Every year, some company manages to hit every button with a holiday season television ad that inspires. Kia's "Kia Season of Giving Back" is quite possibly one of the most evocative holiday auto commercials in the history of television.
In a world of insipid ads featuring cars with oversized bows...Kia simply sticks it.
And, is now on my consideration list for my next ride.
Just like that.
Terri caught this in her feed the other day and it's too sensational not to share. It's Frito-Lay's homage to the World Cup pitting Payton Manning against David Beckham (with an assist from a host of soccer-related cameos) on whether to call the sport Soccer or Futball.
Yeah...it's Soccer.
While it will take days to sort out reality from conspiracy theory...the mid-term election process is complete.
No more incessant TV ads or online pleas for campaign contributions. The hundreds of dollars spent on direct mail to our home alone that influenced absolutely no one (except for one we received last weekend from an independent candidate that featured her extended family posing with rifles that confirmed...yeah, no), I can pretty much ignore. The 3 e-mails a day asking for more money for the same candidate? I gotta shake my head.
As I'm not privy to the research that may back up the approach I experienced this cycle (please tell me this crap works on everyone else and it's just me), let me share my thoughts on how campaigns are getting this all wrong.
First up, TV. Attack ads work. I hate 'em and I wish we could have a real conversation about the issues that demand our attention. But, they work...and I can ignore them if I choose.
But, here's my deal...the e-mail onslaught to which I was subjected this cycle was beyond laughable. And, I hafta wonder where they found the brainiac that ran their digital campaign.
After making the mistake of donating to a campaign, I averaged three e-mail a day asking for more...every day for the past two months. And, as late as 4:20pm on election day. Many missives thanked me for my contribution...so they clearly knew I was in. But, if you know someone is in, why would you be so needy as to ask them for more...three times a day for months at a stretch?
And maybe because I gave more than the candidate's initial request of $5, they thought I must be aware of the nuances of campaign finance reporting requirements. Because, why else were so many of their pleas related to meeting some random fundraising deadline that (let's be honest) means nothing to anyone who is not in the inner circle.
And then, they provide my contact data to out-of-state campaigns and I start getting pleas from random candidates across the nation? What...did the level of my contribution signal to your algorithm that I was a "true believer" and that I would give a shit about races around the country? And, assuming their database could assess my fairly independent past voting record, why would I get e-mails from fringe members of your party, expecting me to give more to your campaign because I received a request from them? The candidate in question ultimately lost...and there's at least a percentage point they forfeited because they had polarizing national candidates asking independents to give, as CCR once said, "more, more, more."
In this era of data, it is inexcusable to not be able to target supporters and contributors in a more sophisticated manor. But those that pose as political experts are often anything but. In years past, we've offered our services in perception analysis to campaigns to help hone their approaches and have been rejected by rank amateurs posing as campaign "experts" who thought they were all that and a bag of chips. The reason? They certainly didn't want consumer data to challenge their campaign strategy.
My guy lost. He didn't have to. His attack ads were actually very good. But his campaign crew was woefully unsophisticated in their digital approach.
You could have engaged me at a much higher and more meaningful level...but all you cared about was my money.
Sad, really.
For all of us.
Terri and I ventured to a little club south of the border last month to see Kiefer Sutherland. The musician...not the actor.
While big fans of his work on screen and tube, we were intrigued when we watched a few videos of his work across three albums that have been quietly released...but offer some compelling tracks.
From the song exhorting you to do what you love to a plaintive realization that the relationship is over, this is sensationally good stuff on this Music Friday.
And the song that is our anthem.
Which will, sadly, be discounted because Kiefer is an actor.
Which is clearly a mistake.
Enjoy.
Followers of this blog know that Terri and I love our New Year's Eves to be hot and sweaty on a rolling dance floor. But for another New Year's Eve...we'll be passing on our passion because of the plague.
But this year, there's something to actually look forward to for us that are electing to stay in. As we shared with you previously, the 50th edition of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve will have its first countdown at 11E/8P live from San Juan, Puerto Rico...not too shabby a way to celebrate the city's 500th birthday. And, quite a coup for the team at Discover Puerto Rico.
Which is why I had to laugh when CNN announced earlier this month that they, too, would be counting down from Old San Juan tomorrow night.
Hey, you gotta love a two-fer, eh?
