Spurlock; it’s his unpretentious nature. You just feel for the guy and know that he’s just trying to make things happen. So what if he steps in it once in a while?
In one scene in the movie, he gets in the elevator after having pitched four or five great ideas to POM, only to be told that they would prefer another direction. Of course, it’s the one that they have been thinking about since he last presented to them. His stuff didn’t have a chance. How many times have we all been there?
This article from Ad Age speaks to the success Spurlock is having selling the movie. But his success doesn’t surprise me. He’s a great salesman. Perhaps he could offer versions of the movie as he adds more and more sponsors. That’s how the industry would do it, right?
Read more about this in AdAge:
Posted by truecreek on April 4, 2011 under Opinions. Everyone has them. | Be the First to Comment
A successful media plan becomes the pathway through consumers’ protective radar with the ultimate goal of influencing their behavior. We produce plans that will capture the imagination of the consumer with a full spectrum of creative, well-researched solutions.
We are strategic media thinkers, creating media plans that dramatically optimize communication.
We specialize in maximizing the yield on your media investment. We utilize the most current and sophisticated planning/buying research materials, including geographic and psychographic market information as well as quantitative and qualitative measurement tools.
If you are looking for innovative planning, placement and reconciliation, give us a call today at 703-256-2913, or ping us at joseph@truecreek.com.
Posted by truecreek on March 25, 2011 under Opinions. Everyone has them. | Be the First to Comment
My clients are well aware of my affinity for cinema advertising. I just love the tactic. With cinema, you have a captive audience that considers movie advertising a part of the experience. The demos are great and your message is not lost in the clutter we see every day in other forms of media.
We’re closing in on a great summer movie season, with dozens of potential hits coming your way to the big screen, like . This is going to be one of the big hitters, I think. Captain America, another great Marvel story.
Posted by truecreek on March 23, 2011 under The Work | Be the First to Comment
Posted by truecreek on March 9, 2011 under Opinions. Everyone has them., Research | Be the First to Comment
Interesting article from AdWeek. As the young users age, I wonder if they will keep their strong opinions about brand presence on social media.
By Mike Shields
Bad news for brands enamored with the possibility of connecting one on one with each and every consumer through the magic of social media: Young people don’t want to be friends with you.
According to a new report from Forrester Research, just 6 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds who use the Web desire to be friends with a brand on Facebook—despite the fact that half of this demographic uses the site.
Among Web-connected 18- to 24-year-olds that figure does double—meaning that 12 percent of that demo is OK with befriending brands—though the vast majority of young adults are not, per Forrester.
Even scarier for brands: Young people don’t want brands’ friendship, and they think brands should go away. “Many brands are looking to social media as a strong digital channel to communicate with these consumers, since it’s where 12- to 17-year-olds are spending so much time,” wrote Jacqueline Anderson, Forrester’s Consumer Insights Analyst, who authored the report. “But research shows that it is important to consider more than just consumers’ propensity to use a specific channel: Almost half of 12- to 17-year-olds don’t think brands should have a presence using social tools at all.”
To arrive at these conclusions, Forrester surveyed 4,681 Americans aged 12-17 on the Web in September of last year.
So what should brands do? According to Forrester’s report, they might be better off being more reactive than proactive, and they should listen. Just 16 percent of young consumers expect brands to use social media to interact with them, and 28 percent expect those brands to listen to what they say on social sites and get back to them.
Regardless of their willingness to interact with brands, nearly three quarters of 12-17 year olds—74 percent—use social networks to talk about products with friends and make recommendations.
Posted by truecreek on March 8, 2011 under More Dam News, Opinions. Everyone has them., Research | Be the First to Comment
Surprising to see this happen so quickly. I would have thought this shift would have taken another ten years or so. It must be a youth thing because I prefer HD on a big screen for my TV and gaming.
By John Eggerton — Broadcasting & Cable
Consumers are spending about 20 hours per week accessing digital content-including video games and print content–on a cell phone, computer, or mobile device, with the majority of that TV shows, movies and other videos.
That is according to a just-released consumer research study from PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers). The study found that across all age groups, respondents watched 12.4 hours of TV shows/videos and movies online, while only 8.9 hours of that content on network TV and basic and pay cable.
