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A Western ad blitz for Beijing Olympics
It is becoming increasingly clear which nation global corporations will be rooting for at this summer's Olympics: China.
Or at least that's what it looks like from advertisements here. McDonald's is running a "Cheer for China" television ad. Nike ads feature China's star hurdler, Liu Xiang, and other Chinese athletes besting foreign competitors. Earlier this year, Pepsi even painted its familiar blue cans red for a limited edition "Go Red for China" promotion.
The campaigns for Western companies are part of an advertising blitz the likes of which this ostensibly communist nation has never seen. Ads are papered over bus shelters, projected on giant outdoor television screens and plastered on billboards. Commercials even flicker at commuters as they zoom through subway tunnels.
China, already the world's second-largest advertising market, after the United States, is a dream for consumer product companies. "For most international brands here, China is the growth market for the next 10 years," said Jonathan Chajet, strategic director at Interbrand, which consults on brands.
A record 63 companies have become sponsors or partners of the Beijing Olympics. Olympic-related advertising in China could reach $4 billion to $6 billion this year, according to CSM, a Beijing marketing research firm. It is becoming increasingly clear which nation global corporations will be rooting for at this summer's Olympics: China. ... more -
Anger at 'slutty' Starbucks logo
Give me a break, this 'Resistance' group has got to be a bunch of nuts!!
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US coffee chain Starbucks has come under fire for a new logo that critics say is offensive and overly graphic.
The Resistance, a US-based Christian group, has called for a national boycott of the coffee-selling giant.
It says the chain's new logo has a naked woman on it with her legs "spread like a prostitute... The company might as well call themselves Slutbucks".
Starbucks says the image - based on a 16th century Norse design of a mermaid with two-tails - is not inappropriate.
Rather, the image is a more conservative version of the original Starbucks design, which hung above the chain's first store when it opened in Seattle's Pike Place Market in 1971.
'Rubenesque'
It says the raunchy image - the longstanding logo for Pike Place bags of coffee - is appearing on some of its cups as part of a promotion, and will remain "for several weeks".
Howard Schultz, who bought Starbucks in 1982, described the emblem in his memoirs as "bare-breasted and Rubenesque; [it] was supposed to be as seductive as coffee itself".
Although its share price has plunged in recent years, Starbucks has 16,000 coffee shops in 44 countries worldwide, employing more than 170,000 staff.
The chain has just opened its first outlet in Argentina.
Based in San Diego, the Resistance claims to have more than 3,000 members across the US and has gained a reputation for espousing diverse conspiracy theories
Give me a break, this 'Resistance' group has got to be a bunch of nuts!! *************************** ... more -
Make It or Break It with Your Logo
Your logo design and branding goals must be chosen before you attempt to launch your Web site or fully market your product. This article offers more explanation why this is so important. Your logo design and branding goals must be chosen before you attempt to launch your Web site or fully market your product. This artic... more
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Have a one night stand, get branded for life
Sure, a herpes outbreak can stay with you for the rest of your life, but if you ask me getting BRANDED with a hot iron is far worse a fate.
In a victory for promiscuous men everywhere, a court sentenced 23-year-old Kristina Caban five years in prison for branding a guy for not calling her back after they had sex. New York Supreme Court Justice Michael Obus, who ruled over the decision, called Caban’s freak-out violence “not remotely justifiable.”
But this wasn’t just some heat-of-the-moment branding. The Assistant District Attorney says Caban, a photography student, was the “mastermind” behind a plot to burn a 4-inch “R” into her 2004 one-stint lover, Samir “Sammy” Sara, while her now-boyfriend and another dude held him down. Sure, a herpes outbreak can stay with you for the rest of your life, but if you ask me getting BRANDED with a hot iron is far worse a ... more -
Che Guevara's children tired of commercialization of their father's image
Two of Ernesto "Che" Guevara's children said Thursday they were tired of seeing their father's image used to sell everything from T-shirts to vodka, calling the growth of the revolutionary as a global super-brand "embarrassing."
Aleida Guevara, the eldest of Guevara's four children by his second wife, Cuban revolutionary Aleida March, said the commercialization of her father's image contributed to tension between rich and poor in some countries.
"Something that bothers me now is the appropriation of the figure of Che that has been used to make enemies from different classes. It's embarrassing," she wrote during an Internet forum sponsored by Cuba's government ahead of what would have been her father's 80th birthday on June 14.
