GeoGuessr is a geography game which takes you on a journey around the world and challenges your ability to recognize your surroundings. It's a simple yet addictive
use of Google Maps & Streetview. Here's how it works, you're dropped into a random location on Google Street View and you have to guess where in the world you are. Pan, tilt, and zoom around your Streetview location to help you narrow down your location then plot where you think you are on the map. You are awarded points based on how close your guess was to the actual location.
While this has nothing to do with advertising, you can imagine how hotels, airlines or other travel brands in particular could use this as a compelling way to show off various destinations that they serve as well as run a competition. I wouldn't be surprised if we see this idea co-opted by a brand in the near future. Check out a walk through video below or head on over to GeoGuessr to play.
Posted by: Reuben Halper
Monday, June 10, 2013
Barclaycard - #BespokeBallads
UK financial provider, Barclays is getting into the offers arena and has launched a new service called Barclays Bespoke Offers for their existing account holders. As you may have guessed their point of differentation is that the offers from both national and local merchants are bespoke for each individual.
In order to promote this new service Barclays (and their agency, Dare) have created Barclays bespoke ballads. They've enlisted several teams of comedians and songwriters to turn people's tweet stream into songs. Here's how it works...a user submits a tweet to #bespokeballads, the songwriters/comedians then comb through their Twitter feed and create a bespoke song based off their Twitter activity. That video is then uploaded to the Barclays Bespoke Offers YouTube channel Check out the intro video below.
If you want to see these in action, you can see below the #bespokeballads created for my colleague, Nathan Guerra.
As in most things, the execution is everything. In this case, the execution is really well done. It's another great example of providing a personalized digital artifact back to users who have taken the time to engage with the brand. On the other hand, the personalized videos are relatively meaningless unless you know the person being serenaded, which is why it also makes sense to include influencers, celebrities or people who have a large following on Twitter.
Posted by: Reuben Halper
In order to promote this new service Barclays (and their agency, Dare) have created Barclays bespoke ballads. They've enlisted several teams of comedians and songwriters to turn people's tweet stream into songs. Here's how it works...a user submits a tweet to #bespokeballads, the songwriters/comedians then comb through their Twitter feed and create a bespoke song based off their Twitter activity. That video is then uploaded to the Barclays Bespoke Offers YouTube channel Check out the intro video below.
If you want to see these in action, you can see below the #bespokeballads created for my colleague, Nathan Guerra.
As in most things, the execution is everything. In this case, the execution is really well done. It's another great example of providing a personalized digital artifact back to users who have taken the time to engage with the brand. On the other hand, the personalized videos are relatively meaningless unless you know the person being serenaded, which is why it also makes sense to include influencers, celebrities or people who have a large following on Twitter.
Posted by: Reuben Halper
Points - The Most Advanced Directional Sign On Earch
I absolutely despise the term Internet Of Things. Thankfully a more elegant and descriptive phrase is on the rise. The term enchanted objects (originally coined by MIT Professor and product designer, David Rose) perfectly captures the essence of the latest creation from the folks at Breakfast NY.
My description really won't do it justice. Simply put, points is the world's most advanced street sign. More than that, Points demonstrates how imparting connectivity on every day objects has the potential to make them into something far superior to the original. Check out the video below.
I highly recommend heading over to the Breakfast NY website to read more about the Points project. You can imagine how Points can grow an evolve as technology changes and the sign becomes personalized for each user who encounters it. You can try it out live via Twitter by using the hashtag #PointsSign and watch Points display your tweet and point to where you are in the world.
Posted by: Reuben Halper
My description really won't do it justice. Simply put, points is the world's most advanced street sign. More than that, Points demonstrates how imparting connectivity on every day objects has the potential to make them into something far superior to the original. Check out the video below.
I highly recommend heading over to the Breakfast NY website to read more about the Points project. You can imagine how Points can grow an evolve as technology changes and the sign becomes personalized for each user who encounters it. You can try it out live via Twitter by using the hashtag #PointsSign and watch Points display your tweet and point to where you are in the world.
