Our team helps brands, their agencies and nonprofit organizations by assessing the business value of celebrities, negotiating smart partnerships and activating each program. We provide fast and accurate information and recommend talent based on many factors including their relevance, points of differentiation and cost. The results of our work are seen as television commercials, webisodes, publicity programs, YouTube posts, celebrity seeding, social media » Read More
Once again, Masters week is upon us. Though Round one doesn't start until Thursday, you can expect constant coverage all week. Below is our list of handles and hashtags to follow, apps to download and where to watch for all the scoop and real-time updates on what's happening on and off the course.
WHO TO FOLLOW: The Players Aaron Baddeley (@AaronBadds) Bubba Watson (@bubbawatson) Charl Schwartzel (@CA_Schwartzel) Dustin Johnson (has withdrawn) (@DJohnsonPGA) Henrik Stenson (@henrikstenson) Hunter Mahan (@HunterMahan) Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) Justin Rose (@JustinRose99) Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) Rickie Fowler (@RickieFowlerPGA) Rory McIlroy (@McilroyRory) Stewart Cink (@stewartcink) Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) Webb Simpson (@WebbSimpson1) Zach Johnson (@ZachJohnsonPGA)
Tomorrow marks the official start of the 75th annual Masters Golf Tournament, where 99 of the world's greatest golfers are invited to compete. Here's our list of "Who to Follow" for the inside scoop and real-time updates on what's happening on and off the green in Augusta.
And I'll be tweeting live from Augusta over the weekend (though not on course where cell phones and PDAs are strictly prohibited. If caught, you are kicked out of the Tournament and you lose your Masters Badge). (@david_schwab)
The Organizations
The Players
The Analysts
Phil Mickelson, 2010 Masters Winner
Television coverage will be shared by CBS and ESPN and continuous streaming has already started on Masters.com.
Regarding this morning's "celebrity marketing" piece in Advertising Age.....I find it incredibly short sighted. Simply put, the research person writing the article didn't ask any of the brands in the article what "defines success" in their particular campaigns. Brands use celebrities and talent for a number of reasons; differentiation, publicity, increase sales, credibility, reputation and more. Basing success and failure on "lift" isn't right (I am not saying that all celebrity + brands ads work, I am just stating that using this measurement as the sole guide would be a mistake. It is a great publicity piece for the research company in measuring lift (and if your brand measures program metrics that way, I would use them.
Let's assume a key metric was just "brand exposure", let's see how much each of these brands get today (e.g., Radio Shack, Nationwide, Macy's, etc.).
Also - advertising may be only one component of the celebrity + brand partnership too à media relations, social media, hospitality, corporate speaking, direct mail, marketing collateral, POS/POP, outdoor advertising, radio, print, etc. Here are 40 ways you can use a celebrity in marketing efforts.
One of the comments on the page "rick from pittsburgh" says it perfectly -
This argument is too simplistic. Good ad ideas make good ads, whether they have a celebrity in them or not. If the advertiser assumes the celebrity, by virtue of being a celebrity, is going to do all of the persuading, then shame on them. But blaming the celebrity as the cause for weak advertising is simply an elementary conclusion. A bad ad is a bad ad. Choosing the right celebrity for the right message can still create magic. This is hardly CMO material, AdAge....more like a college intern point of view.
PS - Here is an article I penned for Advertising Age several years ago about choosing the right celebrity (I mean influencer).
PPS- Maybe the researcher should have also asked all of Tiger Woods partners about his overall impact for their brands (so called lift) the past 10 years and not just the past 12 months.
Your thoughts?
