"I'll have a Big Mac, large fry, annnnd a strawberry banana smoothie, please!"

Jamba Juice has recently launched a video though its YouTube page pushing its “Cheeseburger Smoothie.”  While most of the 53,000+ viewers seem to have missed the sarcastic humor behind the ad, it packs a punch for those viewers with half a brain.  McDonald’s has stepped on Jamba’s turf and they’re not going to take it.

I took the message of the ad and accompanying website to be, simply put, it’s bad when companies out step their boundaries, and Jamba Juice used itself as an example.  Their logic follows as Would you order a burger smoothie at Jamba Juice?  No?  Then don’t order a smoothie at McDonald’s. There’s only one problem with this logical approach – consumers rarely think rationally.  And McDonald’s smoothie is a classic example of the general public leaving its common sense at the drive thru entrance.

The health consequences of McDonald’s food have been well documented, yet they’re still selling quarter pounders by the million.  Also, adding “healthier” beverage options is a perfect way for McDonald’s to dissuade the guilt of their consumers.  Forget the 2000 calorie value meal you just ordered, that smoothie makes your meal healthy.  When you factor the cost, $2.29 vs. $3.50 at Jamba for the smallest offerings, it creates a easy decision for many.  I’m not sure how the smoothies are doing, but all signs are pointing to a monster hit.

Turning the focus back to Jamba Juice – their strategy, message, and approach were all outstanding.  Humor, viral video, combined with a coupon?  Nailed it, and click here for $1 off your next Jamba Juice smoothie just for watching!  Will it stop the McDonald’s smoothies from selling?  Doubtful, but I hope it gives them a boost.

Thoughts?

Gatorade REPLAY searched the country for great high school rivalries that have a game in their history left unsettled and, with the help of Velocity Sports Performance, give those teams an opportunity to put it to rest.  15 years later.  The same schools, players, and coaches literally pick up where they left off.  Here’s a trailer for Season 1, that puts two Pennsylvania high school football rivals back on the gridiron.  Or bitter Detroit hockey rivals who’s game 11 years ago was cut short due to an injury.  Finally, Chicago-area schools 10 years ago with a trip downstate at stake.

Gatorade has not said how many “Replays” they plan on doing, but there is no shortage of rivalries or former athletes who would jump at the opportunity to lace up their Nikes one more time.  And the feedback from participating players?  Overwhelmingly positive.  Whether they’re thankful for the opportunity to play again, or for the 60 lbs they lost, Gatorade can rest assured their brand is safe.

Before, During, After is on ALL the time during REPLAY

From a marketing perspective, this takes events and experiential to a new level.  There’s no cheesy marketing collateral or small booth at some event, but something far greater that stands on its own.  In terms of understanding the target and generating a message to reach them, Gatorade’s REPLAY is right up there with Heineken’s Made to Entertain in my mind. Each player that participates immediately becomes an ambassador for Gatorade and its new G Series line, and the product placement throughout the seasons is second to none.  The athletic performance results, for both Velocity Sports and Gatorade, speak for themselves.  It’s no easy task to return former athletes to their glory days, and these brands successfully do just that.

What are some examples of experiential/event marketing that you liked or didn’t like?  Have you seen any of the Gatorade REPLAY seasons?  Is there a game you’d love to replay?

Source - Nielsen via Edelman Digital

According to a study by Nielsen, Nike has taken the largest share of online buzz leading up to the World Cup at 34%.  This more than doubles Adidas’ 16%.  Gain and Edelman argue that the World Cup is long event, and it is, but there’s little doubt Adidas finds itself in a hole.

Adidas ads have been released along with the start of the World Cup, but I find a serious flaw with this strategy.  When you sponsor an event the size of the World Cup, only the Olympics may be comparable, you need to be the aggressor and own the event as much as you can.  Rumors and buzz surrounding the World Cup begins long before the games start, and ignoring the build up is a terrible oversight.  And I’m less than thrilled about Adidas’ ads and their chances of closing the gap on Nike.

