CHILD-ORIENTED ADVERTISING OR THE BALANCE BETWEEN REGULATIONS AND ETHICS. WHAT ARE THE RULES OF THIS COMPLEX MARKETING DISCIPLINE?

3. 6. 2023 Most of us are probably able to figure out what information the creators of each television spot are trying to convey to us when watching TV. We can tell when they’re using well-intentioned hyperbole and we can equally tell when they’re trying to sell us ideas that aren’t quite our own. But there are those among us who don’t yet have that ability - children, of course. For some businesses, children are the main target group they are trying to reach with their marketing. The very concept of advertising aimed at a group of people with limited capacity for critical thinking and analytical reasoning is also bound by many regulations or unwritten rules. Marketers are entering a thin ice where the main question is - what is still allowed and what is already over the line?

IVAN ZACHARIÁŠ, THE CZECH WHO CONQUERED THE WORLD WITH HIS ADVERTISING

25. 5. 2023 Ivan Zachariáš is one of the most successful Czechs in the world of advertising. He has created ads for major world-renowned companies including Stella Artois, Land Rover and Adidas. He is also the director for jingles for the International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary. He has also worked on feature films, including the drama Pustina (Wasteland), the series Bez vědomí (The Sleepers) and the feature film Konec světa (The End of the World). A good commercial can be done for any product Ivan Zachariáš has been inclined to filming and directing since his student days. He graduated from the Department of Documentary Filmmaking at FAMU in Prague and some of his short films have achieved considerable success. For example, Mulit, a 2003 parody of Bollywood films, is part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE IS NOT A STRAITJACKET FOR CREATIVES AND PLANNERS

23. 5. 2023 Richard Shotton is an expert in the practical application of behavioural science. He talks to Contagious about why friction should come first, why agencies should apply biases laterally rather than literally, and more.

THE LEGENDARY MASCOT AND THE FEAR OF EXCESS CONSUMER GOODS OR TV ADVERTISING IN SOCIALIST CZECHOSLOVAKIA

12. 5. 2023 Czech TV broadcasting celebrated its 70th anniversary in early May. In the days when television was still “czechoslovak”, its role was very specific - at all times, it had to balance between national political interests and its important role as a follower and promoter of modern trends - at least to the extent allowed by the then political establishment. For advertising, this balancing was absolutely crucial. Without this constant conflict and contradictory results, it might never have succeeded in establishing itself in Czechoslovakia. And if that had not happened, there would have been nothing to build on after the Velvet revolution. How did this complicated situation affect advertising? And how does “mr. Egg”, the most famous egg-shaped ad character of the socialist era, fit into the whole mosaic? Forcibly halted advertising boom The roots of real television advertising in Czechoslovakia can be seen in the tradition of so-called advertising films. These began to appear especially in the cinema at the end of the 1930s, during the First Republic. The dawn of advertising films was preceded by the establishment of the Prague Advertising Club, REKLUB, in 1927, which gradually elevated the whole discipline of advertising marketing to a modern business standard. Thus, an expert community began to form, within which other platforms and projects were gradually created. One of them was the magazine for successful businesses called TYP, which had become an essential item for all manufacturers, tradesmen and entrepreneurs. As such, the breeding ground for the emergence of audiovisual advertising formats was sufficiently nourished.

JAKUB KOHÁK – CONNOISSEUR OF THE CZECH AUDIENCE

5. 5. 2023 You may know Jakub Kohák as an actor but what you may not know is that he has created many TV ads that you must have seen on the screen. Being a controversial man, he is easy to remember. While some people are his fans, others would say that he is not their cup of tea. But to be objective, he has made very successful campaigns, which we will describe in more detail. He has created ads for big brands such as Kofola and T-mobile.

HOW MANY ADS DO WE REALLY SEE IN A DAY? SPOILER: IT’S NOT 10,000

3. 5. 2023 Hundreds of articles and blogs will tell you that we see up to 10,000 ads a day. The problem? No one – from Harvard professors to Market Research Council hall-of-famers – believes it’s true. Can we bust the myth once and for all? It's time for an experiment.

