Einstein Bros. Bagels: Analysis of Product in Real World

The Einstein Bros. Bagels "Wholly Experience" campaign can survive most anything the world has to offer. Even in an economic downturn, consumers still need to do what they do best: consume. What better product to consume than bagels? They're inexpensive, a source of carbohydrates, and they provide an experience every time a customer eats one.

The design of the ad is very catching, firstly, because it is so simple. There are not crazy graphics or overwhelming photos. All it consists of is one word, one picture, and instant impact. Since "not only does the design serve to catch the viewer's attention due to its atypical appearance, but its form and content are completely interdependent" (Advertising by Design, Robin Landa, pg. 42). The ad is so simple, yet so catching at the same time.
The concept of this ad is, again, simplicity. There's no need to confuse the audience's eye: just show them what you want to show them. The bagel is "that flash of insight that synthesizes the purpose of strategy... and makes the audience stop, look, and listen" (Advertising by Design, Robin Landa, pg. 58). Stop. Look. Eat an Einstein Bagel.
In a compositional sense, this ad campaign is interesting because of the "big headline above a small photograph"; in this case, the headline and photograph are equal (Advertising by Design, Robin Landa, pg. 136).




The Einstein Bros. Bagels "Wholly Experience" Campaign will change the way the world views dining choices.

And the choice will always be Einstein Bros. Bagels: a Wholly Experience.

EOC: Week 10: Art Serving Capitalism

This statement is quite bold. Capitalism has such a negative connotation to it nowadays, especially in the current economic climate.
But is that really what advertising is? Art serving capitalism?

In a sense, yes. Advertisements seek to sell product. These products seek to be bought by customers. These customers are part of a capitalistic society, making money off its citizens in any way it can.
A quote from Goodby Silverstein and Partners sums this thought up pretty well: Art teaches business to dance. It's all about showing us what you're made of and why we should buy your product. Don't just tell us why, but SHOW us. That's what art is all about: showing something and getting a reaction or response.
But where does this relationship between art and advertising come from? It is possible that "like any significant aspect of the human experience, advertising has been interpreted through art... As art incorporates advertising and information and information media includes more ads and design, advertising cannot help but inch towards more honesty and art." (http://www.amedianysf.com/historyofadvertising.html) Is this to say that with every step towards art, advertising is becoming more honest? One could only hope.
But it's safe to say that our capitalistic ways will not be lost on future generations any time soon. We will still want to buy things, and once we buy those things we'll want more. We simply aren't ever satisfied. And why would we? There are all these clever ads influencing you...and your wallet.

Einstein Bros. Bagels: Creative Content

The creative content for this project came from an appreciation for simplicity. Too many ads today are full of unnecessary words and imagery. I wanted to focus more making this ad as uncomplicated and easy to understand as possible, while still giving the viewer something eye-catching and thought-provoking.

While coming up with my concept, I thought a lot about balance and white space. The center of attention was going to be just that: in the center of the ad. It was going to be big, bold, but still fun. I didn't want to do anything asymmetrical. That's partly why the bagel is in the center. Since "viewers need to feel or sense balance in order to... believe the design is complete" (Advertising by Design, Robin Landa, pg. 126), it seemed silly to show something "incomplete".

Another priority was some sort of humor or funny imagery. And while "what is funny to one person...may not be funny to another", who doesn't love angel wings and a halo on a random object such as a bagel?

Einstein Bros. Bagels: Promotion

Promotion for Einstein Bagels is going to be as clean and simple as the product.

First, there will be print ads running in cooking magazines. People who like good food will LOVE Einstein Bagels.

Then, we'll send a punch card to every house within twenty miles of an Einstein restaurant.

Eventually, we'll move toward commercials running between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm, when families are most likely to be together and watching television.

And when all else fails, we'll say it big with a billboard.

Einstein Bros. Bagels: The Big Idea

The big idea behind this new direction for Einstein Bagels is that it isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. Actually, it's more of an improvement. Some advertisements prefer to say something outright and not leave anything to the imagination. Suffice it to say, we're not using that approach.