Aleida Guevara was asked about the use of her father's image to sell British vodka and French soft drinks. She decried those campaigns as well one in Switzerland that uses his likeness to peddle cell phones.
"We don't want money, we demand respect," wrote Guevara, who is a trained physician like her father.
Two of Ernesto "Che" Guevara's children said Thursday they were tired of seeing their father's image used to sell everything from T-sh... more -
World’s Largest Self-portrait
Using a briefcase loaded with a GPS gadget and the package-carrier DHL, artist Erik Nordenankar has created a continent-spanning drawing of himself. I was wondering how he had so much footage of the inside of shipping facilities and planes (and why those planes would fly such scribbly routes,) but it turns out that the whole thing is an advertising stunt commissioned by DHL. Yay for artvertising. Using a briefcase loaded with a GPS gadget and the package-carrier DHL, artist Erik Nordenankar has created a continent-spanning drawi... more
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Logólogos
A Spanish site devoted to parsing the visual math that led to some of the world’s most recognizable logos. Green apple plus gay pride flag divided by dentures equals the Apple logo. See how easy it is? A Spanish site devoted to parsing the visual math that led to some of the world’s most recognizable logos. Green apple plus gay pride ... more
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Does Earth need a re-brand?
Well it's something that some bloggers are already thinking about, how about we go all Command and Conquer and call earth Megalon 14? What do you think? If you've got a better idea I'd like to see them here! Well it's something that some bloggers are already thinking about, how about we go all Command and Conquer and call earth Megalon 14? ... more
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Car logos have come a long, long way
We've seen how cars have developed over the years, but although their logos haven't got any faster, some of them have got a hell of a lot sexier.
Who'd have thought it? Car logos even got sex appeal now... Well the Aston Martin one does, but that's because I know what the cars look like...
Is there any form of branding now that hasn't got even a hint of sex appeal in it? We've seen how cars have developed over the years, but although their logos haven't got any faster, some of them have got a hell of a ... more -
Hasbro vs Scrabulous: How to damage your brand with one easy lawsuit
Hasbro and Mattel have gone after the creators of Scrabulous in an attempt to control the brand, yet this thinking may backfire on them and lead to more damage to their brand than if they just embraced interactive media. Hasbro and Mattel have gone after the creators of Scrabulous in an attempt to control the brand, yet this thinking may backfire on the... more
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Union Jack to get a facelift?
The culture minister, Margaret Hodge, has said she will consider a redesign of the union flag to incorporate the Welsh dragon to represent the country's "true place in the region." Much easier said than done. I can't imagine the rebranding nightmare this would cause for the UK. But does Wales deserve a spot on the Union Jack? What are your thoughts? The culture minister, Margaret Hodge, has said she will consider a redesign of the union flag to incorporate the Welsh dragon to repre... more
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Human Rights Non-Profit's Hilarious Branding Song by Bob Dylan
International Rivers - a California based non-profit working around the globe to protect rivers and defend the rights of communities that depend on them - comes up with a hilarious take on Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" International Rivers - a California based non-profit working around the globe to protect rivers and defend the rights of communities t... more
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Super Hot Design Work
A colleague of mine from a past life launched his site. Absolutely amazing work.
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A Dying Breed
Cattle branding is a dying tradition because of today?s technology. This is a documentary about cattle branding and how it is still alive in the 21st century. Cattle branding is a dying tradition because of today?s technology. This is a documentary about cattle branding and how it is still al... more
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Hip-Hop Pop-Ups
An mp3 player that pops up the websites of Kanye West's favorite brands in real time as he namechecks them. Turn off pop up blocking, listen to "The Glory" and see how long it is before you start screaming. An mp3 player that pops up the websites of Kanye West's favorite brands in real time as he namechecks them. Turn off pop up blocking, ... more
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My YouTube is Cooler than Your Ipod
Obviously Current is the coolest.
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Mickey D's wrappers and carrots
How young does one have to be to be susceptible to marketing? A new study shows preschool children perceive carrots to taste better when they come out of a McDonald's bag, even though the company doesn't sell carrots. How young does one have to be to be susceptible to marketing? A new study shows preschool children perceive carrots to taste better w... more
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Shame on the NFL
As the spouse of a photojournalist, who has had to shoot NFL games a time or two, this turns my stomach. There's something about branding a journalist that feels so fundamentally wrong! As the spouse of a photojournalist, who has had to shoot NFL games a time or two, this turns my stomach. There's something about brand... more
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Branding
