Today's Wall Street Journal (9-25-06) Small Business section features a lead article on "How to Get Attention in a New-Media World", highlighting the success of a fashion clothier called Hollywould in gaining awareness and publicity through designer Holly Dunlap's blog ("Holly's Diary") at www.ilovehollywould.com. The online buzz has proven more worthwhile than monies spent on traditional P.R. agency efforts. The piece makes one wonder how some of the FC advertisers listed in my previous entry might gain similar attention through more creative experiential marketing efforts....

-- Car companies Saturn, Jaguar, and Land Rover -- customer diaries of driving experiences (Holly would haul)

-- Marriott -- guest diaries of sleepful stays (Holly would nights!)

-- Budweiser -- drinkers tell tall tales (Holly would hangover)

-- Copystar -- workers sharing photocopy art (Holly would humor)

-- New Orleans CVB -- turnaround testimonials (Holly would help)

-- USO -- actual handwritten notes available online (Holly would hail)

Let me suggest a new advertising imperative: Run no ads that do not point to an actual customer experience to be had online or face-to-face someplace. I'd argue that the existence of such experiential offerings would force more creative ad copy than much of what passes itself off today as "Creative".