“Brand ambushing” is seen as a way to cut through the clutter of advertising and shock consumers, and the practice has been used by other brands like Domino’s, which tracked down naysayers and had them taste their new and improved pizza. It works because it’s unusual, it creates a scene, and it really is surprising.

As “brand ambushing” becomes more popular, it’s beginning to show Gen Y that the brands are listening to us. We just want to be heard. Gen Y uses a number of different channels just to have a voice; we tweet, text, blog, IM, comment, and “Like” things on Facebook because we expect someone to listen. Wheat Thins listened; they saw a message that could be easily ignored, but they actually did something about it. When a company does respond, it says “we hear you, loud and clear!” It gives validation to our comments and proves that there are actual people behind the brands we buy. This responsiveness creates a personal connection between the brand and the consumer. As we learned from the response to the recent Old Spice social media campaign, we love when brands talk back to us.

Andy Warhol’s theory has never been more true: our generation wants fame. Because of YouTube, we all have a chance at our 15 minutes (or seconds) of fame. We want to stand out. Getting famous is easier than ever because of social media, and we’re ready for our time in the spotlight. Brands that use an ambushing technique tend to do it for advertising or publicity, which means that for a limited period of time, the person getting ambushed is famous, which resonates with our generation. Right now, the video of the Wheat Thins being delivered to Hancock has over 480,000 views.

Another positive aspect of ambushing is simple: free stuff. Getting something for free is guaranteed to appeal to Gen Y; a lot of us are coming out of college with huge amounts of debt during a recession and an awful job market. With a 17.8% unemployment rate for those of us aged 20-24 as of June 2010, any handout sounds stupendous. The benefit of giving away a few boxes of Wheat Thins (all the attention and brand awareness) far outweighs the cost.

Of course, being ambushed by a brand is a little creepy and has a “Big Brother” feel to it. Brand ambushing can seem invasive, and we feel like our privacy is being compromised. It is a little scary; Wheat Thins found out exactly where this woman lived using social media and the internet (and had some help from her Facebook friends). It’s a little unnerving, but I don’t think it’s a deal-breaker.

We’re accustomed to having less privacy. We still care, but I think we’ve grown used to being out in the open.  We’re the generation that lets the internet know where we are just for fun, on Foursquare, and our use of social media is making our lives much more transparent.

I think the good outweighs the bad in “brand ambushing,” and it’s a great way to reach our generation because it is in-your-face, it cuts through the clutter, it lets us know that we’re being heard, and we get to be famous for just a little bit. So the next time you see a Wheat Thins truck pulling into your driveway, don’t be angry or afraid. Just be hungry!

First, I do not excuse BP for what they have done.  They deserve all the bad press and public anger they are receiving right now.  What they have done is inexcusable, and every day that goes by with more leakage makes it that much more disgusting.

A report came out in late June estimating that BP had lost over $1 billion in brand value because of the spill.  The clean up, thus far, has cost BP $3 billion and they have another $20 billion set aside for more work.  Their stock prices have dropped and this is going to be a (much deserved) problem for BP for decades.

Gen Y is known to be both passionate and stubborn.  A recent study shows that Gen Y is more loyal to brands than Gen X.  This is a good thing for brands, but it can also work against them.  Gen Y is loyal to the brands they love, but we’re also loyal to boycotting brands we hate.  This will be a major problem for BP in the future, as Gen Y will potentially avoid their brand and products for years to come.

I was only four years old when the Exxon Valdez spill occurred. I don’t remember much of it, but I still have a mediocre opinion of their brand today because of it.  Now imagine how I feel about BP, considering I’m watching this disaster unfold daily.

So enough bashing BP and on to what they should do about it.

BP is in deep trouble.  They have destroyed their image with the spill and the fallout, as well as their brand and messaging in general.  Their “Beyond Petroleum” slogan has no meaning whatsoever anymore, as the only thing people will remember them for is dumping millions of gallons of petroleum into the Gulf of Mexico.  So much for being the “green” petroleum company.

Once BP plugs the hole (if it ever happens) and starts the majority of their cleanup efforts, they need to hit the reset button. BP needs a shake up and they need to start over.

BP needs to cease being BP (at least in America) and take on a new identity. They did this in 2000, when they changed their brand from BP Amoco to BP.  This change needs to come during the cleanup, and actually focus on new, clean energy sources, which they have been criticized for not doing.  This new brand will be able to explain their new focus and start fresh in the minds of consumers.

