JuicyInfo

Looking at the bigger picture

In a world that is moving so fast, sometimes it's good to take a pause, stand back and look at the bigger picture. This video looks at just that. Well worth a watch if you haven't seen it. Be prepared to be wowed with some big facts. Did you know....?

What is it about furry animals in advertising?

I have a confession to make. I have a small obsession with Alexandr Orlov. For those of you who don't know who that is. He is meerkat, the now infamous star of Compare the Meerkat, a spoof company devised as a cunning plan to drive awareness of the previously-not-so-interesting Compare the Market.com, a price comparison site. 

Of course, the now infamous meerkat is not the first fluffy being to woo an audience. Back in the 1980's Gordon the Gopher drummed up a huge following on BBC1. Then there was Flat Eric of Levi fame. And lest we forget the wonderful PG Tips Monkey, who I hear is going to be making a comeback soon.
So what is it about furry animals in advertising? Well, it probably has a lot to do with our national obession with pets, but much more to do with some very clever, humourous storytelling.

Unlike the fame enjoyed by his pre-decessors, there is one big difference with Alexsandr's story. He was born into a world gleaming with shiny social media tools, a networking culture where news spreads at lightning speed, and in a climate where, quite frankly, we all really need a good laugh...and often.

A rudimentary tally on followers finds that Alexandr now has: 483,265 Facebook fans and 20,409 on Twitter. As I write this Alexsandr is being primed for a photo shoot with Hello magazine, whilst aficionados are petitioning for cuddly toys to be made available. I think we can safely say Aleksandr is a cult celebrity now. 

Social status aside, this is one of the most enjoyable pieces of advertising I've seen in a while. Reasons why:

- It makes me laugh and smile everytime.
- I want more: There was some great build-up for Alexsandr's latest commercial, but after 30 seconds, I couldn't help but be let down. Too short, I would have watched 10 minutes online. 
- I like telling others about it: Some things are good enough to share and for me, this is one.
- I can be part of it: one of the best features is conversing with this crazy chap. Had the technology been around in the 80s Gordon would certainly have been my best virtual friend. 

All in all, the Meerkat story is a wonderful example of how advertising doesn't feel like it's trying so hard. It doesn't interrupt, just simply entertains without leaving a bad taste in the form of a hard sell. I'm left with incredible respect for those involved and for the brand. Respect for not making me watch a boring ad and giving me something to smile about. Simples...

UNIQLO at Cannes Lions Ad fest 2009

Art of hands video

This was one of my favourite videos from the set UNIQLO had commissioned. I will upload others to YouTube soon. It's not hard to imagine how video may well penetrate other forms and products in the future.

CannesLions Day One: Bright lights for TV, Mass customisation and why mobile really IS the big thing

The sun was shining and I was in the dungeon that is the Debussy theatre, snacking on pearls of content. After queuing for rather longer than anticipated to get my mug shot taken, the week kicked off with a seminar from the biggest brand of them all, Coca-Cola. This was followed by sessions from interactive digital agency Schematic, LinkedIn and Razorfish. Top tip: you can watch some of the sessions online here, or read on for my top line digest. 

Mobile is the [next] big thing: Although it has embraced mobile far more than many others, Coca-Cola highlighted that, to date, limitations on a global level mean there has been a strong bias to making use of text. Opportunities are changing fast, however, as the iPhone and other Smartphones provide the chance to be more creative and provide customised experiences to consumers. Moving forward, Coca-Cola sees mobile as one of the major opportunities in building customer loyalty and improving the purchase mechanism. The iPhone Happiness Factory app (one of its most successful campaigns to date) is one of its most recent forays. With the massive development of mobile apps in 2009, I've now doubt this will be a strong theme throughout the week. 

Tangible experiences: The Coca-Cola camp is also working hard to expand its experiential campaigns online ( Happiness Factory) into the real world. Collaboration between technology, marketing and design teams has given birth to the U-vend machine. In what could well spark a new genre of vending machines within the industry, it brings the type of interactive experiences we see online to transform what is currently merely a transactional one. In Japan, consumers have been using their mobiles to purchase a Coke for years now, giving them access to valuable consumer data. The U-vend offers up more than a bottle of coke, enabling consumers to download content and interact with the screen. 

Bright lights for TV: Schematic, a digital agency, provided an enlightening overview of how TV and the ‘ten foot experience’ will be taking cues from digital in the future. Citing research from Ball State University, TV screen activity remains high, but consumers are multi-snacking using computer, TV and mobile devices. In the future it will remain a key form of entertainment, but will become more personalised according to specific consumer requirements and in accordance with location. The touch sensory navigation that will be possible from the TV screen of the future, could well see The Minority Report finally come to life. 

