Success Stories - April 2009
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• Trigger Pulls Best of Show at Anvil Awards
  Marketing | April 27, 2009
  Calgary’s annual Anvil Awards show were once again dominated by two agencies Friday night, though Wax can definitively claim top spot by winning 13 Anvil Awards including Best of Show.
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• P&G: Doing Good is Good Business
  Cincinnati Enquirer | April 24, 2009
  Procter & Gamble has long had an active corporate giving program, but a refocusing of its charitable efforts now means that doing good has become good for business.
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• Microsoft Revenue Drops but Positive Perception Rises
  Advertising Age | April 24, 2009
  "On the marketing side we have seen measurable perception increase for Windows from our recent advertising campaigns," said Bill Koefoed, general manager-investor relations.  "Specifically, our research shows that 10% increase in preference to Windows PCs since the campaign launched."
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• Burger King to Boost Ad Spending
  Advertising Age | April 23, 2009
  As many marketers cut back in the downturn, Burger King is just beginning to turn up the heat.  The burger baron plans to ratchet up spending by double digits for its fiscal year beginning this August - and TV will be the biggest beneficiary.
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• Audi Winning Over Lexus Drivers With Look-alike Ads
  Advertising Age | April 22, 2009
  Audi of America's strategy to target drivers of the Lexus RX compact SUV for its first entry in the category, the Q5, seems to be paying off...Audi, which has been advertising aggressively in spite of the worst auto-industry downturn in decades, pokes fun at the popularity of the RX in Q5 launch ads.
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• PHD and Dove Win Big at the Festival of Media Awards
  Marketing | April 21, 2009
  PHD Canada added to its win total at the Festival of Media Awards Monday in Valencia, Spain, as its much-lauded “Dove Sleepover for Self Esteem” won in the Best Targeted Campaign category.
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• Forget Celebrities. Employees Make Compelling Ad Stars In Tough Times
  Forbes.com | April 17, 2009
  

  A few employees who haven't lost their jobs suddenly have a new one: advertising.  At a time when consumers are distrustful of big companies and their leaders, marketers are putting employees in ads in an effort to make their brands seem more transparent and trustworthy.
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• Staying Power: TV Ads Score High Consumer Impact
  MediaPost Daily News | April 16, 2009
  Television advertising contributes more than half the impact of all marketing -- from initial awareness through purchasing -- when consumers are exposed to an overall campaign.
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• Fear Factor Gets Brink's Buzz - and a Sales Boost
  Advertising Age | April 13, 2009
  Here's an effective ad technique: Prey on fear.  It's worked for alarm-system marketer Brink's Home Security, at least, whose sales jumped 10% on the back of a chilling campaign showing families' peaceful lives suddenly threatened by a home invasion.
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• Credit Union's Strategy Weathers Economy
  MediaPost Marketing Daily | April 09, 2009
  Freedom and flexibility often go hand in hand.  Case in point - an ad campaign based on the concept "Freedom Is ...," whose flexible format has helped a Colorado Springs, Colo.-based credit union weather the economic storms.
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• Microsoft Ads Claw Back Brand Preference
  Brandweek | April 07, 2009
  After years of being defined by Apple, Microsoft is fighting back and somewhat surprisingly, landing some punches.  David Webster, general manager of brand marketing at Microsoft, said his company's whole campaign, which started in September with those baffling Jerry Seinfeld-Bill Gates ads, has resulted in a 10 percent lift in preference for the brand over Apple.
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• 'Yo Gabba Gabba' Grabs the Limelight
  Variety | April 06, 2009
  Hot live-action preschool series "Yo Gabba Gabba" continues to expand beyond its TV roots.  The show, which just scored a third season order from Nickelodeon, has spawned a live tour and a feature in the works for 2010.  In addition, "Gabba" has now sealed more than 40 merchandising licenses - including the DVD "New Friends," as well as an extensive collection of toys and 22 books to be published this year by Simon and Schuster.
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• Five Brands Doing It Right, Doing It Wrong
  Advertising Age | April 06, 2009
  So what lessons are out there for marketers in this recession?  Offer consumers some assurance (see: Hyundai) in these dark days, make sure those ads are aggressive (offering value? Then say so), and be innovative with your product.  What you don't want to do: Be without a unique message and ignore brand-oriented ads (that's you, GM).
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• Study: Cutting Spending Hurts Brands Long Term
  Advertising Age | April 06, 2009
  Household and personal care might once have seemed recession-resistant, but last year U.S.-based personal-care marketers actually cut ad spending faster than the general market.  That could be potentially damaging for their brands, according to one study that shows that marketers that cut spending during a downturn lost share to private labels - share they didn't regain.
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• Study: Ad Payoff In Local TV News
  MediaPost Daily News | April 03, 2009
  As local news remains the principal revenue generator for station groups, a Hearst-Argyle study shows that viewer engagement with the broadcasts tops four other "traditional" media.
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