idea blog

Marketing commentary for better. Or worse.

Makers Mark
20 May '14

Tagline Review: “It Is What It Isn’t” (Maker’s Mark)

As far as taglines go, there’s a deserved premium on clever. The best taglines express the ethos of their company sideways — sparking that flicker of recognition that comes in the gap between perception and understanding. But what about when a tagline goes too clever? We think this campaign by Maker’s Mark may be guilty of…

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got-photo-2
15 Apr '14

6 Ways Marketers Are Jumping on the Game of Thrones Brandwagon.

1. Jumping on the Game of Thrones #Brandwagon.  Here’s a look at how brands have been leveraging Game of Thrones in conjunction with this weekend’s Season 4 opener. 2. “Game of Social Thrones.” As fans of the show, we thought this mapping by social media dashboard service HootSuite was just too good. 3. Houses Imagined as Brands. I think the LogicTrail team…

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orange-block
27 Mar '14

Check Out This Hilarious, Deliciously Accurate Skewering Of Brand Videos.

We present you with Generic Brand Video, produced by stock video footage provider Dissolve. Read Kendra Eash’s McSweeney’s piece, the original inspiration for the video, and more coverage from Adweek.

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06 Mar '14

Announcing the Finalists for the 6th Annual Shorty Awards (Go Daenerys!)

We’re so glad it’s almost Shorty Awards season. The annual award event, launched in 2008 by tech entrepreneurs Sawhorse Median, honors “the best brands, agencies and professionals on social media.” Today, they announced their finalists for 2014. Categories include “Best Brand on Twitter,” “Best Use of Animated GIFs,” “Best Viral Campaign,” and “Best Use of a Hashtag,” with…

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10 Feb '14

Which Companies Are Winning Marketing Gold At The Olympics – And Which Are Losing Big.

The Olympics: a time of superhuman athletic prowess, inspiring global unity, and epic marketing wins – and fails. And during a particularly controversial Olympics, tread lightly, o corporate giants – lest you incur the wrath of LGBT people (& allies) everywhere. Or, in this case, don’t just tread lightly – take a freaking stand. Here are a couple…

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23 Jan '14

Redefining “Real Beauty,” Part II.

More on redefining beauty, from Dove. And it’s local! (The film was shot in Great Barrington, MA, and directed by Smith alum Cynthia Wade.) And then there’s this, from Hungary:

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