Euro RSCG and GSD&M Bill the Airforce $850,000 for Web Design
December 15, 2008
We can’t believe what we are reading, the US Air force has paid $850,000 for a website redesign. Euro RSCG and GSD&M raked in a bunch of tax payer money, for a site that technically violates Google Guidelines and shows up almost as a blank page in Google’s text cache:
Here is Google’s Guidelines on the matter:
Use a text browser such as Lynx to examine your site, because most search engine spiders see your site much as Lynx would. If fancy features such as JavaScript, cookies, session IDs, frames, DHTML, or Flash keep you from seeing all of your site in a text browser, then search engine spiders may have trouble crawling your site.
To make matters worse the site doesn’t even have any keywords on the main page to help recruit individuals, not even the word “careers” or “jobs” or even “help wanted” is listed on the main page. But they are running a free ad for Adobe.
“You must have Javascript enabled and Flash 9.0 or above to get the full experience of Airforce.com” that hyperlinks directly to the company.
Here is the Official Air Force Press Release.
Initially attracting approximately 22,000 visitors each month in its first year, the Web site now draws more than a half million visitors a day, who view more than four million pages within the site. Redesigned by Euro RSCG through the Air Force’s contract ad agency, GSD&M Idea City of Austin, Texas, at a cost of $850,000, recruiting officials anticipate the site will continue to attract visitors and recruiting leads.
The official start date from the Press Release has stated this is the new version of the website:
“Recruiting Service officials launched their redesigned Web site Dec. 15 at airforce.com. ”
Your Tax Dollars at work. Euro RSCG and GSD&M, you should be ashamed of yourself.
The chances are the site will not rank for many of the terms that would help the Air Force’s recruiting efforts in Google, forcing Taxpayers to foot an expensive Adwords campaign to recruit individuals looking for a career
The problem we have is that the Airforce.Com website is perfectly capable for ranking for keywords that will lead to recruitment, in other words the Air Force site should be ranking for these terms organically, but won’t due to lack of SEO skill set built into the website..
There are literally 500 ways to improve the site and honestly both firms need to pony it up and hire a responsible SEO firm, every moment you are waiting on this your client, and the American Taxpayers are losing.
They already lost nearly a million dollars on this, they don’t need to spend millions more on an ad words campaign. This is so embarrassing, taxpayers as a whole should be outraged at nearly a million dollar development job that normally goes for a fraction of that cost, and then the marketing website is built without any of the marketing aspects that search engine optimization requires.
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GSD&M Idea City puts Air Force ads on NASCAR
November 14, 2008
GSD&M had decided to pay millions of tax payer dollars on NASCAR for Air Force Recruitment purposes. NASCAR is one of the most expensive sports to sponsor overall but evidently GSD&M feels that this will be the proper place to use taxpayer money to increase recruitment. Its still worth noting that the Air Force website is still a virtual blank page in Google’s text cache, without even the words career, or jobs or help wanted found anywhere on the site. Even though adding these words would help increase the ROI for the Airforce and would be free to implement.
NASCAR sponsorship = millions of taxpayer money spent
adding the word “career” to the airforce.com site = free
Waste of taxpayer money … priceless.
Air Force officials announced Nov. 12 that it will begin a new NASCAR partnership with Gillett Evernham Motorsports when it sponsors the No. 10 car driven by Reed Sorenson for the 2009 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. The Air Force’s advertising agency, GSD&M Idea City, organized the sponsorship and will roll out a multimedia advertising campaign to support the partnership in early 2009. Full Story from the Air Force
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GSD&M : U.S. Air Force to Become Exclusive Sponsor of Xbox LIVE Original Series ‘Horror Meets Comedy’
November 3, 2008
The U.S. Air Force has today announced a partnership with Microsoft to promote the Xbox LIVE “Horror Meets Comedy” original short film series that will premiere exclusively on Xbox LIVE this November 19th. In this cross-platform promotion, eight well-known horror directors — including James Wan & Leigh Whannel creators of the “Saw” franchise, James Gunn (“Slither”, “Dawn of the Dead”) Andrew Douglas (“The Amityville Horror”), David Slade (“30 Days of Night”) and Lucky McKee (“May”) — will bring their comedic visions to life through unique short films only available on Xbox LIVE.