The current ads, online and TV, appear disjointed and unrelated, and neither leverages the World Cup sponsorship.  It does not appear Adidas has a clear message in mind, but just randomly firing away.  And missing.

The main ad for Adidas, Fast vs Fast, isn’t bad but the timing is.  Anybody that has seen Lionel Messi play is familiar with his blazing speed and will appreciate the ad.  However, it will constantly be compared to Nike’s Write the Future and it doesn’t stack up.  Their second ad, the online-only “Star Wars Cantina 2010,” isn’t much better, despite its star-studded cast.  Adidas is trying to be fast and original during the World Cup, but I don’t anticipate them being fast or original enough to catch up to Nike.

Now, turning the focus to Nike.  Their ambush of the World Cup has been outstanding.  The following chart shows the buzz they’ve generated versus official World Cup sponsors.  Their well timed delivery of Write the Future has generated outstanding results, but I don’t believe Nike is done.  While Nike has been quiet as of late, I’d be willing to bet they have another marketing push left in them.  If they don’t, I still believe their ambush campaign can already be ruled a success.

Source - Nielsen via Edelman Digital

Brazilian, Italian, and other players alike all came forward, with some of the strongest comments coming from Brazilian keeper Julio Cesar.  Cesar eloquently compared the ball to the ones available for purchase at local supermarkets, and carefully chose the word “terrible” when asked to describe it.  At the end of the day, everybody has to play with it, but I can’t help but wonder if there’s something going on behind the scenes.

World Cup 2010: BallGate?

Adidas-sponsored players, such as Kaka, Michael Ballack, and Frank Lampard all defended the quality of the ball, but the damage may have been done.  While the back and forth about the ball has barely made a ripple in American sports news, it is probably being followed much closer overseas.

The only defense, outside of its sponsored athletes, for Adidas may be the fans becoming deaf to the players’ complaints.  It has become commonplace for players to complain about the ball leading to the World Cup, but this year’s timing is a little closer to the actual start of the tournament.  And it coincides with Nike’s mega-ad.

I’m not one for conspiracy theories, nor am I going to point the finger at Nike, but is it possible they had something to do with the complaints?  If so, the timing was spot on, and damage must have been done to Adidas.  I’ve been keeping an eye out for Adidas World Cup ads over the last several weeks and have not come across anything substantial.

Sports sponsorships often have  one, or more, of these goals in mind – 1) project image, 2) increase audience, 3) amplify the number and quality of media opportunities.  If Adidas was looking to project its image and increase the quality of its media opportunities, their efforts have likely come up short to this point.  There has been nothing but negative press for the global brand leading up to the World Cup, and many consumers (especially American) may believe Nike to be the actual sponsor.

Adidas responded strongly to the players’ complaints, but I have yet to come across any Adidas World Cup creative.  I still believe a response is necessary, and am anxiously awaiting new Adidas World Cup ads.

Have you seen any Adidas World Cup ads?  If so, please send them to me.  Is it possible Adidas has a campaign waiting to begin (coincide with the start of the tourney)?  Do you plan on watching the World Cup?

Portuguese Star Cristiano Ronaldo in "Write the Future"

Jimmy Lynn, Managing Director of JLynn Associates and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University, frequently preaches the benefits and growing requirement of going “Global, Mobile, and Green.” “Write the Future” meets 2 of Jimmy’s criteria for modern sports marketing.  “Write the Future” is a truly global ad, using celebrities from all over the world, and it will be viewed through traditional, online, and mobile channels.  Using creative that can be distributed through these channels, as well as social media, is required for modern marketers. And there’s substantial value to be gained.

