Marketers are always looking for new and interesting ways to get people to interact with their brands. The higher the "engagement" with the brand, the higher the likelihood that you'll consider purchasing it. This morning I came across an excellent test case.
As I was eating my Saturday morning oatmeal and perusing Bon App, I came across an ad for Ketel One Vodka. They've been running a campaign for some time that consists of a largely blank page. The copy, which is usually only one or two brief sentences in the upper left-hand corner, always begins, "Dear Ketel One Drinker," in Bradley-esque typeface (for the font-o-philes in the crowd). Seems folks either love these ads or hate them (just Google "Ketel One ads" and you'll see what I mean.) They stop you in your tracks since the page is almost completely stark white, and I've always thought the copy was rather clever. Though nothing compares to my cousin Julian Koenig's brilliant Volkswagen ads, the intent of conveying a message in one or two compelling sentences is there in the Ketel One's ads too. (Although the blogosphere might debate my use of the word "compelling." Some think "arrogant" or "annoying" is more like it.)
The Ketel One ad I came across today read, "Dear Ketel One Drinker. Can you make one hundred words, of four letters or more, from the letters in Ketel One Vodka?" The rest of the page was dedicated to a blank, numbered list for the reader to fill out. Well, if that's not going to get me to engage I don't know what would. Not only am I always up for a challenge, I also consider myself an avid logophile. Two main factors are responsible for this. First, both my parents were English majors in college. From a very young age they insisted that I read voraciously, spell correctly, use proper grammar and if I didn't know the meaning of a word, they'd never tell me. "Look it up," they'd say, and I'd trot over to the humongous Webster's tome we kept on a stand in the living room. (Some of you might wonder, as I just did, if "humongous" is actually a word in the dictionary. Look it up.) Second, I studied Latin for two years in elementary school. If that doesn't make you love words, I don't know what will.
So I stared at the words "Ketel One Vodka" for a minute or so and tried to form words. They weren't coming. Are they tricking me? Are there no four letter words here? (Obviously my coffee hadn't kicked in yet.) But then I found tone and teal. The third one I was able to put together was Dokken. Are names of cheesy 80's rock bands OK? The Ketel One folks didn't list any rules, so I told myself it was, and wrote down Devo. I started finding homonyms: vent, as in air vent, and vent, as in "I can't believe they cancelled Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." Or date, as in the dried fruit, and date, as in what my Mom wishes she could read about on this blog. There were also homophones, such as lone and loan.
Wow, this is fun! I was on a roll.
It was interesting, given this week's events, to find vote and veto. George W. Bush sure is a dolt. He's also a tool.
It was also interesting that while it was Ketel One's intent for me to engage with their brand, I started finding other brand-names as well. I found seven of them...can you?
So after a slow start I was able to find 105 words (Mom and Dad also made me into an overachiever). Noodle on it yourself and submit your comments below to let me know how it goes. More important, tell me if it makes you want to drink Ketel One.
Remember: a) drink responsibly, dear readers, and b) this blog has nothing to do with my day job.
Been lost in your blog for about an hour. Such a treat! Have to get outside to help w/ my toddler and to enjoy the sunshine. But what a wonderful chance to let me mind wander. Wish I could sit w/ a coffee and play the Kettle One game...but won't really have the time for a few years!! Not sure what the drink even is,no desire to know!?! Cheers! xo Mb
Posted by: Mb Barber | October 25, 2009 at 10:20 AM