By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ readers,

Here’s your Friday Deal:

1. Still a virgin?

That’s unfortunate. But thankfully for you, there are billboards all across the U.S. with a toll-free number that can provide you help for your, uh, situation.

Read more Share This

By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ readers,

Here’s your Wednesday Deal:

1. Take life by the pickles

In my opinion, some consumer brands need to learn how to loosen up a bit. Let’s admit it, straight-laced and stone cold serious aren’t exactly the qualities that consumers look for in a brand during the age of social media. I know, I know. SOME brands have to be serious, because well, their products are serious. But when it comes to certain industries (like the food and beverage, travel and automobile), I think a little fun can go a long way. In fact, according to David Burn of AdPulp, McDonald’s has created an online Mad Libs-esque microsite that implores their Angus-loving consumers to engage with them. When you enter the site, you can choose one of three of McDonald’s new Angus Wraps. I chose the Deluxe, because well, I go big. Once you’ve chosen your wrap, you’re asked a few random questions. When you’re done with the Q&A, your McDonald’s axiom appears. Mine was, “Take life by the pickles, run with the perfect pack and bring out the inner baseball fan.” It’s fun, it’s easy, and it’s engaging. Although, it would have been better if the consumer could understand what axioms have to do with Angus. But otherwise, I dig it.
Read more Share This

By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ readers,

Here’s your Tuesday Deal:

1. You got no fear of the underdog

In this hard knock world laden with franchises and conglomerates, a lot of mom ‘n pop businesses don’t know how to stand up against the big dogs of industry. Home Depot squashed local hardware stores. Stop & Shop mowed over specialty food-marts. And now pizza juggernauts like Domino’s are trying to wipe out little independent pizzerias like bugs on the windshield of life.

Read more Share This

By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ readers,

Here’s your Monday Deal:

1. The land down under

When you’re a lady, your underwear drawer matches your priorities. Your panty range is probably pretty vast when you’re a young woman—bright colors, patterns, ties, ribbons, whatever. But as some ladies get older, they tend to forego the lacy numbers for something more…shall we say “practical.” In other words, some gals have gotten stuck in a panty rut—a wedgie of sorts, if you will. But fortunately for you, and your lady parts, Kotex is hosting a panty raid. That’s right, Kotex is asking women everywhere to submit a video that goes over the highs and lows of their underwear drawers. A panel of judges will choose 10 finalists who will have to explain why they deserve a “makeunder,” and three lucky ladies will be chosen for an undergarment overhaul.

Read more Share This

By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ readers,

Here’s your Friday Deal:

1. Scrub a dub dub, one man in a tub

When it comes to political advertising, it takes a lot to rally me into any sort of frenzy. Not only are most of the ads just a 30-second slew of false promises, but the “he said, she said” playground banter between opponent’s is enough to make you wish for communism. However, Denver Mayor, John Hickenlooper’s most recent TV spot not only got my attention, but it actually warmed me to his personality enough to investigate his political views and causes. How does a mayor running for governor get your attention without taking their claws out or boring you to death by being politically correct? By indulging in a shower on television, of course. Take a look at how political advertising can be positive and still work for a candidate in Hickenlooper’s new campaign commercial, “Shower.”

Read more Share This

By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ readers,

Here’s your Thursday Deal:

1. YouTube and television are related

We Captains have been climbing atop our marketing soapboxes for a while now and preaching the good word about websites.

“They’re like TV channels!” we shouted. “Companies can simultaneously entertain customers and drive home key messages about their brand all for a price that is lower than airing a 30-second TV spot!”

Read more Share This

By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ readers,

Here’s your Wednesday Deal:

1. Listen my children, and you shall hear

Of Brett Favre’s fickle nature on the blogosphere.

