Ads, Part 1

For most of the twentieth century, advertising was branding. It is still a critical tool for shaping how brands are perceived. James B.Twitchell, in Twenty Ads that Shook the World, describes the Absolut vodka campaign that began in the 1980s, and the effect those ads...

Ads, Part 2

Broadcast Once upon a time, advertising on TV was the best way to guarantee big success for your brand. It was expensive, but you could reach millions of potential customers in 30 seconds, with a powerfully persuasive message. The aura of the tube was such that any...

Ads, Part 3

Web Web advertising, which started out with simple banners, is now run by highly sophisticated software that conjures a miniature, full-featured website within the banner itself. Web advertising not only plays video and animation, interacts with viewers, provides...

Advocacy

When brands take a stand, who benefits? Why do some companies support charities loudly, while others are more discreet? The cynical observer will quickly bring down any effort by a big-brand corporation to support a worthy cause, whether it’s fighting disease,...

Alternative Marketing

Buzz campaign, word of mouth, viral marketing … Whatever the jargon, it all amounts to the same thing—trying to reach customers in spite of their increasing immunity to the many commercial images, messages, and sales pitches they receive every day. The many...

Approaches to Ethical Decision-making

Marketers often face questions about their marketing activities and the way in which these activities relate to their various stakeholders. Many of these questions need to be answered from an ethical perspective. Ethical theories can be divided into relativism,...