It's time to move beyond stereotypes

By Diana Lopez Negrete



Kraft Foods recently debuted a series of television ads for its Athenos Hummus line that are not only sexist but also blatantly racist. However, according to a Chicago Tribune online poll, people are not offended by the ads. In fact, the Chicago Sun Times gave the ads a B+, saying that they are “creative” and “provocative.” To which I wonder, did someone receive a big box of Athenos Hummus to try?

I find this type of marketing to be not only irresponsible, but also dated. Relying on cultural stereotypes and sexism as sources of humor is offensive and, frankly, boring. Ads in this vein are not “provocative” or “creative,” but rather, unoriginal in developing ideas and provoking a media response. Not only that, they lack an ability to connect with the audience on a deeper level.

Call me crazy, but the "Yiayia on Fashion" ad really does not have me running to the store to purchase Athenos Hummus. In fact, it's trite and sexist. I certainly do not want my hummus purchase to remind me that my grandmother thinks I look like a "prostitute." Typically, when I host a party for my friends, money is not exchanged for sexual favors. Rather, we laugh and tell jokes over wine, cheese, and maybe some hummus. However, I might re-think that purchase at this point.



As for the "Yiayia on Parenting" ad (above), why is being called “wife” emasculating? Is it because a man’s place is in the office and a woman’s is in the home? What is this, 1955? Should I wear an apron to class as well? As more and more women choose having a career over staying home, someone has to raise the children, be it their father, a family member, or a nanny. If a man chooses to stay at home with his children, more power to him.

In 2011, it's sad to see that cultural and gender stereotypes continue to be perpetuated in ad campaigns. We live in an incredibly diverse world with so much rich material to draw from. Racism and sexism have been done. If I could insert an eye roll here, I would.

What Kraft should have done is eschew these stereotype-laden ads for something more creative. To those people who think they are “provocative” I must ask: why do you consider racism and sexism provocative? A little more creativity on Kraft's part would have gone a long way.

Diana Lopez Negrete is a student in the Masters in Integrated Marketing Communications program at Northwestern University’s Medill School. She can be reached at dianalopez2011@u.northwestern.edu.

Marcom this week: From A to zinc – 1/21/11 edition

From the New York Times’ paywall announcement to Steve Jobs’ medical leave of absence, here is a look at what made headlines this week in the integrated marketing communications industry.

New York Times Will Charge
Nonsubscribers for Access
Beginning by the end of this month, the New York Times will charge nonsubscribers less than $20 a month for full access to its Web content. The yet-to-be-announced price will strategically fall below the paper’s $19.99 a month subscription rate on Amazon’s Kindle. Users will be able to read a certain number of articles free each month; to read more, the reader must pay a flat fee for unlimited access. The paywall will provide the paper with a needed revenue stream in the face of dropping ad sales; however, yet to be determined is whether this fee will chase away readers. Signs seem to point to no, as the pay structure should have little effect on light readers, and loyal readers will most likely hand over the money to ensure uninterrupted access.

The New York Times is not the first paper to initiate a paywall, nor will it be the last. Which media outlets do you think will be next?

Can Apple Survive Without Jobs?
It was a week of highs and lows for Apple. On Monday, the company’s CEO Steve Jobs announced his third medical leave of absence. The following day, Apple announced it sold 7.33 million iPads during the first quarter of its 2011 fiscal year, bringing total sales to nearly 15 million. This is an impressive feat considering the tablet category did not yet exist a year ago. However, Apple’s string of hits, including the iTouch, iPhone and MacBook Air, are a reminder of the important role Apple's CEO plays in the company’s innovation process. In the near term, Jobs’ absence should not hinder Apple’s success. However, with the rapid pace of new product introductions, it is imperative the company keep its innovation process moving ahead at full speed.

