Paintlist is bringing new color to your playlist.

The new app, launched by Dutch Boy Paints, uses songs stored on your phone or the phone's microphone to identify a songs, and then analyzes it to suggest several color palettes.

In my book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, I look at how paint brands like Benjamin Moore have launched apps that let you scan a color for the nearest matching paint color, and the nearest retail location carrying it.

Now, Dutch Boy is analyzing your favorite music to make suggestions based on things like tempo and beat. You can also find retailers carrying the choices - and even share your choices to get feedback from friends via Facebook and Twitter.

Patricia Macko, director of brand marketing at Dutch Boy, tells the New York Times that the goal here is to connect with millennials whose connection to the 106-year-old brand may be tenuous.

"We know millennials are who we need to be talking to, because they are the future homeowners in the category," she tells the pub. "The brand is steeped in heritage, but for millennials, it might just be something they remember seeing in their grandmother's garage."

As you might expect, fast, upbeat music favored by many millennials results in recommendations for vibrant colors - and slow, dramatic music results in more muted tones.

As Brian Morrissey, editor in chief of Digiday, tells the Times, the app makes paint more interesting by "tapping into people's existing passion" for music.

What does Paintlist recommend based on your musical tastes?Share with the group; maybe we'll learn something about what drives you, too.

Read the NY Times piece on the initiative, here.

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Wendy's is having its social success with a side of hashtag.

While Burger King recent social campaign for its Satisfries was seen by some as a royal fiasco, Wendy's new #PretzelLoveStories is earning buzz over an absurdist video soap opera series where actors use real, user-generated tweets as dialogue to hilarious effect.

As Forbes puts it, the series relies on the one factor that reliably gets social media users engaged: "Unbelievably dumb stuff that's blow-milk-out-your-nose funny."

Blow-out-your-nose? Maybe not. But you have to admit it has its moments.

Read more about the initiative, here. 

 

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It may just be the most eco-friendly toilet papering you ever committed. 

In a very fun new promo from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Cheetos is teaming up with Google Street View to enable you to (digitally) toilet paper anyone's house or place of business.

Just enter the address and drop the payload - without killing a single tree.

Perfect for Cheetos' playfully mischievous brand. And a cathartic experience - complete with the sound of "Ride of the Valkyries" from Wagner – for users. (By way of 360i)

Try it your self, here.

 

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How you drive says a lot about you - and now Lexus is turning it into art.

According to Creativity Magazine, this innovative initiative - called Art is Motion -  involves a collaboration with artist Sergio Albiac, and technology that takes a photo of the driver, and uses paint to create a portrait, where speed, RPMs and other factors impact the stylistic nature of each stroke. 

In my book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, I look at how BMW created an augmented reality experience that enabled you to drive a miniature, 3D AR BMW, painting an impressionistic piece of art by shooting out paint from the tires that you could then print out or share via social media.

Here, Lexus is creating a piece of art based on the driver, using a real car in the real world to create a special connection with the driver.

I shudder to think what my portrait might look like. What about you?

Read more about the project here.

 

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Deja View Official Trailer, Featuring the Infiniti Q50

Infiniti upped its game today with a responsive video series that uses advanced voice recognition to enable you to influence the action and interact with characters through phone calls.

According to the New York Times, the video series - called "Deja View" – comes from Campfire, which readers know to be quite innovative in the way it uses video. This new effort is an extension of a campaign for the Infiniti Q50 developed by TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles.

Characters appear to have amnesia, and at various points in the narrative, will call you on the phone (once you've provided it to participate).

Your responses to their remarks influence their actions, dynamically shaping the storyline as it goes along - with thousands of different possible outcomes.

Even the way you respond to characters' calls can influence the adventure. According to the Times, if you tell a character she is hot, for instance, she might respond to you in distracting manner. Insult her, and she may just hang up.

And the video is just the beginning. This week, social media Easter eggs will also drive the action.

Looks very cool - and is an ambitious example of branded content that could engage consumers in a highly personalized fashion, and to keep the Infiniti brand front and center over the course of several days.

Read more about the initiative, here.

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This new adverprank from Benjamin Moore Paints is part of a new "Scary Good Job" campaign aimed at any pro who's faced a nightmare painting job.

Personally, I just want to know how they got contractors to come work after hours.

Read more about the video, here.

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Microsoft is pitching a whole different kind of windows.

In a series of new YouTube videos, the software giant is showing retailers how its Kinect gaming technology could be used to create highly interactive window displays.

I think this is compelling - not just for store windows, but for outdoor advertising in general - potentially turning advertising displays into pop-up storefronts or micro sites.

What's your view? Would you use this kind of technology at retail? If so, how? If not, why?

Other videos include Retail Clothing Scenario and Toy Store Scenario.

Read more about the initiative here.

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This reminds me of that "Three Minutes in Italy" campaign from San Pellegrino where you control a robot on the streets of Sicily from anywhere in the world.

But here, you control a person outfitted with audio video tech who will do what you ask him to do so you can tour Melbourne before you actually go - vicariously taking in the sites and sounds you want to experience.

What if a brand like Pepsi let you, for instance, "attend" the Super Bowl? Or Red Bull brought you on its next crazy stunt - with you in control of the show?

People get worked up over "real time marketing" (basically brands using Twitter to comment on televised events as they happen).

Wouldn't this kind of thing take it to a much cooler place - bringing you to the televised event, rather than just consuming tweets about it?

Read more about the initiative here.

 

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I freaking love this ad prank for the new 'Carrie' remake.

It's unclear from the video how the innocent passersby were dialed into the ad message before running out the door. But given that they'd have to sign releases, I take it they got the point of the prank somehow. But as a viral video: GEN WOW indeed. Would have scared the crap out of anyone.

Sure, so-called "prankvertising" can be irritating. But when done well - wow. So how is your brand using it?

Read more about the prank, here.

 

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Bye bye red eye: Fun piece from a coffee brand called Douwe Egberts, on a digital outdoor initiative that entails an airport vending machine that uses facial recognition technology to dispense coffee - only when you yawn.

 

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