…and then go get some Starbucks.  

You have to applaud Starbucks for staying true to its socially-conscious brand, even when the tempatation is to sell out and name a blend of coffee after Obama or McCain…Instead they decided to give folks that care enough to vote a cup of coffee on the house.  The best part is, I’ll bet the return on this is probably immense, since the message went viral with the help of the video above and services like Twitter and Facebook. Kudos Starbucks.   

NOW GO VOTE.

Garret Ohm
http://www.orange-element.com

Have you seen Porsche’s new marketing campaign? It seems their recent marketing efforts have focused on convincing folks that have always dreamt of owning a Porsche that it is actually within financial reach. The campaign is centered around the headline “I Can” and is supported through a number of channels, many of which are electronic. One of the most notable elements is the micro site which you can check out by clicking HERE.

While I’m not sure how the sales numbers are shaping up, my guess is that this has the potential to be an effective campaign for the Porsche brand. It relies on their signature use of stunning photography, gobs of white space and strong copy to forge a strong emotional connection. And paired with ads that feature attractive lease rates, I think it goes a long way to make the consumer entertain the thought that a Porsche is within reach.  For what it’s worth, my guess is that it will work especially well for the lower cost Boxster and Cayman models and perhaps not as well for the flagship 911 which is generally only within reach of the folks that KNOW they can afford a Porsche.

In preparing to write this post I did a quick scan of the blogosphere to see what other folks were saying about the campaign.  While there were some that praised it, there were others who thought it would cause more damage to the brand than anything, mainly as a result of the “Picture It” feature.  ”Picture It” allows users that are exploring the vehicles to upload a picture of their driveway and superimpose a picture of the vehicle in it.  Apparently as a result of this feature there are pictures floating around the internet of Porsche 911s parked in front of trailer homes, etc - something that some say is damaging to the brand.  

I totally get their point, but I think it might be going a little far and looking at things too literally.  Porsche has worked very hard for decades to define itself as a premium brand (”There is no substitute”) and I don’t think just because it has been photographed next to a trailer or jumping a bridge, or for that matter leaping off a snow-covered mountain (yes, that’s me on the top of the mountain staring at the 911) people will forget what the brand stands for. That’s the power of a WELL BUILT BRAND.

Garret Ohm
http://www.orange-element.com

I really like this idea. To advertise their live coverage of the 21 days of the Tour De France, SBS created a live rotating billboard powered by a cyclist on a stationary bike. The cyclist pedaled from 8am to 4pmfor 21 days, with only 2 days of rest. Rain, wind, sun, hail, it didn’t matter - he kept pedaling.

This ad campaign did exactly what it was supposed to do - it got people to notice and it drove home its intended advertising message. The word-of-mouth marketing effect was likely huge, too (as I blog about it).

Thanks for the tip, Brandflakes.

Garret Ohm
http://www.orange-element.com

What have I gotten myself into? Well folks, of all the announcements that I’ve made on this blog, this is probably the most dramatic. I am excited to let everyone know that I will be running for President of the United States in 2008! I hadn’t really considered it until my good friends at Brandflakes alerted me to some things that they had been hearing all over the internet.

Here’s a video to explain how it all came about - thanks Channel 3 news:

So there you have it. VOTE OHM IN ‘08. I’m taking suggestions for my campaign slogan. So far, I’m thinking about going with: “Change that you might not necessarily want to believe in.”

Update:  Thanks, Melissa - “Vote Ohm or Go Home.”  I am loving it.

Garret Ohm
http://www.orange-element.com