Recently, MW3, or Modern Warfare 3, video game came out.  The makers of MW3 partnered up with Jeep to create the "toughest vehicle".  While the concept seems fairly well thought out, the outcome of selling a lot of these special addition Jeeps will he highly unlikely.  Even though MW3 is a VERY popular video game (it hold the highest number of sold copies in the first day) generally the consumers who  buy video games can not afford such cars, especially a 2012 special addition Jeep.

MW3 has been advertising to a broader range of people ranging anywhere from late teens to individuals in their early forties.  This has worked for the video game's sales and has increased the average consumer's age.  Even with MW3's popularity, sales, and market I still feel that buyers will simply not purchase a car simply because of a video game.  Really who wants to be seen driving a $25,000 video game car?

http://www.callofduty.com/mw3
http://www.jeep.com/en/callofduty/

Applebee's recently released a commercial with the message that Veterans and active duty military personnel eat free at Applebee's on Veteran's Day, November 11.  This is an emotional campaign that Applebee's is using in order to increase the number of people going to the Applebee's restaurant chain.  This is not new for Applebee's and after examing their website it is clear that giving back is one of Applebee's primary goals. 

Applebee's is not only taking the initiative by thanking Veterans with free food, but also encourages others to do the same.  Applebee's is trying to help sponsor the largest military thank you of all time.  They hope to thank all 24 million veterans and active duty military.  This is done though donations, Applebee's gift cards, and letters of gratitude from generous sponsors.  This campaign highlights how Applebee's cares about its country and those who protect it.  Nationalism can be seen throughout the campaign, but the best at the end where the traditional Applebee's apple logo is shown.  However, it is an American flag apple revealing how Applebee's is truely American.

Link to  website: http://www.applebees.com/thankyoumovement     

NIKE BASKETBALL

With the present NBA lockout the shoe world is forced to advertise and campaign their products differently.  Nike has chosen a clever slogan for their campaign: basketball never stops.  This is a very effective advertising strategy because this slogan appeals to the emotional aspect of Nike in regards to their basketball enthusiasts. The target audience is drawn to the message that even though their is a present NBA lockout Nike shoes allow the individual to continue to enjoy all the aspects of basketball.  Nike has chosen to highlight this advertisement with many of the NBA's greatest stars.  If Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Amare Stoudemire, and LeBron James will continue playing basketball than so can the viewer; hopefully in a pair of Nike's shoes.

The one part of the commercial that I have a hard time understanding is why they would use Coach K for this commercial.  He is the Duke University head basketball coach and was the former Gold Medal winning Olympic coach.  However, he has nothing to do with the NBA lockout.  I'm not sure if Nike's underlying tactic is to try and entice the viewer to watch the college teams like Duke since there might be the possibility of an entire NBA season lockout.    

Nature is unique, authentic, pure, and also delicious like Nature Valley.  This can be heard in the the opening of Nature Valley's snack commercial.  Instead of appealing to the technological part of society, Nature Valley is appealing to the naturalistic part of society.  These would include outdoors people and people who want to eat natural.  From the beginning to the end of this commercial authentic photo shots of mountains, lakes, and valleys are used to invite the viewer to relax and enjoy all the wonders of nature.  In the commercial a couple is sitting in nature enjoying delicious Nature Valley granola bars.

This commercial compares the beauty of nature with the delicious taste of nature Valley's honey oat granola bars very well.  Nature Valley does a great job using natural tones, bird noises, and landscapes to create a relaxing atmosphere, encouraging the viewer to enjoy the natural aspects of life through a granola bar.  The granola bar is 100% delicious because it is 100% natural.  The target audience would see 100% natural and 100% delicious as very important because nature and taste are the key selling point of Nature Valley.  Plus its hard to beat 100% deliciousness.

         

Discount Double Check

In my last blog I discussed how the Wisconsin area in particular was capitalizing on Aaron Rodgers and the Packer's Superbowl success.  However, it is not just local businesses that are trying to incorporate Aaron Rodgers.  State Farm, a national insurance company, has a commercial poking fun at Rodgers' touchdown dance.  In the commercial Rodgers' championship-belt dance is the discount double check which is used to symbolize the saving that one receives from State Farm.  

This commercial is better than previous Aaron Rodgers' commercials because it incorporates more emotion.  Rodgers is not just sitting on the a chair, he is talking with an American couple.  They interact with the discount double check, or championship dance, while joking with Rodgers that if he was a quarterback then they would robots.  The commercial finally ends with what appears to be a die hard Packer's fan in the typical cheese head hat and painted body doing the discount count double check.  

This commercial engages the viewer by using a national celebrity while also incorporating important facts and information about how State Farm can save you hundreds of dollars.  I find it quite interesting how Rodgers is used by State Farm to create a humorous, but effective commercial.  After this commercial I want to go to a State Farm office to see if the State Farm agents actually do the discount double check.     

Riding Success

It seems like everyone is trying to ride the Packers' Super Bowl buzz as long as possible.  Attorney David Gruber has sought the help of star quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the hope of spreading awareness about his law offices.  However, this commercial was scripted, boring, and unappealing.  Aaron Rodgers and David Gruber stay seated in chairs during the entire 30 second commercial, only moving their hands slightly.  They appear to be reading from teleprompters and Rodgers constantly moves his head in a non-realistic way.  Even though this commercial uses a well known celebrity and gives facts about the company it still lacks any individualism that would make it appealing to the viewer.  The viewer is simply left with the idea that Attorney David Gruber's law offices are respectable because Aaron Rodgers was in one of their commercials, not because of the offices' previous work.      

NBA Greatest Team

Even the gaming world has come to realized the impact of a potential NBA lockout.  Instead of only marketing to the current NBA fan, NBA 2K12 has changed its approach.  In the game's new commercial, the "greatest team" question is presented.  The commercial begins with His Airness, or Michael Jordan stating how the '96 Bulls was the greatest team ever.  Everyone from current stars like Drake and Brian Wilson to billionaire owner Mark Cuban state their opinions revealing how their favorite team is the greatest team of all time.  Finally, the camera pans to MJ showcasing his 1996, 72 win World Championship ring.  The worlds greatest team is engraved on Jordan's ring.  If you did not know the 1996 Chicago Bulls won the championship, but more impressively hold the single season record at 72 wins and 10 losses.



This commercial does not advertise current NBA players or teams as much as the classic teams of the past.  Even the three different covers have retired players: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird.  NBA 2K12 has realized that the current potential season ending lockout could have impacted their sales.  In order to prevent losses they marketed in a different way, appealing to previous generations.  This smart tactic keeps the NBA fan interested in the game even with the NBA' current situation.  So even if their is no NBA season a passionate fan can always relive past highlights in the video game world.  Being from Chicago I know that the '96 Bulls are BY FAR the best team to ever set on the hardwood, and now anyone can pick up a controller and find out for themselves.