The Affari Edge Blog

It is already getting a lot of buzz - both good and bad - but nonetheless, Kid Nation is poised to be one of the Fall’s most popular new shows.

Even though there are multiple reports highlighting controversy behind the new show, I am very excited for the first episode on September 19. Adults across the nation are speaking out against the show - claiming that the concept is dangerous and unethical. In addition, many critics are blaming the network for luring participants with the $20,000 prize.

I personally don’t understand what all of the commotion is about. If this show would have come about ten years ago, I would volunteer for it in a heartbeat! Winning the $20,000 prize wouldn’t even be a concern of mine - I would do the show for free, just for the experience. It’s like a super-exclusive summer camp where you get to interact and coincide with children across the country - not to mention the extraordinary opportunity to grow and mature and an individual. I guarantee majority of the children benefited from the experience and are much more open and assertive in their everyday lives because of it. I view the show as more of a leadership training camp rather than the child labor camp that some critics are relating it to (which is ridiculous in my opinion).

To me, it is way too early to criticize the show the way many people have. The most anyone has seen is the trailer which features four minutes of the season. Accusations of child labor have already come up - even though the children were voluntarily taking part in the show - and were permitted to leave at any time. Sure, the trailer makes it sound as if the children are completely on their own in the middle of an old deserted town, but do people really think CBS is that irresponsible? Of course the network took the proper safety measures to ensure that the children were in no danger. In fact, even some of the dialog in the trailer sounds somewhat scripted and too mature for children of these ages. It’s Hollywood, it’s drama, it’s what makes reality TV so successful in prime time.

To address certain accusations regarding the careless procedures of the show, creator Tom Forman issued a statement that read, “These kids were in good hands and were under good care with procedures and safety structures that arguably rival or surpass any school or camp in the country.”

The show was a voluntary commitment that offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to children who were interested in a unique life experience. Sure, the experience isn’t for everyone. Certain children rely heavily on their parents, friends and familiar lifestyles. But there are many children who seek adventure and change. I envy the children who had the opportunity to star in the show. I mean how often do you get the chance to join/create a society in which everyone starts on a level playing field? You govern yourselves, and you work together to create a society that thrives and operates in harmony. Giving these children the chance to take risks and coordinate such a project probably inspired them (and taught them) more than any school (or camp) project could.

Whether you view it as a cruel exploitation of children, great entertainment, or just a simple sociological experiment - Kid Nation is sure to make an impact during the Fall television schedule. I already have my day planner marked for the 8 o’clock hour on September 19. I will wait to pass judgment on the show and the network until I have actually seen Kid Nation, rather than jump the gun and throw it under the bus before a single episode has aired.

Now I have to admit, I’m not a big fan of fast food these days. At least, I’m not as big of a fan now as I was about 10 years ago. You see, I was really big because of all that fast food so I’ve practically cut it out of my diet. Now I eat fast food only when I have prepared no food and don’t plan on eating anything at home for several hours. And when I do eat fast food, it’s typically a burger with no fries and a water– something to hold me over for a few hours and not fill me up.

With that said, I am still amazed at how one of the fast food giants is missing the boat when it comes to advertising and customer loyalty. In 2004, Wendy’s, the longtime #3 restaurant chain in the fast food wars, was finally catching up to second-ranked Burger King in sales. The main reason for this increase? According to reports that summer, Wendy’s healthier, adult-themed fare was selling better than greasy cheeseburgers from Burger King. Keep in mind 2004 was the year of the Atkins diet, when fast food chains scurried to offer healthier fare in hopes of keeping carb-minded customers coming through the doors and drive-thrus.

But unlike their competitors, Wendy’s had the distinct advantage of already having salads, baked potatoes, chili, and other alternatives to the fast food menu when the carb craze hit. For years Wendy’s had positioned itself as the “adult” fast food place thanks to folksy founder Dave Thomas‘ appearance in their ads until his death in 2001. Thomas’ whole idea behind Wendy’s was to make a tastier, better, and fresher burger than McDonalds, Burger King, White Castle, and other chains that exploded in popularity in the 1960s. Even after Thomas’ death, the folksy feel and laid back atmosphere of cheap but good burgers and fries drew in older customers who didn’t like the noise or grease of a McDonalds or Burger King. Then, a few funny things happened.

The carb craze died in 2005, and fast food customers went back to their old ways of purchasing double quarter-pounders with cheese and salty grease-laiden fries from the Golden Arches. Burger King rolled out the “Enormous Monstrous Sandwich” for breakfast, an egg, cheese, and bacon concoction that amazingly was unhealthier than a Whopper. Sales at Wendy’s plummeted, and ownership panicked. So what to do? Wendy’s made the big blunder (in my opinion) of trying to go after the big boys and their 18-34 year-old consumers, while dumping the older customers who liked the folksy experience of Wendy’s.

