A step in the right direction

There are many brands that feel cold and alien. Look particularly at some of the financial and banking brands, multi-billion dollar institutions yet they have no connection or relevance to the vast majority of people. There are plenty of business and management brands that fall into the same trap.

If you wish to see an example of how to instantly humanise and improve the perception of your brand, look no further than the 10000 women project being run by Goldman Sachs.

A five year project providing business education and guidance to 10000 female entrepreneurs who otherwise would not be able to access that kind of training. It feels like a warm and genuine piece of community work from a brand that has usually felt blank to me.

Not only that, but I take away from the video a better sense of what Goldman Sachs feels like as a company; as well a strong perception of accessibility and friendliness. The opposite of how I pictured the brand not ten minutes ago.

"No country will ever achieve its' full potential if half of its' talent pool is stymied or under-represented" - Too right.

10000 Women

(found at BrandKarma)

Fascination

Edit: Just seen the US version which has a couple of extra scenes that improve it a fair bit. Still don't like the faux-lib air of it though (is beating men really the height of female freedom?); it just doesn't feel as genuine as the classic DC ads.

Haven't women had enough of being treated like one dimensional zombies, cosmopolitaning (it's a word dammit...) their way through Sex and the City boxsets of life?

The new ad from Diet Coke just feels badly forced, which is surprising given the idea of playfulness at its core. The Hello You line has a lot of possibility in character and observant reality, but just isn't being used in the right way yet.

Sure it's better than the Duffy ad, but that's not saying much.

A brand and an agency that have done and can do so much better. Please do.

Begging You For Mercy

I shall admit in advance that I don't fall into the target audience for this ad. I am male, I am over 16 years old, and I like ads to be at least in part interesting or engaging. So I am therefore unlikely to be swayed by Mamma Mia style cliche'd and contrived female pandering.

You might think I am being harsh, and I probably am. But this takes all the bad bits of the Diet Coke Break ads (female stereotypes, female faux togetherness, cheese board tackyometer) and removes the humourous payoff (I.e.: The point).

Another example of a brand ambassador ad struggling for purpose, an idea, and an execution. An ad that feels as patronising to women as the original Coke Zero ads did to men. Brand, Duffy, and agency are capable of (and have made) infinitely better, but this really lets the side down.

Someone once told me that Mother hate planners, well unfortunately for them on this evidence, they really could do with some.

Try a visit up north Coke. Look, we can do it too: *sip* Ahhhh that's darn refreshing. [PACK SHOT] *fade*.

Are Women Funny?

Rebecca who came to the last planning meet up has arranged an interesting event that's on soon in Manchester for ad folk. I believe she may be looking for a couple of female creatives to take the place of a person who had to pull out. If you can help let me know and I'll pass your details on.

Either way its worth going to:

'Are Women Funny?'
'Why is the female creative a rare breed? Is it simply because they just
aren't funny enough'


When & where?
11th March 2008, 6:30pm at the Circle Club, Barton Arcade, Manchester...


The talk:
Creative Departments nationwide have found themselves lacking female
creative talent. Why is this? Could it simply be that they are not funny
enough? Women have places in many boardrooms across the country however
numbers within the creative department are low. What is it that women lack
to be a part of Advertising design, Product design.. etc or is the problem
that the job just doesn't appeal to women for some reason?  Join us over
this supper time debate as we try to find out just what the problem is.

The Questions:
Are Women Funny?
Is this the problem or are there other issues?
Is advertising just an old-fashioned industry?
Is it too male orientated?
What do women lack for the role?
Or
What does the role lack for women?