1. Spotting opportunities
Tom Evans and Alessio Laudato
An example of commercial, tactical and topical ads

2. A commercial opportunity
Orange Wednesdays
Here is an example of a commercial
opportunity which has been
harnessed successfully by mobile
telecommunications brand
Text
orange in conjunction with a number
of cinema chains. it provides
customers with the opportunity to
get two cinema tickets for the price
of one on Wednesday evenings each
week.

3. A commercial opportunity
What are the ideas about?
Clearly wednesdays must have been the most difficult day of the week for cinema chains (including odeon) to fill their auditoriums.
had odeon (for example) run a campaign to try and entice customers to their multiplexes on Wednesdays with half price tickets it
would most likely have not worked as well as this brand partnership.
For some time orange customers have been able to get two cinema tickets for the price of one by texting for a special code on this
day of the week, creating brand kudos for orange and allowing customers to spend memorable moments with their partners or mates
on an day of the week they might otherwise not go out.
What competitive advantages might the ideas provide?
On Wednesdays regular paying cinema goers may have been discouraged from a trip to the pictures out of not wanting to sit in a half
empty screen: everyone knows the experience of watching communally increases our enjoyment with the film. Orange Wednesdays
increases the volume of people in the screens by filling them with extra bodies. Non-Orange customers who have been invited to the
cinema for free are likely to view the brand in a positive light and possibly even be future brand converts. Finally the Orange customer
might even get a cheap date which is likely to increase their brand loyalty.
What commercial value might there be?
First of all the idea is simple both to explain and it has a memorable title; mention Orange Wednesdays and people know what your
talking about: Orange effectively now own cinema going on the cheap on Wednesdays. Secondly there is the possibility of further
brand synergies, indeed as people often like to combine a cinema trip with an inexpensive meal out Pizza Express now have a two for
one pizza offer in conjunction with Orange Wednesdays, probably because their restaurants are equally difficult to fill mid week.
Although Wednesdays are a night of the week when people would traditionally stay in, a night out on Wednesday can provide a much
appreciated bridge of leisure time in the middle of the working week.
Finally this idea is likely to be popular with students and young people without a disposable income and therefore likely to find early
converts to the brand who potentially will remain loyal in the long term.
Our Critique.
This service is perhaps more likely to be popular both with people living or working in close proximity to a cinema, where nipping out
on a Wednesday is less hassle and also couples, where they can save money by going out together on a Wednesday. Therefore it could
alienate people living in rural communities and singletons.

4. A tactical opportunity
Here is an example of a tactical
opportunity which has been released
recently by Starbucks. To mark the
release of free wifi in its coffee shops
Starbucks has announced that people
purchasing coffee from its stores can
get a free weekly download from
itunes via apple. The track is selected
by Starbucks but like the coffee
seems to represent music likely to
appeal to a broad spectrum.

5. A tactical opportunity
What are the ideas about?
Starbucks has always combined the playing of music with its coffee experience. One associates a trip to Starbucks with listening to
background music and also they have produced special albums that they play in their stores which can also be purchased. With the
introduction of wifi across their stores this is the perfect way to get the message across to the Starbucks costumer base that the
Starbucks experience now includes an online experience. Also as you can take away coffee from their shops you can now also take
away music to listen to on your ipod whilst you drink your take away coffee on the move.
What competitive advantages might the ideas provide?
The idea is clever because there are many people who buy Starbucks coffee sporadically; i.e. sometimes and impulsivly. These people
are probably most likely to make a purchase on the way into work on their daily commute. It is at exactly this time that they will be
listening to their ipods. If Starbucks gives them a catchy tune for their ipods when it arrives in their playlist and they hear it on the way
into work they’ll be reminded of Starbucks with positive brand association which might prompt a visit to the coffee giant that morning
or more regularly as part of the morning routine.
What commercial value might there be?
The commercial value is that no one else is doing this so Starbucks is the first to own a brand synergy between life-style coffee and
itunes. This association may drive music lovers away from the competition and into Starbucks once they’ve realised they can get a track
they already wanted for free . Driving costumers away from Costa’s or Cafe Nero they may become brand converts; they might stay.
Finally by giving people a sample of music they might otherwise not purchase, it may persuade itunes customers to go on to download
and pay for the entire album or other tracks by the artist potentially increasing apples itunes customers. It also has talk-ability amongst
fans of the musicians they promote.
Our Critique.
This is a brilliant tactical idea the only pitfall of which may be that as a customer you cannot chose which track you want, Starbucks
delegates which track is free each week. If you happen not to like the artist of their choosing that week the campaign won’t work for
you.

6. A topical opportunity
In June 2006 on the day of England’s
World Cup clash with Sweden, Nike
released this provocative and iconic
graphic image in both print and press.
It showed simply Rooney with a
warrior like confrontational pose
reminiscent of Brave-heart in battle
cry with his arms outstreched
painted with the cross of George.

7. A topical opportunity
What are the ideas about?
Nike as a brand is about empowerment and here is a quintessential example of how they bring this brand message into the media
space with maximum topical impact to catch and piggyback onto the national sentiment in the nation on a given day. Football is the
Uk’s most popular sport and probably rarely does the country unite with nationalistic pride and aspiration as it does when England
play in the world cup. The spirit of Rooney is one of struggle and prevelance against adversity (given his own background; he’s a
fighter) and here he is designated as a sporting leader; with the hopes of a nation on his shoulder, he embodies England proudly
challenging its adversaries and he becomes the spirit of the nation on that day.
What competitive advantages might the ideas provide?
The first thing is positive association for Nike on that day. This image is so iconic it shot to fame and was talked about in the media. It
attaches the Nike brand to Rooney’s fame at the moment he’s in the spotlight but most importantly connects with the consumer on
an emotional register. As a nation this ad makes England feel empowered and up to face the challenge of Sweden with courage.
Visually the message is; come on then!
What commercial value might there be?
Whenever there is a major sporting competition the sports clothing brands jostle to be associated with it and to gain advantage in the
marketplace through clever sponsorship. This image is so simple yet so iconic that on the day of this match it trumps the competition
and cuts through to make NIKE front of mind throughout the nation. It also stokes the fire that burns within the pre existing fans of
this brand.
Our Critique.
The danger with this ad is that if England lose the match, (I think it was a draw) the public will remember the day with negative feelings
and therefore the positive brand association they held in the build up to the match won’t continue to be held when they remember
the day and the ad by proxy. Also because the image is so provocative it invites detractors, as indeed there were with negative
publicity in the press as one MP cited the image as vulgar and distasteful.

8. The End