Marketing News

Adaptation: Rolls-Royce, Steve Jobs and Red Bull's 'Oliver Twist' Go Hollywood

Will the product placements in this weekend's Battleship sink the product placements ruling the box office in The Avengers? Check back here for the full Battleship product placement scorecard on Monday.

In the meantime, a slew of recent movie news confirms that Hollywood is cozying up to products, and finding compelling content in brand stories themselves, including competing Steve Jobs projects.[more]

It did not take long for a number of studios to move to cash in on the story of Steve Jobs and Apple's early years. First, there was the announcement of Jobs: Get Inspired, a film whose producer says will focus "on the early years of Apple, its founding and the up and down years: 1971-2000." So, expect a lot of Macintosh, not a lot of iPhone.

Some have questioned how much producers "thought different" when they cast Ashton Kutcher as the late Steve Jobs. In defense of the casting choice, producer Mark Hulme told Neowin.net:

"Since our film covers the early years of Apple, when Jobs was in his 20's, we needed an actor who could carry not only the youthfulness of Jobs at the time but also the psychological complexity."

"Psychological complexity." That 70s Show, Punked and Two and a Half Men star Ashton Kutcher? "Psychological complexity?" Anyway, Hulme added that Kutcher agreed to the part in part because he is "a Steve Jobs and Apple fan." Kutcher is also a tech investor and marketing master, showing no shame in using one job to promote his other interests. Last year, when Kutcher began his new role on Two and a Half Men, the star brought his own prop MacBook plastered with stickers for tech brands in which he just happened to have invested.

Even as it's still shooting, the Kutcher-as-Jobs project is already as sad as a Mountain Dew Batman and as dated as an iPhone 3G. This week, famed screenwriter Aaron Sorkin announced that he will be adapting the Jobs story for the screen for Sony Pictures. The last time Sorkin teamed with Sony to tell the story of a brand, the world got The Social Network, an Oscar nominee and the definitive Facebook movie. Sorkin will use Amazon’s best-selling book of 2011, Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs, as his source material. (The Social Network used bestseller The Accidental Billionaires as its basis.)

Apple, by way of the Steve Jobs story, isn't the only brand to getting the high end Hollywood adaptation. This week it was also announced that directing icon Martin Scorsese would team with Lord Richard Attenborough to make Silver Ghost, a film retelling of the founding of Rolls-Royce.

Who knows where Scorsese will go with the story, but Rolls-Royce certainly must be pleased with such royal treatment. And if Scorsese plays his story right, he could even incorporate Hollywood's hottest new product placement: China. In a development Charles Rolls and Henry Royce certainly never could have imagined, China is now the uber-luxury automaker's largest market.

The last word on the subject of historical adaptations and brands is news that Red Bull is underwriting a retelling of the classic Dickens tale, Oliver Twist — using parkour, the sport of urban gymnastic running.

Indeed, what did Dickens mean when he wrote, "Noah writhed and twisted his body into an extensive variety of eel-like positions; thereby giving Mr. Bumble to understand that, from the violent and sanguinary onset of Oliver Twist, he had sustained severe internal injury and damage, from which he was at that moment suffering the acutest torture?"

"Please, sir, I want some more… Red Bull."

Before any of these brand-friendly pictures hit a screen, audiences will be treated to Moscow 2017 ( a.k.a. "Branded"). The film describes itself as "a dark and mind-bending journey into a surreal, dystopian society where corporate brands have unleashed a monstrous global conspiracy to get inside our minds and keep the population disillusioned, dependent and passive." Take a peek below.

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Booze Newz: Pernod Havana Hard Time, Guinness QR Pint Glasses and more

Americans haven’t been able to enjoy over-the-counter Cuban products for decades now and it doesn’t appear that will change anytime soon. That’s bad news for the folks at Pernod, who have been battling to get its Havana Club rum trademark renewed. Unfortunately for them, the U.S. legal system at pretty much every level has said, “No dice.” The most recent blow came from the Supreme Court.

The rum is being made in Cuba by Cubaexport and distributed by France-based Pernod, a loophole the U.S. government doesn’t approve of and so when the Havana Club trademark came due in 2006, the government opted not to renew it, according to Bloomberg. The Cuban Foreign Ministry is not happy. After all, America accounts for 40 percent of the world’s rum intake so it would be nice to be mixed into that financial cocktail.[more]

Adding to the confusion is that since Cubaexport’s trademark disappeared, Bermuda-based Bacardi picked it up and produces its rum in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. That, of course, didn’t sit well with Pernod, and the two companies slugged it out in the courts during a 17-year legal battle and blew a boatload of cash but didn’t end up changing much. Pernod is introducing a new rum: Havanista. Drink up, America.

