ITV could make more than £10m in ad revenue from tonight's all-English Champions League final, with major brands flocking to the event - including Ford, which is launching a $60m (£30m) pan-European TV campaign. Huge interest in the first all-English final, between Manchester United and Chelsea, has led ITV to speculate that viewer numbers could hit 13 million across around two hours of live coverage.
The broadcaster has lined up an array of top-flight advertisers for the final including Nike, Heineken and Audi - as well as some more unusual names, such as BlackBerry, which is thought to be running its first TV campaign in the UK. Ford Europe is using the event to launch a TV campaign, created by Ogilvy Advertising in London and Stockholm, to launch the four-wheel drive "crossover" car Kuga, which will compete against models such as Toyota's Rav4. The car manufacturer, which is launching the multimedia campaign across 21 markets, is committing around £30m to the campaign, around £6m of that in the UK market.
ITV will make close to £9m from TV advertising during the final, and more than £10m if the match goes to extra time and penalties, according to Havas-owned media agency MPG. The advertising bonanza compares with between £2m and £3m in ad revenue for a typical Wednesday night schedule and between £3m and £4m for a Champions League final with no British presence, said MPG.
Advertisers have been flocking to book Champions League final ad spots, which have rocketed in price from between £100,000 and £150,000 for a 30-second slot in a final with no UK teams involved to as much as £250,000 for tonight's match. "On top of a hugely valuable football fan demographic, this type of event gets people watching who are not heavy TV viewers. It is a unique opportunity," said Gary Digby, the customer relations director at ITV. "The market will pay what it will pay. We have sold out so they [the ads] are at a price the market thinks is sensible."
Digby added that the contest could easily crack a live match average of 13 million viewers because of the presence of United - which attracts more viewers than other top-flight English clubs - particularly if the match went to extra time. United's last-gasp 2-1 victory in the 1999 Champions League final attracted a peak audience of 19 million viewers.
Ford's TV ad opens with a woman waking up and running outside to find that an entire city has been covered over - from street level to the tops of buildings - as a giant white canvas. The ad states: "We keep following the same old design rules. Imagine if we could start again with a blank canvas." It finishes with a Ford Kuga rolling through the "white-out" of the city.
Ogilvy Advertising used 53,475 sq ft of artist's canvas, most of which was recycled after the shoot. The commercial was directed by Nicolai Fuglsig, who was also responsible for the Guinness "Tipping Point" and Sony "Balls" ads. Ogilvy Advertising estimates that Ford's ad will reach an audience of around 360 million across Europe when it airs during the final. Ford used last year's Champions League final to launch the "Balloons" TV ad to promote the launch of its new Mondeo model.
Last year's final, which saw Liverpool lose 2-1 to AC Milan, attracted a peak audience of 10.1 million viewers and a live match average of 9.5 million. The 2006 final, which saw Arsenal lose 2-1 to Barcelona, drew a peak audience of 12.2 million viewers and a live match average of 11.2 million. And Liverpool's epic 2005 win over AC Milan after extra time and penalties saw an average of 10.8 million viewers and a peak audience of 14.6 million.
Showing posts with label Adverts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adverts. Show all posts
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Sunday, 11 May 2008
Thurman sues Lancôme over ad
Actress Uma Thurman is counter-suing Lancôme, the French cosmetics giant, for $15m (£7.7m), claiming it used her image in an advertising campaign years after a contract expired. It is the third time in a week Thurman's name has been mentioned in a US court, after a lawsuit by Lancôme on Wednesday and the conviction last week of a stalker, Jack Jordan, for harassing the actress and her family over three years.Thurman, 38, who is best known for her role as a gangster's moll in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction, claims the cosmetics company used her image for years after a contract expired in 2004, allowing billboards in Canada and Asia to carry posters of her face. Papers filed by her lawyer, Bert Fields, in a Mahattan court said the company, which is owned by L'Oréal, gave the "false impression" Thurman was still linked to Lancôme.
Fields said it also failed to tell wholesalers and retailers to stop using the advertisement featuring the star, adding: "Celebrities will now be careful about doing deals with Lancôme. They continued to use her photographs long after the contract was over."
L'Oréal said any use of Thurman's image after the contract had expired was a mistake, not a commercial ploy. A spokeswoman, Jennifer James, added: "The use of Ms Thurman's image after her contract expired, however minor, was neither deliberate nor intentional."
Thurman's action comes two days after Lancôme filed its own suit against her in the state supreme court, saying it did not violate its contract. Lawyers had been seeking to reach an agreement in the dispute.