Not surprisingly, the 44 and under crowd do the majority of that digital viewing, but even the 45-59 age group was close to even, with 9 hours of traditional video watching vs. 8.3 hours of online video viewing.
Mobile devices trailed as the screen of preference, in line with PWC’s forecasts that mobile TV is a very small percentage (1%) of the total TV subscription marketplace. The study found that 80% of respondents would not pay a premium for early access to content on their mobile device.
When asked about the ways they obtain movie content, only 12.9% cited purchasing via VOD from their cable company, which put that ninth on the list behind streaming from Hulu for free (30.7%), renting from an actual brick and mortar store (23.3%), or borrowing one from a friend or relative (19.8%). The two top answers were renting an actual copy from a Netflix (42.6%) and renting an online copy (31.7%).
Posted by truecreek on February 1, 2011 under More Dam News | Be the First to Comment
Just strolling down memory lane today. Art Director for the Off the Wall campaign was Bill Hornstein, but can’t remember who the writer was. Very effective work for The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who at the time we’re in their second year as a franchise.
The baseball organization was in chaos at the time, if I remember correctly. But the work was great.
This and other outdoor executions were all over Tampa and St. Petersburg, including a three-dimensional board right at the stadium. The player from that board is still on the wall on the back of center field at the Trop.
Posted by truecreek on under The Work | Be the First to Comment
From back in the day. A nice, simple layout from Aaron Riney, for our client, Cox Communications. The headline was written by my all-time favorite, Mike Matson.
4Mbps was like workin’ with jet fuel back then.
Posted by truecreek on under More Dam News | Be the First to Comment
This is nothing but great news for the U.S. auto industry. Once left for dead, GM and Chrysler are both back, producing wonderful cars and trucks. Ford, the perennial favorite, hasn’t really even skipped a beat.
With technology leading the way, the American auto industry stands to gain a tremendous amount of market share in the coming years. I believe that most of that gain will be at the expense of heritage Asian brands.
AP DETROIT— U.S. sales of cars and trucks rose in January, a strong start to what the auto industry hopes will be an extension of last year’s recovery.
In another good sign, sales to individuals were better than sales to fleet buyers such as rental-car companies, which are far less profitable for automakers.
Posted by truecreek on under The Work | Be the First to Comment
At True Creek, we are into big ideas. The Creekbed draws from the brightest, most creative minds in the industry today; people who have shaped brands like Intel, Apple, Nissan, Best Buy, Volkswagen, Cox, Comcast, NASA – and many local and regional names that are big fish in a smaller pond.
We offer our clients a wide variety of services: Media Planning, Placement and Reconciliation, Television and Radio Production, Newspaper, Four-Color Magazine, Collateral Materials, Direct Mail, Promotional Merchandise, Point-of-Purchase, Outdoor and Out-of-Home, Logo Design and Corporate Identity/Graphic Standards.
Our agency is based in Oakton, VA, which is just outside the Capital Beltway in Washington, D.C.
Please take a moment to tour the site. Afterwards, let’s talk about how we might be able to help you. 703-281-2165. Or send a note: joseph@truecreek.com.
Posted by truecreek on January 17, 2011 under Opinions. Everyone has them., Research | Be the First to Comment
For years, it’s been a given that women were primary decision-makers in most households, especially in the grocery store. They were always the keeper of the checkbook. But tough times can often change things and this recession has been no different. We’re spending less and watching our dollars more closely than ever before. But there is something more to the story.
I would never have thought that more than half of the Men surveyed now think they control the grocery cart. That is a HUGE shift from most current perceptions and might just mean a sea change in the way grocery stores market. A new survey from Yahoo is striking in it’s results.
BATAVIA, Ohio (AdAge.com) — Mom is losing ground to Dad in the grocery aisle, with more than half of men now supposedly believing they control the shopping cart. The implications for many marketers may be as disruptive as many of the changes they’re facing in media.
Through decades of media fragmentation, marketers of packaged goods and many other brands could take solace in one thing — at least they could count on their core consumers being moms and reach them through often narrowly targeted cable TV, print and digital media.
