A few years ago, K&A put together a white paper on “Missing Males,” and how many – if not most – marketers tend to ignore the male consumer, focusing almost completely on female head of households &/or moms.

Advertising Age recently published further information about how marketers still have yet to embrace this growing consumer base of men. It highlighted a Yahoo survey in which more than half of men said they were the primary grocery shopper for their household… even though a small majority of packaged goods actually speak to them via advertisements. Yet, men still tend to wind up at the butt-end of a joke, implying they’re incompetent, goofy or aloof – especially when it comes to food and consumer goods for the home.

Have dads become more important targets for marketers over moms? That’s not quite the case, as household decision makers are still by and large women. For some, however, there’s something to be desired in advertisements and marketing in which men are left out.

It may be a difficult line to draw, but some brands have revamped their M.O., including Jif peanut butter’s addition to its “choosy moms” tagline and Kellogg’s targeted campaigns on ESPN.com. While the female head of household may very well make the majority of purchasing decisions, it’s clear that men simply can’t be ignored in advertising campaigns. The good news: a fair amount of white space exists here for specifically targeting men. Let’s see what they come up with…

How often do you use your smartphone in place of your computer to surf the Internet?  Smartphone technology is very well suited for those of us on the go. The common saying “there’s an app for that” may be more true than we might believe.  With a simple touch of the screen, we are able to gather information all over the web.  Companies are learning that the integration of mobile websites and apps can have a positive impact on business.  The goal of any successful mobile website or app is to create a pleasant experience for the customer, with one of the most important factors being easy navigation.

As technology advances at the pace of a freight train, it’s important that companies are able to keep up. The article “IKEA Rolls out iAd Campaign to Drive App Downloads” gives some insight into IKEA’s clever use of mobile apps.  The home furniture and accessories brand released its 2012 catalogue, which can now be viewed via a mobile app.  After clicking on the IKEA’s iAd, you are sent directly to the Apple App Store where the catalogue can then be downloaded for free.  The convenience and availability of mobile apps attracts customers and can therefore boost a company’s sales.

Target is also a big advocate on marketing through the use of mobile technology.  According to “Why Retailers Should Integrate Mobile Device Technology into Their Marketing Strategy,” Target uses a variety of mobile app strategies to attract customers.  If a customer is shopping at any Target store, he or she can use the barcode scanner on the Target mobile app to scan a product, which will result in detailed information about that product.  Both Target and IKEA are successful retailers that are taking necessary steps to expand their respective brands.  What other companies do you notice that are exercising smart mobile marketing campaigns?

How confident are you in the product you make? Do you think it’s a winner? More importantly…do your customers think it’s a winner? Are you confident enough in what you sell to allow your customer feedback to be broadcast on a billboard in the middle of Times Square? Most companies aren’t. But Domino’s is.

Last year, Domino’s released its ad campaign that was perhaps one of the most self-attacking ads ever. Domino’s proclaimed that its pizza – the focus of the company – was terrible. Focus group participants listed off all the things they hated about the pizza in TV ads and online video. Even company executives were featured in the videos proclaiming how disgusting the pizza was. The company had created a buzz online of people agreeing with the pizza maker’s ads – people really thought the pizza was bad; and they weren’t afraid to talk about it.

Domino’s had an opportunity to improve, and it did. These ads were followed by another set of videos introducing the new Domino’s pizza, one that was (hopefully) tastier and more pleasing to customers. But Domino’s wasn’t satisfied with trusting their taste buds. To combat the negative opinions of their pizza that would live forever on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and the blogosphere, the Domino’s team needed to get people talking about how great the new pizza was. They knew when making product selections, customers rely more on others’ opinions than the advertisements of companies. And they also knew that in the digital age, people express their opinions online.

So Domino’s embraced their customers and asked for honest feedback about the new pizza. Customers are encouraged to leave feedback on the company’s website and mobile app and there is a live stream of tweets about the pizza on its website. Most recently, the company has taken the campaign a step further by broadcasting this feedback – both good and bad – in the middle of Times Square. They even set up a web cam so anyone around the world can watch the giant screen tick off customer feedback. Now that is confidence in your product!

