The Beat is an experiment from the social media information lab at Rutgers University. It blends together geotagged Instagram posts with Google Streetview imagery from that location. The aim is to give users insight into the life of an area by exploring topics in a new way. It's preloaded with a #Christmas Instagram hashtag so try putting in your own hashtag either geography such as #London or more interestingly exploring other topics via hashtag such as #Movember
It's a really cool way to give context to Instagram photos by seeing what's around them using Google Streetview. It'd be interesting to see this also integrated into the This Is Now Instagram project that showed a few weeks ago.
Check it out below or have a play around yourself at The Beat
via PSFK
Friday, November 30, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Water Is Life - #FirstWorldProblems
Water Is Life is an non-profit group that works to provide clean water to people in need around the world. Many people are unaware of the fact that millions of people around the world lack access to clean water. Faced with the challenge of how to promote this organization and the issue in general , DDB New York developed the #FirstWorldProblems campaign. The central campaign video highlights the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Regular Haitians, many of whom are still affected by the 2010 earthquake, are shown reading from tweets with the hashtag #FirstWorldProblems. For those of you not familiar with the hashtag, it usually contains tweets with trivial problems such as 'I hate it when my phone charger won’t reach my bed.'
In other videos, Haitian are shown responding directly to specific tweets. Each video also features a call to action to donate now and visit waterislife.com to find out more about the issue.
In other videos, Haitian are shown responding directly to specific tweets. Each video also features a call to action to donate now and visit waterislife.com to find out more about the issue.
DDB New York Executive Creative Director Matt Eastwood said he hoped that the campaign would actually eliminate the #FirstWorldProblems hashtag '#FirstWorldProblems allows its user to self-mock the petty concerns of those in so-called “first world” countries, yet seem strikingly insensitive when compared to real issues across the world.'
The campaign has received some criticism, but I think it's a fantastic example of a) hijacking a hashtag for good and b) taking the idea of personalized responses videos and using them for good (or perhaps shame?) For me personally, I found it packed a significant emotional punch and made me reconsider the paltry things in life that I occasionally bitch about when many people in the world are unable to meet even their most basic needs.
Additional Articles: Huffington Post
Innovative Music Launches: Ellie Goulding - Digital Signing & Yolanda Be Cool - Recall
It's been amazing to watch the evolution of Google+ Hangout and Hangout Apps over the past year. Brands, agencies and individuals are constantly coming up with innovative ways to use what's arguably the killer feature of Google+. Now autograph signing sessions are entering the digital age thanks to Google+ Hangouts. The idea, which came from the Creative Lab here in London, allowed Ellie Goulding to hold the world's first digital album signing as part of a promotion for her second album. Using a Wacom tablet, Photoshop and a custom Google+ Hangout app Ellie Goulding talked face-to-face some of her fans from across the world, signed and dedicated an album cover for each them. Each personalized and signed album cover was them shared with them as a picture on Google+. I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes a common staple of album launches. It's a fantastic way to bring the real-world experience into the digital space. Check out the teaser video below and you can also watch a video of the whole Hangout here.
On a separate music related note, the band responsible for the hit song 'We No Speak Americano,' Yolanda Be Cool, has undertaken an interesting campaign/stunt for the launch of their second record. They're issuing a recall of their hit song and calling on DJs, radio stations and people all across the world to destroy all copies of the song. This goes beyond just words as they've also removed the song from iTunes (at least in Australia) and removed download links from their website & Facebook. Instead they're offering fans, etc. a free replacement track from their new album. It's a pretty damn funny idea considering how overplayed the song has been. It's a nice stunt to leverage past success into what I'm sure they'll hope will be success for their upcoming album.
Check out the fake press conference below, which is quite funny.
On a separate music related note, the band responsible for the hit song 'We No Speak Americano,' Yolanda Be Cool, has undertaken an interesting campaign/stunt for the launch of their second record. They're issuing a recall of their hit song and calling on DJs, radio stations and people all across the world to destroy all copies of the song. This goes beyond just words as they've also removed the song from iTunes (at least in Australia) and removed download links from their website & Facebook. Instead they're offering fans, etc. a free replacement track from their new album. It's a pretty damn funny idea considering how overplayed the song has been. It's a nice stunt to leverage past success into what I'm sure they'll hope will be success for their upcoming album.
Check out the fake press conference below, which is quite funny.
Bodyform Responds - The Truth
Many of you have probably already seen this as it's been rapidly making the rounds on the interwebs. To truly appreciate the response video below from maxipad brand, Bodyform, you need a bit of background. Two weeks ago a guy named Richard Neill posted a rant on the Bodyform Facebook wall. As mashable reported, his rant went viral and gathered more than 40,000 likes in 24-hours. Have a read at the rant below.
Usually that'd be the end of the it...a brief blurb in the never ending story of the Internet. But wait...there's more! Bodyform (and their agencies Carat & Rubber Republic) created a brilliant video addressed to Richard Neill. They created a fictional CEO, Caroline Williams, who calmly and hilariously responds while apologizing for the lies that Bodyform (and other femcare brands) have perpetuated on the male population through years of advertising. Check it out below. It's quite possibly the best response video I've ever seen. Again, it's great to see brands/agencies being agile and quickly responding as a way of tapping into even the briefest moments of zeitgeist.
Usually that'd be the end of the it...a brief blurb in the never ending story of the Internet. But wait...there's more! Bodyform (and their agencies Carat & Rubber Republic) created a brilliant video addressed to Richard Neill. They created a fictional CEO, Caroline Williams, who calmly and hilariously responds while apologizing for the lies that Bodyform (and other femcare brands) have perpetuated on the male population through years of advertising. Check it out below. It's quite possibly the best response video I've ever seen. Again, it's great to see brands/agencies being agile and quickly responding as a way of tapping into even the briefest moments of zeitgeist.
Electrolux - Now You're Cooking
The way that people cook at home has been undergoing a revolution over the past few years. For many people, the recipe book has been replaced by their laptop, phone or tablet. A host of great cooking apps and content have been created to meet this shift in user behavior. There are a ton of brands that have gotten into the act, creating recipes, apps, etc. but this latest creation from House Of Radon for Electrolux has me going 'why the hell didn't I think of that!?'
The recipe videos are beautifully shot, but it's one small tweak that makes them standout. Each of the videos has a 'cooking mode.' When enabled, cooking mode pauses the video at each of the steps rather than just playing all the way through. It's a small change and doesn't seem like much, but it perfectly fits with how people cook at home allowing the technology to adapt to the user rather than asking the user to adapt to the technology (eg. constantly rewinding or pausing the video manually).
Unfortunately, the video player they are using is bespoke and I can't seem to embed it here, but see the video capture below. I also see no reason why this couldn't be done using annotations on YouTube in the future.
Check it out here at the Electrolux - Now You're Cooking tumblr or go directly to one of the video recipes.
via Creativity
The recipe videos are beautifully shot, but it's one small tweak that makes them standout. Each of the videos has a 'cooking mode.' When enabled, cooking mode pauses the video at each of the steps rather than just playing all the way through. It's a small change and doesn't seem like much, but it perfectly fits with how people cook at home allowing the technology to adapt to the user rather than asking the user to adapt to the technology (eg. constantly rewinding or pausing the video manually).
Unfortunately, the video player they are using is bespoke and I can't seem to embed it here, but see the video capture below. I also see no reason why this couldn't be done using annotations on YouTube in the future.
Check it out here at the Electrolux - Now You're Cooking tumblr or go directly to one of the video recipes.
via Creativity
BONUS: HIV/AIDS Council Finland
Here's another great PSA, though perhaps not as heavy as the Water Is Life campaign.
Developed by McCann Worldwide for the HIV/AIDS Council of Finland, these TV spots extend on the existing idea from a print campaign back in February. The payoff is genius. Check it out below:
Developed by McCann Worldwide for the HIV/AIDS Council of Finland, these TV spots extend on the existing idea from a print campaign back in February. The payoff is genius. Check it out below:
Other Things I Like (But Don't Have Time To Write Up)
Ragu - Long Day Of Childhood
Barton F. Graf 9000 have been creating a serious of hilarious commercials for Ragu around the idea of a 'Long Day of Childhood' which shows some of the difficult situations children go through (check out this one where a kid walks in on his parents.) Now they've enlisted the kids made infamous by Charlie Bit My Finger video who lament the poor parenting that led to the video. Check it out below:
Coke Zero - Unlock The 007 In you
People who bought a Coke Zero in a train station (where?) were challenged to unlock their inner 007 to win tickets for the new James Bond movie Skyfall.
SNCF - Lyon To Brussels
How do you promote a new train route? In this case SNCF created a magic box allowed passer-bys to 'take a quick look at Brussels' via a magic box connected via Webcam to Brussels where a celebratory band (among other things) awaited viewers.
Jordan CP3.VI: Cut Through LA
Just wow.
Barton F. Graf 9000 have been creating a serious of hilarious commercials for Ragu around the idea of a 'Long Day of Childhood' which shows some of the difficult situations children go through (check out this one where a kid walks in on his parents.) Now they've enlisted the kids made infamous by Charlie Bit My Finger video who lament the poor parenting that led to the video. Check it out below:
Coke Zero - Unlock The 007 In you
People who bought a Coke Zero in a train station (where?) were challenged to unlock their inner 007 to win tickets for the new James Bond movie Skyfall.
SNCF - Lyon To Brussels
How do you promote a new train route? In this case SNCF created a magic box allowed passer-bys to 'take a quick look at Brussels' via a magic box connected via Webcam to Brussels where a celebratory band (among other things) awaited viewers.
Jordan CP3.VI: Cut Through LA
Just wow.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Mercedes Benz - #YOUDRIVE
Mercedes, AMV BBDO, & Stink have developed an innovative idea to help launch the new Mercedes Benz A-class. On Saturday, October 6th viewers are invited to take part in #YOUDRIVE a campaign that's being billed as a social media first (at least in the UK).
