Twitter hacks ain’t so bad.

Seriously!

First Burger King, then Jeep – last week was HUGE in hacking.

Both accounts seemingly breached by the same outfit (@DFNCTSC – a Twitter account with no tweets; apparently stands for Defonic Team Screenname Club – a collective of hackers once associated with breaching Paris Hilton's T-Mobile account in 2005).

No doubt both will bring up serious concerns over cyber security and corporate protocol around social media. But really, how bad were these two most recent hacks?

@BurgerKing – Mon. 2/18, approx. 12 noon EST.

The hack alleged a takeover by McDonald’s, however in-eloquent. Tweets rambled on for nearly an hour before Burger King/Twitter finally caught on to the act, suspending the account and blocking delivery of new lascivious tweets.

@Jeep – Tue. 2/19, approx. 1pm EST.

Jeep’s hack followed similar suit, intimating a business takeover by Cadillac (nameplate under GM). Again, tweets were far from funny – nonsensical ramblings and obscure drug and gang references. And the folks at Chrysler were “back in the driver’s seat” before the afternoon was out.

So, why is it good?

It doesn’t negatively impact brand value. – Quite the opposite, actually. Members of the twittersphere can immediately recognize a hack, and just like that, disconnect any negative sentiment that may arise from offensive language. Instead, it seems to stimulate a sense of empathy and reality for the account, re-engaging users upon the  legit owner’s return.

It adds followers. – Burger King gained 30k followers; Jeep gained a (more) modest 3k. And isn’t audience growth one of the most important things? Like when celebrities decide to self-destruct in 140 characters or less, people tune in for the drama, but getting ‘em to stay is another story. Again, content is king and the pressure is on to retain new minds.

So, while we’ve established that the brand gets something with their hack, what do we readers get?

Not much.

Is it too much to demand a higher breed of comedy?

More satire, less sass. – Acting like McDonald’s purchased its arch-nemesis is a great concept. But the intimation stopped there and the predators opted for messaging no more thoughtful than that of a novice, self-involved amateur user. Superfluous street slang, cheap drug humor, and poor spelling don’t feel like a McDonald’s run Burger King Satire – and that’s what new followers tuned in to see.

How about a Ronald vs. King Mascot face-off? Maybe a Big Mac/Whooper menu mash-up? Get creative in a way that McDonald’s would NEVER in a real Burger King take-over!

Makes you wish these hacking outfits could add a few über-creative marketers, even comedy writers to the payroll. It would make their reign more entertaining and engaging.

Where should I submit my résumé? :)  

Things are bright and cheery over at The (new) Vitamin Shoppe

What better time of year for a healthcare/supplements store to debut a new look? Q1 is their Christmas!

Customers are flooding in; resolved to live a better life, combating epidemic colds and flu, or perhaps a combination of both.

I’ve always been a GNC loyalist, so pardon the delay in my taking note, but
 

The Vitamin Shoppe has totally transformed!

An improvement for sure, but given the incumbent, was there ever any doubt?

The previous logo was totally ordinary, which doesn’t pair well with an already terribly generic name.

And it was a name and logo all at once, mounted on a thick, heavy oval of blue and gold. The bloated, italic typography, with its hard edge lines and the useless inclusion of “since 1977” left the mark feeling unnecessarily busy.

Vitamin Shoppe’s new look follows the sweeping trend in clean, simple design.

The Colors

While it retains the heritage colors of blue and gold, it brightens both quite a bit. Increasing yellow’s prominence was a smart move; as it makes the mark feel young, healthy and full of life (and isn’t that why we pop vitamins in the first place?).

…Wait, where else have we seen this color palate?

Did someone have a sale on blue and yellow-gold?

A little too close for comfort, if you ask me. I’d have tweaked the colors a bit more to secure a truly unique identity, (and avoid brand confusion with the Sprawlmart pill aisles).

The Typography

Nothing earth-shattering, thin and simple – but a breath of fresh air! And hey, it does as good a job as any of carrying the word “Shoppe” into this century.

The Shield

Perhaps the most interesting update was the addition of an emblem.

The Vitamin Shoppe’s “V” is bold and impactful. It brings real movement to the brand and is well suited for the hip minimalist approach to product labels, promotional posters and social media avatars. Although not iconic, it strives to be, and will no doubt become sole ambassador of Vitamin Shoppe across the gamut of iOS, windows, and android mobile apps.

Not bad brand evolution.

When it comes to the new look, we give The Vitamin Shoppe a clean bill of health!

Kraken Rum ad breaks the surface

But which of those tentacles is carrying the message?

Two variations on this awesome new 3D concept popped up over the weekend; greeted with instant social chatter.

Images courtesy of AdWeek (wanted to get out and see for myself but it won't stop raining).

The dame is in distress just off Fullerton while her male counterpart struggles for survival somewhere off North Ave in Wicker Park.

