A recent poll conducted by entertainment news site Digital Spy has revealled that the vast majority of cinema visitors prefer their films in 2D format. 

When asked to vote on their favourite format, 77% of readers preferred standard 2D films, citing the high ticket price and poor 3D conversions as the reasons for preferring the traditional format. 

There are several high profile 3D films due to be released in 2011, including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2.

There have been lots of attempts to bring sound into print, but not all these experiments could be described as 100% successful. While VW in India has experimented with bringing sound to newspapers, Playboy in Brazil has gone one step further.

The news that the Government is now planning to ban the display of cigarettes in-store, whilst a natural progression from the plain packaging it has demanded, is further proof that they do not understand the dynamics at play here.

 

The introduction of plain packaging removes the ability of consumers to make an informed choice. The removal of the packages from sight altogether is, to be frank, ridiculous and is likely to cost the economy more than it saves.

Tobacco has been a consistent force in the UK economy over the past fifty years. Removing branding from the packaging and trying to remove the product from the public conscious could dramatically impact on our ability to export tobacco goods and, therefore, the economy.

In addition to cutting potential export revenues, the Government’s proposals could see UK retailers having to pay for custom made drawers to store cigarettes away from the public eye. This will see retailers incur huge costs and, for many of the smaller independent stores, potential loses that cannot be recovered elsewhere. Tobacconists may well disappear from the UK and yet, because of duty free, smoking levels could remain high.

The Government has clearly not done their homework. Putting products you are trying to defer attention from below the counter in bland packaging only serves to make them appear illicit and, therefore, more appealing. If you need a proof-point here, you only need to look at drug popularity; illegal drugs are never branded, or indeed packaged in many cases, and are not on display but they are still desired and seen as ‘cool’ by many young people.

The saying actions speak louder than words couldn’t be further from the truth here. If the Government continues to invest in educating consumers here, they would not need to take this extreme action. Isn’t it time the Government stopped thinking of restrictions to put in place and started spearheading the innovative thinking that will solve problems such as this?

SEE ALSO: The cigarette brand blackout

Del Monte has announced plans to offer bananas in plastic wrappers to slow down the ripening process. To be frank, this is ludicrous, particularly when you look at where they plan to offer the newly packaged products. Consumers buying fruit from petrol stations, convenience stores, and, particularly, gyms are likely to do so because they want to consume the product there and then, not a couple of days later.

 

Excess packaging has been a huge issue for the industry and with items like this cropping up it seems it will be here to stay. However, there is another way.

By applying the principles of radicality (which ultimately entails us getting back to our roots) to buying and consumption habits, consumers can significantly decrease the amount of waste produced and brands can help this process. Indeed, if brands such as Del Monte acknowledge and act on the trends emerging around using fresh ingredients, recycling at home and re-using items, this return to our roots will be much more effective. Offering consumers longer-shelf life on a product is not, and should not be the focus for brands. Now is the time to be natural, now is the time to apply the notion of radicality. 

Andrew Lansdown wants cigarette brands to remove all branding from packaging and Greg Vallance, founder of Embrace Brands, is kicking off.

The news that Andrew Lansdown wants cigarette brands to remove all branding from packaging is creating a storm across the industry. To clear the air (excuse the pun) and shed some light on the issues brands should be aware of as the Government looks to push through its reforms, please see below comments from Greg Vallance, founder, Embrace Brands.

Greg comments: “The proposed move to remove all branding from cigarette packaging demonstrates a clear lack of understanding of the market and audience and, whilst unexpected by the industry, is shocking in its severity.”

If the initial plans are passed Greg believes we could see British brands suffering significantly, without any impact on smoking levels in the UK, particularly when it comes to teenagers / younger smokers:

“Advertising to teenagers has always been a taboo, with many industries finding themselves accused of ruining the innocence of childhood, or exploiting children’s desire to drive sales – especially at Christmas, where pester-power reigns supreme. However, the impact of branding on young people continues to be over-rated. Just because they are more impressionable does not make young consumers more receptive to branding. Indeed, young people looking to begin smoking, or any other activity for that matter, are far more likely to make their decisions based on price and peer recommendations rather than brand. ‘’Kids’’ will buy whatever is cheapest! If they could buy 2 sticks they would. Brand recognition and loyalty is something that develops with age.”

ILLICIT is MORE appealing – Government reverts to Draconian Steps

Greg continues: “Rather than continuing to invest in educating young people about the health implications, the government has moved directly to removing it from our consciousness. The day feared by the industry has come: the Government is, once again, taking a draconian step to crack a nut with a sledge hammer and, in the process, they are removing the ability of consumers to make an informed choice. This is especially ridiculous, given tobacconists aren’t even supposed to be selling to under 18s.”

 “If the hope of this extreme measure is that it will make smoking appear less cool, the Government has clearly not done their homework. Putting products you are trying to defer attention from into bland packaging only serves to make them appear illicit and, therefore, more appealing. If you need a proof-point here, you only need to look at drug popularity; illegal drugs are never branded, or indeed packaged in many cases, but they are still desired and seen as ‘cool’ by many young people.”

 “The saying actions speak louder than words couldn’t be further from the truth here. If the Government continues to invest in educating consumers here, they would not need to take this extreme action.”

Branding Crisis – the Death of the Preferred Smoking Brand?

