27Feb

"Aphrodisiac Advertising" – It's the New Unexpected

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When most people think of vegetables, it’s dressing – and not undressing – that comes to mind. But holy hearts of palm, the British-based Vegetarian Society takes the opposite approach to building their brand…

(WARNING: naughty, naked vegetables lay dead ahead).

The latest marketing minds to earn the smart thINKing seal of approval, the Vegetarian [...]

24Feb

Turning Laid Off into Paid Off…One Project at a Time

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Recently, I attended a party where half of the guests were laid off. This made for lots of jokes and humor, perhaps the only way those handed their pink slips can get by these days. The fact remains, lay-offs touch us all – whether it’s a spouse, friend or co-worker. It’s become the new Six [...]

21Feb

Classified Ad Meet Social Networks – Social Networks meet Classified Ad

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We’ve all done it…Whether it’s unloading an old car in order to afford a new one, peddling a piece of unwanted furniture or selling clothes purged from our closets, we’ve all turned to classified ads at one time or another.
Until now, the most effective way to pawn what we’re ready to put behind us [...]

18Feb

Smart thINKing by my Pug

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Ok. So you might ask what a 15-pound pug has to do with smart thINKing? When I started this blog, I really wanted to identify and promote ideas that link thinking to three words: smart, clever and strategic.
And it dawned on me recently, I was being had by my dog…
Bella, my pug, was displaying “smart [...]

14Feb

Fusing Life with Humor – It Works

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While Southwest Airlines’ “Wanna Get Away?” campaign is hardly new, it provides a fantastic model of how to leverage humor with life’s harsh realities, something every consumer can relate to today. And one of the best spots in the campaign came from the airlines’ “Wanna Get Away” contest winner.
“I’m Engaged” is as basic as it [...]

06Feb

Dunkin Roasts SBUX Again…

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During a time when retail success is measured by market share and customer loyalty, Dunkin Donuts continues to thrash Starbucks, the original pioneer in converting the coffee cup into a fashion icon.
Not only has Dunkin thrown down the gauntlet with their Dunkin Beats Starbucks campaign – yes, you too can send viral e-cards boasting “Friends [...]

04Feb

The Blanket With Sleeves Nabs "The Today Show"

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If you saw “The Today Show” this morning, then you witnessed the magic and power of great PR…

One of three things is going down:

Either someone from the makers of The Snuggie is related to a decision maker at “The Today Show”;
This is extortion in the first degree.;
Or the Snuggie’s PR machine is simply that good. [...]

02Feb

Superbowl Ads Wrap Up

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The best feature about blogs is their ability to aggregate all the content you seek at-a-glance. So, for those who missed the Superbowl spots, here’s a round up of all the ads in one quick link.
Clever, Ink.’s top picks of advertising victors and why?
1) Coca-Cola’s “Heist” – whimsy and gorgeous execution make this ad a [...]

23Jan

Jelly Beans Gone Wild

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We’ve all heard the cliches – when life gives you lemons…if you fall off the horse get right back on…if at first you don’t succeed, try try again. But the makers of Jelly Belly, the world’s most famous jelly bean (and I’ll admit, one of my personal weaknesses), have taken overturning our mistakes to [...]

22Jan

Goodbye Bush

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Everyone knows that advertising – good, smart advertising – is supposed to get your brand noticed. And in a marketplace like today’s, it takes more than just effort to make people stop and think.
Which is exactly why the attached ad for Veet, which ran in Australia’s Daily Telegraph is so on the money…
First, this [...]