Although this will take a large investment from BP, it will be arguably less of an expenditure than trying to regain their lost brand value.  BP, whether they like it or not, will be synonymous with the oil spill for decades.  Their brand and image will take decades to improve.  It makes sense to start from scratch and actually create a brand that tells the truth.

There are many strategies that BP can adopt to try to fix their image and creating a new brand is something they need to investigate.

What do you think BP needs to do with their brand and image? Share your ideas in the comments.

Photo by tsand

Image Credit: caveman_92223 via Flickr

Paul Parkin, a founding partner of SALT Branding in San Francisco, had an interview with MediaPost’s Sarah Mahoney about Gen Y and brands earlier this month. Ultimately, he says, members of Gen Y trust channels more than brands. “They may not be loyal to any brand of shoes or department store, but they are loyal to the Internet channel, and brands like Zappos.com and Amazon.”

In short, I agree with Parkin. As a member of Gen Y, I am not the most loyal and often distrust brands. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t buy into brands or have brands that I am loyal to.

Yes, it’ true. Millennials do trust some brands, but these days, they seem few and far between. The companies that we do invest in are ones that communicate with us  and not at us. Not to mention that those brands often have a message or meaning beyond the products they sell.

One important topic that Parkin touches on in his interview is that we are much less loyal than previous generations. We “grew up in an age when there was always a new site emerging that was better than the old one.” With events like the BP Oil Spill and the Toyota recall, how is it possible for us to trust brands and companies that seem constantly shrouded in secrecy?

If a brand wants the trust of Millennials, it needs to be transparent and create a community for us to gather. Brands that do this successfully are the ones we are most “loyal” to like Zappos. Their CEO has a Twitter account and they also have a customer service account. As a result, you know you can always have your voice heard when your shoes don’t fit or you need help with the site.

Parkin cited also brands like Pepsi and Virgin as companies that are able to interact successfully with Millennials via mobile and social media. But when you really think about it, how many brands are able to use social media effectively to communicate with members of this generation? Most marketing professionals are still trying to figure out the best ways to use the social media world. It has had such an impact that the entire industry is changing. However, most companies still aren’t embracing this idea, and as a result, are being left behind.

For Gen Y, it’s all about the community we create with our friends, family, classmates, and even brands. According to one Time magazine article, for members of Gen Y, the lines between work and home are blurred. No matter where we are, we want to spend our time in a “meaningful and useful” way. We want to know what other people think about products we want to try versus what the companies claim these products can do. Then, and only then, by this process of evaluation, can we figure out which brands we trust.

I’ve always wondered, though, where  distrust comes from? An article in BusinessWeek said, “years of intense marketing efforts aimed directly [at Gen Y] have taught this group to assume the worst about companies trying to coax them into buying something.” Frankly, they’re right. After being bombarded by advertising and other marketing our entire lives, we are jaded and often ignore brands. At this point, we can spot a disingenuous advertisement from miles away.

Parkin summed up Millennials perfectly by saying we are “much more into ‘we,’ in the sense of collaboration. [We] want to interact with companies, and with each other.”

Who else better to interview for TNGG than a fellow Gen Y, career woman, and outspoken blogger?  Melanie Danko is the epitome of Gen Y’s “have-it-all” approach to life.  She’s got the career, the lifestyle, the smarts, and still makes time to be a girl and have some fun.  Read on to figure out how she does it, why she does it, and her version of living out loud.

1. Who the heck is Melanie Danko?

I’m 21 years old.  I live, work, play, and study in New York City.  I like cupcakes and I’m addicted to “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Rachel Zoe terrifies me but I’m still kind of obsessed with her, her wardrobe and her propensity for inventing words and quirky phrases.

2. You’ve taken an untraditional route in your education.  What did you do and why did you do it?

I began my education at Villanova and ultimately transferred to Northeastern University. I fell in love with Boston and chose Northeastern for it’s location and well-known co-op program. After switching my major multiple times, still unsure what I wanted to do, I went on co-op in July of 2009.  I was lucky to find a job using my own resources and connections at L’Oreal USA in New York City.  I moved out to NYC, not even have spent there more than four nights in the city in my life.  I fell in love with my work and realized that my passion for business and marketing. I dreaded the classroom, had never been able to focus or succeed.  I was always that “B-” student, just squeaking by. However, in the workplace, I thrive.  The thought of going back to campus and falling into my same routines in school was draining. After talking with some advisors and Northeastern and some amazing senior management at L’Oreal, we found an alternative. I have enrolled in an 18-month online program that allows me to continue working full-time at L’Oreal and still obtain my degree. It’s a lot of work ahead of me, but I’m ready and excited for it.

