“Go Get that Green, Bud.”

via your classmate Jeremy

Despite the legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada and and ever-growing number of American states, the topic of cannabis usage remains a taboo topic my many North Americans (Beals 2022). Moreover, the level of sensitivity surrounding this topic has made it challenging for brands within the cannabis industry to pursue marketing initiatives that can effectively develop relationships with their consumers.

Weedmaps, a technology platform that offers consumers ordering solutions and cannabis education, has recently attempted to make a statement about the obstacles within the branding aspect of their industry. Specifically, they have utilized brand storytelling within a digital ad to voice their opinion on the roadblocks that they face regarding cannabis marketing censorship.

The mentioned digital ad takes the audience through a day in the life of “Brock Ollie”, a broccoli themed character who constantly gets mistaken for cannabis. This is accentuated through the interactions he has in his daily life, in which his peers use innuendos to address him. For example, his co-workers tell him to “Go get that green, bud”, as he heads towards a finance meeting. At the end of his day, Brock Ollie expresses his frustration of being mistaken as a “cannabis” to his friends “pot” and “leaf”, when in fact he is a “broccoli”.

While Weedmaps has taken a humorous approach to this ad, the underlying message represents their challenge of navigating around brand marketing within the cannabis industry. The negative stigma still surrounding cannabis obligates brands to use figurative ideas and images to censor their cannabis products, such as broccoli and trees. More importantly, it forces the marketing of cannabis products to be subtle, vague, and uninformative, making it challenging for brands to educate and develop relationships with their consumers.

In an interview, CEO of Weedmaps, Chris Beals expressed his opinion on how restricting the marketing aspect of cannabis related products not only impedes the growth of the industry, but actually may do more harm than good. “Advertising restrictions are simply one part of a much larger issue. Objective and reliable information about cannabis is integral to the sustained growth of this industry. The deficiency of such information and the current limitations that hinder cannabis education continue to negatively impact other areas, such as medical research, and it’s time we begin to address them.”

With the “Brock Ollie” Weedmaps ad being denied from being broadcast on the recent Super Bowl 56 (NBC, 2022), it just goes to prove how conversation around cannabis use is still a sensitive topic. However, with the everchanging consumer mindsets and generational cohorts, we could potentially see a more outspoken approach to cannabis brand marketing in the near future.

Sources: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220207005200/en/Weedmaps-Tackles-Cannabis-Marketing-Censorship-with-Digital-Spot-Ahead-of-Advertisings-Biggest-Night-of-the-Year

https://weedmaps.com/corporate

https://www.linkedin.com/company/weedmaps/?originalSubdomain=ca

https://www.foxbusiness.com/sports/weedmaps-cannabis-super-bowl-sunday

Would You Walk Off the Earth for Cauliflower?

via your classmate Julie:

Sol Cuisine teamed up with Walk Off the Earth to create a co-branded music video in which the founder of Sol Cuisine, Dror Balshine, expresses his love for cauliflower in a satirical ballad dedicated to “his favorite flower.” In the video, Balshine comes out in a grey suit with a piece of cauliflower sitting on the piano. Further into the song, Walk Off the Earth, dressed in all black, accompanies him as they serenade this cauliflower with praises of being “so delicious, so nutritious.” The solemn tone and dress adds to the irony as they act very seriously about their love for cauliflower. This video was broadcasted on Breakfast Television, shared on Facebook, and linked on Sol Cuisine’s webpage.  

Walk Off the Earth was well suited for this video since they are typically known for their animated and quirky songs where they use instruments in unique ways to create covers of songs. For example, many of their videos includes all four group members all playing on one guitar at the same time! This video is a complete opposite to the fun, colorful videos that they typically make, adding irony to the parody. Additionally, both Sol Cuisine and Walk Off the Earth are Canadian brands and work together to appeal to the Canadian audience.

