QR Codes and Skinny Jeans: Calvin Klein X

I do not wear skinny jeans.

It’s something I’ve been saying for a long time. Recently though, my resistance has waned. I’ve started looking at my boot cut jeans a bit differently. I’ve even caught myself tightening the cuffs with my hand when I’m sitting down, just to see what it might look like.

Which I’m sure means the trend is reaching it’s end. When I finally give in and start wearing skinny jeans, I can almost guarantee that that will be the bellwether of the style.

In honor of my change of heart regarding tight fitting pants, I’ve decided to go back to a 6-month- old Calvin Klein campaign for this post. It’s a campaign involving QR codes, that slow-to-catch-on-because-it-requires-3rd-party-software “phenomenon.”

I’m sure I’m just being slow to appreciate the finer points of QR codes, like I was with the skinny jeans. Both present genuine obstacles to me, and both seemed a little forced at the start. The skinny jeans I initially resisted because years of style magazines had informed me that a pear shaped body type should stick with the boot cut. The QR codes, because I don’t understand why they need to look so sci-fi when they’re really quite simple.

In Calvin Klein’s Fall 2010 global print and outdoor advertising campaign, the brand used QR codes in billboards in both LA and New York. “Get uncensored” it demanded of passers by.

First off, I applaud CK’s gumption in making the QR code ANY COLOR OTHER THAN BLACK. Even though it still looks like a ghost from PacMan, at least they gave it a wee bit of personality.

The other great thing about Calvin Klein X’s QR code is it gave the people what they want: video.

When a passerby scans the above QR code with their smartphone (and 3rd party software in most cases) they get to watch this video on their smartphone:

In what appears to be some kind of urban, abandoned children’s playground, the video portrays tough, shirtless guys in skinny jeans (frowny face) making out with hot girls on the ground. Sometimes they play on rings, but mostly it’s just gritty makeout sessions with an improbable cast of characters.

The music is kind of good, I guess. And it has an effect. An X-rated effect. Which I suppose was their goal.

But my question is, does it sell jeans? Or is it just a series of marketers and ad execs congratulating themselves on using the latest technology?

Credits:

Video created by consulting creative director Fabien Baron of Baron & Baron.

QR Code aspect of the campaign developed by Ace Group.

Wong, Doody, Crandall, Wiener takes over creative duties for TGI Fridays.

Perhaps Guy Fieri will no longer make an appearance in their TV spots?

In other news, do you think Crandall feels out of place?

 

 

6 Talking Animals That Don’t Work

Talking animals seem to be an unavoidable aspect of modern television commercials. However, with CGI and advanced animating tools, talking animals have taken on a renewed vigor in recent years. Some of these talking animals work. Below are 6 that do not.

1. Duke, Bush’s Baked Beans

2. The Car Fox, Car Fax

3. The Foster Imposters, Foster Farms Chicken

4. The Aflac Duck, Aflac

5. The Charmin Bears, Charmin Toilet Tissue

6. Guy Fieri, TGI Fridays

So close, DSW. So close.

Let me start out by saying that I have never met a DSW I didn’t like.

Amazing sales. Amazing selection. Even for my size…wait for it…eleven women’s feet.

And we’ve reached the real reason I love DSW. Sales, schmales: It is the only store in California (or the world, in my experience) that carries shoes my size in stock. It is the only offline place in the universe where I can buy shoes that look good and fit me–at least until I can find some kind of drag queen shoe emporium. At the moment, it exists only in my wildest dreams.

So when I saw my very first DSW ad campaign (both print and TVC) I was excited. Also a little nervous, because I didn’t want any other big footed girls horning in on my find. But mostly excited.

To be perfectly honest, I don’t think the ads are that bad. Solid concept, well-directed, consistent execution. The tagline is great: “It’s where you get those shoes.” Very colloquial, very vernacular, very nice.

And then they show the shoes.

If I were judging the quality of DSW on the shoes they show on these ads (and logically, that’s what I should be doing) I would not be tempted to shop there. Why? Because the shoes are butt ugly.