In addition Xbox has today, in partnership with production company Safran Digital Group, confirmed two additional horror directors for the “Horror Meets Comedy” series. Emerging writer/directors Adam Green (“Hatchet”), and Peter Cornwell, (“The Haunting in Connecticut” due for release 2009 with Lionsgate) are onboard; Green will create a short film titled “Fairy Tale Police” which is a “Cops”-inspired reality show where two human police officers keep order in a land full of storybook villains, magical monsters, and other cartoonish characters. Cornwell will bring his comedic vision to life in “Post Apocalyptic Pizza” which highlights that after a nuclear disaster even the most basic pizza ingredients command extravagant prices and no job is more dangerous than the pizza deliveryman. Both shorts will be added to the “Horror Meets Comedy” series and will premiere this winter on Xbox LIVE.
As the sole sponsor of the series, Air Force will create custom intro billboards that will run with each pilot and interactive media placements that will live across the Xbox LIVE online entertainment network and the Xbox.com website. Users can click on these custom units and engage directly with the Air Force Brand Destination which offers users the opportunity to learn more about the Air Force through video downloads, gamer pictures and theme packages. GSD&M Idea City, the Air Force’s advertising agency orchestrated the sponsorship.
“Xbox LIVE is a top destination for gamers and provides a new and exclusive opportunity for the Air Force to engage with our target audience,” said Jim Askins, Air Force Recruiting Service account executive.
“The Xbox LIVE ‘Horror Meets Comedy’ premier allows the Air Force to customize and incorporate their brand messaging,” said Duff Stewart, COO and president of GSD&M Idea City. “It’s another example of how the Air Force has become a leader in integrated and innovative marketing.”
“We are very enthused about the launch of our first original series and to be partnering with the Air Force and these two additional talented directors just further reinforces this. Collaborating with the Air Force brings yet another unique aspect to this project, we feel they are a perfect sponsor for the Xbox audience,” added Scott Nocas, Group Product Manager for Xbox LIVE Video Programming & Original Content.
The “Horror Meets Comedy” series and promotion will run throughout in the 2008 holiday season with one short film debuting each week. The more than 14 million members of Xbox LIVE will be able to download the free shorts beginning November 19th with the launch of the New Xbox Experience. Viewers will ultimately vote for their favorite film with the winning film being developed into a series or movie that will be available exclusively to Xbox LIVE members. A sweepstakes will also be held for viewers to win Xbox 360 games and Zune merchandise with one grand prize winner getting the chance to meet their favorite “Horror Meets Comedy” director.
About GSD&M Idea City
GSD&M Idea City is a leading national marketing communications and advertising company that has helped grow some of the world’s most successful brands. For more information go to http://www.IdeaCity.com. GSD&M Idea City is part of Omnicom Group, Inc
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Advertising Agencies are like Diapers - they all need to be changed
August 21, 2008
This is getting out of hand. There are two competing stories right now that we were so baffled at what takes priority that we have decided to place them both into one giant, massive post.
One of them is George Parker having a literal field day on Enfatico …. and other is AgencySpy is running an Exclusive: GSD&M’s Fires CD over E-Mail Scandal; Internal Paranoia Skyrockets
Woah — so a quick visit to agency spy includes some wonderful gems… Evidently there is more than one Mark Taylor… well as least as far as e-mail goes…
creative director was apparently fired last Friday after he allegedly created a Gmail account in the name of the agency’s ECD Mark Taylor. We hear he/she sent out an e-mail (at least one, we’re told) to other CDs in which he/she asked their opinions about the work, salary and other issues pertaining to other creative department employees. That’s hot stuff.….
Then the Enfatico Diaster that actually forced Tribble (yep this site) to update it’s clock via Steve Hall’s Request
Parker went hog wild on the agency, “The first work from Enfatico… I fucking hope not!!!”
That’s how it starts… then it get’s only worse:
The blog was last updated TEN fucking days ago, the YouTube site has been up for 22 days and has a pathetic 17 subscribers (most of which probably work at Dell and Enfatico, or the Poisoned Dwarf has had all his elves sign up under pain of death.)
Happy Thursday.. it’s only gonna get worse…
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GSD&M Idea City lands Popeyes
June 30, 2008
I don’t know about this… make your own opinion… below is the press release from GSD&M landing Popeyes ….
