Free Ads Can Be Really Expensive

An anonymous reader writes "Companies are finding that this 'Web 2.0' user participation thing sometimes isn't all its cracked up to be. The New York Times reports on the efforts of big companies to harness consumer enthusiasm for assistance with advertising. Heinz, for example, is running a campaign asking users to submit videos using their product in inventive ways. The problem, of course, is that most of the submissions are utterly terrible. The result is a headache in terms of quality control and making use of the turned in submissions. 'Heinz hopes to show more than five of them, if there are enough that convey a positive, appealing message about Heinz ketchup, he said. But advertising executives who have seen some of the entries say that Heinz may be hard pressed to find any that it is proud to run on television in September. "These are just so bad," said Linda Kaplan Thaler, chief executive of the Kaplan Thaler Group, an advertising agency in New York that is not involved with Heinz's contest. One of the most viewed Heinz videos -- seen, at last count, more than 12,800 times -- ends with a close-up of a mouth with crooked, yellowed teeth. When Ms. Kaplan Thaler saw it, she wondered, "Were his teeth the result of, maybe, too much Heinz?"'"

Comments

Amature production, what did they expect...

[Safiire Arrowny]

Oh no, the people in your free commercial didn't have perfect actors teeth. Welcome to the real world Heinz, what did you expect to get for free from amatures?

Re:Amature production, what did they expect...

[Hennell]

Watch the video... its clearly fake 'joke' teeth. Why they used that I don't know....

Re:Amature production, what did they expect...

[An Onerous Coward]

Welcome to the real world Heinz, what did you expect to get for free from amatures?

Probably a highly popular OS kernel. Smothered in ketchup.

Re:Amature production, what did they expect...

[cyphercell]

I know you're joking, but I think you've kinda stumbled on to something.

These ads are not super bowl quality and are nowhere near what Heinz is used to. I think It all boils down to venue, honesty, and target audience. Traditionally Heinz will generate some glossy, processed, 1min. clip designed to remind people Heinz ketchup exists without leaving anyone offended, then they use a shotgun approach and put this commercial in any time slot deemed profitable per the ratings. The Internet tie in is different, sometimes offensive and works specifically with a demographic that relies on the computer for entertainment at least as much as the TV. This is what I think Heinz ought to do:

1. Find a TV station or show where the audience is receptive to this sort of tie-in. (think Attack of the Show, G4/techtv, Adult Swim, or maybe a little niche on MTV somewhere).
2. Be Honest. Tell the viewers exactly what it is they are watching. Heck, you can even be a little cynical about it then present the guy brushing his teeth with ketchup, this could be really funny given the right audience (those that know youtube can be a freak show).
3. Demographic, the people this commercial works for are between the ages of 16-30, use the Internet daily, are likely to watch tv shows that tie in with the net well, and they are used to the idiocy that is Youtube.
4. Profit!

It wasn't long ago that I read on slash somewhere that a large percentage of the US doesn't plan on even buying a computer ever. This means that on TV you can ask people to visit a website, on the Internet you can ask them to watch TV, on the Internet you can place content from television, but if you plan on placing Internet content on the television you have absolutely got to target the right audience. This is where Aqua Teen Hunger Force messed up in their movie promo, Boston (as a hole) didn't know what the hell those little LED signs were. I personally love Adult Swim, and wouldn't think twice about seeing a youtube Heinz commercial aired between ATHF and The Family Guy, because that channel/show block has a very high level of Internet tie-in already. Heck, I don't think I've ever seen a Heinz commercial in that block of shows anyway, so Heinz may really benefit from running with the campaign as it is.

Having said all of this, I don't like to see people discrediting this form of customer participation, http://www.deviantart.com/ does a very good job with graphic arts tie ins and gives those indy artists a nice way to boost their portfolios. Video is just little bit trickier for the amateur to pull off, but when the Internet is ready for professional grade indy commercial contests, companies like Heinz will undoubtedly be surprised at what they can get through a contest.

Skin a Scion, on deviantart.com

Re:Amature production, what did they expect...

