JuicyInfo

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]

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. 

Google launches 'Survival of the Fastest' B2B channel on YouTube

Google's new video business blog on its own YouTube platform provides a useful tool in an engaging format. The video content features experts from a number of business disciplines, including Ogilvy's Rory Sutherland, Boris Johnson, IAB and London Business School.

Last month, Google joined forces with WPP to fund new research in the digital realm. As reported by the Wall Street Journal in this article, it includes a number of studies, using Harvard Business School, among others. Google already works as a consultant to advertisers, so this takes that relationship a step further. In addition, it showcases the ways in which businesses may also leverage YouTube from a B2B angle.  

Functions covered include Marketing, eCommerce and Finance & General Management. There are also themed videos around speed, agility and consumer insights. Altogether, a useful tool for businesses in  turbulent times. 

New studies: Razorfish Digital Outlook & Nielsen Online

A couple of new studies emerged on the web this week. Razorfish launched its 5th annual 'Digital Outlook' study and Nielsen Online also released a report 'Global Faces and Networked places.'

Nielsen Online looks at the growing popularity of so-called 'member communities' (referring to social networks and blogs) and the global adoption of this media, which now represents one-tenth of all time spent online. One of its primary conclusions is the global popularity of member communities, ranking fourth across the online sector after search, portals and software applications. Crucially though, they now outrank personal email. 

Another major finding is the rising popularity of member communities among older age groups. The 35-49 and 50-64 age groups are both seeing massive growth and driving the popularity of Facebook - now the 9th most popular brand online. Other recent studies have also emphasised this trend. Independent blog Inside Facebook revealed back in February that women over 55 represented the fastest growing demographic in the US market. iMedia Connection digs deeper and highlights the rising number of 'Moms' on social networks, including Facebook and MySpace, as well as a host of niche sites specifically targeting this lifestyle group. Razorfish itself produced an indepth study Digital Mom earlier this year, and was the recent subject of discussion on NBC. If you're looking for insight on social networking from a generational perspective, Pew Internet Research does a good job in this report.

You can check out the full Nielsen Online report here

Razorfish's Digital Outlook 2009 provides a much more analytical and broader perspective on social media as it relates to the changing nature of advertising and branding. The 180 pages cover an array of angles, pointing to where digital advertising is headed. Central to its theme is the rising importance of building experiences, against the old adage of 'producing great advertising,' and the untold potential of digital in creating those experiences. Its a guiding tool for advertisers and agencies, providing a benchmark on digital spend and strategy, and continuing its theory around Social Influence Marketing. As Razorfish outlines on their Digital Design Blog, the biggest takeaway perhaps is a flattening of spend in social media spend by major advertisers. You can check out the full report on the last link. In short, buckets of insight.

"The rules are they're ain't no rules"

That subject intro is a particularly bad line from Grease (think Thunder Road Crater-face man), but its a fitting subject line for this article.

The Chip Shop Awards made their debut about twenty years ago (as far as I can tell), designed to celebrate creativity 'with no boundaries or rules.' We often hear of how consumers today favor brands that are honest, transparent and collaborative, giving the individual a chance to shine, by listening to their opinions and ideas.

Reading about the The Chip Shop Awards, it struck me how this is playing out on a creative level. In a knockback to the traditional creative awards, the Chip Shop takes a down-to-earth, fun and transparent positioning, enabling recognition for all ideas however small or even plagiarist. It would appear to be gaining some traction too, with a number of high-profile judges set for 2009.

There are some pretty amusing categories too...

Best Use of Plagiarism

Best Use of Shocking Copy

Best Politically Incorrect

Best Use of Bad Taste

Best Work for any Brand you Haven't a Hope of Winning

Best Work for a Client You Have but Haven't a Hope of Running

Best Reject - for ads that have been rejected by clients but you feel should have run

A whole lot of good ideas

Last Friday I had the pleasure of joining a bunch of rather nice people at the PSFK’s Good Ideas Salon, hosted at the Guardian’s brand new building in Kings X. Really cool building by the way. As the name suggests, good ideas were the order of the day, looking at this subject from different perspectives: social/cultural, design, technology, youth, storytelling, media, communities and collaboration. The eclectic mix of people in the room, from designers, planners, researchers, media, agency and client-side was testament to the variety of angles covered. A lot was said that an article can't really do justice. So, I'll just say here's a wrap of some of the bits I quite liked...

