March 28, 2024

Media Decoder: Gillette Taps Superman to Connect With Customers

LOS ANGELES — How does Superman shave? If he is a “Man of Steel,” impervious to nearly everything, what could possibly remove that formidable stubble?

Gillette is posing those questions in an unusually playful promotional campaign tied to the June 14 release of the new movie, “Man of Steel.” It is part of a renewed effort by the men’s grooming company to find new ways of connecting with customers.

Starting on Monday, Gillette will begin soliciting fan theories via HowDoesHeShave.com and rolling out related Web videos from five superhero enthusiasts: the director Kevin Smith; Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, hosts of the TV series “MythBusters”; the comedian Bill Nye (“the Science Guy”); and Mayim Bialik, real-life neuroscientist and “Big Bang Theory” actress.

Does he burn off that beard with his heat vision? Or maybe he just whisks his whiskers away with a puff of superhuman breath.

Fans will be asked to vote for their favorite theory.

“The idea is to bring the brand to life in new ways,” said Elliott Wilke, Gillette’s North American brand manager. “We are definitely the best a man can get, but the best Superman can get? We wanted to hear from the superfans.”

Clark Kent is typically the cleanest of clean-shaven guys, but an early trailer for Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel” showed him with various degrees of facial hair, including a bushy lumberjack beard, and then re-emerging with a smooth face. One of Gillette’s ad agencies, Concept One, spotted that snippet and alerted Gillette, which in turn got in touch with Warner Brothers, Mr. Wilke said.

The movie has a superhero-size marketing campaign behind it. Gillette joins a long line of promotional partners, including Wal-Mart Stores, Twizzlers, the National Guard and Hardees, which will soon introduce a Superman-themed hamburger. But if Superman eats junk food, how does he keep his abs of steel?

BROOKS BARNES

Article source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/20/business/media/gillette-taps-superman-to-connect-with-customers.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Media Decoder: ABC Creates Commercial to Save Its ‘Happy Endings’

The impulse among television superfans to create “save our show” campaigns for every imperiled sitcom and drama has been co-opted by one of the very networks that shows have to be saved from.

“Friday, March 29, you can save ‘Happy Endings,’ ” intones ABC’s new commercial for the low-rated sitcom. A graphic at the beginning of the ad has the word “SAVE” in bright red letters.

Call it ingenious or call it cynical — television bloggers have called it both in the last few days. “ABC Starts a Campaign to Save ‘Happy Endings’ From ABC,” read an emblematic headline on the comedy Web site Splitsider.

“If ‘Happy Endings’ Winds Up Canceled, ABC Plans to Blame You,” said TV.com. The write-ups are proof that the ad is having its intended effect, stirring talk about the two-year-old series, though ABC declined to comment on the ad or on its larger strategy surrounding the show’s return on Friday from a two-month hiatus.

Friday is a new time slot for “Happy Endings,” and not an entirely comfortable one; television viewership is relatively low on Friday nights and shows are frequently canceled after short stays there. Savvy viewers know that, which might be why ABC took the “Save ‘Happy Endings’ ” tack with the ad that made its debut late last week.

Jezebel subsequently published a list of five reasons the show was worth saving. (Among them: “The characters are not always likable, but they are always lovable.”)

ABC is also relaying the “save the show” message with Internet ads. Nielsen ratings will determine whether it can be saved. Despite what the ad states, it might be too late: TV by the Numbers, a Web site that algorithmically assesses the chances that shows will be canceled, wrote of “Happy Endings” last week, “Fans are kidding themselves if they think ABC will renew it.”

A version of this article appeared in print on 03/25/2013, on page B6 of the NewYork edition with the headline: ABC Asks Fans to Save a Show .

Article source: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/24/abc-creates-commercial-to-save-its-happy-endings/?partner=rss&emc=rss