10.5.09
Packaging . Innovation
Behold, the pizza box we've all been waiting for! Watch the film for a simple demonstration of how a few smart-thinking tweaks to an established design can radically improve customer experience.
The company behind the Green Box is called Environmentally Conscious Organization Incorporated, and their ingenious idea sees the traditional pizza delivery box transform into into four handy serving 'plates' AND a half-sized storage solution for any remaining slices... Made out of 100% recycled material, the box is protected by US Patent 7,051,919 which we firmly hope will allow e.c.o. Incorporated to cash-in on their innovation.
Give the hairy few weeks the Domino's brand has just endured, if you worked there wouldn't you be all over this?A good news story that could leave the public with a better impression of the brand than simply 'cheese up the nose'...
www.ecoincorporated.com
Gap / Havaianas :::Pop-up flip-flops
Gap is clearly trying to reach out to niche groups of consumers with this rolling campaign of targeted marketing activity. Fundamentally that's a sound approach; Gap is one of those brands that sells on its adaptability and wide-ranging appeal. What bothers us is the lack of a theme that binds all of the disparate activity together. Where Absolut has established a clear connection between all the various aspects of its amazing 'In an Absolut world...' campaign, Gap seems to have skipped that part entirely. Consequently, their various initiatives end up feeling more like an identity crisis than a coherent brand strategy.Gap is hosting a pop-up flip-flop store in their New York Fifth Avenue store
This venture follows a string of pop-up events that Gap has hosted recently, the latest being a tiny dancers studio on the weekend where youngsters could dress up in Gap clothes and take free dance classes. Previously, instillations included; sale of Rhode Island School of Design redesigned Gap cardigans; a collaboration with Colette Paris; a Pantone T-shirt shop; and Gap’s (Product)Red gift-shop from which sales proceeds went to fighting AIDS in Africa.
Gap has collaborated with flip-flop icon Havaianas to create an 'Urban Beach Flip-Flop Shop' in the small space adjacent to their Fifth Ave store.
Customers can choose from a range of flip-flops and over the weekends Gap is hosting an in-store craft bar where pins, initials and crystals will be available to customise the sandals.
This venture follows a string of pop-up events that Gap has hosted recently, the latest being a tiny dancers studio on the weekend where youngsters could dress up in Gap clothes and take free dance classes. Previously, instillations included; sale of Rhode Island School of Design redesigned Gap cardigans; a collaboration with Colette Paris; a Pantone T-shirt shop; and Gap’s (Product)Red gift-shop from which sales proceeds went to fighting AIDS in Africa.
McDonald's:::Tourists are lovin’ it…
McDonald's Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus is London's equivalent of Times Square - right at the heart of the city and filled with brands digital billboards, each clamouring for attention. Some 1.1 million Londoners and tourists pass through each week. McDonald’s tends to have a presence there, but wanted to create a more interactive experience and encourage people to specifically photograph the brand’s ad and then share the photographs.
McDonald's therefore launched an interactive sign where passers-by can interact with images displayed on McDonald's giant LED screen, and visitors can take an interactive role at one of London's most photographed locations.
BRAND OWNER:McDonald's Corporation
CATEGORY:Food
REGION:UK
DATE:Apr 2009 - Dec 2008
McDonald's therefore launched an interactive sign where passers-by can interact with images displayed on McDonald's giant LED screen, and visitors can take an interactive role at one of London's most photographed locations.
A series of images ranging from hats to speech bubbles, to idea clouds are shown on the giant LED screen billboard. People in Piccadilly circus can then position themselves to make it look as though they are wearing a hat, saying something or having an idea. People are then encouraged to post up their photos to Flickr or Facebook
McDonald's has long been the friend of weary tourists whose enthusiasm for the local cuisine has been exhausted by one dietary novelty too many...
But now that relationship has gone one step further, with the launch of a new 'interactive' billboard in London's Piccadilly Circus. The giant LED sign displays a rolling selection of images which invite camera-happy tourists to strike a pose with the props on screen.