[I(rispee_I(reme]

Boston (as a hole) didn't know what the hell those little LED signs were

 
Oh, such accidental truth!

Subject matter

[Raptoer]

Perhaps the "free" part of it is to blame, maybe its more that people that make good videos don't like Heinz enough for make an ad for them?
I mean would you really spend your free time making a video for a ketchup company?

Re:Subject matter

[suv4x4]

Perhaps the "free" part of it is to blame, maybe its more that people that make good videos don't like Heinz enough for make an ad for them?
I mean would you really spend your free time making a video for a ketchup company?

Indeed. I'm sure if Apple got that contest out, they'd get amazing submissions. But there's only so much inspiration and affection you may have for a bottle of ketchup.

The guys who thought up this contest didn't see that far I guess. Well, there's always a way out: hire one or more ad agencies incognito, produce 5 amateur-looking (but good) ads, submit them to the contest.. let those win and tadaaa!

Victory.

Re:Subject matter

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, But will it blend?

Re:Subject matter

[Bloke down the pub]

I wouldn't. Perhaps somebody who just graduated in a related field and who wants to get hired might.

Re:Subject matter

[zappepcs]

You have exactly the tack that they need to be thinking, but won't. Use the new media or rather exploit it without expecting others to do all your work. Will it blend would be a good place to start. Will a bottle of Heinz blend? hmmmmm

That is what viral marketing is about, not asking others to do your work for you. Produce something that people will watch for whatever bizarre reason, and let it go...

"for just 39 cents per day, you can keep a needy hotdog or hamburger clothed in Heinz ketchup." Now do a YouTube commercial type video on that premise. Advertising agencies are only good about 10% of the time. Web 2.0 has them all flummoxed.

Re:Subject matter

[Tassach]

I mean would you really spend your free time making a video for a ketchup company?

I might seriously think about it if I were an unknown ad agency or a filmmaker trying to break in to the commercial biz. Winning a contest like this would be a good way to get discovered,demonstrate your skills, and build a reputation.

It might not be cool, or artistically pure, or whatever criteria art snobs use to judge their work, but there's a metric asston of money to be made advertising everyday products. Ketchup isn't an exciting subject material, but everything you do can't be "art" (which is something pretentious film/art school students tend to forget).

Re:Subject matter

[multisync]

it's only a particularly rabid and vocal minority that gives the impression that Apple users are somehow 'different' (more creative).

Are you suggesting otherwise? Because "different, creative people" are very clearly a demographic Apple Computers aggressively markets to. Many of the creative people I know use them and like them, and lots of people I know want one. My girlfriend is using a little ibook I borrowed from a friend right now to check her email, and she loves it. Cause it doesn't look like some geeky piece of technology. It doesn't look like it came from my side of the bedroom. Asthetics are important to her, and I think they are important to creative people in general.

I think people who share common traits and interests would also share an interest in a particular tool that allows them to pursue their interests. I would be surprised if that were not the case. I know other tools will do the job also, and plenty of people will choose those other tools, but Apple Computers have that specific person (the "different, more creative one) in mind when they design, build and market their offering. The fact that they even care is enough for a lot of "creative" type people.

So back to the original point, I think Apple Computer customers would make better commercials than Heinz Ketchup customers.

Re:Subject matter

[kd5ftn]

I recently competed in a similar advertising campaign with Chipotle. The difference is this: Chipotle opened theirs up to film and advertising schools, making it a competition with a financial incentive. I'm not sure what Heinz is offering or who they opened it up to. An average Joe who's not familiar with advertising or video production isn't going to make you an amazing commercial. Anyway, my team's Chipotle commercial was the best, winning $20,000 for us and the school.

Variatio on Sturgeon's law.

[Hognoxious]

Companies are finding that this 'Web 2.0' user participation thing sometimes isn't all its cracked up to be.

90% of web 2.0 stuff isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Re:Variatio on Sturgeon's law.

[WrongSizeGlass]

90% of web 2.0 stuff isn't all it's cracked up to be. And the other half is p0rn.

why no direct link to the ads?

