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1
Sep 10

Is Social Media Killing the Brand Website?

Most Popular Websites

Most Popular Websites

The image above shows the logos of the world’s most popular websites with their size proportional to popularity (see the interactive version of this image here). Based on this ranking, Google is the most popular website. This doesn’t come as a surprise. Google is my homepage and the first place I go to look up any kind of information. And guess what’s in second place: Facebook. Surprise, surprise… The overwhelming popularity of Facebook exposes just how many people use it, and how often they must visit it.

Facebook is so popular that “for many marketers, their Facebook fan bases have become their largest web presence.” (Jack Neff, “What Happens When Facebook Trumps Your Brand Site?“). It goes beyond a standard brand website by allowing consumers to interact much more. Increasingly, TV commercials and print ads are directing consumers to the brand’s Facebook page instead of it’s website. Biz Stone, the co-founder of Twitter, thinks that brands that utilize social media well “are blending together marketing and customer support and using it to build their brands.” (”Social Media Grows Up“) There is NO better place to do this than within your social media channels. The number of followers you have isn’t the most important factor. Its more about keeping these followers engaged, so they’ll in turn share information with all their friends and followers.  As social media expands and evolves, it has the ability to function a lot like a brand’s website.

In Blackshaw’s article, “Do We Still Need Websites?”, he entertains the idea that maybe brands don’t need traditional websites anymore. But actually, the purpose of the traditional brand website is evolving, not disappearing. Brands need to present more engaging websites. Now that consumers can follow a brands every move through Twitter, Facebook, Blogs and other social media sites, it is essential for brands to change how they approach websites. A website can no longer just be a source of information. It instead needs to be the main hub that connects all the various online outlets. It needs to keep the social media sites connected and intertwined, providing the consumer with an overall view of the brand’s entire online presence.

More than ever, consumers demand the ability to interact with brands, and websites need to promote this interaction. They also need to be ready to adapt to any changes that may occur in the social media environment. Websites are still an essential tool for brands. Each brand just needs to rethink how they use this tool.

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25
Aug 10

Is Advertising Art?

As a student of both art and advertising, I have often wondered if advertising can always be considered art. Obviously they both use a creative process and entail artistic approaches… but many “artists” scoff when I reference ad spots as pieces of art themselves. The final outcome of both (an ad or a work of art) is meant to portray the creator’s (or artist’s) message or concept, right?

The main difference then is the intent behind them. Advertising is meant to sell, revealing a concept to entice consumers into purchasing. The creator of an ad does not decide what he or she wants to sell, but is instead hired to draw certain perceptions from consumers. In contrast, the artist portrays his or her own concept and intends for consumers to draw their own perceptions. When an artist turns his creativity and skill to the advertising world, can it still be considered art?

Recently, the artist KAWS worked with Dos Equis to create a new brand image. KAWS used his signature imagery for advertising, but it is still his original concept and art.

Dos Equis by KAWS

Dos Equis by KAWS

Video: Dos Equis: Dos Equis by KAWS

So that is advertising done by an artist, taking the artist’s original concept and using it to create a new brand image. But what about art that looks like advertising? Take for example, the classic case of Andy Warhol’s Campbell Soup cans.

Andy Warhol, Campbell Soup

Andy Warhol, "Campbell Soup"

All he did was recreate the image of the can, the only difference is in the way that he presented it. By calling it art, he automatically takes it away from the advertising world. His intention was not to make consumers hungry for some “mmm mmm good” Campbell’s Soup. Instead, he was commenting on the commercialization and mass production of consumer goods.

The line between art and advertising is blurry at times and easily crossed. Sometimes, advertising is art, and art may even look like advertising. It really just comes down to the intention of the creator.

-Dana Patterson, CU Advertising Student/Battalion Intern

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19
Aug 10

The Joy of Shooting

IMG_0084

One thing that may not come to mind when considering the recession is the reduction in the number of television commercials produced. Often, companies will reuse old material, or simply stop airing TV spots. As a small agency, we can certainly vouch for the fact that TV production is down. Until last week, that was.
We had the joy of working with our video production partners Denver High Def on a project that we can’t really talk about yet. It was great to get back to the dynamically crazy days of shooting, overeating and generally getting out of the office to create good stuff. Stay tuned for the spots themselves.

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6
Aug 10

The Outdoor Retailer Show

The OR Show, as they call it, has come and gone in Salt Lake City. A remarkable collection of sporting, apparel and action sports brands, it’s the place to be in the industry. The only problem? Battalion couldn’t make it this year, as we are tied up in several new branding assignments. Actually, it’s a good problem to have.

There are two show per year, held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Summer is in August, and Winter is well, in the winter. Fear not, Battalion will be there with bells on for future shows.

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20
Jul 10

The Name Game

Names are important whether you’re naming a child or a brand. The difference between the two: the child doesn’t have a say in what you name it and a brand decidedly does.

Naming projects are one of our specialties. They’re a fun, iterative and collaborative process and you never know if you’re naming the next million dollar idea. So what’s in a brand name? Well, a lot, or nothing depending on how you look at it. Some brands want their name to convey an emotion or the philosophy of the business. Other brands just want a name who’s domain is available and is unambiguous so it’s easily found and trackable amogst the commotion in socialmedialand.

In our latest naming project, the client gave us specific names to stay away from and ones he liked, along with the feeling he wants to convey. This type of information is not only helpful but needed so we know what path to go down. Since it’s literally something you make up out of thin air, you need some sort of direction or you’ll go nuts.

So, we begin. You can’t be shy in this process. All ideas are written down as it’s all about being creative and you can’t worry if something sounds stupid. If you do, you’re in the wrong business. You make a long and short list, strategize the ones you think best represent the brand and send along to the client. Then it’s a waiting game.
Tick tock.

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