In a separate criminal trial which concluded last week, Thurman told a court she was "completely freaked out" by Jordan, a former mental patient who was convicted of stalking her.
Tuesday, 6 May 2008
'Too loud' TV ads to be banned
The days of having to dive for the remote control to turn down noisy TV commercials look to be numbered, with new rules set to be introduced banning excessively loud ads. Guidelines on sound levels will be introduced into the TV advertising code on July 7, stating that "advertisements must not be excessively noisy or strident".
The move to tighten rules governing the sounds levels in TV ads comes after the Advertising Standards Authority received more than 100 complaints in 2007 from viewers complaining that some commercials were too loud.
"Often the problem arises because the audio files used in the ads have been compressed, making quieter sounds more pronounced or 'punchy'," said the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, the body responsible for writing the TV ad code. "The result is that ads can sound subjectively louder than the programmes around which they appear."
To guard against this the new BCAP guidelines will state, specifically, that the "maximum subjective loudness of advertisements must be consistent and in line with the maximum loudness of programmes and junction material".
The body has held a full public consultation on the issue with the aim for the new rules to "provide more certainty for broadcasters" and minimise the annoyance "that can be caused to viewers".
"BCAP were acutely aware of the frustration that excessively loud or seemingly noisy ads were causing consumers," said a spokesman for the Committee for Advertising Practice. "The consultation has taken account of their concerns and will ensure a level playing field across all ads in the same commercial break. This should help prevent consumers having to turn down the volume during ad breaks."
The move to tighten rules governing the sounds levels in TV ads comes after the Advertising Standards Authority received more than 100 complaints in 2007 from viewers complaining that some commercials were too loud.
"Often the problem arises because the audio files used in the ads have been compressed, making quieter sounds more pronounced or 'punchy'," said the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, the body responsible for writing the TV ad code. "The result is that ads can sound subjectively louder than the programmes around which they appear."
To guard against this the new BCAP guidelines will state, specifically, that the "maximum subjective loudness of advertisements must be consistent and in line with the maximum loudness of programmes and junction material".
The body has held a full public consultation on the issue with the aim for the new rules to "provide more certainty for broadcasters" and minimise the annoyance "that can be caused to viewers".
"BCAP were acutely aware of the frustration that excessively loud or seemingly noisy ads were causing consumers," said a spokesman for the Committee for Advertising Practice. "The consultation has taken account of their concerns and will ensure a level playing field across all ads in the same commercial break. This should help prevent consumers having to turn down the volume during ad breaks."
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Sex, violence and fish hooks: the most controversial commercials of the year
If the first principle of advertising is that sex can sell anything, then the second is surely that violence will get you noticed. Today a collection of the year's most gratuitous campaigns was exposed - some of them seemingly calculated to offend, others simply determined not to be ignored. But surprisingly amongst the sexist burger ad and scenes of warring families promoting Quorn or furniture, it was a government campaign which sparked a record number of complaints, the Advertising Standards Authority said.
Seeing the distorted faces of smokers with fish hooks through their mouths, intended to shock tobacco addicts to "get unhooked" by calling a helpline, caused 774 people to complain the campaign was "offensive, frightening and distressing", placing it in the top 10 most-complained-about adverts of all time. Overall, in 2007 there were twice the number of objections to violent images, particularly those with weapons, as recorded in 2006. The watchdog's annual report concluded that the trend reflects concern generated by rising shootings and stabbings of young people, including the murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool in August 2007, and a lack of public tolerance for images of violence in everyday life.
In a year where the total number of adverts complained about reached its highest ever of 14,080 - up 9.6% on 2006 - there was also greater scrutiny of environmental claims. Some 556 complaints about 408 "green" ads thought to be misleading was more than doubled from 2006, though the authority did say that its own ad campaign, aimed at directing people how to complain, may have led to its busiest year yet. TV adverts drew the most complaints, 9,915, but the most significant rise was complaints over internet advertising, up a third and the second most complained about ad medium after broadcast. Issues raised were pricing, availability of goods, and charges.
But of 2,918 complaints the majority could not be dealt with because they related not to paid-for adverts but content of websites, outside the ASA's remit. The authority is funded by a levy on advertisers. Lord Smith, its chairman, warned that internet complaints posed a challenge to self-regulation in the industry: "These complaints are almost entirely about truth, accuracy, misleadingness and availability, the 'meat and drink' of the ASA's daily work. We hope for an early outcome to the detailed discussions under way within the industry on the development of ways to ensure continued responsibility in advertising in new media settings."