Walk Off the Earth has a large following, with over 3.4 million followers on Facebook and 4.6 million subscribers on YouTube. Thus, Walk Off the Earth brings their large follower base to the table. In addition, this is not the ensemble’s first promotional work, as they previously produced an ad for Canadian-made French’s ketchup, using the ketchup bottles as instruments to play Oh Canada. Adding to the fun, Walk Off the Earth has always been a long-time supporter of cauliflower, tweeting in 2019, “Believe in yourself! If cauliflower can become pizza, then you can do anything.  #MondayMotivaton”. In an interview with Breakfast Television, the group expressed that what they got out of the co-branded video was a “fun experience… we’re always looking to do kind of quirky stuff and this, obviously, slots right in there.” 

This video was created to raise awareness about the Sol Cuisine brand, along with encouraging consumers to try plant-based meals. In the song, Balshine proudly sings off tune, “It’s a plant-based world for me.” On its website, the company writes about how their founder and president “doesn’t just talk about loving plant-based meals, he sings about it too.”  The video conveys his passion for trying to shift consumers’ preferences from meat-based to plant-based meals (Sol Cuisine, n.d). Their mission is to convert as many people as possible from meat-based meals to Sol Cuisine’s cauliflower-based meals. Their products include meatballs, burgers, and wings, all made from cauliflower! 

The video was very effective as numerous comments from the video expressed their positive attitude and feelings towards the video. One comment quipped, “I wish someone looked at me like he looks at the cauliflower.” Others commented, “I felt all of Dror’s expression of his love for the Cauliflower.” The video on YouTube currently has 269,546 views and 70 likes with no dislikes. Although this video has not gone viral, there are numerous news articles covering the collab. This parody has definitely worked on me – the next time I go grocery shopping I want to try these “just like broccoli, not as snobby” cauliflower dishes! 

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/health-news/walk-off-the-earths-brand-new-love-ballad-to-cauliflower/vp-AATCrpd

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and…M&Ms?

‘M&Ms go woke with new versions of characters to reflect ‘a more dynamic, progressive world’
illustration from Daily Mail Online

via your classmate Cady

Mars Inc, the parent company for the candy-coated chocolate known as M&Ms, has announced a refresh for the characters previously featured in many of the brand’s marketing communications.

The focus on the character makeover was to promote inclusivity, given that two of the M&M’s seem to represent ‘sexy’ females, given their long eyelashes and high-heeled shoes. In the announcement, Mars indicated that a change is coming for all characters, with an objective of having “more nuanced personalities to underscore the importance of self-expression and power of community through storytelling” (Mars Inc., 2022).

Some of the changes to the characters include giving the M&Ms arms and legs that match their shell colour (rather than a single flesh-tone), and a change to the attire of the feminine brown and green M&Ms. These have sparked a debate among some twitter users, with many expressing their strong preference for the female M&M characters to remain as is.

Specifically, many memes on social media began circulating regarding the green M&M, who’s iconic knee-high boots will be replaced with plain white sneakers. These included popular tweets with thousands of likes, such as “why did they reverse yassify the green m&m” (Twitter @mattxiv), and “they told green m&m she couldn’t go to euphoria high school anymore” (Twitter @alex_abads), a reference to a popular Netflix series whose storyline often includes the sexual activities of its teen characters. Additionally, a petition on change.org has accumulated over 19,000 signatures to keep the green m&m sexy (https://www.change.org/p/keep-the-green-m-m-sexy).

This story is a very interesting example of how companies adapt to try and stay relevant with current customers. Currently, brands are becoming increasingly consciousness of issues of inclusivity, and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of related trends, such as body-positivity and gender inclusion (see link below with Mars’ statement on inclusivity). This example indicates that Mars is trying to adopt these views and relate to its customers through M&Ms’ characters.

https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/mms-are-getting-new-look-become-inclusive-people-jokingly-think-hotter-rcna12935

https://www.mars.com/news-and-stories/press-releases/mms-announces-global-commitment-inclusivity

https://www.mms.com/en-us/experience-mms/characters?color=green

‘Cause this is Triller, Triller Night…and No One’s Gonna Save You From the Beast About to Strike*

(*with apologies to Michael Jackson and the original Thriller lyrics)

Via your classmate Matt:

Youtuber / celebrity boxing has been making a splash in the sport in the past 2-3 years. Youtubers Jake and Logan Paul lead this storm, with major headlines featuring professional MMA and Boxing fighters such as Ben Askeran and Floyd Mayweather.