[anagama]

Sure, we can all RTFG, but the blurb really should include a link to all the videos.

Greedy advertisers

[syousef]

Let me get this straight. These companies want you to make an ad for them, for free on a zero dollar budget and they're complaining that the quality is crap?

Morons.

Re:Greedy advertisers

[Aladrin]

That's okay, they clearly haven't watched the professional ads lately, anyhow. Most of them are complete crap, too. They send the wrong message, they have annoying sound and video, and they play way too often. I find it hard to believe this 'horrible' videos could do any worse than they already are.

Sending the wrong message is actually my biggest gripe about most commercials these days. Most of them try to show an 'average' person, but miss the mark end up at 'loser'. The end result is that 'product X is for losers' instead of their intended message. They even hit on this about the yellow teeth in the video, questioning if the message is that the bad dental hygiene was caused by their own product.

I'm not against commercials any more than I'm against movies or music. I'm against BAD commercials, movies, and music. Good commercials can actually be 30 seconds of humor, or awe, or heaven forbid, information you actually care about. (Cingular, Geico (old commercials), Apple.) The world is a bit short on awe and informative commercials, and I can't think of a single one now.

Re:Greedy advertisers

[indiechild]

The companies (well, Heinz, in this case) aren't complaining. You didn't read the blurb or TFA, but that's OK. It's the advertising agencies who aren't involved who are complaining that the quality is crap. Pot, meet fucking kettle.

Gee, an ad agency thinks that user generated content which is competing with them (indirectly, or directly) is shit. Big fucking surprise.

Heinz already states that soliciting user generated content and then sorting it all out isn't cheap, and is at least as expensive as hiring a marketing/ad agency. No wonder the ad agencies are scared -- that's money that they lost out on.

It's a completely stupid and blindingly obvious news story, filled with loaded statements.

Re:Greedy advertisers

[sjames]

Most of them are complete crap, too. They send the wrong message,

I'm amazed how little advertisers think about the message their musical choices send. A PILL commercial with a bit of "We're not Gonna take it" in the background? Well, if they're not gonna take those pills, I sure won't! Then a commercial for "clean" coal with "Sixteen Tons" playing in the background? Why would I want to support exploitation of workers?

Good for small time business

[Jenna555]

Small businesses that don't have much money to spend on marketing and advertising can really benefit from "free" advertising techniques (stuff like this). Large enterprises have usually only succesfully ridden free campaign waves when they had already been in place (e.g. diet coke and mentos). Its much more difficult than it seems.

Web 2.0: Utter failure?

[philovivero]

Yeah, this web 2.0 thing is just crap. I mean, you have a multimillion dollar company, and you try to get a bunch of people on the internet excited about your stupid sauce product, and no-one seems to have any enthusiasm for your boring corporate image whatsoever.

All eight people on the internet that ARE excited about your stupid sauce product are just mediocre media creators without the creative vision required to make your stupid sauce product look hip and cool.

Obviously we should just move directly on to web 3.0, where everyone is fucking stoked about sauce products. The top DJs of the world will do entire sets themed on ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard. Beautiful runway models will gyrate and make kissing faces at your stupid sauce product.

Hells yeh, babies. No more of this web 2.0 BS. It just wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

Re:Web 2.0: Utter failure?

[Ohreally_factor]

Stupid sauce? We're talking about KETCHUP, man! Ketchup! The first amongst condiments! Ketchup! Ketchup! Ketchup! (and chairs) More Ketchup! Ketchup on Wikipedia.

I hope this has cleared up how far ahead of its time ketchup is. There's big money in ketchup entertainment products.

What did they expect?

[ndogg]

At least 50% of the population is of below average intelligence, and typically, 90% of everything is crap.

Re:Heinz forgot the critical first step...

[Ohreally_factor]

Aside from your humorous dig, you do bring up a really good point. It's all about creating or strengthening a brand and building up a community (or cult, as you might say). I don't think Heinz will be able to build up an army of zealous ketchup lovers, but who knows? Stranger things have happened.