More booze newz, including a QR promotion with a twist:

Bacardi is undertaking a month-long corporate citizenship initiative in honor of its 150th year. More than 6,000 employees in more than 75 locations worldwide are volunteering in their communities throughout the month of May.

Budweiser's first "Made in America" music festival (Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia) will star, and be curated by, Jay-Z. Proceeds will benefit United Way.

Crown Royal announced the second installment in the brand's Extra Rare Whisky Series. The latest Crown Royal XR blend includes select remaining whiskies from the renowned LaSalle Distillery in Quebec, Canada "to create an unparalleled experience in luxury whisky."

Guinness is creating buzz in U.S. bars with a (hidden) QR Code Pint Glass: Fill it with a Guinness (or any dark liquid) to reveal a QR code, then scan it to "tweet about your pint, update your Facebook status, check in via Foursquare, download coupons and promotions, invite your friends to join you, and launch exclusive Guinness content."

Heineken was honored for its leadership in promoting global health this week in New York.

Naked Wines is investing $8.5 million in 22 winemakers in the U.S. and Australia.

Omission Beer, a gluten-free beer previously only available in Portland, Ore., is rolling out across America.

Remix is wooing U.S. fans of "pre-gaming" (defined as "drinking before drinking") with a new cocktail mix represented by Pauly D of MTV's Jersey Shore fame.

Tecate is looking for futbol fans to serve as "correspondents" to cover the soccer game of their choice in Mexico or the U.S.

Tequila Avion is running its first national TV campaign in the U.S. with the tagline "Choose Pleasure."

Warsteiner Beer's USA division announced "Under the Cap," a contest aimed at golf lovers; the grand prize is an all expenses paid trip to Amsterdam for the KLM Open in September.

Yuengling, “America’s Oldest Brewery,” took top spot in the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend study to be named “Beer Brand of the Year."

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GM Drops Another Ad Bombshell, This Time on the Super Bowl

Just a few days after General Motors CMO Joel Ewanick upset the Facebook IPO apple cart by announcing he's pulling his FB ad budget (even while promising to keep up free engagement with fans on the site), the world's largest automaker dropped another bombshell today: Ewanick revealed that he's planning to take GM advertisements out of the next Super Bowl, too.

It's a surprising reversal of strategy for a company that has gone big for advertisements in the last several Super Bowls, with a handful of spots for Chevrolet and Cadillac in Super Bowl XLVI this past February. GM executives had consistently touted not only the direct impressions created by advertising their products during the Big Game but also the increasing levels of integration between Super Bowl TV commercials and pre- and post-game promotion and social-media elements.[more]

But nothing seems sacrosanct in the world of GM advertising these days as Ewanick puts the biggest stamp on his organization since his arrival there as marketing chief a couple of years ago, and as results seem to continue to follow GM's re-evaluation of all of its media properties after shifting its massive ad-buying account to a new agency.

Just as when Ewanick revealed GM's decision to yank its paid advertising off of facebook, he used the Wall Street Journal (once again) as the message board for this decision. But while his gambit to withdraw advertising from Facebook found some agreement among other brand marketers both in the auto business and outside of it, this time Ewanick's reversal is likely to be only a head-scratcher.

That's because the Super Bowl has become arguably the most effective single platform for auto marketing. Besides GM, many other major auto brands have come to rely on Super Bowl ads to create awareness, fortify their brands and help launch important products — even vehicles that aren't actually coming down the pike for months. Volkswagen, Toyota, Chrysler, Audi, Acura and Hyundai were among the other car marques that shelled out $3.5 million or more for each 30 seconds of air time during Super Bowl XLVI, which reached more than 100 million Americans.

For GM, according to the newspaper, cost was the problem. Ads for Super Bowl XLVII are selling for about $3.8 million a spot these days. GM no longer wants to be the game's third-largest advertiser, which it has been over the last decade, according to Kantar Media — or in the game at all. But the company isn't cutting its overall ad budget, the newspaper said.

