http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/ Ave 25. Advertising, Design and much more. en-us Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:04:25 GMT Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:51:03 GMT CF Blogger by DayDream Inc http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss will@ave25.com will@ave25.com http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=B68537C2-19DB-7207-727E4EC4C7D2AF16 As of yesterday InBev and now Anheuser-Busch are officially merged. And what could make it more official than a new logo? I'm sure you'll form your own opinion on this new mark and the branding effort. Seems pretty absent of all history to me. Gradients galore, and likely a color from all of the brands that InBev now owns, it looks remarkably similar to some WEB 2.0 logos to me. Maybe we'll be able to buy beer online now. The website is just a launch site for now. I supposed there is some resemblance to beer and the other amber colored beverages in the design. So much for the majestic, rich-in-tradition eagle mascot though. Meh...   Rants and Raves Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:51:03 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=B68537C2-19DB-7207-727E4EC4C7D2AF16 http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=881EF23C-19DB-7207-72AF1518C141D69F I'm not that old, but I recall the word, "SUGAR" being in the titles of breakfast cereal when I was a kid. Then I ran across this timeline of cereal brand greats. I was right. Frosted Flakes was originally Sugar Frosted Flakes. Eventually the word sugar was pulled from everything in the breakfast category and replaced with things like, Golden, Frosted and Honey -- certainly more healthy than plain old sugar! Remember Sugar Smacks or Sugar Bear? SUGAR & GUNS! AWESOME! –  Oh, sugar, you were a great friend. Graphic design has become such an intense marketing tool that the characters seem to actually play with your kids -- at least tempting them enough to throw a fit until you allow the box in the cart. They're about a animated as you can get and still be two-dimensional. But  at least Tony had the huge sugar sparkles going for him on his spoon. That's all kids needed back then. Mmm…sugar…Enjoy some more of these great before & afters including old commercials!And here's a history of tons of cereal including box offers. You could even get a Chris-Craft Speedboat and Surfboard plus "Nuclear Propellant" see here.  Rants and Raves Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:36:48 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=881EF23C-19DB-7207-72AF1518C141D69F http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=497524C2-19DB-7207-7267A4A9F29E920E If you've been to our blog recently you might have noticed a few sneak peaks of the new Pepsi look. With some of the comments posted on different sites you'd think it was a poorly received endeavor and possibly even a publicity stunt. Pepsi has marked the updated look with a video of the brand evolution including logos, bottles, ads,  and some slick vector animation that some may argue is a weak justification of the "smirk" that is now the logo - each grin a little different for the brands: Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and Pepsi Max. You decide.  Rants and Raves Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:34:53 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=497524C2-19DB-7207-7267A4A9F29E920E http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=3F138AEE-19DB-7207-72FA129F51850D28 You're accustomed to seeing ads in all the usual places, bllboards, newspaper, internet banners, etc. Unless they're terrificly creative they're common placement makes them become practically invisible. But take the creativity and some original placement and you can ratchet up the effectiveness exponentially!  Advertising Advice Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:12:04 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=3F138AEE-19DB-7207-72FA129F51850D28 http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=2B00E085-19DB-7207-72DF30010DDB78BB OOOH, AAAH! Pepsi hasn't unveiled their new logos yet, but by doing a little detective work on the web at the US Patent and Trademark Office's Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) web site we (and now you) get a peek at their newly registered logos for Pepsi, Mtn Dew and Gatorade before the public. This might not be the final form of the new logos but it's gotta be close if they're registering these marks. Pepsi...Okay I get it...bigger smile for bigger bad stuff in it right?   Gatorade...are you kidding me?  Mtn Dew...snore. So what do we really think of them? YIKES!!!! Safe, secure, boring! Come on! Seriously it looks like bad class project work resurrected from the 90s. "The choice of the old generation!" I thought the idea here was to make a serious change. More than likely these are designs by committee with the wrong people in the meetings. Get the big wig and the pencil pushers out of the room and don't be afraid to ruffle some feathers you big chickens! I know in these times people need their comfort food, but obviously more of us are looking for a "change." Carpe deim! So by all means do your bottom line a favor, scrap these and call Avenue 25 before you launch these things.  