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What is it about furry animals in advertising?

I have a confession to make. I have a small obsession with Alexandr Orlov. For those of you who don't know who that is. He is meerkat, the now infamous star of Compare the Meerkat, a spoof company devised as a cunning plan to drive awareness of the previously-not-so-interesting Compare the Market.com, a price comparison site. 

Of course, the now infamous meerkat is not the first fluffy being to woo an audience. Back in the 1980's Gordon the Gopher drummed up a huge following on BBC1. Then there was Flat Eric of Levi fame. And lest we forget the wonderful PG Tips Monkey, who I hear is going to be making a comeback soon.
So what is it about furry animals in advertising? Well, it probably has a lot to do with our national obession with pets, but much more to do with some very clever, humourous storytelling.

Unlike the fame enjoyed by his pre-decessors, there is one big difference with Alexsandr's story. He was born into a world gleaming with shiny social media tools, a networking culture where news spreads at lightning speed, and in a climate where, quite frankly, we all really need a good laugh...and often.

A rudimentary tally on followers finds that Alexandr now has: 483,265 Facebook fans and 20,409 on Twitter. As I write this Alexsandr is being primed for a photo shoot with Hello magazine, whilst aficionados are petitioning for cuddly toys to be made available. I think we can safely say Aleksandr is a cult celebrity now. 

Social status aside, this is one of the most enjoyable pieces of advertising I've seen in a while. Reasons why:

- It makes me laugh and smile everytime.
- I want more: There was some great build-up for Alexsandr's latest commercial, but after 30 seconds, I couldn't help but be let down. Too short, I would have watched 10 minutes online. 
- I like telling others about it: Some things are good enough to share and for me, this is one.
- I can be part of it: one of the best features is conversing with this crazy chap. Had the technology been around in the 80s Gordon would certainly have been my best virtual friend. 

All in all, the Meerkat story is a wonderful example of how advertising doesn't feel like it's trying so hard. It doesn't interrupt, just simply entertains without leaving a bad taste in the form of a hard sell. I'm left with incredible respect for those involved and for the brand. Respect for not making me watch a boring ad and giving me something to smile about. Simples...

Happy brand birthday

This weekend I joined a bunch of MINI nuts at the Silverstone racing track to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the MINI brand. I am a lifelong advocate of MINI, having idolised its unique design from a young age, even before I got behind the wheel of a MINI city. For me, this was MINI nirvana, and a fitting tribute to one of the most iconic British brands around.

Celebrating a key brand anniversary is far from new in terms of marketing, as 360PRBlog and Promo Magazine both sum up nicely. There's no denying that it is a key point in the brand lifecycle and a perfect opportunity to create excitement and drive awareness.

Over the past couple of years there seems to have been a splurge in major anniversaries. M&S, Selfridges, Barbie, Sainsbury's, Lego, Virgin, Google and Guinness have all used their biggest birthdays to celebrate their heritage, drive awareness and reinforce brand loyalty with their core customers.

Here's a look at what three of them have been up to:

MINI United www.miniunited.com 

To celebrate 50 years in the making, this three-day event brought together MINI aficionados from across the world. The BMW-owned brand took over Silverstone (home of motor-racing) for three days of commemoration with plenty of products on show to dazzle its guests. For me, MINI is about fun, beautiful design and quirky coolness, and there was an abundance of this at the event.

The centrepiece of the venue oozed cool, with bar, DJ and lounge area looking out to the stage, where music legend (and MINI enthusiast) Paul Weller would later perform. The history of MINI was embodied by an outdoor museum of cars, including some bespoke designs, such as the MINI limo. Others also had the chance to show off and talk about their own car, on a makeshift stage. On the track, you could watch the professionals race their cars in true racing style, drive your own car round the grid, or watch the stuntmen in action. I'm planning my next MINI purchase already, so clearly it has worked wonders...:) You can check out more of my pics from the event on Flickr.

Selfridges www.selfridges100.com

This iconic UK department store hit the big 100 this year. To celebrate its centenary, the 'big yellow festival' has been running throughout May, so-called because of the trademark (pantone 109) yellow branding. Selfridges has been doing month-long themed events for a number of years now, and is arguably one of the best examples of in-store theatre. So it is perhaps not surprising that they would use their centenary for this month's experiential adventure. 

In-store events have centred on premium entertainment with DJs, fashion shows and cabaret dazzling shoppers. Six 'Selfridgettes' have been performing their own set of tricks, and there is also an exhibition showcasing the retailer's history. Over the course of the month, a host of celebrities have joined in to stir up publicity.