Later on in the day, digital experts Razorfish echoed similar thoughts on the future of TV, delving deeper into the importance of the ten foot experience to consumers. Without one 30 sec spot to their name, Razorfish quoshed the notion that TV would die sometime soon. Showcasing some of their proprietary research on US consumers, they outlined how consumers still rely on the TV experience for entertainment for several key reasons (the DNA of TV). Reasons such as relaxation - zoning out, the watercooler effect, staying in tune with events, social elements: bringing groups together, stimulation and learning new stuff and escapism. It did make me realise how important TV is, but with the web offering so many similar and more exciting possibilities, how long will the halo remain?

It was clear from both Razorfish and Schematic that digital convergence is set to change and enhance the TV experience, bringing the interactiveness of the web to the original Tube screen. In doing so, it will open up the creative possibilities, moving away from the traditions of 30 second ad spot, and giving people greater control to construct their own 'on demand' channel. One wonders though are these developments all a little too late?

 

Cannes Lions Ad Festival: Stay Tuned...

Every year there are hundreds of award ceremonies celebrating creativity in all aspects of advertising and marketing. The Cannes Lions International advertising festival is arguably one of the largest, most renowned and international of these events. Lucky for me, this is my forth year at the Cannes Advertising Festival, where I’ve been coming as part of my quest to get under the skin of the media and advertising industry, to identify how the product and its ecosystem are evolving.

There’s always a fair amount of hype around the Cannes AdFest, the parties, drinking, the excess, the awards. Admittedly it’s all true, but what you don’t hear about so much is the impressive week of seminars, workshops and masterclasses that goes on under-cover of the Palais. Here, an array of creative, media and digital experts, both agency and client-side, will perform to a pensive crowd, sharing insights and informing us of what’s happening in their part of the marketing/media ecosystem.

With the world in recession, and the media and creative industries facing pretty seismic structural challenges, the festival is keen to push its content credibility. There seems a fair amount of people here, eager to learn and celebrate creativity in its many guises. And this year there is an even greater variety of content on show, with a lot more speakers from the digital/social media realm, and quite rightly so. 

Here, I’ll be recording some of the key insights from the weeks events, helping to connect the dots between the conversations. I will also be sending pictures, videos and the occasional pearl of wisdom via Twitter @juicyinfo. Please stay tuned. 

[Pic: Schematic catalogues the week's program using its digital 'touch gesture' technology]

Social media influencers

Every day I read a host of articles about the growing importance of social media to brands. How important it is as a PR or marketing tool, and increasingly how it can delivering real value and engagement for customers. This document brings together 2009 predictions from some of the best thinkers on this topic, many of whom I recommend following on Twitter or via their blogs. We may be half way through the year, but these insights remain fresh and thought-provoking.

Social Media Influencers Predictions 2009 By Trendsspotting

View more Microsoft Word documents from Taly Weiss.

Marketing websites I like: Mediapost.com

It never ceases to amazing how much great research you can find online these days so I thought I'd start sharing some of my favourites with you.

One of my regular pit-stops is Mediapost.com, a US-focused marketing and media portal. My reason for choosing this particular resource comes down to a few things:

1) Niche content: First and foremost it has a great collection of subject areas for people with specific interests. I particularly enjoy the women, online video and youth demographic trend sections.

2) Knowledgeable writers: The content is created by industry professionals with a fair amount of expertise in different areas expressing their own research and viewpoints.

3) Conversations/comments and trackbacks: Once you're set up you can happily browse and comment on articles, and then choose to receive a single email with comments related to that post.

4) Easily digestible content: For me, the email articles are just the right amount to digest with a good serving of insight and a handful of key takeaways. Very snackable.

I am now off to read about why women over 55 are the the fastest-growing demographic on Facebook...

Live entertainment

The weather has been so amazing in the UK, providing a perfect backdrop for brands to woo consumers with events.

One brand you can't fail to notice in London is E4, who has moved its digital entertainment channel from TV box to grassy knowle. Live comedy performances take place at Udderbelly, a giant purple upside down cow, that can't fail to draw your attention as you meander down London's South Bank - it's located right next to the London Eye. The event is sponsored by Grolsch who runs the bar. Perfect entertainment for British summertime.

Although branded E4, Udderbelly (the cow) is the brain child of live entertainment company Underbelly, who specialises in live comedy. Underbelly has worked their magic at Edinburgh's Fringe Festival, showcasing some of the big name performances. This year it returns to Scotland and will also be featuring at The Big Chill.

