- Adage.com- Want to hear the latest breaking news on advertising and marketing? Go to this site to get more information on media from the best ads to global marketing.
- DMNews.com- This site offers all things branding. Want to know what big corporations are doing pertaining to marketing and advertising? Direct Marketing News will keep you updated on what’s going on with the corporate world.
- AdWeek.com- How can I make a list of top 10 advertising/marketing news websites without including the one and only AdWeek? Well, I can’t. So here it is. This site is essential.
- BrandWeek.com- I will admit this one is closely related to AdWeek, but includes shopper and food & beverage sections that delves into health-related news. I particularly find these interesting. Why not find out more about what’s going into your body?
- NyTimes.com- Yes, there are tons of information on this infamous news publication. But don’t forget to look at the Media & Advertising section where you’ll find breaking news and can ask the editor your questions.
- Mashable.com- My favorite website for all things social media and marketing. The writers are on top of breaking news and are masters are twittering. You can always find the most interesting information on this site including bits from music to global inventions.
- MediaPost.com- Use this site as a conduit to find online publications, blogs and videos pertaining to advertising and media news. There’s so much information so brace yourself! It can be overwhelming so know what you’re searching for before.
- Advertising.Aol.News.com- Since AOL acquired Huffington Post, they’ll have even more information. I recently found myself going to AOL for my daily news feed. And that is their goal. They want to beat out Google as a go-to news outlet, and they are doing a great job in my opinion although there’s some work that needs to be done with their advertising site.
- PRNewswire.com- This site is super helpful in that it has a timeline of real time events. Yes, that’s right! A timeline. Genius!
- Blog.Adrenalineshot.com- How can we forget about our one and only website? Not only do we cover news regarding all things advertising, we also write about what we think our readers are interested in while asking for your opinions!
10 Advertising/Marketing News Outlets
Power of McDonald’s Marketing: Genius or A Scape Goat For Parents?
I remember the days when I’d ask my parents to take me to McDonald’s. I would beg, plead and make promises that I would do an extra chore (like washing the dishes). “I promise I’ll sweep the house TWO times a day for a week!” Was I willing to do all this for a tiny burger slapped between buns and fries? Absolutely not. It was about the toy. The anticipation of opening up the colorful Happy Meal box to see what fantastic “present” McDonald’s had in store for me was worth all the promises of eating all my food and extra house duties. When the company decided to invest in the overnight sensation that was “Beanie Babies”, I increased my chores to THREE times a day. Needless to say, the kitchen floor was spotless. I wanted to believe that it would be a good investment one day when Beanie Babies made a comeback. I definitely had a hard week’s work to earn my pellet-filled toy. To this day, my collection of Teenie Beanie Babies still sits in their plastic bags in a closet.
It’s no secret that McDonald’s campaigns are aimed towards children. In 2006, the corporation spent over $520 million on advertising and toys to market children’s meals. CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) stated, “Toy premiums made up almost three-quarters of those expenses, totaling over $350 million.” Remember, that was almost 5 years ago.
Today, McDonald’s is facing a lawsuit filed by the CSPI on behalf of a California mother. She argues “that the fast-food chain is ‘circumventing parental control’ by luring children into desiring the company’s toy-packing Happy Meals”, reports the L.A. Times.
Earlier this year, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors tried to ban the Happy Meal toys, but was vetoed by Mayor Gavin Newsom. Newsom argued that is starts with parental control. “Parents, not politicians, should decide what their children eat, especially when it comes to spending their own money,” Newsom said after issuing his veto. “Despite its good intentions, I cannot support this unwise and unprecedented governmental intrusion into parental responsibilities and private choices.” Days later, however, the Board of Supervisors overrode Newsom’s veto, forcing McDonald’s to either drop the toys from Happy Meals or make the food in Happy Meals healthier.
So, I beg the question, “Is McDonald’s genius marketing too powerful even for parents?”
Color: Good predictor of nation’s morale?
As we come to one year’s end, a new one is upon us. This essentially means, out with the old and in with the new. For 2010, Pantone, the leading company in color standards, chose a tranquil Turquoise for its calming and escapist effects for a suffering economy. This year, the company predicts “Honeysuckle” as the new hue for 2011, also kn
own specifically as Pantone 18-2120 TCX. “The reddish pink shade lights a fire to your senses and revs you up”, says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. She also adds, “In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going- perfect to ward off the blues.”
Each year, Eiseman polls graphic, industrial, fashion and other designers from around the world and studies trends adopted by manufacturers and retailers before making her final prediction for the New Year.
So does this mean that 2011 will be a year for recovery and new opportunities? Can this vibrant hue instill a sense of hope, after a dimming past, for a brighter tomorrow?
As we quickly approach January 1st, we’ll soon discover if the nation’s future is as bright as Pantone’s new “Honeysuckle” hue.
Point, Microsoft
Microsoft advertising, typically ill-targeted and less-than-memorable, has scored with a new campaign well-executed. Instead of taking on the iPhone itself (which would have likely failed), the Windows Phone campaign impugns the phone-centric culture the iPhone helped create. Whether a culprit or observer, everyone can relate to this über-current social phenomena. The commercial below is the best of the series. Some offshoots aren’t as engaging and the campaign success remains to be seen, but a “phone to save us from our phones” is pretty smart. Now being a smartphone itself, the Windows Phone may have trouble delivering on this promise. But for now… kudos to Microsoft. At least until Apple responds with something better.
Social Media Mania
Branding Tactics, Truths and Turn-offs for Business
It’s enticing and consuming. Dreaded and feared. It’s the key initiative of 2011 marketing plans. Reality TV of the internet. It’s social media, and it’s here to stay.
While its potential impact can’t be denied, brands everywhere are grasping to find their place in this new world. What may be in today can easily fall out tomorrow, and the only precedent is to set new precedents. What works for one industry can be detrimental to another. But one thing is certain: if you’re going to “go social,” you must do it with a purpose and be willing to invest the time and resources to do it right.
Read more