Levy's Rye and why digital must revive the art (and craft) of great "grab-ya" headline writing

Where are today’s great ad headlines?  Rarely do we see punchy, clever, few-word "grab-ya' wonders like those created by the real Mad Men (and women) of the 1960’s – 70’s. One of the all-time classic print ad campaigns was for Levy’s Rye Bread, the work of ad legend Bill Bernbach.  Bernbach had equal admiration for art and word, and back in the mid-60's he was one of the first to assign copywriters and art directors in teams. Previously, art and copy worked in different departments!

The Levy’s campaign, "You don't have to be Jewish to love Levy's," is a fantastic example of instant “I get it, I love it” communication. The ad series ran in magazines and newspapers and also as eye-popping transit posters so iconic and beloved that you can buy reproductions today on Amazon. 

The immediacy of the Levy’s copy makes it a great model for anyone working in digital communications. The world is infinitely faster and more distracted than it was in Bill Bernbach’s heyday, but three fundamentals for effective selling and storytelling still stand: Simplicity; Clarity; Creativity.  

Nowadays it's too easy to lose the message amid digital's bells and whistles. Mr. Bernbach never let execution interfere with his marketing mission and nor should we. Indeed, Bill's philosophy is incredibly timely, "If your advertising goes unnoticed, everything else is academic!" 

Can Ad Agencies Pitch Big Brands on Transmedia?

Y&R's "Whole Egg" - ready to hatch after +30 years ?  

Today, more and more filmmakers are pitching projects with transmedia adaptations. In the current issue of Canadian Screenwriter Magazine, columnist Kelli Ann Benz writes,  “Now, when you come with your series idea, [funding agencies look at how] you are taking it digital too – engaging web sites, web series, computer games, alternative reality games, social media sites, blogging, geo caching, whatever!”

What about big-time brand marketers?  Transmedia adaptations seem a logical next step for big consumer brands with well-developed digital programs. The question is, can traditional ad-centric agencies pitch (and deliver) transmedia campaigns? After all, transmedia requires an interdisciplinary approach and talent from inside and outside the typical ad organization. Until now the territorial nature of the ad business has made such collaborations difficult to pull off.

In the 1970’s, Y&R’s chief Ed Ney introduced a visionary concept called “Whole Egg” – a blueprint for the one-stop super ad shop capable of integrating advertising services with other marketing specialties, such as direct marketing, public relations, sales promotion, and more.  Indeed, Y&R acquired a stable full of best-in class specialty firms like Wunderman, Ricotta & Kline, and Burson Marsteller, yet the spirit of “Whole Egg” was never fully realized. Perhaps it will be now. The digital age demands integrated thinking and resources, and Y&R (now part of WPP) has plenty to work with right in the family. 

TV show's transmedia centered around mobile?

UK’s Living TV has commissioned Candyspace Media, a London-based mobile and multichannel digital agency, to create a transmedia campaign around new TV drama Bedlam.  

Candyspace is best-known for its mobile expertise, but a look at its website and case studies reveals an impressive mix of capabilities for creating seamless digital experiences.The firm is working with Living TV’s marketing team, creative agency The Brooklyn Brothers and media agency Manning Gottlieb, to devise an integrated campaign including print, digital, social media and mobile.  

Tom Thorne of Candyspace says there will be opportunities for digital interaction during the show’s broadcast, possibly with subplots that viewers can access on other platforms. One example: the phone rings in the story, but the viewer can only hear the conversation on a mobile device or online. 

Savage County, MTV's new horror flick, offers transmedia experience

Just in time for Halloween … leave it to MTV to offer up another great transmedia project. Savage County is a grim slasher-style horror film with an interactive web-based game component that expands the narrative with rich character and story details, plus imbedded clues on the Savage County “trailhead”, Facebook, Twitter, and more. Also in the mix: a variety of sharing tools for fans, as well as an iPhone and iPad app – all under the direction of award-winning transmedia creator Nina Bargiel. For details be sure to read Liz Shannon Miller’s recent post on gigaom .

Savage County director and MTV new media producer David Harris said a significant portion of the marketing budget has gone into creating the transmedia experience, which began online a week ago. Savage County was initially developed as a web series. However, if MTV’s current  Eventful Demand campaign succeeds in amassing 100,000 fans the film will be televised in October. (As of this morning the project has signed up nearly 83,000 fans and several upcoming email blasts should hit the 100K mark). 

Disney's transmedia push to satisfy content hungry, tech-savvy kids

It’s no surprise Disney is moving quickly into transmedia marketing.  Brand Disney is all about creativity and storytelling, after all, plus a huge chunk of its fan base consists of young digital and social media natives. Worth reading on Forbes.com:  Brandon Gutman's Q&A with Paul Yanover, EVP & Managing Director of Disney Online.  Yanover talks about the company's push to develop new and innovative ways to create content across multiple platforms, especially mobile devices like  iPod touch and Nintendo DS. 

Movie biz faces new competition from transmedia narratives

Alternative media and innovative multi-platform storytelling are set to challenge a complacent film industry, blogged Jeremy Kay, a Los Angeles-based film writer, on today’s guardian.co.uk. He writes that movie attendance slipped this summer, due to weaker film narratives and increased competition from video games, Facebook, graphic novels, and strong original programming on cable TV (and widespread use of large-format TV screens).  Kay expects movie studios will need to respond with better film material, including sub-storylines developed especially for transmedia programs.  

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