8/31/2010 4:30:17 PM
Posted by Jim McKenna, President
The stereotype of the frail and feeble old person tottering around at home waiting for a call from the grandkids is severely outdated. “Matures” (62 + yrs of age) are in better health and are far more active than ever before. When we talk about “matures” I’m talking about an age group that includes the likes of; Harrison Ford, Paul McCartney, Jane Fonda, Carly Simon, Billy Crystal , Ted Danson, Sylvester Stallone, Stevie Nicks, Peggy Fleming, and yes, even Mick Jagger. Surprised?
The Matures learned early in life that success in life required hard work and sacrifice-and they’re still willing to do both to create a better life for themselves and, more importantly, for their families.
Marketers, with the exception of the health related categories who view them with a bulls-eye on their chests, don’t pay enough attention to this vast and growing demographic segment. These marketers are leaving a lot of money on the table by ignoring the revenue potential from this market segment.
Over the next decade, the number of consumers age 60+ is projected to grow by 81%, while the proportion o...
7/14/2010 4:32:53 PM
Posted by RJC
RJC Advertising’s Erik Lohmeier Named as the Council of Governors Chair for the American Advertising Federation
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — RJC Advertising’s CEO Erik Lohmeier has been named as the 2010 – 2011 Council of Governors Chair on the American Advertising Federation’s (AAF) Board of Directors.
Lohmeier was first elected to the AAF’s Board of Directors in 2007. He previously served as the Vice Chairman for the Council of Governors and Chair of the Brand Value Task Force. Lohmeier was also President of the New Mexico Advertising Federation (NMAF) in 2003.
At RJC, Lohmeier has been devising innovative advertising and marketing solutions since 1995. Prior to joining RJC, he worked with Bernstein-Rein. Specializing in account planning and strategic marketing, Lohmeier has experience with a wide array of industries including tourism and hospitality, real estate, retail and public utilities.
The AAF is the “Unifying Voice for Advertising” and is the oldest national advertising trade association representing 40,000...
7/7/2010 3:30:14 PM
Posted by Jeff Kowal, VP/Creative Director
Unless, you've been living under a rock for the past
several weeks, you’ve probably heard about the rocky launch of Apple's
iPhone 4. From the (supposed) leak of the beta model to Gizmodo, to the
problems with durability, reception and now the recent breach of
customer privacy on the part of app developers, the once infallible
brand is looking less than invincible. And it's all due to consumers
being proactive in the social environment. All of a sudden, the picture
has changed from a generalized perception about the Holy Grail of
computer brands to a real dialogue and critical scrutiny of the brand.
Since Steve Jobs re-engaged with the company, Apple has done a
stellar job of creating a culture of believability and happy rainbows
around its products. It has some of the most loyal consumers of any
brand and for good reason. They applied some very user-friendly tactics
to an otherwise intimidating and un-organic product (the home computer)
and wrapped it in very sexy packaging. Then they captured the market by
branding the concept of sharing music digitally. And most recently, they
redefined what a phone could be by incorporating a lot of individual
gadgets into one c...
7/2/2010 5:50:29 PM
Posted by
How do you get relief from unreported taxes? Simple. Get New Mexico Tax Relief. That’s the idea behind a campaign we developed for the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. Most people don’t want to think, or even talk about taxes, so our first challenge was to get people’s attention. We did this by highlighting how unreported taxes manifest themselves in a variety of not-so-pleasant symptoms, including paranoia and unexplained hair loss. Thanks to New Mexico Tax Relief, you can report unreported and underreported taxes without paying penalties and int...
6/30/2010 6:12:50 PM
Posted by Erik Lohmeier, CEO
Recently, Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, made some very astute observations about where the web is headed.
He believes the Internet will be dominated by Chinese language content in five years, and that today’s teen is modeling how the web will function in five years, bringing the ability to jump from app to app seamlessly.
In Schmidt’s opinion, broadband speeds will soon exceed 100MB at home eliminating distinctions in how media, television, radio and the web, are distributed. Ultimately, these developments will drive the explosive growth of video related content.
Behind all of this are four major trends impacting the way marketers should view the digital market space:
Real Time Information - Consumers want real-time information. It drives their consumption of news and impacts their shopping habits in very real ways.
