Beyond Beaches: Mexico Takes New Tack for Tourism

Not a lot of LinkedIn profiles start with an enthusiastic “Mexico is a country that offers a very special and unique experience to all type of visitors and tourists! … Come and try it!! Any questions don’t hesitate to let us know!”

Gloria Guevara’s does. Since Mexico’s president, Felipe Calderon, tapped her to be secretary of tourism in March 2010, after tourism revenue plummeted in 2009 due to the triple whammy of the H1N1 flu outbreak, drug-war violence and the global economic slump, she’s been applying a decade of travel-industry experience to Mexico’s challenged brand.

In fact, Ms. Guevara’s goal is for Mexico, No. 10 among the top 10 international travel destinations, to climb to the fifth slot by 2018, passing the U.K. at No. 6 and knocking off current No. 5, Italy.

“We learned a lesson in 2009,” she said. That lesson is that Mexico needs to diversify and become less dependent on sun and beaches to draw tourists, as well as rely less on the U.S. market, Ms. Guevara said. (www.adage.com)

Ford Key-Free Technology Can Unlock Your Car and Sign You Into Facebook

Between work and personal emails, bank accounts and social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, it’s not uncommon to have as many as a dozen different sites you log onto and off of throughout the day. Having to remember various passwords leads to log-in fatigue, which is what Ford Europe is trying to cure with a new consumer technology it’s making available.

With a new app developed by Ogilvy, Paris, Ford is applying technology inspired by its key-free system — whereby certain Ford models automatically unlock when an owner comes in close proximity to his/her car, and locks when he/she walks away — to consumers’ digital lives. The technology works on MacOS computers with Google Chrome and Bluetooth mobile devices.

Here’s what happens: When you come close to your computer with your mobile device, it will automatically log you into your accounts; once you walk away, it will log you out. It’s hands-free, and is meant to work whether you take your phone out and leave it on your desk, or in your pocket. (www.adage.com)

Good Riddance, Offensive GoDaddy Commercials

Go Daddy announced they’ve hired an advertising company for the first time in seven years so they can move away from the advertising style that made the company famous, but so many people hated.

In an interview with the New York Times, Go Daddy CEO Bob Parsons announced the company’s hiring of an advertising firm to handle their commercials, instead of producing them in house like they’ve been doing for seven years. Originally, Go Daddy’s offensive advertising style was one of many reasons people despised the company. Parsons compared the old era of scandalous ads to “a frat boy,” who’s graduating and about to mature. How timely! “We’ve grown up now,” Parsons told the Times. “We’re always going to be GoDaddy, but be GoDaddy in a different way.”

The poor company tasked with rebranding the company’s tarnished ad reputation? Deutsch New York, whose west coast affiliate in L.A. made the awesome Star Wars ads for Volkswagen. When we reviewed this year’s Super Bowl commercials, we called this Volkswagon one “an instant classic”: (www.theatlanticwire.com)

Getting Out of a Rut With Help From Schick

WITH branded content, videos that emphasize entertainment over a marketing message, products usually are featured but not sold overtly.

For example, BMW Films, a branded-content touchstone produced by the automaker beginning in 2001 mostly for online viewing, featured stars like Clive Owen in short films driving BMWs, but contained no sales pitches for the car. Likewise, a current online series by Denny’s, “Always Open,” features the comedian Dave Kochner interviewing other comedians while sitting in a booth at Denny’s, but the only direct reference to the chain is when its slogan appears at the end of episodes.

Now a new reality series, “Clean Break,” by the Schick Hydro razor, is taking the unusual step of neither mentioning nor showing the razor. The series, which will appear in six weekly episodes beginning Wednesday on Fuel TV, as well as online, refers to the brand only with occasional “Presented by Schick Hydro” messages.

In “Clean Break,” three men in their 20s and 30s — Luke Rodgers (whose brother is the Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers), Steven Helmkamp and Chase Penny — are initially shown partaking in what can be humdrum personal and professional routines. Then they are flown to Hawaii, where they are subjected to physical challenges like diving with sharks, surfing perilous waves and jumping out of an airplane. (www.nytimes.com)

Test of the Thunder’s National Appeal

The San Antonio Spurs were ratings flops when they won the 2003, 2005 and 2007 N.B.A. titles.

