May Playlist: Movie Music

Here is the May edition of my monthly playlist. May is the kick-off to the summer movie season. And many of those big, summer blockbuster movies have great soundtracks. So, the theme for this month is movie music.

Enjoy!

1. Who Did That To You – John Legend (Django Unchained)
2. Salute Your Solution – The Raconteurs (Zombieland)
3. Shake Yo’ Tailfeather – Murphy Lee, Nelly, & P Diddy (Bad Boys II)
4. Accidentally In Love – Counting Crows (Shrek 2)
5. Home Sweet Home – Mötley Crüe (Hot Tub Time Machine)
6. Back To Black – Beyoncé & Andre 3000 (The Great Gatsby)
7. Skyfall – ADELE (007 Skyfall)
8. Purple Rain – Prince (Purple Rain)
9. Falling Slowly – Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova (Once)
10. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow – The Soggy Bottom Boys (O Brother, Where Art Thou)
11. When You’re Next To Me – Mitch & Mickey (A Mighty Wind)
12. Stuck In The Middle With You – Stealers Wheel (Reservoir Dogs)
13. Lose Yourself – Eminem (8 Mile)
14. Live And Let Die – Paul McCartney & Wings (007 Live And Let Die)
15. Shipping Up To Boston – Dropkick Murphys (The Departed)
16. It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp – Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow)
17. Kiss By A Rose – Seal (Batman Forever)
18. Hallelujah – Rufus Wainwright (Shrek)
19. That Thing Your Do – The Wonders (That Thing You Do)
20. The Power Of Love – Huey Lewis & The News (Back To The Future)

How To Create A Customer In 30 Seconds

K-Mart.

You deserve a standing ovation.

Your sales are down and you are constantly losing business to stores like Wal-Mart, Target, and Fred Meyer. So how do you overcome? You made a brilliant television marketing campaign which has everyone on social media talking, and, in turn, regenerating interest and conversation about your store.

K-Mart and the advertising agency DRAFTFCB worked together to create a campaign that would be informative, creative, memorable, funny, and tap into the inner-child of everyone who watches. KMart’s “Ship My Pants” commercial launched on April 10, 2013, to help promote the ability to have the products purchased in store be shipped to your home for free. It became an internet sensation. It has amassed over 17 million views since it’s launch.

Why does it work? Because it’s childish. It starts off so abruptly. It takes you a second to realize what is being said. Once the realization happens, a child runs out and says how he can’t wait to ship his pants. An innocent elderly couple appears to say the titular line, followed by an old man celebrating the incoming arrival of his new bed. It’s quirky. It’s funny. It’s juvenile. It did it’s job.

But DRAFTFCB and KMart weren’t done just yet. On May 22, 2013, the “sequel” to “Ship My Pants” was released. This new commercial was to promote savings on gasoline for KMart members. In less than 24 hours, the commercial has already started an online buzz and has reached 30,000 views.

Different selling point. Same concept and execution. A funny phrase that can be repeated over and over again. Innocent looking actors, who you feel bad about what they are kind of saying, but still think it’s hilarious. A visual gag capped with a perfect comedy “button” that wraps the whole thing up neatly .

People see the commercial. People talk about the commercial. People remember KMart is a thing. People return to KMart. The ad has done it’s job.

Smart. Funny. Juvenile. It’s a similar strategy that AT&T has been using for their “It’s Not Complicated” campaign. People may be fast forwarding through commercials these days due to DVR’s, so advertisers need to make their work something that will stand out. Something that people will want to actively search out and share online. AT&T did that. KMart is doing that.  I’m sure many others will follow shortly.

So congratulations to KMart and DRAFTFCB for making the 12 year old inside all of us come out and laugh and a well thought out commercial. We are all eagerly anticipating Part III.

There’s Always Money In The Good Marketing Plan

This week, after a 7 year hiatus, the Bluth family will return. “Arrested Development” will debut 15 new episodes on Netflix on May 26th. For fans of the short-lived, under-appreciated show, this is a very welcome return. To help generate buzz around the new episodes, Netflix, The Hurwitz Company, and Imagine Entertainment could have done nothing but a few good press releases. The show has gathered such a cult following in the age of DVDs and online binge watching. The fan base was already excited. But they wanted to have a grand kick-off. Celebrate the show, welcome back it’s fans, and bring in a new audience at the same time.