Some of these have a British theme - an open umbrella and a city gent's bowler hat - while others are just about inviting participation - a birthday cake with candles you can pretend to blow out, a hammer that seems to beat you over the head, a strongman barbell you can hold triumphantly aloft.
The YouTube clip above shows the idea in action and the magnetic appeal it has to tourists... how many go on to eat a McDonald's burger after painstakingly lining up their shot has not yet been established but we're SO tempted to send someone down there to follow that up! Participants can also upload their snaps to a dedicated Flickr group, set up to corrall all those happy memories into one big experience-extending gallery and ensure that the event remains public long after the holidaymakers go back home.
Inventive stuff from Leo Burnett!
But now that relationship has gone one step further, with the launch of a new 'interactive' billboard in London's Piccadilly Circus. The giant LED sign displays a rolling selection of images which invite camera-happy tourists to strike a pose with the props on screen.
Some of these have a British theme - an open umbrella and a city gent's bowler hat - while others are just about inviting participation - a birthday cake with candles you can pretend to blow out, a hammer that seems to beat you over the head, a strongman barbell you can hold triumphantly aloft.
The YouTube clip above shows the idea in action and the magnetic appeal it has to tourists... how many go on to eat a McDonald's burger after painstakingly lining up their shot has not yet been established but we're SO tempted to send someone down there to follow that up! Participants can also upload their snaps to a dedicated Flickr group, set up to corrall all those happy memories into one big experience-extending gallery and ensure that the event remains public long after the holidaymakers go back home.
Inventive stuff from Leo Burnett!
McDonald's / McCafe :::Café culture underneath the arches…
...the Golden Arches that is. McDonald's has spent $100m on pushing McCafe in the US, its biggest launch since the 1970s and a direct assault on Starbucks and other coffee chains McDonald's has launched McCafé, a new product platform on which it is spending $100 million across TV, print, radio, outdoor, internet, events, PR and sampling.
Intended to add $1 billion to McDonald's bottom line in the US, McCafe has already started its aggressive push with coupon booklets inserted into newspapers as part of a huge drive in traditional media through DDB Chicago.
TV work incorporates the acute accent mark from McCafé into everyday items, so when you 'McCafé your day,' a commute becomes a commuté, while a cubicle is a cubiclé. Radio invites consumers to ‘speak McCafé', while 18-34 year olds are being targeted online via Tribal DDB with actors from Chicago's Second City comedy theatre. A McCafeYourDay Twitter feed is also being positioned as tool to converse with customers about the new platform.
The marketing blitz takes on established coffee chains such as Starbucks: the renewed emphasis on café culture is McDonald’s biggest product launch since breakfast in the 1970s
Guinness::: Passport to Greatness
Leverage Guinness' sponsorship of Hong Kong Rugby Sevens by producing Passport to Greatness', A mobile widget to assist 20k overseas visit.
Misfortune brand names [Pee Cola]
Another product from Ghana, where they would have us eating Shitto and drink Pee.
Misfortune brand names [Shitto]
This product from Ghana is “a gravy made from dried pepper, smoked dried fish, dried shrimp power, a variety of spices, ginger, onion, garlic, tomatoes and seasoning.” Since English is the official language of Ghana, it doesn’t seem like this can be chalked up to unfortunate happenstance.
Misfortune brand names [Sars- soft drink]
An Australian company called Golden Circle has long manufactured a caramel-flavored Sarsaparilla drink, the abbreviated product name of which is “Sars.” Believe it or not, when the SARS outbreak of 2003 hit, sales of Sars went up: its value as a novelty item apparently outweighed the negative associations.
9.5.09
Human Relations
The six most important words: "I admit I made a mistake."
The five most important words: "You did a good job."
The four most important words: "What is your opinion?"
The three most important words: "If you please."
