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Trident Latest to Use QR Talking Heads to Bring Print Ads to Life (Video)

 

Read their lips. That seems to be the order of the day for a growing number of advertisers using QR codes to bring print promotions to life.

I've already posted about how "Reporters Without Borders" has used the technique, and as 2dCode points out, it may very well have been Victor Petit's use of QR codes to do the same thing in his resume that started the whole thing. And given the read-my-lips motif, can a political ad during next year's presidential campaign be far behind?

I haven't decided if I love this new effort as much as the Reporters ad - and I certainly don't want to see this particular gimmick become a full-blown fad. But Trident is running this in a different country, and it does tie nicely to the brand's promise of fresh breath.

And as I mention in my new book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, such initiatives aptly demonstrate that mobile indeed makes everything interactive - including an otherwise analog medium like print - as never before possible.

Time will tell if audiences think that the approach lives up to Trident's message.

Fresh or Fetid? You decide - and share your views with us.

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 OD_cover "... EXCELLENT ..."

 

“Through persuasive arguments and Q&A's with the major players in advertising, Mathieson makes an excellent case for greater creativity and outside-the-box thinking backed up with solid ideas."

Publisher's Weekly

 

>>> IN STORES NOW: ORDER YOUR COPY HERE <<<

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New 'Old Spice Guy' Vs. Old 'Old Spice Guy' (Video)

 

The other day, I posted about how Old Spice Guy Isaiah Mustafa was being replaced by - wait for it - Fabio.

But it turns out Mustafa matters after all - and he's part of a social media-fueled duel between the two Old Spice guys.Think personalized videos and social voting.

So who will win? Who cares - Old Spice seems to have our attention again.

What's your take? More Spice, Less Old - or is everything about right?

Check out the dedicated YouTube channel, here.

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 OD_cover "... EXCELLENT ..."

 

“Through persuasive arguments and Q&A's with the major players in advertising, Mathieson makes an excellent case for greater creativity and outside-the-box thinking backed up with solid ideas."

Publisher's Weekly

 

>>> IN STORES NOW: ORDER YOUR COPY HERE <<<

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Domino's Posts Customer Comments in Times Square (Video)

 

And here we thought Round Table was the last honest pizza.

In its ongoing push into "transparency marketing," Domino's has begun posting customer comments - the good, the bad and the doughy - on a Times Square billboard.

According to Agency Spy, the feedback is presumably sanitized - and users get a link to a video clip of their message as a digital keepsake. 

In my new book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, I look at Domino's efforts to innovate pizza delivery, from a site where you build your pizza using images of your favorite ingredients, to a system that lets you order pizzas through your TiVo. I also talk to Alex Bogusky about the initiatives and get reaction from admirers throughout the industry.

This latest effort promotes the brand's online pizza tracker system, and is part of a larger campaign to show that Domino's has improved its recipes and can (finally?) stake claim to honestly great pizza.

What's your opinion?

Not enough pepperoni for pedestrians? Or heavy on the cheese?

Read more about the effort, here.

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 OD_cover "... EXCELLENT ..."

 

“Through persuasive arguments and Q&A's with the major players in advertising, Mathieson makes an excellent case for greater creativity and outside-the-box thinking backed up with solid ideas."

Publisher's Weekly

 

>>> IN STORES NOW: ORDER YOUR COPY HERE <<<

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Make Your Own 'Mad Men' Ad On Facebook (Video)

 

I'm digging this great example of what I call accentuating the P.O.S.-itive in social media marketing.

This new initiative promoting season four of 'Mad Men' in the UK enables Facebook users to create their own ads - featuring themselves - to then be voted on for the chance to star in real-life magazine ads.

In my new book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, I talk about how just enabling people to show off and talk about the things that they like via social media. Instead, accentuate the P.O.S.-itive - ie, make it Personalizable, Ownable, and Shareable.

Ultimately, this POS-itiveness is more powerful than pure user-generated content because it enables the brand to let fans express themselves and their love for the brand, while still retaining control of the experience.

Mission accomplished in this initiative from Greendberry.

Don Draper would be so proud. Even if he would be, like 90, by now.

But what's your take? Mad love - or just maddening?

Read more about it, here.

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 OD_cover "... EXCELLENT ..."

 

“Through persuasive arguments and Q&A's with the major players in advertising, Mathieson makes an excellent case for greater creativity and outside-the-box thinking backed up with solid ideas."

Publisher's Weekly

 

>>> IN STORES NOW: ORDER YOUR COPY HERE <<<

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X-Men Get Gaga-fied In New 'Born This Way' Spoof (Video)

Gotta love it: Timed perfectly to Comic Con, a new spoof video for all those Little Monsters - I mean X-Men - out there. (Via Mashable)

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 OD_cover "... EXCELLENT ..."

 

“Through persuasive arguments and Q&A's with the major players in advertising, Mathieson makes an excellent case for greater creativity and outside-the-box thinking backed up with solid ideas."

Publisher's Weekly

 

>>> IN STORES NOW: ORDER YOUR COPY HERE <<<

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Move Over Mustafa: There's A New 'Old Spice Guy' In Town (Video)

 

Isaiah Mustafa can move on over. Old Spice has a new (albeit old) guy now.

And he's got an all-too-familiar golden mane.

That's right, 80's icon Fabio - he of the Harlequin novels of yore - is the new star of new TV and print advertising, as well as a new OldSpiceGuyFabio YouTube Channel.

Look for much new social media fun from Weiden+Kennedy Portland to follow. Already, press kits are coming with faux personalized videos dedicated to recipients (here's one a reporter at Creativity received).

Still, Mustafa was an unknown actor Old Spice made into a star (and, it can be argued, vice versa). Can an antedeluvian, B-list celebrity bring an aura of hipness to the brand along the same equation?

