Four days ago, a YouTube video from DollarShaveClub.com went on a hot streak reminiscent of the Old Spice “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign. Company CEO Michael Dubin introduces viewers to the Dollar Shave Club concept (a subscription service for razor blades) in an irony-heavy video set in the company warehouse. What’s interesting about the success of the video is that it signals something about the kind of brand communication that will work moving forward. This video is packed with two things: information about what makes the product different (a combination of price and convenience) and jokes that make it worth spreading. Read more

Near the end of Jason Reitman’s 2009 film Up In The Air, corporate downsizer Ryan Bingham, played by George Clooney, achieves a nearly unprecedented status: ten million frequent flyer miles. To celebrate, the chief pilot of the airline joins him mid-flight and they share a toast. The chief, played by The Big Lebowski’s Sam Elliott, offers Ryan simple congratulations, “We value your loyalty.” But do they? Do they even know how to value it?

If you spend a day shopping, you’ll repeatedly hear the question, “Are you a member of our loyalty program?” Loyalty programs are expanding, which is not surprising given that today’s highly competitive marketplace has made having one a no-brainer. Most, even the most ill-conceived, tend to produce small, single-digit gains which, at scale can add up to hundreds of millions of dollars. Of course, loyalty can mean different things to different people. To industry insiders, loyalty largely means how often consumers visit and how much they spend. But loyalty is also an emotional state, one that is earned (not bought), and based on real world experiences.

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File under: “smart media buys.” Kudos to Chevy for a simple yet ingenious campaign for Volt. “Chevy Volt Journey” takes straightforward frames and expandable banners and turns them on their head with a branded content journey across the Federated Media network. Forget microsites and configurators and give the people what they want: great content.

Two lessons: first, make your media dollars do something for your target audience, not just for you; second, look to inspiration from currently successful digital things when you design your own.

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It’s been a bumpy year for streaming entertainment. The players that established the space on upstart momentum have been faced with the harsh realities of their chosen business model.

First, the Netflix meltdown. While speculation about what actually happened behind the scenes persists, one thing is clear: this streaming gorilla lost some major steam in 2011 and may have permanently damaged its otherwise stellar reputation with customers and shareholders alike.

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