Searching For A Clever Idea? Imagine What’s Never Been Done Before

By Angelika Kazakaitis, Planner

Have you ever heard a client say, “This idea is great, but how can we make it more memorable? How can it be ownable to our brand?” Well, after skimming through magazines and only finding generic headlines like Relax and Unwind and Dream Big, I was inspired to compile a list of what I think are some of the best and some of the worst ideas yet that break the clutter.

Best: Flogos. Perhaps inspired by blowing bubbles as kids, a few guys working for a special effects company named Snowmasters got their heads together and discovered they could do wondrous things with the right mixture of helium and bubbly liquid. During opening day at the Anaheim Angel’s Stadium, the letter “A” with a halo suddenly drifted across the sky and yes, it got people to talk. Naturally, people always look up, so why not take advantage of the sky? View more information on Flogos here

Clever But Not So Great: Scales At Bus Stops. Imagine sitting down on a bench and then seeing a huge red number (aka your weight) appear on the wall beside you. Fitness First Health Clubs has taken bus stop advertising to a whole new level. A very clever idea, but I wonder how many consumers were actually motivated to drop a few pounds and how many avoided taking the bus while this campaign was running.

Best: Ads On Planes. When I was in high school, I couldn’t understand why companies never thought to advertise on tray tables. I should have taken ownership to that idea because just a few years ago, I saw my idea come to life. Yup, Verizon beat me to it. If you haven’t noticed, airlines aren’t doing too well these days, but advertisers are now helping the industry’s bottom line. Pretty soon, travelers can expect to see brand names all over security bins, cocktail napkins, cups, and yes, even barf bags. (What a perfect partnership for Dramamine, right?)

Worst: Fast Food Brands On Report Cards. Just last year, kids from Seminole County, Florida elementary schools came home with a report card with a McDonald’s logo slapped on it and a promise to give students free Happy Meals for good grades. While the thought of using report cards to communicate a message isn’t a bad one (if you’re Staples or Target), it is for a fast food chain like McDonald’s. Fortunately, this brand has smartened up and decided to stop running this campaign. Isn’t childhood obesity on the rise?

Whether good or bad, all of these ideas are completely out of the box and they certainly grab the attention of consumers, but brands have to remember that something out of the ordinary doesn’t always have to be this extreme (unless you’re an extreme brand). A clever idea only works well in execution if it makes sense for the brand and the target consumer. Brands and agencies should keep pushing their ideas to the limit, but the most important thing is that brands remember who they are and what they stand for. The brand should never get lost in the idea itself.