The day started with an opener from Mark Earls, founder of HERD consulting, underlining why good ideas matter, especially in these uncertain times with tightened budgets. An underlying message was the importance of experimentation, immersing the brand in new technologies, and looking outside of an industry or marketplace for ideas that can be applied under one’s own roof. Mark also highlighted that the overriding financial imperative driving many businesses, can limit the ideation process, as can pigeon-holing it within an ‘innovation’ hub or department. In essence, he gestured towards a more open and collaborative approach to creating ideas, a theme that continued throughout the day.

The ‘Good Ideas from London’ session brought together a mix of speakers from the media and publishing worlds to discuss London as a creative collective. It was a big topic to deliver, but there was some anecdotal evidence to suggest that London continues to spearhead its position as a creative hub. Journalist Matt Brown was keen to point out London’s scientific credentials, citing the Wellcome Collection as an example of fusion between science and creativity. Talking on the broader cultural environment and leisure scene, Taryn Ross, co-founder of Urbanjunkies noted that new ideas are emerging at the premium and budget end, to the detriment of the mid-market. Members bars and pop-up restaurants are satiating consumers desire for ‘affordable luxuries.’ Grassroots events cultivated by small communities, meanwhile, underline a trend towards hooking up in real spaces. Justin Quirk, associate editor of FHM and Arena, drew some parallels in the publishing sphere, highlighting the continued fortunes of The Economist, Monocle and The Daily Star, with middle-market titles feeling the crunch. There was talk of a ‘smart period in publishing’, as consumers demonstrate a renewed interest in politics and more intelligent content…even some FHM readers (honest).

A recurrent theme throughout the day was the infiltration of technology into consumer’s life and the rise of ‘lifelogging.’

This is a trend that is becoming more entrenched in societies as people embrace social media, cataloguing and sharing every part of their lives online and offline. It was fascinating to hear Richard Banks from Microsoft’s research division divulging some of his research around what he called ‘technology heirlooms.’ The fast turnaround of technology and adoption of new gadgets means we are constantly consuming and producing more digital content. But, as Richard points out, how will we cope with the every growing amounts of digital content we are creating? What will happen to it all as it is passed down to next generations? Microsoft non-commerical focused research hub brings together some 1,000 researchers, many of which are straight from academia, study these concepts through ethnographic research.

The ‘good ideas on mobile’ panel continued the focus on lifelogging. I was hoping for some pearls of wisdom about the ‘next big thing in mobile,’ but there wasn’t much chat on specifics, and perhaps rightly so. As Jonathan Macdonald (Ogilvy) firmly pointed out, good ideas in the mobile space today should centre on the utility it can yield to the consumer, as opposed to focusing on the latest gizmo. Clearly, these guys were ahead of their game and the curve in terms of technology adoption, but as they duly pointed out, their behaviour is a far cry from your average consumer. My takeaway was that good mobile ideas are the ones simple enough to make an impact on the everyday consumer.

Towards the end of the day, we moved into a couple of discussions around 'good ideas through collaboration.' Although the concept of collaboration is far from new, there is undoubtedly a shift towards brands opening the doors to consumers, and other companies from whom they can learn. One panellist even noted that there was an element of arrogance to companies who didn’t embrace collaborative ventures, thinking they understand it all. Fair point, but others were keen to point out that opening the doors to greater collaboration is challenging, requiring a certain amount of control to be relinquished. Not always an easy move.

The rise of digital technology is driving the need to collaborate in media and publishing, where specialists can be brought in to help inject fresh ideas. The Guardian’s Simon Waldman gave a great presentation on how his own organisation has embraced the digital era, requiring an altogether more collaborative and ‘open’ approach to working from the top down. Pat Connor (BBC) highlighted that a wider range of tools are making it easier for people to share and collaborate to produce creative ideas. Experimentation is important in the media and publishing sectors, where print is under threat, but there was cautionary advice about being too overzealous with the latest craze. Instead, the focus should be about meshing digital ideas that fit with the brand.

There were a number of other great talks looking at design, youth and storytelling, including Colin Nightingale’s tale of Punchdrunk and the Clod & Pebble store, bringing a new meaning to concept of retail theatre. Troika’s Eva Rucki gave us a showcase of some of their art installations, with a detailed explanation of how they pulled off the cloud in Terminal 5. There were others, such as Christian Nold’s discussion around bio mapping and community that I wouldn’t dare try and summarise, but you can read more about him and his ideas at SoftHook.

All in all, it was a great chance to delve into a variety of disciplines, to see how good ideas are being fostered and be among some hugely talented people. Looking forward to the next one…