Posted by: Reuben Halper
Super Formula To Fight Cancer
It's nice to see creative agencies using their powers for good. JWT Brazil teamed up with the AC Camargo Cancer Center and Warner Bros to create the 'Superformula to Fight Cancer.' As described on the JWT blog:
'This program was based on the idea that the first step to the fight against cancer is believing in the cure. In order to get their patients to believe, JWT Brazil’s creative team worked with doctors to create a case that clips together to completely cover the chemotherapy intravenous bag. This case combined the painful medication with the magical world of super heroes and was given the name, “Superformula.” The new name and look of the treatment helped to change the perception in the kids’ by convincing them that the Superformula gave them their own superpower which could be used to conquer their illness.
The team at JWT Brazil didn’t stop there. To give these covers a more powerful meaning, the agency produced a special series of cartoons and comic books in which the superheroes go through experiences similar to those of kids with cancer, and recover their strength, thanks to the “Superformula.” In addition, the team provided a new look for the entire children’s ward of the AC Camargo Cancer Center: The game room was converted into the Hall of Justice, hallways and doors were decorated with the same idea, and a special entrance was created to fit the theme for these little heroes to enter through.'
Heartwarmingly wonderful.
Posted by: Reuben Halper
'This program was based on the idea that the first step to the fight against cancer is believing in the cure. In order to get their patients to believe, JWT Brazil’s creative team worked with doctors to create a case that clips together to completely cover the chemotherapy intravenous bag. This case combined the painful medication with the magical world of super heroes and was given the name, “Superformula.” The new name and look of the treatment helped to change the perception in the kids’ by convincing them that the Superformula gave them their own superpower which could be used to conquer their illness.
The team at JWT Brazil didn’t stop there. To give these covers a more powerful meaning, the agency produced a special series of cartoons and comic books in which the superheroes go through experiences similar to those of kids with cancer, and recover their strength, thanks to the “Superformula.” In addition, the team provided a new look for the entire children’s ward of the AC Camargo Cancer Center: The game room was converted into the Hall of Justice, hallways and doors were decorated with the same idea, and a special entrance was created to fit the theme for these little heroes to enter through.'
Heartwarmingly wonderful.
Posted by: Reuben Halper
A Few Other Things I Like But Don't Have Time To Write Up
Coca-Cola Small World Machines
Another wonderful execution under the Coca-Cola 'Open Happiness' umbrella, this time bringing together people in Pakistan & India. The number of activations around Coca-Cola vending machines around 'Open Happiness' is seemingly endless.
A Boy & His Atom - The World's Smallest Movie
This is incredible. IBM created the world's smallest stop motion film. As they describe 'The ability to move single atoms — the smallest particles of any element in the universe — is crucial to IBM's research in the field of atomic memory. But even nanophysicists need to have a little fun. In that spirit, IBM researchers used a scanning tunneling microscope to move thousands of carbon monoxide molecules (two atoms stacked on top of each other), all in pursuit of making a movie so small it can be seen only when you magnify it 100 million times. A movie made with atoms.'
Getty Images - 85 Seconds
Last year, AlmapBBDO created a beautiful film from various stock photography to demonstrate the depth and breadth of the Getty Images library. Now, AlmapBBDO has done the same thing to show off the depth of their video archive. 85 seconds tells the love story of a couple who meet as children, separate after college and reunite later in life.
Holland - The Original Cool
This amazing video was developed by the Mustache Agency for The Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Amsterdam Marketing and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The Original Cool is part of a larger advertising campaign aimed at the North American travel market.
Posted by: Reuben Halper
Another wonderful execution under the Coca-Cola 'Open Happiness' umbrella, this time bringing together people in Pakistan & India. The number of activations around Coca-Cola vending machines around 'Open Happiness' is seemingly endless.
