Leith El-Hassan
As Vice President of Media Marketing & Distribution Services, Leith is responsible for securing donated support for Ad Council’s non-profit sponsors and government agencies as well as understanding and meeting the needs of both National and Local media outlets. In addition, Leith is Ad Council’s liaison for the Media Industry Trade Associations where he helps leverage each industries unique strengths to further the reach of our clients campaigns.
Before joining the Ad Council Leith spent 6 years working for Media Planning & Commercial Advertising companies (Carat North America and Bates World Wide) here in NYC where he worked on Automotive, Pharmaceutical & Packaged Goods accounts.
Posts by Leith
Give Me a Song to Build a Brand On
TV introduced me to the Huxtubles and the Seavers but radio introduced me to Frank Sinatra, Bob Schneider, Isaac Pearlman and Lucinda Williams. If magazines inform me of what happened last week or month, radio lets me know what is happening now or tonight. And if the Internet or newspapers help me find the best local deals in town then radio reminds me of where those deals are on my way into town.
When I was a kid the radio literally put the spring in my step, taught me about attitude and the idea of cool. You know I never ran out and got a perm because Kirk Cameron was rocking one on “Growing Pains” but I did consciously grow my hair to shoulder length to emulate the grunge bands of the 90’s. Where on the one hand I idolized Van Morrison after hearing him on the radio, I bought nearly all his albums, on the other hand I truly despise Richard Marx and Michael Bolton although they often share the same dial position. Van Halen’s “Jump” or “Panama” had me doing cartwheels around my house while Sarah McLoughlin makes me want to find a quite place to reflect and sob myself to sleep. I do have a point here. Advertisers need to rethink how they are placing their ads on radio because there is a huge opportunity to vastly improve.
Branding by Musician Rather than Genre aka Contextual placements
What If an advertiser was able to match a specific musician or band with the right brand? That could be a potentially powerful sales tool. Think about Sarah McLachlan Hour sponsored by Kleenex, Prozac, the Yankee Candle Company, Calgon, Carnival Cruise line or some decadent chocolate brand. I mean if the mood is already set so why not go for it.
Let’s try another one. Frank Sinatra hour sponsored by Jack Daniel’s (his drink of choice), the Las Vegas Tourism Council, Blood Center of New York (I’ve got you under my skin) and Jet Blue (Fly me to the Moon).
Filed under: Communications, Media
Tags: Radio
Sometimes you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right
By now, we have all seen small advertising posters hanging in the washrooms of our favorite bars, fitness clubs, and restaurants and maybe even our offices. Once you get over the idea that these ads might be a bit intrusive, what would you say are the sorts of ads that would work particularly well in a restroom? After you stop laughing you might think of products you generally associate with a bathroom like cleaning products, hand lotions, air fresheners or candles. What about products that are sold in the bar or restaurant where the bathroom is located like beer, liquor or soft drinks? Many people go into restrooms to freshen up – is it really a far-fetched to promote makeup, cologne, breath mints or hair products?
Excluding the occasional cougar, college kids and adults 50 plus don’t generally go to the same bars. And in most establishments there are separate restrooms for men and women. Yes, I am talking about segmenting by age group and gender. You could put an Old Spice cologne ad in one men’s room and an Axe body spray ad in another and thereby reach completely different demographic segments. Just such a tactic was used by Degree deodorant, which ran a sampling campaign in New York City fitness club locker rooms. Knowing that men between the ages of 21 and 54 frequent such establishments and presumably work up a healthy sweat it was a perfect opportunity to hand out free mini-deodorants. The indoor billboard poster had a dispenser right beneath a picture of some intense dude repelling from a helicopter who looked to be deep behind enemy lines with the Degree deodorant tag line featured prominently within.
If it works to get people to try out new products couldn’t it also work to remind people to wash their hands to protect them from getting the H1N1 Flu? How about a memorable Drunk Driving message located in a lively bar restroom? You can literally bring the message to people right when they are going to make a decision that can affect their health and safety. Maybe there is something to this place based advertising idea.
Filed under: Media
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