And the campaign seems to be working. In financial reports released for the second quarter of 2011, Domino’s reported a 6.2% year-over-year increase in revenue. In reference to the Times Square billboard, president and CEO Patrick Doyle said, “Our customers deserve, and have come to expect, honesty from us…and it really doesn’t get more open and honest than this…Our hope is that most of the feedback is positive, but our top priority is that people are seeing what is real.”

Your customer is staring at a poster advertising your company. They just scanned your QR code and have left the world of print media and are peering into the digital universe through a 4 inch screen. What do you do for your customer that just told you “I want to engage with your company,” simply by pulling their phone out of their pocket? You engage them of course!

By now you know what a QR code is. You know how to program it. Your customers know what to do with it. Now what?

Typically when you read information about QR codes used for business, the topics generally include a persuasive argument for why you should use them, some how-to knowledge about using them, and some rules about making them user friendly. Isn’t it time to start exploring the possibilities of QR codes further? (If you’re still not convinced about why you should be using QR codes, consider that The Home Depot will soon require all products in their stores to have QR codes on the packaging.) In order to move beyond the “Why” and “How” of QR codes and into a more sustainable discussion, I challenge you to change the context of “What” from “What is this?” to “What more can I do with this?”

Most QR codes currently take the user to a mobile website or to a Facebook fan page and encourage people to like the page or register for more info. It’s time for advertisers to start realizing the full potential of this technology. Remember – customers are looking for information and they are looking to be engaged. Don’t just take them to your mobile website where they can sign up for your mailing list. A QR code can step in as digital sales rep, selling the value of the product for you. You don’t tell your customer service reps to ask the customer to subscribe to the mailing list before answering their questions; you answer their questions and they are so impressed they sign up for the mailing list because they want to continue hearing from you. The same logic should be applied to QR codes.

If your customer is holding your product in their hands, show them the possibilities of that product: give them how-to videos, project ideas, and customer reviews (the opinion of other consumers is often the most influential factor in a purchase). You can also use QR codes to add on sales. Say your customer scans the QR code on a new faucet; after telling all about the faucet you could include information on what tools are needed if self installing or what other fixtures match that particular faucet. Maybe your customer is looking at an advertisement away from a retail location; use a QR code to show your customer where they can find your product. Make it interactive – ask them which product they are looking for and tell them where to find it. You could even get really specific and make a store directory accessible via QR.

Remember: thanks to smartphones, customers are no longer limited to traditional media advertising when they are on the go. QR codes are your avenue into your customer’s smartphone. It’s an open invitation into their lives. Get in there and wow your customer! Engage them when they ask you to and they will respond!

Here are the cold hard facts. Despite the poor housing market and debates on renting vs. owning, young couples are ready to start living out the American Dream, and it all starts with owning a home.

The Millennial generation is coming of age and entering that stage of life where they are moving out of their parents’ basements, getting married, thinking about babies and wanting to start building their own nest. Who are these ambitious young Millennials, you may ask. Well you probably know their parents – the Baby Boomers. America’s largest generation gave birth to a generation nearly as large and just as powerful. Right now the first of the Millennials are in their late twenties and early thirties and are the prime targets for new and existing home sales. And even though the economy has been less than desirable lately, Millennials are ready to start their own American Dream by owning a house. With favorable forecasts about the housing market for the future and pent-up demand, the buyer’s market is enticing more young couples to buy their first home.

And what do new homeowners need? Stuff to put in their home! Enter Sears and The Truth Room. Sears has taken note of the influence the Millennial generation is going to have on the economy, and its latest commercial reflects the Millennial spirit. Featuring a young couple in the market for their first home, Sears answers the question of where will the couple find all new appliances to fill their kitchen. A phone in the kitchen sink connects them directly to The Truth Room, a high tech center where “it’s raining cold hard facts” about where to find the top ten Kenmore appliances.

The Sears campaign is excellent for two reasons. It accurately identifies the next target market for home products. And it communicates with them by capturing their spirit and character.

Thinking that your brand could benefit from the business of Millennials? You’re probably right. But before you jump into the game with your own version of the Truth Room, there are a few things you need to know about this generation that makes them different from all previous generations. Our White Paper on the Millennial generation details the characteristics of this generation and how businesses can effectively connect with this emerging group of consumers.