Using Twitter, viewers will drive the action of a 3-part story that will be shown during the commercial breaks in the X Factor. The spots center around a musician and a professional driver who are chased by 'the man' on the way to a secret gig. In practice users are invited to choose what the characters should do next by voting on Twitter with the hashtag #YOUDRIVE. Think of it as choose-your-own-adventure on a massive scale and brought into the television experience. But wait...there's more! The spots will also direct viewers to the lovely Mercedes Benz YOUDRIVE YouTube channel where they can view the ads as well as create their own story. The final ad will also show the voting percentage /breakdown for each choice.
This is quite an effort. Obviously each of the possible decision paths had to be shot and readied for the voting outcome, but it actually pays of the much bandied about term of social TV viewing. David George, marketing director of Mercedes-Benz UK, said the new A-Class vehicle represents a "new, younger, more dynamic' & that it's 'a modern Mercedes-Benz that encourages people to do what we know they enjoy – to get involved.'
What I find fascinating about this idea (and 'social TV' in general), is that the creative can't be separated from the media. In other words, this idea, this execution only works if the media placement is spot on. In order for this to be a success it needs to run against a TV program that is considering destination viewing, where liveness is important, and where the audience is passionate enough about the show that you can pretty much guarantee that they'll be around for the second spot and ultimately the following week for the third spot. It's interesting to see how new creative ideas and formats (see the Coke Polar Bears during the Superbowl) emerge around premium programming where the 'liveness' guarantees a large and captive audience.
What I find fascinating about this idea (and 'social TV' in general), is that the creative can't be separated from the media. In other words, this idea, this execution only works if the media placement is spot on. In order for this to be a success it needs to run against a TV program that is considering destination viewing, where liveness is important, and where the audience is passionate enough about the show that you can pretty much guarantee that they'll be around for the second spot and ultimately the following week for the third spot. It's interesting to see how new creative ideas and formats (see the Coke Polar Bears during the Superbowl) emerge around premium programming where the 'liveness' guarantees a large and captive audience.
So check out the trailer below & if you're in the UK you can use this campaign as a good excuse for why you're actually watching X-Factor
Additional Articles: Brand Channel | CampaignFelbelfin - Amazing Mind Reader Reveals His 'Gift'
I try not to show 'viral' videos too much on this blog. From a brand perspective they're pretty much a mythical creature and cloud otherwise rational thought around online video. Simply put, if viral is your strategy, then you don't have one. That said, there's been one agency that seems to have cracked the code of producing amazing stunt campaigns that also tie back nicely to a single brand proposition and generate a huge response online. That agency is Brussels-based Duval Guillaume Modem. These are the people response for the Carlsberg stunt with bikers in the cinema, as well as the TNT - Push For Drama stunt.
Their latest video is for Felbelfin, a Belgian financial umbrella organization. As part of their 'Safe Internet Banking' campaign, they employed a 'psychic' with powerful abilities to see into people's lives. Volunteers were told they were going to take part in a news show then brought into a white tent. Inside sat the psychic, Dave (btw - Dave seems like a rather normal name for a psychic, no?). These folks tell Dave their names, he does some laying of hands and then starts telling them things that no stranger should know. The injuries they have, their romantic situation, medical history, bank balance, etc.
Then Dave reveals his trick. A curtain drops & there's a room full of masked researchers on computers looking up the personal details of each person and feeding it to Dave through a hidden earpiece.
The message appears 'Your entire life is online. And it might be used against you. Be vigilant.'
Great piece of work for what would normally be a dry and boring message. Again, hat tip to the guys at Duval Guillaume Modem.
Their latest video is for Felbelfin, a Belgian financial umbrella organization. As part of their 'Safe Internet Banking' campaign, they employed a 'psychic' with powerful abilities to see into people's lives. Volunteers were told they were going to take part in a news show then brought into a white tent. Inside sat the psychic, Dave (btw - Dave seems like a rather normal name for a psychic, no?). These folks tell Dave their names, he does some laying of hands and then starts telling them things that no stranger should know. The injuries they have, their romantic situation, medical history, bank balance, etc.
Then Dave reveals his trick. A curtain drops & there's a room full of masked researchers on computers looking up the personal details of each person and feeding it to Dave through a hidden earpiece.
The message appears 'Your entire life is online. And it might be used against you. Be vigilant.'
Great piece of work for what would normally be a dry and boring message. Again, hat tip to the guys at Duval Guillaume Modem.
2012 Election Season - 7 Eleven, Jetblue & Blippar
The 2012 presidential election is heating up in the States. It's been interesting to see how brands are tapping into the interest around the US election. Most are doing it poorly (I'll ignore those), but some are doing great work. Three in particular stick out.
JetBlue - Live Free or Fly
I've heard people threaten to leave the US if their candidate doesn't win. Apparently JetBlue has also heard this claim from both sides of the political spectrum. They (and their agency, Mullen) have developed JetBlue Election Protection which will give a thousand sore losers the chance to get out of the country (at least temporarily) if their candidate loses. Users are invited to go to jetblueelectionprotection.com and choose their political party (Democrat or Republican) as well as one of more than a dozen overseas destinations that JetBlue is offering up. If your candidate loses, JetBlue may send you there. The site gives you a sense of the current political leanings of the audience showing the polling so far among participants. JetBlue is also doing their part, reminding people that the best part of Election Protection is to do their civic duty and vote.
7-Eleven - 7-Election
Convenience store giant 7-Eleven is back for the fourth edition of 7-election. Customers can choose from partisan coffee cups (Romney cups are red, Obama cups are blue). 7-Eleven is then tallying sales for each to predict the outcome of the election. This is the fourth election that 7-Eleven has done this and in each case it's successfully predicted the winner as well as coming within 1% of the actual outcome. Unscientific? Yes. Amazing? Most definitely.
Check out the slate video about the initiative below and head over to the 7-Election site to see the current results.
Blippar - Blipp A $5 Bill To Donate To Obama
OK, this isn't technically a brand execution, but it's fascinating. Blippar technology is probably the predominant app used by brands to execute mobile augmented reality experiences. Blippar is taking a stance and coming out in support of Obama. They've decided to throw their support and their technology behind Obama in an innovative way. Fire up the Blippar app, point it at a 5 dollar bill and you can donate $5 directly to Obama's campaign. The AR experience also has additional features such as the ability to create a picture of you high-fiving Obama, find your nearest campaign office to volunteer your time, listen to Obama speeches, etc. I wonder if pointing Blippar at a $100 bill fires up a Romney experience? Anyhow, check it out in action below:
JetBlue - Live Free or Fly
I've heard people threaten to leave the US if their candidate doesn't win. Apparently JetBlue has also heard this claim from both sides of the political spectrum. They (and their agency, Mullen) have developed JetBlue Election Protection which will give a thousand sore losers the chance to get out of the country (at least temporarily) if their candidate loses. Users are invited to go to jetblueelectionprotection.com and choose their political party (Democrat or Republican) as well as one of more than a dozen overseas destinations that JetBlue is offering up. If your candidate loses, JetBlue may send you there. The site gives you a sense of the current political leanings of the audience showing the polling so far among participants. JetBlue is also doing their part, reminding people that the best part of Election Protection is to do their civic duty and vote.
7-Eleven - 7-Election
Convenience store giant 7-Eleven is back for the fourth edition of 7-election. Customers can choose from partisan coffee cups (Romney cups are red, Obama cups are blue). 7-Eleven is then tallying sales for each to predict the outcome of the election. This is the fourth election that 7-Eleven has done this and in each case it's successfully predicted the winner as well as coming within 1% of the actual outcome. Unscientific? Yes. Amazing? Most definitely.
Check out the slate video about the initiative below and head over to the 7-Election site to see the current results.
Blippar - Blipp A $5 Bill To Donate To Obama
OK, this isn't technically a brand execution, but it's fascinating. Blippar technology is probably the predominant app used by brands to execute mobile augmented reality experiences. Blippar is taking a stance and coming out in support of Obama. They've decided to throw their support and their technology behind Obama in an innovative way. Fire up the Blippar app, point it at a 5 dollar bill and you can donate $5 directly to Obama's campaign. The AR experience also has additional features such as the ability to create a picture of you high-fiving Obama, find your nearest campaign office to volunteer your time, listen to Obama speeches, etc. I wonder if pointing Blippar at a $100 bill fires up a Romney experience? Anyhow, check it out in action below:
The Friskies
Everyone knows cat videos are huge. Hell, there are even agencies dedicated purely to catvertising ;-) So it's not surprise that Friskies has tapped into this infinite well of content and appetite for cat videos by creating...The Friskies! Billed as the Oscars for Cat Videos, the Friskies is offering a $15,000 Grand Prize for the best new cat video of 2012. Here's the teaser video:
The only question is why it's taken this long for a brand to do this. It's extremely fertile ground and a natural fit for Petcare brands. Actually, I'm also confused as to why the contest isn't being run on YouTube, which again would seem like the natural home for this contest rather than a microsite.
Additional Articles: Fast Company
The only question is why it's taken this long for a brand to do this. It's extremely fertile ground and a natural fit for Petcare brands. Actually, I'm also confused as to why the contest isn't being run on YouTube, which again would seem like the natural home for this contest rather than a microsite.
