Tafuro Communications

Vinny Tafuro discusses the Crispin Porter + Bogusky advertising campaign, Life Without Walls, for Microsoft with AdCast cohosts Carl Vervisch and Cris Vatalaro.

Two pieces in the Times this week; Sunday’s How Oldsmar got global influence and today’s editorial Questions for Obama, McCain have prompted me to comment on what I think of outsourcing.

Having an IT background and designing websites for the past decade has given me some personal experience with this topic. I have bid against offshore companies, been solicited to hire them and know numerous small businesses that use offshore work.

I personally refuse to… When solicited, I turn them down or simply do not answer the email.

I have chosen to do this; not because of some idealist idea that everything should be made in America.

I do this because I am in competition. I choose not to compete on price but rather on relationships and service. The clients that I have understand that and are not willing to compromise the relationship simply to save a few bucks.

So what’s wrong with the bigger picture?

The American consumer has by in large decided to shop and thus reward corporate America on price. By demanding products at the lowest price we have taken sevice and loyalty out of the equation.

By outsourcing and taking production and portable services overseas, corporate America is only doing what the American consumer is directing by removing themselves from the free market equation.

No body seems to be willing to accept that this is self inflicted.

As Americans we want the lowest price, the highest quality and unlike our founders we are unwilling to give up stability in our lives for the potential of great rewards.

Regulation is absolutely not going to fix this.

Last week Arby’s hijacked billboards around Atlanta during rush hour to remind drivers they should be ‘thinking Arby’s.’

I am not fan of Arby’s at all but the ballons are pretty cool.

I pretty regularly have the “I don’t care what your opinion is as long as you have one and do something about it conversation” with friends and associates. ~ Especially if we disagree.

This British ad for HSBC bank by JWT illustrates this sentiment perfectly.

Via AdWeek

According to this Times article, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office might just have a talented albeit trickster of a copywriter on staff. A raffle poster that was used to lure criminals in for a sting creativly told them exactly what they would be getting.

“The Orient awaits!!! Lock in your chance to win this great trip,”
“Check out the bars. … Partake of daily recreational activities.”
“Length of stay may vary.”

Of course all of this led to the suspects being arrested and transported to our own Orient Road Jail.

This article is a bit old but was recently brought to my attention. It seems Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory has a “Young Professionals Kitchen Cabinet” that consists of 100 young residents, serving on 10 committees to address issues like housing, economic development, the environment and civic engagement.

that deal with just those issues, and he not only makes sure they’re heard, he helps them get their ideas into play.

Sounds like Emerge Tampa Bay but with the clout of the Committee of 100.

Cincy was never on my radar until a few years ago when National Ad 2 assisted the Cincinnati Ad Club in forming Ad 2 Cincinnati. Since then however I have gotten to know a number of people living there and have coorsponded with another politica YP group known as Cincy PAC.

This November Ad 2 Cincy will be hosting the National Ad 2 mid year retreat. It will be my first visit to the city and I am looking forward to seeing what it has to offer.

The first two installments of Crispin’s efforts for Microsoft have been release during NFL games and have generated buzz if nothing else.

The ads have probably creeped out the Burger King King.

Seriously though, I found the ads entertaining.

The first ad which introduces the duo of Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld as they meet while Bill is shoe shopping. The second ad takes the pair to suburbia where they bunk with a typical family in an effort to “connect with real people” since they of course do not live normal lives.

While some critics are saying the ads are too strange and there is no real mention of the products etc; I think the ads are brilliant because they aren’t trying to make you buy.

This is a unique situation for Microsoft; but even more so Crispin.

Crispin’s campaigns are usually great at getting people to talk about a brand, and for the first time that is the only goal the agency needs to worry about.

Unlike Burger King or Miller Lite, Microsoft is the dominant market player when it come to it’s core products of Windows and Microsoft Office.

With the failed Miller campaign, Crispin entertained us all with The Men of the Square Table. The problem however, was no matter how funny the ad, or catchy the concept, I am not switching from Bud Light; and was obviously not alone.

The current Mac campaign is in a similar situation, they are wildly entertaining; but are they increasing market share? 

The Microsoft campaign is purposely vague and creep to get people talking. Until last week many consumers probably didn’t know what Bill Gates looked like.

Even fewer knew that he used his own mug shot from his 1997 arrest. This fact alone gives those that know more to talk about with those that don’t get it right away further spreading the buzz.

I am looking forward to see where they take this next.

An Orlando Sentinel article was published on the odds of losing a shuttle and crew increasing to 1-in-8 if the 10 flights are added after 2010.

The tone of the story makes me wonder about our history of discovery and ask.

What did Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan think of their odds?