In true designer fashion, Selfridges marked the event by joining forces with some of the most prestigious designers and brands to create limited edition products, encompassing the trademark yellow. The line-up of exclusives includes centenary bags from Sir Paul Smith and Stella McCartney, the iconic Coca-Cola contour bottles in yellow, Blackberry smartphones with a £1,000 price tag, through to custom yellow Converse and a range of other luxury brand items. A special centenary magazine has also been created by Conde Nast.  

Selfridges has harnessed Facebook, Flickr and Twitter (although the latter is less prominent) to build the conversation around the brand event. Photos from events at the store can be found on these social networks. It's easily the most engaging element of their online campaign, although their website is pretty cool too.

M&S

Another British high street icon, M&S, hit the ripe old age of 125 years in 2009. M&S has already announced a few initiatives so far this year, but I imagine this will be extended with more as the year progresses. As with MINI and Selfridges, showcasing the brand's history is a key part of the story. M&S have created this website as a timeline. An archive exhibition has also been set up with the University of Leeds and a commemorative book and magazine are also now available to mark the occasion.

In product development, M&S has drawn inspiration from its origins to create a new collection 125, featuring vintage designs from various decades. On the promotional side, last week M&S went back to its origins by reinventing its penny bazaar, tying in its heritage with today's cost-conscious mindset. The “Don’t ask the price, it’s a penny” in-store promotion, gave bargain-hunters massive reductions on a range of products, reinforced by its TV ad campaign, which shows how the brand has evolved: 'Quality worth every penny.' The 125 campaign has also blended into its CSR strategy, aiming to raise £1.25 million for local charities in 125 days.

Although I have only showcased a few cases here, they outline the importance of birthdays as a marketing tool. A time to reflect on the past, and to look to the future by showcasing new innovations, whilst opening up the potential to generate considerable brand buzz. From a consumers' perspective, it is a chance to celebrate the brands they love. The M&S 125 years Facebook page is a great demonstration of the passion consumers have for M&S, now with over 12,000 fans. Definitely worth reading some of the great comments if you get a chance. 

This guy needs little introduction. In this TED talk, Seth Godin talks about why we should be creating movements through tribes. He points out that we are experiencing a sizeable shift in how ideas are created, highlighting that today, change is not created through money or power, but by the leadership of tribes. By using compelling stories and ideas to connect 'true believers' within different tribes, he believes it is possible to create significant movements and change within society. It's fascinating stuff, but 17 minutes long, so go grab a cuppa and indulge yourself :)

Twitter - a voyage of discovery

Twitter with its 10 million users has been a hot agenda in the media, as the rate of adoption has gone through the roof. Awareness of the microblogging service has undoubtedly reached the masses, but understanding what it does, how it works - from a consumer or business perspective - is perhaps less understood, unless you get stuck in. 

I was giving a few friends the Twitter overview recently and realised it wasn't the easiest thing to explain. After much conversation about RT's, follow friday and other Twitter language, I advised my friends just to get stuck in and have a play, which is basically what I did back in December.

Twitter is not hard to use, it's very simple to set up. It's more of the why?, what do I get from it?, that requires some sort of explanation. Although the many different platforms available (TweetDeck, Tweetie etc..) do also add a slice of complexity to the situation. Most brands would inject a considerable amount of investment into explaining how to use their service, but Twitter has thrived from doing the complete opposite.

In my mind, the beauty of Twitter is the discovery element. Not just connecting with like-minded individuals globally, sharing information, thoughts and learning new stuff, but using different applications and tools to create and enhance your own experience. It's nice not to be guided, to be told how to use something, but to have a variety of options and customise your own way to use Twitter. A great example of ceding control to the user in the most purest form. 

For those who want to know more about Twitter, there are a trillion websites out there covering it, but this visual representation by Applicant.com (full credit to Ritu) speaks volumes. It looks at how Twitter can be used from a business/brand perspective. Be interesting to see one from a consumer perspective if anyone knows of one?

The business of social media

In March, Mashable.com ran a poll on whether social media could be deemed an industry in itself. Of the 921 that voted - at last glance - a high majority (67%) stated that social media was already an industry in its own right. Another 20% said it wasn’t yet but it would be one eventually, and 13% disagreed that it was not an industry. It's an interesting piece and the dialogue in the comments section is well worth a read, representing all corners of the argument.

However we choose to categorise social media, there's no denying it is an important field in its own right, developing fast, and transforming the way people, brands and businesses communicate with each other. Here are some stats to put this into context:

Reach: Numerous studies have been conducted, with some 5,000 alone on Slideshare under 'social media.' To use a few stats from Nielsen Online, member communities (social networks and blogs) had a global active reach of 67% in December 2008, up five percentage points on the previous year. 30% of the world's Internet population are now on Facebook, whilst take-up by older age groups signals mainstream appeal.