Example A: The Wedge

Great attitude, totally attention grabbing–and completely misleading, which I happen to love. I thought it was an ad for the Cosmopolitan “Just the right amount of wrong” hotel in Vegas. Which I totally want to go to. But then at the end, that shockingly deep-voiced woman–Are they riffing off the insight that even drag queens with large feet can get stylish shoes for a reasonable price at DSW? If so, bravo–confronts the purple dress lady and asks her “where she got those shoes.”

And the shoes are some ridiculous wedges. Not classy pool party shoes, not even Cosmopolitan at Vegas shoes. Am I totally out of it? Are wicker wedges with ridiculous patterns in? If so, I’ve got a great pair from my college graduation that I have been hiding in shame for the past 5 years.

They do not match the dress, like at all. Stacy and Clinton would have a field day with those shoes.

In closing, I have two pieces of advice:

To DSW: To paraphrase the Beach Boys, be true to your shoes. Y’all have got some great stuff, but I’m not seeing it in your ads.

To women of the world, everywhere: Never be jealous of a woman wearing wedges.

And oh, hello, what’s this?

 

JCP vs. Lay’s: Two Brands. One Battle.

This time, the battle runs over the use of a slogan.

For some time now, I’ve been noticing that the JC Penney commercials are pretty smart. I mean, I guess I’m in their demographic. But JC Penney had a lot to overcome with me. Pretty much that brand is lower than Sears, in my book. And Sears sells tires.

But now I see ads from JCP that remind me of the new Marshall’s/TJ Maxx ads (another battle waiting to happen). They’re bright, colorful, lots of florals and flowing skirts. Everyone is 22 and rich and multicultural and bouncing down the street…like those Old Navy commercials  before they brought in the mannequins.

But anyway. Last year, JC Penney made an enemy of me with their “New Look. New Day. Who Knew!” campaign. “Who Knew!” is a question. It begins with “who” for god’s sake.

But then this year, they turned it around on me. Did a little reevaluating. Maybe bought a grammar book. I don’t know–I’m not inside their heads. But what I do know they did is they got themselves a new slogan:

“We make it affordable. You make it yours.”

They had a lot of other lines, like “We make it floral, you make it sing” or something like that. It was good though. Convincing. If it didn’t look so much like a TJ Maxx commercial I might even have to rethink JC Penney. (I’m not a Maxxinista. I always feel like the clothes have been worn before. I’d maybe buy a purse). The funny thing is that according to some research I did JC Penney is trying to be like Target and they are waaaaaay not there yet. They need to shrug off their Mervyn’s rep’, and frankly I think they’re on their way.

But wait, you say. Where is the battle? I’ll tell you. The battle is with the Lay’s brand.

Lay’s is coming out with some “natural” versions of their standard products. Shocking. But what is more surprising is the commercial they’ve chosen to go with. I can’t find the video online, but it is basically a bunch of chip chefs cooking up some crunchy treats. They’re doing it all naturally–you can tell because they are like coating each individual chip with a brush. And then one of the chefs (a particularly natural looking mom) takes the chips homes to her family. And the voice over is something like “we wouldn’t give you any chips we wouldn’t feed to our families.”

Well, I should hope so!

Seriously, does that really need to be said?

Anyway, the battle here is of the “bitch stole my slogan” variety, not a deeper dive into my own paranoia and the eating habits of highly successful capitalists. At the end of the commercial, the slogan is: “We make it natural. You make it fun.”

Sound familiar?

I think I need to work on sounding impartial until I get to the end. I think everyone knows where I’m going with this.

The winner of the battle is…JC Penney!

Now stop letting cats do your SEO. They’re good on the Internet, I know–but only at one thing.

 

Update: Joy of Joys

Thorough research has demonstrated that the former creative agency for BMW North America was GSD&M–and for five years, at that. Following the demise of that partnership they worked with Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal & Partners, a place that you think would shorten its name. KBS&P. It’s not that big of a deal.

 

 

Joy of Joys: BMW of North America Account Now Under Review.

I’ve never liked that “Joy” campaign.

Maybe it’s because I don’t much like driving. I don’t get any thrill out of it, and the old woman’s brain that lives inside my 26 year old body tells me that it is not safe to get a thrill out of something as dangerous as driving a car.

