Kearley's 2013 Videos: A Half-Year in Review

With all of the projects we've had to tackle this year, some of the most fun and challenging have been our video projects. All of our videos are storyboarded, shot, and edited in-house. 

In the first six months of this year, we've been able to do some animation, comedy and even testimonials. And we hope you'll enjoy watching them as much as we enjoyed making them: 

Central Star Credit Union-"Get Curve Appeal"

Central Star Credit Union-"Get Naked Checking"

American Airlines Credit Union-"Flagship Financial Group B Plan"

Doctor's Orders Metabolism & Weight Loss Clinic-"Program Overview Video"

Have a favorite? Let us know in the comments or @kearleydotcom! 

Surprise Me! The Power of Spontaneity in Social Media

The following transpired on March 11th and is hilarious and brilliant: 

This wasn't the first time that Oreo showed it's Twitter response time prowess. The following was posted right in the midst of the now infamous Super Bowl Blackout: 

So what's the lesson here (other than we all need to eat Oreos every single day)? It is of course, to make sure that your brand is as spontaneous as it can be on social media (any social network really).

Will Oremus over at Slate published a piece in which he noted that there's nothing really special about that ad outside of its timeliness and the only reason that we found it so incredible is because the bar for brands activity on social media is quite low (good article, give it a read).

While I am probably a little more pleased with this ad than Mr. Oremus is, I do think he makes an important point in calling out the low bar for brands on social media. We're so accustomed to either their dullness or their screw ups that when they actually act how they're supposed to act on social media, we're amazed.

And I think Oreo has made an important point with these two interactions even if they should've been obvious from the start. That being: Social media is not a tool that was made for brands, it was made for people. And, unfortunately, brands often lose sight of that.

If you were a real live person watching the Super Bowl, you were of course tweeting about the blackout, joking about it, reacting to it, retweeting, etc. Most brands think that just because they're not a person that they don't have to act like it and that's where they're missing out. Social media was created to connect people and ultimately build more emotional connections. When Oreo tweets like a person and makes a joke like a person about the blackout, that emotional connection is strengthened because at that point it has stopped being a brand and become, simply, Oreo.

So the next time you think the simple scheduled Facebook post or tweet will suffice, think about what your consumers want out of following your social media channel. You don't schedule posts for your personal Facebook or Twitter feeds, so why would you do it for your brand when your brand on social media is supposed to be the product personified?

Sites like Facebook and Twitter don't exist to help brands make money. They exist for people. And to fully utilize their potential, you have to act like a person no matter what you're representing.

Go have some fun and surprise people.

Kearley on the Road

There are a few of us that spend a chunk of our time at Kearley on the road. We've accumulated quite a few photos from our travels during that time so we thought we'd share some with you this month!

Some colorful graffiti in our nation's capital

No, it's not Austin. It's Washington, D.C.

Hello, Houston!

A clever ad we found at a local restaurant in DC.

This was just near our home on Magnolia. But how often do you see the Google Maps car???

Nighttime at the National Cathedral. We miss you, Mrs. Landingham!

Side view of the National Cathedral! 

Elisa's hotel in Anaheim, CA. 

Who needs a California bay? We've got a perfectly good one in Galveston. 

Where Do You Want That Commercial?

In late January, YouTube reached 4 billion views per day. That's pretty close to a view per person in the entire world's population (and history tells us that number will only continue to grow).

It seems kind of funny to still be talking about YouTube like its new 8 years after it was first launched, but that just speaks to how quickly its changing and the new ways people are finding to use it everyday. I want to talk about all online video viewing, but it's impossible to talk about that and not start with the site that made that medium what it is.

This year, CBS charged between $3.8 and $4 million for a 30 second spot to air during the Super Bowl.

In a study done by Google, The ARF, Nielsen, Stanford & Wharton in 2011, it was found that online video ads drove 1.5x the brand breakthrough of TV ads. 

Why do they think that was? It's kind of simple, really: Clutter. 

Television viewers will spend %75 of their time watching actual TV and %25 watching ads. Whereas %1.3 of all online viewing (even taking into account non-monetized videos) is spent watching ads (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V7_87SNebg). Now, those numbers may speak to the merits of advertising on television on the surface, but consider that that %1.3 percent is making more of an impact, simply because you view one to two videos max online before getting to the content you want to see. You're more engaged with those two ads because they're not lost in the horde of ads you see watching an hour long program on any broadcast or basic cable network. 

Not only is your ad more likely to make an impact online these days, but you can measure that impact (be it good or bad) in greater detail. With built in analytics, you can more accurately track why your commercial is succeeding or why it's failing. Reaction to a TV-based commercial is even partially measured through online/social media reaction these days, so why wouldn't you just host it there for better returns? 