Nike Football’s Facebook page immediately directs individuals searching for it to the video, which requires the viewer to “Like” the page first.  The results of this effort are very clear, and very measurable.  One study values a Facebook “Like” at $3.60 worth of advertising, and Nike Football’s page is gathering “Likes” by the second.  Literally.  Go to the site and press F5 every couple seconds.  Nike Football is growing by the second, and the world’s biggest sporting event is right around the corner.

While Jimmy was encouraging American-born students and young professionals to look abroad for opportunities, I believe “Write the Future” is trying to bring the world to the United States.  Soccer is already the world’s sport, but big American names like  Kobe Bryant, Landon Donovan, and Homer Simpson make up a perfect crew to target the American market.  My own personal belief is soccer hasn’t caught on in the US because it’s not played at the highest level here.  Getting established American stars like Kobe Bryant on board with the sport might be a good step in spreading its popularity.

Adidas' sponsorship - will it meet its goals?

The final, and possibly most successful, aspect of the ad is its ability to leverage the World Cup without being an actual sponsor.  Adidas will be the brand on the ball and throughout the stadiums this summer in South Africa, but will its sponsorship meet its goals?  Nike’s timing and quality of “Write the Future” will put its brand name in the minds of millions, if not billions, soccer fans prior to the start of the Cup.  I feel this creates something similar to a first mover advantage for Nike.

Adidas, while temporarily at a disadvantage, needs to respond closer to the start of the World Cup.  And it might have the firepower to do so.  Generating creative that leverages the celebrity of David Beckham, Lionel Messi, and the USA’s own Jozy Altidore could do the trick.

The combination of the World Cup, competing global brands, and bringing the world’s sport to the US is a little more than one blog post can handle.  I plan on blogging regularly regarding these topics, and more over the course of the summer.

What do you think of Nike’s new ad?  What do you think Adidas should do to respond?  Are you looking forward to the World Cup?

I don’t think coaching moves should be made unless the organization has a definite successor in mind and if the firing is justified.  Neither appear to be the case for the Bulls this time.  Bulls GM Gar Forman says Del Negro isn’t the coach to take the Bulls to the next level, and I cannot wait to see who he believes is better qualified.  The Bulls, and now-EVP John Paxson, didn’t think Scott Skiles was good enough either.  He left and turned around a Milwaukee Bucks organization that recently took the Atlanta Hawks to a Game 7 behind the catchy “Fear the Deer” tagline.  The Bulls?  Mailed their season in around New Years, traded half the roster for EC’s, hung their coach out to dry, then attempted to fight him for trying to win games. And they still went to the playoffs and took a game from NBA title-favorite Cleveland.  Normally I don’t have strong feelings on hiring/firing coaches, but this doesn’t feel right.

Definitely not from 2010

The Bulls are currently reviewing the laundry list of names that come up every time a coaching vacancy opens in the NBA:  Doug Collins, Byron Scott, Lawrence Frank, various NBA assistants, and Kevin McHale.  I can’t help but think “there’s a reason these guys don’t have NBA head coaching jobs.”  However, if I must choose, Byron Scott intrigues me with his development of another outstanding young point guard in Chris Paul, but the rest are far from exciting.

The coaching carousel in sports is making a home in Chicago and I pity the next coach that steps in under this management.  One that always seems to think the grass is greener on the other side and points the finger at others.  Let’s just hope Paxson and Forman can do their jobs this summer and provide the new guy with a legit NBA team.

What do you think of the Del Negro firing?

Heineken: We know how to Market

Heineken organized an event centered on the AC Milan-Real Madrid soccer match to launch its Champions League sponsorship that successfully tied in every channel you could imagine, and created tons “buzz.”  Heineken’s event is a prime example of targeting, understanding the consumer, and finding a creative way to reach them.

After soliciting the help of hundreds of friends, girlfriends, bosses, and some media outlets, Heineken successfully planned a classical music event during the exact time the game was on.  Over 1100 Italian soccer fans had their “sacred moment” taken away, and were forced to sit through about fifteen minutes of a string quartet’s performance.  Then Heineken came to the rescue.

