Berlin 2010

This is a summary of experiences had while studying in Berlin, Germany. The footage is blurry do to the format. A clearer copy is available upon request :) Enjoy!

Social Campaign in Germany

I was in the train station when I saw the Social Campaign billboard shown above. The campaign is titled “Alkohol? Kenn dein Limit” (translation: Alcohol? Know your Limit). Knowing your alcohol limit can be directed to the entire German population though this campaigns target market is Germans between 18 and 24. It appeals more to this audience because the models in the ads seem to belong to the age group as well.

On their website the main question or call to action is recognizing your limit. “Do you know your limit”? appears several times on the website. The website also paints several different scenarios a person could be in where they need to recognize their limit before ordering, with peers, and features a forum on drinking and football season. Under the before ordering tabs the audience member is introduced to ways to control their alcohol consumption. A unit converter is explained, there are cautions about mixed drinks, and also information on how to calculate how much you can drink according to your body. Under the peers tab it explains the different scenarios friends can be in where being under the influence is detrimental and the best ways to stay in the limit. The forum has posts from people expressing their feelings about the usage of alcohol during the World Cup.

I did not have access to a television so I am nut sure if this social campaign had any spots through the bigger mediums. I did wonder why I only saw these billboards at train stations. Then I learned that they took an “outdoor” approach to reach people on their way to public viewings. I think this is a good strategy. Public viewings in Germany are very popular, especially this season. I think with the country performing so well in the World Cup this campaign will reach more members in its target audience.

The colors on the website also matched the colors on the billboard which is great so not to distract or confuse any of the target market who actually visited the site. What they might improve is the color scheme. The background is black with yellow and white lettering this does not exactly pop out on a billboard. They may also want to consider the wordiness on the billboard. As you can see each model as words over their head, and the right side also has words. When in a rush, as audience members might be in a train station, this may be too much to take in at once. The idea should be to call to action the first time the campaign is seen. In this aspect they may also want to consider changing the appeal from logical to emotional and maybe scare people into action. An effective way to do this may be to show the scene of a horrible automobiles accident and simply put “Alkohol? Kenn dein Limit” along with the website.

With more work this could be a more effective social campaign. The campaign is still running, however there have only been seven posts to the forum which is a sign that the target market has not been reached. This is not to say that they have not seen the campaign but that the call to action is not strong.

Working with German Students

I am fortunate to not have any horror stories to report about working in groups with the German IMK students. During the first week when our client was the Berlin Welcome Card I was very sick and both members of my group were very understanding and sympathetic. We were all able to get long, get our project complete with time to spare, and we presented first and thought we did well.

The second week I worked with a German student whom I semi-knew from some nighttime outings. We were able to communicate effectively and without conflict. My other group member from the second week was a little quiet but did all the tasks designated to her and we also got our campaign done in a timely matter. The only issue I may have had was the lack of collaboration with the handout, which seems only natural because they are not graded on this part.

The final project I feel went by the smoothest. My two partners and I got off to a smooth start and we worked together efficiently to have an amazing final project. Their attitudes were some of the best at the IMK and Germany as a whole. I was also the happiest with this end result. I may have just simply gotten into the swing of things, but I think I can thank two easy-going partners for the wonderful third experience.

All in all, I can say my expectations for the group work were exceeded. I knew that we would be coming from totally different backgrounds and so I am pleasantly surprised that I did not have any truly terrible experience with language, and the differences between high and low context cultures. If I had to change anything about the way the German and American students collaborate I think it would be best to not tell the students who is getting graded on what. This way the Germans will care more about the handout and the Americans will care more about the PowerPoint. Other than that small critique I think the system works beautifully and that the two programs are compatible and I wish anyone else studying abroad in Berlin a great experience.

Globalization vs Westerization

In multicultural class one day we were having a discussion on Globalization and what it means. My thoughts are that Globalization is both negative and positive. The reason I think globalization is negative is because in most cases I believe this word is synonymous with westernization. There are countries where the natives are not being taught how to properly cultivate their land, or to build better education systems through infusion. In these cases I think we are not globalizing but westernizing by only pumping in our forms of media and entertainment. What I find so detrimental about this practice is that media and entertainment is so persuasive that we basically push the western way of doing things into these cultures. The effect is that they start looking at western practices as mainstream and the cultures of their country become sub culture.

To back this argument I will share personal experiences. When I was a little girl visiting Jamaica it always seemed like I was going to another country. As a grown woman visiting Jamaica, I feel like the island is more of an extension of the United States. I know a bias playing into my observation is that I grew accustomed to the Jamaican way of life but I feel I am watching as western mainstream media and entertainment slowly takes over the little island. As a girl I visited Jamaica and watched Jamaican plays on television with an antenna, the phone was shared between two residences, and people just seemed more proud of the island’s authenticity. As a woman visiting Jamaica, I watch what I want to watch on television via Dish Network, all my friends have BlackBerry’s and can’t tell me who sings a reggae song because “they only listen to American music.”

Some positive effects of globalization is that countries (including Jamaica) are more connected with other parts of the world, they become technologically advanced, and may also find themselves being introduced to things that may not have been possible leading to what some would call a better life.

There is no regulation for globalizing or westernizing other countries so if people don’t realize what is happening I fear customs, morals, and ethics will soon submerge into one meaning. The only way I see globalization not turning into westernization is through the people of developing countries. The people need to realize that their frame of reference is what makes them unique. That the things their country has to offer do not come second to anything the west has to offer.

I propose Public Service Announcements be disbursed through the countries media. They can be simple spots about loving where you come from, pride and patriotism. The purpose of the PSA’s will be to remind the younger generations of where they come from, and to not let their culture die with their generation. There will also be a call to action, A simple question at the end. (I will continue to use Jamaica as the example) Will you let Jamaica die with you? Or even a statement: Don’t let Jamaica die. I think it is important to keep the identity of every country so that history is not lost and people can maintain a sense of who they really are. With that said LONG LIVE JAMAICA!