A Boy & His Atom - The World's Smallest Movie
This is incredible. IBM created the world's smallest stop motion film. As they describe 'The ability to move single atoms — the smallest particles of any element in the universe — is crucial to IBM's research in the field of atomic memory. But even nanophysicists need to have a little fun. In that spirit, IBM researchers used a scanning tunneling microscope to move thousands of carbon monoxide molecules (two atoms stacked on top of each other), all in pursuit of making a movie so small it can be seen only when you magnify it 100 million times. A movie made with atoms.'
Getty Images - 85 Seconds
Last year, AlmapBBDO created a beautiful film from various stock photography to demonstrate the depth and breadth of the Getty Images library. Now, AlmapBBDO has done the same thing to show off the depth of their video archive. 85 seconds tells the love story of a couple who meet as children, separate after college and reunite later in life.
Holland - The Original Cool
This amazing video was developed by the Mustache Agency for The Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Amsterdam Marketing and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The Original Cool is part of a larger advertising campaign aimed at the North American travel market.
Posted by: Reuben Halper
Saturday, April 27, 2013
FYI - This Blog Will Be On Hiatus For A Few Weeks...
...while I learn what life is like as a new parent. Exciting times.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Google Chrome- World Wide Maze & The Peanut Gallery
The past couple weeks have seen the launch of two more excellent Chrome Experiments. One from the Google Chrome team in Japan & the other from the Data Arts team in San Francisco.
The second Chrome Experiment that I'm excited about is called The Peanut Gallery. Developed by the Creative Lab Data Arts team in San Francisco, 'PEANUT GALLERY is a Chrome Experiment that lets you add intertitles to old film clips using your voice, then share those clips with your friends. It uses your computer's microphone and the Web Speech API in Google Chrome to turn speech into text.'
The Web Speech API functionality in Chrome has a ton of potential. My team has been working on various prototypes that allow users to control different sorts of experiences using voice control, particularly in situations (such as certain video tutorials) where the users hands might be occupied. It'll be interesting to see how various brands can carry this idea forward in creating voice controlled experiences using just the baked-in functionality of the Chrome browser. Anyhow, check out the video below or (as always) have a play around yourself over at Peanut Gallery Films.
Posted by: Reuben Halper
Chrome World Wide Maze, developed by the Google Chrome team in Japan) turns any website into a playable 3d maze where you control a marble ball and must navigate it around a multi-dimensional course. By syncing with your Chrome browser on Desktop and mobile your smartphone becomes the controller. It's a great way to demonstrates the benefits and syncing functionality of using Chrome across devices. All the user needs to do is open Chrome on their mobile (provided they are signed in) and the desktop tab becomes the mobile game controller. For signed in users, it's an incredibly powerful way to show the seamless transition from desktop to mobile when you use Chrome on difference devices (which is often the biggest pain point for any media bridging experience).
Check out the video below or head on over to chrome.com/maze to have a play.
Check out the video below or head on over to chrome.com/maze to have a play.
The second Chrome Experiment that I'm excited about is called The Peanut Gallery. Developed by the Creative Lab Data Arts team in San Francisco, 'PEANUT GALLERY is a Chrome Experiment that lets you add intertitles to old film clips using your voice, then share those clips with your friends. It uses your computer's microphone and the Web Speech API in Google Chrome to turn speech into text.'
The Web Speech API functionality in Chrome has a ton of potential. My team has been working on various prototypes that allow users to control different sorts of experiences using voice control, particularly in situations (such as certain video tutorials) where the users hands might be occupied. It'll be interesting to see how various brands can carry this idea forward in creating voice controlled experiences using just the baked-in functionality of the Chrome browser. Anyhow, check out the video below or (as always) have a play around yourself over at Peanut Gallery Films.