We'll even do the work pro-bono just so we won't have to be subjected to these every time we flip on the telly. My Predictions:  Okay,  without doing my research I'm guessing Pepsi brands are losing market share to the hip, energy drink revoloution. With that said, I'm predicting Pepsi brands will launch their "new" branding initiatives with a 30% increase in advertising expenditures over the next 6 months. This alone might result in a 12% spike in sales leveraging a 6 to 8% increase in revenue over a 24 month period. Limited, safe and dependable. Investors won't bail. But make some edgy  changes to logos and identites and they're likely to see a 20% to 30% increase in revenue over that same 24 month period. Even if it flops, if it's spun right, they'd be looking at a 10 to 15% revenue boost from negative publicity, then they can fall back to the these safe logos for an additional 6 to 8% bump over the following 12 months with yet another branding surge riding almost entirely on PR. Two branding surges in 24 months riding 50% on PR alone? Priceless! Rants and Raves Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:39:17 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=2B00E085-19DB-7207-72DF30010DDB78BB http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=25B00157-19DB-7207-72E8DC6B0175F5D6 Pepsi announced today that it will be revamping the design and identities of their key brands, in light of the decrease in sales with drops between 2% and 5% in different beverage categories. No visuals, other than the logo above, have been released so this is definitely a preemptive review of the work done by New York-based Arnell Group. PepsiCo plans to pour some $1.2 billion over three years into sweeping changes to its brands, including what Chairman-CEO Indra Nooyi characterized as a "revamp of  every aspect of the brand proposition for our key [carbonated soft drink] brands. How they look, how they're packaged, how they will be merchandised on the shelves, and how they connect with consumers." Tropicana will also be differentiated, to re-engage consumers with this iconic brand. Pepsi's blue and red globe trademark will become a series of "smiles," with the central white band arcing at different angles depending on the product. Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Max will use all lower-case fonts for name brands. A "smile" will characterize brand Pepsi, while a "grin" is used for Diet Pepsi and a "laugh" is used for Pepsi Max. Also, Mountain Dew will be rebranded as Mtn Dew, and Diet Pepsi Max will be known as simply Pepsi Max. They're initiating similar upgrades for the entire Gatorade line, which will have an entirely new contemporary identity, and there will be exciting innovations for both G2 and Tiger and a renewed Propel platform. Rants and Raves Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:52:51 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=25B00157-19DB-7207-72E8DC6B0175F5D6 http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=21575D86-19DB-7207-72E0EFD3FEFB0FD7 We wanted to post a few cool web designs for Phoenix businesses. Hey we're not opposed to pointing out some good web design work others have done for our Phoenix market, but we're having a difficult time finding any (other than those we have done of course.) So here's a few cool web designs from beyond the Phoenix zone. Ice Break web site, Oakley's site design, SonicJam Asian web design, and my personal favoriteProject 7-7's web site design. Too much fun! If you can find any other cool web designs for Phoenix businesses that Avenue 25 didn't design, please send us a link to them! Rants and Raves Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:37:33 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=21575D86-19DB-7207-72E0EFD3FEFB0FD7 http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=20B82D05-19DB-7207-728023F6FBEDC301 Here is some good advice to keep in mind for our web designer readers. When designing your next web site try these more professional web tactics...  1. Don't say "click here". When calling a reader to action, use a brief, meaningful web link that provides information when read out of context such as "About puppy breath". And don't link the whole phrase.  2. Use standard redirects in your web sites. Don't use "refresh" to redirect it can break your "back" button. Use HTTP redirects instead. Advertising Advice Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:43:40 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=20B82D05-19DB-7207-728023F6FBEDC301 http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=083F4FB9-19DB-7207-724743594FEA5E1F You mean there's the difference? Most people don't realize it but there is a big difference. So let's get you up to speed. Web site DESIGNERS are like the artists of the web world. They're the creative ones who like to design the look of the web site. They also can and do create basic web sites using basic coding languages like html, flash and CSS (cascading style sheets.) However, most web site designers draw the line at that. They don't like to do heavy coding or complex sites and either avoid it or do a bad job at it. Web site DEVELOPERS are like the computer programmers of the web world. Web site developers are (or should be) deeply knowledgeable about many additional coding languages beyond a web site designer. They love heavy coding and are typically more mathematically-minded. But most lack the creativity of a web site designer. If you need an online software developed or have a web site that needs elements like e-commerce, integrated databases, security, search capabilities, etc., then you will need a web site developer. If you're looking for both, then you might need to hire both or hire one and he or she will usually find someone to do the work on your site that they are unable to do. Where people run into trouble is when their web site designer or developer  tries to do both but lacks the expertise to do a good job at both. More often than not, the results are disasterous. If you can find an accomplished web site designer who is also an accomplished web site developer, consider yourself very lucky and count on the job being done right, on-time and within the price quoted. Also count on paying more for the project. But with web sites, you almost always get what you pay for and the extra cost up front will save you enormous headaches and more money in the long run. Avenue 25 is different than other web firms or freelancers because we have some of the most accomplished web site designers and developers in the industry. We stand behind every web site we design and develop which is practically unheard of in the web world.  