Thoughts to Ponder: September 2013

I don’t know of any advertising agencies by name, so I decided to go look at what ad agencies are in the area I live, the bay area. When I went through different websites and articles, none of them really caught my attention and made me want to know more on my own.

But things were different when I came across the ad agencies called Mekanism. The moment I clicked on the link to their website, a loading bar appeared with their logo and then… I was at a loss for words. The website is so strange! It was a mini video of men in black spandex suits doing random things. One was riding a stationary bike and the other was sitting with a yellow cloth over their head. As the video concluded, ANOTHER ONE APPEARED! It was so strange that I wanted to know what this agency actually did. What was their purpose for doing this? Why would they put this as the first thing people see on their website? What type of ads do they make?

Mekanism is an independent company based in San Francisco and New York. They are an award-winning creative agency that has a passion for storytelling. The vision statement they have on their webstie reads, “We sprinkle out love for storytelling across integrated advertising, brand entertainment and social media programs to inspire measurable brand loyalty and drive sales.” I like their vision and how they’re straightforward with what they’re trying to accomplish with their ad agency. But even more so, I love their commercials.

Some of the commercials I didn’t immediately change the channel for are commercials Mekanism has produced. One of them, which anyone who watches the Super Bowl Halftime Show, was the count down for Beyoncé.

On their website, they have a case studying talking what they did. I was so impressed by the amount of thought and work that they put into this. Pepsi wanted to get the viewers of the Super Bowl more involved in the experience other than simply watching it. Mekanism came in and chose to put the commercial in the hands of the people and created “the worlds first ever fan made Super Bowl half time introduction” (Mekanism.com). They asked the people to take photos of themselves in specific dance poses and stitched them together as the introduction to the Halftime Show. The amount of social media that was involved in this campaign is crazy! Mekanism was able to contact big names in social media to help, and the response was amazing!

It’s incredible to see how far an ad agency is willing to go and how much work they’re willing to put into creating a never-before-seen idea out into the world. I really like Mekanism and can’t wait to see what else they have coming.

Brands are everywhere. They surround us and eat us alive. For example, I’m typing on an Apple product while using a Microsoft program surrounded by Ikea furniture. It’s funny how I’ve never noticed how strong the impact brands have in our lives. Brands hit us in the face right and left and yet somehow we are able to make a clear decision with which to spend our money on.

So what brands to I love? To be very honest, I don’t really know. Different categories will produce different answers to this question. But to say I have a favorite would be impossible to determine. Although this is the case, I do have a top 10 list of my favorite brands. One of my top 10 favorites is the amazing baseball team, the San Francisco Giants.

The San Francisco Giants are by far my favorite brand when it comes to sports. Baseball is my favorite sport and my SF Giants are my one and only team. I am a huge fan of the Giants and am proud to call them my team. Through the bad times and the good times and the OH MY GOSH THIS IS AMAZING times, I am faithful in supporting them. When the Giants won the World Series in 2010, I was screaming at the top of my lungs, high-fiving anyone who would, and begging not to be brought down from this high by my small group leader. (She didn’t understand or even like baseball.) My Giants are amazing.

Not only are they an amazing team to watch, but also they’ve created an environment where fans can scream and cheer for their home team right in their very own stadium, AT&T Park. They play upbeat music, show comedy video shorts of the players, have one amazing stadium announcer, serve food to die for, and give out free gifts to their dedicated fans. The Giants take care of their fans and show a true appreciation for them. The idea behind the brand that is visible at the ballpark is family, closeness, and togetherness; and, they do one hell of a job of sticking to that vision. This keeps fans, but die-hard fans, casual fans, and bandwagoners, connected and hungry for more. I’ve been to baseball games elsewhere and none compare with how much excitement there is at a Giants game.

Outside of the part, the Giants create commercials that emphasize the idea that we’re all in this together, “Together we’re GIANT.” The Giants produced clips of their favorite players exercising, eating cereal, having sleepovers, and ditching work just like the average person. Bringing people together, showing the players are the same as everyone else, and telling them that they’ve got our backs like we have theirs is a powerful message in creating the “family” feeling outside of the park. They also have appreciation nights, which bring different cultures and interests together in amazing nights of free stuff and amazing performances. The advertising group behind the Giants really plays at the emotions and desire to be part of something bigger to attract fans. I’ll admit I really love the way they advertise the Giants. It’s humorous, epic, and loveable.