With the "Wholly Experience" ad, we're using a visual analogy, which is basically "a comparison based on similarities or parallel qualities" (Advertising by Design, Robin Landa, pg. 67). The comparison in this case will be the bagel as compared to an experience coming "full circle", if you will. You get a "whole" experience when you go to Einstein.

It is safe to say that there's an element of exaggeration in most ads. For this ad, the exaggeration might be found in the "heavenly" aspect of it, with the wings and halo around the bagel. But it is this "overstatement or enlarging the truth beyond bounds" that is going to help "express just how terrific...[the] product is" (Advertising by Design, Robin Landa, pg. 80).

Another reason why Einstein Bagels are so good is because they are genuine; they're
"not an imitation, but bona fide" (Advertising by Design, Robin Landa, pg. 83). Other guys try to make a bagel that's as close to an original as possible. But Einstein takes it a step further. They come up with their own bagels and shmear flavors. Anyone can put cream cheese on a bagel. But who else would come up with Sun-dried Tomato and Basil shmear? Einstein, that's who.

Einstein Bros. Bagels: Competitive Analyses

The way Einstein Bros. Bagels fulfill one's hunger desires is quite unique, as they also fulfill emotional desires. Sometimes customers simply need a pick-me-up, a positive experience to help them get through the day. So they go to Einstein because they know that the product they receive is going to be of high quality. The bagel is going to make their stomach full of not only dough and shmear, but wholesome goodness! That goodness breeds happiness, and that happiness results in a satisfied customer.

Other companies, such as Sara Lee, do not have that emotional connection to the customer. Einstein knows that "people's motives for consumption might be based on meeting emotional needs" (Advertising by Design, Robin Landa, pg. 62).

One similarity between Einstein and Sara Lee is that both companies do not advertise everywhere and in every way. When representing something as simple yet essential as bread, it is important to not bombard the consumer with ads. Rather, trust (for the most part) that the customer will continue to buy your product. Honestly, what is life without bread, especially bagels? Both companies have faith in their supports, or something that "backs up a claim" (Advertising By Design, Robin Landa, pg. 64): you need our product to survive. What backs this up? Well, try going weeks on end without having your Asiago Cheese bagel with Garden Veggie shmear and you'll see what I mean. Some things are just too delicious and wonderful to give up. So don't give up your bagel! Go to Einstein and put a smile on your face.

Another great marketing technique Einstein uses is the cute cartoons of the "Einstein Brothers". Though the founders of the Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc. were not named Einstein, the fact that the company attached "mascots" to their chain makes it that much more personable. You don't see any of the other big-name bread companies using this method to draw customers in. And that is just one of the many reasons why Einstein Bros. Bagels is the most successful bagel brand around!

With the kind of success Einstein has constantly had, there really is nowhere to go but higher up! One way the company can improve is by advertising just a bit more. It's not going to be through guerilla advertising of any kind. We'll be slightly subtle and continue to be as casual as ever. Let's reach out to our already-loyal customers by giving them a "punch card". It's a great rewards system that keeps 'em coming back. Here's how it will work: There are ten pictures of bagels on a card. For every bagel (excluding Bagel Buckets, which have 13 bagels PLUS two shmear tubs) a customer purchases, one of the bagels on the card gets hole-punched. When every bagel is punched, the customer gets a free bagel of their choice. It's simple, yet effective.

EOC: Week 8: Really Good Example of Chapter 8

AT&T likes to be very innovative when it comes to their advertisements, print and otherwise. This one, which features hands painted and shaped like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, is nothing short of innovative.

One of the great thing about it is that it doesn't look like an ad. Rather, it follows the advice of Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, as it has "simplicity, relevance and an immediate emotional connection to the consumer's heart, through a stunning visual" (Advertising by Design, Robin Landa, pg. 143).

The stunning visual in this case is the "hand-made" Eiffel Tower with the cell phone (and the company's logo) in the center. With this, the ad is pushing the idea that AT&T's phones and service are reliable and expansive... all the way to France.

