News and Updates

, Deputy Dean of Teaching and Head of the Department of Advertising and Marketing Communications at Ono Academic College was chosen to serve as a judge on a panel, organized by Israel’s business journal, Globes, analyzing advertisements for new projects.  The panel found that ads have stopped focusing solely on Corona and are being used to publicize exotic new products.

For instance regarding Coke Zero’s rollout of a mango-flavored cola, Shapira said, “It is not surprising that the launch of Zero Mango in Israel provoked a significant debate. It seems that the curiosity aroused by the move was based on the creation of an unexpected new triangle – the iconic Coca-Cola brand itself, the powerful semantic network built around Zero (zero calories, zero sugar), and so far, the main company in Israel has refrained from connecting the Coca-Cola brand to the world of fruit. On the contrary, fruit flavors have been linked to other brands like Prigat, Neviot, and Fuze Tea (or in its previous incarnation, Nestea). 

Shapira noted that Coke’s Israel slogan, “Taste of Life” and its many meanings which will now come to include, ”the possibility of consuming a unique fruity taste, without the consumption of calories and sugar – which is an intriguing and unique combination. This is a product whose risk does not involve high costs of time and money on the part of the consumer and has a built-in curiosity factor which will lead consumers to rapidly experiment with it. The product has provoked a variety of reactions on the Internet. “

Another innovative product that Shapira reviewed was Tnuva’s new vegan oatmeal-based beverage.  She said, “The discourse created around the launch of the new drink testifies to the Israeli public’s need for new products. The need for alternative milk drinks has risen recently, beyond the prominent vegan discourse on the net. In search of alternative solutions, and when a large and significant company like Tnuva produces a new product line that stands as an alternative to the company’s basic product DNA [Milk], the contribution to the discourse increases.”

Shapira also commented on Hot Cable’s new “It’s Fun to Stay at Home” campaign which directly relates to COVID 19 and features international star Gal Gadot and the children’s entertainer Kim Or Azulai.  The campaign aroused anger among cab drivers and restaurant owners whose business would be further disrupted if people continued to stay at home. Shapira said that the advertisements were “created as a result of a combination of accurate and relevant insight into the Corona period, the intriguing use of a glimpse into the private lives of glittering celebrities, and the negative discourse that intensified following the campaign’s insensitivity to taxi and restaurant owners. The public debate surrounding the company’s sensitivity question has aroused great curiosity about the campaign itself, as well as the company’s and presenters’ reactions. In the end, the discourse has raised awareness of the company’s new possibilities during the Corona era.” 

This case seems to prove the truth of the aphorism attributed to Phineas T. Barnum, the 19th century American showman and circus owner, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.”

The full article can be found at: https://www.globes.co.il/news/article.aspx?did=1001338525