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Dockers Aims For A Facebook Jackpot With Free Pants Slot Machine

Gw_jack Levi's Dockers doesn't just want you to "wear the pants," as the brand's slogan goes - it wants you to win them, too.

In a new Facebook effort for the ALPHA(@) Khaki (two words and a symbol we don't usually associate with on another), people who "Liked" the brand today were invited to refresh the page, which became a kind of social network slot machine. 

The first person to have the photo strip at the top of the Facebook page spell out "ALPH(@)," grab a screen shot and Tweet it to @DockersKhakis won a free pair of pants. (See web capture, above.)

According to Ad Age, new promotions will be held weekly.

But needless to say, Levi's won't be calling anybody a Lucky(R) Winner.

Bottom line: A nice, simple way to use Facebook's basic page features.

But what's your view? Too beige by half? Or the perfect fit?

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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Mobile Sector Highlight: Youth Marketing

Iloop logo (SPONSORED) Last month iLoop Mobile hosted a live roundtable event on the topic of Mobile marketing for youth markets with Julie Southard from Microsoft Xbox, Troy Brown from One50One, Michael Becker from the MMA, and Michael Ahearn from iLoop Mobile.

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.

To review the entire Youth Marketing slide deck, click here.


Turn Your Face Into Maynards Candy

Screen capture may Forget tasting the rainbow - now you can suck your own face.

Canadian candymaker Maynards has launched a new Facebook app that enables you to upload a picture of yourself, cut it out, make some color adjustments, choose a flavor, and pick packaging colors for the chance to become the brand's next candy.

This is getting to be standard operating procedure for a lot of brands, from all the "-Yourself" promotions we've seen for everything from Coca-Cola to "Mad Men."

And there's good reason. In my latest book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, I look at how in the social media age, many brands are scoring big by accentuating the P.O.S.-itive - with brand experiences that are Personalizable, Ownable, and Sharable.

As just one example, Jones Soda put its brand on the map by enabling folks to upload photos for the chance to have them featured on bottles of pop.

Here, we have a candy company immortalizing your mug in a mix of flavors from Fuzzy Peach to Juicy Squirt Sour (see webpage capture above).

After all, what's more personalizable than your own reflection in your favorite confection?

"Maynards fans are an extremely passionate bunch when it comes to expressing their love for their favourite candy. So we thought hey, why not let a Maynards fan actually be a Maynards?" Jessica Sheth, Brand Manager, Maynards Candy, tells the Wall Street Journal. "Maynards is offering a unique opportunity to immortalize the face of one of its fans in a special, sweet way for everyone to enjoy. Imagine being able to tell your friends or family to 'bite me' and mean it!"

Good stuff, Maynards.

But what's your view? Does this promotion offer a sweet sensation - or just a bad taste in your mouth?

Read more here - and try it yourself, here. And while you're at it, check out a gallery of early entries 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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Movie Trailers Released Exclusively Via QR Code Posters (Video)

I'm digging this new movie poster campaign that offers trailers exclusively through QR codes.

It's been a 2D barcode kind of week, with my talk on QR codes on the Blasingame Show/Forbes.com, and parts one and two of my interview with Nicole Skogg, CEO of SpyderLink, on the "social barcodes" in this month's Glamour.

Now, there's this ambitious movie poster campaign from Fox SearchLight for the film Martha Marcy May Marlene, as captured in this YouTube video from Fox.

As a side note, this dark-looking film stars Elizabeth Olsen, the heretofore largely unknown younger sister of Mary-Kate & Ashley (no joke). There's a pretty funky website, too.

What's your take: Too much trouble to scan the posters - or the perfect way to make this print campaign interactive?

Read more about the initiative, 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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T-Shirts Become Augmented Reality Games (Video)

Martian Attack - Zapparel from Zappar on Vimeo.

Press here to play my t-shirt.

That's the call to action for a whole new wave of branded t-shirts where once-static logos now can come to life through augmented reality.

The example shown here is from Zappar and clothier Hybrid Apparel, which have teamed up to create a line of 20 AR-enabled shirts. Not that it's a perfect scenario, of course - who's going to stand still so passersby can play a game? But as the technologies improve, a simple point-and-grab solution might make this a fantastic way for certain brands to engage certain audiences.

Read more here. And then ask yourself: How might your brand put AR t-shirts to work - or play?

Don't forget to vote for my SXSW session - read all about it by clicking the icon 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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Q&A: Nicole Skogg, CEO of SpyderLynk: Glamour Magazine's Social Barcodes (Pt 2)

NicoleSkogg Looks like Glamour magazine's readers seriously "Like" social barcodes.

