Archives: October 2008

Obama Video: It Could Be Morning in America.

Posted by: David Kiley on October 30

Barack Obama’s 30-minute infomercial was a bit of Kennedy blended with a smattering of Ronald Reagan. Despite even the candidate calling it an “infomercial” on Comedy Central, it was a...

GM's Mounting Brand Muddle--Sayonara Chrysler?

Posted by: David Kiley on October 29

General Motors desired acquisition of Chrysler will muddle GM’s brand portfolio even more. And I didn’t think that was possible. GM right now has Cadillac, Saab, Buick, Pontiac, GMC...

Pictures You can't hardly Make Up

Posted by: David Kiley on October 29

Thanks to John Martin's blog at www.politico.com for this. It may not be marketing per se...but it is delicious...and it is a picture snapped in Indiana....

"Redistribution" is This Year's "I Voted For It Before I Voted Against It"...Almost

Posted by: David Kiley on October 28

The similarities are astonishing, like the melody of "He's So Fine" and "My Sweet Lord." For more than a week, the McCain campaign has been trying to make hay...

Who's behind the "Wassup 2008" Obama ad? Not Budweiser.

Posted by: Burth Helm on October 27

This morning when I blogged about the “Wassup 2008” Obama video, two questions sprung to my mind. First, who paid for this thing? The production values are very high –...

The Budweiser "Wassup" Guys' Obama Ad is Dark and Wickedly Funny

Posted by: Burth Helm on October 27

The election’s best campaign ad arrived less than two weeks before November 4. We find the guys from Budweiser's original "Wassup" ad, which ran during the 2000 Superbowl, in a...

New Pro-Obama Video: Conservatives For Obama

Posted by: David Kiley on October 24

One of the narratives of this Presidential campaign has been the so-called “Obamacans,” aka Republicans who have not bought into John McCain as an agent of change. In recent weeks,...

This Latest Windows Ad? It was Shot Using Macs

Posted by: Burth Helm on October 22

Last week at the Assoc. National Advertisers conference I had dinner with a couple of Microsoft people who are involved in the new ad campaign. The campaign, one said, should...

Ad Age Picks Winner---Obama.

Posted by: David Kiley on October 20

Not too suprisingly, trade pub Ad Age selected Barack Obama and his campaign Marketer of The Year, besting Apple and Zappos. The award is made after a vote by attendees...

HP's Michael Mendenhall: No "Course Correction" Planned Despite the Recession

Posted by: Burth Helm on October 17

This afternoon I sat down with Michael Mendenhall, who took over as CMO of HP last October after running marketing for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. We talked about HP’s...

Bank of America Gives Some Clues on How It Will Market to Scared Consumers

Posted by: Burth Helm on October 17

Well, she didn’t show up in person, but give Bank of America CMO Anne Finucane credit for actually addressing the economy – something speakers earlier this morning glossed over. In...

Meet The Real "Joe The Plumber"

Posted by: David Kiley on October 17

Anyone who was thinking the other night that they might scoop up www.joetheplumber.com to capitalize on the notoriety of the Ohio plumber who starred in the debate....too bad. It's already...

Here at the ANA, Very Smart People are Ignoring the Economy

Posted by: Burth Helm on October 17

We’re packed here in an Orlando hotel ballroom, shoulder to shoulder, for the first morning of talks at the Assoc. National Advertisers “Masters of Marketing” conference. There’s 1200 people in...

Joe The Plumber---No Mas

Posted by: David Kiley on October 16

Joe The Plumber, star of the third and last the debate between John McCain and Barack Obama, is now the star of a new ad from the McCain camp. This...

McCain Finally Goes Positive

Posted by: David Kiley on October 16

Finally, a positive message from John McCain. This ad, launched today very nearly rises the level of a real reason to vote for the GOP candidate. It’s the first ad...

Watching Pricing In The New Recession

Posted by: David Kiley on October 15

It's becoming clear to me that different marketers have different strategies for pricing in this Recession. I took my son to Kalahari, the big waterpark in Sandusky, OH about ten...

"Mad Men" Update

Posted by: David Kiley on October 14

Okay, for those who watch Mad Men...was I the only one who thought Don Draper was on the verge of a realization; that maybe his kids were starting to matter...

The Recession Upon Us: What Are We Doing?

Posted by: David Kiley on October 14

I thought I would weigh in with a handful of things that my family has done in the last few weeks as we brace for what feels like a prolonged...

McCain Ads: All Through the Ayers Haze

Posted by: David Kiley on October 10

John McCain sees ready to make an attempt to save his flagging campaign by running ads about the economy, his ability to lead the country out of the current crisis,...

Nashville Debate: "That One:" The Line That Caught On

Posted by: David Kiley on October 08

The catch-line that caught on. A website, http://www.thatone08.com, is selling T-shirts featuring both McCain and Obama, and has a logo with Obama’s rising-sun campaign changed to read “Thatone.” There's a...

Obama Outspending McCain 3-to1 in Ads, and The Spread Could Widen.

Posted by: David Kiley on October 08

The Wisconsin Ad Project shows in this table where barrack Obama sees his best chances to win a red state, and where John McCain sees states worth defending. It...

Fox: Hannity a Journalist? Laughable.

Posted by: David Kiley on October 08

This blog has previously held up Fox's Sean Hannity for what he is: a circus clown. But last night, in post-debate chatter [The McCain-Obama debate in Nashville, TN], Hannity took...

Crispin racks Up Old Navy

Posted by: David Kiley on October 07

Old Navy has tapped Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Miami to take over its ad creative. The unit of Gap has pulled its business from Deutsch/LA last year, and took creative...

Hyundai" What Recession?

Posted by: David Kiley on October 07

What recession Hyundai? While General Motors is pulling out of high profile ad buys to cope with its shortage of cash, Korean automaker Hyundai is stepping in wherever it can....

McDonald's Is Poster Brand For Credit Crunch

Posted by: David Kiley on October 01

McDonald's has become the poster brand for the credit crunch. But should it be? Both Presidential candidates have repeatedly used the example of McDonald's franchisees not being able to get...