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Seconda critica alla campagna Connectivity
Della campagna Connectivity avevo già parlato. Ora spuntano nuove interessanti informazioni:
Articolo 1
For Converse's new "Connectivity" campaign they've turned to some music artists to help them reach out to their target. Pharrell Williams, who produced the song; R&B Pop/New Wave/Multi-Genred artist Santogold; and Julian Casablancas, lead singer of The Strokes, created the song "My Drive Thru". The artists were given the freedom to create something cool and they ran with it. It seems like Converse is trying to reach out to and inspire an audience in hopes of subliminally selling them an idea.
What's smart about this kind of ad it that is can run as both an ad and a music video. So it reaches beyond just selling something and falls nicely into its place in pop culture. It promotes both the brand and the music artist. So it's dual purposed and somehow seems less selfish than most ads. And in a time like this, where the music industry is struggling, there are certainly no shortage of musicians willing to jump on board with efforts like this.
I've said before that I think music can't be the only great thing about your campaign. But I think that Converse is a well established brand with a good product and this idea illustrates how fresh and hip the brand really is.
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Questo è il sito dell'agenzia che ha prodotto lo spot: www.anomalynyc.com.
Articolo 2
Tratto da Ad Age: ... Converse will be the biggest spender of the recent pack of music-driven marketers when it turns "The Drive Thru" into a TV campaign, featuring all three artists in clips from the song's just-filmed music video. Extensive print and outdoor campaigns have already rolled out, featuring the tagline "Three Artists, One Song."
Geoff Cottrill, chief marketing officer for Converse, said "My Drive Thru" ties in comfortably with Converse's heritage of aligning with the independent minded. "We call them optimistic rebels," he said. "They're the core of what our brand stands for -- being an advocate and catalyst for creativity. ... We wanted these guys to come together, create a piece of music and share it with anyone who wanted it."
Added Mike Byrne, executive creative director for Anomaly, Converse's creative agency of record, "I think by having Pharrell produce the track, we knew we would get something that wasn't hip-hop or pop or rock. This year is the Converse century, and we're definitely celebrating our heritage of challenging the status quo in art, sports and fashion. It was a nice ode to all the people who helped build this brand."
Update: According to a representative from Cornerstone -- the agency that organized the project for Converse -- the collaboration was a bit closer than the comment below might make it sound. The rep says that Julian Casablancas and Pharrell assembled at Cornerstone's offices before recording together in both L.A. and Miami. Later, Santogold met Pharrell in Miami to record her part.
But that's pretty much what we were led to expect after this unbelivably frank/refreshing appraisal from Santie herself: "Everybody on it does their own separate thing and we didn't do it together so it ends up being just this weird long song with sort of everybody with lots of their own personalities separate."
And really, in a sense, the song itself is beside the point. Our money is that it won't become this summer's hottest jam, but it's generated enough ink and blog drool that Converse has already won the battle for awareness. Indie music fans that read any of the biggest blogs and news/review sites are well aware that a handful of very well-respected artists have endorsed the brand, and that's really the point.
According to Pitchfork, Converse has also lined up a slew of fresh artists for their continuing "Converse Century" print campaign, including members of YACHT, Kid Sister, Bradford Cox (of Deerhunter/Atlas Sound), Eleanor Friedberger (of Fiery Furnaces), Care Bears on Fire, everyone in "Drive Thru" and yes, even more we won't name.
Articolo 3
A Lot of Cons to This Shoe Campaign
Is This the 'Converse Century?' Sid Vicious Will Never Be Able to Tell Us
02.27.08 @ 10:53 AM
Songs for Soap has thus far resisted commenting on Converse's new "Connectivity" campaign, which is set to feature M.I.A., Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day, the late Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols and the late Ian Curtis of Joy Division, among others. This has mostly been because there hasn't been much to go on; the release merely says that a lot of famous people have worn Converse over the past century and that they'll be featured in an outdoor, print and integrated campaign.
We were hoping more details would surface before we expressed our disapproval, but since so many blogs are picking up on it, we relented.
Our First question: Is it wise for Converse to stake a flag in a century of American culture and claim it for themselves? Has it really been "the Converse Century?" If we're talking about athletes, one could easily make a claim that the shoe offered some functional benefits and had an impact on the game of basketball. But a parade of rock stars wearing the shoes is not a convincing argument that Converse played some role or their kicks contain some bit of essential rock mojo.
How about this instead: Chuck Taylor All-Stars are cheap and match almost anything. Those are qualities that appeal to everyone, from me to MIA.
Our Second question: Is it wise for a brand to dig up dead celebrities for posthumous endorsements? I'm not saying the company or its agency, Anomaly, didn't get permission from Ian Curtis's estate, but this smacks of opportunism even if it isn't intended to be. We're not just talking about licensing "Love Will Tear Us Apart," this is using the actual person Ian Curtis, who lived, breathed, suffered and took his own life. It's a tacky move and should offend anyone who respects his work.
What's lacking in this campaign is humility. Converse has every right to be proud that so many influential people have worn their shoes and every right to highlight this fact. But coupled with some revisionist history, the result feels like a giant corporate hand getting grease stains all over our record collections. Instead of cultural ownership, Converse should have stressed participation.
Maybe once we see more of the executions -- there are some grabs out there -- we'll change our minds.
[Via press release]
Articolo 4
Converse Tries on a Comfortable Pair of Magazine Pages
New, Humbler Print Ad Features Brooklyn Band Foreign Islands Posted by 03.24.08 @ 01:16 PM
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For all marketers looking for a musical voice, becoming a tastemaker/advocate is essential. Surprising music listeners with something wonderful is how respect is built in this space -- the name Apple should go without saying -- and offers the possibility of genuine attachments with consumers. Especially in such a blog-bloated and radio-reduced marketplace, there are so many opportunities for brands like Converse to step in and recommend records like a friend would.
We're not even saying that Foreign Islands will be the next Vampire Fire or something, and some might say dance-punk's time has come and gone, but sticking one's neck out for musicians with a vision will never go out of style.
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