Pharrell Williams is always a great example of brand innovation. His deal with Microsoft continues to prove that. As apart of the 300 million dollar campaign effort which featured celebrities Pharrell, Eva Longoria, and Deepak Chopra. In return for signing Pharrell, Microsoft dropped comedian Jerry Seinfeld who was positioned in their television ads which only lasted for a few weeks. The ads were pulled because of a luke warm response.
For Microsoft, by implementing Pharrel into it's "I'm A PC" campaign, they were able to estasblish a new foundation in the midst of Apple's dominace is the technology world. Let's see the Zune is not even worth mentioning in the same breath as any of the iPod devices. But I am with Pharrell influence on fashion, technology and other consumer brands that Microsoft was able to gain sufficient ground with their #1 competitor. As I like to say if a product, brand name or entertainer has the hearts of the consumer than it's an easy sell, and Apple has the hearts. Let's just see if Microsoft can continue to get us to look in it's direction. If we buy Apple products now, chances are we will be just as committed to buying them in the future. Microsoft needs to continue to evolve their core products (PC's) to make them more appealing to the creative individual (Graphic Artist, Fashion Designers/Stylist, Musicians, and Young Business Professionals).
Hip-Hop has been at the forefront of strategic corporate branding and advertising for the past decade and it doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon with the continued development of social media, sports, and music. Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Wal-Mart, General Motors and American Express analyze everything (trust me I know from my days at Coca-Cola) in their marketing campaigns because they pump so much money into them, and they have so much riding on them. Sigining celebrity assests like Pharrell, Beyonce, LeBron, Jay-Z, and Lady GaGa is not an over night decision, but a calculated attempt to connect with the youth of america and fans of pop culture. Companies like Microsoft have realized the importance of gaining youth consumers and know that if they don't take part in Pop Culture Celebrity Branding that they will eventually lose the battle to it's competition willing to do so.
Below are the 3 phases of celebrating brand integration:
1.) Behind the scenes: Companies capture behind the scenes footage using the celebrity assest as the official brand ambassador which will first draw in the targeted audience and secondly educated the potential consumer about the product, how they use the product and why you should purchase the product.
2.) Television/Print Ad: By utilizing traditional media outlets i.e. Television, Online, Print; The consumer will get the chance to view the product as well as interact via online to engage further with the product.
3.) Brand Integration: Placing the product in the hands of it's celebrity assest will develop an emotional connection with the consumer by seeing their favorite celebrity paired with a new cool product. The will get to see first hand how to utilize the product and how it can also be beneficial in their everyday lives.
4.) Experiental: This is a concept that integrates elements of emotions, logic, and general thought process. The goal of experiential marketing is to establish the connection in such a way that the consumer responds to a product based on both emotional and rational response levels. In order to engage in experiential marketing, it's necessary to engage as many of the senses as possible. Striking interactive displays with powerful visual elements (websites and visual media) that conjure up sensations that are enjoyable to the individual. When used to create customer experiences of this nature, a sense of rapport between product and consumer is established that helps to make the product more desirable. This strategy is ideal for contemporary marketing campaigns. Shortened attention spans demand that ad campaigns make a quick impactful impression, or the opportunity to engage the consumer will dissolve. While traditional 30 sec TV and Radio ads once created a great impact, many people now use modern technology including Laptops, iPhones and social media to avoid the outdated model.
So online ads have become interactive microsites, traditional outdoor billboards have become digital billboards, and print media leaves us with a link that diverts us right back to it's social media properties. Experiential marketing holds the key to making this happen. By appealing to all the senses, and making the connection quickly and seamlessly, this approach to marketing ensures that businesses can still attract and satisfy the needs and desires of consumers.
Below are the 3 phases of celebrating brand integration:
1.) Behind the scenes: Companies capture behind the scenes footage using the celebrity assest as the official brand ambassador which will first draw in the targeted audience and secondly educated the potential consumer about the product, how they use the product and why you should purchase the product.
2.) Television/Print Ad: By utilizing traditional media outlets i.e. Television, Online, Print; The consumer will get the chance to view the product as well as interact via online to engage further with the product.
3.) Brand Integration: Placing the product in the hands of it's celebrity assest will develop an emotional connection with the consumer by seeing their favorite celebrity paired with a new cool product. The will get to see first hand how to utilize the product and how it can also be beneficial in their everyday lives.
4.) Experiental: This is a concept that integrates elements of emotions, logic, and general thought process. The goal of experiential marketing is to establish the connection in such a way that the consumer responds to a product based on both emotional and rational response levels. In order to engage in experiential marketing, it's necessary to engage as many of the senses as possible. Striking interactive displays with powerful visual elements (websites and visual media) that conjure up sensations that are enjoyable to the individual. When used to create customer experiences of this nature, a sense of rapport between product and consumer is established that helps to make the product more desirable. This strategy is ideal for contemporary marketing campaigns. Shortened attention spans demand that ad campaigns make a quick impactful impression, or the opportunity to engage the consumer will dissolve. While traditional 30 sec TV and Radio ads once created a great impact, many people now use modern technology including Laptops, iPhones and social media to avoid the outdated model.
So online ads have become interactive microsites, traditional outdoor billboards have become digital billboards, and print media leaves us with a link that diverts us right back to it's social media properties. Experiential marketing holds the key to making this happen. By appealing to all the senses, and making the connection quickly and seamlessly, this approach to marketing ensures that businesses can still attract and satisfy the needs and desires of consumers.
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