Additional Articles: Fast Company
Dolce & Gabana - Video Comes To Print
Several thousand copies of the October issue of the UK Marie Claire includes a video ad in print. The double page spread for Dolce & Gabana fragrances feature a 45-second video ad (including sound) which plays when the reader opens the page. The technology was developed by Americhip and gives advertisers the opportunity to bring their print ads to life. It's previously been used in Russian Vogue, but this is a UK first. So is this the start of a wider trend or just a gimmick? I haven't experienced it for myself, so I haven't a clue, but I'm intrigued by the idea. See the video capture below that someone else was kind enough to upload to YouTube
On a more low-fi note, I just came across this Cannes winner from Brazil. Developed by JWT for Coca-Cola FM, it turns a magazine into an iPhone speaker. At first read I thought it must be similar tech to above, but in fact it was a genius low-fi execution. A few strategic cuts in the ad and instructions on how to roll up the magazine turned it into an amplified. Check it out below.
via PSFK
On a more low-fi note, I just came across this Cannes winner from Brazil. Developed by JWT for Coca-Cola FM, it turns a magazine into an iPhone speaker. At first read I thought it must be similar tech to above, but in fact it was a genius low-fi execution. A few strategic cuts in the ad and instructions on how to roll up the magazine turned it into an amplified. Check it out below.
via PSFK
This Is Now
This has nothing to do with advertising, but I thoroughly enjoy it. This is now is 'a highly addictive real-time visualization tool displaying all the photos as they happen within a city on Instagram.'
This Is Now scrapes images from Instagram with the hastag #thisisnow and shows you a lovely representation of what’s going on right now in various cities around the world. Play with it yourself at http://now.jit.su/ or check out the video capture below.
via: Urgent Genius & developed by @marciopuga, @mauriciomassaia and @PerThoresson
This Is Now scrapes images from Instagram with the hastag #thisisnow and shows you a lovely representation of what’s going on right now in various cities around the world. Play with it yourself at http://now.jit.su/ or check out the video capture below.
via: Urgent Genius & developed by @marciopuga, @mauriciomassaia and @PerThoresson
Other Things I Like (But Don't Have Time To Write Up)
Budweiser - Bud Clock
Great use of QR codes to turn Happy Hour into an interactive drinking game and extend Happy Hour through buying more Bud.
via: Banner Blog
Kit Kat - We Will Find You
Kit Kat has created a modern day version of Willy Wonka's Golden Ticket with a dash of dystopian Phillip K. Dick novel. They've hidden GPS transmitters in four packs of Kit Kats on sale in the UK. Opening the pack activates the GPS and Kit-Kat promises 'We Will Find You' within 24 hours and give the lucky recipient £10,000. Very cool from a tech perspective, but the messaging is kind of creepy.
Gatwick Express - Tracks
To elevate the experience of the 30-minute train journey from Victoria to Gatwick airport (and of course boost online sales), VCCP has commissioned various artists to create a custom half-hour soundtrack that's synced to what riders see on the journey. Customers who buy their Gatwick Express tickets online can download the tracks directly from the Gatwick Express website.
Great use of QR codes to turn Happy Hour into an interactive drinking game and extend Happy Hour through buying more Bud.
via: Banner Blog
Kit Kat - We Will Find You
Kit Kat has created a modern day version of Willy Wonka's Golden Ticket with a dash of dystopian Phillip K. Dick novel. They've hidden GPS transmitters in four packs of Kit Kats on sale in the UK. Opening the pack activates the GPS and Kit-Kat promises 'We Will Find You' within 24 hours and give the lucky recipient £10,000. Very cool from a tech perspective, but the messaging is kind of creepy.
Gatwick Express - Tracks
To elevate the experience of the 30-minute train journey from Victoria to Gatwick airport (and of course boost online sales), VCCP has commissioned various artists to create a custom half-hour soundtrack that's synced to what riders see on the journey. Customers who buy their Gatwick Express tickets online can download the tracks directly from the Gatwick Express website.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Norton - Top Result
Norton, the provider of internet security tools has launched a great new initiative, Top Result. Developed by Naked Communications in Stockholm the campaign allows users control the first impression they make when people search for them online. The idea builds off the insight that first impressions no longer happen in person and that often people do some digital sleuthing before meeting someone in person. Top Result allows people to protect their reputation by securing their own search results and hopefully ensure that their result shows up first when a search is done for their name. Unlike reputation management sites which attempt to influence the actual organic search results when searching for your name, Norton results simply buys AdWords for each user & foots the bill for those paid search ads. You simply go to the Norton Top Search website and enter their name and then basically create a standard Google AdWords Ad. You can then choose a link such as your Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn page and then see a preview of how the search result will appear. In order to make sure that nobody is hijacking another person's identity, you're required to verify your identity via Facebook.
It really is a brilliant idea and one that solves a legitimate concern from users about the lack of control of their online identity. As Contagious points out: 'Norton's Top Results campaign is a perfect example of a trend Contagious coined - Marketing as Service Design - with the brand aligning its core values of security, trust and protection with a simple but effective digital tool. The brand has matched an unmet need with its core brand values, and is executing that in a way that uses the existing technology in a smart way. Using Google's ad spaces is a cheap, elegant solution that taps existing media and infrastructure and puts them to great use rather than trying to build its own website.'
Additional Articles: Contagious | Mashable
It really is a brilliant idea and one that solves a legitimate concern from users about the lack of control of their online identity. As Contagious points out: 'Norton's Top Results campaign is a perfect example of a trend Contagious coined - Marketing as Service Design - with the brand aligning its core values of security, trust and protection with a simple but effective digital tool. The brand has matched an unmet need with its core brand values, and is executing that in a way that uses the existing technology in a smart way. Using Google's ad spaces is a cheap, elegant solution that taps existing media and infrastructure and puts them to great use rather than trying to build its own website.'
Additional Articles: Contagious | Mashable
La Casa Eco & Sodimac - Skip This Behavior
As skippable pre-roll advertising becomes more and more prevalent, it's fascinating to see the emergence of clever ways to leverage the format. In particular I've seen more and more advertisers creating skippable pre-roll advertising that somehow incorporates the 'Skip This Ad' button that appears on YouTube TrueView ads. The latest and perhaps most clever execution comes from La Casa Eco & Sodimac in Chile. Developed by Mayo Digital, the pre-roll aims to raise awareness about bad ecological habits and do it in just a few seconds. For example, as the pre-roll starts an infographic type image is shown with the message:
'With that lightbulb that stayed on all day, you could've washed three full loads of laundry.
If you want to change this habit, the first change begins at home.'
A visual call out in the form of a pointer encourages users to click the 'Skip This Behavior' button. Once a viewer clicked on the button they were redirected to a site packed with various ecological tips. The result was that over 80,000 Chileans chose to 'skip a behavior' over the course of one week. Very nicely done. Check out the case study below.
'With that lightbulb that stayed on all day, you could've washed three full loads of laundry.
If you want to change this habit, the first change begins at home.'
A visual call out in the form of a pointer encourages users to click the 'Skip This Behavior' button. Once a viewer clicked on the button they were redirected to a site packed with various ecological tips. The result was that over 80,000 Chileans chose to 'skip a behavior' over the course of one week. Very nicely done. Check out the case study below.
via Adi Ziv-AV
Intel & Toshiba - The Beauty Inside
Last year Intel & Toshiba brought us 'The Inside Experience,' a social film project that was billed as the first of it's kind. While I wasn't personally a huge fan of The Inside Experience as it played out, respect to all involved for pushing the boundaries and blurring the lines between web series, short film and social media campaign. It's an interesting and rapidly developing area, so I'm glad to see that Intel & Toshiba are back to present 'The Beauty Inside.' Created and developed by Pereira & O’Dell, B-Reel and director Drake Doremus, 'The Beauty Inside' is a film about Alex (Topher Grace), a guy who wakes up looking like a different person each day. Interesting storyline, but what's innovative is how the film uses that premise as a way to include and facilitate audience participation. As the folks over at B-Reel describe 'it is Hollywood’s first film that gives the audience a chance to play the lead role. Alex can be a young, beautiful redheaded women one day while an overweight man late into his 40s tomorrow. He chronicles his ever-changing appearance as webcam diaries on his Toshiba Ultrabook. While fun and intriguing at first, Alex quickly realizes his limitations as he falls for Leah (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).'
Split into six episodes, 'The Beauty Inside' is a 30-minute social film that allows users to audition to play the role of Alex. Users can choose from a list of script outlines that are based on the upcoming episodes and audition throughout the campaign by uploading a webcam video or photo of themselves. It's a nice way to foster audience participation in a way that fits seamlessly into the story rather than a clunky social media bolt on. Of course there is a social mechanic as getting friends to view, like and share your audition film increases your chances of being included in the film. Check out the trailer below as well as the first episode. The film (as much has been posted so far) can be seen at The Beauty Inside YouTube channel.
Split into six episodes, 'The Beauty Inside' is a 30-minute social film that allows users to audition to play the role of Alex. Users can choose from a list of script outlines that are based on the upcoming episodes and audition throughout the campaign by uploading a webcam video or photo of themselves. It's a nice way to foster audience participation in a way that fits seamlessly into the story rather than a clunky social media bolt on. Of course there is a social mechanic as getting friends to view, like and share your audition film increases your chances of being included in the film. Check out the trailer below as well as the first episode. The film (as much has been posted so far) can be seen at The Beauty Inside YouTube channel.
Grolsch - Big, Bold Journt
I recently came across this campaign on the fantastic Digital Buzz Blog. It's a campaign by Grolsch (developed by BMB agency) that promised to be a true multi-screen experience. There seem to be more and more campaigns that are truly multi-screen experiences where the TV spot just becomes the teaser for the rest of the campaign. The real substance and essence of the experience lies in digital. This campaign promises just that, viewers of the TV commercial are introduced to the character Journt, a policeman that demonstrates that character speaks louder than words. Users who go to the Grolsch UK site are invited to share a beer with Journt. Text him your name and if Journt recognizes the name he'll reward you by buying you a beer. Literally you'll get a text back with a a coupon for a 4-pack of Grolsch and a store finder that shows the nearest shop to claim your Grolsch. It's a great idea and great way to tie together the awareness from TV with SMS, online video and mobile activity to ultimately drive foot fall in store.
