Author Archives: John

bmw summons orwell in fresh ad effort


In yet another example of how outclassed domestic powersports marketing is, now comes this head-turner from BMW Germany in the form of what could be tagged an alternative form of neuromarketing. The spot stars factory Superbike rider Ruben Xaus onboard an S1000RR in a black and white film noire quick cut that by itself is less than remarkable. Pretty, pouty, and predictable.

but on the other hand

The other hand is a fascinating little tidbit of technology more amusing than motivational. Using what appears to be relatively simple rear screen technology to flash project a logo, the spot, by German uber agency serviceplan, creates an afterimage on the retinas of the audience. Yeah, it’s going to get attention.

A BMW spokeswoman said, “We literally got inside people’s heads, involving them instead of boring them and generating a more intensive connection to our target group. Our brand should be innovative, emotional and dynamic.”

Hmmm. Given how twitchy German bureaucracy is about any kind of Orwellian influencers, let alone a method requiring YOU MUST OBEY! to interpret the eyeball afterglow, this may not be a long lasting campaign. But it will be memorable, make no mistake. And as for the subliminal alarmists: uh, if you have to direct behavior to experience behavior, it’s not.

quit picking up mud

When I see efforts like this, efforts that accept the challenge of creatively differentiating the brand from the same old same old, I say hell yes, go for it! Like Leo Burnett famously said, “When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.”

dunlop wants you to know

dunlop download magazine

download dunlop online magazine

Dunlop’s 68-page Download Magazine is their most recently distributed PDF contribution to online publishing. This issue includes features on the Isle of Man, Robbie Maddison, the Barber Motorsports Museum, X-Games, and a conversation with Elena Myers—the first woman in history to win an AMA road racing national.

Visuals are gorgeously done – showing that print and digital can play well together.

Want more? There’s some interactivity; links include archival access for a look back, videos, product comparisons and the team moto web site upgrade.

h-d marketing escapes from solitary

harley tries new dance steps, picks 3 to replace carmichael lynch

iconic brand splits ad work three ways

News out this morning from Ad Age has Harley’s media planning/buying to Publicis Groupe’s Starcom (first globally in media buying – new adds include Darden Group, Best Buy) while doing a 180 and casting their creative future with newcomer Victors & Spoils following Carmichael Lynch’s ship jumping last August after 30 years of mostly hidebound (“screw it – lets ride”, jeans over boots) treatment. At the same time, Publicis shop Digitas is greenlighted for digital, a too long neglected portal. Continue reading

dan rather at poynter institute

veteran broadcast journalist Dan Rather gave his unique perspective of global events based on over a half century of major network reporting

rather highlights legendary career

Last night’s Community Conversation “Dan Rather: Tough Questions, Tough Reporter” at St. Petersburg’s Poynter Institute was a first person smorgasbord of world events over the past half century, mostly framed in political perspective, that ended with an unexpected benediction on the need to teach America’s children – targeting the seventh grade – to deal with the real dangers of domestic propaganda.

The veteran broadcaster brought his look back and vision forward half-century’s worth of reporting on the American experience to an appreciative capacity audience that, based on the followup Q and A session, seemed focused on how the Iraq and Afghanistan wars would resolve. Continue reading

cycle world management shakeup

little out; leisner named as replacement

In a series of major management changes at Cycle World magazine this week, Senior Vice-President/Chief Brand Officer Larry Little (left) was let go August 4th, following earlier news of the departure of Vice-President Brand Publisher (formerly national Advertising Director) Paul LaBella and long time veteran national Advertising Coordinator Dottie George.

Little first joined Cycle World in 1981, as Western Advertising Manager. In 1985 he took over as National Advertising Director before being named Publisher in 1990.

Little represents one of the last connections between Cycle World founder Joe Parkhurst and the current publication’s owners, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. (HFM), publishers of Car and Driver, Road & Track, Elle, and Women’s Day, among their best known titles.

