As many readers of this blog know by now, I am a HUGE proponent of creative branding. I definitely touched on this on the Authenticity & Pop Culture post this Spring when I brought up a simple-yet-genius Pedigree internet ad. The time has come once again to talk about creativity.
Ok. Let’s say you have a product that, unlike wine, is completely un-sexy. Let’s say for example your product is a car battery.
I mean, your name is Die Hard – that’s cool – but you’re a car battery. There’s not a whole lot you can do with that.
Unless of course, you are a marketing genius. Then you might think about how you can combine the insane potential of a creative interned vid with the current DIY zeitgeist that is fascinating people today. In fact you might look at the following video and say “I want that for my car battery.”
This OK GO music video from March 1st of this year has over 15 MILLION views. And that’s just from the official posting.
And if you’re truly a marketing genius, you might call up the company that made that video for OK GO and say again, “I want that for my car battery.”
And if you did that, this is what you would get:
And then you would be my personal hero. I find this ad brilliant and awesome on about a ba-zillion different levels. I will not wax poetic here, but if you want to hear why I think this is such a big deal just call me and carve out about an hour of your time.
WARNING: I’m about to get cranky, so if you don’t want to hear me cranky on a Friday, I bid you a happy weekend.
<rant>If you’re still with me, here’s my beef. I’m SO TIRED of people in EVERY ASPECT of the wine industry automatically handcuffing wine to media and branding that has been used for the last 40 YEARS. If you want new consumers then you have to do something new. PERIOD. DONE. Don’t tell me that wine can’t be awesome and fun and hip and irreverent when a CAR BATTERY can.</rant>
Go be creative and awesome. If you’re not creative and awesome, find someone who is. A few months from now I want to be writing about a video like this for a wine. And you know what? I will. Maybe I’ll just make it myself. If you want in, let me know.
Wow. Yes, I find that creative. But creative is not necessarily awesome. You see the Die Hard commercial as “brilliant and awesome” where I see it as “pathetic and sad.”
See, I have Gary Numan’s first US release. On vinyl. A ‘promotional-only,not-for-sale’ copy I traded the guy at the record store for a fatty back when I was in high school – 35 years ago. Maybe Gary Numan has been around long enough to become post-ironic, but this ad does not reach me the same way it reaches you. Two-edged sword.
Hi John – thanks for your comment. Very true regarding your double-edged sword point. There certainly is an element of risk-reward here – especially since they are using an individual to make fun of himself. I suppose I would feel the same way if 20 years from now Jeff Mangum was using a two-headed boy to sell double-mint gum, or something.
If they were just to play “Cars” on Cars without Gary Numan being involved it would still be interesting, but the fact that they got Gary Numan to do it makes it almost epic while adding an element of humor to it. Even you and others may react negatively to it, they (Die Hard) are still getting what they hoped for because it still sparks conversation. In fact, I found out about this vid from an LA music board. While not everyone will like it, at least they’ve created something to talk about.
All true. If I can’t get a 96 point review I’d rather have a 65 than an 85. Heck the world is talking about Old Spice again – now that’s ironic.
Where is the OK GO of Wineries?…
A great post from Leah Hennesy of Millennier on how winery branding is pretty stuck:…here’s my beef. I’m SO TIRED of people in EVERY ASPECT of the wine industry automatically handcuffing wine to media and branding that has been used……
Great post, Leah. I just blogged about it. I think the OK GO video might be a distraction (although I see why you reference it), since people look at it expecting to see a battery. But I absolutely agree with your point (and you gave me the title for my blog post).
Thanks Mike! I really like your post and I hope that folks reading this check it out.
hi Leah – I couldn’t agree more in general about wine marketing, as I hope you might imagine
However, there is still plenty of room for and need for the traditional. For most wineries, you still gotta pour the wine to make the connection.
By the way, you’ve given me two different ideas. I just hope I have the skills (are people still saying “Kung Fu”? who can keep up?) to pull them off!
Jefe – first I must tell you that I am obsessed with The Spaniard. ob. sessed. Anyone who names their wine after Inigo Montoya is my new best friend.
The interesting thing about my experience with your wine/your comment is that I DID taste it at the Mutineer party in LA this Spring. (Though nobody told me about the princess bride reference.) I was a big fan of the wine itself, as I’m a sucker for well-made Spanish varieties – but you know what? I was a fan of a bunch of wines that night. This is why I remember the wine:
-the label was beautiful and I took a pic.
-when I imported my photos I saw The Spaniard and decided to further check it out.
-I read the Spaniard story on your site.
-hearts.
So yes – wine must be poured at some point, but that’s not why I’m gushing about the Spaniard now. If I never looked you guys up and heard about the I.M. connection, the wine would have been a nice wine with a beautiful label that I forgot. The branding for this particular wine is why I not only remember the wine, yourself, and the winery – but why I tell OTHER people about it. The Spaniard says a lot about me. That’s successful branding. Nice work.
Anyway, tangent over. Point is, I do agree with you, but you go over and above what most wineries do in terms of branding. (hooray.) I look forward to seeing what you come up with next.
Great leap back to the awesome…stop sharing it asap.
I think it is hard to make agriculture products exciting, because winemakers and owners want to sell the message of place, authenticity, and hard work. Somehow in the creative world, it is difficult to find people who can communicate that type of message as genius. Find someone and you might have a chance.
For instance, look at the HD content I posted yesterday. Drab stuff. I know I can do better, but for now, this is what I have for creativity.
http://blog.Isaaksofsalem.com
Of course, just throwing up a UB40 Red Red Wine backed concept probably won’t meet that creative requirement, but the gauntlet has been thrown. Maybe a take on Westley and Vizzini’s Battle of Wits would be a fun place to kick start some ideas…hmm, Shawn Wallace as a spokesman…inconceivable!
Yep, if that was wine, instead of a car battery, I’d be drinking it right now. Battery acid, just doesn’t taste that good…
Point well taken too
Cheers
Brian
norcalwingman
well done.
[...] Hennessy of Millennier.com (wine for millennials) wraps it up nicely in her latest post, “Go be creative and awesome. If [...]
I didn’t know who Gary Numan was AND I still found your rant motivational! Glad I found you…maybe I can see you at Unified. Thanks!
Haha – thanks Rose! I’ve decided that rants are only allowed if they are also motivational. We’ll see if that sticks…
Hope to see you at Unified!