Notably, the most important skeptic about auto advertising during the Super Bowl lately has been Ford. Ford CMO Jim Farley has held that the brand can get as big a bang for its buck via social media and other channels and that taking out spots during the Big Game itself isn't cost-effective, comparatively.

Farley and the rest of Ford's brain trust like to advertise on Facebook, unlike GM. But at least the worth of Super Bowl ads is something he and Ewanick can agree on.

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Top 10 Stories of the Week: GM's Facebook Ad Pullout to the NYSE Euronext Brand Refresh and more

Our most-read blog posts of the week:

#1 Will Other Big Marketers Follow GM's Facebook Ad Pullout?

#2 Kellogg's Aims to Make Today Great with Refreshed Verbal and Visual Identity

#3 Why Brands Need to Drop the Jargon and Focus on Digital Experience

#4 NYSE Euronext Looks Ahead with New Logo and Color Palette

#5 Watch It, Wendy's: Burger King Wants Its Crown Back

#6 London 2012 Watch: U.S. Runners Get Creative with Sponsors

#7 Why Go Further is More Than a Tagline For Ford

#8 Skechers Settles FTC Toning Shoe Suit for $40 Million

#9 Forget Mother's Day - Happy Mommy Bloggers Everyday!

#10 Lush Cosmetics: Cruelty-Free, Not Controversy-Free

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Facebook's First Day of Trading More Whimper Than Bang

The historic day came and went as Facebook, eight years-old, with more than 901 million members, roughly 1 in 8 people on Earth, went public, issuing actual stock certificates in a retro move. As of 3:07 pm EST, Facebook had traded 460 million shares, setting a record for trading volume for a U.S. stock the day of its IPO. Facebook's stock opened around $43 and quickly slipped to under $39, after pricing on Thursday at $38 a share.

The social giant chose Nasdaq over NYSE Euronext, not surprising as the former is more closely associated with Silicon Valley. Due to a technical delay at Nasdaq caused by the sheer volume of share orders which began at 10:45 am EST, the stock opening took place at 11:30 am instead of 11:00 am, with some 82 million shares traded in the first 30 seconds. Seven minutes after the opening, 110 million shares had traded, with the stock eventually reaching a high of $45 a share. All in all, the highly anticipated public debut proved more of a whimper than the bang that was expected.[more]

As the Wall Street Journal reported, "The debut was marred by a 30-minute delay in the opening of the shares, coupled with reports from traders about lack of communication about orders. That threatened to dent the reputation of Nasdaq, operator of the Nasdaq Stock Market, which competed aggressively with the New York Stock Exchange for the chance to list the deal."

Thirty-one banks were involved with the public offering, with the main players Morgan Stanley (38%), JPMorgan (20%), Goldman Sachs (15%), Bank of America, Barclays and Allen & Company.

The expected raise is around $16 billion, making it the largest Internet-related IPO on record, breaking the previous record held by Infineon Technologies AG (Germany), which raised $5.9 billion in March 2000.

The offering is the second-largest in U.S. history, ranking just ahead of General Motors' 2010 IPO, which raised $15.8 billion, and behind Visa's $17.9 billion deal in 2008.

Investors jumped in at the bell, but normal traders are advised to wait a couple of days for the stock price to settle back down. On offer are 180,000,000 shares of Class A common stock and selling stockholders are offering 241,233,615 shares of Class A common stock. Closing is expected on May 22, 2012.

Facebook had total revenues of $3.8 billion in 2011, with an operating profit of $1.5 billion. The big financial winners from the IPO are Facebook, with about $5.6 billion of the roughly $10.6 billion it plans to raise, while the other half goes to inside investors including co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, venture firm Accel Partners, early investor and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, Russian tycoon Yuri Milner's DST and investment bank Goldman Sachs.

Zuckerberg is now one of the 25 richest people on Earth; his net worth is $20.8 billion, placing him 23rd on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, ahead of Amazon.com Inc.'s Jeff Bezos. (WSJ.com's real-time Zuckerberg wealth tracker proved a huge hit.)

And now comes the biggest challenge yet for Zuckerberg as he faces the glare of public scrutiny; there will be investors to answer to and satisfy and securities laws to comply with, in addition to figuring out China, monetization and other hurdles. Critics such as the Altimeter Group suggest that Zuckerberg's track record as a "Go away, I'm working on it" recluse could prove detrimental as he has to face investors on quarterly earnings calls going forward.

