Saturday, October 9, 2010

Rule #7: Goodby Reinvented

INTRODUCTION – “How Goodby Got Its Groove Back”

In the Rule 7 Q&A session titled “Agent Provocateur: Goodby’s Derek Robson on Reinventing the Ad Agency”, Mathieson interviews Derek Robson to learn what was required to revitalize the struggling ad agency. Prior to its need for transformation Goodby, Silverstein & Partners was famous for creating classics campaigns like “Got Milk” and the Foster Farms Chickens. The focus of the transformation was to change the agency from traditional t.v. to a digital media “multiplatform marketing machine.”

Creative Directory Jamie Barrett stated: “Our goal is to be unrecognizable twelve months from now” and it appears they did just that. After 3 years of reinventing 60% of revenue comes from digital initiatives (originally 80% traditional and less than 20% digital).

So what can MBA students studying eCommerce marketing learn about digital marketing from Robson and the Goodby transformation?


TOP THREE TAKEAWAYS

1. How do you move beyond great TV spots?

Know your consumer. Don’t just choose a channel/medium because everyone else is doing it.

“...trying to understand where people are, what they are doing, where they are consuming stuff, particularly in terms of media, then following those people and understanding how they use that media in a more in-depth and interesting way.”

2. How do you master digital marketing and where do you start?

Don’t compare your company to others. Look at yourself and what you’ve historically done well. The art of telling stories and building brands is enduring, across time and technology.

“The thing you’ve got to start with is by asking ‘What are you good at? What makes up your brand?’”.

Find new ways to do thing rather than just doing technology for technology sake. When you must use technology apply the right technology to the right project.

3. As that world changes, how do you think marketers should prepare themselves?

What marketers need to be thinking: “What have I got inside my brand that’s really interesting to communicate and that comes from a place that’s grounded in something important?”

You must strive for constant experimentation. Today’s user is driving and defining much of their experience in all the various media they participate in. “Reaching them requires an idea that is executed through the right channels, not just applying new channels and technologies.”

TRANSFORMATION EXAMPLES

  • Nintendo Warrio: Nintendo teamed up with YouTube to make this innovative ad. Check it out!
  • GE Augmented Reality: Promoting the Smart Grid with a 3D hologram via webcam.Doritos
  • Doritos Hotel 626: Established in 2008 to promote Doritos by bringing two intense flavors back from the dead during Halloween. Users are trapped in a hotel and must escape through challenges using their webcam, microphone and mobile phone.
  • Hyundai Advantage Website or Commercial: 12 months of coverage with the purchase of a new vehicle. Covers involuntary unemployment, physical disability, loss of driver's license due to medical impairment, international employment transfer, self-employed personal bankruptcy, and accidental death.
  • HP Picture Book: Targets viewers who embrace photography as part of life. Great cinematography and cool scenes with people interacting with photographs.

6 comments:

  1. The "WarioLand Shake it" ad with YouTube is very fun and innovative. It gives Nintendo an edge and giving the appearance to be ahead or mastering the new digital media. It probably adds to the brands credibility.

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  2. WarioLand...perfect! I wasn't sure what the big deal was until about halfway through. Great Example!

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  3. WarioLand shake it was a real surprise. Didn't try to watch it in full-screen, and glad I didn't!

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  4. Based on the examples how would you rank the overall effectiveness of Goodby's so called transformation from traditional to digital?

    There's no doubt they had successful traditional campaigns like Got Milk, but what about the these new ones - do they have what it takes?

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  5. Wow, I figured Warioland was just a normal commercial until the very end; great use of customizing the YouTube screen! I would have forgotten about it, but now I'll probably even tell others to check it out!

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  6. I don't really get the Hyundai commercial. Won't you still need a car when you lose your job? To, you know, look for a new job?

    I think Nike+ is incredible. I don't use it as I don't listen to music when I run, but its ingenious to send you coupons of places you run by. They use the GPS to track your habits and then direct market you with your habits. Great idea!

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