Some believe print is dead. Wrong. There is a place in Berlin’s Auguststrasse where print is very much alive. It’s called: do you read me?!
Right in the heart of one of Europe’s most innovative urban environments, a specialized shop for magazines has opened its doors. This could be considered a brave move in an era when magazines are disappearing from shelves. The concept is simple. Do you read me?! is less of a news agent and more a boutique full of the most interesting print products from around the world. Publications you would never find in the swamped newsagents at the railway station have pride of place on the well-designed display units.
Breaking the convention of “more is better”, this small enterprise decided to offer an entertaining, beautiful and global selection of print products. The spectrum ranges from fashion, photography and art, through architecture, interiors and design to culture and society. In addition the helpful staff provide advice, research and compile your personal selection.
This is the ultimate destination for magazine lovers.
ABSOLUT defies the recession, in mid April, the brand launches “ABSOLUT HUGS” globally, a new visionary TV commercial depicting a world where transactions are paid for with affection and gratitude, rather than currency.
As a part of the “In An ABSOLUT World” campaign that depicts scenes from a more vibrant world as envisioned by the brand, the “Hugs” spot sends a spirit of community, suggesting that “In an ABSOLUT World”, money can be replaced by acts of kindness. It was first shown to 19 million TV viewers in the U.S. during the Grammy Awards presentation. Since then, an impressive number of people have already seen it on YouTube and now the campaign is rolling out globally.
Enjoy the film and the two behind the scene features, or see other acts of kindness and to share your own acts of kindness, visit www.absolutkindness.com
AUDIENCE BEHAVIOR – For most of us, sports touch our lives on a daily basis. We play sports, watch sports on TV, read about sports in the newspapers, talk to friends about them, buy merchandise and attend sporting events. Sports take us away from our daily routines and entertain us. But while people realize that sports need sponsors (in fact, 74% actually think sponsorship is good), their corporatization can move them away from their fans. With ticket prices skyrocketing, hospitality areas taking up all the good seats and every square inch of the arena emblazoned with logos, sponsorships are making sports less about the games and more about the names. Sponsoring can be a powerful passion-based marketing tool, and the financial support for those sponsored will always be needed, but marketers need to consider the brand-to-fan connection. Simply putting more logos in more places to get the most out of the investment is not going to get you any fans.
BRAND BEHAVIOR – Brands support athletes, teams and events hoping that the sports fans will in return support them. Sponsorship is relatively Tivo-proof and can provide reach in an increasingly fragmented media world. So it’s no wonder that brands pay top dollar to get into the game. While naming and branding rights are part of the package, brands should add more than just their logo—they should add real value to the game and fan experience. Just as the Goodyear blimp brought the aerial view to sporting events, more brands are experimenting with innovative and brand relevant integrations into the game.
ENHANCING THE GAME: GUINESS
Guinness brought its positioning “It’s Alive Inside” literally to life by putting RFID technology inside rugby balls and on players. Fraunhofer Institute created the innovative technology to measure the ball’s location 2000 times a second (!) and players’ location 200 times a second. The real-time data allows coaches and fans alike to analyze running pace and acceleration, passing speed and accuracy, impact of tackling and kicking power like never before – potentially changing the game forever.
INVENTING THE GAME: RED BULL
For some, it’s not enough to enhance an existing game, some brands choose to invent one entirely. Red Bull has become synonymous with extreme games and invented a series of gravity-defying sports. These unique competitions fit the brand in ways most off-the-shelf sponsorship opportunities don’t. Their ownable competitions range from Crashed Ice, a mix of downhill skiing, hockey and boardercross to Air Racing, where stunt pilots helm low-level aerial tracks with lightweight racing planes.
ENHANCING THE EXPERIENCE: POLAR
Of the 21 teams competing at the 2008 Tour De France, 11 were sponsored by Polar. Polar, a heart rate and fitness assessment company, used its cycling technology to stream speed, cadence, peddling power, location, altitude and heart rates of their equipped cyclists onto a microsite for fans to monitor in real time. This live telemetry not only gave fans an idea of how well their cyclist was doing, but whether they were holding back or over-exerting themselves at any stage of the race.