The two most important words: "Thank you,"
The one most important word: "We"
The least most important word: "I"
8.5.09
Al Jazeerah:::Every Angle Every Side
Al Jazeera English channel worked with Singapore interactive agency Interuptive in 2008 to promote the launch of their service on on SingTel mio TV, a Singapore-based pay television channel. An online campaign of thought provoking ad banners was created to promote the inquisitive and sometimes controversial channel. Each banner execution was based on the idea that sometimes things are not as they seem. Al Jazeera will look at every angle and every side to uncover the reality for the viewers, including newsworthy issues such as war, landmines and pollution.
Banners were placed on AsiaOne.com, 28 Apr 2008 – 25 May 2008, Straits Times Interactive, 28 Apr 2008 – 11 May 2008, and ChannelNewsAsia.com, 26 May 2008 – 5 Jun 2008. The Every Angle Every Side campaign won a bronze Lotus awards at the Adfest festival in March 2009, and can be viewed online here.
Turk Telekom:::Targeting the computer illiterate in print
BRAND OWNER:Turk Telekom
CATEGORY:Telecoms/ Mobile
REGION:Turkey
DATE:Jul 2008 - Dec 2007
Services like Skype and MSN allow people to see each other when they speak on the telephone, but these computer-based solutions can be too complicated for some people Turk Telekom developed a non-web video phone that was easy to use, with no start up procedure or software install. The product, Videofon, was targeted at the older, less computer literate customer who relies heavily on traditional telephone services.
The challenge was to show these people the benefits of video phone calls and show how it could enable them to communicate with relatives living abroad. Turk Telekom teamed up with National Geographic to create a personalized advertisement that would allow the reader to see what they would look like if they used Videofon. Turk Telekom ran a major TV, radio and online campaign encouraging people to send in their pictures. This was supported with a grass-roots campaign that placed promotional staff in shopping centres to take people’s pictures. Non-subscribers to National Geographic were incentivized with two free issues of the magazine if they submitted a photograph. Everybody who applied to the promotion subsequently received a specially-designed, published and hand-delivered issue of
National Geographic. Inside, when they turned to the Videofon ad, they saw a picture of themselves and a special, individual letter.
As a result of the activity, Turk Telekom sold out of Videofons in two months. More than 2,100 people sent in photos and received personalized editions of National Geographic.
5.5.09
Web Trend Map 4
The web’s most important domains, influential people, and their relationships illustrated on a map of the Tokyo subway.
The map makes it easy to see the strengths of web companies in relationship to each other. Comparing the map with the one from last year allows the viewer to discern shifts in trends, important newcomers, and growth of established players.
The map makes it easy to see the strengths of web companies in relationship to each other. Comparing the map with the one from last year allows the viewer to discern shifts in trends, important newcomers, and growth of established players.
What It Takes To Be a Top Marketer
Procter & Gamble owes its 172-year history to fostering a culture of innovation and that means its legacy depends on risk-takers and innovators, albeit ones that work within a somewhat rigid corporate framework.
Tide has some $3.5 billion in annual sales, but growth is threatened by the economy—consumers are tempted to switch to cheaper laundry detergents. For the 52 weeks ending Jan. 25, Tide topped the liquid laundry detergent category with $1.3 billion in sales, but its other variants, such as Tide Simple Pleasures, fell 43 percent, or $36 million in sales, per IRI. Private label posted much bigger gains, up 23.4 percent in dollar sales, or $115 million, for the same period.
to get the full story,
Tide has some $3.5 billion in annual sales, but growth is threatened by the economy—consumers are tempted to switch to cheaper laundry detergents. For the 52 weeks ending Jan. 25, Tide topped the liquid laundry detergent category with $1.3 billion in sales, but its other variants, such as Tide Simple Pleasures, fell 43 percent, or $36 million in sales, per IRI. Private label posted much bigger gains, up 23.4 percent in dollar sales, or $115 million, for the same period.
to get the full story,
TIDE-- What It Takes To Be a TOP Marketer
View more presentations from Ayman Sarhan.
4.5.09
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