Flip It - Girls Fight Back Against Bad Ads
Poor Heidi.
For months I've been squirming like a 3-year-old...
"Can I talk about it yet?"
"Can I talk about it yet?"
"Can I talk about it yet?"
She finally gave me the OK. What have I been so anxious to spread the word about? "Flip It." Flip It is a series of videos where girls talk about specific ads and why they don't relate to those ads. Ad Age is even talking about it.
Flip It is the brain child of Heidi Dangelmaier and the team at 3iying. I've been really intrigued by 3iying and some of their innovative approaches to marketing to girls 15-25. So how did Flip It come about?
Marketers targeting girls think they're doing a good job. They don't understand the extent of the disconnect that exists between girls 15-25 and the companies who are trying to reach them.
Being the super smart person she is, Heidi decided that instead of trying to tell them about the problem, she'd let the girls speak for themselves.
The result is Flip It. It started with a couple of girls around the office, but grew into a landslide of videos from girls who jumped at the chance to let marketers know just how off the mark they are.
Now, do not think this is just some bitch-fest. These girls are articulate, insightful and very specific about exactly why the ads are not relevant to them. Here's just a sampling:
What does sex have to do with saving the environment?
Are you saying pregnancy is ugly?
What girl wouldn't enjoy a guy staring at her boobs?
Are you using sex to sell to 10-year-olds?
We only wash our hair to impress our ex
Laptops- just make it pink and leave it on the beach
We don't like the thought that we need to be "made-over" and we don't want to subject our boyfriends to it either.
These girls are bright, funny, and real. There is a huge amount of information and insight to be gained from these videos.
I hope companies and marketers are listening. There is a huge disconnect between this market and the companies trying to speak to them. And it's not just girls 15-25. It's marketing to women of all ages.
3iying is not out to attack marketing - they are trying to make it better.
3iying is not in the business of flipping. We are an all-girl strategic and creative think tank that helps mass-scale brands become more relevant to girls. 3iying offers our contribution to ending this gap. We cannot do it alone. The new millennium girls reflect a consumer shift that will lead generations to come. Their mindset cannot be ignored if we wish to keep our client's brands alive and powerful and stop wasting their money.
Here's to more marketing to women that is relevant, insightful, fun and uplifting.
Heidi Dangelmaier and the girls at 3iying- you rock.
Love this site and the movies on youTube!
Nice concept
Posted by: Ann-Katrien | October 25, 2007 at 08:17 AM
They could also use something like Glyphius to analyze their ads and discover which ones are similar to successful ads. Glyphius would probably show them that the ads that are getting the most attention are the ones that girls that age are really responding to.
Posted by: Richard Carenton | December 05, 2007 at 07:41 PM
These adverts are fairly clever though as they get people talking about the product in question. I actually got some valuable advice about my own advertising campaign from James Brausch.
Posted by: Dom King | January 01, 2008 at 09:19 AM
well you got there a good point.
the videos are interesting.
Posted by: Bruno - Inovação & Marketing | January 14, 2008 at 06:40 AM
Holly - you are so right .. brilliant idea!
Posted by: Toby | February 09, 2008 at 01:59 AM
This sounds like a wonderful way to reach out to all those advertising agencies and marketing people. Here is something that speaks of honesty and does not hesitate to question why ads are the way they are. This is like a very publicized focus group discussion. Congratulations to Heidi Dangelmaier for pursuing this idea!
Posted by: Jen, writer MembershipMillionaire.com | February 22, 2008 at 02:40 AM