Music in Berlin daily life

The music scene in Berlin is different but does share similarities to what I am used to in South Florida. In this blog when I write music scene, I am referring to the music that is played in the nightclubs I have visited. So far I have visited Carambar, the Palm Beach Club and Adigio.

I visited Carambar with Nadia (as seen above) and we both did not know what to expect. This was both of our first time in a Berlin club and we were shocked and pleasantly surprised to hear them playing the mixture they did. When we first walked to the dance floor they were playing the Black Eyed Peas so we knew that this DJ was at least playing some American music. Then he went on to play Jamaican music and Indian music, and of course topped if off with German chart-toppers.

I think it is a good strategy to play music from all over the world especially at Carambar because it is in a central tourist location (Alexanderplatz). It is a great strategy to keep the customers in a comfortable environment as well as leaving them open to party with all different cultures.

The Palm Beach club was more of a bar, but the night we went was Karaoke night. All the Germans in the establishment were singing American songs. The songs were not exactly recent but we were able to recognize them. This club was also located in Alexanderplatz so I wondered if all the nightclubs in the area have the same marketing strategy. Again the group I went with and myself were comfortable and were able to party alongside the locals.

The latest nightclub I’ve visited was Adigio. Walking into Adigio was like walking into one of the finer clubs in South Beach for a quarter of the price. The music here was a world mix but the American music played was very recent. I heard a song in Adigio that I hadn’t heard in the American clubs yet. The music played also reflected the crowd that was there as there were many different, shapes, colors, and orientations.

Of the nightclubs I visited it seems as if the strategy is to make everyone feel welcome and play music that agrees with the crowd. The Berlin DJ’s seem aware that there are tourists present in the crowd and they play music to keep everyone happy and moving their feet.

Advertising through non-traditional media

Berlin and South Florida have some of the same advertising mediums like billboards, posters, flyers, magazine ads, and more. Since I have been in Berlin however, I have been introduced to new forms of advertising. In my first impressions on advertising in Berlin blog I introduced the LED screen and interchanging posters with a backlight. Since those first impressions I have only seen one other form of advertising grasp my attention.

The strategy behind the placement for the running Oakley campaign is nothing short of spectacular. I am not the target audience for the campaign but I do think it catches the attention of women because of the models. The first time I noticed the ad I was in the Potsdamer Platz train station. I was walking by and I just saw an extremely handsome man. I walked a little further and I saw the same handsome man doing an extreme sport. Still walking, a close up of the same gorgeous man wearing Oakley shades. And as I walked further there was the last billboard of the handsome mans face in the background the Oakley logo with the advertised glasses and the word confident.

The next time I saw ads from this campaign I was in another train station. I noticed a strip of something on the steps while I was walking up them. I realized later that what I was seeing were little strips of an Oakley layout on the actual steps of the station (as seen above). The station walls were also plastered wit the Oakley campaigns.

What I like so much about the placement of the ads is that they are not in every train station. The train stations they are in however, the ads are all over. What I take away from this campaign is Extreme. All the “models” in the ads are from different extreme sports backgrounds and the placements of the ads in my opinion were very extreme. I mean you go from no Oakley ads to a station full of theme. That is extreme.

I think this tactic could be successful on a global scale. A campaign such as this could be successful in busy stations in New York, New York and all over the world just for raising awareness alone. This is an ad campaign that strategically went above and beyond the rest. This will be relevant for a long time and other marketers looking to show the general public their brand should copy this strategy.

Images of minorities in advertising

I have not seen many advertisements that I think portray minorities in a positive way. The only advertisement I saw that I felt called out to me was a large billboard in Alexanderplatz for the United Colors on Benetton. The rest of the advertisements with African or Black models seem stereotypical and borderline offensive. For example on the U bahn there was an advertisement with a dark skinned cartoon character, who had what looked like were African tattoo’s, huge lips, huge nose, and very closely resembling a monkey. Whatever the product was being advertised I would never buy, but then I thought maybe I am not in the target audience for that specific product.

After learning about marketing on a global, regional, and niche scale I can safely conclude there is no marketing targeted towards me in Berlin. I have seen people pf my color walking around this city, but I could probably count them on two hands. This is significant because in two weeks to see less than ten black people is a huge change from what I am used to. Suffice to say that the niche market (of black people) in Berlin is non-existent and because of this we are not marketed to.

Because the majority of Berlin’s population is fair skinned with blond hair it is most practical that ad campaigns are targeted to people who fit this description. Targeting specific physical features will be effective to native Berliners because they feel as if the ad is speaking directly to them. It is much more effective to sell clothing to a fair skinned, blonde haired girl when the girl in the advertisement has her same physical attributes.

Even on the plane from Duesseldorf to Berlin, I was flipping through a magazine and came across a four page spread for Jon Frieda. The first page is text only and it reads “Blond is nicht gleich blond.” The next pages are of a blonde woman and then different pictures of blonde hair and blonder hair. The third page in English it says “Go lighter. Go brighter. You’re a blonde. You can do anything you want.” This is a regional campaign because the magazine it was in (Joy) is not only published in Berlin. It is my guess that this ad will get a lot of attention and interest as well as desire from the group of women in this specific it is marketed to.

The strategy with this particular John Frieda (as seen above) campaign is the same as the various campaigns around Berlin. There is no market for minorities in this area so there is no immediate need to market to this niche. My suggestion however is to keep in mind that though there are few minorities that does not mean there are none. Models of color can easily be placed with “mainstream models” and then you can have a campaign that speaks to more than one target group and that also has the potential to be global.