Morning Update: Sobering Subaru ad; Brand hires teen for Snapchat marketing
This is our Morning Update, rounding up international media and marketing news from while you were sleeping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA09m4sqzog
AdWeek: Intense Subaru Ad Focuses Almost Entirely on One of Its Vehicles Horribly Wrecked in a Crash
“And speaking of Subaru, here’s another new spot from Carmichael Lynch for the automaker, and it’s a whole lot more sobering than that snogging-dogs one.
This one’s about safety, and it boldly shows something you rarely see in car commercials—the twisted wreckage of what’s left of one of the automaker’s vehicles after a horrendous accident. The wrecked Subaru Outback here is not a prop—it’s a real car that really got totaled. But the driver survived, and that’s the point of the ad (directed by Lance Acord of Park Pictures). “
Mashable: Yahoo’s Comeback Is All Smoke and Mirrors
“The appointment of Marissa Mayer as Yahoo CEO has been a godsend for those in the media. If nothing else, the photogenic, enigmatic and workaholic chief executive has made people interested in the company again.
In 2011, Yahoo was never mentioned in the same breath as Google or Facebook. But now, Mayer has propelled the company into the top tier of Internet Companies That Tech Writers Like to Cover. Like investors, the media love a comeback story, and Yahoo seemed to fit the bill: Since Mayer joined the company on July 16, 2012, its stock price has risen 159%. “
The Guardian: The Independent seeks buyer
“The Independent is up for sale. The paper’s founder, and current chairman of its publishing company, Andreas Whittam Smith, has been authorised to seek out a buyer.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu9WwojsNok
AdWeek: The Starburst Minis Factory Looks Like a Posture-Destroying Workplace Nightmare
“In Starburst’s “Miniminneapolis” spot, a construction worker tries to explain the robust fruit flavor of the candy’s new Minis by theorizing that the candy gets shrunk down in a miniature factory. The cutaway scenes of factory workers bonking their heads on low ceilings, struggling with miniature controls and stooping to get through tiny doorways are pretty funny, as is the exasperated question of “Why is this factory so small?””
Creativity-online: This brand hired a 16-year-old to build its following on Snapchat
“Teen retailer Wet Seal became the latest brand to try marketing on Snapchat when it handed over control of its new account on the ephemeral messaging service to a 16-year-old beauty vlogger for two days.”
The New York Times: Facebook Revamps Ads to Compete With Google
“Last June, Facebook released a tracking pixel, a snippet of code that allows advertisers to track customers who come to their websites from Facebook ads. For Amy Norman, co-chief executive officer of Little Passports, the pixel was a game-changer.”
AdWeek: Internet Predators Become Terrifying Emoji in Child-Safety Campaign
“French child advocacy group Innocence en Danger created this ad campaign, bringing Internet chat icons into creeptastic human form, to warn parents and young people about the adult predators who might be behind online conversations. Headlines ask, “Who’s really talking with your child on the Internet?””
AdAge: Ads for Legal Marijuana Are a Slow Burn So Far
“Sales of recreational marijuana have been white-hot in Colorado since becoming legal on Jan. 1, but ad sales around the new category seem to be lagging far behind.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x698U8vd_WE
AdWeek: Ad of the Day: Subaru’s Road-Tripping Dogs Are Cute, Funny and Almost Human
“Chances are you’ve already got an idea of what the typical Subaru owner looks like: They enjoy L.L. Bean, buying granola at Whole Foods and being very involved in their kid’s soccer team. And they probably have a couple of big, slobbery dogs in the backseat.
Subaru is happily embracing that last stereotype with its new “Meet the Barkleys” campaign. The four 30-second spots (and website) follow the Subaru-loving Barkley clan as they deal with everyday situations from teenage dating dramas to family road trips to a dad getting chastised for paying a little too much attention to an attractive female. You know, stuff that everyone can relate to.”
Miranda Ward worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2017, eventually becoming deputy editor. Miranda joined Mumbrella in September 2013 from Sky News.
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Morning update
Man, that Subaru ad is plain AWFUL. Yes, you clearly don’t love your kids or family unless you drive one. It borders on offensive.
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i wonder how long they had to search to find a car with that much damage where the passengers lived?
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It is sobering. Mercedes also did it in print, very effectively many years ago with a family standing by the wreck of their Mercedes.
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I thought it was brilliant. No clever bells and whistles creative aimed at winning awards, just a focus on such an important value of the brand for its intended segment – safety. Well done Subaru. They lived.
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Appalling use of advertising to create a false sense of security. ‘They’ lived. But how many have also died in a Subaru.
Mercedes and Volvo don’t pretend to be the ultimate answer – the Subaru is offering it.
Most shameful ad.
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