Dell is launching a new “More You” ad campaign this Friday with an emphasis on emotional connection through three of its consumer brands, the Inspiron for casual users, XPS for high-performance customers, and Alienware for gamers. 

"We realized it was important to connect more emotionally with customers. Most competitors are neglecting the fact that technology is empowering people's lives," commented Paul-Henri Ferrand, Dell’s CMO for global and consumer/small medium businesses, to Dow Jones Newswires. "It will help people think, 'It's about me.'" 

The ads, targeting Gen Y’ers, will use the real names of consumers (such as "Dean," right) in the same lettering used by Dell, showing how people use their technology - laptops, desktops, tablets and smartphones, in their daily lives.Continue reading...

Remember travel agents? You know, those nice people in little offices that you actually visited in person to book your vacation?

They've largely been replaced with such online travel services as Orbitz, Hotels.com, Hotwire, Travelocity, and Expedia. In fact, these online brands have become so commoditized that they're all beginning to look very much alike, offering similar services and prices. It might be why Hotels.com, which is owned by Expedia, threw an unusual Facebook party recently.

Now Expedia UK is making a concerted effort to differentiate itself from its competition with a new brand campaign that puts the focus on its people instead of prices or features of its trip offerings.Continue reading...

Starwood has spent a few billion dollars over the last few years trying to revamp the image of its Sheraton hotel chain.

The company must be feeling pretty good about its efforts because it is now spending $20 million on an ad campaign in hopes of bringing more revenue (and loyal customers) to the 74-year-old business.

The main thrust of its new “Meet You There” campaign, according to a press release, is how Sheraton nurtures a sense of community for its guests.Continue reading...

American Apparel is often criticized for exploiting women — particularly young women — in its print, outdoor and video advertising.

So kudos to the brand for keeping it classy with this spot, which features the impressive bboy skills of Anjelo Baligad (aka Lil Demon) while his fellow breakdancer Jalen Testerman (in the bowtie) watches, in a commercial directed by Tony Kelly and shot in AA's hometown of Los Angeles.

McDonald's this week launched a new UK advertising campaign playing up its corporate citizenship efforts, from A to Z. 

The campaign, which will include print and digital marketing, highlights the brand's "community and environmental initiatives and its investment in employees, as well as continuing to feature food-quality messages," as Marketing puts it.

Alistair Macrow, McDonald’s UK VP for marketing in the UK, commented to the magazine: "Over the past three years, our advertising focus has been primarily on the ingredients that go into our food and where they come from. While our brand advertising will continue to satisfy this interest, we feel the time is right to start celebrating the good work we do in other areas of our business. Even our most dedicated followers will learn something new."

Can a global marketing campaign turn a packaging material that most people take for granted into something that stands out — indeed, don't even "see" but see through?

Owens-Illinois intends to find out.

O-I, the world's largest glass container manufacturer, has been making iconic glass containers since 1903, counting among its clients Anheuser-Busch InBev, Coca-Cola, Heinz, and PepsiCo.

The company has just launched a global marketing push with a new logo and tagline "Glass Is Life," all highlighted on a new website as the anchor of an integrated campaign.

The media plan includes print ads (in 12 countries and seven languages) and supported by Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, where inspirational interviews play up the importance of glass.Continue reading...

Since losing the Oscar for best film for The Fighter, what has director David O. Russell been up to? Forgetting his heartbreak with Ketel One vodka… commercials.

Russell has teamed with the top-shelf booze brand to put together with Brooklyn band Alberta Cross for a new campaign called "Gentlemen, This is Vodka." But he's not the only one. Oscar-nominated director (Black Swan) Darren Aronofsky has followed up his Academy nom with his own ad.

Readers, this is cashing in.Continue reading...

Beatlemania is back — without the hordes of screaming teenagers.

The midwest US retailer specializing in appliance and electronics sales called hhgregg (pronounced "h-h-gregg," the brand uses all lowercase letters to distinguish itself) has licensed the Beatles' song, "Help!" as the cornerstone of its new branding campaign.

With the tagline of "We Help," the campaign's goal is to highlight the chain's sales staff and emphasis on customer service. The move comes as its competition is tougher than ever.Continue reading...