Unfortunately the TV commercial doesn't include an obvious call to action or information about what viewers can expect (eg. free beer!) at the Grolsch UK website. Unless you're one of those people who go to the URL at the end of every commercial, it's unlikely that a great number of people were pushed to spend further time with the brand by viewing the TV commercial. Too bad really as it's a very nice idea. Check out the case study below.
Unfortunately the TV commercial doesn't include an obvious call to action or information about what viewers can expect (eg. free beer!) at the Grolsch UK website. Unless you're one of those people who go to the URL at the end of every commercial, it's unlikely that a great number of people were pushed to spend further time with the brand by viewing the TV commercial. Too bad really as it's a very nice idea. Check out the case study below.
Gotye - Somebodies: A YouTube Orchestra
Gotye's song 'Somebody That I Used To Know' seemingly took over the world and the Internet awhile back. Besides being played everywhere that had a set of speakers, it also resulted in an innumerable amount of interpretations and cover videos (just search on YouTube for 'Somebody that I used to know.'). In a very meta moment, Gotye has created their own mashup of all the fan-made cover versions to produce 'Sombodies: A YouTube Orchestra.' As Gotye says: 'Reluctant as I am to add to the mountain of interpretations of Somebody That I Used To Know seemingly taking over their own area of the internet, I couldn't resist the massive remixability that such a large, varied yet connected bundle of source material offered.
'
It's almost like a snake eating it's own tail...an internet meme that's turned inward to devour itself. Bizarre. This was directly inspired by the one of the founding fathers of the video mashup, Kutiman and his iconic 'Thru-You' project. Somebodies is a beautifully done piece of video and a nice way to highlights the breadth of creativity from both Gotye and the various fans who took the time to create their own versions of the song. Check it out below (and apologies for resurfacing a song that's likely been stuck in your head and heard thousands of times already in the past year).
It's almost like a snake eating it's own tail...an internet meme that's turned inward to devour itself. Bizarre. This was directly inspired by the one of the founding fathers of the video mashup, Kutiman and his iconic 'Thru-You' project. Somebodies is a beautifully done piece of video and a nice way to highlights the breadth of creativity from both Gotye and the various fans who took the time to create their own versions of the song. Check it out below (and apologies for resurfacing a song that's likely been stuck in your head and heard thousands of times already in the past year).
Public Enemy - Paralympics Harder Than You Think
Right, I swear this will be the last Olympic post. You may remember a few weeks back I posted an amazing (as in one of the best commercials I've ever seen) Paralympic commercial fromn UK broadcaster, Channel 4. You can see that post here. The spot, Meet The Superhumans, used Public Enemy's 'Harder Than You Think' as the musical backdrop to the rousing and emotional spot. The song has also been used as the theme throughout Channel 4's coverage of the games. The commercial has received amazing press and has launched the Public Enemy song onto the UK charts despite being released five years ago. Impressed by the games and the coverage, Public Enemy decided to cut a Paralympic version of the video and full song. As Chuck D said 'These athletes are about self-empowerment and determination. Doing what they do is harder than you think.' Check it out below.
via David Anderson
Friday, August 10, 2012
Hostess - Reach For The Gold
Let's be honest, there's a ridiculous amount of cliche and hyperbole that surrounds most of the Olympic advertising and sponsorship. Is that financial services or fast food company really going to help you, the consumer, 'go for the gold'? With that in mind it's refreshing to see Hostess embracing plain old mediocrity in their latest Olympic campaign.
The series of spots, created by Bernstein-Rein show every day athletes reaching for the gold...and failing. Instead Hostess is implying that it's time they reached for the golden deliciousness of a Twinkie. As Hostess says 'You don't need to be a world class athlete to win this kind of gold.' I love it. Fits the brand, fits the event and resonates more than many of the campaigns from official sponsors.
Coincidentally it's almost comical counterbalance (the yin to the yang) of the recent Nike - Find Your Greatness series of spots, including the Jogger video that's had the Internet abuzz.
Check out the spots below.
This last guy is kind of a badass though
The series of spots, created by Bernstein-Rein show every day athletes reaching for the gold...and failing. Instead Hostess is implying that it's time they reached for the golden deliciousness of a Twinkie. As Hostess says 'You don't need to be a world class athlete to win this kind of gold.' I love it. Fits the brand, fits the event and resonates more than many of the campaigns from official sponsors.
Coincidentally it's almost comical counterbalance (the yin to the yang) of the recent Nike - Find Your Greatness series of spots, including the Jogger video that's had the Internet abuzz.
Check out the spots below.
This last guy is kind of a badass though
AT&T - Rethink Possible (24h Turnaround Commercials)
This blog has featured many campaigns that use the idea of real-time response of the sort pioneered by Old Spice, but recently picked up and expanded by the brands such as Kraft and o2. In a fascinating twist, AT&T and their agency, BBDO NY, have created a series of real-time-ish TV spots as part of their 'Rethink Possible' campaign. The TV commercials integrate actual Olympic results into a series of spots turning them around in less just 24 hours. See the first spot below, which features swimmer Ryan Lochte.
Fast Company has a fascinating article on how BBDO NY went about doing this. I highly recommend reading the whole thing, but in short:
Three sports were selected as the campaign’s focus--swimming, gymnastics, and track and field. BBDO then created six versions of the commercial in advance, two for each sport alternately featuring a male or female athlete, with hundreds of different endings to account for a predicted range of winning times. AT&T worked with longtime broadcasting partner NBC to arrange for access to the footage within unusually quick turnaround times so that they could create a campaign that would stand out from the hailstorm of sponsored messages. Once one of the athletes pegged as likely to win is competing, a team from BBDO sits in London and waits. If the athlete performs well, it’s go time. A winning result means that footage has to be selected, sent to London-based post house Absolute for integration, the pre-canned shot with the winning time has to be selected and edited together. It’s then sent to NBC and the USOC for approvals and on air within 24 hours of the win. It’s a cycle AT&T is able to repeat up to five times for five winning athletes.
Very cool and plays perfectly into the idea of 'Rethink Possible.' As the BBDO ECD Greg Kahn explains:
We had the idea of someone who gets inspired to keep practicing after seeing a record being broken. But in playing around with that idea, we thought it would be really cool if the way that the story is told is also a kind of how did they do that. The blue sky idea was wouldn’t it be awesome if the record he sees being broken was the one you just saw on TV?”
Fast Company has a fascinating article on how BBDO NY went about doing this. I highly recommend reading the whole thing, but in short:
Three sports were selected as the campaign’s focus--swimming, gymnastics, and track and field. BBDO then created six versions of the commercial in advance, two for each sport alternately featuring a male or female athlete, with hundreds of different endings to account for a predicted range of winning times. AT&T worked with longtime broadcasting partner NBC to arrange for access to the footage within unusually quick turnaround times so that they could create a campaign that would stand out from the hailstorm of sponsored messages. Once one of the athletes pegged as likely to win is competing, a team from BBDO sits in London and waits. If the athlete performs well, it’s go time. A winning result means that footage has to be selected, sent to London-based post house Absolute for integration, the pre-canned shot with the winning time has to be selected and edited together. It’s then sent to NBC and the USOC for approvals and on air within 24 hours of the win. It’s a cycle AT&T is able to repeat up to five times for five winning athletes.
Very cool and plays perfectly into the idea of 'Rethink Possible.' As the BBDO ECD Greg Kahn explains:
We had the idea of someone who gets inspired to keep practicing after seeing a record being broken. But in playing around with that idea, we thought it would be really cool if the way that the story is told is also a kind of how did they do that. The blue sky idea was wouldn’t it be awesome if the record he sees being broken was the one you just saw on TV?”
Sol Republic - The World's First Headphones For Cats
I usually like to avoid any posts that perpetrate the idea that YouTube is just about cats or dogs on skateboards, but August 8th was World Cat Day, so I may as well celebrate that momentous occasion.
First up is a nice feature from AdWeek that showcases 9 awesome cat commercials that drive the Internet wild.
The second is a hilarious spot/campaign from headphone manufacturer Sol Republic and their agency, RoosterNY. They paired up with Deadmau5 partner, Professor Meowington, to produce the world's first pair of headphones designed for cats. They only made 10 pairs of these catphones, with each pair retailing for $1000. All proceeds from the headphones will go to the ASPCA (an animal protection society). To support this initiative, RoosterNY created this hilarious infomercial style video, check it out below.
Cats, Deadmau5, hilariy...that's pretty much a trifecta in terms of capturing the attention of the meme-loving Internet audience and will hopefully be effective in raising overall awareness of the Sol Republic brand. Not to mention the fact that they're also raising money for a good cause at the same time.
via PSFK
First up is a nice feature from AdWeek that showcases 9 awesome cat commercials that drive the Internet wild.
The second is a hilarious spot/campaign from headphone manufacturer Sol Republic and their agency, RoosterNY. They paired up with Deadmau5 partner, Professor Meowington, to produce the world's first pair of headphones designed for cats. They only made 10 pairs of these catphones, with each pair retailing for $1000. All proceeds from the headphones will go to the ASPCA (an animal protection society). To support this initiative, RoosterNY created this hilarious infomercial style video, check it out below.
Cats, Deadmau5, hilariy...that's pretty much a trifecta in terms of capturing the attention of the meme-loving Internet audience and will hopefully be effective in raising overall awareness of the Sol Republic brand. Not to mention the fact that they're also raising money for a good cause at the same time.
via PSFK
Volkswagen - Street Quest
I don't know if it's just an American thing, but I have vivid (and often painful) memories of long car trips playing punch buggy with my brother. Note: for those of you who have never heard of Punch Buggy; it's a children's game where whoever spots a VW beetle first shouts 'punch buggy, no punch backs' and gets to punch the arm of the person next to them. See wiki entry here. Now Volkswagen South Africa & Ogilvy Cape Town have created a contest that brings Punch Buggy into the digital world (minus the pain)
The campaign features a nice integration of Google Street View & Facebook. Over the course of a month, users are challenged to find and pin as many VWs as they can find on South African roads in Google Street View. Each week, the user who pins the most will be flown to Cape Town for a final showdown with the other winners. They'll then go forth into the real world to spot the most VWs to win the grand prize. See below for more details or have a play for yourself here.
