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A Similar — yet at Times Disturbing — Logoscape

A lot of people enjoy camping, being outdoors and getting back in touch with nature. I don’t. I like my civilization with its big buildings, noisy cars and dirty sidewalks — the squirrels rummaging our trash is as close as I get to nature. Marian’s A Different Logoscape also reminded me that I’d rather be in a sensory-overload concrete jungle than in a town where the main road is unpaved and the sidewalk unbranded. I’m a bona fide city slicker… and I’m not sure if I’m bragging. Nonetheless, there are times when living in a rusty old cottage and having lunch at Hazel’s Coffee Shop doesn’t seem like such a crazy way to live.

Last week, with relatives in town, we headed to one of Chicago’s Neighborhood Street Festivals. Most of these events involve large crowds, high temperatures, drunken frat boys and consist of local restaurants and stores setting up tents on the street and perhaps a band or two playing to a crowd of twenty. It’s a decent affair. This specific street festival, in the shadows of Wrigley Field, seemed particularly over-branded.

In less than a (long) block — the length of the festival — there were plenty of brand experiences to be lived.

street_meowmix.jpg

Were it not for the cover band playing at the entrance of the festival one would be subjected to Meow Mix’s jingle (you know: meow meow meow meow meow meow…) from start to finish. As we got closer to Meow Mix’s stand the jingle got louder. The reason for the hubbub was The Meow Mix Gold Medal Games Events where adults throw hairballs, clean kitty litters and drink from cat bowls to win prizes. Luckily, for every participant in the Gold Medal Games, Meow Mix donates one bag of cat food to a local shelter, making the spectacle more digestible. And, to make the scene complete, parked behind the tent was the Meow Mobile, wagging tongue and all.

As if a kitty-themed Olympiad and a whisker-laden vehicle were not enough, Meow Mix was also promoting Meow TV — the first programming targeted for cats. Richard Thompson, CEO of Meow Mix, in a 2002 radio interview described the programming of Meow TV as “Things that cats might be interested in watching — it could be fish swimming by or chasing squirrels or, you know, watching dogs do something, you know maybe music that cats might like.” More importantly he billed Meow TV as “something that will help us extend the brand and get people into the brand earlier and keep people in the brand longer”.

I had certainly underestimated the breadth of Meow Mix’s brand.

street_nintendo.jpg

A few tents down, there was more action to be found next to the “tricked-out ride” of the Nintendo Street Team. Nintendo’s SUV, not to be outdone by Meow Mix’s wheels, is supped up with five Nintendo GameCubes so that dads and sons can play either inside or off the SUV’s trunk.

If the van’s-a-rockin’ you can still get some Nintendo action from a handful of “Street Teamers” walking the streets and sporting Gameboy Advanced systems like body armor. Billed as the “Ultimate Summer Job” teams of cool and avid youngsters represent the Nintendo brand across the country. If this sounds too easy, think about having to go to Nintendo Boot Camp and be lectured by the Apprentice’s Troy McClain.

I was pretty much raised with the first iteration of Nintendo, that clunky gray box with big cartridges. It was not “cool” to play Nintendo then. I had a hard time seeing the Nintendo brand as it was being portrayed at this event. This is probably the first sign that I am getting old.

street_marines.jpg

At the end of the block was a recruiting post for the Marines. Their brand experience more subdued but still represented by five really buff guys wearing tight black shirts and dark sunglasses. Other than their adrenaline-pumping web site, the Marines are not as heavily branded as their bellic counterparts: the US Army and the US Air Force. The five Marines — I’m assuming they were official Marines — were nowhere near as excited as Nintendo’s Street Team nor Meow Mix’s hairball-retrieving ladies.

Not surprisingly, their tent was empty. Leaving me to think that in a battle of the brands, the Marines stand no chance against Meow Mix — much less Purina. This brandscape is disturbing. Should the Marines break out the big guns, literally? Parade across the street sporting M-16s and night vision goggles? Detonate some hand grenades on the street? It seems like nothing short of that will get people’s attention. Perhaps the Marine’s tent, in all its simplicity, would successfully draw all the population of Saskatchewan.