3. So you work for Redken… what’s that like? What do you do there?

Redken is one of L’Oreal’s many brands and it’s the brand that inspires me, stylists and millions of consumers daily.  I currently work in Redken’s Education Development and will continue my internship in Interactive Marketing.   My responsibilities include competitive analysis, assisting management on any projects, writing releases for magazines and, probably the coolest function of my job, updating the company twitter. I have the pleasure of creating all content that comes out of @Redken5thAvenue under my penname “Madison.”

4. You’re barely 21 and working at Fortune 500 company.  So clearly jobs are available.  What would you say to job seeking grads on how to succeed early?

I never thought I would be in a Fortune 500. Like I said, I struggled in the classroom and people like to make you think that if you can’t succeed in school then you can’t succeed in life. This is just not true! If you have the ambition and enthusiasm you can succeed where you want. Push for your job, call, follow-up, and network. Be gracious in your endeavors and seek out mentors who have the future and qualities you look up to.

5. You work long hours. Why?

When you’re at the starting point in your career you have to make an impression. Some of the hardest workers are the ones on the “lowest rungs” of the corporate ladder. If you don’t make your ambition clear in the beginning then you’ll be looked over in the future.  I also have to work hard because I have a second job assisting with the launch of a major iPhone application called KnockingLive. It has been an incredible ride, helping them with PR, branding, and marketing. That stuff requires putting in the extra hours as well.

6. What is your view on branding and marketing to your consumers?  How should big brands (like Redken) reach their consumers personally while maintaining a clear and consistent message?

Twitter has been a great resource to humanize the Redken brand. The embrace of social media allows companies to become friends with their consumers and an easy resource to them.  Redken utilizes Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to talk to their consumers and give a more personal and inside look into the brand.  The social media outlets stay consistent with the Redken vision and provide inspiration and a look into the professional edge of Redken.

7. You also write for a very high traffic blog. What got you into this?

It’s funny, I was blogging before it was even called blogging, when we called it LiveJournaling.  I’ve always been passionate about writing, especially humor pieces. Sort of like Jen Lancaster-type humor.  After showing some writing to a friend, I was encouraged to start writing for the website that I write for now, CollegeCandy.  It’s a great way for me to be creative and to consistently write and has given me some fantastic opportunities.  A lot of people tease bloggers, but without my ties to the website I would have never gotten to do amazing things like interview on the MTV VMA Red Carpet or be a VIP at Fashion Week.

8. Do you need to keep your corporate jobs and personal hobbies separate?  How do you do this?

Definitely! It’s great to be immersed in work, but everyone needs time for themselves. I try and keep my weekends open to explore New York and work on creative projects or spend time with friends. A great way to keep your head out of work all the time is to keep a group of friends who have nothing to do with your job. As much as I love my work, there are some Friday nights where I just want unwind and spend time not talking about work.

9. What are the top 3 reasons you aspire to be a Fortune 500 exec?  You recently wrote a beautiful piece on this.

1. There are not enough female executives, still. We’re approaching 2010 and there’s more than enough room for women to excel in the corporate world. It’s time to break the ugly stereotypes that exist today and put more women in the top positions.

2. I aspire to a top position to keep myself motivated and working harder. If I have something to look forward to it keeps me going.

3. I know I can do it and do it well.

10. Word of wisdom to new career Gen Y’s?

Be yourself. Stay genuine and gracious, don’t let anything stand in your way or anyone tell you “no.”

If you want more of Melanie, you can follow her on Twitter: @tinkermellie.

Bing Travel

When I first saw ads for Bing, I laughed at the idea of anybody doing search better than Google. I was even more skeptical about their slogan, “The Decision Engine.” It simply doesn’t make sense.

So I ignored Bing until, like any good Millennial, I was referred to the site by a friend. He said he’d found a great deal on airfare using Bing. I didn’t even know they had a travel section! I needed to book a flight to Los Angeles for a semester at my college’s satellite campus. It was time to give Bing Travel a try.