The size of the logo is very important, as well as its context. This context "often determines its impact and provides information" (Advertising by Design, Robin Landa, pg. 148). With the logo where it is in the image, both on the image and on the product, the ad successfully demonstrates good graphic as well as advertising technique.

Einstein Bros. Bagels: A Wholly Experience

What do you think of when you hear the word "wholly"? Quite a few things, actually. It's a homonym, so other words sound like it. For example, you could hear "holy", as it religiously sacred. Or, "holey", if you are describing something that has a hole torn in it.

But what Einstein Bros. Bagels gives is a "wholly" experience. That is, they give a complete experience each time you stop in one of their many locations.

Think about it.

As you walk towards the doors, the scent of fresh-baked goods fills your nostrils and puts a smile on your face. Then you walk through those doors, and suddenly another aroma takes over: that of their Darned Good Coffee. The variety of the (also freshly made) coffees is so tantalizing, you almost wish you could stick a giant straw in the vat and slurp it all up, savoring every sip.

But wait! You haven't even placed your order yet! As you approach the counter, you see a smiley-faced bagel pro ready to make your brunching dreams a reality. So, you recite your request. (My personal favorite is a Spinach Florentine Bagel with Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Shmear, lightly toasted. YUM!) And as you utter the words that shall soon enough be sitting in front of you, it is almost as if you are praying. "I would like a (insert chosen bagel here) with (insert chosen delicious shmear here), please."

And so you head toward the cashier, (and then to your table until your bagel is ready) nearly floating. The excitement is mounting. Waiting seems unbearable, but you know the anticipation is more than worth it in the end.

That first bite of toasty, shmear-y, yummy goodness is all it takes for you to be on Cloud 9. Absolute perfection. Every bite you take becomes more and more sacred. And though good things don't last forever, you know the time will come soon enough for you to indulge in the delicacy that is an Einstein Bros. Bagel.

Week 8: EOC: Authority

Stefan Sagmeister of Sagmeister Inc. put it best when he said "Make it huge, or make it tiny."
I was already thinking about the design and layout of my ad, especially as far as how I'm going to incorporate typography into it. This statement confirmed for me the ad's design.

So far, I'm thinking about putting my product in the center of the page, big. (Not sure yet what I want the background to be... White? Black? A photograph? Hmm...

Also, Michael Sickinger of Firmenich said something very interesting: "Type, by itself, can be the design." So what if I put the product itself inside the font, as a letter unto itself? Ah!

There's really so much you can do with type, it's kind of overwhelming. But in this case, overwhelming might be a good thing.

EOC: Exciting Ad

At first glance, this ad just looks like a still from a mess in motion. The soup is spilling, the parsley is flying, and the sleeve is about to become in desperate need of some cleaning.

But wait... that tag line captures my eye (it has a fun shape and design all to its own). "Because stains love your clothes."

Oh! That sleeve is a face! The soup is a face! And though the sleeve is not very excited about getting a smooch from soup, it really has no other choice. That soup is flying everywhere!

There's a great use of positive and negative space. Though the images are not directly in the center, they do attract your eye from the bowl of soup to the face of soup.

The components also work in unison. You can practically feel the bowl about to drop and the faces meeting.

Also, the vivid colors keep your attention. If this ad were in, say, black and white, I'm not sure I would be as likely to keep looking and thinking about the ad as I am with the orange, green, and the faded background.

Overall, this ad is really dynamic and gets the point across: BUY TIDE! KEEP YOUR CLOTHES CLEAN!

EOC: Final Project: First Thoughts

I've got a few thoughts rolling around in my head as far as what product to choose for my Advertising Final Project. I knew right from the beginning that I wanted to choose a Jewish/kosher product, because I know those products best.

Being "unorthodox", I figured out my slogan before I came up with a product. (You're going to have to wait just a little longer to find out what my slogan is.)

I have 3 products in mind so far:
Zomick's bakery (the BEST challah!)
Schnitzel (the Friday night staple)
Bagels (who doesn't love bagels, lox and schmear??)

So that's what I've got so far. Stay tuned to find out what my slogan is and how this develops!