The campaign features a nice integration of Google Street View & Facebook. Over the course of a month, users are challenged to find and pin as many VWs as they can find on South African roads in Google Street View. Each week, the user who pins the most will be flown to Cape Town for a final showdown with the other winners. They'll then go forth into the real world to spot the most VWs to win the grand prize. See below for more details or have a play for yourself here.
Tesco - Virtual Grocery Store At Gatwick Airport
Many of you may remember the Tesco virtual grocery store in S. Korea that brought home a media grand prix at Cannes last year (case study here). Commuters were able to purchase groceries from their smartphones by scanning QR codes in a virtual grocery aisle composed of subway billboards. The project was very successful, helping Tesco become S. Korea's number one online grocery retailer and facilitating more than 50,000 transactions.
Now Tesco has brought the experiment to the UK, specifically to the departure lounge of Gatwick airport's North Terminal. They'll be trialling this over the course of the next couple weeks. According to Tesco, 'around 30,000 people depart from Gatwick's North Terminal each day and each has an average of 70 minutes of downtime while waiting for flights. They can now use this time to ensure they don't have to make a trip to the shops on their way home.'
This is just a great example of a brand making life easier for their customers and solving an actual problem. The insight that people getting home from holiday often have empty fridges at the time when you least want to deal with pedestrian things like grocery shopping, is something we've all experienced. Pair that with the natural downtime that takes place before a flight and you've just turned unproductive time into life made easier for your consumers. See the video below for more information.
Now Tesco has brought the experiment to the UK, specifically to the departure lounge of Gatwick airport's North Terminal. They'll be trialling this over the course of the next couple weeks. According to Tesco, 'around 30,000 people depart from Gatwick's North Terminal each day and each has an average of 70 minutes of downtime while waiting for flights. They can now use this time to ensure they don't have to make a trip to the shops on their way home.'
This is just a great example of a brand making life easier for their customers and solving an actual problem. The insight that people getting home from holiday often have empty fridges at the time when you least want to deal with pedestrian things like grocery shopping, is something we've all experienced. Pair that with the natural downtime that takes place before a flight and you've just turned unproductive time into life made easier for your consumers. See the video below for more information.
Comment Haiku
Here's a nice little experiment from the technologists at W+K Portland. As they explain:
'Comment Haiku is a tech experiment by a small team at W+K Portland. Our aim was to see if it's possible to use code to convert YouTube comments (generally regarded as total illiterate drivel) into poetry. We feel like we got part of the way there. If you want to see under the hood and look at the code, it's in two projects on github: haiku and django-haiku. All of the code is under the BSD license and we'd love more people to play.'
'Comment Haiku is a tech experiment by a small team at W+K Portland. Our aim was to see if it's possible to use code to convert YouTube comments (generally regarded as total illiterate drivel) into poetry. We feel like we got part of the way there. If you want to see under the hood and look at the code, it's in two projects on github: haiku and django-haiku. All of the code is under the BSD license and we'd love more people to play.'
Check out the video capture of the experiment below or head over to Comment Haiku to play around yourself. Fun!
Think With Google - Agile Creativity
As part of the ongoing Think With Google series, my colleagues in the US have just run a really interesting Google+ Hangout with some of the leading creative minds from around the industry. Google's Agile Creativity initiative explores the leading tech-inspired best practices that creative agencies are applying in their organizations and processes. I highly recommend watching the Hangout if you have the time. It's really interesting to see how the idea of agile development, typically associated with technical development, can be applied to the creative process.
Regardless of whether you're interested in watching the Google+ Hangout, you should explore the new Agile Creativity site, which was developed in close partnership with ad industry executives, 'Agile Creativity is a guide that agencies can use to be faster and more collaborative in their creative processes.'
Regardless of whether you're interested in watching the Google+ Hangout, you should explore the new Agile Creativity site, which was developed in close partnership with ad industry executives, 'Agile Creativity is a guide that agencies can use to be faster and more collaborative in their creative processes.'
Friday, July 27, 2012
Olympic Fever - Adidas, Old Spice, P&G & Channel 4
The Olympic ceremonies open tonight, so I thought I'd share my favorite Olympic work that I've seen in the lead up to the games.
In terms of Olympic stunts, I think this one takes the cake. Adidas invited fans to show their support in a #takethestage photobooth that had been setup in Westfield Stratford shopping mall. What they didn't know is that David Beckham was just around the corner. Check out their reactions when he joins them in the booth.
In terms of pure humor, I love the most recent Old Spice spot, 'I Will Live Forever.' Notice how they nimbly dance around the fact that they're not actually official sponsors of the Olympics.
And of course there's just plain emotionally evocative as you can see in the latest spot from P&G 'Kids.'
But ultimately, the best piece of advertising I've seen for the Olympics, doesn't come from an official sponsor, in fact it's not even for the Olympics. It's from Channel 4 to promote their upcoming Paralympic Game coverage as well as the shows/features that they'll be airing. I literally get chills down my spine watching it. For some reason they've turned off embedding, but you can see it here.
In terms of Olympic stunts, I think this one takes the cake. Adidas invited fans to show their support in a #takethestage photobooth that had been setup in Westfield Stratford shopping mall. What they didn't know is that David Beckham was just around the corner. Check out their reactions when he joins them in the booth.
In terms of pure humor, I love the most recent Old Spice spot, 'I Will Live Forever.' Notice how they nimbly dance around the fact that they're not actually official sponsors of the Olympics.
And of course there's just plain emotionally evocative as you can see in the latest spot from P&G 'Kids.'
But ultimately, the best piece of advertising I've seen for the Olympics, doesn't come from an official sponsor, in fact it's not even for the Olympics. It's from Channel 4 to promote their upcoming Paralympic Game coverage as well as the shows/features that they'll be airing. I literally get chills down my spine watching it. For some reason they've turned off embedding, but you can see it here.
OXY - Man Sized Problems
Warning, this might be is the most disgusting ad you'll ever see. Oxy face wash and their agency, Naked Communications, wanted to reach the 13-18 year old male audience and convey just how bad pimples can get if left untreated. To reach their audience in an authentic way, they compiled a number of Youtube clips and assembled them together to demonstrate just how a pimple can turn into a 'Man Sized Problem' and therefore why they should be using Oxy face wash. As Adam Ferrier of Naked Communications says:
"The idea came from the simple insight that guys like watching videos of guys squeezing big pimples. It speaks to our target much more authentically than the glossy, cheesy work of Oxy’s big spending competitors. We believe this work will result in mass trial of the brand, and change consumer behaviour towards Oxy."
As someone who spends an ungodly amount of time on YouTube, I found that insight surprising (perhaps even questionable), but then again I'm not exactly the target audience.
via Buzzfeed & Randy Matheson
"The idea came from the simple insight that guys like watching videos of guys squeezing big pimples. It speaks to our target much more authentically than the glossy, cheesy work of Oxy’s big spending competitors. We believe this work will result in mass trial of the brand, and change consumer behaviour towards Oxy."
As someone who spends an ungodly amount of time on YouTube, I found that insight surprising (perhaps even questionable), but then again I'm not exactly the target audience.
via Buzzfeed & Randy Matheson
Pepsi Max - From Youtube To A 30-second Spot
This is a bit old and I meant to post it a month or so ago, but it's still relevant as we see more and more brands working from the inside out. That is, starting with a digital execution and then translating that to traditional media or into a 30-second spot. This example comes from Pepsi Max. In the video, we see Uncle Drew going to attend a pickup basketball game with his nephew. When one of the other players goes down with an injury, Uncle Drew steps in. After a slow start Uncle Drew starts dominating and talking trash while the other players try to figure out how the hell this old guy has such ridiculous game. At the end of the video we see NBA rookie of the year, Kylie Irving, being transformed by Hollywood makeup artists into an old man, 'Uncle Drew.' The stunt actually relates nicely back to the brand as Pepsi Max is 'the zero calorie cola in disguise.'
The five-minute video is fantastic. It's compelling enough that 80% of the viewers were still watching at the 4 minute mark. Pepsi could've considered the 10 million views the video over the course of a month success in it's own right. This was never intended to be a 30-second spot or to have a presence on TV, but as a Pepsi spokesman says "Once we started looking at the metrics, it became clear that we couldn’t miss the opportunity to bring Uncle Drew to the sport’s biggest stage." Pepsi decided to run a cut-down version, basically just a teaser for the full video, during the first three games of the NBA finals. That in turn drove further viewership of the YouTube video, creating a nice virtuous cycle.
Additional Articles: MediaPost | AdAge
The five-minute video is fantastic. It's compelling enough that 80% of the viewers were still watching at the 4 minute mark. Pepsi could've considered the 10 million views the video over the course of a month success in it's own right. This was never intended to be a 30-second spot or to have a presence on TV, but as a Pepsi spokesman says "Once we started looking at the metrics, it became clear that we couldn’t miss the opportunity to bring Uncle Drew to the sport’s biggest stage." Pepsi decided to run a cut-down version, basically just a teaser for the full video, during the first three games of the NBA finals. That in turn drove further viewership of the YouTube video, creating a nice virtuous cycle.
