Octagon First Call

We are getting asked more and more by brands and their marketing agencies on ways to use celebrities online. In the past, ways included using their name, likeness and quotes on a Company’s home page or micro-site created for a project (see: RMHC celebrity page).

The next growth area transformed the static page into video. Testimonials, recipe/cooking segments and repurposing of advertising.

And that video effort has quickly changed into the latest — interactive websites that look like TV shows and digital shorts that spread throughout the internet like wild fires. They are great ways of capturing database information and getting immediate feedback from consumers on the look, success and content of the program.

In our opinion, Unilever is the leader in this space. 

Recently, Unilever and their product Dove introduced a “Fresh Takes” program. As their press release says, “Fresh Take uses entertainment and humor to give viewers a look at three 20-something girlfriends as they put their everyday pressures in a fresh perspective. Using the budding micro-series TV format, “Fresh Takes” will broadcast three-minute episodes nationwide during “The Hills“. Unilever has also done similar type efforts with Suave and Bertolli. They were just voted digital marketer of the year by Advertising Age magazine.

(We wrote about Hanes online effort with Sarah Chalke last week).

Before you enter the space, you need to know the Screen Actors Guild online rules, fees and you should check out You Tube’s terms and condition. While you’re at it, check out the rules of Funny or Die created by Will Ferrell.

The next growth area will be brands giving comedians and directors (like Andy Samberg) creative license to create and spread these digital shorts everywhere. Stay tuned…

He has come a long way from Saved by the Bell and his A.C. Slater days. Let’s recount the past 18 months.

His stardom rekindled during an impressive run to the Dancing with the Stars finale (lost to champion Emmitt Smith). The Series showcased his charisma, strength and personality. Immediately after the Series finale, he flew to NY with Emmitt and hosted World Children’s Day at McDonald’s (he is still a spokesperson for the Friends of Ronald McDonald House Charities program). He also appeared at Home & Garden and many other trade shows for personal appearances too.

Last spring, he partnered with PepsiCo (PEP) for a “Smart Spot Dance! initiative, a multi-city instructional dance program that offers a fun way for families, especially Moms, to lead healthy, more active lifestyles.” He joined LaChanze, of the Broadway hit, The Color Purple, as a spokesperson.

He hosted the 2007 Miss America pageant (you remember, when the contestant totally messed up her answer to Mario’s question). This clip has been played more than 23 million times.

Next Month, Lopez will make his Broadway debut by joining the cast of A Chorus Line beginning April 15. He’ll take a hiatus most of May to promote his new book, Mario Lopez’s Knockout Fitness.

And oh yeah, he endorses Everlast and currently can be seen as a host of “Extra TV” and MTV’s “Randy Jackson Presents America’s Best Dance Crew”.

The most impressive part is the variety of these projects – hosting, acting, dancing, fitness, boxing, general market and multi-cultural programs.

It won’t be long until he hosts a network show like Ryan Seacrest, Howie Mandel or Tom Bergeron. (Mario already substitutes for Regis from time to time).

Kudos to his manager Mark Schulman and Lisa Perkins his publicist for all of this work too.

Ashton Kutcher is sneaking up to the top of the most marketable men in Hollywood.

He is best known for the television series That ’70s Show. He was the creator, executive producer, and host of the MTV celebrity prank show Punk’d and now Pop Fiction And now he is the executive producer for a new ABC sitcom Miss Guided.

USA Today’s Laura Petrecca yesterday talked about his latest endorsement project in which he becomes the new face for Nikon’s Coolpix digital camera (replacing Kate Moss). TV ads start today. Nikon even has a Ashton specific website address “AshtonsCoolPix.com” taking everyone to their home page.

Also, Baume & Mercier announced in a press release that Kutcher and Teri Hatcher will become new brand ambassadors the watch company. Past ambassadors included Meg Ryan, Kiefer Sutherland, Kim Basinger and Gary Sinise.

And before acting and serving as a pitchman, he was an aspiring model. Born in Iowa, he moved to New York and within months he was walking the runway in Milan and Paris, for Versace, Calvin Klein, and Tommy Hilfiger.

And oh yeah, he is married to Demi Moore.

Actor/comedian Will Ferrell is starring in a number of spots for Bud Light (one of which premiered during the Super Bowl) and Old Spice deodorant as his latest film character “Jackie Moon.” The commercials are part of the advertisers’ promotional deals with New Line for Ferrell’s next film Semi-Pro, which is in theaters February 29th. The commercials mark a trend on the rise. Different from product placement, commercials are being created especially for the film tie-in and the films’ stars are willing to appear in the ads. The spots are airing on ESPN, Comedy Central and MTV starting today, and special outtakes can be found on www.oldspice.com. How else is this promotion different? Ferrell is requesting that his fee (which is probably lower than typical for an A-lister since the commercials are part of the overall film promotion) be donated to the Cancer for College charity.

An article in Rolling Stone described a cool, new medium that’s been in the works for some time: celebrity-hosted internet talk shows. The article was about funnyman Tom Green and his latest endeavor, Tom Green Live! Though many entities offer podcasts, or chances to download network shows from the Web, Green’s show marks a new direction in communications. Filmed in the comfort of Green’s home and aired live on www.maniatv.com (episodes are also available on his personal website), the show has a similar format to talk shows on television. Guests have included Dr. Drew Pinsky, Brooke Shields, Weird Al Yankovic and Melissa Rivers, with some interviews surpassing two hours. Green, who was forced to cancel his MTV show due to a cancer diagnosis, is an entrepreneur thinking in the right direction. He combined the popularity of YouTube, his name and credibility, and the unpredictability of a call-in radio show into something really clever and funny. And while this show may not bring in millions right away, let’s not forget what this model did over time for Ashton Kutcher (Punk’d), Andy Samberg (Lonely Sunday), Steve-O (Jackass) and Jessica Rose (lonelygirl15).