Revenue: One of the big question marks around social media is the advertising revenue, which still remains relatively low in comparison to the audience reach. It is no secret that these types of media platforms are still trying to work out the best ways to integrate advertising, although some, like MySpace, appear to be making headway. The fact remains that even in a recession, social media remains a growth area where more marketers are investing. Some of the latest stats from eMarketer put global spend on social networking at reaching $2.4 billion globally in 2009, up 17% on last year. This is still pocket money compared to major media, but by no means insignificant. Forrester's review also finds that social media spend by interactive marketers is set to continue its ascent, albeit at slower growth rates than in recent years.

Events: There is a vast array of social media events around the world. Mashable.com does a great round-up on a weekly basis, but this calendar from Susan Mernit also gives you a good list by month.

Social media analysts/press: Social media and digital content is without doubt a hot topic for traditional trade marketing and media titles. There are also a host of digital media websites and blogs that have cornered the space, providing social media mavens with a seemingly unlimited about of content and advice. There's no five day working week for the likes of Mashable, Venturebeat or All Things D, these guys are on the case 24/7. 

Social media professionals: There are no shortage of social media entrepreneurs, analysts and strategists reading and waiting to help brands, and the list of jobs is growing. Leading by example, social media gurus are serial bloggers, constantly posting blogs and Twittering 24/7, to keep their community of followers updated. On the client-side, Brandweek recently ran an article highlighting companies that are deeply entrenched in social media. Some are building in-house teams, although it wasn't always just about putting ownership into a silo team. Dell, for example, has a team of 40 conducting social media marketing, whilst Coca-Cola stretches this task across its organisation.

Changing media

MediaGuardian's changing media summit in March brought together professionals from across the media, publishing and broadcast spectrum. There was a prestigious line-up, including Minister of Education Lord Stephen Carter, Google’s brand new MD, Rafat Ali from Paid Content, Emily Bell at the Guardian, plus a host of others, discussing challenges and ideas on how to navigate through these difficult times. The recession and the fallout of advertising revenue has hit media hard, but structurally, this industry has been under pressure for a good few years. Producing great content may well still be the foundation on which the media industry rests its laurels, but it was clear this is far from enough to survive. 

Here are a few sound bytes: 

- Innovate to monetise the business: The difficulty of charging consumers for content online is keenly felt amid a climate where ad revenues have been plummeting. Innovation in the business model is now critical to ensure survival. Online video and mobile were both heralded as being keys to future success.

- The lucky ones: Wall Street Journal, FT.com for having a solid subscription business stream (thanks to niche content) and the likes of The Guardian and BBC for having the backing of trusts and public sector funding.

- Innovators: NYTimes, The Guardian. Both have taken an open approach, enabling API's to be created using their content. Despite, the tough situation in which the NYTimes finds itself, this brand is ahead of its class in terms of multimedia developments.

- 'Open out' and 'open in': There was a great presentation from Matt McAlister at The Guardian, highlighting that media companies must 'open out' as well as 'open in.' In terms of 'opening out,' content companies need to increase their reach on other platforms, networks and websites, to be heard amongst the sheer volume of content. The 'opening in' broadly refers to adopting a more collaborative approach, whereby external partners are brought in, to help the company explore new avenues.

Google launches 'Survival of the Fastest' B2B channel on YouTube

Google's new video business blog on its own YouTube platform provides a useful tool in an engaging format. The video content features experts from a number of business disciplines, including Ogilvy's Rory Sutherland, Boris Johnson, IAB and London Business School.

Last month, Google joined forces with WPP to fund new research in the digital realm. As reported by the Wall Street Journal in this article, it includes a number of studies, using Harvard Business School, among others. Google already works as a consultant to advertisers, so this takes that relationship a step further. In addition, it showcases the ways in which businesses may also leverage YouTube from a B2B angle.  

Functions covered include Marketing, eCommerce and Finance & General Management. There are also themed videos around speed, agility and consumer insights. Altogether, a useful tool for businesses in  turbulent times. 

Social media sites continue their ascent

This is perhaps no big surprise but provides us with more evidence of how social networks are now a dominant communication platform for UK consumers. Nielsen Online has reported that in the year to April 2008, the total number of minutes UK consumers spend on Facebook grew from 500m to 2.4bn. Their latest research shows that the large social networking platforms appear to be stealing share from instant messaging platforms, such as MSN, and the arrival of Facebook IM is likely to bolster that trend.

Entertainment and search sites have both experienced 8% growth in total minutes over the year. By comparison, consumer-generated media, which incoporate social networks and blogging sites have seen a 47% climb in minutes (+1.3 billion) over the same period. Nielsen calls this a 'seismic shift' in how people are spending time and communicating online.

The full Nielsen Online press release can be found here