Little, well known and regarded for his role in guiding the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) as Chairman for the past seven years and board member for 13, is also integral to the success of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation in partnering with the powersports community.

labella oversaw national ad sales

LaBella, with HFM in Detroit before joining the Cycle World staff in the early ’90s, took over as National Ad Director from Little and oversaw the publication’s growth during the past two decades.

Leisner returns to the magazine after a previous stint as Western Advertising Manager in the late ’90s.

the ultimate consumer

why pay once when you can pay twice?

Does Corvette know their customers or what? Say you’ve got a hankering for a nifty new ZR1 or Z06. The dealership’s walked you through all the paperwork, but in order to really feel fulfilled, you’d like to lend a hand on the engine assembly line.

For a nominal $5,800 fee, all things are possible, and helping build your own blown and injected engine that you’ve already paid for once is one of those life experiences that, if you have to explain, no one would understand. Visit your local Chevy dealer for details.

via adland.tv – all the ad news not fit to print

harden leaves husqvarna

harden announces resignation

In a major head turner in the world of off-road, Scot Harden, long time former marketing director at KTM, announced his departure after a short-lived reunion with his original and current employer Husqvarna.

Harden said it, “…was certainly a tough decision,” but left plenty for others to speculate on as far as where he’ll land next by saying that, “… there is some exciting new terrain for me to explore.”

His departure signals what in all likelihood will be his last involvement with the BMW owned Italian manufacturer of originally Swedish off road rides. The Southern California rider began his career as a factory rider for Husqvarna when it was still a Swedish owned company, a position he’d hold for over a decade before moving on to other OEMs.

During his time with KTM Harden scored major successes on the world rally stage, most notably his Red Bull sponsored Dakar and Baja teams, before returning to Husqvarna in 2008.

fresh twist in online ads

Got caught up reading a link from Poynter Institute’s Daily Beast RSS feed and noticed this tasty fresh approach to presenting online advertising – note the word wrap to the ad’s outline.

For all I know this technique’s been around awhile but it’s the first time I’ve noticed. End result: eyecatching integration and another step closer to replicating print sex appeal in an increasingly flexible online framework.

us highland execs die in plane crash

US Highland Motorcycles COO Chase Bales, company President Mats Malmberg and CFO Damian Riddoch died in a plane wreck Saturday, July 10. According to initial news reports, their twin-engine aircraft, registered to and piloted by Mr. Bales, apparantly ran out of fuel and crashed short of the runway while attempting to land at Tulsa International Airport as they returned from a Pontiac, Michigan business trip.

us highland is an american motorcycle manufacturer

US Highland had just opened a new manufacturing facility in Tulsa for their critically acclaimed build-to-order motocross, supermoto, quad, enduro and dual sport high performance motorcycles. The May 30th open house drew international coverage, much of it focused on the innovative stainless frame and engine combinations offered by the Husqvarna inspired effort originally launched in Sweden.

US Highland is a genuine American manufacturer of high performance street and offroad motorcycles. Their proprietary four-stroke multi-valve engine design, available in either single or v-twin versions with displacements ranging from 250cc to an on the drawing board 1050cc, captured the attention of the trade in large part because of the significant advancement in EFI development by the Oklahoma startup.

mc mag folds; 30 years and out

In an announcement e-mailed – ironically, considering – June 18, Rick Campbell, Publisher and Editor of Motorcycle/ATV/UTV Industry Magazine(s) and the Powersports International Internet Expos (PIIE), will cease operations July 1, 2010. (www.mimag.com)

Campbell is the latest casualty in print’s war of attrition with online (digital) content, further hampered by a devastated powersports market in an overall struggling economy. The main culprit remains loss of ad revenue, the lifeblood of publishing and the sauce that has historically driven the presses.

announcement ends 30-year run

While MIM’s readership remained fairly constant, the same couldn’t be said for the B2B’s clients. Campbell recently took a big redesign step of downsizing from a tabloid format to a more conventional, more economical letter-based layout. The move bought time, but no new revenue. Continue reading