AKTV: NETFLIX, HBO AND OTHERS SHOULD PAY INTO THE AUDIOVISUAL FUND

23. 5. 2023 | 9 min read The Association of Commercial Television (AKTV) wants foreign platforms like Netflix, HBO and Disney+ to contribute to the Audiovisual Support Fund in the same way as Czech services.

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

12. 5. 2023 | 14 min read 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.

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

3. 5. 2023 | 19 min read 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.

TV ADS PRODUCE GREATER EFFECTS ON ADDRESSABLE AUDIENCES

25. 4. 2023 | 2 min read TV ads elicit more positive reactions and greater short- and long-term business impact among addressable audiences, new research claims.

DAN WIEDEN – THE CREATIVE MIND BEHIND THE BIGGEST BRANDS

21. 4. 2023 | 8 min read 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.

THE FATHER OF ADVERTISING DAVID OGILVY

30. 3. 2023 | 11 min read 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 | 18 min read 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 | 9 min read 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 | 14 min read 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 | 7 min read 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 | 19 min read 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.

THE ECONOMIC CRISIS AS A MARKETING OPPORTUNITY? 2023 DOESN’T HAVE TO CRIPPLE COMPANIES, BRAND LOYALTY AND A TOUCH OF EMPATHY ARE THE KEYS TO SUCCESS

5. 1. 2023 | 12 min read Analysts around the world predict a challenging year for business. According to them, the past year was essentially a warm-up and the cost of living crisis will only become fully apparent in the coming months. This will undoubtedly be a challenge for marketers in all sectors, but there are also words of comfort and encouragement that we can add - while the world faced an unprecedented situation during the pandemic, the cost of living crisis is not something we have no historical experience of. There was a similar situation in 2008, and it provided a lot of lesson that we can apply now. Marketing and advertising experts even claim that the crisis is an opportunity to make an established brand even stronger. The key to this is strategies that do not abandon marketing in favor of a short-term performance boost.

THE GLOBAL TV GROUP GUIDELINE: LESSONS FOR ADVERTISING IN A RECESSION

5. 1. 2023 | 1 min read Around the world there is no escaping the talk of a looming recession, and marketers everywhere are facing pressures to reduce advertising costs. However, research consistently shows – and experts continue to advise – that cutting ad spend comes at a high cost to brand health and long term business results.

MARK RITSON: HOW BRANDS CAN SURVIVE THE RECESSION AND EMERGE STRONGER

4. 1. 2023 | 3 min read One of the most comprehensive studies on recessions shows that only 9 percent of companies emerge from a recession in better shape than they entered it. What does this mean for marketers, and how should they behave during a recession to get their company out of it in the best shape possible? Mark Ritson, professor of marketing, and Jon Evans, Chief Customer Officer of System1, talked about this during the "Ritson on recession" webinar.

CHRISTMAS ADS 2022: HOW BRANDS ARE CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAY SEASON

16. 12. 2022 | 12 min read Every year, Christmas comes early for brands as they race to debut their holiday ads before the peak shopping period begins. 2022 is no different, and advertisers have officially started stepping into Christmas by bringing a bit of festive cheer to screens.

TYPICALLY CZECH CHRISTMAS. IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC, HOLIDAY ADVERTISING IS HANDLED DIFFERENTLY, THE CREATORS ARE NOT AFRAID OF CONTROVERSIAL HUMOUR OR SERIOUS MESSAGES

8. 12. 2022 | 16 min read Czech Christmas ads are a category in themselves. It’s quite possible that abroad they would look in disbelief and awe at, for example, a Kofola pig, while for us the ad is the epitome of Christmas spirit. Of course, Czechs are no strangers to classically emotional and serious spots, and even excel at them. But the big domestic specificity is the fact that the most memorable advertising achievements are largely humorous pieces. Even so, they combine what we always look forward to at Christmas. The two categories then complement each other beautifully on the screen, creating a commercial mix that suggests that Christmas really is just around the corner! THE UNDYING LEGEND: KOFOLA - THE GOLDEN PIGGY Even Czechs have their own advertising that de facto heralds Christmas. Just as the UK has their John Lewis, we have our wild boar, but it lacks something to the golden one. The legendary Christmas advert doesn't seem to have aged at all since 2003, when it first appeared on TV screens. Unlike John Lewis, who year after year comes up with new original spots exquisitely rich in narrative, this domestic gem has made do with a few basic remasters and adaptations over nearly twenty years. The spot brilliantly combines honoring popular Christmas traditions with typical Czech situational humor. The main role here is played by the superstition of the golden pig that appears to those who fast on Christmas Eve. The popular catchphrase "No, I don't have to, I can see it already." is proof that this superstition can take on a whole new dimension when you go into the woods. This year, however, the re-launch of the ad will have a sad touch - on 1 November, its author Robert Peňažka died after a long illness. But for this achievement alone he will certainly never be forgotten, even though he himself admitted that no one expected the ad to become such a success. "With Kofola, the intention was not to create a legendary campaign at all, but to come up with a good Christmas campaign. That's the main ingredient. If you do it right, it will pay off and it has a chance to become a legend," he recalled in 2020. Well, in this case, he succeeded brilliantly.

CZECHS MOST OFTEN REMEMBER ADS ON TV, FOLLOWED BY YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK

22. 11. 2022 | 5 min read TV campaigns lead in recall among czech viewers and internet users. Compared to the same spots played in TV archives, on YouTube and Facebook, Czechs recall them best, according to the Track the Success study conducted by the Association of Commercial Television (AKTV) in cooperation with Eye Square.

CHALLENGE EVEN FOR THE BEST MARKETERS. WHY DOES A GOOD TV AD NEED TO GRAB THE VIEWER’S ATTENTION?

14. 11. 2022 | 19 min read Does it ever happen to you that while watching a commercial break on TV, an ad sticks in your mind so much that you have to think about it the next day? Or that you completely forget the “skip-ad” button when watching an ad before an online video? That is exactly the kind of situation where the real marketing experts rub their hands with satisfaction. They have just managed to grab your attention, which is an extremely difficult discipline that challenges even the most renowned brands. Is there any manual on how to tackle it with honour and create an ad that will become a viral hit?