Additional Articles: MediaPost | AdAge
Coca-Cola Security Cameras
Damn you Coca-Cola and your continuous ability to evoke emotion through video. Coca-Cola Latin America, Young & Rubicam and Landia created this delightful 90-second spot to remind people that acts of kindness and bravery are taking constantly taking place. The video shows off the warm fuzzy side of security camera /CCTV footage. 'People tend to associate security cameras with negative events, but we wanted to disprove that assumption by demonstrating the abundance of happy events and actions they capture,' said Creative Director Martin Mercado.
via Yoram Cisinski
via Yoram Cisinski
McDonald's Gets Transparency Right (after getting it wrong)
Here's a nice effort by McDonald's Canada to be transparent and respond to questions/concerns from customers. This comes a few months after the Twitter #McDStories fiasco. The #McDStories was promoted tweet centered around the idea that 'when you make something with pride, people can taste it' and invited Twitter users to submit their stories. No doubt they expected stories of love, laughter and general culinary delight. Within minutes it'd been highjacked by such lovely recollections as 'Watching a classmate projectile vomit his food all over the restaurant during a 6th grade trip.' (@jfsmith23). Needless to say McDonald's pulled the plug on the campaign very quickly.
Now McDonald's Canada (and their agency Tribal DDB Toronto) has taken the lessons learned and launched the McDonald's Canada 'Your Questions website and Youtube channel. The premise is simple: 'Ever wanted to ask us about the food in our Canadian restaurants? Now's your chance! We'll answer any questions about our food - even the tough ones - then post a personal reply from McDonald's Canada.'
In an extreme act of transparency, they're committed to answering each and every question. Certain handpicked questions such are being answered with an in-depth behind the scenes video. A great behind the scenes video answering the question 'Why does your food look different in the advertising than in the store?' has racked up million of views and is an incredibly interesting look at what goes on during a food photo shoot. Check it out below or head on over to the McDonald's Canada Youtube channel to see more video response videos.
Again, this is a really nice effort to actually engage in meaningful dialogue with customers in a completely transparent manner. This is increasingly important in light of the recent customer satisfaction index that ranked McDonald's last in satisfaction amongst fast food chains (though those results may just be for the US). Then again McDonald's was just named the most effective global brand for the second year running at the Effie awards.
via Leon Bayliss
Now McDonald's Canada (and their agency Tribal DDB Toronto) has taken the lessons learned and launched the McDonald's Canada 'Your Questions website and Youtube channel. The premise is simple: 'Ever wanted to ask us about the food in our Canadian restaurants? Now's your chance! We'll answer any questions about our food - even the tough ones - then post a personal reply from McDonald's Canada.'
In an extreme act of transparency, they're committed to answering each and every question. Certain handpicked questions such are being answered with an in-depth behind the scenes video. A great behind the scenes video answering the question 'Why does your food look different in the advertising than in the store?' has racked up million of views and is an incredibly interesting look at what goes on during a food photo shoot. Check it out below or head on over to the McDonald's Canada Youtube channel to see more video response videos.
Again, this is a really nice effort to actually engage in meaningful dialogue with customers in a completely transparent manner. This is increasingly important in light of the recent customer satisfaction index that ranked McDonald's last in satisfaction amongst fast food chains (though those results may just be for the US). Then again McDonald's was just named the most effective global brand for the second year running at the Effie awards.
via Leon Bayliss
Refuge - Don't Cover It Up
Does something happening twice make it a trend? Well I'm calling it one. If you recall, a couple months back I posted about VW & DDB enlisting Youtube Star, Nikkie of Nikkie Tutorials, to create a PSA highlighting the dangers of applying makeup and driving. That video recently took a gold for viral advertising Cannes.
Now YouTube star Lauren Luke and BBH have teamed up to create a video on behalf of domestic violence charity, Refuge. The video offers tips on how to cover up bruises, with Lauren Luke indicating that her bruises are the result of domestic violence ('if you got some bruises from a jealous type of partner, etc.). The video abruptly ends with the sound of someone entering the house and closes with '65% of women who suffer domestic violence keep it hidden. Don't cover it up.' This is part of the wider Don't Cover It Up anti-violence campaign from Refuge. More information can be found here.
It's a great way to reach Lauren Luke's nearly 500,000 regular subscribers and to highlight the silence that too often accompanies domestic abuse. The video feels particularly authentic as Lauren Luke has talked about her past experience with domestic abuse. Contagious Magazine has a more in-depth write up with additional background and insight.
Now YouTube star Lauren Luke and BBH have teamed up to create a video on behalf of domestic violence charity, Refuge. The video offers tips on how to cover up bruises, with Lauren Luke indicating that her bruises are the result of domestic violence ('if you got some bruises from a jealous type of partner, etc.). The video abruptly ends with the sound of someone entering the house and closes with '65% of women who suffer domestic violence keep it hidden. Don't cover it up.' This is part of the wider Don't Cover It Up anti-violence campaign from Refuge. More information can be found here.
It's a great way to reach Lauren Luke's nearly 500,000 regular subscribers and to highlight the silence that too often accompanies domestic abuse. The video feels particularly authentic as Lauren Luke has talked about her past experience with domestic abuse. Contagious Magazine has a more in-depth write up with additional background and insight.
Cannes 2012 Roundup & Trends
Regardless of what you think of the annual advertising boondoggle festival that is the Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity, the fact is that it remains the most prominent showcase of advertising excellence. This year saw Mobile and Branded Content get their own categories. I highly encourage everyone to spend at least an hour going through the Cannes Lions site and reviewing the case studies for the winners in each category. Without going into too much detail, the macro trend from this year's Cannes seemed to be awarding work that provided utility or gave something back to the user/customer. As James Hilton aptly said during one of the Lightning Talks at the Google Sandbox 'the best advertising isn't advertising at all.' Rather than try to recap the festival, I'll rely on the efforts of people more talented than myself. See below for some nice round ups/highlights from the winners this year.
This comes courtesy of Bridget Jung, Chief Creative Officer - Digitas
I'd also recommend this nice roundup from AdWeek of all the Grand Prix winners for 2012.
Adverblog has a nice article on the overall Macro trends among the winners that's quite nice.
Last but not least, Contagious Magazine has a nice breakdown which includes snippets/quotes from about the work in each category.
But again, it's really worth spending some time on the Cannes Lion site and checking out the various winners across categories and the corresponding case study videos.
This comes courtesy of Bridget Jung, Chief Creative Officer - Digitas
I'd also recommend this nice roundup from AdWeek of all the Grand Prix winners for 2012.
Adverblog has a nice article on the overall Macro trends among the winners that's quite nice.
Last but not least, Contagious Magazine has a nice breakdown which includes snippets/quotes from about the work in each category.
But again, it's really worth spending some time on the Cannes Lion site and checking out the various winners across categories and the corresponding case study videos.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Nike Football - My Time Is Now
Apologies that this blog has been radio silent for the past month due to a ridiculous amount of traveling around for work (and pleasure). By now, most of you have have probably already seen this campaign, but if you haven't please set aside the next 30 minutes to play around with the Nike Football Youtube experience. It's without a doubt one of my favorite all-time Youtube executions. Kudos to W+K London & Stink Digital for an amazing piece of work. First a bit of background from the W+K London blog (they can certainly explain it better than I can):
Our innovative new Nike 'My Time Is Now' campaign celebrates this next wave of footballers, whether it's the participants in The Chance, Nike's worldwide hunt for football talent (with previous winners featured in the spot), or elite athletes looking to make an impact on the world stage.
But more than simply reflecting the defining qualities of hunger and impatience, this new global campaign provokes and rewards these behaviours in the participating audience too.
To achieve this, the campaign flips the traditional AV model: rather than creating a film for TV and running it online, we created a film for the internet, a version of which runs on TV. Launched online first, with the TV edit following up in Saturday's Champions League Final, the film is driven by a variety of different types of content, interactions and experiences, as well as seamless extensions to the overall narrative flow of the campaign.
It all kicks off with another epic 3-minute, star laden spot below. That's followed by a call to action to 'Follow The Tunnels' which are areas of content/interactive experiences throughout the film similar to easter eggs. These include Ronaldo's training program, a Sonic video game, Football IQ test, etc.
I love the fact that Nike continues to put digital first and foremost and are committed to creating truly immersive experiences. Far too many of these ambitious campaigns start with TV and treat digital as an adjunct or bolt on at the end.
Additional Articles: W+K London | Contagious
Our innovative new Nike 'My Time Is Now' campaign celebrates this next wave of footballers, whether it's the participants in The Chance, Nike's worldwide hunt for football talent (with previous winners featured in the spot), or elite athletes looking to make an impact on the world stage.
But more than simply reflecting the defining qualities of hunger and impatience, this new global campaign provokes and rewards these behaviours in the participating audience too.
To achieve this, the campaign flips the traditional AV model: rather than creating a film for TV and running it online, we created a film for the internet, a version of which runs on TV. Launched online first, with the TV edit following up in Saturday's Champions League Final, the film is driven by a variety of different types of content, interactions and experiences, as well as seamless extensions to the overall narrative flow of the campaign.
It all kicks off with another epic 3-minute, star laden spot below. That's followed by a call to action to 'Follow The Tunnels' which are areas of content/interactive experiences throughout the film similar to easter eggs. These include Ronaldo's training program, a Sonic video game, Football IQ test, etc.
I love the fact that Nike continues to put digital first and foremost and are committed to creating truly immersive experiences. Far too many of these ambitious campaigns start with TV and treat digital as an adjunct or bolt on at the end.