Triller for those who don’t know, is the primary Tiktokcompetitor. The platform consists of short form video content but has decided to attack this celebrity boxing trend head on. The Triller facilitated and sponsored event was a PPV Boxing event like no other. this event featured A-list celebrities such as Snoop-Dog, Pete Davidson, Mario Lopez, and Diplo to help host and provide commentary. In combination with an awkwardly placed 3-4 set music performances from names such as Doja Cat and Justin Bieber. 

To accurately describe this event would be difficult, but a circus would be the closest thing to a one-word explanation. With oddly placed hosting and commentary, awkward music and unprofessional production of the actual fights, it’s hardly must-see viewing. 

Triller’s brand character is not prominent in pop-culture today, as this can take years to build and often exemplifies the brand’s values. Since the app is so new, extraordinarily little character has been established. In terms of brand improvisation, Triller has shown its ability and willingness to dive into other industries, despite a lack of credentials and experience. 

Triller does not know how to put on a boxing pay-per-view. But desipite sloppy production with little to no direction, the platform sold over one million programs and had unlimited amounts of publicity. This poses an important question: in 2021 is any publicity still good publicity? The non-stop stimulus both good and of this event made it remarkably memorable, and I believe as one of the first of its kind made a statement, whether or not it was one worth paying for. 

source: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-pictures/jake-paul-triller-fight-night-photos-1157447/triller-fight-club-jake-paul-v-ben-askren-3/

Adult Swim?

Via your classmate Allison:

Panera, a well-known food chain known for their soups and bread bowls, has recently come out with a line of swimwear.

You read that right. SWIMWEAR.

The company has stated that in a survey they conducted of 700 people, 70% of them said that hot weather does not stop them from eating soup, despite it being associated as a cold weather food. A recent Instagram post they created to announce the launch says, “Soup-in-the-summer people, we see you. And we’ve got something special for you. Hit the link in our bio to shop our Swim Soups Collection now!”

The collection has a one-piece swimsuit for women and swim trunks for men. The design is in panel’s signature olive green, with the word “SOUP” adorned on them. In addition to the swimsuits, Panera has also released a pool float in the shape of its famous bread bowl.

When I initially heard of this launch, I thought it was odd. I thought that the combination of swimwear and soup does not make sense, and swimwear in general seems so far off from Panera’s brand that I thought the line would fail. However, I was wrong. Despite only launching a few days ago, the whole collection is almost sold out.
Despite my original thought that swimwear was so far out of the realm of Panera’s area of expertise that consumers would not buy it, after reading about how popular it is now, I believe it was a smart marketing move to show their dedicated soup-loving customers that they appreciate them.

Do you think that this is a smart marketing ploy? Or is this too far off from Panera’s brand meaning?

Original Article:https://www.foodandwine.com/news/panera-swimwear-soup-swim-suit

IKEA’s Ronaldo Assist

read Rachel’s post “A Penalty Kick for Coke”…then this one via your classmate Maggie:

As noted in a post by my classmate Rachel, while at a press conference for the Euro 2020 football tournament, Cristiano Ronaldo removed two bottles of Coca-Cola from the podium in front of him and encouraged people to drink water instead. This was a controversial move, as Coke is a main sponsor of the Euro tournament and paid over $1B for the sponsorship opportunity. This incident generated a significant amount of publicity, but surprisingly, the brand that was able to capitalize on it wasn’t Coke or Ronaldo… it was IKEA.

