MTV Cool Brands – Identify 2010

Last week I was presenting new results on cool brands and advertising in The Netherlands on MTV’s Identify 2010 client event. We had been surveying 1.200 young people (aged 13-29) to detect what the Dutch Millennials are considering to be the coolest brands and ads in 15 categories. Apple’s iPhone attained the overall highest rates on brand coolness across all industries and received MTV Networks’ Sticky Brand Award. Axe/Lynx was the runner-up cool brand of the year.
Coca-Cola’s open happiness campaign was seen as the coolest advertising. Heineken’s series of TVCs (including the walk-in and walking fridge commercials), Centraal Beheer’s Daddy Cool spot as well as Nike’s ‘write soccer history TVC were quite popular among youth in the Netherlands as well.
One of the guest speakers on MTV’s event was Jasper Brouwer, marketing manager for Dell’s consumer business in the Northern European region. If you still think Dell equals dull business hardware (like I was, to be honest), then you’re utterly wrong. Three years ago the company developed a range of products targeting specific demographic segments. Apart from the affluent professional and family segments, the brand specifically looked into the Gen Y cohort with 3 novelties for the young generation. Since personal customization and design are important to the Millennials, Dell Design Studio offers more than 130 different notebook designs. InSpiron Mini is Dell’s netbook that keeps the socially addicted age group always connected to their Facebook and e-mail account. The Alienware M11X laptop on the other hand is Dell’s powerful answer to the fanatic hardcore gaming segment, the one spending entire evenings in World of Warcraft or Runescape. Historically Dell’s media strategy was very focused on broad based action media because the company was not just a brand but also the retail channel. But with the product innovations and segmented approach, Dell needed to mix this media mix with more targeted ones focusing on the buying cycles for each segment. For instance the “back to school” period, kicking off in August is an important period for reaching students. Dell has sponsored MTV’s EMAs in Liverpool, Berlin and this year’s edition in Madrid offers youth a unique VIP treatment for 10 friends. To show the color options of the InSpiron Mini range to the 15- to 25-year-olds,
the brand campaigned on TMF with TVCs as well as program integration (Christmas Wishes contest on Kijk Dit Nou! and the Superchart). As a result Dell Mini’s sales results in the Netherlands were the best of breed in Europe. The Alienware M11X was endorsed by sponsoring TMF’s Gamekings show to gain credibility within the gaming segment. This resulted in a substantial unit increase during the campaign.

You might also be interested in

Black man with Rubik's cube

Keep your strategy in tune with consumers’ needs via Price Sentiment Trackers

Written by Yvonne Feucht

How tracking price sentiment helps you ensure that your price and product strategies stay in tune with consumer and retailer needs

InSites Consulting expands European footprint with the acquisition of Happy Thinking People

InSites Consulting expands European footprint with the acquisition of Happy Thinking People

Written by Anke Moerdyck

Strengthening our European footprint, we’re excited to announce our latest acquisition in the region with Happy Thinking People, headquartered in Munich and spanning Germany, Switzerland, and France. Happy Thinking People was founded in 1989 as a qualitative boutique, and today an international market research and innovation consultancy, ranking #1 on Innovation and Creativity in Germany (Marktforschung.de 2021).

Insight Activation - People on power box

The 4 C’s of Insight Activation

Written by Lisa McFarland / Tom De Ruyck

Discover how you can activate internal stakeholders, turning insights into action and business impact. Understand the activation spectrum.