Wendy’s launched the “Do What Tastes Right” campaign centered around the instrumental portion of the Violent Femmes‘ 1981 hit “Blister in the Sun”. That will CERTAINLY get 18-34 year-olds to buy the burgers! Eh… wrong. Perhaps it was Wendy’s selection of a song about masturbation that turned these youngsters off, but it didn’t work. Sales remained stagnant as Wendy’s went with a new ad campaign, and a new ad agency, going with the “Wendy’s, That’s Right” pitch. The pitch goes back to basics in advertising “fresh, not frozen” hamburger patties which has always been a strong sales point for decades. But the TV commercials feature a grown man wearing a red wig (like Wendy… get it?) doing bizarre things like kicking trees or playing the role of an aborigine when he realizes he wants a fresh hamburger.

In some aspects the commercial is doing well in it’s attempts to get sales going in the stores. Wendy’s recently reported a modest second-quarter gain, yet in April it announced it was looking for a buyer, and in June it lowered its earnings outlook. To me it all comes down to advertising. The new ads are quirky, and are a hit on the internet where most 18-34 year-olds gather these days. But it seems to me Wendy’s has overlooked the older consumer (we’ll just say 35+ for demographic purposes) who doesn’t want the quirkiness of a 20-something lifestyle mixed in with his or her burger. They want what Wendy’s has always given them– a better, tastier burger than what McDonalds or Burger King can offer. No Happy Meals, no goofy big-headed king dancing to his BBQ Bacon Burger concoction, just a damn good burger please. And give me some options too, such as the salads, potatoes, and chili.

Wendy’s may make a little gain in the 18-34 year-old demographic with these new ads and an upcoming new breakfast menu, but even 18-34 year-olds grow up and I’m not so sure they’ll be coming back to Wendy’s when they just want good food without the bells and whistles thrown at the younger crowd going to McDonalds and Burger King. I give credit to Wendy’s for trying to drum up sales by rocking the boat, but by doing so the older customer is getting thrown overboard. It may be best for the healthy 37-year-old business to stick to what’s made it last so long– catering to those who are the same age or just a bit older.

It seems that the notion “sex sells” is a commonly accepted rule - and it seems to be more and more accepted with each passing day. Through the years TV programming, music, movies and advertising have all followed a common trend by incorporating more provocative and sexual content.

Over the past few years, one company has really used this concept to it’s advantage. Axe has launched several campaigns that are somewhat controversial, yet effective. You know the ads - the spots where Axe body wash turns guys into chick magnets (in the most literal sense of the phrase). They realized that sex does in deed sell, especially among male teens and tweens.

Being a member of the target demo, I can honestly say that I’ve never really been convinced by the older Axe campaign. I’ve always been aware of their spots and their messages, but never have I been compelled to actually purchase the product. On the other hand, I can honestly say that I have observed that many of my peers use the Axe product regularly. Many of my guy friends use the product - and I am willing to bet it isn’t solely because they are looking for a quality body soap.

The most recent campaign seems to be leaking into college dorms and professional offices alike.
Are you familiar with the “Bom Chicka Wah Wah” phrase? Not necessarily the age-old version, but the new, ‘AXE Effect’ version. If not, prepare yourself for the new “AXE Effect” that is getting publicity and praise from various sources in multiple countries. Here is one of my favorite spots from the campaign:

As you can see, the ad isn’t afraid of encorporating the sex-appeal factor into its spots. This is just one of many controversial - yet successful - spots that AXE has run. The entire campaign can be wound at the Axe website: www.theAXEeffect.com.

Most of my blogs are about national campaigns, companies and media outlets. This week, I would like to focus on a local company that executed a successful ‘mini-campaign’ just this past week. Our client, JB Fine Jewelry, came to us with an idea. They wanted to give back to their customers in the form of a Customer Appreciation Weekend. With some brainstorming and planning, we mapped out a small event that was greatly rewarding.

For those who aren’t aware, JB Fine Jewelry and Gems is a local jewelry boutique that specializes in custom jewelry design. They literally sit customers down and design jewelry from scratch. It is this high level of customer service that really sets them apart from their local competitors.

The staff is also very humble. They realize that it is their customers who allow them to continue running the business and doing what they love. In fact, it was this very realization that led to the Customer Appreciation Weekend concept.

Apparently, JB and staff are doing something right. The Customer Appreciation Weekend was a hit! Past customers, as well as new customers, joined the JB staff in the celebration.

All in all, the event was very rewarding, for both the JB Fine Jewelry, and the Affari Edge teams. It was really great to hear the results on Monday and know that we did a great job developing the promotional elements of the event. Our goal at Affari is to help our clients grow and succeed in all possible ways - even if it means coordinating special events or other ‘outside-of-the-box’ ideas. Knowing that our contributions to the JB Fine Jewelry brand helped to make the event a success is music to our ears. I am excited for the future as we continue to work with the JB Fine Jewelry family.