Shortly after the press conference, IKEA advertised a reusable water bottle named after Ronaldo on its Instagram. This post earned over 14,000 likes, which is roughly 5x more than IKEA usually receives on a post.

Trying to take advantage of a recent news story can be incredibly successful (ie. IKEA) or can backfire significantly (see Griffin’s post on the Washington Capitals). In this case, I think IKEA was able to succeed for three key reasons:

1. Speed: Within 3 days of the incident, IKEA posted its response to Instagram. This ensured that it inserted itself into the conversation before the public’s attention moved onto the next big thing.

2. Aligned with established brand values: IKEA is a company that is known for its focus on sustainability. The company actively promotes its use of sustainable materials and its circular economy. As a result, promoting a reusable water bottle felt authentic and fit with IKEA’s brand.

3. Innocent Fun: IKEA’s use of humour was well received as this was not a serious issue, nor was it deeply divisive among the general public. Additionally, the target of the joke was a multibillion-dollar company instead of an individual person.

Overall, IKEA’s marketing department definitely scored “a goal” with this post.

More Information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2ZLS1V3iMw

https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/06/21/ad-the-day-ikea-bottles-ronaldo-s-anti-coca-cola-stance

A Less [Sub]tle Approach to Product Placement for Subway

via your classmate Devon:

While some movies and television shows like their product placements to be at least somewhat subtle, Subway seems to prefer that their brand be shown in an over-the-top manner. In all three of these cases (admittedly old), the Subway brand is not only visible, but is the focal point of the scene. If you haven’t already seen these Subway product placements, I highly recommend you do so.

• Hawaii Five-0 (2012) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQYwFND7rHE
• Happy Gilmore (1996) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaQqj2PmBh4
• Community (2012) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiJEqHfcFvg

The Hawaii Five-0 product placement just might be my favourite of all-time. In this 50-second scene, actor Taylor Wily is describing why he is eating Subway instead of making lunch at the shrimp truck he owns. The commercial (er, I mean scene) makes numerous references to the brand, some of which include:

Actor 1: “I’m trying to eat smarter, brother…these Subway sandwiches? So ono (delicious)”

Actor 2: “So you’re eating these to lose weight, is that right?

Actor 1: “That’s right. It worked for [former spokesman for Subway] Jared , and that boy was large! The best thing about it, they make it any way you want it. Check this one – Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki with jalapenos and banana peppers – and you put that with this turkey BLT…BAM! Some serious culinary fusion!”

In a time when fewer consumers were watching commercials on television, Subway was a pioneer to this style of obvious product advertising. Not only did the audience see the advertisement on the show, but it also sparked debate online and has been talked about for almost a decade now. While some described this as a “disaster” and “insulting,” most of the blowback was to CBS and Hawaii Five-0.

Subway, on the other hand, knew exactly what it were doing, building off of their past experience in this style of advertising to create a product placement for the ages.

A Penalty Kick for Coke

via your classmate Rachel:

Coca-Cola saw an abrupt hit of approximately $4 billion to their market value on June 14th, 2021 after famous soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo publicly threw some shade at the brand during a press conference. While taking questions ahead of a game against Hungary, Ronaldo can be seen pushing two sponsored Coke bottles out of the TV frame before exclaiming, “drink water!” 

Ronaldo has always been known for being health-conscious and often makes it public that he does not drink any soft drinks. In the past he has noted that he gets upset when his son drinks Coca-Cola. 

While Coca-Cola is likely to recover quickly from this drop in market value, the diss from Ronaldo may make sponsors reconsider their strategy. As we learned in class, brand integration (product placement) has become a very relevant way of showcasing a brand and its attributes. This emphasizes the need to carefully consider sponsorships and product placement to ensure it makes sense for all brand authors.  