“For now, the history of IPO performance hasn't dampened the excitement of retail investors, who are treating Facebook's launch today more as a touchstone cultural event than a stock offering,” notes CBS News. “But as illustrated by Yahoo's woes as well as the demise of Netscape, which was bought by AOL in 1998, the corporate graveyard is full of companies that shined for a while before succumbing to mismanagement, technology shifts, and changing sensibilities.”

Proving to be bigger news on Twitter today, ironically, FB (the stock ticker it's now trading under) was hoisted on its own timeline — which wasn't updated today, (Zuckerberg updated his Facebook page twice in May, one time — below — for today's IPO). To be fair, they've been a little distracted in Menlo Park these past few weeks.

Now the world waits to see just how much ‘Like’ there is for the social giant that has defined social media with nearly half a billion people worldwide logging in every day.

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POM Wonderful Loses Latest Legal Battle, Against Coca-Cola

POM Wonderful can (and does) take credit for introducing Americans to pomegranate as a beverage. But as competitors came into the segment and created their own pomegranate beverages, Pom Wonderful's grip began to slip — especially as the FTC started clamping down on POM's "super health powers!" advertising claims.

The beverage-maker was sued by the FTC in 2010 and it has remained under the watchful eye of the feds, who are cracking down on health-related promises by marketers (ask Skechers about their $40 million pay-back to customers).

And in its latest legal twist, this week, POM wasn't able to get a U.S. District Court judge in California to agree with its stance against a tough competitor, Coca-Cola.[more]

So the Calfornia-based pomegranate grower and processor began to get aggressive in court in an attempt to protect what it saw as the integrity and higher value of its own Pom Wonderful drinks against competitors' diluted beverages that leverage the good name of pompegranates — without committing to using a lot of pomegranate juice, which is a high-cost ingredient.

Coca-Cola became a specific target of POM Wonderful in a suit against a Minute Maid drink launched in 2007, Pomegranate Blueberry Flavored Blend of 5 Juices. The product is mostly (99.4 percent) apple and grape juice — and only 0.3 percent pomegranate juice, 0.2 percent blueberry juice and 0.1 percent raspberry juice. A label on the front displays a picture of all of the fruits.

POM alleged that Coke was misleading consumers and wanted to force Coke to alter its label, including making the type of the words "Pomegranate Blueberry" less bold than that of "Flavored Blend of 5 Juices."

Trouble was, everything the Minute Maid product was doing was all fine with the federal government. The FDA allows manufacturers to name beverages using names of juices that may be in and flavor the drink but which aren't predominant by volume. So the California judge simply affirmed earlier rulings in this four-year-old case — that Coca-Cola's labeling of the Minute Maid juice is perfectly legal, even if misleading (and POM would argue, deceptive).

In fact, the court said in blocking POM's claim, "We do not hold that Coca-Cola's label is non-deceptive." And the court left the FDA free to act against Coca-Cola if it wants to.

That's not even rewarding half a loaf to POM's side — only a couple of slices. But unless POM Wonderful wants to try to take its case to the U.S. Supreme Court, it may be the end of the road for POM Wonderful's grudge match with Coca-Cola — and its latest round of legal squeezing.

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YouTube's Original Programming Getting LoUD and HUNGRY

Remember YouTube's promise to deliver more than 100 original channels of exclusive programming with brands and celebrity partners in 2012? In the wake of its recent pitch to advertisers, the Google-owned video giant is making good on that promise.

Two of those exclusive channels, launching July 2nd, are being produced by Electus. That's the multimedia branded entertainment studio founded by Ben Silverman, former head of programming for NBC, with the backing of Barry Diller's IAC.[more]

Electus has already launched a Latino-centric channel, NuevOn, featuring Spanish-language programming and celebrities, on April 16th.

The pitch: "The NuevOn channel will be a celebrity oriented Hispanic pop culture and lifestyle channel, en español, with content specifically tailored to young multi-cultural Latinos, taking into consideration their love for stars, humor, family, soaps, information and aspiration dreams. Electus has partnered with a team with over 20 years of production and marketing hits, headed by Luis Balaguer, CEO of Latin World Entertainment and named one of Hispanic Magazine’s Most Influential Hispanics in the entertainment business, Melissa Escobar executive with 1,300+ hours of production/programming for the Univision Network and Emmy nominated actress and producer Sofía Vergara."

