MortarMark, Author at MortarBlog

Author Archives: MortarMark

January 24th, 2007

MortarBlog reveals all in Virtual Rorschach. Imagini launches visual DNA profiling.

Behaviorists arise: a new tool from Imagini is profiling consumers using visual clues. The UK company launched its Virtual Rorschach onto the great unwashed last year and has since amassed the usual list of Big Name Marketers (Microsoft, Vodafone) who are tackling the Really Big Issues. But beneath the hype lurks a useful tool for proving that a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Today’s Journal reveals that 130,000 people have already completed a Imagini profile; MSN tested the service with 50,000 users last year.

And it is amusing. According to Imagini I share my aversion for hairy males with 29% of Imagini participants. Only 5% find someone picking their nose more gross.

Oh, apparently the site also provides a unique gift finder for the hard to buy for. Amongst its recommendations for Mrs Mortarmark was a very tasteful Ceramic Wasp Trap and the rather amusing idea of sponsoring a milk Cow (I guess you have to know Ms M to laugh at that one… or maybe not). The Gift Guide is here. Fair warning it only seems to serve the British at this time.

Posted by MortarMark in Marketing Insights

January 22nd, 2007

THE Commercial of the 80s

Twenty-three years ago today, the Apple Macintosh personal computer was
introduced to the world in a now-legendary TV commercial aired during
Super Bowl XVIII.

250pxad_apple_1984

The 60-second spot featured a female athlete running through a dystopian landscape inspired by George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four,
to throw a sledgehammer at a TV image of Big Brother, meant, in this
case, to represent IBM. It ends with the promise, "On January 24th,
Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t
be like 1984."

Thanks to Wired for the memory jog.

Posted by MortarMark in Best of the Ad Blogs

January 19th, 2007

Daddy’s Little Bad Girl

We have noticed internet insurer eSurance in the past. The San Francisco company’s beautifully animated, action-packed spots remind us of Samurai Jack and The PowerPuff Girls. Oh, and their spokescharacter, Erin Esurance is…how you say? Ah yes: Hot. Apparently, we are not the only ones to notice. Check out this interview with Space Ghost. Not only is it one of the funniest things we’ve seen; it connects with the audience, takes eSurance to a significantly higher level of cool, and still manages to sell hard. Erin. Call us. We’ll listen to you anytime.

Posted by MortarMark in Great Advertising

January 18th, 2007

Sony gets golden poo for best Flog

1,049 visitors to the Consumerist nominated Sony’s fake blog site, Alliwantforxmasisapsp.com as the worst fake blog of 2006.

"Sony takes the golden poo, because they should have known better. We
know that Walmart and McDonalds are creepy and they have few scruples
about exploiting a medium to gain market share, but Sony is supposed to
be better. Sure, they can come across as a little cold and bitchy, but
at least "cool." Not engaging in the lamest attempt to do a pretend
customer blog the world has ever seen…. Now, where do we deliver this award? Do we mail it to the CEO? To
the company that made the blog? Where o where do we fling our golden
poo?"

Online bloggers it seems love to kick a corporation even when it is down. especially when down, actually. Other flogs of note: WalMart and McDonalds. Repeat after me, thou shalt not create a flog, thous shalt…

Posted by MortarMark in PR Agencies & PR Firms