The television sitcom has provided thousands of hours of entertainment for Americans since the concept was first adapted in the 1950s. Although hundreds of shows have come and gone, the theme is always the same: show the humor in “real life” people, doing “real life” things. While some sitcoms capture real life better than others, the goal is always to get a laugh. And this fall’s lineup of sitcoms is no different. The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted a common theme among several of these new shows that I think is interesting: men in modern day society.

Will Arnett stars as Chris, a stay at
home dad, in NBC's "Up All Night"

“Up All Night” (NBC) centers on Chris and wife Reagan, new parents to baby Amy. While Reagan goes back to work after Amy is born, Chris stays home as Mr. Mom. In “Last Man Standing” (ABC) Mike struggles with being the last “real man” left in a woman’s world. “How to Be a Gentleman” (CBS) follows a clean cut, well mannered magazine columnist as he enlists an old high-school bully to show him how to become a “real man.”

So what do these shows and others say about men in today’s society? It used to be that the TV man was the head of household, had words of wisdom for his children, and was the primary breadwinner. But today’s TV dad stays home, plays videogames, struggles to clean and cook, and is clueless when it comes to his kids. Is this an accurate picture of today’s man?

It’s no secret that women have made great strides toward equality in the past few decades. And interesting to note is that 56% of American’s currently unemployed are men. In the last 15 years, the number of stay-at-home dads taking care of children under 15 has tripled to 154,000. Have women gained ground at the expense of men? Are men becoming less manly like the WSJ and new TV shows seem to suggest? Or does “manly” have a new definition today?

A few years ago, I wrote a White Paper about the “Missing Males,” looking at the portrayal of men in TV advertising as absent minded, clueless and careless. Cited in the paper was a study that found that “74 percent of men feel that images of their gender in advertising are out of touch with reality.” So will men identify with these new TV dads this fall?

It depends. These TV shows could go one of two ways.

In scenario one, men are portrayed as clueless and careless. Even though they are more involved in their children’s lives, they know no more about how to care for their children. The “alpha woman” constantly steps in to correct mistakes. If this plot plays out, audiences will find it funny, but men won’t identify and if advertisers follow suit, they’ll lose big.

In scenario two, men are portrayed as caring and competent. They love their families and are committed to them. They are fully capable of cooking, cleaning, and caring for themselves and others. Men may better identify with this plot. Advertisers who cater to the caring nature of today’s man will also succeed.

Dove has captured this sentiment in their Men+Care product advertising. The ads show men participating in both “tough” activities like football and driving motorcycles and caring moments with their children and pets. Dove poses the question “Who says power can’t be caring?”

Men today are different, just as women are. But it’s important that advertisers realize exactly how they are different and identify accurately with their audience.

Read more about the Missing Male phenomenon here.

First we bartered, then we used cash, now plastic. What’s the next big change in commerce? How about your phone? If Google has its way, in just a few short years we’ll all be using smartphones to pay for everything from clothes and food to furniture and homes.

Google recently announced the latest installment in its long line of innovations and applications. Google Wallet promises to revolutionize the way we do business by putting our debit and credit cards, coupons, and loyalty cards all in one place, easily used with just one tap of your phone. Google’s vision? To eventually replace wallets with phones. In the future, the company hopes that Google Wallet will store not only all your credit cards, but your gift cards, receipts, boarding passes, tickets, and keys as well! When you’re ready to purchase something with your Google Wallet, simply tap your phone on the payment receiver at checkout. Google Wallet will automatically apply any saved offers you have for the retailer as well as loyalty points.

Google Wallet is designed to make the checkout experience easier and faster for customers, but what does it mean to merchants? Along with Google Wallet, Google is releasing Google Offers, which will allow businesses to send discounts and coupons directly to customers’ phones.

On its initial release, Google Wallet will utilize the MasterCard PayPass system, but Google is working to develop its own SingleTap checkout system. Initially available on certain Android phones, you can be sure Google is working to bring Wallet to every mobile device. And while the digital wallet currently will only use Citi MasterCard and Google Prepaid cards, Google expects to eventually support all cards.

Retailers like Macy’s, Subway, American Eagle, and Walgreens have already signed on to accept Google Wallet, and retailers who currently accept MasterCard PayPass (including Home Depot, CVS, BP, and Office Depot) will also be capable of using Google Wallet.

