Oxegen Music Festival, the sell out festival

Having recently returned from a weekend in Manchester, which is incidental,  but coincided with Ireland’s biggest music festival, the Oxygen Festival, taking place; I was for some reason not in the slightest bit surprised by the fact that all that was reported on in the papers, both at home and in the UK, was the fact that the festival was marred by knife attacks, public disorder arrests and Amanda Brunkers pitiful attempt at her own public X Factor audition. All I wanted to hear about, not only from the papers but my friends,  was how good the Foo Fighters were, what bands performed well live and who didn’t. But the fact that Oxegen as a festival has sold out and moved away from ensuring a quality festival enjoyed by all, has made this type of news unimportant. Oxegen has created a well marketed and attended marketing dream which cares little about the music or what its crowd represents as long as the gate receipts are high and the acts keep coming for the money. The benchmark should be a Glastonbury which still represents a mature crowd they’re for the music ad that is reflected in acts such as Paul Simon still gracing (excuse the pun) the stage. Having attended the Oxegen Festival during its early years and seeing what it has evolved into one thing is very obvious to me; the organisers have forgotten its goal and sacrificed the music for the money. I just wish this wish they would reconsider their approach of creating a festival for under age masses to get drunk and ruin the weekends of those few who are there for the music.

Fashion Brands aim to exclude, yet the empire may be crumbling…

I was recently discussing my dislike for the principles and lack of morals of the luxury brand industry with an industry proponent, who argued that the industry didn’t aim to alienate and exclude people, but merely aimed ensure that their clothing and accessory products were seen as investments, of superior quality; so naïve and off the mark in my opinion. The reality is that the whole aim in marketing luxury brands is to alienate and exclude. As former LVMH marketing insider Mark Ritson cites: fashion houses such as LVMH “preach the need to alienate and exclude entire audiences from their brand just to create exclusivity.” It’s the same as the yobbo doorman refusing you entry into a pretentious city centre night club. In reality, the club is just as good as the normal club a few doors up; but because not everyone is permitted access it creates a superior lofty reputation. Luxury brands do exactly the same. They’re products never reflect value for money because that would go against the premise and purpose of exclusivity. But all of this wonderful exclusion, despite its low morals, still garners support. LVMH still has its supporters and customers, which if not living in a world of exclusivity are more than happy to turn a blind eye to the low morals of a brand who purposefully must bring down others and exclude customer groups based on class for their own brand to be fully successful. All this however seems to be taking a bit of a hit with the recent recession with more and more luxury brands being made available to the previously excluded customer segments. While I don’t believe in the prohibitive nature of fashion labels surely this is not a wise strategy to pursue as ultimately as much as I may dislike its moral makeup the industry and its products is based on excluding everyone but the select few who are willing to pay a premium price so that they to own products branded with Gucci, Dior etc as to let others know that only a select few can be part of the club.

Opportunities Abroad

As my time as a University student draws to an end in the coming month, the time has really come to focus on what lies ahead. A new career in a large multinational in America is on the horizon. 

I have always dream't of the opportunity to work and live in the USA at some point in my life, and now that the time has come for me to avail of an opportunity to fulfill one of my dreams I began to wonder whether I would ever return to Ireland. 

I have strong roots here, but I also have strong roots in Germany and never considered returning there for the long term either. Whether I will remain in the states is another matter of uncertainty but I believe returning to Ireland is something that will very much depend on a significant change of circumstance in this country. I have little ambition to return to the country and make a home here in it's current state at this point, at least not until I have experienced and examined what else is available and whether the grass is really greener on the other side.

Time will tell but for now my intentions are to grow and work abroad.

Will the Champions League ever compete with the Super Bowl?

Having watched and thoroughly enjoyed last weeks Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United I noticed a few of the new ads which were being premiered during the intervals. I recently read an article on brand republic discussing the profits made by ITV and the teams themselves which made me wonder how they stack up against the revenue generated from another football final, American Football mind you, the Super Bowl. The numbers don't compare Super Bowl ad revenue and expenses still far exceed that of the Champions League final and I wonder why that is. I understand that the Super Bowl is an institution and an unofficial national holiday in America but the Champions League Final has a global reach. It is watched in countries around the world and has obvious global appeal. Football is the worlds most popular sport and it would seem to me as though UEFA  isn't recognizing the potential of the event and by continuing to proceed with a strategy of ostracise's fans through ridiculous ticket prices instead of looking to generate greater revenues through advertising. I suppose though UEFA is an extension of FIFA and we all know by now that they aren't in the business of developing effective transparent strategies!

Probably a good move

I recently read an article discussing Carlsbergs decision to re-strategize and move away from the traditionl "Probably the best..." slogan. The brand messages will now emphasize an age old brewing tradition that goes back to its Danish roots. I think in the long-term this is a good move, as in many countries particularly in the UK, Carlsberg is seen as less of a "premium" beer. This is different from market to market, but the UK is an important market and I suppose a move to emphasising quality and substance over whitty one liners in terms of their mareting communications may be a good idea. I for think its a good decision with long-term sustainability in mind. The brand is moving away from ascociating itself with the Footbal supporter wich was its previous target market; it now seems to be aiming its brand at the higher end of the market the premium segment which commands a higher price. However, I will miss the "Probably the best..." ad campaigns and the Irish Football ads but as a marketer I can see that this move may be necessary in an extremely saturated and competitive market environment.

Poster Advertising in bad taste

I was in Paris over the weekend and one of the things which struck me amongst all the beautiful architecture and historical sites was the large scale banner advertising which was draped across these magnificent buildings. Most, if not all, were advertising the major fashion houses or designer jewellery and so forth. For me personally, it is a step too far. I actually found this type of advertising invasive and off putting. Traditional advertising certainly does need to be creative and standout more, now more so than ever. Yet, I found this particular style off-putting and distasteful. I think that if a brand wants to portrait sophistication and class, it needs to recognise that this must be conveyed, not only to the imagery in its advertising but also the methods it employs. I believe that beautiful 17^th century architecture covered in posters advertising the latest designer shoes leaves a bitter taste in the mouth and a bad image of that particular brand’s values. I’d like to think I am not alone in this belief…

C’est la vie!

Sean Wiemann

Product Placement

Nestlé could receive more than £500,000 media value, against its £100,000 investment, for its product placement of the Dolce Gusto coffee machine during ITV1's 'This Morning', according to research. This was the first example of “open” product placement to UK and Irish viewers since the regulatory change with regard to product placement. Many people will see product placement as an unnecessary evil and claim to be exploited by marketers. But let’s be realistic here.   Nobody complains when they see they’re favourite brands in movies because in that case it ads authenticity. Is it really going to matter whether they are drinking their water out of branded Pepsi cups on the XFactor next year? (A potential move to counter Pop Idol and Coca-Cola) I don’t think so. I have no doubt product placement works, I personally don’t mind it in movies or TV shows as I hate unbranded product in TV shows for the reasons I outlined earlier. I just don’t think that now days the Irish and UK viewer is going to be shocked at the prospect of product placement. We have been exposed to it for years and besides the modern consumer is so aware of marketing nowadays that only very few will be unaware of the subtlety which product placement brings to advertising.

Sean Wiemann