But not here, not in this logoscape.

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ENTRY DETAILS
ARCHIVE ID 2015 FILED UNDER Miscellaneous
PUBLISHED ON Jul.17.2004 BY Armin
WITH COMMENTS
Comments
Steve Portigal’s comment is:

I saw that Meow Mix mobile at the Licensing Show and it really made me think of the Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro

On Jul.18.2004 at 06:59 PM
Paul Mayne’s comment is:

Those Marines need to borrow one of those Nintendos with the game Call of Duty - then ask the visitors, wanna try this for real?

On Jul.18.2004 at 11:11 PM
Pesky Illustrator’s comment is:

Meow Mix? For the first time I bought the variety pack of the stuff for my cats just yesterday and they threw it up all over the house. The worse part is the staining dyes they use to make "salmon dinner" salmon colored. That's the LAST time I get seduced by their packaging! Armin, they can keep their Meow Mobile! I hope it coughs up a huge hairball...

On Jul.19.2004 at 07:32 AM
Justin’s comment is:

I hope it coughs up a huge hairball...

It pretty much does already. It's got an internal combustion engine...

On Jul.19.2004 at 08:18 AM
marian’s comment is:

I honestly can't remember a time when parades and festivals were not largely centred around commercialism. I know the tradition is different in Europe (I think of my brother describing the many festivals in Barcelona which seem to celebrate myth and religion), but even here on Bowen Island, and when i was a kid in Saskatoon, parade floats were sponsored by local businesses and booths at fairs were there to promote and sell things.

It was just more inept and, in a way, charming.

It's ironic that the products you buy are promoting by way of participation, and the marines--who are selling a participatory thing--don't.

On Jul.19.2004 at 09:17 AM
Armin’s comment is:

Marian, you are right about parades and festivals being overrun by sponsors. What I found different here was the exaggerated extent of the branding. The idea of these neighborhood festivals is to get a taste of the neighborhood, its restaurants, its shops, its charm — not to go play Gameboy. Putting tents in these festivals costs money (I think) so certainly Meow Mix can afford to buy 6 tents in a row while the local jeweler is crammed between them and a Bud Light stand. Not very neighborly.

> Meow Mix? For the first time I bought the variety pack of the stuff for my cats just yesterday and they threw it up all over the house.

Like Pesky, my first thought was "Meow Mix?". As a cat owner I have never bought Meow Mix (maybe once, and I think my cats threw up too). So to see them so "brand aware" was surprising and disturbing.

On Jul.19.2004 at 09:33 AM
Darrel’s comment is:

Do cats normally flock (herd?) to street festivals?

On Jul.19.2004 at 09:34 AM
Armin’s comment is:

No, they stay at home watching Meow TV.

On Jul.19.2004 at 09:38 AM
marian’s comment is:

Ah, Armin, you're starting to sound like me!

What I'd like to know (what I've always wanted to know) is if this kind of marketing works. Do people actually go to the store and buy the brand after they have personally thrown the hairball, or whatever?

AND, if Meow Mix is so bad for the cats (the dye and all), aiding the delivery of bags of the stuff to the pet shelter might not be such a good thing.

PLUS, call me dense (or just call me catless), but despite seeing the pictures and knowing that awful jingle, up until the point that I started reading the comments, when you said Meow Mix, I thought "Purina."

There's something of The Puppy Channel in that Meow TV.

On Jul.19.2004 at 09:57 AM
Joseph’s comment is:

I walked outside of my apartment in Harrisburg, PA. And lo and behold there was the meow mix vehicle, parked like a stalking cat. I was scared. I ran back upstairs and hid under my sheets. It finally left later that day and I felt safe enough to venture into the world once again.