The Spurs were great, maybe dynastic. But they recorded the three lowest-rated N.B.A. finals since at least 1974 when they beat the Nets, the Pistons and the Cavaliers, the least-watched with an average of 9.3 million viewers over four games.

Blame the size of the Spurs’ market, the fourth smallest in the league. Blame the Spurs’ nearly mistake-free, unspectacular style and the middling attractiveness of their opponents. Or blame Tim Duncan’s refusal to cede his bank-shooting efficiency for Madison Avenue bankability.

Now, another small-market team is in the N.B.A. finals after four years in which no franchise came from an area smaller than the Orlando Magic’s (No. 19). This time, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 44 television market, with 712,630 households — smaller even than San Antonio, which is ranked 36th — will try to overcome their small-market disadvantage against the Miami Heat. (www.nytimes.com)

Andy Murray agrees new deal ahead of Queen’s

Luxury Swiss watch brand Rado has announced the signing of professional tennis player Andy Murray to a personal endorsement agreement.

Neither the deal’s duration nor its financial details were released, however, an official press release does state that initially Murray will endorse Rado’s D-Star 200 collection throughout the 2012 spring/summer season.

As such, the British number one will wear Rado’s products during all competition throughout the deal’s tenure beginning with the 2012 Queen’s Club Championships.

“I’m really excited about joining the Rado team,” said Murray. “The brand is all about edgy style and performance. Timing, precision and accuracy are vitally important for me, whether that relates to fitness drills, measuring my performance or striking a tennis ball.” (www.sportspromedia.com)

Macy’s, Sephora, Lancome ‘Geniuses’ In Study

Which brands are performing best on Facebook? Among others, Macy’s, Sephora, Lancôme, and Michael Kors were singled out as “geniuses” in the latest study from L2 and social marketing firm Buddy Media.

The Index measured the “aptitude” of 100 luxury and prestige brands across beauty, fashion, specialty retail, and watches & jewelry on the social network.

The study — authored by Scott Galloway, New York University Professor of Marketing, a team from his L2 ad research initiative, and Buddy Media — ranks the prestige brands’ Facebook efforts across four criteria, including size & growth, engagement, programming, and integration.

“Facebook investors have shifted the measurement stick: from promise to performance,” said Galloway. “Similarly, the marketing and digital professionals at prestige organizations charged with building and engaging communities on the world’s biggest platform, will face heightened expectations and scrutiny.” (www.mediapost.com)
Apple’s Siri Expands Voice Search To Cars, iPad

Apple will integrate Siri voice search with several car manufacturers. Drivers will be able to press a button in the steering wheel to bring up Siri and activate functions through audio commands.

BMW, General Motors, Mercedes, Land Rover, Audi, Jaguar, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda have committed to integrating the Siri app, Eyes Free, within the next 12 months.

Through Apple iOS 6, Siri can now launch apps, search for sports-related scores and stats, and find restauranta, movie ratings and reviews through Yelp, OpenTable and Rotten Tomato, respectively.

With the new operating system, Apple takes local voice search worldwide. Siri, which already speaks several languages, will expand multilingual capabilities with English and French for Canada; along with Spanish, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Siri will also become available on the new iPad. (www.mediapost.com)
LG Encourages Kids To Join Team Energy Star

LG USA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and DoSomething.org are teaming up to get tweens and teens to invest in the idea of saving energy over the summer.

In a new initiative called Team Energy Star, the company and organizations are encouraging kids to work with their families to implement money- and environment-saving actions and share their passion for green thinking and behavior.

Continuing an environmental theme begun when the animated movie version of “The Lorax” was released this year, the effort uses the Dr. Seuss character as a central part of its visuals.

Through the program, youths are encouraged to head to a dedicated section of the EPA’s Energy Star web site to register and download materials (including activity books, a home check-up kit and a Lorax moustache-making kit). Their essays and stories will be shared through the website and other social media channels. (www.mediapost.com)

TiVo Links With PayPal For T-Commerce

TiVo wants to use its platform for what some say is the holy grail of interactive advertising: t-commerce.

The company has inked a deal with PayPal to serve as the payment processing service. TiVo plans to roll out campaigns on its interface with watch-and-buy functionality in the fall.

Initially, TiVo users on systems run by RCN and Suddenlink — others were not announced — will be able to use the system. TiVo users will have to set up a PayPal account and order fulfillment will be conducted by either an advertiser or another entity. (www.mediapost.com)