Super Bowl Brands: Coke
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It's no secret that Coca-Cola is one of the world's favorite soft drinks, so it only seems natural that it would be one of the top dogs in Super bowl advertising. This veteran has a portfolio of over one hundred years of advertising, and continues to create commercials we all know and love.
One of the most memorable Super Bowl commercials from last year was the parade balloons fighting over a coke. If you missed this hilarious clip, you should definitely take literally a minute of your time to check it out.
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Super Bowl Brands: Pedigree
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Name: Pedigree, the third largest dog food brand owned by Mars, is widely associated with heart-warming commercials featuring dogs and puppies. The name “Pedigree” actually comes from the Old French phrase “pie du grue” meaning “crane’s foot,” which alludes to the spreading lines used in genealogical charts. Today, we directly associate the word “pedigree” with ancestral lineage.
Career Highlights: Although Pedigree spent $32 million dollars on advertising in 2007, the company has never before advertised during the Super Bowl…until now. This year, Pedigree will join the other highly publicized marketers such as PepsiCo and Anheuser-Bush with a 30 second spot and will be the first dog food company to do so during the much anticipated event.
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Super Bowl Brands: Bridgestone
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Boss, Mr. Potato Head and Tires?
I have to admit that I’m the type of person that enjoys the SuperBowl for 1) spending time with friends/family 2) tasty treats 3) and yes, of course, the SuperBowl commercials. One of my favorite ones from last year was the Bridgestone Tire commercials. If you don’t recall that one off the top of your head featuring an adorable little squirrel, please click here to see it.
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Super Bowl Brands: E*Trade
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Brand:
• E*Trade is so easy to use a baby can do it.
• E*Trade also translates its ease by selectively choosing a few words to define the brand. These words include: Global Leader, Value, Ease, Innovation, Security, and Service.
Career History:
• 1982—William A. Porter and Bernard Newcomb start Trade*Plus, the first company to allow people to buy stock over the internet while the stock exchange was open. These on-line trades were called “e-trades”, a term that eventually comes to define the company.
• 1991—Trade*Plus becomes E*Trade Group
• 1994—E*Trade Group is the fastest-growing company in the U.S grossing 11 million dollars in revenue.
• 2003—E*Trade Group becomes E*Trade Financial Cooperation.
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Super Bowl Brands: Doritos
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PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay brand, Doritos, might be on to something. With air time alone costing approximately $3million for a 30 second spot, who has the money to pay an advertising agency to make the actual commercial?
History: For the third year in a row now, Doritos has launched their “Crash the Super Bowl” contest in which regular people are able to submit homemade Doritos commercials to win a top prize of being featured during the Super Bowl. Most of the commercials from the past two years can be seen on You Tube and they are definitely worth watching.
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Super Bowl Brands: Monster.com vs. CareerBuilder
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Move over Steelers and Cardinals, the real match up this year is between Monster.com and CareerBuilder. Both companies are walking into a tough arena as Americans face a losing job market. A well thought-out game plan is essential for both Monster.com and CareerBuilder to gain job seekers and employers.
Here is a quick breakdown of the competitors:
Monster.com
Game Plan: Monster is back after a few years without presence in the SuperBowl. The company will be touting their newly redesigned and enhanced website during their TV spots. Monster’s ads will also promote a contest and prizes around the idea of applying for “Director of Fandemonium”, highlighting the company’s new role as the NFL’s official career service sponsor.
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Can a tea brand ‘end bitterness?’
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I grew up drinking Luzianne tea on my front porch. We served it at every family picnic and it was a staple within our refrigerator. The Luzianne brand epitomized “sweet tea,” and was considered the standard southern beverage.
The company’s recent new product line is “Luzianne Coffee,” with a clever campaign to “end bitterness.” While I love the call to action of the new initiative, will this simple brand extension dilute the equity they have in their famous tea brand? With Luzianne’s heritage as a cool, refreshing, afternoon front porch beverage, will it be difficult for the company to successfully cross over into the hot, wake-you-up in the morning coffee space?
12 Toys of Christmas: 11 Logs of Lincoln
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“All Wood Pieces Just Like You Remember!”
According to the Lincoln Logs website, the product was created in 1916 by Mr. John Lloyd Wright, the son of Frank Lloyd Wright. The cylindrical wooden building toys were marketed by the Red Square Toy Company originally, though the products are now owned by K’Nex industries.
So why Lincoln Logs? Besides the obvious fun of saying it, the name Lincoln is clearly associated with the American president, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was famously born in a one-room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky. There is also a Thomas Lincoln Log Cabin historic site in Illinois dedicated to a log cabin built by the president’s father. Ironically, the only residence Lincoln himself ever owned was in Springfield, Illinois, and it was not a log cabin.
Still, the name Lincoln seems inextricably linked to the imagery and folklore of American log cabins. Thus, the name Lincoln Logs effectively relays that workmanship and nostalgia for fans of all ages.
And as if that wasn’t reason enough to use the name Lincoln for the product, there is more: Mr. Wright’s father was originally named Frank Lincoln Wright. He changed it to Lloyd after his parents’ divorce.
Contributed by: Maghan Cook
12 Toys of Christmas: 12 Weebles Wobbling
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We all know the phrase, and admit it, you’ve said it more than once: “Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down.“
Originally introduced in the late 1960’s by Romper Room, Weebles were miniature versions of the familiar clown punching bags. The earliest Weebles were shorter and fatter (and a little scary looking) with peelable stickers that were easily scratched and ripped. When Hasbro acquired Romper Room in 1969, the new line was improved with non-peelable stickers and friendlier character faces and competed head to head with Fisher Price’s Little People. Since its introduction, the simple Weebles toy has expanded to include circus sets, treasure island themes, and even licensing agreements by Disney.
Popular Weeble toys have recently included:
History doesn’t show the origin of the name Weebles, but I can only assume it’s a fusion of “wee” connoting “little” and “wobble,” suggesting the rocking or side-to-side movement of the toys.
As Named on TV
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Anyone who watches television between the hours of 10pm to 6am is no stranger to the hypnotic lull of the infomercial. In the wee hours of the morning while I am battling the occasional bout of insomnia, I find myself amazed by the power of an oxygen based cleaner, or convinced that an air sealed bag is the solution to all of my house hold clutter. I also wonder why the same dark headed man with a thick beard and excruciatingly loud voice appears on almost all infomercial product ads---but that is beside the point.
The question I have about these As Seen on TV type products, that pops into my head after Ron Popeil practically jumps out of my television screen demanding me to “SET IT, AND FORGET IT!”, is who in the world names these things?
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