The second most complained about advert of 2007 was a Trident chewing gum campaign which relied heavily on Caribbean accents to convey humour: one ad portrayed a middle class white woman developing a strong Jamaican accent after chewing the gum. Viewers complained the ads were racist with offensive stereotypes. The authority found that, while the campaign did not incite racial intolerance or discrimination, it had caused deep offence to a significant minority, after receiving 519 complaints.
Third was an ad for Rustlers burgers which showed a woman arriving at a man's flat "just for coffee". As the man started a microwave in the kitchen, however, the ad shows the sofa spinning around to reveal the women reclining on the sofa in her underwear. A voiceover states: "If only everything was as quick as Rustlers." The ASA received 219 complaints claiming it was offensive, sexist, demeaning to women, and carried undertones of sexual abuse. Viewers also complained that the ads had been shown during children's films. The authority concluded the humour would be unlikely to cause serious offence; however, because the ad was scheduled around a children's film, Bugsy Malone, it was likely to be watched by children.
Three of the 10 ads most complained about had violent imagery. They included the anti-smoking ad; one particular MFI television ad showing a woman slapping her husband (for other MFI ads depicting family rows, complaints were rejected); and a TV ad for Quorn showing a teenager threatening her brother with a fork - complaints against this ad were not upheld. Also in the top 10 was a poster ad for the British Heart Foundation showing a naked man and a swimsuited woman cuddling on a beach, though, again, complaints were not upheld.
Top five offenders:
1 'Fish hook' anti-smoking campaign Department of Health (774 complaints. Upheld.)
2 Trident chewing gum Cadbury's (519 complaints. Upheld.)
3 Rustlers burgers and chicken naan Kepak UK (219 complaints. Upheld.)
4 'You'll feel right at home' MFI (217 complaints. Upheld.)
5. Quorn Marlow Foods (181 complaints. Not upheld.)
With hundreds of TV channels and the likes of Facebook and Bebo competing ever furiously for our attention, it is no surprise that advertisers are arguably being increasingly controversial. Sometimes they make mistakes and accidentally breach the advertising codes. But much more often it's a deliberate marketing tactic.
As they reach for another cigarette from a carton emblazoned with the words "Smoking Kills", the notion that lighting up is bad for you is not going to be breaking news to very many smokers. So for the Department of Health's anti-smoking campaign to have any point at all, it is going to have to be especially arresting - hence the controversial "fish hook" campaign. "In the case of ads trying to get across messages around topics like road safety, child abuse or smoking people often need a jolt out of their apathy," says creative director Malcolm Poynton.
"Feel-good" ads such as Cadbury's Gorilla or Sony's Balls scoop truckloads of awards and critical acclaim in the industry. But ad agencies also scramble over one another to handle the type of serious work in demand by clients such as the NSPCC. At the same time, there is the more cynical use of shock ads in the knowledge that a tight media budget will be amplified by attracting an advertising ban. French Connection's FCUK ads are a prime example of this strategy, with a brand presence well outstripping its TV spend. The company became such a serial offender that the advertising watchdog eventually said that for two years all poster campaigns had to be pre-vetted before running.
Even though it may depress advertisers who see their work as an art form, it is often the most annoying ads on TV that prove to be the most effective and memorable. Halifax's "staff-as-stars" ads, most famously starring Howard Brown, routinely get lambasted in advertising circles - and yet the campaign has proved to be hugely successful for the bank. "Annoying ads like Cillit Bang can have that way of worming their way inside your head," said Saatchi & Saatchi's strategy director, Richard Huntington. "In fact, the theory of likable advertising - like my ad, like my brand - that has been really popular in the past, is perhaps often overrated."
Seeing the distorted faces of smokers with fish hooks through their mouths, intended to shock tobacco addicts to "get unhooked" by calling a helpline, caused 774 people to complain the campaign was "offensive, frightening and distressing", placing it in the top 10 most-complained-about adverts of all time. Overall, in 2007 there were twice the number of objections to violent images, particularly those with weapons, as recorded in 2006. The watchdog's annual report concluded that the trend reflects concern generated by rising shootings and stabbings of young people, including the murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool in August 2007, and a lack of public tolerance for images of violence in everyday life.