On Jul.19.2004 at 10:06 AM
Tan’s comment is:

The summer festival season is upon us in Seattle as well. Every weekend, there's one somewhere in one of the townlets or suburbs/islands surrounding Seattle.

Maybe it's because there's more hippies around here, but our festivals aren't really that commercialized yet. There's the standard fare beverage sponsors like Coke and Bud Light. But the rest of the booths are small entrepreneurs hocking everything from art, to homemade clothes, woodworking, incense, and chiropractic evaluations/sessions. Throw in a few forgettable bands and some overpriced street food, and you've got a Saturday afternoon wasted.

I once asked one of the vendors — who sold garlic seasonings and spices — if the festival circuit was a lucrative business or just a hobby. And she told me that her company makes almost an entire year's worth of revenue in those three months. The rest comes from internet sales throughout the rest of the year. That probably goes for the other vendors that sell hammock swings and metal garden statues. I thought, hmm, not a bad way to make a living.

On Jul.19.2004 at 10:36 AM
JonSel’s comment is:

Being what they are, Meow Mix and Nintendo are fairly innocuous brand experiences compared to the Marines. Perhaps the Marines are a bit more understated because it could actually be someone's final brand experience. Don't take that as anti-military, just an acknowledgment that becoming a Marine requires significantly more thought and commitment than trying out a box of Meow Mix on your cat. To hype and promote it with something as ridiculous as, say, a 20 foot tall inflatable marine in dress uniform would be unseemly and trivializing.

On Jul.19.2004 at 10:52 AM
Paul’s comment is:

a 20 foot tall inflatable marine in dress uniform would be unseemly and trivializing

And those tacky CGI hero-slays-the-dragon-then-morphs-into-Marine TV ads aren't? They have always struck me as being in really poor taste.

On Jul.19.2004 at 11:21 AM
JonSel’s comment is:

those tacky CGI hero-slays-the-dragon-then-morphs-into-Marine TV ads

I agree. But there's a difference between an ad on TV and a live, interactive experience that's meant to sweep you up in the moment. I think you're far less likely to run out to the local recruiting office after seeing an ad. It's one thing to get temporarily caught up in Nintendo and find yourself walking home with a new GameCube. You decide you don't like it? Throw it up on eBay or figure yourself out a few hundred bucks. It's quite another to find yourself in uniform on a flight to Parris Island. There's a different level of responsibility in that respect.

On Jul.19.2004 at 12:23 PM
Paul’s comment is:

well, I certainly agree that there is a difference between the two environments, but seriously, do you think a 20' tall inflatable Marine is that much more likely to sweep someone up in the moment? And aren't you really saying that it is inapproprite to try to talk people into enlisting at ALL? because if you aren't, what would be wrong with anything the Marines might want to do to increase their effectiveness?

On Jul.19.2004 at 01:01 PM
vibranium’s comment is:

If the street fair sponsors were Apple, or (substitute well branded company here) - would you have minded? At all? Less?

On Jul.19.2004 at 02:29 PM
Armin’s comment is:

To give an honest response: yes, I would have been less bothered probably. Although I don't see Apple having "Pin the toupe on Steve Jobs" games to attract a crowd. Having sponsors is not what bothers me, we all need sponsors, it's how far they go to get your attention that troubles me.

And to be honest, again, it doesn't trouble me that much, I'm somehow used to it — or numbed to it. Heck, if they want to make the Meow Mobile purr when you honk I'm all for it but when 75% of a one-block neighborhood festival is senselessly over-branded it starts to get iffy.

On Jul.19.2004 at 02:42 PM
ps’s comment is:

streetfairs and shopping districts. i guess they are all heading in a similar direction. most tourists spend their days in city centers where they find the same stores as they would find in any other city, while the truly authentic stores-- or in the streefair example -- vendors, often will not be able to keep up with the high rents charged for a spot. luckily, you'll still seem to find authenticity in less wealthy neighborhoods.

