Tu 6/27 - Apple Loves Outsiders | Is Pride A PR Move | AI Travel Meets Real World Luggage

It's Tuesday June 27 2023. It's time to nerd out.

The ad nerds podcast delivers ad industry news weekdays we are the go to source for people who spend money on advertising, covering Big brands, small businesses and the latest marketing trends. It's me Spanky Moskowitz, the show's host than a nearly 40 year vet of the ad industry. Back in the saddle. Today, I've made ads for Budweiser m&ms, Frito Lay Chevrolet, the NFL and NBA Ooni pizza ovens. I've created over 100,000 ads generating hundreds of billions and client revenue. If you're in or interested in the world of advertising and want to stay up to date with the latest news. The ad nerds podcast is the perfect place to start.

starting us off the direct to consumer luggage brand Away is weaving AI into its latest marketing campaign, but not in the way you'd expect. They've got a message to share. And that message is about the limits of technology. Away teamed up with AI artist Ulysses and experiential agency Superfly to create a campaign they've named extraordinary is out there. The whole idea behind the campaign is this. To show even the most surreal AI generated landscapes can't hold a candle to the awe inspiring real world destinations you can experience firsthand. Now away just doesn't tell you about this they show you. They set up a two day activation at the brig in Venice Beach, California. People who attended could fill out questionnaires to spawn their very own AI crafted worlds. They also had postcards featuring breathtaking real world destinations like the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park and the Northern Lights in Iceland. A Waze Chief Marketing Officer Carla Dunham said it best, quote, AI possesses the power to create dreamscapes, you'd think are unimaginable, in this case away has deliberately disrupted AI, as we know it, blurring the lines between AI and reality to show our audience that extraordinary is out there in the real world and quote, This innovative campaign didn't just stop at a two day event. They kicked off a 360 degree marketing campaign featuring a full print ad in the New York Times a dedicated landing page on away travel.com. And out of home activations near aways, New York and Los Angeles retail locations, all designed to show their core audience of curious travelers, that the beauty and awe inspiring wonders they see aren't locked away in an AI generated dream. They're out there in the real world, just waiting to be discovered.

Chest X Games, the spectacular extreme sports event we all know and love has teamed up with Amtrak, another extreme sporting event Hey, have you ever been on Amtrak? You know what I'm talking about? You know, one of its kind in a first of its kind one of a kind partnership. So here's the idea, reducing Southern California's infamous traffic woes by promoting the use of rail transport for fans heading to the upcoming three day sports event. It's a solid move for sustainability. And they've taken this partnership a little further to really capture people's attention. You see the Pacific Surfliner trains that chugged along between the central coast and San Diego are getting a facelift. If you ever been in Carlsbad or Oceanside or any of those, you've seen those trains running right along the Pacific coast. It's a beautiful long train and it just multiple times a day. It's rolling back and forth. So why not wrap it in vibrant graphics that scream X game? Right? So that's what they did X Games and Amtrak made a collaboration. You could call it a rolling billboard if you want. But I think it's more of a moving tribute to an eco friendly sports journey. It has a nice ring to it. Here's the genius part. They've taken a two pronged problem traffic congestion and environmental sustainability and turned it into a marketing opportunity. It's a testament really to how our industry can do more than just sell products. It can change behaviors, it can create experiences, and it can certainly turn a train ride into the start of an adrenaline fueled adventure. So next time you're stuck in a creative rut remember, sometimes you might want to take the trek less traveled.

if you thought pride month was only about parades and celebrations you'd be half right. These days. It's also becoming a minefield for brands trying to navigate the rocky terrain of societal partisanship. Take the north face for example. Their latest summer of pride campaigns seemed harmless just a drag queen inviting folks to quote come out into nature. But before you know it right wing sites are accusing them of pushing a lifestyle onto kids gender confusion, you know, the works, and the left wing sites are leaping to their defense sparking off another clash in this never ending battle of ideologies. And guess what, it's not just the north face. Brands like Bud Light target. Even the LA Dodgers who have supported pride in various ways for years, are suddenly finding themselves under a microscope. A rainbow flag on a merchandise item. Get ready for the backlash, the boycott the counter, boycott all of it. The tension is so high, it's like walking a tightrope across the Grand Canyon, blindfolded on a windy day. But the irony is this despite the increasing partisanship in society, brands still seem to want a slice of the pride pie. Maybe it's the allure of standing up for something meaningful, or just good old marketing dynamics. But either way, brands are walking into the storm and are being tossed around like ragdolls. It's not just a matter of navigating the choppy waters anymore. It's like steering clear of the whirlpools. We're looking at scenarios where brands can be forced to pick a side consciously or otherwise. And that could spell trouble or great PR my beliefs. Err on the cynical side. I think brands see the opportunity to support pride as a free PR move good bad or indifferent. Unfortunately, the division while temporary is going to impact their bottom lines.

Well Apple is known for its incredible branding, advertising and marketing. And Tor Miran, the big gun of Apple advertising and marketing give us a peek behind the apple curtain in a recent presentation at cons Yes, the theme festival tour dished out some invaluable advice and an absolute must for those of us trying to keep afloat in this ever evolving advertising ocean. Side note, Tor Miran is not just anyone. This is the former creative leader of gray worldwide so you know his words carry weight. Okay. So what's his big revelation you ask? Tor emphasizes the value of an outsider's perspective in advertising. He's not talking about us being outsiders peeping into customers lives. No. It's about our agencies, our creative firms, the so called outsiders who bring fresh unadulterated ideas to the table. That's right. He's basically saying our detachment from the brand's internal workings is not a weakness, but a secret weapon. Which feels kind of good right now does it? I know. I feel kind of warm and fuzzy about that. Amidst all the buzz about AI, chatbots and algorithms, it's refreshing to know that human creativity and our unique outsider status still holds immense value in the marketing space for a company like Apple. It's a thumbs up from a Top Gun in the industry and reassurance that no matter how much the industry evolves, there's always going to be the need for the human touch. Human is you and I Not AI time.

Who remembers Spike Lee from back in the day in the 90s? Yeah, the influential filmmaker who had a knack for storytelling, and led to some explosive ad campaigns Nike back in the 90s. With his spotlighting of Michael Jordan, he's back in the limelight. And this time, it's not about films or basketball shoes. But a discussion about his experiences in the ad industry and a pretty interesting perspective on the burgeoning presence of AI. At a recent press conference, Spike Lee was honored with the first ever creative maker of the Year Award by black at cons an organization committed to uplifting black creatives. Lee shared tales from his own journey, painting a picture of the creative struggles he often faced when aligning his unique artistic vision with the brand or agency's desired direction. He used the metaphorical compass to explain these Divergent Paths the brand is going right him wanting to go to the left. His advice to other creatives be crystal clear about your vision, sort out the complex at the initial stages, and not after everything's been shot. Dropping in some humor, Lee expressed his bafflement at some of the recent food commercials he's watched their humor or lack thereof, left him scratching his head. More than just providing a light hearted moment it raised the question of the quality of current advertisements. While the world of advertising creativity is set to be disrupted by AI and other innovative technologies, the industry also needs to remember the essence of effective storytelling. Something that has been the hallmark of Spike Lee's career.

Hey, if you liked the ad nerds podcast, please subscribe on Apple Spotify or wherever you listen. Give it a five star rating and a great review. I'd sure appreciate it. That's the ad nerds podcast for Tuesday, June 27 2023. Spanky out thanks for listening. I'll catch you tomorrow.