Distributed Content -
6/18/2010 4:54:41 PM
Posted by Laura Cowan, VP/ Director of Media
Nationally, Generation Y – also known as Millennials – has produced more than 13
million babies. This generation, sometimes also called “echo boomers” is the
children of the Boomer generation, and is nearly 80 million strong. If the pace
holds up, they will produce more children than the baby boomers.
This generation has changed the definition of parenthood. Gen Y women are
confident, know nothing but multi-tasking, and try to find balance between more than
just work and family, as previous generations have. They look for meaning through
personal interests and a global responsibility toward future generations. In addition,
dads matter more than ever. Nearly 20% of fathers are serving as primary
caregivers, and a majority claim that parenting carries equal responsibility. Mom is
still a main influencer, but they are no longer the sole decision makers.
What does this mean for marketers?
Gen Y parents are well rounded. You need to consider their passions and bring
them into the discussion. ...
4/6/2010 5:19:38 PM
Posted by Laura Cowan, VP - Media Director
Our access to video media as consumers has expanded greatly in the last decade, with consistent and increased exposure to video outside the comfort of our living rooms. We’re being exposed to this content through multiple viewing platforms, such as on smart phones and computers, and in many more locations, such as at restaurants, bars, retail stores, schools, work and more.
A recent study completed by the Nielsen-funded Council for Research Excellence found that overall, video exposure tops six hours per day for consumers, with live television dominating other forms of video at a staggering 71.8%. Of this percentage, the most viewed genre out of the home was sports (18.1%), followed by ads and promotions (6.9%), news (6.6%) and entertainment (4.4%).
There is one thing to keep in mind, though. Not all out of home video viewing is measured equally. Currently, the only viewing that is recognized is that which includes audio, and not other forms such as through closed captioning. Research methodologies need to be updated to help measure all video viewing, and not just the viewing that in...
4/6/2010 5:15:44 PM
Posted by Jim McKenna, President
The increasing demands of everyday responsibilities and obligations are taking their toll on today’s families. Technology has created an environment that emphasizes urgency and overshadows what is truly important to people.
The following statement was recorded 5,000 years ago and translated from the TAO TE CHING: “The overall balance in your life does more than affect your emotions; it goes straight to the bottom line of your physical health.” This rings true more than ever today. Never before have we, the consumers, been bombarded with this degree of unrelenting information. Our “on-call” lifestyles, compounded by the constant use of smart phones and continual email streams, contribute heavily to this “information overload.” Information overload has resulted in quality of life deprivation which results in less sleep, increased stress and an overall negative impact on our health and well-being.
No wonder consumers today are seeking out a different kind of satisfaction with greater emphasis on intangible experiences instead of on things. Specifically, we’re gra...
3/17/2010 1:20:31 PM
Posted by Erik Lohmeier, CEO
On March 15th, RJC lost its founder, Rick Johnson
after more than two years of battling cancer. Rick left an indelible mark on
the agency he founded, the people he worked with, the community he loved and
most importantly, the advertising industry.
Rick was an innovator with a passion for making ads. He was
never without his yellow legal pad and pen – the tools of his trade. He lit up
a room every time he walked in and made strangers instantly like him with an
undeniable charisma.
All of us who knew Rick owe him a little something for
making us better, for making us care, for making the business of advertising
fun.
He taught us all a little something about passion and drive.
He was never content with the first idea and he could not resist those four
little words that every art director hated – “make the logo bigger."
He cared deeply for those he worked with and made us all
feel like family.
His wit and sense of humor made us all smil...
3/4/2010 11:55:47 AM
Posted by Erik Lohmeier, CEO
For years, our industry has been faced with change. Customers have become more self reliant and more skeptical of commercial messages. They have become accustomed to choice: choice among brands, choice relating to what they watch and choice relating to how they interact with the world around them. As a result, marketers are challenged by the fact that their customers and the competitive landscape are constantly changing. They are searching for answers more than ever before, and yet they are more risk adverse than ever before.
The current economic climate has only exacerbated this challenge with agencies and clients feeling more adrift than ever.
It’s times like these where a bit of perspective can perhaps help us all refocus. While much has changed in our industry, I believe that the core of what we do has not. We are still in the business of connecting ideas to people. The tactics and media choices have changed, but the reasons why marketers advertise have not.
Traditional advertising still plays a valuable role in a brand’s overall communication strategy, but it can no longer be the sole effort. To...