In a year where the total number of adverts complained about reached its highest ever of 14,080 - up 9.6% on 2006 - there was also greater scrutiny of environmental claims. Some 556 complaints about 408 "green" ads thought to be misleading was more than doubled from 2006, though the authority did say that its own ad campaign, aimed at directing people how to complain, may have led to its busiest year yet. TV adverts drew the most complaints, 9,915, but the most significant rise was complaints over internet advertising, up a third and the second most complained about ad medium after broadcast. Issues raised were pricing, availability of goods, and charges.
But of 2,918 complaints the majority could not be dealt with because they related not to paid-for adverts but content of websites, outside the ASA's remit. The authority is funded by a levy on advertisers. Lord Smith, its chairman, warned that internet complaints posed a challenge to self-regulation in the industry: "These complaints are almost entirely about truth, accuracy, misleadingness and availability, the 'meat and drink' of the ASA's daily work. We hope for an early outcome to the detailed discussions under way within the industry on the development of ways to ensure continued responsibility in advertising in new media settings."
The second most complained about advert of 2007 was a Trident chewing gum campaign which relied heavily on Caribbean accents to convey humour: one ad portrayed a middle class white woman developing a strong Jamaican accent after chewing the gum. Viewers complained the ads were racist with offensive stereotypes. The authority found that, while the campaign did not incite racial intolerance or discrimination, it had caused deep offence to a significant minority, after receiving 519 complaints.
Third was an ad for Rustlers burgers which showed a woman arriving at a man's flat "just for coffee". As the man started a microwave in the kitchen, however, the ad shows the sofa spinning around to reveal the women reclining on the sofa in her underwear. A voiceover states: "If only everything was as quick as Rustlers." The ASA received 219 complaints claiming it was offensive, sexist, demeaning to women, and carried undertones of sexual abuse. Viewers also complained that the ads had been shown during children's films. The authority concluded the humour would be unlikely to cause serious offence; however, because the ad was scheduled around a children's film, Bugsy Malone, it was likely to be watched by children.
Three of the 10 ads most complained about had violent imagery. They included the anti-smoking ad; one particular MFI television ad showing a woman slapping her husband (for other MFI ads depicting family rows, complaints were rejected); and a TV ad for Quorn showing a teenager threatening her brother with a fork - complaints against this ad were not upheld. Also in the top 10 was a poster ad for the British Heart Foundation showing a naked man and a swimsuited woman cuddling on a beach, though, again, complaints were not upheld.
Top five offenders:
1 'Fish hook' anti-smoking campaign Department of Health (774 complaints. Upheld.)
2 Trident chewing gum Cadbury's (519 complaints. Upheld.)
3 Rustlers burgers and chicken naan Kepak UK (219 complaints. Upheld.)
4 'You'll feel right at home' MFI (217 complaints. Upheld.)
5. Quorn Marlow Foods (181 complaints. Not upheld.)
With hundreds of TV channels and the likes of Facebook and Bebo competing ever furiously for our attention, it is no surprise that advertisers are arguably being increasingly controversial. Sometimes they make mistakes and accidentally breach the advertising codes. But much more often it's a deliberate marketing tactic.
As they reach for another cigarette from a carton emblazoned with the words "Smoking Kills", the notion that lighting up is bad for you is not going to be breaking news to very many smokers. So for the Department of Health's anti-smoking campaign to have any point at all, it is going to have to be especially arresting - hence the controversial "fish hook" campaign. "In the case of ads trying to get across messages around topics like road safety, child abuse or smoking people often need a jolt out of their apathy," says creative director Malcolm Poynton.
"Feel-good" ads such as Cadbury's Gorilla or Sony's Balls scoop truckloads of awards and critical acclaim in the industry. But ad agencies also scramble over one another to handle the type of serious work in demand by clients such as the NSPCC. At the same time, there is the more cynical use of shock ads in the knowledge that a tight media budget will be amplified by attracting an advertising ban. French Connection's FCUK ads are a prime example of this strategy, with a brand presence well outstripping its TV spend. The company became such a serial offender that the advertising watchdog eventually said that for two years all poster campaigns had to be pre-vetted before running.
Even though it may depress advertisers who see their work as an art form, it is often the most annoying ads on TV that prove to be the most effective and memorable. Halifax's "staff-as-stars" ads, most famously starring Howard Brown, routinely get lambasted in advertising circles - and yet the campaign has proved to be hugely successful for the bank. "Annoying ads like Cillit Bang can have that way of worming their way inside your head," said Saatchi & Saatchi's strategy director, Richard Huntington. "In fact, the theory of likable advertising - like my ad, like my brand - that has been really popular in the past, is perhaps often overrated."
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