Some features immediately stood out to me:

Note: You cannot purchase tickets directly through Bing.

1. Compares prices from other similar sites – Unlike sites like Orbitz, Expedia, and many others, Bing travel compares prices from airline sites as well as the aggregation sites. This means instead of jumping around from site to site, all you have to do is go to Bing.

2. A 7-day Trip Predictor – This handy little tool predicts whether prices will be rising, falling or staying the same over the next week. They also added the percent confidence they have that this be true, which is a smart way to cover their asses.

3. Overall ease of use – If you want to specify certain times you want to leave or depart, or the airlines you wish to compare, it is easy to do so after putting in your original flight plans. Just scroll along the sidebar. You can also scroll through which airports you want to connect through, how long you want to layover, and whether you want a red eye or not.

4. Fare tracking – This isn’t a new feature to travel sites, but Bing has added it to improve their process. Just enter your email and they will send you alerts when your desired flight has good deals.

While all four features look good on their own. Together, they improve the user experience by reducing the time needed to find and book a flight (or hotel).

I can still picture my Dad calling different airlines and reading consumer reviews before making a final decision when he planned trips. He taught me to think before I buy. While my generation likes the idea of saving money, no one likes to spend time calling a bunch of places, or even jumping from site to site all day. It’s a waste of valuable time and we love finding new ways to take shortcuts.

Bing has been able to do what almost no site has done for me: make a one-stop shopping experience.

The experience I have with your product and on your site will carry far more weight then any advertising campaign ever will with me. When it comes to dealing with tech-savvy and time-short millennials, user experience IS the new marketing for your brand. If you can eliminate the times I have to backtrack, change pages, or be on hold in order to get something done, you will create something very valuable for your company: brand loyalty from the impatient Millennial.

Photo Credit: bpedro

Kraken Rum

I enjoy rum, dark ones in particular. They remind me of the days I spent as a pirate out at sea, but that was another life and another post entirely. The market for alcohol and spirits reminds me of an overcrowded bar–everyone leans in, shoulder-to-shoulder, thrusting their money into the air just to catch a moment of the bartender’s limited attention. Of course, in this metaphor, I’m the bartender and alcohol is waving around the money; I didn’t find it shocking when I saw the industry’s ad spend for magazines and television totals over $1 Billion US dollars annually. They all want to be the reason for my hangover, but is their money focused on the right way to reach me?

I say if you really want to stand out from your competition, focus on providing your physical product with the most compelling brand image possible. The marketing needs to be built into the product, they’re even writing books about this approach (http://www.bakedin.com/), and that’s the winning factor which I’ll attribute to the soon-to-be cult success of Kraken Rum.

I had never heard of Kraken Rum until it was posted on a favorite blog of mine, NOTCOT.org. Blown away. There are no words, but, seeing as you came here to read, I’ll try my best to carry on. Everything about this product has been thought out to the tiniest detail. The outside of the box, the wrapping paper for the contents, and the box contents themselves. Beyond the bottle there are nick-nacks which complement the brand’s clever back story, including: real Kraken Ink, a feathered quill, an authentic Kraken tooth discovered near St. Lucia, a poster displaying the scale of the Kraken, a book filled with Kraken Diagrams and historical accounts, a DVD of original movies explaining the legacy of the Kraken and Kraken Rum, and a correspondence signed by the “Thornton Cumberbatch, Noted Hoax Researcher.” It’s an incredible brand experience and you haven’t even tasted the rum yet.

The initial reaction of one NOTCOT commenter says it all, “I fear it will be impossible for me to ever consider my life complete without this product.” Has anyone ever said that about your brand? Do you want them to? Then listen. This wasn’t a matter of creating a product and then figuring out the selling message after the fact. Both messaging and design were integrated from the beginning of the product’s process and this is clear from the end result. Save your money on TV and print, focus on involving your agency in the beginning phases of your product development. Blow out your brand image with the kind of compelling imagery and collateral that makes me want to show it off to my friends. I want to be the proud owner of something and it’s your job to make me proud. Kraken Rum has accomplished all of the above, providing me a product that’s thoughtful and downright cool. So, with glass in hand, I raise a toast to the improvement of your brand, “here’s to ourselves, and hold your luff, plenty of prizes and plenty of duff.”

Photo Credit: jspad