COMMERCIALS ARE A SECOND HOME TO CZECH CELEBRITIES. POPULAR ACTORS, RENOWNED ATHLETES AND EVEN KAREL GOTT HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THEM

3. 5. 2023 We can hardly imagine today’s advertising without the involvement of public figures. The so called celebritisation has taken over the marketing world and many brands can’t do their campaigns without their ambassadors, influencers and mascots. The Czech Republic is no exception and the world of advertising is no attribute simply to the fact that it works. But it is interesting to note how many people have not resisted these temptations. I’m sure we could put together a long list of famous actors, singers, models, doctors and athletes. Some spots, of course, resonate more than others in the crowded media space, so it is not out of place to focus on those that can be described as memorable, given the popularity of the actors and the presentation itself. Even so, it seems that to list just ten of them is pitifully inadequate. How the nation got its dream president With the introduction of the direct election of the president, a virtually endless debate opened up in the Czech Republic on the topic of who citizens would imagine as the ideal inhabitant of Prague Castle. The names of popular personalities are more frequently mentioned than those of experienced politicians - Marek Eben, Jaromír Jágr or, at least until his death, Karel Gott, the father of Czech popular music. The company Karlovarské minerální vody (Karlovy Vary Mineral Waters) served people a taste of how the multiple winner of Zlatý slavík (Golden Nightingale) would have fared in the role of president back in 2011. The company joined forces with him in an advertising campaign promoting the new Aquila Team flavoured iced teas, which happen to be the new president's favourite drink. He even stands by their quality so much that he refuses to remove the bottle from the lectern where he is to deliver his speech to the nation. To the objection that the whole thing might be an advertisement, the Master replies, "Advertisement? I hope not." This is an allusion to the rather stubborn attitude with which Gott refused to participate in television commercials for many years. With a few specific exceptions, he only appeared in front of the cameras in this role after he turned 70. The company's costly investment (the fee is estimated to be in excess of CZK 10 million) reportedly paid off, and not long after the campaign was launched, Karlovarské minerální vody praised the improvement in sales. And what did the Master himself say? "I have tasted the tea and believe me, it is delicious cold. I also had the space to play a bit. You know, when I don't get any roles in films, I just have to take the ads." This is evidenced by the fact that he then appeared in several commercials before his death in 2019 - for example, in campaigns for ŠKODA AUTO or the Austrian rail carrier ÖBB.

THE FUTURE OF STREAMING IS ADS

2. 5. 2023 Call it FAST, call it AVOD, call it whatever you want. Free ad-supported streaming is having a moment, and it’s only going to get bigger from here.

SUCCESSFUL USE OF MUSIC IN ADS

26. 4. 2023 From the latest chart-topping hits from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé to classic rock songs of the 1980s and 90s to jazzy Frank Sinatra tunes and soothing Beatles melodies, there are many songs that make a lasting mark on us. In many ways, music influences culture and vice versa. So it’s no surprise that advertisers tap into music when building campaigns – the right song can take a good ad to an exceptional level and better support profit and market share gain.

DAN WIEDEN – THE CREATIVE MIND BEHIND THE BIGGEST BRANDS

21. 4. 2023 What comes to mind when you hear the slogan “Just do it”? Or “The man your man could smell like”? Nike and Old Spice - the brands that are inherently associated with them certainly spring to mind. But what was the path to their creation and who is behind the unique identity of these brands? We’re introducing Dan Wieden, the creative mind behind them.

NOVA AND PRIMA HAD THE HIGHEST SHARES OF GRP IN THE FIRST QUARTER

11. 4. 2023 Hosehold share of the TV advertising market by GRP received were unchanged in the first quarter of 2023.

ADVERTISING AS A DREAM FACTORY: CLAUDE C. HOPKINS, FOUNDER OF MODERN ADVERTISING

9. 4. 2023 Claude C. Hopkins is known as the man who laid the foundations of modern advertising. And quite literally - the book with the same title is probably his most important work. He worked as an advertising creator and copywriter in the first half of the 20th century, when television was still in its infancy. The boom in TV spots came in the 1950s and the 1960s, after the death of Hopkins, who lived from 1866 to 1932. So he did not experience the world of television advertising, but his ideas and techniques, based on scientific methods, testing and measurement of effectiveness, gave advertising a completely new direction and generally provided the theoretical basis for successful advertising. He is also regarded as one of the professionals who have made the greatest contribution to the field of copywriting. "ADVERTISING MUST BE DONE SCIENTIFICALLY" Claude C. Hopkins, during his time in advertising, applied advanced methods such as tracking the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and testing. In this article, we'll introduce the key methods and techniques described in his books, and show specific examples of campaigns he created - so what was the strategy behind the most successful campaigns for Schlitz Beer, for example, and others? We will reveal the ways in which he has enriched the rules of successful copywriting. In the conclusion of the article, we will also summarize what important takes we can apply to current advertising and marketing practice and how to use his ideas effectively for successful sales. HE COULD HAVE BEEN A LAWYER, BUT HIS PASSION WAS THE BUSINESS WORLD Claude C. Hopkins was a prominent American advertising creative, marketer and copywriter who was born in 1866 in Hillsdale, Michigan. After studying law, he decided to pursue advertising and entered the world of agencies. He worked his way up to a senior position at Lord & Thomas advertising and his talents helped the company to considerable success. During his career, Hopkins has created successful advertising campaigns for many companies including Bissell Carpet Sweeper, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, and Pepsodent Toothpaste. He is considered one of the pioneers in modern advertising, who sought to combine creative elements with scientific methods and data to create effective advertising campaigns. His approach to advertising has become the basis for many of today's marketing techniques and strategies. HOW TO MAKE A GOOD COPY? TEST AND CALL TO ACTION! Hopkins is rightly considered one of the most influential copywriters in history. His writing is the subject of his work My Life in Advertising. Many of the copywriting techniques described here are timeless and effective to this day. One of his key methods was the use of facts and evidence. Hopkins believed that if you provide customers with enough persuasive arguments, relevant facts and statistics, they are more likely to eventually make a buying decision. Let's look at some specific examples of practices that have influenced the way marketing strategies are shaped today:

