Microsoft Ad Extends Olive Branch to Apple for the Holidays
“Call it the Christmas Truce of 2015. Last year Microsoft ran ads comparing its Surface pro 3 to Apple's Mac Book Air for its holiday push, but this year the marketer is calling for peace with Apple in a more brand-oriented ad for the holidays. The spot, which will air on TV Dec. 3, features Microsoft store employees -- along with a Harlem children's choir -- singing "Let There Be Peace on Earth" in front of Apple's store on 5th Avenue in New York. It was created by Microsoft's agency, McCann's M:United.” Read the full story at Ad Age.
AdForum’s Ad of the Day: Hydration Magic by Derby Content
Advertisers Cautiously Venture into the World of Reddit
“Reddit is often called ‘the front page of the Internet,’ but for many brands it's remained a no-go zone, given the likelihood of getting flamed or trolled by anonymous users. There's just as much potential on the social platform's forums (called subreddits) to make money and generate influence and goodwill, but it too is fraught with danger. Maybe all you need is a guide. After just one year of running stealthy Reddit campaigns for tech-minded companies, Brian Swichkow, founder of nascent social-marketing firm Ghost Influence, said he now ‘gets calls all of the time’ from agencies wanting to subcontract his work, which has the potential to quadruple a brand's social impressions. Swichkow said he attracted $500,000 in new business in just a few weeks after a campaign for an unnamed wearables product went viral. Full story at Adweek.
Job of the Day: Account Director at Big Spaceship in New York City
This role requires a true leader with an entrepreneurial spirit, a love for social content and the ability to champion Big Spaceship’s work, culture and process from afar. The Account Director must be both strategic and hands-on, have a strong management sensibility and be 100% committed to delivering fantastic creative ideas and work that stays on-objective, matching up to client challenges seamlessly. Details at Big Spaceship.
72andSunny Makes Forbes’ Top “Disruptive” Brands List
“Markets now move at the speed of technology. We live in exponential times and the pace of change is accelerating. Adaptation requires radical transformation in marketing. It requires innovations to both products and the business model. Success through innovation means continuous disruption.”
16. 72andSunny: Sizzling hot ad agency
Read more at Forbes.
Virtual Racism Gets Real on Billboards in Brazil
“Racist commenters beware: Your words might show up in your own backyard. A new campaign in Brazil is plastering billboards with racist Facebook comments. The point is not to expose anyone but to educate people that their words have a real impact. The campaign, "Virtual racism, real consequences," is using the location tag from Facebook posts to find where the offenders live. The group is then buying billboard space in their neighborhoods, but blurring out the names and photos of the commenters.” Full story at Business Insider.
Cyber Monday Sales Increase by 12% to Nearly $3 Billion
“Cyber Monday, the online shopping spectacle, lived up to expectations with sales growing 12 percent year-over-year to a record $2.98 billion, according to Adobe Digital Index. Deep discounts and flash sales lured shoppers online making it the “largest online sales day in history,” Adobe says, which anonymously tracks data from 80 percent of the nation’s top 100 retailers across 4,500 websites.” More at Digiday.
Agency of the Week
J. Walter Thompson New York: For the past 150 years, JWT New York has been about marrying intelligent, sophisticated ideas to the technological innovations of the moment. As the headquarters of a global network of more than 10,000 people in 90 offices in more than 200 countries, we are indeed “worldmade”. Inspired by and of the world and taking those global insights and combining them with technology to deliver highly relevant communications across a wide array of platforms – paid, owned, co-created and earned -- for the brands that we serve.