Posted by: Reuben Halper
Happy Egg Company - Chick Cam
Since Easter just passed, I thought it'd be worth highlighting something a bit different this Easter. In the run up to Easter, the Happy Egg Company (and their agency, Hypernaked) developed this lovely Chickcam campaign, showing again that you don't need a big budget to have success in the digital space. The Happy Egg Chickcam used a Google+ Hangout On Air & YouTube livestreaming over the course of four days to show the hatching of 17 eggs into cute, fluffy chicks. A livestream of eggs waiting to hatch would've been as excited as watching grass grow, so they also included a slate of activities throughout the four days to keep viewers watching.
As the good folks over at the Inspiration Room describe: 'On Monday the Chickcam campaign provided an opportunity for live Q&A on hatching chicks with Madeline from the Happy Chick Company, using Facebook, Twitter or Google+ event posts. On Tuesday viewers were given a chance to send in suggestions for the 17 Chick Cam eggs. On Wednesday questions and answers focused on egg farms with Happy Egg farmer JP. On Thursday, the final day of Chick Cam, a golden egg was sneaked into one of the camera views. The first five people to email the competition received a bundle of Happy Eggs goodies.' Check out the highlight video below.
It's interesting to see more and more brands and content creators use Google+ Hangouts On Air to create either a) an always on, long duration livestream, or b) use Hangouts on Air akin to episodic programming. In both cases, it gives users a reason to return back to the livestream(s) on multiple occasions. For example, the Pet Collective YouTube channel runs multiple, always on Hangouts On Air of various animals including a Kitten cam, a Puppy cam a Golden Eagle cam, a Husky cam and many more. One of my colleagues (who shall remain nameless) has actually bookmarked the kitten cam and fires it up whenever she's having a bad day.
hat tip: Inspiration Room
Posted by: Reuben Halper
As the good folks over at the Inspiration Room describe: 'On Monday the Chickcam campaign provided an opportunity for live Q&A on hatching chicks with Madeline from the Happy Chick Company, using Facebook, Twitter or Google+ event posts. On Tuesday viewers were given a chance to send in suggestions for the 17 Chick Cam eggs. On Wednesday questions and answers focused on egg farms with Happy Egg farmer JP. On Thursday, the final day of Chick Cam, a golden egg was sneaked into one of the camera views. The first five people to email the competition received a bundle of Happy Eggs goodies.' Check out the highlight video below.
It's interesting to see more and more brands and content creators use Google+ Hangouts On Air to create either a) an always on, long duration livestream, or b) use Hangouts on Air akin to episodic programming. In both cases, it gives users a reason to return back to the livestream(s) on multiple occasions. For example, the Pet Collective YouTube channel runs multiple, always on Hangouts On Air of various animals including a Kitten cam, a Puppy cam a Golden Eagle cam, a Husky cam and many more. One of my colleagues (who shall remain nameless) has actually bookmarked the kitten cam and fires it up whenever she's having a bad day.
hat tip: Inspiration Room
Posted by: Reuben Halper
HP - Photo Ball
Blow up beach balls bouncing around the crowd are an inevitable part of any music festival. In a brilliantly simple idea, HP and their agency, AlmapBBDO, created a massive blow up beach ball that includes an HD camera & wi-fi hub in the ball itself. The photo ball demonstrates HP's new positioning, 'Making Memories Last,' and was used during the Planet Terra music festival in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Throughout the festival the ball filmed and took photos of festival goers as it bounced around the crowd. The video was streamed live both to the stage and online. At the same time, still photos were uploaded to Facebook where people could find and tag themselves. What's incredible is that the live stream from the photo ball reached over three million people as well as the people who tagged and shared those photos on Facebook. Additionally, festival goers could have prints made at the HP festival booth throughout the festival. It's a great example of taking an existing behaviour and amplifying it with technology in a way that enhances the experience for both festival-goers and the online viewing audience. I'm sure we'll be seeing photo balls make more appearances as the summer festival season gets into full swing.
Posted by: Reuben Halper
Posted by: Reuben Halper
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