Nothing against Fabio - he just scored big time. But Mustafa really did bring something for which men can aspire and women admire.

In W+K's able hands, I think this will probably be something different, and just as awesome, in its own way, as the original.

But what's your take? Does this new effort have a fresh, cool fragrance?

Or is it really putting the "old" back in the brand name?

Read all about it, here.

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 OD_cover "... EXCELLENT ..."

 

“Through persuasive arguments and Q&A's with the major players in advertising, Mathieson makes an excellent case for greater creativity and outside-the-box thinking backed up with solid ideas."

Publisher's Weekly

 

>>> IN STORES NOW: ORDER YOUR COPY HERE <<<

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Grassroots Social Media: 'Coca-Cola Around The World' Goes Viral

 

Most brands only dream of grassroots publicity like this - but Coca-Cola got it, thanks to Duane Perera of Edmondton, Canada.

The story goes something like this: Dude gets dumped by his girlfriend on the eve of his 30th birthday. So he takes off to see the world, and films his year-long journey to share with friends and fans on YouTube.

Here's the kicker:  Each video features Perera drinking Coca-Cola in the exotic locations he visits. We're talking 48 different cities across 36 countries - sparking 400,000 YouTube views.

"I remember going to remote villages in Africa, and Asia, they didn't speak English at all, but they still knew what Coca-Cola was," said Perera in an interview with CTV Edmonton, as by reported Yahoo News

The cost to Perera: About $27,000 in credit card bills. The cost to Coke: Zip, of course.

Which makes this story amazing - a global icon so universally recognizable, and so beloved, that a guy will travel the world capturing his escapades and the one thing that ties it all together is this ubiquitous brand.

As to be expected these days, Perera is in talks with the company to possibly use video from his adventures in TV spots - which could easily defray his costs - but there's no news yet on a deal.

What's your take?

Should Atlanta deliver a Coke & A Smile? Or say, "So long, sucker"?

Read more, here.

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 OD_cover "... EXCELLENT ..."

 

“Through persuasive arguments and Q&A's with the major players in advertising, Mathieson makes an excellent case for greater creativity and outside-the-box thinking backed up with solid ideas."

Publisher's Weekly

 

>>> IN STORES NOW: ORDER YOUR COPY HERE <<<

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Youth Marketing 2011: Mobile Roundtable

Iloop logo (SPONSORED) A big thank you to our speakers Julie Southard from Microsoft Xbox, Troy Brown from One50One, Michael Becker from the MMA, and Michael Ahearn from iLoop Mobile for participating in our exclusive roundtable on youth marketing and answering questions from hundreds of listeners. If you've missed the event, here are some key takeaways:

This youth demographic are Internet natives, and not internet immigrants. They did not come to the Internet, they were born in it. They see their mobile phone as a critical extension of their social lives and identity.

Key Facts (Nielsen):
1)
Kids today are more receptive to mobile advertising than their elders. More than half (58%) surveyed in September 2010 said they "always" or "sometimes" look at mobile ads.

2) They out-text all other age groups: In Q1 2011, teens 13-17 sent an average of 3,364 mobile texts per month, more than doubling the rate of the next most active texting demo, 18-24 year olds (1,640 texts per month).

3) They watch less TV than the general population: The average American watched 34.5 hours of TV per week in Q4 2010, versus teens aged 12-17 who watched the least at 23.5 hours per week.

The panel agreed that the youth market's "psychographic" profile is optimistic, aspirational, connected and open to change. As such, they are a fantastic target for mobile marketing from brands and content publishers.

View the deck presentation here.


Author Rick Mathieson Talks Augmented Reality, Social Media on VoiceAmerica

Radio I was a guest for the full hour on Maureen Kedes' show "PR Insider" on Voice America the other day, for a wide-ranging new interview spanning:

• QR codes in advertising & retail

• Augmented reality in brand campaigns

• Why the percentage of Americans using social media is falling - and what it means for marketers

• Hot new trends in mobile apps

• Buzz-building with 3D projection mapping

• The future of social retailing & more

Plus: You'll hear insights from my new book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND.

RICK MATHIESON TALKS TRENDS IN DIGITAL MARKETING ON VOICEAMERICA RADIO

(Approx 42:47)

Audio Link:

Download Author Rick Mathieson Talks Trends in Digital Marketing on VoiceAmerica

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 OD_cover "... EXCELLENT ..."

 

“Through persuasive arguments and Q&A's with the major players in advertising, Mathieson makes an excellent case for greater creativity and outside-the-box thinking backed up with solid ideas."

Publisher's Weekly

 

>>> IN STORES NOW: ORDER YOUR COPY HERE <<<

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Q&A: SAP's New CMO, Jonathan Becher (Concl): 'It's Not B2B, It's Person to Person'

Becher Some final moments from my recent conversation with Jonathan Becher, SAP's interim CMO.

This time out: His advice for B2B marketers at large companies hoping to make the most of digital marketing and social media - and some important ways social media is being integrated into CRM.

Q&A: JONATHAN BECHER - 'IT'S NOT B2B, IT'S PERSON TO PERSON'

(Approx: 3:36) Audio Link:

Download Q&A: Jonathan Becher, SAP CMO, Conclusion

And Don't Miss: Jonathan Becher Pt 1: 'Digital Is Dead'

Jonathan Becher Pt 2: Why Top CMOs Don't Get Social Media

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OD_cover "... AN ESSENTIAL READ ..."

“This is an essential read for those of us tasked with connecting and engaging with the elusive 'I want it right now' generation. Anyone interested in not sucking at their jobs should pick this book up immediately!"

Jordan Atlas
Vice President, Group Creative Director
Digitas

>>> IN STORES NOW - LEARN MORE (AND ORDER YOUR COPY) - HERE <<<

 

 

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