The obama logo did not just *poof* become itself.

 Here, Sol Sender (Strategist, and he of the AWESOME name) - tells us how his chicago firm, VSA partners, created the Obama logo. Great insight into the creative process of a politics --- and how his team reinvigorated what had been a very tired and unstimulating brand market with a simple story told graphically well. 

Part 1:

Part 2:

thanks to blake, for the tip!

Moosylvania Marketing's VP of Interactive, Patrick McNeil, has written a book.

 And look! It's featured on How Magazine's website, in their HowBookstore. 

How cool. 

A viral video isn't anything if it doesn't delight the consumer. And as Pizza Hut's recent insult-o-matic situation has shown with 100,000 views in 2 days (that's not a lot) .... if it doesn't delight or improve the life of the consumer, you got nothin'. I may add my vote to Merlin's -- the Web *does* need an entrance exam.

Rodney Mason, COO of Moosylvania, agrees:

It seems Pizza Hut was trying to rip off Burger King or Coke Zero's hidden camera tactics sprinkled with a little Sonic in the car humor. All of those campaigns focus on a benefit for the consumer.

I don't see any benefit here. I just get the message that Pizza Hut is rude to small business owners.

How would they like it if Papa John's did that to them? I'm pretty sure the Papa John's folks are smart enough not to attempt, but if they did, the videos would be strategic and deliver on a benefit - like "Better Ingredients. Better Pizza."

I don't know about you guys, but I think Rodney's passed the exam. 

Pizza Hut's Viral Attempt- Two Days, 100,000 Views - Advertising Age - DigitalNext_1229374415985.pdf (424.70 kb)

NotCot.com is "is a visual filtration of ideas + aesthetics + amusements. NOTCOT's two sites have become the daily sources of inspiration for creatives everywhere, fighting the good fight against "creative block" since 2005 with visually stunning imagery, the latest in international trends, and a passion for all things well designed."

Which is WHY we're thrilled to say that Moosylvania's work has been featured! 

Here's what they have to say about it:

"Martinis + Pop Art? How could i resist...Take a look at the original 50’s and 60’s advertisements by Warhol on the next page, as well as some of the new Martini Factory Drinks! With playful names like the Factory Martini, Velvet Edie, Pop Art ‘Tini, Bohemian Cocktail, and more… this is certainly one of my favorite retro/present campaigns of the moment, and the merging of art + drink is such a perfect match."

  To get t full idea of Martini's collaboration with Warhol, here's a snippet from the press release:

“After collaborating to create an Ad Campaign for their vermouths in the late 1950’s, MARTINI & ROSSI brings Warhol’s iconic artwork and style back to life with a modern twist. From canvases to cocktails, MARTINI & ROSSI has embarked on a new advertising and cocktail campaign - The MARTINI Factory - aimed at redefining vermouth and the art of the aperitif. The vermouth aperitif drinking occasion, hugely popular in Europe, has yet to take hold in the U.S. market where cocktails dominate popular culture. This new campaign offers consumers an array of innovative vermouth cocktails featuring contemporary ingredients. MARTINI & ROSSI will also unveil a collection of six innovative Warhol-inspired vermouth cocktails at an invitation-only MARTINI & ROSSI Warhol Factory party - being held in NYC on August 6th - what would have been Warhol’s 80th birthday.”

I, for one, hope this ad campaign brings the aperitif to America. I just might have to start a facebook group. I feel that strongly about the aperitif.

Congratulations to those who worked on this, and to Moose! 

(also, Alan Cumming was at the party! Listen for the end when John reminisces about old Martini ads ...who knew he was an ad world connoisseur!) 

This is a little dose of serendipity, since I *just* saw a "Make Your Own Video" for the band Arcade Fire on Very Short List this morning, and now our COO Rodney has gone and made his own Radiohead video. 

(They're touring Japan and a group over there has 12 cameras, allowing the viewer to edit and make their own live version of the song "15 steps.")