One of Silverman's upcoming YouTube channels is LOuD, a pop culture channel.

The pitch: The Electus pop culture channel will be the hotbed for new, loud creative works that will launch into cultural consciousness. Edgy and fresh original content featuring celebrities and current YouTube stars in the shows they wish they could be making for TV. We will find new, unique characters with one-of-a-kind personalities and perspectives. In all the categories where YouTube excels, our channel is a launch pad for the next big thing. Led by Emmy-winning producer Ben Silverman (“The Biggest Loser,” “The Office,” “Mob Wives,” upcoming “Fashion Star”), with shows from Tony DiSanto and Liz Gateley (founders of DiGa, former heads of MTV) and many more!

Electus has released a sneak peek at a new series coming to LOuD: K-Town, an unscripted series featuring the "incredibly colorful Asian Americans who reside in the heart of Koreatown, Los Angeles - the vibrant Korean culture center that is sandwiched between the bohemian spirit of downtown Los Angeles and the business district of the Miracle Mile."

Also coming from the Electus studio to YouTube: HUNGRY, a (you guessed it) food channel being created in partnership with pastry chef Duff Goldman, known for Food Network’s Ace of Cakes — no surprise, as the channel's CEO is Bruce Seidel, a former Food Network top exec who oversaw the launch of the Cooking Channel.

The pitch: "Combining the audience and bandwidth of leading foodie site Urbanspoon with proven leaders in food programming with partners Notional and CAA, the Food channel is the perfect blend of loud characters and unique personalities with real, helpful and most importantly, highly entertaining tid bits on everything food!" This sizzle reel (sorry, sizzle rap) by the Fung Bros. sets the flavor for HUNGRY:

“In the evolution of the food arena, and as original content on digital platforms continues to flourish, HUNGRY marks a new vision and attitude about all things food. Whether you love to eat, cook or drink, our dynamic original series have something for everyone,” said Seidel in a press release. “Our mission is to create highly entertaining shows and galvanize the niches that are driving the Internet food conversation forward via the incredible power and social influence of YouTube.”

Goldman’s show coming to HUNGRY, called Duff’s Food World, will include “one-of-a-kind dishes and dining experiences like “dining in the dark” and “naked sushi in Vegas,”  “Internet and TV Food Clips of the Week,” and food festival field trips like the notorious Spam Festival or Fungus Festival. Duff picks his favorite “Food Porn Clip of the Week,” man-on-the-street food pranks and historical re-enactments of great moments in food.” 

Shows with Alex Thomopoulos, Laura Vitale, and Chris Cosentino will also be featured, along with a line-up of foodie trendsetters:

• BROTHERS GREEN with the Greenfield Brothers from Brooklyn, New York

• CASSEROLE QUEENS with Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock

• CITYSEARCH EATS from Citysearch.com clues viewers in on the hottest spots nationwide

• FUNG BROS. MESS WITH TEXAS and rustle up BBQ, dude ranches and tasty eats

• NEW SERIES FROM URBANSPOON with blogger reviews from its 20 million users 

“What once may have been considered too over the top for TV is now funny, fresh programming on HUNGRY,” says Goldman.

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The Pepsi Taste Challenge is Alive and Well and Living in Canada

Pepsi Canada took a big risk back in 1976 when it challenged consumers to a blind taste test, hoping that they’d not only top rival Coke but also that some of those folks who generally purchased Coca-Cola would surprise themselves and choose Pepsi.

Well, it worked then and the company hopes that it will keep on working this summer. PepsiCo Beverages Canada has announced that it is touring the nation this summer to administer the test to 1.5 million consumers at more than 1,000 events across the land.

With all this energy being thrown into it, Pepsi has gone ahead and renamed the promotion the Pepsi Ultimate Taste Challenge, which makes one wonder how they can possibly top that in the future.

Since 1976, the company has given nine million taste tests and this summer’s taste tests will feature the use of new technology, more than a thousand local events, and tricked-out semi-trailer crossing the country.[more]

The accompanying TV commercial ("Earl 2.0") riffs on the brands' playful rivalry that depicts employees switching sides, most recently in the 2012 Pepsi Max Super Bowl commercial.

The local experiential campaign will augment Pepsi's global marketing campaign, Live For Now, just now getting under way.