And our clients can count on us being there when they need us which is also practically unheard of in the web world. Advertising Advice Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:40:46 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=083F4FB9-19DB-7207-724743594FEA5E1F http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=DD3B4A84-19DB-7207-72A802C7D9997BC9   "A good ad should be like a good sermon: It must not only comfort the afflicted, it also must afflict the comfortable."  - Bernice Fitz-Gibbon ( Former copywriter, Gimbels Department Store) Rants and Raves Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:12:42 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=DD3B4A84-19DB-7207-72A802C7D9997BC9 http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=DD2980ED-19DB-7207-72F0535404F2E1E1 Young men 18 to 34 are receptive to online ads and can recall about half of the ads they see on the Web, according to research released today from Break Media.The company found that 47% of online men in that demographic have purchased a product or service after seeing an online ad. Break’s network of sites includes several male-skewing Web destinations, so the company has a vested interest in promoting the effectiveness of ads targeted to young men. Still, the research is valuable as it also points to broader trends in online programming for men.For instance, 59% of young men notice ads, 35% like ads that allow them to play a game and 34% like ads that allow them to participate in a contest. In addition, 69% say they can’t live without the Internet, compared with 31% for television, while 40% use the Internet for more than 22 hours a week and one third say they can’t live without online entertainment.But young men say they won’t sacrifice real women for women they meet on the Web. The study reported that 79% would rather meet a woman out on the town than online and 71% prefer a date with a “hot girl” to a poker game with the boys.Study conducted by research firm Hall and Partners. Advertising Advice Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:53:16 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=DD2980ED-19DB-7207-72F0535404F2E1E1 http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=90FE737B-19DB-7207-72E6A1282C1274E1 The e-newsletter is arguably the most immediately effective marketing tool available today. And it's inexpensive, and controllable, and keeps you in front of your prospects, and is strong for branding, and provides instant results, and is perfect for promotions, and, and, and...... The gist of it is, if you don't currently have a weekly, monthly or quarterly newsletter, you're missing the boat. But don't panic just yet. Do it today and you'll thank us tomorrow!There is a lot of research and information out there about how to create an effective e-newsletter. The good news is, Avenue 25 is on top of it all and we're even one of the teams contributing to the research. So if you want it done right and handled professionally, give us a call. However, should you decide to go it alone, here are 8 basic pieces of advice: 1. Use a good third-party e-newsletter system such as ConstantContact.com.  2. Add photos and graphics to create interest  3. Limit the number of articles  4. Write articles that pertain to your business but are interesting to people outside your industry  5. Keep the articles to one or two short paragraphs  6. Lead people to your website by posting the rest of an article on your website with a "read more" link on the newsletter.  7.  Add a promotion to your newsletter  8. Add a link on the home page of your website for people to register to receive your newsletter   -  NOW GET MOVING!  Advertising Advice Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:55:06 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=90FE737B-19DB-7207-72E6A1282C1274E1 http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=7227DA44-19DB-7207-725AE79AA7091C8E Here's the latest in ad technology. These new high-tech video billboards use face recognition style technology to learn what people like and to better market to you. (Watch this video.)  A scanning device reads passing faces and knows if someone is looking at the monitor, what part of the ad they are looking at, for what length of time, when they turn their head, etc. The data is instantly streamed back to a central computer. Simply from an analytic standpoint, such a tool is nothing less than groundbreaking! Where this technology could potentially go is breathtaking! Advertising Advice Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:12:06 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=7227DA44-19DB-7207-725AE79AA7091C8E http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=7116CEEA-19DB-7207-7278502657C9FC28 You might not love the ads, but they're effective! These are the summer's best according to MRI Starch Communications, a specialist in print-advertising research who has developed an "engagement score" to help identify the best-performing print ads out there. The score combines the percentage of readers who noticed a given ad and the percentage that read at least half of it. Read below each ad for their reasoning about why each ad is so effective. MRI Starch considered 694 one-page and two-page ads with a minimum of 50 words. It then selected the top ads in each of 12 major categories. All selected ads were thoroughly read by over half of those who initially noticed the ad. Advertising Advice Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:13:52 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=7116CEEA-19DB-7207-7278502657C9FC28 http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=343C2836-19DB-7207-72A686E6B6ED621C Those big brands wouldn't have gotten where they are without big advertising. So just how much do some of them plan to spend on advertising in '08?  Here 's a good cross-section:   Outback Steakhouse ($80 million), Kellogg ($1.3 billion), Ford (1.4 billion), GM ($2.3 billion), PetsMart  ($45 million), Old Navy ($200 million), Procter & Gamble ($3.6 billion), Verizon ($2.5 billion), Pepsico  ($1.4 billion), Walt Disney Co. ($1.3 billion). Rants and Raves Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:37:49 GMT http://www.ave25.com/word_on_the_street/display_blog.cfm?bid=343C2836-19DB-7207-72A686E6B6ED621C