PETA.

Sometimes that’s enough to understand why I titled this post as I did. But yesterday I read Jack Neff’s article in Advertising Age and simply had to comment.

It seems as though PETA Exec VP Tracy Reiman sent a letter directly to Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the hippy-dippy originators of (Unilever’s) Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream (yeah that Ben and Jerry) requesting Ben & Jerry’s switch their cow’s milk based product to… Hold on to your hats… HUMAN BREAST MILK!

Yep. Human. Yep. Ice Cream.

Ms. Reiman defended her point, stating,

“The fact that human adults consume huge quantities of dairy products made from milk that was meant for a baby cow just doesn’t make sense… Everyone knows that ‘the breast is best,’ so Ben & Jerry’s could do consumers and cows a big favor by making the switch to breast milk.”

First, I just had to say “ACK!” As an avid Coffee HEATH® Bar Crunch fan, I was irritated and thoroughly offended. Then I had to think about the impact of the request and the subsequent article. I had to laugh. Maybe – just maybe – PETA and Ms. Rieman aren’t so dense.

Let’s look at it from a P.R. standpoint.

Yes, based on the buzz rolling ‘round the Internet, PETA has created a swarm of simple publicity. Just Google “Ben & Jerry’s” and the first page has more than a half-dozen of links to articles and blogs about the PETA request.

A-ha. They got PETA links to show up under a Ben & Jerry’s Google search.

Now, Google search PETA. I see one link, and it’s an article from the Toronto Star calling this “PETA’s New Stunt.”

And just look at the ire being allied at AdAge…

Positioning, name recognition and buzz…

Now, without getting into the base factors of good Public Relations; research, objectives, programming and evaluation (R.O.P.E.), I’d have to guess PETA’s request was less of a heart-felt plea for Vermont’s cows and more of a divisive P.R. stunt to garner name recognition and positioning in their ongoing, myopic campaign.

Did PETA do their homework? ‘Dunno. Maybe that wasn’t necessary. But simply considering it takes 12 gallons of cow’s milk to produce one gallon of ice cream, I don’t think we’ll see a lot of ladies lining up in Vermont for the job (not to mention young men applying for herd management positions). Ouch.

And with that thought, can you think of any mass-produced product – for human consumption – made from a derivative of the human body? C’mon, PETA, think it through. Anything?

So, is this just myopic ignorance or a strategic PR stunt? What do you think?

Until Next Time,

Keep Cooking
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef

I wanted to send a quick “Thank You” to Chef Richard Blais for featuring my TRUE Branding reviews (here and here) in the “Press” section of his website.

It’s a true honor to have this acknowledgment. To get this “nod” from someone I admire as an innovator in his field and a TRUE professional is quite humbling.

From one Chef to another – Thank You Chef!

Please, if you’re a “foodie” like me or not, go check out his website. His unique approach to the culinary arts is astounding and inspiring.

Keep Cooking!
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef

Last week I read an article by Peter Madden in Advertising Age that, to me, carried criticism of the promotion for the 2008 Beijing Olympic games to an uncomfortable level. Although I agree that the “hype” for the games is a little vanilla, I simply have to remember what (and whom) they’re promoting – sport, athletes and honor. I think Mr. Madden lost sight of that.

Madden blasted the coverage, the commercials and the creative behind the campaign – from concept to print and on to the NBC broadcast coverage. And then, completely out of left field, he decided to cross a personal line and aim at the events and the participants themselves.

“I get it: 8.08.08. … Cue the Morgan Freeman voiceover as we watch cheesy slow-motion shots of athletes being awarded, competing, etc. with music that’s supposed to be dramatic. Oh, the humanity.”

Side note: That’s Visa’s commercials (see below).

“That doesn’t mean I’m not impressed with the athletic prowess of those involved in the Olympics, but really, swimming? Track and field? I think I’d rather watch curling.”

And then he took that step beyond.

“Imagine if the “Michael Jordan” of the Olympics you had to brand and market was Michael Phelps? Just the sound of his voice is enough to lull even my sleepless 2-and-a-half-month-old to the crib. I can only assume they did numerous takes of his voiceover for the spot they keep running on NBC. And that was the best they could get? He sounds like he’s still underwater.”

I was shocked, and it seems as though some of Mr. Madden’s other readers were too. As one reader commented, the Olympics are more about competition

“…built on Greek ideals of the nobility and honor of individual participation and representation of one’s country…”

We’re not promoting the Super Bowl. It’s not Air Jordan and the 20th NBA title for the Chicago Bulls. It’s not even NASCAR. It’s amateur athletes (kids) competing in the name of honor and sportsmanship. You can’t underwrite that with Budweiser and Doritos sponsorship.