If the street fair sponsors were Apple, or (substitute well branded company here) - would you have minded? At all? Less?

i think this is an excellent observation/question. my guess is that if its intriguing to us, we probably look at it as a welcome element compared to an intrusion... blinded by branding.

On Jul.19.2004 at 04:31 PM
marian’s comment is:

I think though, that when we imagine the Apple booth we imagine something sleek and designery. If they blew everything up to obscenely proportioned in-yer-face marketing, we would probably be just as alarmed.

We've probably all been to trade shows where some booths are approachable, and some--with giant dancing robots, for instance--are trying so hard it's repulsive. I'm wondering if this is partly what Armin is reacting against.

It's kinda like, there's salesmen, and then there's John Goodman in Barton Fink.

On Jul.19.2004 at 05:02 PM
Tan’s comment is:

Whether or not a retail brand chooses to hock wares at a festival depends on if they have a brick&mortar presence. I know it's hypothetical, but Apple spends a kazillion dollars on their stores — too much invested to slum it at a street fair. Cat food, cleaning products, and housewares on the other hand — is a different story.

Have you ever been to a county or state fair? Lots of large commercial brands all vying for attention. The audience is very targetted — usually non-urban, rural, middle-class to upper middle-class, with money to spend on big items. So certain retailers make a big push. Stuff like John Deere tractors, Chevy Trucks, DeWalt powertools, Weber grills, etc. All brands that traditionally sell well to that audience.

On Jul.19.2004 at 05:03 PM
ps’s comment is:

I'm wondering if this is partly what Armin is reacting against.

i think more than anything, armin needs to leave the city and go out for a good hike in nature. he'd be just fine afterwards.

On Jul.19.2004 at 06:06 PM
Shahla’s comment is:

I just revisited your cats in your bio, and they're so beautiful. But they do look like a trip to a safe outdoor area where they can frolick in nature would be a real treat to them, or forever render them unhappy in their urban habitat, I don't know. I'm petless. As for you, the tundra is calling.

On Jul.19.2004 at 07:16 PM
Bryony’s comment is:

i think more than anything, armin needs to leave the city and go out for a good hike in nature. he'd be just fine afterwards.

Let me tell you something. Should you venture to even suggest such a thing to Mr. Armin, he will start to hyper-ventilate, he will get weak in the knees and start mumbling in foreign tongues (no need to translate). This will last from the moment it was mentioned, to the moment his feet hit the moist soil of the outside. His hot-spot (located in his belly) starts to flash uncontrollably, incomprehensible sounds leave his gut and soon after he will faint (not before finding a blanket in which to fall).

On Jul.19.2004 at 09:11 PM
marian’s comment is:

I am unclear, Bryony, whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.

On Jul.19.2004 at 09:24 PM
Armin’s comment is:

Bad. All bad.

Nature… *shivers*…

On Jul.19.2004 at 10:11 PM
Drew’s comment is:

Maybe cuz when you buy Meow Mix - you don't get sent off to some foreign country to get shot at . . .

Just a guess, here.

On Jul.20.2004 at 02:10 AM
bryony’s comment is:

I am unclear, Bryony, whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Just imagine what would happen should he visit you for a week... You would have to hand feed him and keep all Bugs away from him, try to avoid his feet coming in cocntact with grass, well, you get the picture. It 'aint pretty.

On Jul.20.2004 at 08:04 AM
Armin’s comment is:

> Maybe cuz when you buy Meow Mix - you don't get sent off to some foreign country to get shot at

Well, yes. And JonSel already touched on that point. Buying Meow Mix is nowhere near as serious as enlisting in the Marines. That is not what is in question. I have never seen recruiting posts from the Army, but I can bet they are much more "flashy", they seem to be very brand aware. The point of all this, I think, is that in order to be heard you need to scream. And we are all screaming louder every day.

> You would have to hand feed him and keep all Bugs away from him, try to avoid his feet coming in cocntact with grass, well, you get the picture.