As more home improvement companies begin to accept Google Wallet, advertising opportunities for home products will rapidly increase. And who knows, someday you could be paying your plumber, electrician, and even your contractor through the convenience of your phone!

Are you ready to trade in your leather wallet for a shiny smartphone? Do you think offers and discounts on smartphones will be an effective way to engage customers?

Why look at an advertisement when you can smell, feel or taste the product? Feeling the need to work out of the box, advertisers now consider experiential advertising more effective and eye (or nose or mouth)- catching than a simple print ad. A few months ago, I wrote about Absolut vodka advertising in bus shelters, posing as faux-bars and providing a colorful and mouth-watering wait for riders. And there’s a billboard in North Carolina that actually smells like steak, triggering the senses of those riding by to crave some serious meat for dinner.

The latest company to embrace these off-the-page advertising ideas is Frito-Lay. In a time where consumers are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from and how it is prepared, Frito-Lay demonstrated the wholesomeness of its all natural products in the middle of Times Square last month. Set up with a fully functional Flavor Kitchen above the Hard Rock marquee, Frito-Lay Executive Chef Stephen Kalil, along with numerous guest and celebrity chefs, spent a week showcasing the natural ingredients that inspire and compliment Frito-Lay products. The event was broadcast on video boards in Times Square and on the Frito-Lay Facebook page.

In addition to the Flavor Kitchen, Frito-Lay is embracing several other non-traditional advertising outlets to engage their customers in conversations about all natural snack foods including a culinary web series, integration with the popular Zynga game Farmville, QR codes, and on-package bar codes. Frito-Lay saw customers respond positively to its Times Square event – in just 24 hours, the company’s Facebook page had 1.5 million new fans.

Also using Times Square as its promotional platform is Milk-Bone, when last year, to celebrate its 100^th anniversary, the company built a giant dog house in the middle of Times Square. The 480 square foot building was covered in 100,000 dog treats and housed a variety of activities for dog lovers including a pet psychic, pet palm readings, dancing dog demonstrations, and celebrity appearances. The event kicked off Milk-Bone’s 14 city tour and nationwide Milk-Bone Moments contest encouraging people to submit pictures and video of their favorite pet.

With events like these becoming more popular, companies are challenged to create campaigns that are increasingly attention worthy. Consumers want to be engaged by the advertisement, and they respond to campaigns that stand out from the norm.

What do you think of promotional events like the Frito-Lay and Milk-Bone events in Times Square? Have you ever responded to a similar campaign by watching a company’s videos, liking their Facebook page, or attending the event?

You’ve seen how far some will go for prizes as small as a free lunch. Think about game shows putting contestants through goofy obstacle courses, or kissing a fish at the supermarket in order to take it home for free. But having someone pay your mortgage? That’s a freebie offer to turn heads.

So what does it take? Up-and-coming advertising firm Adzookie is promising paid mortgages for homeowners willing to have their house painted in the form of a giant advertisement for the company. The stipulations are that the house must be painted for at least three months and be in a location that allows it by law. (The unwritten stipulation: your neighbors will likely gripe.)

Adkoozie is a mobile ad network that places ads for local businesses for free in exchange for allowing Adkoozie ads on their own sites. Painting the company’s logos, colors and social media icons on houses is its bold move to drive more traffic to their site and services.

What do you think of this advertising move? Would a paid mortgage be worth it for you to have your home transformed into a giant billboard? How far have you gone for “free”?

I remember a few years back, diamond distributor De Beers had a billboard which read, “Your kitchen can wait.” The point being, buy diamonds now… invest in your kitchen later. The kitchen was – and arguably still is – the benchmark by which we measure major purchases.

Most of us know the most expensive rooms of the home are often the kitchen and the bathroom. You’ve probably even wrestled with it yourself: Do we take a vacation, or do we remodel the kitchen? Which should we put off until later – a new car or the kitchen? And understandably so, as a remodel for the home’s most frequently used room can be quite pricey.

Advertisers have taken this approach as well. Take, for example, Bud Light’s commercial portraying a kitchen “remodel.” Of course, this takes a humorous and exaggerated approach, but it’s important to note the room in question.

We’ve put the kitchen on a pedestal. So shouldn’t significant research, innovation, helpful information, and marketing dollars go toward keeping it there?