ATLANTA, June 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Popeyes(R), a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: AFCE), has selected GSD&M Idea City as its new national creative advertising agency of record. The agency will begin working immediately to develop creative campaigns for the brand.
“Coming from the advertising industry, I have long admired GSD&M’s work, particularly their Southwest Airlines, Kohler and BMW campaigns,” said Dick Lynch, chief marketing officer for Popeyes. “Their remarkable consumer insight at both the consumer and retail levels, as well as their strategic thinking in the areas of creative, design, and retail presented a powerful case for their selection. Popeyes is a brand with a story that needs to be told and I feel confident that Idea City will tell the brand story in a very compelling way. We are very excited about this new partnership and look forward to developing exciting marketing and advertising programs that drive the Popeyes brand forward.”
Idea City’s first assignment will involve the creation and execution of new in-store, online, print, T.V. and radio advertising to promote a slate of new products scheduled to launch later this year. Initial work on the account is expected to break in August 2008.
“Popeyes has mastered the art of Louisiana-style cooking,” said Duff Stewart, president and COO of GSD&M Idea City. “We’re honored to become part of a rich heritage of quality and service and a powerful brand that has been revered by so many for so long.”
About Popeyes(R)
Founded in 1972 in New Orleans, Popeyes is a leader in the New Orleans segment of the foodservice industry and is the world’s second-largest quick-service chicken concept based on number of units. As of April 20, 2008, Popeyes had 1,889 restaurants in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam and 24 foreign countries. For more information, visit Popeyes’ Web site at www.popeyes.com .
About GSD&M Idea City
GSD&M Idea City is a leading national marketing communications and advertising company that has helped grow some of the world’s most successful brands. For more information, go to www.IdeaCity.com . GSD&M Idea City is part of Omnicom Group, Inc. (NYSE: OMC).
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GSD&M issues press release on BMW Hologram - no mentions in media
April 28, 2008
The only mention of GSD&M’s BMW Hologram is via their press release.. as of now there are no other main stream media discussion, no press at all.
Hopefully this won’t flop or get them and their client, BMW sued like what happened to Southwest Airlines.. because putting these all over town is not going to be cheap… not by a long shot… and the target isn’t really the people looking at them.. it’s the hopeful PR campaign that will surround it, as of now.. there isn’t any PR surrounding it…
We hope it works for them…….
BMW of North America Banking on Dynamic Hologram of World’s First Sports
Activity Coupe to Reach Target Consumers in Financial CommunityWOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., April 28 /PRNewswire/ — BMW of North America and
its advertising agency GSD&M Idea City are rolling out a 3-D virtual
vehicle tour to herald the arrival of the first-ever BMW X6. Going direct
to target consumers with a hologram of the vehicle, the world’s first
sports activity coupe will be featured in prominent buildings in New York
City’s financial district over a four-week period.Employing patented technology from Dutch advertising company viZoo, the
2008 BMW X6 will be projected in three dimensions, appearing as a hologram,
inside a ten-foot square, BMW-branded enclosure. Inside the
light-controlled space, an animation suggesting the vehicle’s unique
combination of coupe agility and sports activity vehicle versatility runs
on a loop.“Busy finance executives represent an important sampling of the target
consumers for the new BMW X6,” said Jack Pitney, Vice President, Marketing,
BMW of North America. “Since these prospective buyers rarely have time to
visit a dealer showroom, our virtual tour allows them to experience the
performance, agility and utility of the X6 by bringing the showroom to
them.”An interactive touch-screen inside the enclosure will allow people to
manipulate the vehicle hologram to view different angles, experience the
interior, explore the vehicle features, and get a sense of the generous
cargo space.“The BMW X6 doesn’t look like anything BMW has ever produced — you
have to see it to believe it,” said Duff Stewart, President and COO of
GSD&M Idea City. “Our goal was to put this amazing vehicle in front of its
best prospects and stop them in their tracks.”The BMW X6 virtual tours will be open in each New York City location on
Monday through Friday during regular office hours, and will be staffed by
brand ambassadors during peak times. The building locations and dates are
as follows:— World Financial Center (225 Liberty St.) from April 21st - April 25th
— 245 Park Ave. from April 28th - May 2nd
— 1 Liberty Plaza from May 5th - May 9th
— 1 New York Plaza from May 12th - May 16thA media partnership has been forged with CNBC-TV to help further the
BMW X6′s reach among members of the financial and business community. On
the television news network, the new BMW X6 will drive across the top of
the screen as part of a reverse stock ticker — a first for any advertiser.