It should be remembered that brand sponsorships are highly lucrative, making it difficult for an organization to turn down. The UEFA organization that is being sponsored by Coca-Cola is even threatening to fine teams if their players remove product placements during press conferences. However, perhaps instead these brands and organizations should be collaborating to find a different way to activate the brand sponsorship and make alternative connections besides direct product placement. 

This demonstrates that not only do celebrities and other public figures continue to have a huge influence on their followers’ attitudes towards brands, but consumers are also getting smarter. Consumers know when influencers are being authentic about the sponsorships they share, making it important for brands to carefully consider who they are partnering with.

Bud Wants You To Have a Shot with A Beer Chaser

via your classmate Devon:

Despite an impressive Covid-19 vaccine rollout to date, the number of Americans looking to get their first jab has started to decline. This past week, President Biden announced the country’s goal to have at least 70% of the population receive their first shot by the Fourth of July, forcing the Administration to get creative in its approach to recruiting willing citizens.

How do you incentivize Americans to get vaccinated? So far, we have seen Ohio offering a weekly $1 million prize draw, a (legal) marijuana dispensary in Michigan handing out “pot for shots”, and New York giving away free tickets to a Yankees or Mets game.

The latest push is a partnership between Anheuser-Busch, makers of Budweiser, and the Biden White House. The company has promised to give every American over the age of 21 a free beer, in the form of a $5 voucher, if they receive their first shot, upload a photo to their website, and the country reaches the 70% goal. Not only is the incentive meant to get people vaccinated, but it also doubles as a way to get people back into the hospitality sector, whether at a local drinking and dining establishment or a ballpark.

This is not the first time Anheuser-Busch has worked with the federal government. This year Budweiser made the decision to opt-out of airing a Super Bowl commercial for the first time in 37 years and instead “reallocated the media investment” to partner with the Ad Council to raise vaccine awareness.”

While the company is potentially on the line to giveaway hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of inventory, they are also receiving significant brand exposure through free press–including mentions by the White House–and perhaps even a large number of consumers trying their products for the first time…or the first time in a long time. Further, the exposure paints the company in a positive light, boosting their brand image as a company that cares about people, the restaurant industry, and the American spirit.

If you told me a year ago that a beer company would be working with the government to end the pandemic, I would probably call you crazy. But in the world we live in today, is anything really that crazy?

Main article: https://fortune.com/2021/06/07/covid-vaccines-free-beer-giveaway-anheuser-busch-seltzer-us-vaccinations/

Also referenced: https://globalnews.ca/news/7857642/us-covid-vaccine-incentives/

Pepsi’s Got A Beef with Fast Food Chains

via your classmate Amanda:

In honour of recent National Burger Day (May 27), Pepsi found a way to turn the heat up on its beef with rival Coke in a new social media campaign. Pepsi tweeted a series of photos featuring McDonald’s, Wendys, and Burger King’s take-out bags, each seeming to uncover a hidden Pepsi logo on the bags. The tweets were captioned: “ALL burgers go #BetterWithPepsi…even when we’re not on the menu, we’re always in the picture.”

This is a direct dig at the fact that each of those restaurants features Coca-Cola beverages in their drink menus and in-store fountains. Before this campaign, I did not realize that Coca-Cola dominates the fast-food drink industry so completely. For example, the only fast-food restaurant that I can think of that is partnered with Pepsi is Harvey’s. This campaign challenges the restaurants and their agreements with Coca-Cola while also bringing awareness to the consumer. This is a strategic move in that Pepsi undoubtedly wants more market share in the fast-food drink industry. It’s an area in which they are lacking behind their main competition.

I think this campaign was bold and beefy. It demonstrates the strategic direction of Pepsi of wanting a bigger piece of the fast-food market. I would consider this a win for Pepsi due to all the attention and press that it received. Who knows, maybe in the next few years you’ll be asked “Is Pepsi ok?” when you order a Coke at your local drive-thru. 

https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/05/27/ad-the-day-pepsi-s-hidden-logos-proof-it-goes-better-with-burgers-coke