On the heels of part one of my interview with Nicole Skogg, CEO of SpyderLynk, the New York Times posted a story on how her company's "social snaptags" are generating buzz for 25 advertisers in Glamour's big September "Friends" issue.

These tags, which are comprised of a "code circle" around a recognizable logo or icon, enable readers to automatically "Like" a brand on Facebook and get a discount. The reader enjoys savings, and advertisers - Rihanna, Lancome, Gap, Zappos, Niveo, Skinny Cow and others - secure a way to reach out to those readers with future offers.

Best of all, even readers without the appropriate app can participate, simply by using their camera phone to snap a photo of the tag and send it to a short code.

Glamour September Cover According to the Times, there have been 100,000 interactions with content since the issue hit stands August 9. Of those, 25,000 interactions occurred within the first 24 hours. And so far, Glamour's own Facebook page has seen fans or "Likes" increase 18 percent, to 385,000. 

In part two of my conversation with Skogg, we hear more about Glamour's "Friends" issue, how snaptags work, how Office Depot is using them for their back-to-school campaign, and what it will take for 2D barcodes like snaptags to really take off.

Q&A: SPYDERLYNK CEO NICOLE SKOGGS: RISE OF THE 'SOCIAL BARCODE (PT 2)

(Approx: 4:49)

Audio Link:

Q&A: Nicole Skoggs, CEO of SpyderLynk: Rise of the Social Barcode (Pt 2)

Don't forget to vote for my SXSW session - read all about it by clicking the icon 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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Q&A: Nicole Skogg, CEO of SpyderLynk: Glamour Magazine's Social Barcodes (Pt 1)

Glamour September Cover Wasn't it time the lowly QR code got socialized?

Leave it to Glamour's big September "Friends" issue to do the job, with 25 big name brands running advertising that feature "social barcodes."

As I mentioned on the Jim Blasingame Show/Forbes.com the other day, these social barcodes enable readers to automatically "like" a brand and receive instant discounts.

In truth, social barcodes are really less QR code than they are a new take on SnapTags, the flavor of 2D barcodes put forth from Denver-based SpyderLynk. Here, instead of a funky looking square, you have a code that encircles an icon of some sort, often a company logo.

NicoleSkogg

Now, with social barcodes, SpyderLynk is working with Condé Nast to enliven print advertising in a whole new way.

I caught up with CEO Nicole Skogg to find out more.

Q&A: SPYDERLYNK CEO NICOLE SKOGGS: RISE OF THE 'SOCIAL BARCODE'

(Approx: 3:37)

Audio File:

Q&A: Nicole Skoggs, CEO of SpyderLynk: Rise of the Social Barcode

Don't forget to vote for my SXSW session - read all about it by clicking the icon 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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Duct Tape Spot Spoofs 'Tron' (Video)

Duck Tron from Ryactive on Vimeo.

Some enterprising Bay Area creative types are hoping their user-generated video ad for duct tape really sticks.

The brainchild of Ryactive, this spot for Duck Tape takes the lightcycle race from Tron and rolls with it - in memorable fashion.

“We didn’t want to use any computer effects,” David Brashear, the video's director, tells Wired.com. “We made a really conscious effort to make the entire set out of duct tape and not try to fix stuff that was messed up with the computer, because part of the charm was that it was kind of imperfect.”

Apparently it was all part of a UGC contest hosted by crowdsourcing site Tongal, challenging folks to create spots for Duck Tape.

As cool as it is, you have to love the end. Spoof worthy in its own right.

What's your take? Borrowed interest gone bad? Or homage that fits the (Duck) bill?

Either way, it's a wrap.


Don't forget to vote for my SXSW session - read all about it by clicking the icon 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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iLoop Mobile Leading Thoughts: 10 Best Tips for Creating A Mobile Site

Iloop logo (SPONSORED) When building m-commerce sites, follow the 60-second transaction rule. A customer cannot stand still for more than a few minutes when making a purchase -- in the same way they feel frustrated waiting in line.  So make sure your m-commerce site gives customers seamless and quick sales transactions. Read more here >>

 


Cadbury Turns Chocolate Bars Into Augmented Reality Games (Video)

 

Now snack time can be play time, too.

I'm digging this new augmented reality game from Cadbury and Blippar that turns product packaging for candy bars into augmented reality games.

Adidas has done much the same with shoes, of course. But lets face it, candy bars make for a much better form factor.

Now if they could just figure out a way to do this after you've opened the package, you could play and munch at the same time.

What's your take? A Wii-bit of candy? Or too sweet by half?

Read more here.

And don't forget to vote for my SXSW session - read all about it by clicking the icon here:

Vote for My SXSW Idea!

Like us on Facebook

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And check out our new Gen Wow iTunes Channel

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 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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