Additionally, BMW is the first automotive company to sponsor a taping of
CNBC-TV’s “Power Lunch,” on location recently at The Four Seasons
Restaurant in New York City, where real-life power lunches take place
everyday. The new BMW X6 was on display.On the West Coast, a media partnership with Variety will introduce the
BMW X6 to target consumers in the entertainment industry as part of the
latest installment of the “10 to Watch” series, “10 Innovators to Watch,”
in both print and online editions dated May 5th. To extend its partnership
with the leading entertainment industry trade, BMW will join Variety in
supporting the Consumer Electronics Association’s Digital Hollywood
Conference in Los Angeles from May 5th-8th. BMW will be the exclusive
automotive sponsor of the conference, will stage an X6 display in front of
the conference venue and, along with Variety, a Digital Hollywood media
partner, will host a “10 Innovators to Watch” panel discussion followed by
a cocktail party.Aggressively styled print ads telegraph the attitude of the new vehicle
with bold taglines like “Coupe’s evil twin” and “What is it? What isn’t it”
set in a heavy typeface. The ads will appear in April, May, and June issues
of national business/financial, lifestyle and automotive enthusiast
magazines, including: Forbes, The Economist, Conde Nast Portfolio, Robb
Report, The New Yorker, Cigar Aficionado, Automobile, and Road and Track.A national cable television spot, directed primarily at viewers of
business, news and sports networks, supplements the campaign. The 30-second
piece, entitled “Clay,” shows a lump of clay morphing between a variety of
vehicle shapes, evoking the BMW X6′s performance-based roots, until finally
landing on the distinctive form of the sports activity coupe. The clay
model is replaced by a Vermillion Red Metallic BMW X6, and a voiceover
says, “The coupe has been reshaped. The all-new BMW X6.” The spot will
appear on such national cable television networks as Bloomberg, MSNBC,
CNBC, CNN, Fox News, ESPN, NFL Draft on NFL Network, The Golf Channel, NBA
Playoffs on TNT, and the Speed Channel.Other highlights of the comprehensive ad campaign for the 2008 BMW X6
include:— Spots on the Captivate Network, which delivers news, entertainment, and
advertising to digital screens in the elevators of premier office
towers in North America’s top 23 markets.
— A specially designed BMW X6 web site for Apple iPhone users, and the
ability to drive information direct to other “smart phone” devices in
response to a text message inquiry from the user.
— A prominent banner ad on the Bloomberg Terminals relied on by members
of the financial community for real-time and historical stock
information.
— A BMW sponsorship of Morningstar.com’s premium subscription content
that will make it available to users free of charge from April
29th - June 7th, and will feature an animated BMW X6 that will drive
across the screen when users submit stock information inquiries.
— An online presence through financial page takeovers of business and
financial web sites like LinkedIn.com, Forbes.com, TheStreet.com, and
Morningstar.com. Also, online creative will appear in Variety.com and
select in-market automotive web sites.
— Airport billboards that proclaim “After you land, fly” and “The goose
bumps begin at deplaning” are slated to appear in 15 airports covering
10 domestic markets.A virtual design studio tour on the BMW web site will allow visitors an
inside look at the design and development of the BMW X6. Modeled on the BMW
design studio in Munich where the world’s first sports activity coupe was
conceived, the interactive piece will be available at:http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/AllBMWs/FutureVehicles/X6/X6TeaserEx
plo re.aspx#studio (Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to
copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser’s URL address
field. Remove the space if one exists.)BMW Group in America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since
1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.