Also consider that while live television viewership has decreased over time, the cost of advertising on television has only risen. Some might argue that those live viewers are still there, they're just watching in different ways. But those different ways are via DVR (during which they'll skip commercials) or online viewing through Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Video on Demand (where your commercial will make more of an impact). 

Are TV commercials a dead medium? No, absolutely not, and they probably never will be. This is all just to say that it's probably time to start considering how to best use those advertising dollars when you want to air some sort of commercial. Is the cost of television worth it? Or should you start to embrace the growing medium of online video viewing? 8 years and 4 billion views a day later, I say that it's probably safe to start. 

Super Bowl Commercials: The Good, the Bad, and the Meh

The year's biggest football game watched by over 100 million people and what are we discussing the next day year after year?

The commercials.

Brands spend millions of dollars for the largest audiences in history to see these ads and in return, the audience puts them under extreme scrutiny. It's a lot of fun. Without further adieu, here are Kearley's picks for the good, the bad, and the meh Super Commercials of Super Bowl XLVII:

The Good:

Viva Young-Taco Bell

Terrible Spanish translation? Yes. Funny, energetic, oddly-heartwarming commercial? Also, yes. 

Farmer-Dodge

Um. They used Paul Harvey. The Raven's didn't win the Super Bowl; this commercial did. Because they used Paul freakin' Harvey. 

Whole Again-Jeep

It is a well-made commercial, it gives a nice shout out to the troops, overall it's great. However...did they really just quote Oprah in a commercial that she's narrating? Oprah has not reach quote status yet.

Space Babies-Kia

Baby animals in a Super Bowl ad could easily feel like going after the low-hanging fruit. Thankfully, this Kia ad avoids that by staying not-so-subtly inappropriate. Thumbs up, baby panda. Thumbs up indeed. 

Leon Sandcastle-NFL

Primetime will always bring a smile to your face. Throw in an afro and a mustache and you've got one great commercial. 

The Bad

Coronation-Budweiser Black Crown

We're cool, everyone! Hey, hey, hey, you! We're cool! Did you hear us say we're cool? No? Let me show you in an all style, no substance ad! 

Perfect Match-GoDaddy (or any other GoDaddy ads)

Go away, GoDaddy. Go away and leave our Super Bowl ad space alone. You've hurt it enough. Just stop. Please. Stop. 

FebruANY-Subway

I'm not sure I follow their marketing idea here: Come with an idea that's too hard to pronounce and then fun of it in a million dollar spot? Cool, Subway. Almost as good as you telling your customers that Footlongs don't have to be a foot long. 

Concept-Calvin Klein

The best question I've seen posed in response to this commercial: "Is it 1992?" Well-shot? Yes. Dated and probably not striking a chord with your average Super Bowl viewer? Also, yes. 

Prom-Audi

Drive an Audi and you'll gain the confidence of a lonely teenage boy! Does Audi sell a lot of cars to teenagers? Or do people seriously not to do demographics research anymore? 

The Meh

Get In. Get Happy.-Volkswagen

We had such high hopes for VW after "The Force". This is just underwhelming. 

Save It-E*Trade

Oh look, it's the E*Trade baby! I would be excited if it was 2008. Harmless commercial, but I think it's time for the baby to dip into its savings and retire. 

Journey-Bud Light

Bud Light took a campaign that I've enjoyed throughout the year and reduced it to a potentially-offensive cultural stereotype of New Orleans. Well done. 

All movie trailers

We didn't get much new footage of anything interesting and not a lot of upcoming films bothered with the Super Bowl this year (Man of Steel, The Wolverine, Captain America: Winter Soldier, The World's End). 

All CBS spots

I don't need to be constantly reminded that CBS is the number one network on TV. Why do I wanted to be constantly disappointed while I'm watching a great football game?

Share your thoughts in our comments section!  

Kentucky Kicks...Butt? The Art of Slogan

"We certainly would not sanction or endorse that phraseology. These guys are Kentucky natives and they love the state, but they have a different constituency. Which is no one."-Kentucky Tourism Department Spokesman Pat Stipes

Full disclosure: Before I moved to Texas in 2008, I lived in Kentucky for almost four years. In fact, the year I moved there was the year that the state slogan, "Unbridled Spirit," was launched.

If you had asked me now what the state slogan is, I definitely would not have remembered to answer "Unbridled Spirit" and it's very doubtful that I would have remembered what it was when I actually lived there.