I don't see this as a failure to grasp Web 2.0. It's an attempt to grasp Web 2.0. I don't think Heinz was under any illusion that this was going to be free creation of advertising. It's the NYT's failure to grasp Web 2.0 that is in evidence from the article.

No surprise

[wrmrxxx]

I'm not surprised that they're not satisfied. It's pretty hard to improve on the free Heinz ads that have already been made: The Goodies Beans Boy ads. I saw these when they were first aired, and they were so effective that I still find myself saying "Get it right!" to people now and then.

A few good links

[Nymz]

There are too many crappy ones, so here's a few that are less crappy.

The Cute Kids - 23
The Girlfriend - 42
The Fisherman - 45
The Punster - 62
The Ketchup Pass - 65
The Wrestling Brothers - 67
The Dog Food (animated) - 72
The Rappers - 79
The Ninja Kids - 126
The Dirty Joke - 208
The Behind the Scenes - 241
The Hot Hot Hot Girl - 291

I've waited years for this

[Joebert]

When I was in 5th grade, I waited untill the last minute to do my science project.
My mom & her friend decided I was going to see which brand of ketchup dripped the slowest.

I'm proud to say, Heinz ketchup dripped the slowest & thus was the thickest ketchup.


Mark me whatever you want, but this is proof that my shitty last minute science project was truely ahead of its' time & I should have got a fucking A++. :)

Re:So every YouTube video is Oscar quality?

[owlnation]

Not only that, but the product they are using is flawed as well.

And not only that - but food and product photography is as hard as it gets photographically.

It is a highly skilled niche job that most professional photographers and cinematographers do not know how to do. You need to know how to get the right colors, temperatures and lighting to make food look like food. Often it's just faked too. For example, most whisky bottle shots you see contain tea, not whisky, because real whisky photographs to look like a bottle of urine.

Re:ads for free are'nt

[An Onerous Coward]

Correction: Why should customers do Heinz's ad agency's job?

It's a fair question, but unless people are just really really bad at calculating the odds of getting the first prize (likely), then people are probably getting their compensation in other forms. My guess is it's the same motivation that drives so many to try out for reality TV shows, or bloviate on Slashdot: the desire to be a little famous. I mean, it's not like there was this deep, vibrant well of grassroots ketchup-love waiting to be tapped. Especially for Heinz ketchup. Those wankers made a ketchup that took an eternity to pour, then tried to turn it into a selling point. "Why, yes! I'd love to spend more time installing the condiments on my burger than I do actually eating it! The anticipation just makes it that much better!" Complete waste of everyone's time.

I can see some products that would naturally lend themselves to this sort of contest. Some things naturally get people enthused. Portable music players. Burning Man. Certain popular web development frameworks. But ketchup? The commercials I saw all seemed to say, "I don't actually love the product, but it would be nice to get on TV."

polished fake world of TV

[drDugan]

Silly Ad exectutives, this just goes to show just how fake things are that are "typically" on TV and other ad mediums.

<start bitter rant>

Go walk down the street and look inside someone's home and you don't see the Better Homes version of a living space, or anything like what is shown on ads.

Take a close-up face photo of 10 people on the street, and you see that the image we've been sold by ads is completely fake. People simply do not look like they do on tv and in magazines. Lately this has gotten worse with the fsck-doll 23yo models reading the news on cnn and fox.

The whole image and world these ad-oriented people live in is fake - their whole career is about overtly lying to people to get them to buy stuff they don't want or need. "Boo hoo, the real world won't sell our red-colored corn syrup mixture with processed tomato paste..." yes, boo hoo.

</rant>

Svelt Athletic people -- not big Ketchup market

[cathryn]

Maybe they're just shocked at finally finding out who the core market for ketchup really is. It's not those thin and toned muscular people like on TV. That's a rare breed, I've never even met one myself, though I see them on TV and in the movies. It's your good ole' fat, diabetic, round-bellied, yellow-toothed American. Slaving away at some crappy job, coming home exhausted, and collapsing with the TV and Jim Beam. That's who is guzzling down those giant Walmart-sized ketchup bottles. More power to 'em!