Okay. So I’m a big USF Bulls fan.  Especially football.  As such, I follow a lot of news about USF and its upcoming opponents.  One of the cool sites I found was a blog from Phillip Marshall, a Huntsville Times reporter, about Auburn (whom USF plays on September 8th).  Normally such information would not be worthy of a post here on the Affari Blog… but he posted today about the process.  I thought it was worth sharing:

It is indeed a new day in my business.It used to be that, as the Auburn beat writer for The Huntsville Times, I would spend an average day asking questions and observing. I would put what information I could in the newspaper and go on to the next day.

The events of Wednesday show just how much things have changed. It was a little after noon when I ventured into offensive line coach Hugh Nall’s office and asked him about the situation at right tackle. He told me that he had moved freshman Lee Ziemba to the first team.

As recently as last year, that information would have been interesting, but I would have been more than 12 hours from being able to report it. By then, of course, Ziemba would have lined up there at practice and it would have become obvious to all.

But in this age of the 24-hour news cycle, of the Internet and blogs and the like, I went straight to my computer, wrote the story and had out half an hour later.

Perusing other newspapers on the Internet, I saw where my friend Chip Towers of The Atlanta Constitution was actually blogging live from Georgia’s practice. Sometimes you even see newspaper reporters carrying video cameras. As time goes on, you’ll see more blogs and the like. And you’ll see more people looking for unique ways to cover the news and get the attention of readers.

Things have come a long way since I wrote stories on an old black Underwood typewriter.

Now, he still works for a newspaper - but this niche (Auburn atheltics) is narrow enough that he could register a domain (”Tiger Tracking”) sell ads and become a full-time reporter-blogger.   News gathering and news reporting is changing, moving into more deliniated niches, rather than an “everything for everyone” kind of news we have today.   Marshall’s realization is just the beginning - it’s not quite a new day, more like a new sunrise.

Remember those mythical Skittles commercials that used to air years ago? You know, where kids would chase the rainbow and it would reward them by raining candy. What happened to those days? Sure, they may have been a little cheesy, but at least I can see how they appealed to kids.

The more recent Skittles ads are very hit-or-miss. The ads are geared toward teens, and they try to achieve a comical appeal. Until I began researching the new spots, I completely hated them. Each commercial that I had witnessed firsthand left me sitting on the couch, semi-disgusted and extremely confused. To understand where I’m coming from, below are several Skittles spots I’ve seen over the last few weeks:

I understand the whole “believe in the rainbow” concept - I just don’t see how the ads could possibly make you want some Skittles…at all. As I browsed the Skittles commercials online, I remembered just how strange they were. To give them some credit, this ad made me laugh without being disturbed. It also had some pretty cool art direction and impressive effects. I think I would like the campaign a bit more had it featured more spots similar to this:

To be honest, I really wanted to bury the entire Skittles campaign until I found this last ad. However, one ad isn’t enough for me to pull a ‘180′ on the brand. I will still grumble when I see one of these commercials on TV, and I will still bring up the campaign when discussing advertising that I dislike. I just hope that after writing about this campaign I don’t come down with the Skittles touch…my keyboard is still here so I think I’m going to be alright.

Josh Hallet,  of <strong><a href=”http://www.hyku.com” target=”_blank”>Hyku</a></strong> and <strong><a href=”http://www.empircalpolk.com”target=”_blank”>Empircal Polk</a></strong>, has asked me to be a session leader for the 2007 <strong><a href=”http://www.blogorlando.com”target=”_blank”>BlogOrlando</a></strong>.

Now, unlike conferences you may have attended, BlogOrlando is specifically an <strong><em>un-conference</em></strong>.  The concept grew out of the realization that most people at trade shows, academic conferences, and industry gatherings learned a heck of a lot more from the Q&A sessions or just talking amongst themselves during the social time.  So why not take those good parts and make the entire conference like that??

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So, what is BlogOrlando, you ask?  Well…

<blockquote>Hyku, in partnership with Rollins College will host the second edition of this FREE event that is open to bloggers and non-bloggers alike from Florida and anywhere else. We hope to bring together a good cross-section of folks to discuss blogging, podcasting, public relations, social media, citizen’s journalism and other related topics. In addition to the Friday event we planned some outings at the local theme parks over the weekend. The event was as much a social/family gathering as it is a ‘work’ gathering.</blockquote>

I attended the <strong><a href=”http://www.stateofsunshine.com/2006/09/21/heading-to-blogorlando-tomorrow/” target=”_blank”>first BlogOrlando last fall</a></strong>, and learned a great deal.  In fact, it helped spur me to move from Blogger to my own domain and use WordPress.

If you have even the smallest interest in social media - especially blogging - then you should make the trek to Olrando for the day.  There are some great people leading various sessions, including bloggers who I read every day.  From politics to media to blogging for business to second life, BlogOrlando has something for just about everyone.

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I’ll be there.  Will you?