Greg adds: “By removing branding from cigarette packaging the Government is leaving consumers open to abuse. A plain box effectively removes control over the contents – after all, who will be able to claim that their preferred brand is not right if there is no branding on the pack to claim that it is indeed their preferred brand?”

“This will also leave UK brands under threat from illicit foreign imports. Indeed, if imports remain branded then there will likely be a significant shift from UK brands to the branded imports, which will have a negative impact on our ability to export tobacco goods and compete at a global level as well as on the strength of the brand Britain.”

What should tobacco brand marketers do? Avoiding the Brand Blackout

Greg concludes: “Brands need to take a new tact here if they are to overcome the effect of this proposed Brand Blackout and it will be interesting to see who is first off the blocks here. To succeed I’d suggest the following course of attack:

• Be the first to launch the plain box:

The first brand to launch a plain box could gain significant advantage here, becoming synonymous with the unbranded box. But this opportunity will only be available to the quickest thinking brand.

• Win market share – drive innovation:

For those second or third to the party it is going to be all about trying to win share back from the first entrant. This could be done by something as simple as petitioning the government to allow differentiation by colour on pack – so you could be the brown pack, red pack, blue pack, etc – or something more elaborate; it’s really all about how far outside the box brands want to take this.

• Consider how removing the packaging from the equation will impact on your other marketing channels:

If differentiation on pack is proving difficult, brands should by-pass this entirely and focus on promoting off the box. Thinking about key images to include across the various other advertising media still at their disposal – whatever these may be – and devising a campaign incorporating TV, interactive and outdoor could be highly beneficial.

Revamp your split across channels wisely:

A note of caution here, however; be wary of the increasing restrictions around promoting tobacco products to consumers and keep your efforts inside these guidelines if you want to get anywhere. And remember, anything the pharmaceutical industry can do, can be done better (well, maybe not better, but certainly just as well!)”

Back at the start of 2010, Cream brought you "No Apples" - a collection of the 100 most innovative companies from the around the world. Successful entries were inducted into the Cream 100, and exclusive club of innovation and excellence.

For 2011, Cream is searching the globe for the 100 best marketing campaigns. Any campaign that took place during the last 12 months, anywhere in the world is eligible: Big, small, online or offline.

Does your campaign demonstrate some particularly innovative strategy? Did it use pioneering new technology - or find new uses for traditional media? Perhaps it helped an established brand embark on a new challenge, or take on a new market?

Or maybe it was just one of those brilliant ideas?

Nominations are free. Any agency, creative shop, digital house, or production house can nominate a campaign they were involved in. Cream wants to know about your brilliant branded content, inspired virals and sexy social media strategies.

To enter, simply  an entry form from the .

All submissions will be reviewed by the C Squared editorial panel, and include input from the Festival of Media judging panel.

The final 100 campaigns will be published in a hardback book, launched at the Festival of Media Global, 8-10 May in Montreux.

An accompanying "Cream 100" directory of the agencies, creatives and digital shops who shaped the 100 best campaigns in the world will be also be available.

For more information the Cream editorial team.

 

At the end of a long day in the office, you can always rely on those brilliant people at Japan Trends to brighten your evening with some lunatic offering from Tokyo. I've a soft spot for Japan, one of the only other countries in the world that ever really appreciated the Kit-Kat (even if they did choose to remix it into 19 different flavours). 

Now I'm not a dog person. I dislike the hair, the dribble, and the chewing. But if I did have a dog, I'd want to make sure it always looked its best. It turns out Japanese dog owners think the same, sort of.

Imagine the scenario - you're out in downtown Ginza with your pooch, when you suddenly realise you've forgotten to attend to your puppy's coiffure. Once upon a time you would have had to cover your little friend with a blanket and hurry home to avoid public shame and ridicule, but not any more. Next time you find yourself in this situation, rest assured that help is at hand...

Yes - if you and your four-legged friend are ever again caught short without the right porn-star hairdo, there are vending machines that can help. My only criticism is that there doesn't appear to be a way to select your chosen style, so I imagine you might end up with a few pink mohicans or layered blonde bobs before you end up with the Cleopatra Jones afro of your dreams. 

 

X Factor fever is about to grip the UK, as the Saturday night TV juggernaut enters the live finals phase. Boy band sensation JLS were runners-up in their X Factor series, which doesn't seem to have harmed their careers any.  The four lads from south London are enjoying chart success, lucrative personal appearances and a nice sideline in merchandising. Fans can purchase JLS hoodies, keyrings, t-shirts, lunchboxes and now, condoms. 

Yes, now couples in passion-fuelled moments across the country are able to incorporate their favourite pop group into their favourite activity, with one of a series of co-branded JLS/Durex condoms. 

Perhaps not quite the spurious money making activity it at first seems to be, the JLS condoms generate revenue for the JLS Foundation, which encourages young people to take responsibility for their sex lives (Just Love Safe - see what they did there?). While the idea itself then is beyond criticism - but there is something slightly comical about the whole enterprise. 

At the end of the day JLS should be applauded for their efforts in dealing with the sensitive issue of teenage sex. The Durex/JLS foundation partnership is a good fit (ahem!) although I hope this doesn't pave the way for other pop-star branded prophylactics. I see quite enough of Cheryl Cole and Pixie Lott on TV as it is...

Phew - an entire blog post about condoms that didn't make a cheap gag about brand extensions. I'm glad we're better than that.