"Canadians love programs that allow them to experience brands in unexpected and entertaining ways. Every few years we bring the Pepsi Taste Challenge in and out of the marketplace, always adding new elements to keep it fun, fresh and exciting," says Robb Hadley, Director of Marketing, PepsiCo Beverages Canada, according to a press release. "Pepsi has always been about taste, and given the choice, results of prior taste challenges consistently revealed that a majority of Canadians preferred the taste of Pepsi over Coca-Cola."

The technology that is being integrated into the taste-testing experience is the Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface, a tablet table that “sees and responds to touch and objects on a 40-inch, high definition, multi-touch screen,” the release notes.

And for French Canadians, PepsiCo Canada is rolling out a campaign with "les Denis Drolet" in Quebec this summer — more details ici.

[Top image via Shutterstock]

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Are Auto Brands on a Collision Course with Regulators Over Distracted Driving?

AT&T Wireless has been campaigning against texting and driving, including bringing its texting-while-driving simulator (above) to high schools. While it makes sense for mobile operators (AT&T won a Cannes Lion nod for its efforts; LG has also been promoting "Text Ed") to take on the issue of safe driving, it also behooves automakers to step up.

After all, as cars get closer to being iPads on wheels, it's the technologies and systems designed to make vehicle "infotainment" easier and more attractive that are also distracting to drivers. Just this week, for instance, Hyundai debuted a new mobile application for its Blue Link platform that allows subscribers to remotely access various features and services through compatible mobile devices.

But auto brands operating in the U.S. market could be on a collision course with federal regulators who keep warning them not to make the in-car information experience too rich or distracting.[more]

"If the auto manufacturers focused as much on safety as they do on marketing their products, we would save a lot of lives," Deborah Hersman, chairman of the federal National Transportation Safety Board, told Automotive News. With accidents and road deaths increasing due to texting and driving, promoting safe driving and educating consumers (and particularly young drivers) could become a core part of automakers' corporate citizenship efforts, too.

Since Ford launched Sync a few years ago, automakers have been attempting to leapfrog one another to provide the most digital-rich environments in their vehicles, at the same time that they say they've been striving to keep the driving experience safe by emphasizing hands-free operation and voice activiation of infotainment features. GM, Nissan and Audi are also embracing in-car systems that access social media updates and sharing.

Of course, everyone understands that even if they're "hands-free," the capabilities of these systems inherently create more distractions for the driver. So far, the U.S. government has only encouraged the industry to voluntarily heed its concerns, using suggested guidelines but not attempting to restrict any activities just yet. Friday is the deadline for industry and public comment on the proposed voluntary standards.

In 2010, more than 3,000 people, or 9 percent of road fatalities, were killed in crashes related to driver distraction, the government says. While just about every other aspect of vehicle and driver safety is getting stronger, distraction remains a soft spot.

Hyundai's new device won't be the last this year or maybe even this month. But each brand is going to have to figure out how to drive an increasingly perilous path on the issue of driver distraction.

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Moto Guzzi: Knocking on 100, But Not on Heaven's Door

Three Italian Air Corp. buddies way back in World War I had the idea to start a motorcycle company after the war. One of them didn’t make it there, but his brother took his place and after getting a 2,000-lira loan from one dad, the trio commemorated their fallen friend by making the logo of their new company an eagle in flight.

Now Moto Guzzi is more than 90 years old and while you don’t hear its name every day, you likely do see its innovations. That’s something the company would like to remind motorcycle enthusiasts and so the manufacturer is making a digital push that will help celebrate the brand’s engineering and design, according to a company release. The new website will feature commentary from the brand’s designers, owners, and enthusiasts about Moto Guzzi as well as what it means to be original.[more]

"For more than 90 years, Moto Guzzi has designed and crafted innovative, comfortable category-defining motorcycles that attract customers who are true originals – just like their ride of choice," said Melissa R. MacCaull, VP marketing, of the brand’s owner, Piaggio Group Americas. "We want Moto Guzzi Originals to be an inspiration for the next generation of riders as well as anyone who values the timeless appeal of brands and products that stand apart thanks to their originality and high quality craftsmanship."

Some of the site’s new features will include a blog by Guzzi and motorcycle experts, a gallery of user-submitted photos, images of historic Guzzis (as well as those that haven’t yet been released, to whet appetites), and contests to engage visitors. Molto bene!

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