EOC: Week 6: Make 'Em Laugh

We live in a world where everything we do, think, and know must be confirmed computers and the Internet. So what is one to do one is in a dangerous situation and needs a way out?

GOOGLE IT!

And what are you going to trust your survival and "googling" to? In this ad, the answer is the Philips V900. This phone can apparently get you out of a bind because it is reliable and fast. It's so fast, in fact, that it can give you a solution while a hungry bear is coming at you!

The caption reads, "Fast Internet access when and where you need it". Now, I don't know how often I'm going to need to Google how to escape a grizzly, but the ad does make you think that to be without this phone and its reliable Internet capabilities is setting yourself for trouble.

So get a Philips V900! You'll never be caught clueless in an unpleasant situation again.

EOC: Week 6: Jerry Metellus

It was a very exciting afternoon at the Art Institute today... Jerry Metellus, renowned photographer (and 8-pack denier), came to speak to us! I don't know about everyone else, but I've been looking forward to hearing him speak for weeks! His photography is so inspiring and unique, and what he said really resonated with me.

I particularly like his motto: Do it seriously, don't take it seriously. A photographer should be loose yet sure of himself/herself. If you come into a photoshoot, or any life situation in general, and you're stern and stiff, chances are the outcome of whatever you're doing will appear stern and stiff. (Unless your client is a stick-up-the-butt, you really don't want that impression.)

He also spoke a lot about rights of usage and how vitally important those are to a photographer's career. Even if you're the one who took that photo that's on billboards across the country, you don't get a penny if you gave up your rights to it. and that could be the photo that changes the world! How sad would it be if you couldn't get the credit for it??

Finally, make sure your "tool box" is constantly being filled with new tools. This "tool box" is what you get once you graduate from college. It's just waiting to be filled with experiences and lessons that you learn in life. It's so important to get out there and actually LIVE. Every experience takes you to another experience that takes you to another, and so on and so forth.



Now comes the next step: work towards an internship with Jerry. I know I just started at AI, but I think I could learn so much from him and his team. I want to learn about the ins and outs of the world of photography, especially the kind he does. So, I'll speak to my advisers and hopefully get on the right track towards making this dream come true.

EOC: Week 5: Ad Categories

Category 1: Endorsements Drew Barrymore, actress, director, and now spokeswoman of Covergirl Cosmetics, can afford to use the most high-end and expensive makeup products in the world. So why is her [beautiful] face the canvas for inexpensive mascara? She is endorsing the product, making consumers see that she uses it. "My, she's so beautiful! If I use this mascara, will I be beautiful just like her?" -- "Yes!" Covergirl would respond. With a hot celebrity endorsing a product, how could you lose? Exactly. YOU CAN'T.


Category 2: Declarations
Through an image of blood-stained shattered glass and a simple tagline: "Get the Message", the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons is evoking a very strong emotional and physical connection: texting = death. It's not new news that texting while driving is dangerous, but when an ad shows in the most "PG rated" way its consequences, it strikes a chord with, well, EVERYONE. It's as simple as a piece of shattered glass.


Category 3: Meta-Advertising
This Apple ad is pretty much the definition of meta-advertising. "I'm a PC. I'm too business oriented and my operating system is so-so." "I'm a Mac. You should buy Macs because they're awesome, just like me." Just like all of Apple's other ads, this one is very simple, sweet, and to-the-point. Just looking at the differences in the men's outfits, it's clear that Macs are more relaxed, whereas PCs are suit-and-tie and restrictive. I'm already an Apple girl all the way. But even if I wasn't, this ad would make me run out and buy a Mac, just being this clean and simple.

EOC: Week 4: Bob Isherwood - Why is he Important?

Bob Isherwood was the Worldwide Creative Director for the advertising agency, Saatchi & Saatchi. In his career which spans 35 years, he has become one of the most influential and respected individuals in the industry.

Isherwood "believes passionately in the power of ideas to change the world... [His] vision and leadership have been instrumental in transforming Saatchi & Saatchi from an ad agency to a global ideas factory." http://www.saatchi.com/news/archive/clio_lifetime_achievement_award_for_bob_isherwood This rings so true when analyzing the firm's range of advertisements.