So, Peter Madden hates Michael Phelps. Or at least he thinks he’s boring. Or maybe he just doesn’t like swimming. Or maybe he’s harboring some past angst from bullies picking on him for being the scrawny, sun burnt, redheaded kid at the swimming pool. Who knows? All I could tell is Mr. Madden seems to expect some kind of Madison Avenue generated super personality instead of a human being (Human? Have you seen Phelps in the water?!?).

So, let’s not pick on the kids for bad advertising. (Okay, so Dara Torres isn’t such a kid anymore.) Let’s not pick on the kids for carrying out a tradition of honor and sportsmanship that crosses all international boundaries, politics and policies.

Instead, let’s celebrate the idea that, for a few days in August, we get to watch a select few athletes compete in the sports that they love. Sports that define who they are and who they’ll be for the rest of their lives. Gold, silver, bronze or dead last – they’ve already won the ultimate prize. They get to play, if just for one event, with the rest of the world on a level field (swimming pool, track, or whatever) honorably and without prejudice. Maybe Mr. Madden could learn something from that?

Until next time, here’s some inspiration:
Visa Olympics
Bob Beamon
Derek Redmond
Kerri Strug

Keep Cooking!
Andrew

With a blog titled “The Brand Chef,” you don’t expect to hear political rhetoric or commentary on the current U.S. presidential skirmish. But when small fissures in campaign brands rear their ugly heads, I have to set aside common thought and comment.

In a “Face the Nation” interview with Bob Schieffer, General Wesley Clark renounced Senator John McCain’s military experience as a benefit to his presidential capacity. Now, Clark – a consummate Hillary Clinton backer – has never been known for treading lightly, but with a virtual backhanded cuff to McCain’s white scalp, he smacked down everything from the Senator’s political accountability to his responsibility and credibility.

While seemingly in shock, Sheiffer pushed back, prompting Clark’s brilliant headline-making statement:

“I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.”

Ouch.

What was the Obama team’s response – a sound slap on the wrist?

Okay, I see it’s the week before the 4th of July, but if Patriotism is the “political theme of the week,” wouldn’t you think the Obama team would have sent a spokesperson with a little more diplomacy – let alone a bit less venom? Was Clark sent out as a representative of the Obama campaign or as a hit man from the Soprano family?

From a branding standpoint, where is Obama’s brand message consistency? Obama’s campaign has never questioned McCain’s military credibility – less his ability to be commander-in-chief. Obama has wisely skirted the military point from campaign stop to campaign stop. To have Clark step up and throw the first stone creates a brand disconnect that could be huge trouble for the Obama campaign.

As expected, Obama’s camp sent out a statement on Monday rejecting the comments made by Clark and reinforcing the fact that,

“[Obama] honors and respects Senator McCain’s service…”

But has the damage already been done?

Disconnect in messaging = Brand cyanide.

Let’s stir the pot and cook up some conversation. Do you think this is an Obama brand faux-paz or is this more from the dysfunctional Democratic Party? Where does Obama go from here to quell the ire.

Keep Cooking!
Andrew

I (The Brand Chef) have been given the honor of being picked as one of the stops on the Post 2 Post Book Tour coming up July 14th through the 18th.

As my head drops with the “Aw Shucks…” kick of a pebble, I have to confess I’m truly humbled and thrilled to be included in the tour for the novel “Jack’s Notebook” by Gregg Fraley.

“Jack’s Notebook” (as summarized on Amazon.com):

“Jack Huber dreams of being a professional photographer and starting his own business. He has a few ideas but doesn’t know how to process them to make his dream a reality. That is until an unlikely mentor stumbles upon Jack’s path and shares a whole new way of thinking through problems.”

The tour schedule for “Jack’s Notebook” makes stops at some truly great sites – some I’ve subscribed to for some time and others I look forward to experiencing far into the future.

Mon, July 14
Education Innovation, by Rob Jacobs

Tue, July 15
The Naked Idea, by John Lepp

Wed, July 16
Marketing Fresh Peel, by Chris Wilson

Thur, July 17
InnoBlog

and Fri, July 18
The Brand Chef, by Andrew Clark

For those of you unfamiliar with the Post 2 Post Book Tour; Paul Williams, over at Idea Sandbox, developed a web-based book tour that has featured some of the best titles and authors found in marketing, branding, and creativity (past and present) – covering topics from brainstorming and brand building to strategy and creative problem solving. Just a sampling of some of the authors he’s had on tour include Roger von Oech, Dan Roam, Kathy Cramer and Hank Wasiak, and the ubiquitous Seth Godin.

With that, I find myself in some amazing company and bracing for the challenge. So, please check back to The Brand Chef on the 18th for a full review and some conversation about “Jack’s Notebook.” It should prove to be inspiring (for me) and interesting for everyone.

And until next time…

Keep Cooking!
Andrew