Positive Associations (or how Sacrum had it right all along)

You know Scorsese won an Oscar, don't you?

The Departed was a bloody good film, as well. However, I mention this now because, as a result of the film, I've begun to listen to the Dropkick Murphys a lot more (listen to their Live on St Patrick's Day album; it is fantastic).

And it's because of a very significant scene in the film (If you've not seen it, I won't spoil it for you) that features a DKM song that I heard of them.

The same was true of Jose Gonzalez and Heartbeats, the song on the Sony 'Balls' spot.

Now, wouldn't it be nice if brand associations were like this - you see/hear/experience something you like, so you are willing to part with a bit more money or buy that brand ahead of another in a very generic marketplace..

Now, I'm fairly sure the latter, if one is willing to participate in the branded entertainment (and by that I mean games/entertainments the brand has actively put on - not sponsored or Godawful 'branded entertainment' with brand names being namedropped as quickly and easily as a drizzly shower in the Midlands) is effective at getting people most of the way to wanting to purchase the brand's product.

The other two aren't. I cannot remember many radio ads at the best of times (barring one amusing estate agent about about the customers 'coming' first - to give you an idea, it features the odd spot of bedroom gymnastics, lovingly recorded on the ad), and brand specifics are hard to remember in the vast majority of TV spots I watch (and I take an active interest in this stuff - God knows what it must be like for the average punter).

Give someone something to experience, or target your ads properly; ads aren't like songs - you don't instantly seek them out, unless it's: a) incredibly well targeted or b) offering you something to try/a obvious point of difference.

Then you too can be experiencing brand warmness (cheers Sacrum):

If Sacrum & Colman united...

PLUS

EQUALS:

A very funny chain email I've received, as I'm sure you all have. Just note the surname and the writing style, and there you have it (though I wasn't aware Paul had any African brothers) :

FROM MR MILIK COLMAN BILL & EXCHANGE MANAGER/ AUDITING.AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK(ADB)BURKINA-FASO WEST AFRICA.

My Dear,

I am the bill and exchange manager at FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT,In my department we discovered an abandoned sum of U.S $10.5million US dollars, TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS in an account that belonged to one of our foreign customers who died along with his entire family in a plane crash.

Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his next of kin to come over and claim his money because we cannot release it unless somebody applies for it as next of kin or a business associate to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidlines and laws, but unfortunately we learnt that all his supposed next of kin or relation died alongside with him at the plane crash leaving nobody behind for the claim.

It is therefore upon this discovery that I now decided to make this business proposal to you so that the bank can release the money to you as the next of kin or a business associate to the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement since nobody is coming for it and I don't want this money to go into the bank treasury as unclaimed bill.

Since the bank law and guidline here stipulates that if such money remained unclaimed after Six years the money will be transfered into the bank treasury as unclaimed fund.The request of foreigner as next of kin in this business is occassioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and a Burkinabe cannot stand as next of kin.

I agree that 40% of this money will be for you as a foreign partner, in respect to the provision of a foreign account, 10% will be set aside for expenses incured during the usiness and 50% would be for me and my Family.

There after I and my Family will visit your country for disbursement according to the percentages indicated and for some possible investment under your kind control.Therefore, to enable the immediate transfer of this fund to you as arranged,you must apply first to the bank as a business associate or next of kin of the deceased person.

1. Your Full Names and Address. 2. Direct Telephone and Fax numbers.

please i will like this transaction to be strictly between you and i Upon receipt of your reply, I will start by giving to you the application which you will fill and send to the bank.
I will not fail to bring to your notice that this transaction is that you should not entertain any atom of fear as all required arrangements have been made for the transfer.You should contact me immediately as soon as you receive this mail,

Trusting to hear from you immediately, Yours faithfully

Milik Colman.

Jetlagged..

Soon I will post more. But now I must sleep. Alabama was fun; sadly, I didn't make it to Baton Rouge or Nawlins, but ne'er mind.

Oh, and in my brief scan of the blogs - Sacrum is bloody brilliant. Hope the Naked experiment goes well. I want to be Sacrum's friend.