Gripes and Grins

Scribblenauts: Coolest spelling game ever

I just got a chance to look at this demo, I think it's from the GDC (games developer conference), but the show is irrelevant.  This might be the coolest method for teaching spelling I've ever seen.  I'm really loving what we do at SmartyCard.com, and I really like the math methods over at CarrotSticks.com, but this is awesome -- so creative, you have to see it.

Why crowd sourcing ads will work for SmartyCard

I just sent the email below to Chris Breshears of Phase One Accelerators and Adrienne Allen, VP of Creative, SmartyCard.  I've been struggling with how to communicate why I haven't felt good about our nascent parent marketing efforts at SmartyCard.  Some of this rambling screed is tainted with my own growing discontent with the metrics-driven creative determinations so prevalent in advertising today.  But, outside of that, I'm being brutally honest about our initial shortcomings and what is driving me to crowdsource ad creative for our next round of parent-focused creatives.  Would love any comments.

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First, I want to thank Chris for jumping into the good fight and responding to my madmen request by

1. not laughing at my pathetic emergency budget and
2. replying summarily “sounds like a dream gig”
   

Second, I want to thank Adrienne for forcing me to talk through this — you’re a real creative pro.

Chris, a dream this will not be, but it sure as hell is going to be fun.  We look forward to your arrival next week, but in the meantime, Adrienne has her kick-ass team working in a new, inspired direction.  And, I’m soliciting inputs from the customer.

To recap, I feel a bit ashamed.  I let our first round of Mom-focused creative develop without thinking critically about our customer.  I was lulled by the unquestionable success of our tween marketing, which is really rooted in a natural connection between the SmartyCard art, our tween audience and our brand promise of “fun and rewards”.  

All of the external voices selling us mom media are telling us to think like other brands.  I’ve seen and produced enough drek in my lifetime.  Call it my Don Draper moment (I wish I was drinking an old fashioned now), but the moms at Blogher really spoke to me.  Like my own wife, this “class” of moms are distinguished and funny.  They aren’t the two-dimensional characters that potential partners describe and casually tag with terms like “soccer mom”.  If anything they’re sardonic, self-deprecating GenXers, aptly named because of they are impossible to categorize.  

Last night really spoke to me — my daughter’s school picnic.  A professional soccer player asked me if Chloe could join her clinic, another lamented the lack of alcohol and a third encouraged me to bribe my kids with chocolate.  These moms all highly successful in their own right — just like the moms at Blogher.  And, they are all seeking any reason to make light of their situation — the situation being officially “harried”.  Or, more specifically, exhausted from lack of sleep, self-medicating with wine, stained, permanently fighting off a cold, arm weary from carrying kids and their belongings, and generally being the central hub of the family and home.  These women are super-heroes, sustained by their own sense of humor and the laughs they share with their peers.  Our basic value proposition is strong.  The brand is tight. But, we’re not going to connect until we give moms a laugh.  I’m sure of this.  And, per Adrienne’s thoughts, no careful combination of stock art and graphics is going to work... It’ll all end up like mary-fucking-poppins.

This is why I posted that we’re going to “crowd source” ads.  I posted to the company blog, I tweeted, I posted to our affiliate marketing moms.  That post got retweeted and I’m collecting ideas and feedback to share.  I apologize for not giving you a headsup before doing that.  But, honestly, I’m pretty sure we’re doing the right thing by bringing moms into the creative development process.  I just want every guarantee that we’re connecting with our audience... Avoiding drek at all costs.  

Thanks for your support, thanks for scrambling on this new effort.  Enjoy your weekends.
Aaron