Totally cool, but now that you’ve our attention, what do you have to say?

Kraken gains possession only to drop the ball in the end zone (Sorry. With the Super Bowl this weekend, I couldn’t resist the analogy).  

What do you want?

Give us some simple and sweet messaging that rewards the mind for the eyes’ attention.

Kraken should tell us (in just a few carefully clever words) what makes them worthy of our patronage.

Against the competition

Maybe those tentacles should be strangling someone else? Ahoy, Captain Morgan?!

Seriously, when your mascot is a mythical sea beast and the competition’s front man is a sea captain, shouldn’t the story write itself?

The message should be a no-brainer!

High Impact Imagery

Another route; maybe the Kraken isn’t keen on picking fights just yet?

Fine – use the imagery in a more literal sense.

get swept/carried away | (release) the beast (has been released)

So each quick sample blurb is already reminiscent of other products, you get the idea.

Kraken Rum is rich, strong and smooth (I just may have a bottle back home) – tell us why that’s good better than anything else out there!

If I didn’t work in marketing, I’d conduct a subway train.

Seriously. Ask anyone who really knows me and they’ve heard me say it.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) just upped the cost of my monthly pass by 16%, but I can’t help it. I love mass transit by rail. I’m obsessed with it.

Urban Ingenuity

There’s something about it all I can’t help but marvel. 

The always-on, always dirty crawl; the crazy people you see, (or try to avoid seeing); it’s one wild ride – even when stopped motionless between stations. I love it all!

And so, while this weekend was particularly quiet, I combed the web for old subway train advertisements and stumbled upon this stroke of brilliance produced by McCann for Melbourne Metro Trains just last November.

“Dumb Ways to Die” a message from Melbourne Metro Trains produced by Tangerine Kitty.

Why does it work?

1. It’s catchy.

"Use your private parts as piranha bait?!" Damn catchy, I’d say. The track produced by Tangerine Kitty is available on iTunes, which leads me to believe I’m not the only one that can’t stop swaying along to the refrain long after my headphones fall silent.

2. It’s adorable. (Even with vomit and blood and implied murder by Friday the 13^th-like slasher).

There’s no preaching in the campaign. Serious PAs can lose impact with too much repetition and no one wants to be emotionally manipulated.

3. It’s universal.

I don’t have to live Down Under to get a chuckle out of the campaign – each character’s simple story transcends the context of the region for simple, mass appeal. And I must say I was a bit surprised not to find product versions of the characters available online for purchase. Plush dolls, stickers, or collectible figures – they have broader market potential!

It’s marketing gold.

When they start swaying during the refrain, each time growing in numbers – you just can’t help but smile. And it’s January – the LONGEST month EVER. We could all use an extra smile or two. :)

Sample print.

A New Bird in the Sky? American Airlines

Who said bankrupt companies can’t spend gobs of cash on rebranding?

Image is important; you’ll hear no argument of the contrary here.

And when you’re staring the prospect of dissolve dead in the face; image can be the Hail Mary pass that keeps you in the game.

You’re clear for takeoff, New American Airlines…

I thought it was older…

Designed back in 1968, the current mark is quickly approaching 50. How can something feel so iconic and yet so ordinary at the same time? Helvetica bold with tight kerning; is that what it boils down to? And while the red feels a bit brighter, I know that blue is straight off the American flag.

The eagle is the most inspired piece of the puzzle, but rigid and hard – more suited to stand for a government entity or military service. A quicker glance and it almost looks like an abstract take on the cancer support ribbon (sans top fold).

The new AA…

For the first time, AA’s logo and brand feel separate but equal parts of the full identity.

Here the font is just a touch more casual; sharp edges are sanded down for a softer, less drastic appearance. Gone is the Betsy Ross era of shared colors. The new brand bestows upon the text a rich navy-gray while the logo itself calls upon a bright range of both red and blue.

And what about that “logo?” Is it a bird? Is it a plane (wing)? Maybe both. Regardless, it gives the brand some depth and movement that the old logo lacked.

Applied to product, the introduction of a third brand element on the tail is lost on me. It feels a bit too patriotic (the bad kind) and basic; as if it should be eminent domain of the American people and not tied to an individual brand (however “American” they may be).

Why not simply apply the new eagle/wing logo to the tail?

So, what do you think?

We approve.

The first new logo of the year, and it couldn’t have gone to someone more in need.

How did we miss AA when we assembled our 2013 new logo wish list?

But will the change be the fresh start American needs or just a blip on the radar as they fade into the sunset?

Only time will tell, but never underestimate the power of new visuals.

The key lies in follow-through. A logo is highly salient; but all brand interactions, customer service, in and outside the cabin, need to follow suit if AA has any chance of escaping the ailing sentiments now associated with their name.