Despite “Golden Voice,” Kraft Ad Is Flat
The much-anticipated Kraft Macaroni & Cheese commercial featuring Ted Williams – the homeless man with the golden voice – debuted this week. Unfortunately, amidst all the hype and fanfare the TV ad fell flat. Yes, Williams’ voice added some punch to what would otherwise have been a traditional mac ‘n cheese ad. And, yes, the commercial has become a viral sensation, garnering more than 700,000 views and snagging the No. 6 spot on the Viral Video Chart. But despite a captive audience, the ad did nothing to position Kraft as a forward-thinking brand. Rather, the spot, created by Crispin Porter & Bogusky, reinforces age-old stereotypes of wives cooking in the kitchen and insensitive husbands coming home with last-minute dinner guests. We learn from the ad that Kraft’s Homestyle Macaroni & Cheese is a quick dinner solution, but the brand clearly missed an opportunity to tell us something more.




Marcom this week: From A to zinc is compiled by the Vitamin IMC editorial team. They can be reached at vitaminimc@gmail.com. Miss your vitamins last week? Visit January 14's “Marcom This Week.”

The next Susan Boyle?

By Katie Lombardi

Thumbs up to Kraft for hiring Ted Williams, now deemed “the Homeless Man with a Golden Voice.”

Kraft made a smart move. Williams has signed on to be the voice for Kraft’s new mac and cheese TV commercials. Williams has a great voice but his life story and the random discovery of this homeless man are the more compelling aspects about him. What American doesn’t love a good comeback story and a bowl of macaroni and cheese?

The original video received 4.5 million hits on YouTube in just two days.



Now that Williams is making it big thanks to The Columbus Dispatch and YouTube, maybe more companies should look to viral stars to promote their brands. Check out a few popular YouTube videos (and potential missed opportunities) that people loved to watch but whose stars failed to score a deal.

David after dentist
Why isn’t David pictured on a Crest for Kids toothpaste package?

“Is this real life?”

Yes David, it is! Real life includes going to the dentist and hey, it can be fun.



Charlie bit my finger – again!
These kids are so cute, especially the older one with his British accent. Surely these kids can sell something.



Hahaha
Potential E*TRADE cameo? Gerber? Pampers? Anyone? A laughing baby is right up there with an adorable puppy dog – it’s hard to go wrong.



Katie Lombardi is a student in the Masters in Integrated Marketing Communications program at Northwestern University’s Medill School and can be reached at katherinelombardi2011@u.northwestern.edu.

Worth your wit? Zing it!

Miracle Whip has been adding a little zip to people’s lives since 1933 when it was introduced at the Chicago World’s Fair. In recent years the zesty condiment hasn’t had a strong following from young consumers. To capture the 18 to 35-year-old segment Miracle Whip created its “We are Miracle Whip and we will not tone it down” campaign. 

Miracle Whip recently launched a branded social application as part of its bold, new campaign. The spunky app is aptly named Zingr and allows users to zing almost anything on the web. Zing notices are automatically posted to Facebook and Twitter with a link to the zinged page so all your friends can view your witty remarks. 

Will Zingr be a success? The Zingr application fits with the current messaging and shows consumers that Miracle Whip is a modern brand. With Zingr, Miracle Whip is meeting consumers where they are and offering them a value-add application. Zingr’s blend of fun, interaction, and uniqueness with a touch of sarcasm is likely to appeal to the target audience. The Facebook fan page already has over 400 fans and Zingr was featured in Ad Week. Zingr has yet to be covered by Mashable, but that may be a good thing due to the Mashable Effect (Mashable mentions your site and Mashable’s numerous and eager fans all flock to the site at the same time. This overloads the site causing it to crash or load very slowly). 

However, there are a few barriers to success. Zingr requires a download and only works in Firefox. Miracle Whip decided to launch a beta version, but made it accessible to everyone instead of just a few special testers. Users have already posted issues to the fan page. Currently, one of the main issues is that it’s not working on Macs. Experiencing errors and having to read long posts about how to use what should be a simple application could turn users off and halt the hype before it really takes off. 

Miracle Whip definitely has the first mover advantage with the launch of Zingr. However, do they have the right balance of ‘speed to market’ vs. ‘perfected product’? Let us know your thoughts and tell us about your experience with Zingr by leaving a comment below. 

--Marina Molenda