Tim Thoughts

It’s always exciting to receive a package in the mail. But recently I opened a package that meant more to mean than most. For co-authoring a chapter in a book, I was sent a copy of the 2-volume set in the mail.
With Sam Bradley, I had the opportunity to co-author Chapter 87, “Research in Advertising Campaign Design” in 21st Century Communication: A Reference Handbook. View the details on the SAGE Web site, or check it out on Amazon.
I’m so excited to have had the chance to include my thoughts in …

Over the last few weeks, a few things have caught my attention on TV and on the radio. Here are some things I have really liked lately.
This commercial
Travelers Insurance has created something awesome. Don’t believe me? Watch the video. Still don’t believe me? Here’s some anecdotal evidence for you. At at time when advertisers are worried about TV viewers using DVR to skip through commercials, over the weekend my dad said he loved this commercial so much he wants to record it with DVR.

This band
The Dead Weather. Have you heard …

I saw this commercial for the first time last night, during the Cavs-Hawks game. I couldn’t help but laugh. So if you haven’t seen Lebron and Kobe as puppets yet, enjoy!

I had the chance to catch a Cleveland Indians game in person Friday night. A couple times a year my dad and I head up to Jacobs Progressive Field to see if the Tribe can put some hits together and get a win.  So I could rant about the Indians getting only two hits on Verlander or the fact that Sizemore had a game-winning homerun thwarted by Granderson’s spectacular catch, but instead, there are a few other things from the game worth discussing.
When advertising becomes landmark
In Progressive Field (still would …

Today is Cinco de Mayo, which means I’m thinking about drinking Mexican style. One beer I really love is Dos Equis. Wikipedia tells me that Dos Equis was originally brewed in Germany in the 19th century, but as far as I can tell, it is now brewed by Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma Brewery in Mexico.
So with Dos Equis in mind, it seems like a great time to discuss the recent TV campaign. You’ve probably seen one of the commercials. Click here if you haven’t. You know, I’m talking about the commercials with …

A major part of any messaging from a brand to its consumers is respecting the consumers. This sounds basic and universally agreed upon, but many marketers fall into a trap by not carefully walking the fine line of targeting an audience.
Consumers like brand that they can relate to and identify with. But people don’t like being blatantly targeted. People really don’t like others making assumptions about their habits, interests, and beliefs. Even in the instance that the assumptions end up being correct, it makes them feel predictable, simple, and not …