Monday, November 29
GMA: Natalie Portman, New York Times reporter David Rohde
Today Show: Kardashian sisters, Aaron Sanchez, Rachel Uchitel and Dr. Drew, Katie Brown, Michael Buble
David Letterman: Steve Martin, Emily Deschanel (R 11/5/10)
Jay Leno: Bill Cosby, Atticus Shaffer
Jimmy Kimmel: Ben Affleck, David Sedaris, Nicki Minaj
Craig Ferguson: Michael Sheen, Michael Franti
Jimmy Fallon: Lewis Black, Elvis Costello (R 11/5/10)
Carson Daly: Morgan Spurlock, Buff Monster, Kate Nash (R 10/8/10)
Tavis Smiley: Ron Isley
Daily Show: Judah Friedlander
Colbert Report: Dan Savage
Chelsea Lately: John Stamos, Heather McDonald, Josh Wolf, Ross Mathews
Conan O'Brien: George Lopez, Chris Colfer, Kid Cudi
Lopez Tonight: Zachary Levi, Perez Hilton, 3OH!3
The View: Kim, Kourtney & Khloe Kardashian, Susan Boyle
The Talk: Natalie Cole, Laura Innes
Regis and Kelly: Jabbawockeez, Joel McHale, David Copperfield, Nicki Minaj
Ellen DeGeneres: Alyson Hannigan, Rascal Flatts, 5-year-old hip-hop artist Miles Brown
Tuesday, November 30
GMA: Author Patricia Cornwell, Vincent Cassel, D.L. Hughley
Early Show: Models from the "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show", Tiger Wood's alleged mistress Rachel Uchitel
Today Show: Bob Saget
David Letterman: Rescued Chilean miner Edison Peya, Tracy Morgan (R 11/4/10)
Jay Leno: Chelsea Handler, Kellan Lutz, Rod Stewart
Jimmy Kimmel: Magic Johnson, Autumn Reeser, Miguel
Craig Ferguson: D.J. Qualls, Salman Rushdie
Jimmy Fallon: Zach Galifianakis, Danny Boyle, Kid Cudi (R 11/3/10)
Carson Daly: Serj Tankian, Ben Weasel, Broken Bells (R 10/12/10)
Tavis Smiley: Natalie Cole, Darren Aronofsky
Daily Show: TBA
Colbert Report: Tom Vilsack
Chelsea Lately: Flo Rida, Jo Koy, Mo Mandel, Sarah Colonna
Conan O'Brien: Charles Barkley, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Bo Burnham
Lopez Tonight: Bill Cosby, Angela Kinsey, Atomic Tom
The View: Bob Saget
The Talk: Denise Richards
Regis and Kelly: Jimmy Kimmel, cast members from "Jersey Boys", Cheryl Burke & Derek Hough
Ellen DeGeneres: Eva Mendes, Mindy Kaling, Flo Rida
Wednesday, December 1
GMA: Andrea Bocelli, author Anne Rice
Today Show: Kate Gosselin, Martha Stewart
David Letterman: Jim Carrey, Nicki Minaj (R 11/18/10)
Jay Leno: Mitt Romney, Darius Rucker
Jimmy Kimmel: Kate Bosworth, Larry King, Greg Fitzsimmons
Craig Ferguson: Regis Philbin, Greg Proops, Nellie McKay
Jimmy Fallon: Bruce Springsteen (R 11/16/10)
Carson Daly: Frank Darabont, Matt Sax, Ra Ra Riot (R 10/29/10)
Tavis Smiley: Gary Hart
Daily Show: Sting
Colbert Report: Michelle Rhee
Chelsea Lately: Cee-Lo Green, Chris Franjola, Chris Hardwick, Natasha Leggero
Conan O'Brien: Joel McHale, Tim Gunn, Cake
Lopez Tonight: Charles Barkley, Brandy, Cee-Lo Green
The View: David Hasselhoff, Sheryl Crow
The Talk: Jada Pinkett Smith, Molly Ringwald
Regis and Kelly: Selena Gomez, Terry Fator, the cast of "Sinatra: Dance With Me"
Ellen DeGeneres: Ben Affleck, Bethenny Frankel, Cee-Lo Green
Thursday, December 2
GMA: Nicole Kidman, author Salman Rushdie
Early Show: KT Tunstall
David Letterman: Michael J. Fox, Shaun White, a Top Ten List presented by Amar'e Stoudemire (R 10/29/10)
Jay Leno: Jane Fonda, Ian Somerhalder
Jimmy Kimmel: Terry Bradshaw, Alyson Hannigan, Darius Rucker
Craig Ferguson: Cedric the Entertainer, Norah Jones
Jimmy Fallon: Tracy Morgan, Dick Cavett, Kings of Leon (R 11/12/10)
Carson Daly: Judah Friedlander, Harald Belker, School of Seven Bells (R 11/1/10)
Tavis Smiley: Hilary Swank
Colbert Report: David Stockman
Chelsea Lately: Kate Bosworth, Matt Braunger, John Caparulo, Diablo Cody
Conan O'Brien: Kim, Kourtney & Khloe Kardashian, Kevin Nealon, Deerhunter
Lopez Tonight: Mario Lopez
The View: Nicole Kidman, Nora Ephron
The Talk: Kim, Kourtney & Khloe Kardashian
Regis and Kelly: Howie Mandel, Rod Stewart
Ellen DeGeneres: Ewan McGregor, Mandy Moore
Friday, December 3
GMA: Wilson Phillips, chef Jamie Oliver, Animal Planet's Maggie Gallant
Early Show: Chef Katie Lee
Today Show: Lidia and Joe Bastianich
David Letterman: Cher, Bruno Mars (R 11/11/10)
Jay Leno: Louis C.K., Aron Ralston
Craig Ferguson: Ewan McGregor, Shannon Woodward
Jimmy Fallon: Dana Carvey, Jason Hawes & Grant Wilson, GWAR (R 10/28/10)
Carson Daly: Craig Robinson, First Ascent, Built to Spill (R 11/3/10)
Tavis Smiley: Quincy Jones
Chelsea Lately: Dane Cook, Ben Gleib, Jo Koy, Kevin Hart (R 11/23/10)
The View: Kirsten Dunst, Dr. Lindsey Duncan, Badgley Mischka
The Talk: Vanessa Williams, Tim Gunn
Regis and Kelly: Zac Efron, Wilmer Valderrama, 3OH!3 (R)
Ellen DeGeneres: Hilary Swank, Mila Kunis, Adele
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Octagon First Call's comments appear in two associated press stories surrounding Tiger Woods' image one year out from his scandal last Thanksgiving. Take a look at the excerpts below:
The prologue to the 97th Tour de France begins tomorrow in Rotterdam - cyclists from all over the world will gather to start a grueling race covering three weeks, 20 stages and 3,642 kilometers. As fans have come to expect, there will be one athlete who stands out from the rest: Lance Armstrong, whose name has become synonymous with the event. Like Michael Phelps, Apolo Ohno and Tiger Woods, Armstrong is among the elite group of athletes who have transcended their sport, evidenced by his immense and diverse list of endorsement deals and sponsorships. With the announcement that 2010 will be his final Tour, it seems an appropriate time to reflect on the deals that make Armstrong one of the most marketable athletes in history.
