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The worst viral TV ad ever? Coke's pimped vending machine leaves a bad taste...

The 'viral' video can be an incredibly powerful tool for promoting the USP of a product, or it can simply be used to make us feel more positively about a brand. But sometimes (more often than most would like to admit) they simply fall flat. So, why is it that this campaign from Coca-Cola left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

The worst viral TV ad ever? Coke’s pimped vending machine leaves a bad taste...

The 'viral' video can be an incredibly powerful tool for promoting the USP of a product, or it can simply be used to make us feel more positively about a brand. But sometimes (more often than most would like to admit) they simply fall flat. So, why is it that this campaign from Coca-Cola left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

DUMB REPORT 2009: iSnack 2.Doh! (1 of 10)

As the first instalment in our annual DUMB REPORT, it's hard to look beyond the most discussed media and marketing experiment for 2009, Kraft's controversial crowdsourcing campaign and the naming of iSnack 2.0.

How to make your message pop (by killing animated polar bears)

I often become frustrated when catching up on Australian business news. I've never figured out why business journalists - in particular - must use such complex language to articulate often simple points.

Oh Bhoy, spoof Scottish tourism ad tells it as it is

Scotland is not blessed with Rome's basilicas or the Manhattan's skyscrapers. When your accidental national emblems are bagpipes and haggis, you need to adopt a creative approach to selling your country to the world as a tourist destination. Enter Scottish comedian Danny Bhoy, with this hilarious overview of his country's unique points of difference. (Salty language warning -- and we're not talking about the accents...)

How to trump cunning linguistics and seize competitive advantage

The Commonwealth Bank is currently running an advertisement that irks me. Beyond all the arty-farty advertiser speak and debate over the campaign’s merits in the industry media, it contains a terminology flaw that sticks out like dogs balls. When the kid says, “Can’t we just promise to fix it?” my hackles go up.

Guinness brings its marketing strategy to life

This sweeping new Guinness ad is more than just a breath of fresh air. It marks a departure from the marketing strapline "Good things come to those who wait" that those at the helm of the famous Irish stout brewer have clasped closely for the past decade. The TVC, titled "World", features the new strapline "Bring it to life", playing to the idea that Guinness looks like it comes alive when poured into a pint glass. Brilliant.

The Monthly Schwag (The segment formerly known as Cool for Comment)

At Anthill, we often find ourselves at the receiving end of unsolicited marketing gifts, from keyrings to… well… Beatles CDs. Last month, we decided to film our reactions and opinions about some of the best (and worst), and called it, ‘cool for comment’. The response was so positive (James got ambushed in a pub by a guy called Steve and Lachy's Auntie Jean thought it was 'swell') that we've decided to do it again, under the new and improved, more apt segment heading, 'the monthly schwag.'

Rory Sutherland: Life lessons from an ad man

In this extremely entertaining talk delivered at TEDglobal 2009 in Oxford (bet you'll be hooked after the first 15 seconds), English ad man Rory Sutherland explores perception and reality in a commercial world.

Volkswagen's viral success: the fun theory

Its latest campaign, The Fun Theory, is based on the idea that people's actions can be changed by something as simple as 'fun'. Played out (and filmed) on an unsuspecting public, a set of subway stairs transformed into a walking piano and a 'never-ending' bin manage to dramatically change people's typical behaviour for the better. And all of this with barely a reference to Volkswagen.

Volkswagen’s viral success: the fun theory

Its latest campaign, The Fun Theory, is based on the idea that people's actions can be changed by something as simple as 'fun'. Played out (and filmed) on an unsuspecting public, a set of subway stairs transformed into a walking piano and a 'never-ending' bin manage to dramatically change people's typical behaviour for the better. And all of this with barely a reference to Volkswagen.

Our first social media 'experiment' for online marketing month. Do you want to be...

The 'zing' factor that social media brings to any marketing campaign is the potential it provides for exponential growth. If one person likes the offer and is compelled to invite their friends to also register for the offer, and if their friends, in turn, feel compelled to register and invite their friends to register for the offer, then you suddenly have on your hands a campaign with significant reach, far beyond anything that traditional media can provide.

Our first social media ‘experiment’ for online marketing month. Do you want to be...

The 'zing' factor that social media brings to any marketing campaign is the potential it provides for exponential growth. If one person likes the offer and is compelled to invite their friends to also register for the offer, and if their friends, in turn, feel compelled to register and invite their friends to register for the offer, then you suddenly have on your hands a campaign with significant reach, far beyond anything that traditional media can provide.

Understanding how your customers use search will show you how to reach them

Google’s Head of Online in Australia, Julian Persaud, explains how search trends can reveal valuable insights about your customer and your market.

Target's 'rip-off' advertisement meets the original

Unless you've been living with your head under a doona over the last month and a half, you will have seen one of Target's many advertisements featuring kids and other happy customers swimming through their bed-linen, apparently in the throes of some pretty exciting dream-action.

Target’s ‘rip-off’ advertisement meets the original

Unless you've been living with your head under a doona over the last month and a half, you will have seen one of Target's many advertisements featuring kids and other happy customers swimming through their bed-linen, apparently in the throes of some pretty exciting dream-action.

To tickle your customers’ wants, get some Dad in your ads

Good advertising should generate the same kind of buzz inside you as when your Dad used to arrive home from work. Mum knew everything you needed; Dad had just what you wanted. Like the keys to the car, or $15 for the movie ticket, or the magical ability to build a go-cart out of the washing basket and wheels off the lawn mower.

Man-size me

Since 1941 Kleenex have actually understood what it is that hits to the core of being a man who buys tissues. The one thing that is a symbol of unadorned manliness – huge, enormous, large, big and gargantuan-sized tissues that come in massive boxes. In recent months, other consumer brands seem to have caught on.

Help design our Cool Company Awards poster theme for 2009

In a little over 10 days, we will be sending a fleet of mobile-billboards down the busy streets of inner-city Australia to promote our 2009 Cool Company Awards. I'm talking about Scooter Advertising, courtesy of our friends at Subterfuge. In accordance with my blog post of yesterday on using social media to promote the 'cools', it occurred to me that this exercise presents an excellent opportunity to promote two-way reader engagement. So far, we've developed three potential poster and themes (below).

The secret of successful marketing: Think more like your mum

Just as good mums know their children so well that they can anticipate their next move, you also need this anticipation in your advertising and marketing campaigns. You need to know the next move of your clients before they get there. So when they are renovating their kitchen and they ask themselves the question, "Where do I go for my tiles?" you are the voice in their head. As strange as this might sound, to rid yourself of ADD1, you have to become your mum.
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Five essential things to get right if you want to raise...

So you’ve got a brilliant idea, or maybe you’ve even started building your nascent business, but you think it might help to bring on some extra money. You try to raise the money, but wherever you go it seems there are roadblocks and challenges, and it’s difficult to know where to start. To help tackle this tricky tropic, we interviewed Bryan Vadas. He’s the founder of iPledg (Australia’s leading crowdfunding platform for creative, commercial, charitable and community projects) and Capital Exchange Australia (an education and funding platform for startups).

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New Zealand’s Xero eyes US IPO, further disruption as subscribers increase...

Xero recently held its annual meeting in Wellington, during which the company revealed some interesting details about its future. As has been widely suspected, the...

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