Archive for the 'Advertising' Category

Stickers Bumped in Favor of Magnets

Monday, December 21st, 2009
Wade Baffa asked:


How often do you see a shiny new Lexus coasting down the road with an “I’d Rather Be Fishing” bumper sticker slapped on the back?  Or, have you seen a proud vehicle owner buffing his vinyl “Don’t Blame Me…I Voted for Bush” to a perfect sheen?  Probably not.  Vinyl bumper stickers are being phased out.  They leave residue, are hard to remove, and scream 1992.

Today, political candidates, schools and other organizations are moving to the bumper magnets.  Bumper magnets are non-offensive to vehicles, leave no residue, and can be removed and replaced at will.  Vehicle owners are much more likely to support a cause on their vehicle if they know the integrity of the vehicle will not be damaged.

The cost of a bumper magnet is a little higher than a vinyl decal.  However, the cost is generally lower than a static cling, which would be used in a similar fashion, but on the inside of car windows.  The issue with placing a cling in the interior of a window is that, nowadays, most vehicles have tinted windows, thus rendering the static cling useless in many cases.

Bumper magnets can also be made easily into full-sized door magnets up to 18?x24”.  In addition to the campaign signs, bumper magnets are a great political tool. They are good for parades and in-town driving, as large vinyl decals tend to get pricey.

Quick tips:

-Apply magnets to clean, dry surfaces

-Remove magnets when going through a car wash or power washing a vehicle

-Remove magnets when driving on highways and interstates - these are typically rated up to 55 mph

-Apply to a smooth surface, avoid placing over molding, rivets and curves on a vehicle

-Occasionally wash under the magnet

-Periodically move the magnet to a different location on the car to avoid any chance of discoloration

If you are looking for an affordable alternative to an adhesive sticker, go with the bumper magnet.  You’ll enjoy the versatility and your car will appreciate it too.



CONRAD

Advertising in Video Games Hit a Speed Bump

Friday, November 20th, 2009
Louis Victor asked:


The publishers of the popular video game “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” are feeling the heat from the Federal Trade Commission as of late. A probe has been launched into the popular video game and this comes on the heels of New York Senator Hilary Clinton and Michigan Congressman Fred Upton urging the US House of Representatives to investigate whether video game publisher “Take Two Interactive Software” intentionally deceived the ratings board to avoid an “Adult Only” rating.

According to reports *** scenes were buried in the video game and this was not told to the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, who have raised the rating from Mature to Adults Only.

As of now retailers such as Circuit City, Best Buy and even Wal-Mart have since ceased selling the video game and removed it from their shelves.

Will the latest scandal be the end of “Advergaming”?

It’s doubtful, the video game industry is an $11 billion dollar industry that reaches one of the most evasive demographics, males between the ages of 17 to 35.

“Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” is a very popular video game but it’s one of hundreds that hit the shelves every year. It just so happens that due to their actions they will bring stricter laws to the table and make it more difficult to get a PG rating for action games.

Though marketers may have been scared off, and for good reason, they should not discount the potential value of embedding their brand within video games. Instead of abandoning the medium, marketers may want to be more selective in what video games they associate their brand with. No brand wants to be involved in controversy especially when it relates to pornographic material being embedded in a video game.

Marketers may want to do more research into the video game before jumping in headfirst. They need to perform their due diligence which includes looking at past video games published by a particular company and previewing the game itself.

In short, “Advergaming” is only in the beginning stages and will more than likely grow in popularity in the near future. This is a hurdle that the video game industry needs to overcome, but as with anything you can’t judge an industry by the actions of one company.

Louis Victor New Age Media Concepts www.namct.com 646-403-9972



WILLIAMS