This first one, for example, speaks about domestic violence and how verbal violence can escalate into physical violence. This PSA says so much without using any words except for the tag below, which reads "Verbal abuse can be just as horrific."

The linked ad is very creative and an unexpected way to connect the consumer to the product, in this case Cheerios. It's saying, "Your heart is the source of beauty and greatness. Let Cheerios help it exude beauty." http://www.saatchi.com/en/our_work/ideas_gallery/cheerios_what_runs_through_your_veins

Isherwood said it best in an interview from the textbook Advertising by Design (Robin Landa, 88), "I need to understand what the problem is to be solved; otherwise how will I know when I've found the answer?" With this ethic, Bob Isherwood greatly impacted the way Saatch & Saatchi, and the advertising world as a whole, works.

BOC: Week 4: Jerry Della Famina - The Big Idea

The inspiration behind the hit television show, Mad Men, Jerry Della Femina can be called the true American Dream. He grew up in a rough and tumble neighborhood, beating the odds, and has ended up owning a thriving advertising business. How does he view success? "...as a wonderful punchline to one of the universe’s more benign jokes. He did say to himself as a kid, “I’m gonna get out of here.” But he couldn’t have predicted that he would get out so spectacularly." http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/145766a2-8fb1-11df-8df0-00144feab49a.html

Della Femina has compared the advertising agency to the cut-throat world of the Mafia, since "An adman is only as good as his latest ideas, and when he runs out of them, he walks the plank." And the shelf life of an advertising exec is "really not unlike baseball. You've got about seven, eight, or maybe nine years when you're hot... and then there's that long downhill slide." http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,944114-2,00.html

The advertising world nowadays is not so exciting for Della Femina. “It’s different. There’s less risk-taking in writing or in art direction. People just basically sort of do their job. There used to be people sitting around with giant note pads and art directors with drawing pads … and there is none of that now." http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/145766a2-8fb1-11df-8df0-00144feab49a.html



With this sort of enthusiasm and passion for his field, it is needless to say that Jerry Della Femina is the advertising industry.

EOC: Week 3: Tobacco Advertisement

-Interpret the problem: Consumers may not have wanted to smoke cigarettes after hearing of the adverse side effects associated with smoking, among them unflattering stains on teeth. The tobacco industry, more specifically in this case, Viceroy brand cigarettes, identified this problem and came up with a revolutionary idea: filters!

-Understand the creative brief: The strategy the industry decided to use was to go straight to the authorities on teeth: dentists. Their thinking may have gone along the lines of “If we get the dentists to endorse our product, the public will think our cigarettes don’t stain their teeth!” Quite a strategy.

-Say it outright: This ad didn’t use any fancy language or confusing graphics. Instead, it gave a concise reasoning of why and how Viceroy Cigarettes “trap” nicotine and tars. An interesting tidbit about how this company “said it outright” is that they added a disclaimer at the bottom of the ad, in much smaller print. So even though “You’ll be glad you did” get Viceroys, note that “no filter can remove all nicotine and tars, nor does Viceroy make this claim”.

-Know your audience: The audience in this case is consumers who don’t particularly trust cigarettes because of potentially adverse side effects. Viceroy’s mission, however, is to make them think that smoking this brand of cigarettes can actually be good for you, since “no tobacco crumbs can get in your mouth” with this filter.

-Write your objective: Consumers will smoke Viceroy Cigarettes because they contain a filter that prevents the adverse side effects the public has complained about.

EOC Week 2: Ethics in Commercials

Consumers are inherently gullible. We believe what we hear, regardless of how unfounded and ridiculous it may be. Case in point: the recent stream of ads promoting high fructose corn syrup. Anyone who has ever taken any sort of health class, let alone read the nutrition facts and ingredients on a food label, knows that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is VERY, VERY BAD. The ad agency that’s promoting HFCS might be calling it a “sweet surprise”, but it should be called “sweet death”, because that’s what it’s going to end up doing. For all intents and purposes, the Corn Refiners Association is doing the same thing the tobacco industry is doing: killing its best customers. “Regularly including these products in your diet has the potential to promote obesity – which, in turn, promotes conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease”. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fructose-corn-syrup/AN01588 I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but moderation is just not going to cut it. Kids are the greatest consumers of HFCS since it is in practically everything they eat, from sodas and even some juices to the cereal they eat for breakfast.