But a study by Yahoo based on interviews last year of 2,400 U.S. men ages 18 to 64 finds more than half now identify themselves as the primary grocery shoppers in their households. Dads in particular are taking up the shopping cart, with about six in 10 identifying themselves as their household’s decision maker on packaged goods, health, pet and clothing purchases. Not surprisingly, given that such ads long have been crafted for women, only 22% to 24% of men felt advertising in packaged goods, pet supplies or clothing speaks to them, according to the Yahoo survey.
The Great Recession has thrown millions of men in construction, manufacturing and other traditionally male occupations out of work and by extension into more domestic duties. At the same time, gender roles were already changing anyway, with Gen X and millennial men in particular more likely to take an active role in parenting and household duties.
Posted by truecreek on November 17, 2010 under More Dam News, Opinions. Everyone has them. | Be the First to Comment
Just yesterday, General Motors announced a 31 percent increase in the amount of shares the company is going to issue in common stock for their IPO tomorrow. It very possibly could become the largest IPO in history. This dramatic increase in issuance is due to the demand generated by the buzz associated with the offering. And it’s a buzz that is not all about just the financials. UPDATE FROM AP: GM’s landmark stock sale is now set to raise up to $22.7 billion, the biggest IPO in history.
I think it says a lot about the product offering. Dropping Saab, Saturn, Pontiac and Hummer has allowed the company to FOCUS their attention on their four remaining core brands: GMC, Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac. GMC trucks are some of the best in the world, the Chevrolet and Buick brands are on fire and Cadillac is staying strong.
According to the company, year-to-date, combined sales of the Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Camaro, Buick LaCrosse and Regal, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX and CTS Wagon are up 323 percent.
And today, even more good things to say. The highly anticipated VOLT has been named Car of the Year by Motor Trend and Automobile. I’m sure Car and Driver won’t be far behind. Without a single car having been delivered. Now that’s confidence in a product. Add to that, GE’s decision to buy 25,000 Volts by 2015 and you have a winner here.
The quality of the GM build today is second to none. Factories are in the best shape ever, utilizing build and production techniques that will assure buyers of a high quality product with minimal defects. Reliability and quality engineering is now a part of the overall message for all the brands. Take a look at some of the new GM advertising. Best in a long time.
So, tomorrow will be a good day, maybe even a great day, for GM. And they deserve it.
(Chevrolet’s SS concept, from GM’s North Hollywood Design Center.)
Posted by truecreek on November 16, 2010 under Opinions. Everyone has them. | Be the First to Comment
2011 is set up to be another exciting year at the movies. There’s guaranteed to be something for everyone with plenty of thrillers and comedies. Just throw in some romance, a little horror, lots of drama and exciting action and you have another great year in cinema.
It also looking to be the biggest year ever in 3-D.
Here are just some of the blockbusters you’ll see in 2011:
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
The Hangover 2
Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom
The Dark Fields
The Green Hornet
The Rite
Scream 4
The Green Lantern
Cars 2
X-Men First Class
Transformers 3
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II
The Three Musketeers
Twilight Saga
Happy Feet 2
Mission Impossible 4
Sherlock Holmes 2
Posted by truecreek on November 3, 2010 under More Dam News, Research | Be the First to Comment
By John Consoli
NBC Universal wants advertisers to know that when it comes to consumer spending based on what they see in television ads, the 55-64 demo is the new 18-34—or it’s just as important as that younger demo.
NBCU on Tuesday (Nov. 2) gave the media a sneak peek at a major presentation it will make on Thursday to its advertisers, their media agencies and Nielsen officials. The presentation will offer data showing that the adult 55-64 demo is as vibrant as younger demos in ad spending, and should be targeted (and not ignored) when television marketing plans are created.
Allen Wurtzel, president of research and media development at NBCU, presented evidence from assorted sources—including one-on-one interviews with adults in the demo—that dispel myths about how adults 55-64 respond to advertising and spend as consumers.
Wurtzel said the demo, which he’s labeled “AlphaBoomers,” “has been largely ignored by advertisers and marketers.”
“Every seven seconds someone turns 55 and once they do, they are eliminated from the highest-end Nielsen demo measurement: 25-54,” Wurtzel said. “It is the fastest-growing demo group in the country and now numbers 35 million people that account for close to $2 trillion in annual spending.”
Wurtzel said NBC research and a survey it commissioned of people in the 55-64 demo counters common perceptions that they make less of an income and spend less on advertised products; are technophobic and brand loyal, and therefore, cannot be motivated to switch brands.
