| I watched Roy Williams in a quite literally | | | | have profound effects on branding and |
| amazing presentation about society's 40-year | | | | advertising over the next 20 years at |
| Pendulum recently. His presentation was a | | | | least.You´re now in a generation that |
| delightful hidden bonus in the agenda from | | | | doesn't respect individual achievements, |
| the Call to Action seminar hosted by Bryan | | | | rebellion or going it alone, mocks hype and |
| and Jeff Eisenberg at the Wizard of Ads | | | | doesn't think James Bond is da man!You're now |
| Academy 1 in Buda, Texas.Roy´s | | | | in a generation where people are tired of |
| presentation explained a phenomenon that | | | | hype, tired of dreams and want to work |
| happens every 40 years where folks´ | | | | together to get things done. Your peers want |
| attitudes gradually shift over time in an | | | | to do things that make the world a better |
| opposite direction to that of the previous | | | | place to live in rather than just dream about |
| generation. He finished by predicting that in | | | | it. They recognize the problems around them |
| the next 2-3 years we´re going to see | | | | and seek solutions to make things |
| radical shifts in the way people buy and what | | | | happen.Stars today wear ordinary clothes; |
| they are influenced by. I am labeling this | | | | remember Elvis on stage in his glittery white |
| shift for the purposes of this article | | | | suits? Now think Eminem and Coldplay. How do |
| Reality Branding.The shift starts with the | | | | they look in comparison? Today´s stars |
| artsRoy described how music and art is the | | | | want to be portrayed as real. Notice the |
| first indication that ´times they are a | | | | sudden trend in reality TV shows? Paris |
| changing´. Typically music precedes this | | | | Hilton and her pal in The Simple life? I bet |
| social shift before the whole idea goes | | | | when you watch the Simple life you think |
| mainstream. If you think about it, looking at | | | | Paris and her pal are morons. Is that because |
| music and the arts is a reasonable indicator | | | | they are morons? Or is it because you think |
| of what people think. I´m not talking | | | | that living the false lifestyle of credit |
| about the reaction to one hit wonders, but | | | | cards, flash cars and a $10,000 Louis Vuitton |
| the general trends. Why does everyone | | | | handbag is crass? It´s an interesting |
| suddenly get the same kind of groove, coast | | | | question. Would today´s reality focus have |
| to coast, continent to continent?I remember | | | | worked back in 1971 when all we were dreaming |
| reading a CaveChat (bulletin board) thread | | | | about was giving peace a chance?Reality |
| from 5000BC 2 a few months back where one | | | | branding is what´s cool todayUnderstanding |
| post compared Eminem to Elvis. I thought it | | | | this shift in social attitudes is the good |
| was a strange comparison at the time because | | | | news because now you can apply that to your |
| it was not explained in the context Roy | | | | own business.Relentless repetition used to be |
| described. I now understand that it wasn't | | | | the only requirement to drive the branding |
| that these icons were comparable as artists; | | | | message home, now it isn´t quite as easy |
| it was that they are comparable in the shift | | | | as that.Dove is a great example of this shift |
| they reflected in the "mainstream" in | | | | in thinking. Yes they still do repetition, |
| society.Take Elvis´Since the late 50's | | | | but they get the message across to real women |
| we've had rock and roll in one form or | | | | by showing them ads with real women in them. |
| another and it all started in 1957 with Elvis | | | | Gone are the stick like models, because our |
| Presley curling his lip and shaking his knees | | | | social conscience won´t allow us to let |
| in a fashion that made the young ladies of | | | | our daughters grow up thinking that skeletal |
| the time pass out with excitement.Or did it? | | | | is beautiful. In are normal looking women |
| Rock and roll has its roots well before Elvis | | | | with real curves and different types of skin |
| as I´m sure all the musical historians | | | | showing that Dove is good for them.To |
| will tell you, however when Elvis and his | | | | communicate with today´s audience who are |
| iconic charm came along the music went | | | | completely sick of advertising, you need to |
| mainstream and that is the point. For the | | | | communicate facts and real benefits, not |
| next 40 years music was in one form or | | | | features and value based |
| another, an iteration, imitation, | | | | statements.Communicating facts and benefits |
| categorization, blend or copy of a rock and | | | | in your copyIf you write copy like your |
| roll based rhythm.So what about Eminem?Eminem | | | | business school teacher taught you 20 years |
| and probably a few others brought hip hop to | | | | ago you will be out of sync with the current |