That's not to say that "Kentucky Kicks Ass" is the solution to Kentucky's slogan and tourism problems. That is evident in the particularly divisive reactions from YouTube commenters:

"I watch this every 3 hours to lift my spirits. I love the commonwealth." 

"This is just plain great. Kentucky does, indeed, kick some ass. :)"

"They did a great job at doing exactly the opposite of what should be done in order to 're-brand Kentucky'. If anything, all they did was reinforce a stereotypical perspective of the state."

"This is ridiculous. As a proud Kentucky native, a passionate professional marketer and an experienced destination branding consultant - this is not a strong tourism branding direction for Kentucky."

And therein lies the oft-encountered problem with slogans: They can either play it too safe and suffer from being forgettable or take a risk and suffer from being divisive. It's either this or this. 

While I do think "Kentucky Kicks Ass" is much more memorable, fun, and state-spirity than "Unbridled Spirit," I also don't think it works as anything but a spirit-booster for people who already live in Kentucky. Where "Unbridled Spirit" succeeded in saying something about what makes the state special, they did it in a forgettable way whereas "Kentucky Kicks Ass" succeeded in being catchy and memorable but failed to say anything that any other state couldn't say. 

No other state could say "Everything's Bigger in Texas" than Texas and no other state could say "It's Good Being First" other than Delaware. 

This slogan practice doesn't start and stop with state slogans, it's something to think about with any brand. Your slogan, no matter how edgy and button-pushing, can't be so generic to where people still don't know what makes your brand special. But it can't be so safe that it's going to blend in with everything else in the market.

No matter what you're selling, if you don't both recognize what makes your product special and have an unmatched passion for it, people will not hop on board. Your slogan is one of the first impressions you get to make and it's important that you not mess it up. 

Share your thoughts with us: Do you prefer "Kentucky Kicks Ass," "Unbridled Spirit" or neither? Have any thoughts about slogan writing? Sound off below! 

The Top Commercials of 2012

The Kearley team voted, and (ranked in no particular order) these are what we considered to be the best ads of 2012. Check them out and let us know what you agree with and tell us your favorites in the comments below! 

Volkswagen-"The Bark Side"

The simple and fun answer to last year's Darth Vader Super Bowl spot. This ad left millions barking in their heads for hours after they saw it. 

Google Chrome-"Coffee"

Was it "Dear Sophie" or "Parisian Love" Part 2? No. But "Coffee" continued that same Google tradition of showing how their products and services can have a huge emotional impact. It's not Google's best ad, but it is another great one. 

Coke Zero-"Unlock the 007 in You"

Say it's not real, say it's stage, say whatever you want, this is still a fun ad from Coke Zero. I'm going to be the believer who thinks it's real, but I don't think that matters. What does matter is that Coke made an effective, viral ad that celebrated 50 years of one of the cherished movie franchises of all time. 

The Guardian-"Three Little Pigs"

By the hairs on my chinny, chin, chin, this ad will be remembered fondly far beyond 2012. A twist on a classic tale turns into faux social commentary while never veering from its humorous origins.  

Canal+ - "The Bear" 

A French bear-skin rug directing big budget movies. That's the only thing you need to know. 

Nike-"Find Your Greatness"

Strangely enough, this campaign from Nike flirted with some controversy due to one of its standalone ads. Nevertheless, this ad made everyone watching the Olympics feel like they could recreate it in their backyard. And that is no small feat. 

Sportscenter-"John Clayton"

I myself, and I imagine many others, have watched Sportscenter for years and have always enjoyed John Clayton's presence on it. He's the rare analyst who, even when saying something disagreeable, forces you to respect his wisdom and the way in which he handles himself. All of that contributed to making this "This is Sportscenter" spot the best in years as Clayton is revealed to be a long-haired Slayer fan living at home. 

Carlton Draught-"Beer Chase"

What starts off as a nod to the end of Trainspotting quickly becomes the funniest police chase you've seen in years (movies and TV shows included). An imaginative way to say "don't drink and drive" and "don't sacrifice your beer" simultaneously will leave you charmed and possibly craving a Carlton Draught. 

DollarShaveClub.com-"Our Blades are F***ing Great"

Do I doubt that these blades are f***ing great? Oh, absolutely. But this hilarious ad has so many quirks and moments that couldn't have been staged (throwing the package at the bear), that you forget to doubt that you can get a great blade for a dollar. 

Cartier-"L'Odyssee de Cartier"

What did I just watch? I don't know and I don't care. All I know is that Cartier crafted one of the best ads of the past decade and something so cinematic that and well-shot that even Terrence Malick had to have been amazed.