The transition from classical music to world class soccer was nothing short of hilarious, and even the most skeptical consumers could appreciate it.  However, the most important aspect of this event is the buzz.  While the target segment was reached and Heineken’s brand equity improved for this smaller segment, the fallout via the internet, news stations, YouTube, and blogs like this is the real gold mine.  Heineken has achieved millions of dollars in coverage as a result of their creativity, and has set a new standard for creative marketing in my mind.

What are other examples of great marketing you have seen recently?  What do you think of Heineken’s event?

The Cubs-Sox series will now be referred to as the “Crosstown Cup.” “Cup”…like the World Cup, Sprint Cup, Stanley Cup, Champions Cup. While I think the sponsorship is great for everyone involved, I believe those same parties dropped the ball in its execution.

Sponsoring this rivalry was an outstanding decision by BP. The series is covered extensively by all media outlets in Chicago and will reach almost every household in the country’s 3rd largest market. The combination of the naming sponsorship, ability to sponsor both teams, combination of online and offline ads, and further promotional opportunities make this an ideal spot for BP. They’ve already set aside $60,000 in free gas giveaways, and figure to leverage this sponsorship at all its Chicagoland locations. The teams also win because they’re cashing in on six of their biggest games of the year. Financial information was not available, but I’d guess BP spent at least $25 million on this one.

Now to the execution. “Cup.” Just like crying, there are no “cups” in baseball. Putting a trophy at stake for this rivalry isn’t a bad idea, but a “cup”? Really? When I think “cup” I think soccer, hockey, and even NASCAR. Baseball has nothing to do with cups. And as much as I support BP’s sponsorship, I don’t think they should have dominated the logo the way they did. I’m sure their brains behind the sponsorship were excited to get to use as much green and yellow as they wanted, but I almost puked in class when I saw it. Trust me, I’m not alone either. While the sponsorship will probably work well for BP as it stands, I believe they sold themselves short by taking the focus away from the teams and city. It will be effective in getting BP’s brand in the minds of baseball fans across Chicago, but I doubt it will be effective in generating loyal consumers.

What do you think about BP’s sponsorship? Cubs and Sox fans please respond.

Can you name the Sports Venues of the 4 Major Sports?

Score to Beat:  80

Missed:  A lot of the small market venues.  Sorry Oklahoma City Thunder.

The talk touched on mental disorders, business, the environment, among other topics.  These were some of my takeaways from Mr. Branson this afternoon.

Simplify Business – One question a student asked Mr. Branson was how dyslexia has changed his outlook on business. His answer was simple – simplify it.  Whether it be advertising or any other aspect of Virgin’s many brands, Branson believes the best approach is to speak in a way the customers will understand.  He told a story about how he was pulled out of a meeting for a minute by one of his subordinates, who promptly asked him, “You don’t know the difference between ‘net’ and ‘gross’ do you?”  Branson, and the hundreds of Virgin brands, have kept this in mind when sending their message.  Its worked out okay.

Find a Problem, Solve it – When asked why he entered the airline industry, Branson continued his simple approach.  He was displeased at the current flying experiences available, and believed Virgin could develop a better offering.  I believe this is a mindset people my age, especially aspiring entrepreneurs, must have.  Identifying and meeting needs is the core of all business, and should be the key framework used while starting a new business.

Environment of Praise – How do small businesses and entrepreneurs compete successfully during tough economic times?  By surrounding themselves by people who genuinely care, regardless of their title.  I can vouch for this as I’ve been working with a small business over the last several weeks to implement a social media strategy for the first time.  Every employee, from the owner to the newest high school employee, truly loves the business.  The effect?  Almost 1000 Facebook fans in less than a week.

I would have liked to hear Mr. Branson lecture a little more, rather than sit back and answer questions from over-eager MBA students, but it was still a great experience to see him in person.  Feel free to contact me with any questions.