“Our goal is to raise a discussion among CMOs at the various companies and to get Nielsen to begin offering ratings data for the 55-64 demo,” Wurtzel said. “They have the data. It’s just a matter of creating the software and adding staff to distribute it.”
Other findings include:
* AphaBoomers spend more on home improvement products, home furnishing, large appliances, beauty and cosmetics and casual dining than adults 18-49.
* A similar percentage of AlphaBoomers have high-definition TVs, use DVRs and broadband as adults 18-34
* 70 percent of AlphaBoomers buy at least one product a month online
* 59 percent of AlphaBoomers send text messages via their cell phones
“This is not something that is just going to affect NBCU,” Wurtzel said. “Down the road as more people leave the 25-54 demo, it will affect every network.”
Posted by truecreek on under More Dam News, Research | Be the First to Comment
I am not surprised at all by the results of this research. Men really do care about a lot of things that matter to all.
By Stuart Elliott
For many years, the assumption on Madison Avenue has been that cause marketing — doing well (selling products) by doing good (helping causes that matter to consumers) — plays more strongly with women than men. That may not be the case, according to a new survey.
The 2010 edition of the PR Cause survey, co-sponsored by the trade publication PR Week and Barkley, an agency in Kansas City, Mo., found that men were nearly as supportive of cause marketing campaigns as women.
Eighty-eight percent of the men questioned for the survey said they believed it was important for companies to support causes. When the question was asked last year of women, 91 percent of respondents said they agreed.
“Men do have a heart,” said Mike Swenson, president at Barkley. The agency suggested to PR Week that part of the survey be devoted to men’s views of cause marketing, he added, and the publication agreed.+
The survey, as usual, also canvassed corporate marketing executives for their opinions about cause-related promotions and advertising. Two-thirds said their companies engaged in cause marketing, versus 58 percent in the survey last year.
However, 68 percent of the marketing executives who were questioned for the survey said they had no plans to aim cause marketing efforts at men.
“It’s certainly an open door for brands that cater to men,” Mr. Swenson said.
A cause marketing program centered on breast cancer, which Barkley created for Lee Jeans, part of the VF Corporation, also has a male target audience in addition to the obvious female audience. The idea is to generate men’s help to fight a disease that affects the women in their lives.
The results of the survey showed that the economy “hasn’t affected corporate support” of cause marketing, said Erica Iacono, executive editor of PR Week in New York, owned by the Haymarket Media Group. In fact, it may have increased that support because consumers are more interested in causes after going through tough times.
“Last year, we had two clients that, while making other budget cuts, each started a new cause program,” Mr. Swenson said.
Posted by truecreek on October 27, 2010 under More Dam News, Research | Be the First to Comment
By Emily Fredrix
And now, a word from our sponsors. A very brief word.
TV commercials are shrinking along with attention spans and advertising budgets. The 15-second ad is increasingly common, gradually supplanting the 30-second spot just as it knocked off the full-minute pitch decades ago.
For viewers, it means more commercials in a more rapid-fire format. For advertisers, shorter commercials are a way to save some money, and research shows they hold on to more eyeballs than the longer format.
“It used to be that the most valuable thing on the planet was time, and now the most valuable thing on the planet is attention,” says John Greening, associate professor at Northwestern University’s journalism school and a former executive vice president at ad agency DDB Chicago.
So instead of seeing a lengthier plot line, viewers are treated to the sight of, say, the popular “Old Spice man” riding backward on a horse through various scenes for just 15 seconds.
Or the “most interesting man in the world,” the suave, rugged, Spanish-accented character pitching Dos Equis beer, appearing just long enough to turn his head and weigh in on the topic of rollerblading. (Verdict? A deadpan “No.”)
The number of 15-second television commercials has jumped more than 70 percent in five years to nearly 5.5 million last year, according to Nielsen. They made up 34 percent of all national ads on the air last year, up from 29 percent in 2005.
Commercial-skipping digital video recorders and distractions such as laptops and phones have shortened viewers’ attention spans, says Deborah Mitchell, executive director of the Center for Brand and Product Management at the University of Wisconsin. Viewers are also watching TV streamed on sites like Hulu, where advertisers have less of a presence.