Should be fun...and we can't wait to see Puerto Rico on the world stage with these two international broadcasts.
This week, 75 years ago, the classic Holiday movie "It's a Wonderful Life" was released...to a fairly ambivalent reception at the box office.
Thanks to cable television, it found new life and became one of the most loved Christmas movies of all time after it was put into the public domain, which allowed it to be broadcast without licensing or royalty fees. So much so that a flick one could watch virtually every day of the season on a myriad of channels is now regulated, with NBC having exclusive rights to show it...which they do only on a handful of occasions to drive viewership.
In a world in which so many classic movies get a refresh, that there hasn't been a faithful retooling of this movie simply says this is one that got it so right that there is no need to go there.
Happy Holidays...and ring a bell so an angel can score their wings.
Last week on the DMOU Podcast, Discover Puerto Rico's CEO Brad Dean humbly predicted his DMO would win one of the 5 Emmys for which they had been nominated for the series, Sounds Like Puerto Rico.
Congratulations to the in-house team that made Puerto Rico sing. We couldn't be happier for your success in making Puerto Rico one of the most visible travel brands in the world. And, New Year's Rockin' Eve from San Juan is just around the corner.
Check out Brad's episode to hear how they did it.
Remember the USFL? A Spring Football League that was ultimately deep-sixed by a guy that eventually became President?
Well...it's back. And the Birmingham CVB has committed two million dollars to see that the entire season (every game) is played in their city.
Of course, they're taking some hits for the decision. But, let's break this investment down. The new league (which will play next Spring and is backed by Fox Sports) will launch with 8 teams and will play a 10-game schedule plus three playoff games.
Now, you can argue all you want about what percentage of the crowd will be local versus room night visitors or what the true economic spend will be versus the million dollar investment. However, Fox and the teams are expected to generate 50,000 Room Nights alone. Factor in ancillary spending and the impact on the Birmingham hospitality industry could easily top the DMO's investment.
But, even if you don't believe the estimates, next Spring, for 12 weeks, Fox Sports will be broadcasting from Birmingham every Saturday and Sunday (with a few Fridays and Mondays tossed in). 23 games will be televised...all with money shots of the destination sprinkled through each game coming in and out of commercial breaks.
23 three hour, content-rich commercials for Birmingham. 40 million viewers.
What other DMO can claim that kind of international visibility?
Nicely played, Birmingham.
It's not that surprising for many destinations to say that hotel bookings are up over last year. But to see a 41% spike on New Year's Eve in a destination you can only access by air or boat? That's the power of landing an iconic event.
As we noted a few weeks ago, Puerto Rico will host the first countdown of the 50th anniversary of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve...an hour before the traditional New York City countdown. Discover Puerto Rico worked three years to land that deal. Bookings are already up 41% from last year...and the majority of the spike has happened since the announcement of the event.
Regular readers of this blog know that Terri and I love New Year's Eve. And, outside of last year, I can't think of a year we didn't find a funky band to get silly sweaty with on the dance floor (Hey, Dancing Noodles...please bring back your NYE extravaganzas).
However, this year, I do believe we'll be watching San Juan get down on ABC, in front of a roaring fire.
History, babies.
I was actually "in the room" in a hotel in Chicago on August 1st, 1981 when a bunch of music and media executives unveiled the live launch of MTV. I was programing an FM rocker on the southside of the city and cringed a bit when the first video played was "Video Killed the Radio Star." But, everyone in the room knew it was prescient.
I drove back home to find my cable company (like so many in the country) hadn't yet signed onto the fledgling network. The next day, I learned that management there had no intention of offering the channel. So, my Team at the station hustled up a plan to take our morning show and simulcast it, offering viewers news, interviews with locals and at least a smattering of videos to at least tip our hat to what was to come.
Cable management rejected our notion out of hand saying, "nobody wants to watch that trash." C'est la vie. It was a cool idea.
So...on this Music Friday, we offer up a great trivia question. Who was the first guitarist featured on the launch of MTV?
Most will say it was the Buggles, as they were the first video played. But, the Buggles were a synth band with a bass player.
No...the first guitarist featured was Spider Giraldo (in which he takes great pride) with Pat Benatar on the second video.
Here's the original video...and here they are, tearing it down live.
They're back on tour this summer...and it's a great show. Go.
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