A lot of NFL fans recently had some issues with Brett Favre’s wavering decision to retire—particularly in the blogs. Some thought he should play, some thought he should retire, but almost everyone could agree that he should’ve at least set the record straight in a more timely manner. What does this have to do with marketing and advertising? Well, everything for starters.
Read more Share This

By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ readers,

Here’s your Tuesday Deal:

1. Is this real advertising?

The reason real people in viral videos become famous is because they’re doing something authentic and unscripted. When David DeVore (from YouTube sensation, “David After Dentist”) was lolling his head about in the backseat of his dad’s car and asking him if this was in fact “real life,” he wasn’t PRETENDING he was doped up on drugs after visiting the dentist, he really was. It was the authenticity of the situation that made his viral video funny—and the fact that he screams like a raving lunatic for absolutely no reason.
Read more Share This

By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ readers,

Here’s your Monday Deal:

1. Fasten your seat belts, stow your tray tables and make sure Grandma isn’t streaking

While you’re waiting for a piece of physics-defying machinery to roll its 870,000 pound body down a runway and launch you 35,000 feet into the air, it’s easy to ignore what the nice flight attendants tell you to do “in case” that piece of machinery decides to all of a sudden plummet out of the sky and hurtle to the ground. In fact, the first thing I do when I step on an airplane is say a little prayer, pop some Bubblicious in my mouth and plug into my iPod until I hear the wheels hit the tarmac again. Just listening to the shpeel about oxygen masks and inflatable life preservers conveniently located under my seat is enough to give me the willies. And I’m not alone. There aren’t a whole lot of air passengers who want to listen to all the reasons why they shouldn’t have fought their instinct to stay grounded. However, Air New Zealand found a way to not only make sure people listened to their new pre-flight safety briefing video, but that they relaxed and laughed a bit as well. The video stars All Black, New Zealand’s star rugby team, and a plane full of All Black fans. Not only does the video get across all the necessary safety information, but it also has a streaking grandma collecting high fives down the aisle before takeoff. I call that a great piece of content.

Read more Share This

By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ readers,

Here’s your Friday Deal:

1. What the *&%$ was that?

I’ve got a question for you. If you had to somehow get young guys to go see the latest scary movie, “The Last Exorcism” coming out next Friday, how would you do it? Give them free passes? Bribe them with popcorn? Maybe even make a kick ass movie trailer?

I’m betting that anything you can come up with isn’t as good as what Lionsgate actually DID. According to Tim Nudd at AdFreak, Lionsgate really wanted to scare the pants of their new movie’s target audience. So, after some thinking, they decided (like any good marketer would) to promote their movie where their target spends most of their time—a website called Chatroulette. In case you don’t know, Chatroulette is a website that pairs random strangers from around the world together for webcam-based conversations. Basically, guys go on it to meet hot chicks. Enough said.

Read more Share This

By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ readers,

Here’s your Thursday Deal:

1. That’s a good question. What IS up with that?

Now, listen. There’s no one in the ad game more pumped about web videos than I. Not only are they a great source of entertainment, but they’re also more easily digestible than a block of text, they can drive more unique visitors to your website, and most importantly, they’re a great way to tell your story to the world. That being said, I’d like to now admit one of my biggest web video pet peeves: creating videos for the sake of creating videos. Why does this get my panties in a bunch? Because you might have made one kick ass web video that tons of people view and like, but if your concept doesn’t involve your brand, no one is going to associate your moving/thrilling/hilarious/entertaining video with your product. Which is a waste of money, time and a whole lot of eyeballs.

Read more Share This

By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ readers,

Here’s your Wednesday Deal:

1. There’s nothing we can do

This is a phrase that anyone in customer service dreams of saying, but would never dare utter. (Actually, most of us, with enough time and the right kind of customer, can dream of something far more colorful to say, but that’s a different blog post.) Why? Because the customer is ALWAYS right.

In my waitressing days, I had to do things that were beyond comprehension for guests. I held umbrellas over their heads on their way to their cars during a torrential thunderstorm. I drove to the nearest liquor store to get someone’s favorite wine because the bar didn’t have it. I even baby-sat their children while they drank their dinner even though I had 4 other tables to serve and cocktailing duty. Did I WANT to do all these things? Absolutely not. Did I do them anyway? Yes, unfortunately, I did.

Read more Share This