| the masses. In 1997 (40 years exactly from 57 | | | | trend of thought. Below, Roy Williams |
| when Elvis emerged on the scene) the hip hop | | | | describes how value statements can be seen as |
| generation was becoming very popular. Eminem | | | | hype;Modern advertising overflows with |
| was one of the emerging talents of the time, | | | | values-based statements: "Big selection." |
| but the white guy in a predominantly black | | | | "High quality." "Low prices." "Easy credit." |
| musical genre signaled the approach of the | | | | Even though these statements may be true in |
| mainstream.It reads like a script when you | | | | the mind of the advertiser, the public has |
| compare how Elvis before him was preceded by | | | | heard them all before.The left hemispheres of |
| less famous Rock and Roll artists that were | | | | our brains detect fact-based statements and |
| the true pioneers. Eminem and Elvis can be | | | | prefer them to statements that are |
| compared because they hit the scene around | | | | values-based. Having been suffocated by hype |
| the time that people were ready for it and | | | | for the past 40 years, we hunger today for |
| made history. Ever heard the saying ´there | | | | statements of fact. |
| is nothing more powerful than an idea whose | | | | |
| time has come?´3 Eminems brash, hard | | | | Roy Williams Monday Morning Memo 5Values |
| hitting, realistic and edgy approach has the | | | | based statements still have their place but |
| latest generation of young ladies screaming | | | | backing it up with facts will cut through the |
| "That shit is bumping" 4 but they wouldn´t | | | | clutter more effectively. If you see ´low |
| pass out because it isn´t cool.And it´s | | | | prices´ in website copy will you read on? |
| ´what´s cool´ that´s the point | | | | Maybe, maybe not, but if you see a price |
| isn´t it?What do hip hop artists sing | | | | which is attractive for a product you want |
| about? Trouble on the streets, too many guns, | | | | then you´re looking for your credit |
| poverty, sex, saving the world, where is the | | | | card.Take your PPC ad which says ´MP3 |
| love - The Black Eyed Peas ´ and their rap | | | | players ´ Exceptional quality, high |
| about social conscience?In addition other | | | | storage capacity and low prices´. That |
| bands which aren't hip hop are of a similar | | | | might and probably will attract a lot of |
| vein in their lyrical content. Think Coldplay | | | | people who are seeking information about an |
| from the UK and their lyrics in Lights | | | | MP3 player. However selling the same product |
| out.... "Come out upon my seas, curse missed | | | | with fact based statements you could give |
| opportunities (am I) A part of the cure, or | | | | your reader a much better idea and make your |
| am I part of the disease".Am I a part of the | | | | ad stand out from the crowd ´MP3 players |
| cure or a part of the disease??Right now, | | | | ´ High quality with 100GB storage for |
| it´s cool to be talking about real | | | | thousands of tracks $399´.Of course the |
| problems people have or reflecting on the | | | | second ad will attract far less traffic than |
| reality surrounding them. Fantasy is out of | | | | the first because you´re pre-qualifying |
| the window, dreaming is for hippies, Can you | | | | people. |
| imagine Coke releasing ´I´d like to | | | | |
| teach the world to sing in perfect | | | | Hmmm, well isn´t that what you want from |
| harmony´ without causing an entire | | | | a PPC ad? People that know what you have and |
| generation to throw up? In 1971 people | | | | wants to buy what you sell?Sources1 The |
| actually sang along!Cool right now is all | | | | Wizard Of Ads Academy |
| about reality and social conscience, where as | | | | |
| for the last 40 years we've gone from | | | | 2 5000 BC Post on the membership forum. |
| individual rebellion (rock and roll), to free | | | | |
| love (individual dreaming), to rebellion | | | | 3 Victor Hugo French dramatist, novelist, & |
| (punk rock), to material girl (the individual | | | | poet (1802 - 1885) |
| success story) to free your mind (90´s | | | | |
| acid rock).Interestingly if you take Madonna | | | | 4 Wikipedia - A list of slang terms used in |
| as a survivor of this social pendulum notice | | | | the Hip Hop culture. |
| how her style and lyrics have changed? She | | | | |
| started off as rebellious material girl, all | | | | 5 Monday Morning Memo for September 26, |
| vogue and power icon but now has shifted to a | | | | 2005Author: Steve Jackson, Editor - |
| real mum with a social conscience (ray of | | | | Conversion Chronicles |
| light album).Social conscience and getting | | | | |
| things doneWe´re switching from an | | | | Steve Jackson is CEO of Aboavista, editor of |
| idealistic society where it is Ok to dream, | | | | The Conversion Chronicles and a published |
| to a social society where getting things done | | | | writer. |
| is more important. The shift in society will | | | | |