Live entertainment is big business in the UK, notably in the music industry where difficulty in driving revenue from music sales has seen significant development of the live music event industry. In March, the BBC reported that sales of live music had overtaken recorded music, generating some £900m in 2008, according to the Performing Rights Society.

Happy brand birthday

This weekend I joined a bunch of MINI nuts at the Silverstone racing track to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the MINI brand. I am a lifelong advocate of MINI, having idolised its unique design from a young age, even before I got behind the wheel of a MINI city. For me, this was MINI nirvana, and a fitting tribute to one of the most iconic British brands around.

Celebrating a key brand anniversary is far from new in terms of marketing, as 360PRBlog and Promo Magazine both sum up nicely. There's no denying that it is a key point in the brand lifecycle and a perfect opportunity to create excitement and drive awareness.

Over the past couple of years there seems to have been a splurge in major anniversaries. M&S, Selfridges, Barbie, Sainsbury's, Lego, Virgin, Google and Guinness have all used their biggest birthdays to celebrate their heritage, drive awareness and reinforce brand loyalty with their core customers.

Here's a look at what three of them have been up to:

MINI United www.miniunited.com 

To celebrate 50 years in the making, this three-day event brought together MINI aficionados from across the world. The BMW-owned brand took over Silverstone (home of motor-racing) for three days of commemoration with plenty of products on show to dazzle its guests. For me, MINI is about fun, beautiful design and quirky coolness, and there was an abundance of this at the event.

The centrepiece of the venue oozed cool, with bar, DJ and lounge area looking out to the stage, where music legend (and MINI enthusiast) Paul Weller would later perform. The history of MINI was embodied by an outdoor museum of cars, including some bespoke designs, such as the MINI limo. Others also had the chance to show off and talk about their own car, on a makeshift stage. On the track, you could watch the professionals race their cars in true racing style, drive your own car round the grid, or watch the stuntmen in action. I'm planning my next MINI purchase already, so clearly it has worked wonders...:) You can check out more of my pics from the event on Flickr.

Selfridges www.selfridges100.com

This iconic UK department store hit the big 100 this year. To celebrate its centenary, the 'big yellow festival' has been running throughout May, so-called because of the trademark (pantone 109) yellow branding. Selfridges has been doing month-long themed events for a number of years now, and is arguably one of the best examples of in-store theatre. So it is perhaps not surprising that they would use their centenary for this month's experiential adventure. 

In-store events have centred on premium entertainment with DJs, fashion shows and cabaret dazzling shoppers. Six 'Selfridgettes' have been performing their own set of tricks, and there is also an exhibition showcasing the retailer's history. Over the course of the month, a host of celebrities have joined in to stir up publicity.

In true designer fashion, Selfridges marked the event by joining forces with some of the most prestigious designers and brands to create limited edition products, encompassing the trademark yellow. The line-up of exclusives includes centenary bags from Sir Paul Smith and Stella McCartney, the iconic Coca-Cola contour bottles in yellow, Blackberry smartphones with a £1,000 price tag, through to custom yellow Converse and a range of other luxury brand items. A special centenary magazine has also been created by Conde Nast.  

Selfridges has harnessed Facebook, Flickr and Twitter (although the latter is less prominent) to build the conversation around the brand event. Photos from events at the store can be found on these social networks. It's easily the most engaging element of their online campaign, although their website is pretty cool too.

M&S

Another British high street icon, M&S, hit the ripe old age of 125 years in 2009. M&S has already announced a few initiatives so far this year, but I imagine this will be extended with more as the year progresses. As with MINI and Selfridges, showcasing the brand's history is a key part of the story. M&S have created this website as a timeline. An archive exhibition has also been set up with the University of Leeds and a commemorative book and magazine are also now available to mark the occasion.

In product development, M&S has drawn inspiration from its origins to create a new collection 125, featuring vintage designs from various decades. On the promotional side, last week M&S went back to its origins by reinventing its penny bazaar, tying in its heritage with today's cost-conscious mindset. The “Don’t ask the price, it’s a penny” in-store promotion, gave bargain-hunters massive reductions on a range of products, reinforced by its TV ad campaign, which shows how the brand has evolved: 'Quality worth every penny.' The 125 campaign has also blended into its CSR strategy, aiming to raise £1.25 million for local charities in 125 days.

Although I have only showcased a few cases here, they outline the importance of birthdays as a marketing tool. A time to reflect on the past, and to look to the future by showcasing new innovations, whilst opening up the potential to generate considerable brand buzz. From a consumers' perspective, it is a chance to celebrate the brands they love. The M&S 125 years Facebook page is a great demonstration of the passion consumers have for M&S, now with over 12,000 fans. Definitely worth reading some of the great comments if you get a chance.