Brand Immersion: Dove Evolution

In discussions about Branded Utility I generally use the example of Dove Soap. When one uses a bar of Dove in the shower, the brand, in the form of the product, is of use to us. And the question that follows is, "how can this same brand be of service when it appears as a printed page or video?"

Watch this spot posted to YouTube for the answer. Here, Dove is of outstanding use as a brand. And, the results are proof of how positively audiences respond to advertising that is of service.

Video Posted: Oct 6
Cost of Distribution: $0
Engagement: +1.7 million views and counting
Buzz: Top 15 most linked to spots among bloggers
Featured on The View, Ellen, CNN, Entertainment Tonight, and Geraldo

Brand Immersion: Can Pie be a Branded Utility?

I'm having a deja vu moment. It's from Willi Wonka when Violet grabs a piece of gum and begins experiencing a full 6-course meal (or something like that).

"What brought this on," you ask?

In this morning's (digital) headlines I read "Give Thanks: Pie Takes On Life Of Its Own". The article goes on to say that Godiva has come up with a line of pie-flavored chocolates and Jones Soda has done the same with fizzy drinks.

Oh come now! Why replace pie with anything else? Tis the season for pie eating and I must say that there is just no substitute for the stuff. Nothing. Absolutely NOTHING should come between a girl and her pie. Not even a fancy chocolate with a pie-flavored soda chaser.

This may just be a case of branded utility gone wrong...

Read on...

Brand Immersion: Advertising that is Of Service...

I've been thinking lately about ways in which brands can be of service in every form they take - especially in advertising. There is a flurry of writing and thinking being done, especially in the digital word around the notions of branded utilities. And I've heard more than once this month that applications are the new advertising.

Here's a fantastic example of a brand being of service through its advertising. Charmin is gifting the city of New York with toilets in Time Square for the holidays. My question to P&G is why not make it permanent?

For more on the story about Charmin - check out the story in the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/15/business/media/15adco.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

For more on branded utility see PSFK
http://www.psfk.com/2006/11/branded_utility_9.html