After Lance defeated cancer and emerged as the most dominant force in the cycling world, Nike launched Livestrong. The brand is more than just yellow wristbands and trendy sportswear - Nike now sponsors marathons, bike races, sweepstakes and websites that raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Most recently, Nike hosted the "Lance in France" sweepstakes, in which fans could donate to the Foundation for the chance to travel to see him race this summer. Several other Armstrong sponsors have latched onto the brand as well. Giro now sells yellow helmets and Oakley is producing yellow sunglasses. Armstrong is a spokesman (along with recent NBA champion Derek Fisher) and part-owner of FRS Healthy Energy, who is donating a portion of all beverage sales to the Foundation.
Lance Armstrong hopes to capture his 8th Tour victory this year.
Armstrong's deals aren't all yellow - several of them are green. He provides tips for "greener living" on Clear2o's website and is promoting Nissan's new car, LEAP, which is emission-free. This is fitting, as reducing the race's environmental impact is a focus for this year's Tour. The cycling star also appears in Michelob Ultra's "Live Life to the Ultra" TV ads, and is sponsored by Radio Shack (he will appear in four new TV spots for the store). SRAM and Trek bikes will also provide Lance's Tour equipment.
With his athletic prowess (7 Tour wins), compelling personal story (defeating cancer) and Hollywood connections (Sheryl Crow), it's easy to understand his appeal to brands (and ultimately to millions of fans).
Octagon First Call's comments and expert opinions have been featured in stories on a variety of recent sports and entertainment stories. Take a look at some of the most recent features below.
In honor of Tiger Woods' first public statement since his Thanksgiving Day scandal, we've taken a look back at four past stars who've previously struggled through controversy and become marketable again.
Unlike some of the above, the public had come to believe that Tiger was a clean-cut, ‘family man'... so his unexpected discovery could make it even more challenging to bounce back from. Time will tell if he can bounce back from this and come back as a marketable personality again.
The article featured thoughts from First Call as well (below). Enjoy...
David Schwab, vice president and managing director of Octagon First Call, a celebrity-marketing arm of Interpublic, says that refusing major corporations a greater say in morals clauses "has become a deal breaker." He adds that the James deal is "good for the business."
Gillette has refocused their celebrity endorsements, transitioning away from the ads featuring Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Derek Jeter and Thierry Henry. The brand has recently enlisted a diverse roster of musicians (including will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, Tim McGraw, Mark Hoppus of Blink 182 and Tyson Ritter of the All-American Rejects) to connect with core demographics: young males. Gillette will premiere the digital documentary series, UNCUT, later this month in LA-- giving fans a backstage look as each of the artists prepares (including grooming) before taking the stage.
While Gillette has seen prior success with their sports and video game platforms, this is a smart move by the brand. As the Tiger story is still top-of-mind for many consumers, they have chosen to refocus their marketing strategy to include other big name celebs in a platform (music) that has proven to be successful for many. Music (along with sports) is a topic that many are very passionate about- making the UNCUT program a very personal experience. As long as the backstage look is not too branded/censored, young males should find this program interesting... creating a successful program for Gillette.
The Gillette UNCUT campaign will be supported by a broadcast television partnership with Fuse TV, print ads in SPIN featuring the musicians, and online media partnerships with SPIN.com, Pandora.com, Last.FM and YouTube.com. Trailers of the films can be found at http://www.shavelikearockstar.com
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