Additional Articles: W+K London | Contagious
VW - The Original Click
Really clever use of Youtube advertising formats in this campaign for official Volkswagen auto parts (developed by AlmapBBDO). The idea is simple, people shouldn't accept imitations auto parts. Similarly, they discovered that on Youtube many of the most-popular videos have poor quality knock offs/imitation videos, some of which have millions of views. So VW bought in-stream ads against these imitation videos with the message 'Don’t accept Imitations. Prefer Original Parts.' Clicking on the ads redirected users from the imitation video to the original version. Check out the brief case study/explanation video below. According to this AdFreak article the campaign generated '125,000 views and 500 clicks for every $100 spent.'
via Sibylle Tretera
Additional Articles: Adverblog | Digital Buzz Blog
via Sibylle Tretera
Additional Articles: Adverblog | Digital Buzz Blog
Paper Crows - Build
Here's another clever use of Youtube videos from the musicians, Paper Crows for their new album 'build.' The site shows four separate YouTube videos which are then synchronized into one coherent visual track using the Youtube API. Each of the videos is actually a different music track, so users can change the audio track by rolling over one of the videos. Simple, but very clever. Check it out here, or see the screen capture below.
via Bobby Nolla
via Bobby Nolla
Getty Images - From Love To Bingo
Another great piece of work from AlmapBBDO for Getty Images. The challenge was to show that Getty Images has such an extensive archive that any story can be told through their photo collection. The creative team spent more than 6 months culling through 5000 photographs to create this minute long film which contains 873 photos from the Getty Images archive and tells a wonderful story throughout. Just beautiful.
Doubleclick Rich Media - Media Bridging Desktop & Mobile
As you may have noticed from previous posts, I'm a bit obsessed with the media bridging opportunities where mobile is the glue that connects all other forms of media. There's still a long way to go until it's seamless and elegant, but there's been some really nice progress, especially over the past six months.
One of my favorite examples (logrolling alert) was developed by my talented colleagues at Doubleclick (Scott Harmes - creative, Roberto Stocco - dev) in conjunction with Toaster Ltd. The tech is called 'Channel Connect' and basically creates a communications channel between a desktop advertisement (such as a Youtube masthead) and an HTML5 mobile site. It's not just limited to one user, so you can actually create an ad experience with multiple users competing/collaborating on the experience at the same time. I think it has a ton of potential and look forward to seeing how agencies push these executions going forward.
Have a play with the demo here or for more details read below (full post on Doubleclick Rich Media Gallery blog):
On a separate note you'll notice that it uses a QR code to initiate the mobile part of the experience. That's definitely where most of the media bridging stuff falls down, so it's interesting to see Layar's announcement a few days ago that they're creating an easy way for publishers to turn standard print content into a simple augmented reality experience. Really interesting stuff...
One of my favorite examples (logrolling alert) was developed by my talented colleagues at Doubleclick (Scott Harmes - creative, Roberto Stocco - dev) in conjunction with Toaster Ltd. The tech is called 'Channel Connect' and basically creates a communications channel between a desktop advertisement (such as a Youtube masthead) and an HTML5 mobile site. It's not just limited to one user, so you can actually create an ad experience with multiple users competing/collaborating on the experience at the same time. I think it has a ton of potential and look forward to seeing how agencies push these executions going forward.
Have a play with the demo here or for more details read below (full post on Doubleclick Rich Media Gallery blog):
Dubbed ‘Channel Connect’, this new Rich Media feature enables you to create more ways for users to connect with your brand.
What is it?
Channel Connect is a new DoubleClick package of Flash components and JavaScript libraries used to establish a communication channel between a desktop advertisement and an HTML5 mobile site. The opened channel can be used to send any kind of information in either direction between a user’s mobile device and their desktop.
How can I use it?
Channel Connect turns a smartphone or tablet into a new input device, allowing users to interact with brand content more tactilely than a simple mouse. Any Rich Media ad can be enhanced by switching mouse-interactions to gestures: turn a user’s mobile into a game controller or graphics tablet for maximum active engagement.
On a separate note you'll notice that it uses a QR code to initiate the mobile part of the experience. That's definitely where most of the media bridging stuff falls down, so it's interesting to see Layar's announcement a few days ago that they're creating an easy way for publishers to turn standard print content into a simple augmented reality experience. Really interesting stuff...
Tide Responds To Fake Onion Article
This is great. The satirical newspaper The Onion (which everyone should read religiously if you don't already) recently ran a spoof column from a fictional Tide digital director entitled 'Hey, Everybody! This Cool New Tide Detergent Video Is Blowing Up All Over The Internet!' In the column, the fictional Tide guy writes:
Hey, everybody, have you seen this awesome new web video from Tide detergent?
...it's got these cute, funny talking animals, a cool indie-rock song, and it's just so hilariously random. And it's got this amazing cameo by Bret Michaels, which is so funny because Bret Michaels is hilarious and from the '80s.
But hey, I don't want to ruin it for you. Just take a minute to check it out for yourself at the Tide website or Facebook.com/Tide, or check out Tide's totally awesome YouTube channel, which is like a treasure trove of cool, popular videos that everyone loves. And honestly, do yourself a favor and just go to Tide's website and hang there for a while. It's a totally awesome place to go and play online games and meet other cool fans of Tide products.
...The other cool thing is, after watching this awesome vid, I honestly just want to go out and buy a lot of Tide. Obviously, I've always bought Tide anyway because it's the best detergent around, but this awesome new clip just makes me want to buy it more. But hey, I guess it should come as no surprise that a brand that makes such a quality detergent would also make a quality video. I mean, it's Tide. They're the best. They always come up with great stuff like this. It's a hip, modern company that is totally in tune with today's Internet culture, so it makes sense they'd have such a cool online presence.
Read the whole fictional column here. As always the Onion is spot on, but the best part is that Tide has responded to the fake column by creating a real video that mirrors all of the elements described in the column. Very meta.
We constantly hear about brands being responsive and listening to their audience (or the Internets in general in this case). It's great to see a brand doing more than just paying lip service to the idea. Check out the response video from Tide below. My favorite line is 'making viral videos with reputable brand partners...':
Additional Articles: Brand Channel
Hey, everybody, have you seen this awesome new web video from Tide detergent?
...it's got these cute, funny talking animals, a cool indie-rock song, and it's just so hilariously random. And it's got this amazing cameo by Bret Michaels, which is so funny because Bret Michaels is hilarious and from the '80s.
But hey, I don't want to ruin it for you. Just take a minute to check it out for yourself at the Tide website or Facebook.com/Tide, or check out Tide's totally awesome YouTube channel, which is like a treasure trove of cool, popular videos that everyone loves. And honestly, do yourself a favor and just go to Tide's website and hang there for a while. It's a totally awesome place to go and play online games and meet other cool fans of Tide products.
...The other cool thing is, after watching this awesome vid, I honestly just want to go out and buy a lot of Tide. Obviously, I've always bought Tide anyway because it's the best detergent around, but this awesome new clip just makes me want to buy it more. But hey, I guess it should come as no surprise that a brand that makes such a quality detergent would also make a quality video. I mean, it's Tide. They're the best. They always come up with great stuff like this. It's a hip, modern company that is totally in tune with today's Internet culture, so it makes sense they'd have such a cool online presence.
Read the whole fictional column here. As always the Onion is spot on, but the best part is that Tide has responded to the fake column by creating a real video that mirrors all of the elements described in the column. Very meta.
We constantly hear about brands being responsive and listening to their audience (or the Internets in general in this case). It's great to see a brand doing more than just paying lip service to the idea. Check out the response video from Tide below. My favorite line is 'making viral videos with reputable brand partners...':
Additional Articles: Brand Channel
[GALAXY Note] Beckham plays Beethoven's Ode To Joy
OK, so it doesn't have much to do with the product, but I still felt compelled to share this version of Beethoven's Ode To Joy as played by David Beckham to promote the Samsung Galaxy Note.
Granted it's not as spontaneously delightful as the Elephant playing the Galaxy Note, but much better than the over the top fake of the previous Beckham Pepsi viral. See below for some pure 'viral' enjoyment.
Granted it's not as spontaneously delightful as the Elephant playing the Galaxy Note, but much better than the over the top fake of the previous Beckham Pepsi viral. See below for some pure 'viral' enjoyment.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
EasyWay Language Center
Here's a nice use of the speech recognition technology that's built into Chrome. EasyWay Language Language center (and their Brazilian agency Loducca) created a simple browser based game/tool for students to practice their English pronunciation using Google's speech recognition technology.
Visitors to the site are presented with silly cartoons that ask the user to repeat a word. If Google recognizes the word when you speak it, you move onto the next level. If not, try again. As it says on the site 'If Google can understand you, anyone can.'
Just a fantastic idea. Check out the video below or experience it yourself here.
Additional Articles: Adverblog | Fast Co. Create
Visitors to the site are presented with silly cartoons that ask the user to repeat a word. If Google recognizes the word when you speak it, you move onto the next level. If not, try again. As it says on the site 'If Google can understand you, anyone can.'
Just a fantastic idea. Check out the video below or experience it yourself here.
Additional Articles: Adverblog | Fast Co. Create
Media Bridging Examples: Red Bull, ING, & NCDV
Lately it seems like there have been an increasing number campaigns bridging different forms of media, particularly in terms of connecting smartphones with out of home digital signage (remember this McDonald's example from Sweden). Additionally we've been seeing increasing amount of executions that use audio (particularly Shazam) to bridge between TV and a smartphone experiences. One of the nicest executions I've seen comes from Red Bull & NBC. Fans watching NBC's snowboarding competition - Red Bull Supernational had the opportunity to use Shazam to get video from the snowboarders POV, thus creating a nice two screen experience during the broadcast. Check it out below:
via Digital Examples
The second example comes from Germany agency Agenta as part of their activation as sponsors of the German Basketball Federation. Using their smartphones, people could connect to the billboard and use their phone as a virtual basketball to play a free throw challenge. At the same time a camera snapped pictures of them competing and uploaded/shared it amongst their Facebook friends.
Really nicely done, especially in terms of linking participation offline with a sharing mechanism online. Check out the video below for more:
The third example was created by JWT London for the National Centre For Domestic Violence. They installed a series of interactive billboards in London's Euston station. The first billboard shows a man shouting at a woman with a call to action encouraging users to use their phone to 'Stop This Now and Drag Him Away.' Users could scan a QR code or go to the website to drag him away via their phone which pulled the man further and further away from the woman and across the other connected billboards while displaying anti-violence messages.
