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This Molsen Beer Fridge Will Only Open With A Canadian Passport, Eh

 

Only true Canadians drink Molson Canadian.

But they're going to have to prove it, first.

The "beer fridge" shown above traveled around cities throughout Europe - but could only be opened by scanning a Canadian passport.

Which is only fitting for a brand whose tagline is "I am Canadian." Though for those without the appropriate papers, it's probably a bit coquettish, too.

Maybe not the best way to get others to sample your beer. But it is, however, an outstanding way to drive home your brand to the home team.

And as Adweek points out, it sure beats the ad agency whose beer fridge only opened when everyone had done their time sheets.

Now that's cruel, eh?

Read more here.

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Intel & Toshiba Win Film, Branded Content & Cyber Grand Prix (Video)

 

Talk about one beauty of a campaign.

Pereira O'Dell's social film for the Intel Toshiba partnership has been awarded the Film/Branded Content & Cyber Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

The six week series, called "The Beauty Inside," stars Topher Grace as Alex, who wakes up every day in a different body - each new body played by a cast of consumers who auditioned via Facebook for their roles. The strange adventure, which Alex chronicles on his Intel-powered Toshiba laptop (naturally), gets problematic when the body-switching character falls in love.

According to Ad Age, the judges praised the quality of the production and story, which "represented a move forward in filmic and online storytelling," as the pub puts it. 

As tenuous as the connection to the Intel-based Toshiba product may be (based on this first episode - see YouTube window above – one could be forgiven for wondering whether it really matters which notebook the character uses) the effort lives up to a central tenet of my book THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, which is to move marketing away from using the web as merely a channel for message distribution, toward content based on real-time participation, creation, collaboration and exhibition.

Here, consumers could watch the video on Facebook or via a special site, Like it to hear about the next installment, and, as mentioned, audition to play Alex. The nice interspersing webcam snippets enable many to play the role from the comfort of home.

One could argue that this is less product integration than mere product placement (I'm not sure I'd notice the product brand if I didn't know who was behind this). But it is a compelling way to make the product the central mechanism a provocative and entertaining narrative.

Kudos to all involved (and a huge congrats).

Get the full story, here.

 

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Chew The Future: Stride Gum Launches Jawbone-Driven Mobile Game (Video)

 

Sure, the promotional video is going to make your skin crawl.

But this branded game from Stride and W+K does seems like a fun way to have your game and chew it, too. That's because the game uses your iPhone camera to detect your mouth movements to control the onscreen hero, Ace (bonus points for including the ability to share images of your crazy jaw action to share on social media.)

Let's just hope the flavor lasts long enough to win during gameplay, though. Otherwise, the whole adventure may leave a, er, bad taste in your mouth. 

Get the full story, here.

 

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'Text Book' Takes On New Meaning with Mobile Grand Prix Winner 2013 (Video)

 

Call it text books by texting. 

DDB Manila and telecom company Smart Communications have won the Mobile Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, with an effort that seems like the perfect mix of cause + commerce.

The initiative involves a clever way to bring school text books to a nation where few can afford tablets or e-readers, and where most families own old-fangled feature phones instead of smart phones.

The solution: condensing books into text messages and placing them on old SIM cards, where were repackaged into "Smart TXTBKS."

“It’s not the most technically advanced entry, and in fact, it’s a little bit backwards.” Xavier Laoureux, head of the Digital Arts Network at TBWA, tells AD AGE, adding that what was “interesting about [TXTBKS] is that it’s the best way to show you can have a mobile idea without pushing the technology side of it. It was not using technology as the end.”

In fact, it's an inspired example of reverse engineering a solution to fit the audience's needs in a unique and compelling way.

Congrats to all involved.

Get the full story, here.

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'The Wearable Movie': Coca-Cola Creates Animated Film Using Fans T-Shirts (Video)

 

 

Yet another reason Coca-Cola was named Creative Marketer of the Year at Cannes.

This "Wearable Movie" concept, from Ogilvy and Psyop, is so simple and yet so true to the nature of the brand.

What I like about it is that it follows a concept that I talk about in my book THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, called "Accentuating the P.O.S.-itive - making brand experiences Personalizable, Ownable and Sharable.

Here, users participate in the creation of a short film featuring a beloved brand - and become the viral engine by which it is spread.

It's enough for any brand - and its army of fans – to smile.

Read all about the initiative, here.

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Huggies Makes It So Dad's Pregnant, Too (Video)

 

Call it Father's Day, come early.

This device, sync'ed to Mom's belly, is sure to result in a a powerful moment for Dad.

And it's a blockbuster way to cement the Huggies brand into these new parents' minds.

Maybe ever expectant father should do this.

Find out more, here.

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Act of Zod: Well-Timed Alien Attack Caught on Tape in LA (Video)

 

Anyone who knows me knows I'm amped about the new "Man of Steel" movie opening this weekend.

So it's small wonder that I dig this fun viral promo for the film, which reboots the franchise and mercifully pretends "Superman Returns' never happened. 

Here, General Zod's forces begin their invasion of Earth, just as they do in the movie (catch the trailers here).

Of course, if the name Zod, or Kal-El, mean nothing to you, this is your chance to catch up with the story - perfectly timed to the 75th anniversary of Superman's debut in Action Comics #1.

We'll find out Friday if this all translates to box office kryptonite - or if it's up, up and away for pop culture's original superhero. 

Find out more, here.

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Hot Pizza, Delivered by Drone (...And What's Not to Love About That?) (Video)

 

This thing's called the DomiCopter.

We might call it a little slice from heaven. Okay, make it a whole pie.

As I discuss in my book THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, Domino's has been especially attuned to using the latest tech to get your pizza on, including the ability to place an order via TiVo, augmented reality pizza boxes, iPad apps that gamify the ordering experience, Times Square mobile customer feedback, virtual suggestion boxes & much more.

As this latest iniitiative shows, the sky's the limit.

Is your brand ready to fly?

(via Buzzfeed)

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NIVEA Print Ad Charges Your Phone Via Solar Energy (Video)

 

NIVEA has found a way to let you keep enjoying those summer rays - without having to worry about your phone going dead. 

This new print ad from GiovanniDraftFCB in Brazil is just the latest example of print meeting digital for some very cool results (see recent Fanta-flavored, insurance-quoting, iPod-amping print ads for a few more).

Net-net: This is one way to boost your Like counts - and a pretty tasty one, at that.

Read more, here.

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Pepsi 'Like' Machine Won't Accept Cash - Only Facebook Likes (Video)

 

As cool as its 'Share A Can'' promo may be, who says Coke should have all the fun?

This new machine from Pepsi doesn't take cash. It dispenses with a free soda for every Facebook 'Like' it receives. 

Which is one way to boost your Like counts - and a pretty tasty one, at that.

Read more, here.

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