Young Professionals Making A Difference In The World
Hey Girl, Let's Talk About Digital Advertising
As a devoted Ryan Gosling fan (ie a female under the age of thirty), I naturally came across this ad from DoSomething.org. After I stopped drooling over Ryan's hotness, I noticed how well constructed the ad and its message were and taylor-made for digital advertising mediums. A new study shows 2012 could be the year for online advertising. Spending for digital ads is set to surpass print advertising for the first year in history, and ads like this are poised are ready to rule the advertising world.
What makes this ad stand out:
- Its sharability
- A well written slogan
- The "Hey Girl" meme
- Using just enough data
- Relating to the individual
Sharability
With its graphic and textual components, this ad is optimally designed for sharing on social sites. The slogan can easily be tweeted out, the artwork pinned, or shared on Tumblr, all while effectively spreading the intended message.
Twitter: The character count allows the message to be shared in less than 140 characters
This status update has a character count of only 110 (with spaces). Leaving plenty of space for your personal Twitter handle.
Pintrest, Tumblr, etc: This ad is perfect for visual sites like Pintrest, Tumblr, Instagram, Flickr, etc. People can pin and reblog all while sharing the message and linking back to the dosomething.org's website since the image is hosted there.
Great Slogan
Hey Girl: Don't Be Trashy: Recycling Matters. It is short, sweet and to the point. It captures the essence of their campaign message in one (under 140 character) sentence. Enough said.
Right Person, Right Time
The internet meme has never been stronger. And Ryan Gosling is the king. Utilizing this popular style is a smart way to catch people's attention. It certainly made me stop and look. With shorter and shorter attention spans, the field of marketing, increasingly digital, is going to continue to be dominated by those who can stand out. How could you not pay attention to Medieval Ryan Gosling? Those who are not willing to adjust their marketing to think in terms of a more visual approach will be left behind.
A few of my favorites Ryan Memes:
- Foursquare Ryan
- Museum Ryan
- Public Policy Ryan
- Stage Manager Ryan
- Feminist Ryan
- Typographer Ryan
- Silicon Valley Ryan
Bite-Sized Information
Recycling one ton of plastic saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space, almost as much space as you take up in my heart. People can only process so much information at a time. This ad gives enough information about recycling to make you aware of the issue without going overboard:
1 ton of plastic saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space
Too much is data overwhelming and can actually make people less likely to make a decision. In his Ted Talk Barry Schwartz talks about the paradox of choice. Schwartz argues
With so many options to choose from, people find it very difficult to choose at all.
Which is choosing one piece of data about recycling is a smart choice. It is enough to show the seriousness of the problem without over-whelming you. Making it easy for you to chose recycling.
Relates to You
Everyone's favorite person is... themselves (you can admit it). Its why "you" is the most persuasive word in the English language. This ad finds a way to relate their message to you. Ryan Gosling is speaking directly to you:
"Hey girl" translates to "hey you"
And who wouldn't want that? Ok, I suppose there are a few of you out there who aren't swooning with delight at the thought. Perhaps then you'll appreciate the cheekiness of the ad. Ryan isstill speaking to you.
Because at the end of the day, what guy or girl can't at least appreciate this hunkiness saying hello to them??
I mean really...
Read more of my blog posts on my on Larkin Explains It All. You can follow me on Twitter.
Let me know what YOU THINK!
Where do you see advertising heading in 2012? Do you think digital really will surpass print? What are your thoughts on DoSomething.org's "Don't Be Trashy" ad? Is it a good example of where our advertising is heading? And most importantly... are you on the Ryan Gosling bandwagon? Does this measure up to the other "Hey Girl" meme's? Do you have a favorite "Hey Girl" that I missed? Let me know!
Comment
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Comment by Paige Dahl on January 28, 2012 at 2:49pm -
damn...what feisty sistas we have here on the site. oh...and very astute men, @Zane
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Comment by Larkin Grant on January 28, 2012 at 2:29pm -
@Britt Thanks! And I'm with you! Our generation is full of strong women (like yourself!). We WILL choose happiness. On our own terms.
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Comment by Britt Hysen on January 28, 2012 at 1:19pm -
@Larkin beautifully said! What's great about today is that we have options! Options that bring about tremendous opportunities. AND we're multifaceted so we really can do it all! Plus we're living so much longer so we have the ability to create amazing experiences earlier in life. However, what you're exposed to and how you were raised has a lot to do with determining how you view life. I can tell you are free!
It doesn't matter whether you're a career woman, an at home mom, or both - the big question will always be ... Are you happy? and the answer should be YES.!
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Comment by Larkin Grant on January 28, 2012 at 12:58pm
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@GenYHub I agree completely! I think the difference with our generation is the choice. You can choose to get married, have a family, and work. You can never marry, be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. You can start your own nonprofit, get married and adopt 20 kids.
No one's choice is better than anyone else's. But today we can choose. And not be stigmatized. Or at least I think we're moving that way. I don't think we are there yet. I'm in my mid 20's and not married. And I get asked all the time "why aren't you married?" or "aren't you worried about having kids?" To which I just say "Nope. I've got stuff to do. What happens happens. My life focuses on me." And I get to decide that.
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Comment by GEN Y HUB on January 28, 2012 at 12:51pm -
@Larkin: As shall I...not that babies are out of the question someday...women can do it all...it's in our DNA.
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Comment by Larkin Grant on January 28, 2012 at 12:46pm
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@Marni: I agree. I think you are right. I think we are entering an age in marketing where gender is much less important. Where, like you said, we focus on the product and the objects first and not assume that only men or only women will buy a certain product. We would be foolish to do otherwise with all the tools and data currently available to us.
Not to say you should ignore your audience, but I think male-only and female-only ad campaigns a la the Mad Men days (great show by the by) are on the way out. I think a big part of this shift does have to do with our generation's changing and expanding views on men and women's "roles," in society. Like you pointed out, this new definition is tearing down the old, accepted stereotypes. I for one am glad to see that as our generation is paving a new path!
I for one do NOT plan on staying at home and popping out babies. Nope. I will be changing the world.
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Comment by Larkin Grant on January 28, 2012 at 12:13pm
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@Zane Thanks! I got you :)
I'm thrilled to be here! Great group of folks. LOVE the discussion this opens. What an amazing forum.
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Comment by Zane Whitman on January 28, 2012 at 11:51am -
...i meant of you, not Gosling
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Comment by Zane Whitman on January 28, 2012 at 11:50am
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Same here, Larkin...welcome to the community. I'll be watching for your posts. BTW-great black and white photo!
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Comment by Marni E. Goldberg on January 28, 2012 at 11:27am -
Great work, Larkin. I'm happy to have you in our community.
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