It's a laudable effort, but I'd be curious to understand how well it actually worked it and how many people took the time to participate. Was it clear what was happening on all the connected billboards or was interaction just limited to the one and then continued across after a user began taking part? Anyhow, check it out below:
Additional Articles: PSFK | Creativity | Digital Buzz Blog | AdFreak | Mashable
via Digital Examples
The second example comes from Germany agency Agenta as part of their activation as sponsors of the German Basketball Federation. Using their smartphones, people could connect to the billboard and use their phone as a virtual basketball to play a free throw challenge. At the same time a camera snapped pictures of them competing and uploaded/shared it amongst their Facebook friends.
Really nicely done, especially in terms of linking participation offline with a sharing mechanism online. Check out the video below for more:
The third example was created by JWT London for the National Centre For Domestic Violence. They installed a series of interactive billboards in London's Euston station. The first billboard shows a man shouting at a woman with a call to action encouraging users to use their phone to 'Stop This Now and Drag Him Away.' Users could scan a QR code or go to the website to drag him away via their phone which pulled the man further and further away from the woman and across the other connected billboards while displaying anti-violence messages.
It's a laudable effort, but I'd be curious to understand how well it actually worked it and how many people took the time to participate. Was it clear what was happening on all the connected billboards or was interaction just limited to the one and then continued across after a user began taking part? Anyhow, check it out below:
Additional Articles: PSFK | Creativity | Digital Buzz Blog | AdFreak | Mashable
Canadian Paralympic Committee - Running (Unstoppable)
Here's your inspirational ad/PSA of the week from BBDO Toronto for the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Beautifully done, emotionally evocative and done in one continuos shot with no CGI or other trickery.
Watch it below and check out the making of video here.
Watch it below and check out the making of video here.
Additional Articles: Laughing Squid
Three Nice Uses Of QR Codes - Emart, Guinness & Mercedes-Benz
QR codes have gotten a pretty bad rap and are generally shit on by the creative community (case in point, this genius Tumblr). Until certain smartphone technologies mature, the fact of that matter is that it remains one of the best ways to quickly and (relatively) easily get mobile users to a site/app. While there are definitely some absolutely abysmal executions out there, here are a couple of recent ones that work extremely well.
EMART - SUNNY SALE
The first example comes Emart, the Walmart of Korea. The Sunny Sale (created by Cheil Worldwide) aimed to drive sales during lunch, which is a typically slow time for the retailer. They created clever shadow QR codes which are only be readable/active in certain light, ie. between the hours of 12-1PM. Users who scanned the sunny sale QR codes received special offers, coupons, etc. It proved so popular they expanded it from 13 to 36 locations in Seoul. Over the course of a month they sold over 12,000 coupons and increased store membership 58% month or month, but perhaps most impressive they increased sales by 25% during lunch hours. Who says QR codes can't be effective!?
Additional Articles: Adverblog | AdFreak
GUINNESS - QR CUP
The second example comes from BBDO New York for Guinness. The QR code is printed on the glass and only works when Guinness (or another black/dark liquid) fills the glass, so don't try filling these glasses with lager, etc. Once full scanning the QR code launches a site that easily/automatically tweets, checks in, posts a status update or sends an Instagram photo about where you are and the fact that you're enjoying a pint of guinness. Very clever.
via Digital Examples
MERCEDES-BENZ - QR TROPHY
Prior to the official car launch, you'll often see speculation about the new model based off photos of the car 'spotted in the wild' on various aficionado sites. Manufacturers combat this by wrapping the cars in plastic and generally camouflaging them so the new body/shape can't be deciphered before launch. Jung Von Matt/Alster has cleverly tapped into this behavior by turning the camouflage of the prototypes into a form of media. They've wrapped the new Mercedes Benz A-Class prototypes in QR codes. The QR codes contain links to an app in which users hunt for trophies based off spotting the new A-class and give them a chance to win a trip to launch event. Nice expansion of the idea of owned media and tapping into the existing behaviors of passionate car fans and paparazzi.
Additional Articles: Digital Buzz Blog
EMART - SUNNY SALE
The first example comes Emart, the Walmart of Korea. The Sunny Sale (created by Cheil Worldwide) aimed to drive sales during lunch, which is a typically slow time for the retailer. They created clever shadow QR codes which are only be readable/active in certain light, ie. between the hours of 12-1PM. Users who scanned the sunny sale QR codes received special offers, coupons, etc. It proved so popular they expanded it from 13 to 36 locations in Seoul. Over the course of a month they sold over 12,000 coupons and increased store membership 58% month or month, but perhaps most impressive they increased sales by 25% during lunch hours. Who says QR codes can't be effective!?
Additional Articles: Adverblog | AdFreak
GUINNESS - QR CUP
The second example comes from BBDO New York for Guinness. The QR code is printed on the glass and only works when Guinness (or another black/dark liquid) fills the glass, so don't try filling these glasses with lager, etc. Once full scanning the QR code launches a site that easily/automatically tweets, checks in, posts a status update or sends an Instagram photo about where you are and the fact that you're enjoying a pint of guinness. Very clever.
MERCEDES-BENZ - QR TROPHY
Prior to the official car launch, you'll often see speculation about the new model based off photos of the car 'spotted in the wild' on various aficionado sites. Manufacturers combat this by wrapping the cars in plastic and generally camouflaging them so the new body/shape can't be deciphered before launch. Jung Von Matt/Alster has cleverly tapped into this behavior by turning the camouflage of the prototypes into a form of media. They've wrapped the new Mercedes Benz A-Class prototypes in QR codes. The QR codes contain links to an app in which users hunt for trophies based off spotting the new A-class and give them a chance to win a trip to launch event. Nice expansion of the idea of owned media and tapping into the existing behaviors of passionate car fans and paparazzi.
Additional Articles: Digital Buzz Blog
McDonald's - Mein Burger
It's always nice to see examples of crowd-sourcing and co-creation done right. To be fair, it's hard to do those types of campaign in a way that doesn't feel gimmicky and benefits both the user and the advertiser. The 'Mein Burger' campaign comes from Razorfish Germany to celebrate the 40th anniversary of McDonald's in that country. The competition invited users to create their own burger via the 'Burger configurator' with the winning creations chosen by public vote and eventually appearing on the McDonald's menu. It's all about the execution in this case as Razorfish created a compelling experience for users to generate their own bespoke burger creation. Perhaps more importantly, they also provided the tools to for users promote their burger creation and encourage their friends, as well as the general public, to vote for the eventual winners. The winners not only had their Burger creation added to the menu, but also starred in their own McDoanld's TV commercial. Check out the case study below.
Oh yeah, the eventual winner was the Preztelnator, a burger with ham, italian cheese, american cheese and pretzel-like bun. Sounds...errr...interesting.
Additional Articles: Laughing Squid
Oh yeah, the eventual winner was the Preztelnator, a burger with ham, italian cheese, american cheese and pretzel-like bun. Sounds...errr...interesting.
Additional Articles: Laughing Squid
Domestos - Meet Phil Pace
Here's a nice little short film (brought to you by Domestos) from Droga5 in Sydney that shows a bit about the life of amateur bodybuilder Phil Pace. The Domestos tie-in doesn't come until the end of the film and is done (IMHO) in a brilliant and quirky way. Much better way of illustrating the product benefits than your typical toilet cleaning commercial. Check it out below:
Additional Articles: AdFreak
Additional Articles: AdFreak
BONUS: Simon Says Chrome Experiment
Remember the Simon Says toy game from the 80s? As part of a Chrome Experiment Daniel Christopher has recreated an HTML5 browser based version of the game.
Take two minutes and have a play around with it here.
via Nathan Reuss
Take two minutes and have a play around with it here.
via Nathan Reuss
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
P&G - Thank You Mom
Wieden + Kennedy have kicked off the P&G 'Thank You, Mom' campaign with the beautifully shot and evocative film 'Best Job' which was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel, Biutiful, 21 Grams + the Nike 'Write The Future' spot from 2010). The film shows different Moms around the world nurturing their kids throughout the years as they move toward their moment of Olympic glory. Check it out below.
The spot is just the first step in a much larger campaign from P&G leading into the Olympics and further extends the Thank You, Mom campaign that they ran for the 2010 Olympics. In addition to the above spot, P&G is also encouraging the general public to say 'Thank You, Mom' and let her know you appreciate her. You can submit your story through video, images or just a brief few words to let your Mom know you care. So go check it out on the P&G Youtube channel and Facebook page.
Additional Articles: Adverblog | AgencySpy | W+K London blog
The spot is just the first step in a much larger campaign from P&G leading into the Olympics and further extends the Thank You, Mom campaign that they ran for the 2010 Olympics. In addition to the above spot, P&G is also encouraging the general public to say 'Thank You, Mom' and let her know you appreciate her. You can submit your story through video, images or just a brief few words to let your Mom know you care. So go check it out on the P&G Youtube channel and Facebook page.
Additional Articles: Adverblog | AgencySpy | W+K London blog
IKEA - The Smallest Store In The World
I've been seeing some really innovative rich media banner advertising lately. I particularly like this execution for IKEA, the smallest store in the world. In order to demonstrate how IKEA helps you make the most of any space, they've fit an entire IKEA store (all 2800) products into a web banner. From this 300x250 MPU you can browse, click or buy anything that you could in a full-size IKEA store. Check out the overview video below.
The ad was developed by Ogilvy Action Dubai. Have a play around with the live version of the banner here: http://smalleststoreintheworld.com
Very clever and very charming.
Additional Articles: AdFreak | Adverblog
The ad was developed by Ogilvy Action Dubai. Have a play around with the live version of the banner here: http://smalleststoreintheworld.com
Very clever and very charming.
Additional Articles: AdFreak | Adverblog
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