THE FATHER OF ADVERTISING DAVID OGILVY

30. 3. 2023 There’s probably no one in the advertising world who hasn’t heard of David Ogilvy. How did he make commercial communications history? And what is his contribution to the world of advertising?

A BASTION OF TRUST IN ADVERTISING: WHY DOES TELEVISION STILL WIN OVER MOST OTHER FORMATS?

24. 3. 2023 We live in world where we are constantly under attack by advertising from all directions. It is multiplicity that is the source of criticism from many pessimists who believe that marketing has got off the hook and appropriate to dismiss them entirely. The logical consequence of this is a loss of trust in various forms of marketing, mainly in online and social media marketing. By contrast, traditional media - and among them, primarily television - consistently enjoy a high level of user and consumer trust. Trust is still a highly sought-after commodity, but one that is paradoxically more scarce today than before. But television commercials, for example, continue to show us that if you want it, you can do it. SOCIAL MEDIA ARE NO MATCH FOR TRUST IN TRADITIONAL MEDIA Television emerges from opinion polls as one of the most trusted. Despite the ubiquitous realities of life in the digital age - or, conversely, it's just a symbol that the digital age has been overcome and we are slowly moving into a post-digital era that is far more critical than enthusiastic about cutting-edge technology. For example, a survey by analysts at mntn research offers concrete figures, revealing that TV and print advertising share first place in trust between adult respondents (nearly 50%). Pop-up ads, which are most commonly encountered on social media, came second in the ranking with just 19%.

THE KING OF CONTROVERSY OLIVIERO TOSCANI

9. 3. 2023 The series of advertising creators, which we are presenting to mark the sixth anniversary of AKTV, presents important authors in the advertising sphere. Today, you will read about an inspiring creative who was not afraid to break boundaries and enriched the advertising field with many non-advertising topics. It’s Oliviero Toscani.

SHOCK THERAPY ADVERTISING. WHEN DID IT WORK AND WHEN DID THE CREATIVES GO TOO FAR?

2. 3. 2023 Capturing the attention of the TV viewer is still one of the goals of marketers around the world. This field is becoming more and more complex as the market is filling up with all kinds of campaigns, so the consumer will appreciate those that are original, innovative and imaginative. But there is an old recipe that is still guaranteed to work - shock therapy. However, ad writers who manage to shock might still not pat themselves on the back after all. Marketing history is full of examples where not only did the desired effect not occur, but the response was strictly negative. Shock marketing is a category that, by its very nature, teeters on the edge. But we know of a number of campaigns that are universally considered good practice.

THE GREATS OF TELEVISION ADVERTISING OR HOW LEGENDS MADE AND BROKE THE RULES

28. 2. 2023 Many factors influence the world of television advertising. Whether it is the evolution of society, the era, technological possibilities or the specific mentality of consumers in different countries, the human factor is also inevitable. The way in which media promotion is done is also influenced by the creators.

THE SUPER BOWL PHENOMENON AND HOW THE SPORTING EVENT OF THE YEAR ELEVATED TELEVISION ADVERTISING TO A PRESTIGIOUS DISCIPLINE

1. 2. 2023 In just a few day, nearly 100 million Americans will be in front of their TV screens. The Super Bowl finals are just around the corner. However, it’s not a purely sporting event, as it might seem. The eyes of marketing experts from all over the world will be on the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, watching closely the commercials that are regularly broadcast during half-time. It’s practically the most expensive advertising slot ever, and it’s here that marketing trends are set for years to come. How is it possible that the Super Bowl is such a phenomenon? And how does it help form the current shape of what we consider to be truly quality television advertising? THE PURE ESSENCE OF AMERICA For Czechs, the whole concept of the Super Bowl may seem almost exotic, as we are not exactly used to such sporting events in this country. In a local context, the finals of the Czech First League, the top Czech competition, should function exactly like the Super Bowl. However, nothing like this is happening, we do not celebrate this event so massively. So how is the Super Bowl different? The answer may lie in the fact that the playoffs themselves are much less related to American football than it might seem to an outsider at first glance.