I don't know about no hand feedin'…

I appreciate nature, I just don't enjoy it.

On Jul.20.2004 at 09:50 AM
lauren e.’s comment is:

Interesting that the Marines in Chicago were so bland.

On a recent trip to Missouri, we stopped by Fair St Louis on the Mississippi river front for the Fourth of July. The Marines there had an elaborate brand experience set up, complete with shiny full graphics-sided semi-trailer and portable climbing wall. Not to mention at least a dozen members of their plain-clothes "street crew" (if you can call it that). They were definately putting an emphasis on adventure and life experience, rather than "sign up here to go to war."

I only wish I had pictures to share, but alas the battery in my digital camera died (sorry - poor planning on my part).

On Jul.20.2004 at 04:43 PM
Shahla’s comment is:

yes, Marian, with the 'blanket' being mentioned it seemed Bryony might have been going somewhere 'good' with it.

I cracked up reading your description of Mr Armin, Bryony. Don't worry, as he ages (more than he already admits he has) he'll come to enjoy it as well as appreciate it. Are you training him?

On Jul.20.2004 at 11:42 PM
Andrew Twigg’s comment is:

Seems to me that the failure of the Marine's booth has to do with more than just their lame red tent and underexcited representatives. Let us not forget where this took place: while we're in the midwest, Chicago is the city that helps Illinois to swing left in elections. My bet would be that the Marines would have gotten more action if this were a street fair somewhere downstate or in places where people weren't so suspicious of the government, cynical, or liberal. Lauren's experience in Missouri is probably more typical where the chance of "conversion" is high.

Nonetheless, branding in this manner is just another arm of big-cocorporate behemoth branding budgets. Do these tents drive people out to pick up a box of Meox Mix immediately following their participation in "Kitty Bowl XVII"? Probably not. However, for the nearly converted, it may be enough to remind them that this was something they were thinking of doing, and it may be enough to push those standing at the edge right over it. More so, when a corporation's strategy includes brand awareness, this is just one more exposure and one more chance to be top-of-mind.

The prominence of this kind of branding - "experience branding" as I think it's being called - is growing and it's not any surprise. With the advent of pop-up blockers and Tivo, companys have to find new ways to remind us of their existence.

On Jul.21.2004 at 07:41 AM
Kevin’s comment is:

>> Those Marines need to borrow one of those Nintendos with the game Call of Duty - then ask the visitors, wanna try this for real?

Are you unaware of America's Army? http://www.americasarmy.com/

The US Army has been developing, distributing and promoting this network based game for a year and a half. It's free, playable and very popular. The Army promoted the game at this years E3 with a flock of soldiers swooping in from above and rapelling down the side of the LA Coliseum.

This is more than a US Army branded gaming experience, it is initial training and then extensive missions requiring teamwork and skills. (Ender's Game, almost.)

On Jul.21.2004 at 11:19 AM
lauren e.’s comment is:

The prominence of this kind of branding - "experience branding" as I think it's being called - is growing and it's not any surprise. [Andrew Twigg]

There are agencies devoted solely to this type of marketing. Case in point: GMR. The web site explains their philosophy as such, The "live moment" is a flash point when a brand strikes an emotional bond with a consumer. (PS. I'm fairly certain they're not the ones responsible for the Meow Mobile).

So... what kind of "emotional bond" do people form with a giant orange cat-mobile? I can't quite say...

On Jul.21.2004 at 09:47 PM
Tom Dolan’s comment is:

Coming in late, but a couple comments: Yes, marketing like this works, maybe not on you, but on lots of folks. It's all about multiplying brand impressions and the very fact that it's being discussed here would make the creator of the MeowMix Mobile happy. Second, anyone interested in the deconstruction of the fair phenomina (and laughing very hard at the same time) should read the essay in David Foster Wallace's compilation Supposedly Fun Things I'll Never Do Again. Brilliant.

On Jul.21.2004 at 11:02 PM