All of which begs the question: What came first, the Radiohead or the Arcade Fire?

One thing's for sure, enabling folks who are interested in your product (in this case, those marketing vanguards, Radiohead) to share their love for your product is so key it's not even funny. Keeping the web viral by enabling conversation and sharing is the least we marketers owe to the greater interwebs community.

Rodney's response to "Web 2.0 Cured My Cancer and Made Me Taller -- and Rich!"

Old world perspective on new technology is why some marketers are having a problem with Web 2.0.

Web 2.0 isn't portal based. It lives with or without Klickable.tv, Youtube, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, etc.

Barrack Obama's campaign team harnessed Web 2.0 and changed history by getting youth to actually vote. I don't recall any Second Life in the mix.

The consumer is in control. They are the media.

If you provide the comparison or demonstration tools to simplify their decision making process and enable them to quickly share with their trusted friends and family, for both affirmation and to provide an opinion reference when asked, and your product or service is actually good and has a good reputation in the Web 2.0 landscape, then, as Barrack Obama did, you, the Web 2.0 marketer will win.

A recent study concluded that a brand's web site is the most powerful tool a marketer has to impact retail sales. The study found that shoppers make lists. They search, which leads to brand web sites, where they are comfortable checking things out, and often forward information from the sites to their friends and trusted advisers for opinions on what they've read or compared.

Other times, they take the information at face-value and will make a purchase with no trusted opinions. Further yet, some people just walk into a store and sample buy, because the product looks good for their need that day.

But if the product fails them, no matter how they found it, they let everyone know. Want proof, look no further than on any blog forum, youtube, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, check your e-mail, or better yet Google - "I hate (company name here)" and you'll find all kinds of websites and blogs on the subject.

Search and awareness are important. But both are manipulated and are not trusted or believed at face value.

All the awareness in the world won't fix an inferior product or experience, which is what the consumer cares most about.

The consumer now knows the "truth" about products and experiences based on their networks of friends. That's what Web 2.0 really is, social networking.

Apps, Widgets, Portals, Search, Awareness and In-Game enhancers are some of the tools that can be used in a Web 2.0 strategy. But before you choose your tools, you have to understand what you're building.

Rodney Mason
CMO, Moosylvania
The Great State Of Design
www.moosylvania.com – RODNEY MASON | FRISCO, TX

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 Seems like everyone's statements these days are peppered - to mind-numbing (and stress inducing) levels - with sour phrases like,  "...what with the economy" or "In times like these..."

So, in the spirit of everything being alright, cautious optimism and the Era of Hope -- MealChime is here to help us cross that bridge to somewhere with deals, meals and a friendly way to save at national and local restaurants!  

That's Patrick, proprietor of the DesignMeltdown web design blog and go-to look book for designers the world over, writer for .Net magazine and best selling author of The Web Designer's Idea Book. (He's also my neighbor at Moose, and all around good guy - can't beat that!) 

 “Patrick has a formal education in both creative and technical areas and has been mixing the two on the web for the past decade,” said Moosylvania’s president, Gus Hattrich. “This merging of technical know-how and creative interests makes him a boon to our clients who covet web sites that are fresh, unique and user-friendly, and garner high-volume traffic.”

Moosylvania is proud to have Patrick as a resident.  

Download the article

Everyone's favorite Digital, Branding and Promotions agency, Moosylvania (see also: us), is a featured agency on AdForum.com this week! 

Even better, they're featuting Moose's oh-so-memorable Dewar's "Philsophy" ad.

Head on over to check it out! Here's a nice sample of this tongue in cheek, Dewarism.com digital campaign. Click on the image below to view the video.

Click here to download Moosylvania's appearance on AdForum

Click here to download Moosylvania's Profile on AdForum 

 Or can you?

You are your own event.  This is a FULL BAR that packs to the size of a suitcase! That's gotta come in handy.