The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales,
and financial service organizations for the BMW brand, the MINI brand, and
the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design
firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other
operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South
Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the
exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4 models and X5 Sports Activity
Vehicles and the upcoming X6 Sports Activity Coupe. The BMW Group sales
organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW
passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW
motorcycle retailers, 82 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce
Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales
headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff
Lake, New Jersey.Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the
Internet at:http://www.bmwgroupna.com
http://www.bmwusa.com
http://www.bmwmotorradusa.com
http://www.miniusa.com
http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com
Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is
available to journalists online at the BMW Group PressClub at the following
address: http://www.press.bmwgroup.com. Broadcast quality video footage is
available via The NewsMarket at http://www.thenewsmarket.com.About GSD&M Idea City
Through 36 years of helping grow some of the world’s most successful
brands, GSD&M Idea City has become a leading national marketing
communications and advertising company using the power of Purpose-based
Branding and Dynamic Collaboration to create a destination for visionary
ideas that make a difference for our people, our clients, our country and
the world. For more information, go to http://www.IdeaCity.com. GSD&M Idea City is
part of Omnicom Group, Inc. (NYSE: OMC)
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‘Price Is Right’ sues Advertising Agency GSD&M and their Client, Soutwest Airlines
April 21, 2008
Advertising Agency GSD&M is facing the most edgy campaign ever… but this one includes more lawyers and less Advertising… It appears that GSD&M got Southwest Airlines (and themselves) into a lawsuit over … believe or not, The Price Is Right…
The lawsuit states that GSD&M used trademarked Price Is Right material in the ads without paying for it …. in the meanwhile dragging their client, Southwest Airlines into the mess.
We thought Ad Agencies were to increase business, not legal fees….. We predict an Agency Review within a matter of weeks.
The makers of the popular TV game show “The Price Is Right” have filed a lawsuit against Austin advertising agency GSD&M Idea City and its client Southwest Airlines Co.
The lawsuit stems from a national advertising campaign that depicts a man waiting to check in for a flight who is asked by attendants to spin a wheel for a prize: a seat on a large plane. A song similar to the theme from “The Price Is Right” plays.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, says that the GSD&M ad “is likely to cause confusion, deception and mistake among the consuming public” and that the agency “misappropriated” the show’s theme song.
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GSD&M Idea City launches BMW M3 Ads
April 14, 2008
We dug up the ad for your viewing enjoyment…..
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., April 14 /PRNewswire/ — Marking an industry first, BMW of North America and its advertising agency GSD&M Idea City are rolling out a television spot to herald the arrival of the all-new 2008 BMW M3 that underscores the car’s performance pedigree by showcasing its high-revving V-8 engine — from the inside out.
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Austin’s Local Paper says GSD&M is in trouble
April 6, 2008
When the local paper starts discussing your downfall, it’s worth more than some trade magazine… the local reporters live, shop and send their kids to the same schools the agency employees send their kids to.
In short it hits really close to home.
But in the past several years, the nationally recognized, high-flying, politically connected agency has suffered a series of setbacks, causing many observers to wonder: Can GSD&M turn itself around?
GSD&M leaders, who rarely publicly acknowledge the company’s troubles, say they’re trying to boost their client base as well as bring new blood to their creative efforts.
Long boom, hard fall
GSD&M was on a hot streak in the late 1990s, when it was winning about two-thirds of its pitches for new business.
From 1982 to 2001, GSD&M was picked by AdWeek as its “Agency of the Year” for the Southwest eight times.
But in 2006, GSD&M started to lose such cherished clients as Wal-Mart.
To cut costs, GSD&M curtailed parties, bonuses and raises.
“People were unhappy, not necessarily because of compensation alone,” said one former GSD&M worker who left the agency in 2007. “People just started losing morale.”
The article continues to move on from there, basically stating that GSD&M has much work to do in order to turn around…
The article pokes fun at the name change from GSD&M to GSD&M Idea City… and the more serious issues such as stunning account losses of recent…
What makes it so interesting is the fact that their local paper is writing the article… not some far flung Ad Agency Magazine or Blog…
We are in a recession, so of course Advertising is one of the first things to go, generally speaking.. So a turn around in a shrinking market is a difficult task for any agency, much more for one that has been trending downwards for a few years (as the article has pointed out).
We wish GSD&M the best…. but with what appears to be little investment with online efforts such as SEO, Social Media and other growing aspects… they will be stuck fighting with everyone else for the shrinking dollar base allocated to Traditional advertising…. the type that will continue to decline during the recession… and without many of the tools that would be needed for growth… such as higher growth online marketing other than just Adwords spends it will continue to be a problem.
As we noted, we wish them the best… but from where we are sitting it will be challenging for them.
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GSD&M Saves Air Force Account
April 3, 2008
Austin advertising agency GSD&M Idea City has won a 10-year, $372 million contract with the United States Air Force. The Air Force has been GSD&M’s client for seven years and it has not been without it’s own level of problems.
That being stated we are pleased GSD&M has retained the account.
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