“This American-made ingredient maintains freshness in condiments, enhances fruit flavors… retains moisture in baked goods. It has contributed to food choice and value for decades. In this economy, every little bit helps.”(http://www.corn.org/cbsnews-health-report-hfcs.html) I’m sorry, but even in this economy, giving millions of people the death sentence of diabetes or morbid obesity is NOT helpful.

This commercial is one of the most unethical I’ve seen in a while (and there have been some pretty questionable ones in the past few years). The most surprising part of the whole thing is the fact that it’s not even the children that are promoting the HFCS but the MOTHERS, the ones who are supposed to have the kids’ best interests in mind! (And the color of the drink? That artificial, slimy red? Gross!) Let’s let our children be high on life, not sugar.

My Voice

Through my lens, I am able to see the world around me in a completely different perspective. I put my soul into every shot I take. There is no use in putting out a product if one does not put their whole selves into it.
My dream is to help those in need of healing by establishing an art/photography therapy practice. If that doesn't work out, I would love to travel all over the world and photograph exotic animals and destinations. The photographers who contribute to National Geographic Magazine inspire me because they capture not just a picture, but a story and a life. That is the true duty of a photographer: to instill within something which could be construed as relatively boring something wonderful and lively.
I was always taught that it is our responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. If I can make any difference in the world, it would be to, through my photographs, inspire others to be kind toward our earth and all those who inhabit it. I care so deeply about our planet; my hope is that I can successfully convey that through my photographs and affect people in such a way that they learn to appreciate every beautiful thing that surrounds them.

EOC Week 1: VW Lemon

“The ad featured a black and white photo of the Volkswagen Beetle with the word “Lemon” in bold san serif font… that proclaims that this particular car was rejected by Inspector Kurt Kroner because of a blemish on the chrome piece of the glove. The ad goes on to describe the rigorous inspection process…” (http://www.writingfordesigners.com/?p=1731)

But what makes this particular advertisement so significant? The design and delivery was vastly different from ads that came before it. “Ads before it were either information-based and lacking in persuasion, more fantasy than reality, or reliant on the medium's ability to deliver repeated exposure.” (http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/1999/11/22/smallb7.html)

However, this ad was not only famous for its print value. Through television, Volkswagen “made the emotional connection between the car and consumers…” In a commercial set at a funeral, “the voice of the deceased bequeaths his fortune…To my nephew (who was mourning in a Volkswagen Beetle), who often said ‘A penny saved is a penny earned’ and ‘it surely pays to own a Volkswagen,’ I leave my entire fortune.”Because of this connection between merchandise and customer, Volkswagen was giving its audience a compelling reason to purchase their vehicles. (http://www.syl.com/bc/advertisingcampaignforvolkswagenbeetletheno1advertisingcampaignofthecentury.html)

Though there is truly a multitude of reasons why the VW Lemon advertisement was so influential, one of those chief among the others is this: it taught the population how to shop. When opening their wallets, customers wanted to know for a fact that the product they were buying was that of quality manufacturing. The Lemon ad helped shape that mindset. “The point is that to analyze the question of which benefits to communicate, we really need to know which attributes are considered in making the brand-choice decision and which of them are most important in the targeted product-market situation.” (http://books.google.com/books?id=trqPlpLpjyAC&pg=PA264&lpg=PA264&dq=volkswagen+lemon+ad+influence&source=bl&ots=9Jck-WHiYx&sig=tfJwoPXzluyfYusViYwpSfcuw6Y&hl=en&ei=VH4_TLAZwYHyBqLg6a4K&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ6AEwADgU#v=onepage&q&f=false)

The Volkswagen Lemon Ad is iconic and historic, changing the way people live, shop, and connect to products.