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Confetti: Party Decor Transforms Into Mystical Marketing Messages

Posted By: 

Tom Keathley

Date: 

November 10th, 2009 /// Marketing Trends

We all know that breaking through clutter is a classic challenge for marketers, particularly with the ever-increasing bombardment of messages hurled at consumers. We believe the key is to offer up unexpected fun to entice engagement.

One of our favorite tactics is a marketing wonder that’s smaller than a business card. Confetti is the word we’ve coined as its name. On the surface, Confetti is a pretty little card with interesting visuals and a website URL. Like traditional confetti, it looks great when it’s spread around an environment as party décor. Unlike its festive counterpart, you can use Confetti to make people believe fate is calling.

Picture this: You sit down at your favorite restaurant and find a pocket-sized message on the table. Suddenly, you have the feeling that it was put there just for you. Almost like fate is talking to you. You put it in your pocket or purse, only to rediscover it later. Yet again, your interest is piqued, and you feel compelled to hop online to unravel the mystery.

That’s the beauty of Confetti. You can spread it around town in small doses or drop it from a helicopter (okay, don’t litter!) – restaurants, the library, and the gym – anywhere that’s appropriate. And it’s a little intriguing treasure that’s impossible to resist.

Proof positive of the power of Confetti.

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How shenanigans can make you millions

Posted By: 

Brandi Hensler

Date: 

November 3rd, 2009 /// Inspiration, Keathley Take Fives

Freestyle writing. Yoga. Radiohead. Creatives use many methods to get (and stay) inspired. An inspired and practiced mind is much more prone to moments of creative genius.

People may be born creative, but in order to harness creativity, it needs to be exercised. Creativity is not a bike. You can’t jump on it after years without practice. You’ll probably crash, and definitely won’t land a 720 bar spin.

Advertising agencies know this. Smart ones encourage behavior that inspires creativity because creativity impacts their bottom lines. The question is: Would this mode of thinking benefit other businesses that may view these behaviors as a waste of company time? Maybe the answer is no. Then again… more industries than advertising rely on ideas.

Creativity-inspiring activities aren’t necessarily time consuming.  A break from intense thinking for some short-lived fun has substantial positive results. Redirecting attention for a moment of entertainment and creative release refreshes creative mojo. We bet modern psychology can back this up. And we’ve known it to solve problems on many occasions.

In the names of all those whose work benefits from a 5-minute Fun-Time Refresh, we’ve decided to compile a collection of examples. We’ll call it the “Keathley Take Fives.” Keep an eye out for additions. Here’s one to get you started.

Situation: This Keathley Take Five manifested itself in the form of an email chain. Becki Cooper, Account Coordinator, had to stay home one morning for a kitchen appliance repair. She sent the following email to inform the staff of the situation:

Dishwasher guy said he will be here at 11. Probably be in around 12-12:15. Feel free to email me w anything.

Becki Cooper
Public Relations Coordinator
Keathley Advertising

As any levelheaded colleagues would respond, the staff took the last line of the email quite literally. The following is a glimpse at some of the responses.

Hey Becki:

Hate to bother you, but I have a pressing question I wanted to ask.  Typically, people don’t read labels properly and shampoo their hair incorrectly.

I’m sure you know this, but it says to “Lather. Rinse. AND Repeat.”  I know a lot of people don’t Repeat and only Lather and Rinse once.  This is a shame.  I just wanted to see if you were aware of this situation and were taking steps to assure that you are indeed Repeating as the label implies.

I just don’t want to get into a “He-said” “She-said” situation when it comes to these types of things.  Can you please put together a 20+ page internal policy report on how we can correct this issue in the future (and we might as well put together something on how it can be corrected in the past while we are at it).  If you could have that ready by noon for review that would be great.

Thanks.
–

Zachary Linquist
Director of Interactive Media

________________________________________________________________

Hey Becki:

I hope things are going well with your appliances. I was just sitting here pondering an important question: Twix: Cookie or Candy? I thought that, with your background in cake design, you might have some insight on this.

Would you mind doing some primary and secondary research on the subject? It’d be great if you could post a formal survey on your Facebook page and ask all your Twitter followers.

Please compile your findings in a detailed report, along with at least 22 related web articles and a summary of your final conclusions, by EOD today.

Thanks,

Jack                                                                                                                                                                           Associate Creative Director

________________________________________________________________

Hi Becki,

I need some consultation about an area of your expertise. American Idol, while obviously the most annoying and mentally insubstantial show ever to have disgraced the screen, is somehow the most successful show in history.

Is the success of American Idol due to it being a meritable reality program or a string of self-obsessed publicity stunts and scandals?

Topics of discussion:

• Paula Abdul and young boys
• Paula Abdul on drugs
• “Coke” cups: promotion or insinuation?
• Gay guys finish second
• Ryan Seacrest

Please advise.

Thanks

Brandi Hensler
Copywriter

________________________________________________________________

Conclusion: Did Becki deliver on these requests? No. Was the combined 15 minutes spent on this a waste of company time? Maybe. But the award-winning campaign that was concepted later the same day says otherwise…

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Blast through white noise with creative environmental

Posted By: 

Renee Arwood

Date: 

October 9th, 2009 /// Inspiration

Billboards. Commercials. Magazine ads. Posters. Junk mail. Pop-ups. Product placement. On a given day, most Americans are exposed to about 3,000 different commercial messages. We all know that the days of three TV channels and undivided attention are long gone. If you don’t say something worth hearing, no one will listen. It’s not about forcing attention – it’s about earning it.

We’re always working toward new ways to break through the clutter, create intrigue, and get people to stop and think. With a little creative thinking, you can command attention without being obnoxious. One of our favorite strategies is to create unexpected entertainment through non-traditional messaging. Here are a few of our favorite non-traditional tactics.

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Levi’s: Dressed for Social Media Success

Posted By: 

Jackie Bebenroth

Date: 

September 8th, 2009 /// Marketing Trends

I’ve always been a big fan of Levi’s campaigns. I was once so moved by a Levi’s superbowl spot, I ran out the next day to buy a pair of (not so) skinny jeans. Levi’s is a classic name that refuses to tire, endlessly reinventing itself to stay connected.

Levi’s ads are almost always sexy, modern and thought provoking while tying in the brand’s heritage in fresh and unexpected ways. This year’s Go Forth: The New Americans campaign is no exception. This site uses consumer-generated content to build the “fabric” of its message, fueling American pride in challenging times.

The multimedia invitation – words, images, audio and video — offers ample opportunity to participate. Contests create compelling reasons to submit. Content suggestions such as “Pick a task: Take a picture of you wearing Levi’s in a place you’ve never been before” inspire brand integration in ways that spark imaginative thoughts.

Copy is almost an afterthought, but just as powerful as the submitted imagery: “I work for better times. ‘Cause no one built this country in suits.” Whether a reader or contributor, you’re likely to remember this site, associating the Levi’s brand with the belief that you too can shape an ideal American future…especially while wearing a great pair of 501s.

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Medical Marketing: Tackling the Embarrassing Issues Head On

Posted By: 

Brandi Hensler

Date: 

August 25th, 2009 /// Industry Insight

Whether it’s using humor to raise testicular cancer awareness or invading your personal space to talk about schizophrenia, it seems that tackling the topic head-on is one of the most successful approaches. Bluntly starting a conversation about uncomfortable subjects often has the effect of making them less ominous. At Keathley, we applied this same thinking about a taboo topic with The Accidental Sisterhood. Learn more by downloading the Case Study.

Hands-on testicular cancer awareness.

If you see this dude in the mirror, seek help.

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