Case in point: this Funny or Die 80s movie spoof, sponsored by Pantene:

“Mocketing” – a strategy in which brands poke fun at themselves while simultaneously communicating an advertising message — can be effective in certain rare cases.

But the bull’s eye is very small on this, and ultimately (as with any marketing initiative) the decision making power should stay with the brand.

If some clever soul has you mulling creative that uses mocketing as a tactic, ask yourself these questions first.

+ What’s the brief?  Why does something cheeky work better than a straightforward message?

+ Who’s the target?  Am I trying to reach cynical groups of buyers (young men for example) who might respond best to an ironic approach?

+ Is it funny (be honest with yourself)?

+ Where’s my value proposition?  Everybody loves funny jokes.  But does this concept meet the high burden of proof of A) being funny while simultaneously B) communicating why my product is great?

Quick postscript to the above: sometimes brands don’t get to choose to participate in mocketing campaigns, as in the case of Hot Pockets and comedian Jim Gaffigan.

Gaffigan’s merciless riffs about Hot Pockets became such a phenomenon that the company adopted an if-you-can’t-beat-em-join-em strategy, and sent costumed performers to each of Gaffigan’s shows to pass out Hot Pockets to the crowds.

Painful, yes — but effective.

I was rocked by this BloombergBusinessweek story about Kraft Foods and the way the company alters fundamental brand identity to drive profits in emerging markets.

When I think of Oreos, the ubiquitous cookies-and-cream combination springs to mind.  But that’s because I’m an American.

According to Bloomberg, Kraft is having success overseas with flavors like:

+ Chocolate and Peanut (Indonesia)

+ Green Tea (China)

+ Dulce de Leche (Argentina)

And the market-based approach is working.  In 2011, overall Oreo sales were up 25%.

Just goes to show that even our most beloved brand associations are driven by cultural factors — and, ultimately, dollars.

At the end of the day, our brand marketing efforts need to serve our companies’ overall strategic vision — not the other way around.

Even if what we’re selling is mango-and-orange flavored Oreos. 

In the case of Pepsi, which has lost market share to mighty rival Coca-Cola over the past year, the sodamaker is going back to an iconic campaign from the 1980s that featured the late Michael Jackson.

The King of Pop’s silhouette will grace 1 billion cans of Pepsi this year.

Some branding experts are crying foul, but this is a massive — and global — play by Pepsi that deserves our attention.

I’m going on record to say this is smart, if cynical, business.

Cola messaging is all about refreshment, effervescence, pop, fizz, youth – qualities Mr. Jackson had to spare, especially in his prime.

Let’s see if he can positively impact Pepsi’s business from the great beyond.