So “Joy” doesn’t speak to me.

Which is why I was excited to learn that BMW’s North America Account is under review. Looking forward to seeing what happens.

Oh Yes They Did: Domino’s Does Mobile Right

The Internet was out, but we were hungry. Hungry for pizza.

But ordering a pizza, blind, on the telephone? Without checking out the menu online, first? Who does that?

No one does that.

So I whipped out my semi-functional iPhone. I think I have the 3G. The Internet browser works intermittently, so I assumed I wouldn’t be able to navigate Domino’s mobile website with any real success.

I was wrong. From the very first screen, I knew we wouldn’t have any trouble ordering that pizza.

Just look at those buttons.

Here’s what’s great about the mobile site–it’s actually optimized for mobile use. The buttons are fat as hell. All the pages are configured for clarity, brevity, and utility. You can even browse coupons and add them to your order–I don’t see that on a lot of sites, period: mobile or not.

 

Just look at all those coupons!

And here’s the big winner: you can order your pizza on your phone. Enter your credit card on your phone. Never touch a computer, never talk to a person, and yet you can get a pizza delivered to your door.  I’ve never bought anything that wasn’t on iTunes on my phone before, and I was frankly amazed at how easy it was.

I’ve been a fan of Domino’s marketing ever since their big recipe-change rebranding. But this mobile site really put me over the edge. I’m not sure if they still are, but the latest I’ve heard is that Crispin, Porter and Bogusky is their ad agency. Not sure if they were involved in the  mobile site (guessing not) and maybe it was done in house. But whoever it was, kudos!

 

How Dunkin’ Donuts used Grooveshark to change my mind about their brand

For those who don’t know, I am currently obsessed with Grooveshark. This free music player allows me to listen to full songs, as often as I want. It reminds me a lot of the Napster days, so I’m not totally sure how it is legal, but I’m gonna go with it until it gets shut down.

Because of Grooveshark, I no longer pay 99 cents to listen to some song “I feel like” hearing, but don’t want to listen to through YouTube because I’m afraid someone will see me. These are songs like “Empire State of Mind,” “The Sweetest Girl” by Akon, and, embarrassingly enough, “Pretty Girl Rock” by Keri Hilson.

I’m getting away from my original point. On Grooveshark, a lot of times bands sponsor the start page. Usually, this sponsorship doesn’t affect me because I am woefully unaware of what’s going on in the music world—with the exception of anything put out there by Rihanna and Beyonce. But today, the sponsor wasn’t an indie rock band with tearful tunes and a greasy haired front man—it was the “big and toasty” sandwich from Dunkin Donuts, and it looked effing delicious.

Delicious, Delicious Marketing

Now, as a lifelong West Coaster, I have no strong sentiments about Dunkin’ Donuts. In my mind, I unfairly associate them with white trash—which I’m sure is an association they’d like to avoid. For me personally, the above strategic sponsorship on Grooveshark helped chip away at that judgment. Because if that sandwich is what white trash people are eating, sign me up.

I have a larger point. This is the first full-page sponsorship of Grooveshark that I’ve seen that didn’t have to do with music, and I think the placement is extremely smart. Breakfast sandwiches are something that appeal to a broad spectrum of people, but they especially call out to those who are in the habit of getting “sooo wasted, bro!” Greasy breakfast sandwiches at a reasonable price are like manna from the heavens to the hung over set. Something else the cheap, hung over set likes to do? Listen to music for free.

I’m sure there were other elements that went into choosing Grooveshark for this placement. No doubt there are a ton of impressions and a high volume of web traffic—but that’s true for a lot of sites. So it’s really the strategic placement that I’m applauding here.

Other notes:

I notice a push for engagement with the “Dunkin’ Radio” call to action on the bottom left corner. Now, there’s no way I am going to click on that because I don’t really care what kind of music Dunkin’ Donuts listens to.  If anything, I think I would dislike it because I’m assuming it’s that song about Jesus taking the wheel. The thought is good, but I doubt it’s going to see high results. Better to find something else to engage the music-listening set, like a coupon for a free sandwich (“score, dude!”)