Beyond Urban Branding

Anyone who travels a lot may have heard these words "Flight ABC is overbooked. We are offering a $$$ for anyone willing to give up their flight and book on a later flight". Typically this announcement is done while we are all waiting to board our flight, usually people just either look at the ground and ignore the request or others look around at each other to see who is going to jump at the offer. Usually there is someone who can afford to miss their flight, but it is rare to see someone jump up and take the first offer. The airlines often have to sweeten the pot to get someone to accept being bumped and flying out later. So I guess my opening helps point out what the first mistake made by United Airlines was on the ill-fated day when a paying customer was beaten and drag off the plane . For those of you who do not know what happened, let me sum it up. The week of April 10th United Airlines employees assisted passengers as they boarded the plane. Passengers played the ove...

Wow!! I love this trailer. I want this game. NOW!!

Billy Johnson Jr. : Usher is working on what will likely be the biggest video of his career. As part of a Pepsi Challenge campaign that kicks off Tuesday, the singer will incorporate his fans in the project in two different ways. Beginning Tuesday through June 2, fans can submit photos of themselves to  PepsiChallenge.com . Usher will select a winner who will have the opportunity to meet him on the set of his accompanying short film to be released this fall. Usher asks entrants to, “Show me your world through your eyes in only a way that you can see it. The realer, the better. The more honest, the more creative.” Read full story

"My Limo" by Da Rich Kidzz K Mart really did a good thing. When I was a kid, they used to tease you by saying your clothes came from K Mart. So K Mart flipped the strategy, reframed ads around good clothes at a good price and HIT BIG with these ads. I love them all. Not just because they used all kinds of kids, but they let a Black girl with dark skin have a prominent role in the ad. Thats huge.  The sad thing is, a lot of super racist and bad comments flooded the youtube channel. Reminds you that everybody is not ready for diversity. But we are, and thats what matters. Great strategy, well executed....one of my favorite ad campaigns of the year. 

So powerful, this is it. This is why we get up, this is why we eat good, this is why we train, this is why we dream big. This is why we fight so hard on the field. I love this add!!!

This is so great. I have the original poster from the first Run DMC shoes.

This is easily my favorite Jay Z song. It is so powerful. As big as he ism I feel many of his more recent fans do not understand the depth of his lyricism and ability. Budweiser made a great choice in choosing him. Nobody in rap is as big ass Jay Z right now. Everything connected to him is winning. There is no better artist to be associate with. This ad is done crisp and clean. Nothing super flashy, just the feeling of almost being there...Feeling like you are a part of it...Solid....Somebody asked me if I think anybody will buy what he drinks cause of this ad. The answer, is YES! Here is the original version:

I know a lot about this trend. I was a teenager when it was unfolding. This was an amazing time. The cross-cultural dynamic of football and Hip-Hop has never been the same.

John Travolta in a Brazilian rum ad.

I remember when this was "not art"...now look.

I did not expect the response from the people taking the order.

Well played Holiday Inn- well played...

Easily Nicki Minaj is arguably the biggest thing in urban branding for women possibly ever. This is proof. I can't say I love her music, but I do love her ads and respect her business mind and team.

I love this ad. I've been seeing this trend lately. Brands use old soul songs, what served as the foundation for classic rap hits from the late 80's and early 90's. Doing this helps you in several ways: 1) You wont be explicitly binding your brand to a rap demographic, but STILL get the benefits of getting a deeper resonation in those that do know it. 2) You introduce younger potential customers to old soul and get them to identify YOUR brand with that classic. 3) Older techies won't see it as connected to rap at all. Thats a 3'fer!! I bet Bill Gates is hitting switches right now in his 64... This song was used in one of the biggest rap albums of all time... I can almost promise you, the folks in this video are almost ALL parents....LOL

Lebron & Dwight  McDonalds Ad in India   Teyonnah Parris

I love DJ Delz, he has so much love for shoes....Study guys like him. He represents one of millions of people that really love shoes....enjoy!

Latinas in ads have been really exploding. Here are a few...I will post more soon...But Eva Mendez, J-Lo and Sofia Vergara are doing it BIG in the game right now...I don't see this trend stopping any time soon.... Mendes and Pantene J-lo and Fiat Vergara and K-Mart

This Walmart phone ad is great. Kinda flips the script on who is rich these days...Gotta love the little green Android guy to. He's cute. 

This is a great ad. Playing off the cult classic Hangover, this ad really is cool. I was shocked to see it came out about a year ago. I think this could have gotten much greater buzz if it was shared more aggressively.