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Morning Update: Nov 12 – Finland targets smoking mothers; Kellogg’s Twitter storm; How Dumb Ways to Die won the internet

This is our Morning Update, rounding up international media and marketing news from while you were sleeping.

AdWeek: Unnerving PSA Portrays Smoking Moms as Murderous Psychopaths

“So … this is disturbing. In a new PSA from the Cancer Society of Finland, a mother-to-be prepares all sorts of extremely cringe-inducing ways for her baby to kill itself (or at least be grievously wounded).

The message, of course, is that smoking during pregnancy can turn a mother into “her baby’s worst enemy.” But can a spot like this really win hearts and minds while showing such unnerving and over-the-top images?”

Metro.co.uk: Kellogg’s Twitter blunder: Cereal giant promises vulnerable children breakfast in return for retweets

“Cereal manufacturer Kellogg’s has embroiled itself in a Twitter storm after a misjudged marketing campaign turned into a PR blunder.

Tweeting under the handle @KelloggsUK the cereal company posted ‘1 RT = 1 breakfast for a vulnerable child’ on Saturday as part of its Give a Child a Breakfast campaign.”

The Guardian: Home Office staff knew of David Blunkett’s secret affair, court hears

“Thirteen people, including the girlfriend of former News International chief executive Les Hinton, knew about a secret relationship David Blunkett was having, a former aide to the then home secretary has told the phone-hacking trial.”

AdAge: How ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ Won the Internet, Became the No. 1 Campaign of the Year

“How do you create the winningest campaign of the year? Creativity, obviously. But thoughtful integration and a close adherence to strategy help, too.

McCann Melbourne’s effort for Metro Trains used that combination to reach the top of our annual most-awarded ad campaigns list, earning best-of-show wins throughout the awards season and a record-breaking five Grands Prix at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The success of “Dumb Ways to Die” propelled Metro to the No. 3 slot on this year’s most-awarded advertisers list and its creators, Exec Creative Director John Mescall, Creative Director Pat Baron and Director Julian Frost, to the top of the people charts.”

Mashable: Dodge Durango Sales Skyrocket Thanks to Ron Burgundy Ads

“Ron Burgundy, the classy and fictional news anchor played by Will Ferrell, is seriously helping the sales of Dodge Durangos.

Since the ads first began playing, Durango sales have increased by 59%, and web traffic has jumped 80%.”

AdWeek: Chess Players Finally Get Their Faces on a Billboard, and There’s an Uproar

“Webster University put up an amusing billboard on I-70 featuring two members of its chess team dressed in sports gear—Mara Kamphorst and Wesley So, who is a grandmaster—and the headline, “Our top recruits are chess players.” Webster did, in fact, win the 2013 Final Four of College Chessback in April—after two team members transferred to Webster from Texas Tech. But the billboard is also meant to be tongue-in-cheek.”

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