How do you want consumers to react to your brand? Do you want them to have a love affair? Or is it more of a one night stand? You may be surprised by the answer. To find out more about brands, movies and love, take a look at this highly entertaining speech by our favourite academic, Prof. Christian Bluemelhuber. It was recorded at the TBWA\EUROPE summit in Istanbul.
If you have any comments or suggestions please email Ulrich Proeschel.
The Mugabe regime has destroyed Zimbabwe. Along with massive food shortages and a cholera crisis, the Zimbabwe 100 trillion-dollar note is now worthless due to the country’s record-breaking inflation. And anyone brave enough to report such events, like the Zimbabwean newspaper, is either beaten, bullied or driven into exile. The regime applied a 55% “luxury” duty to the paper, making it unaffordable for Zimbabweans. In order to raise foreign currency, the owners of the paper decided to sell it in England and South Africa and asked TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris to help promote it. The Agency discovered that paper was actually more expensive than the 100 trillion-dollar note.
So they created an outdoor campaign using the note as the base for their message. They then handed out 100 trillion-dollar notes via posters throughout Southern Africa. The campaign gained the immediate attention of the global press, sales soared and over two million hits to the site were recorded in just three days. Even during an economic crisis, the best ideas often don’t cost a dime.
If you have any comments or suggestions please visit TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris.
During the World Water Week 2009, Lee Clow interviewed the initiator of UNICEF’s Tap Project, Dave Droga, for Tap Project Radio. The radio show included personal insights on the initial idea of the project as well as conversation about Dave’s love for the environment and people – and his belief in big ideas.
The online broadcast of the interview was so highly appreciated by its listeners that mad-blog.com asked for permission broadcast the show again. Unicef, Dave Droga and Lee Clow gave their approval. So enjoy 20 minutes of great talk.
In 2007, the Tap Project was born in New York City based on a simple concept: restaurants would ask their patrons to donate $1 or more for the tap water they usually enjoy for free, and all funds raised would support UNICEF’s efforts to bring clean and accessible water to millions of children around the world.
Growing from just 300 New York City restaurants in 2007 to thousands across the country in 2008, the Tap Project has quickly become a national movement. Restaurants, corporations, volunteers, advertising agencies, community groups, local governments and everyday diners participated to save millions of children’s lives.
Enjoy Lee and Dave talking about an idea they love:
If you have any comments or suggestions please email Ulrich Proeschel.
For more information on the TAP project, click here.
Art has always been a source of inspiration for the ad industry and continues to lead to new avenues for brand expression. If art imitates life, ads imitate art for good reason. Our talent is still about storytelling and words are still some of our most important tools, but technology continues to provide new canvases for bringing brand messages to life.
While paper and pixels are the default solutions for marketers to get their words into the world, there is an exciting new frontier to explore at the intersection of art and technology. The examples shown illustrate that, in the hands of creative minds, technology innovations provide opportunities to say things in new, unexpected and artful ways. Brands that can demonstrate their creativity through new kinds of canvases have the chance to be seen in a groundbreaking light.
Bit.Fall: 320 ectromagnetic nozzles are used to create falling streams of water that form words and images
Bit.Flow: A hydraulic pump sends colored liquids through tubing to spell out messages
SMS Guerilla Projector: A portable device that lets users project text messages onto any surface
Spoke POV: An LED device that fits on your bike and displays text when your wheels are in motion
GraffitiWriter: A remote vehicle equipped with computer-controlled spray cans that paint messages as it moves
It is easier and more important than ever before to create fan clubs for brands. Audiences might applaud or throw tomatoes, but whether they are motivated by love or hate, they’ll often take advantage of a chance to interact. At least they care. In his new book “Public Relations and the Social Web”, Rob Brown sets out the opportunities and challenges offered by social media and the so-called web 2.0.
With successful brands shifting from the seemingly military-inspired “target group” point of view to an approach based on an understanding of the emotional relationship between a brand and its audience, a possible roadmap for future success is being drawn. Against this background, Brown describes the evolution of the communications business and the implications for key players, as well as the effect of these changes on ethics.
Brown, who as well as the book’s author is also the Managing Director of Staniforth, a TBWA\ Group company, writes: ‘What has happened is that the organizations have lost control of the agenda. In order to influence how they are seen they have to participate in conversations. Whilst for some this might appear to be a frightening change, it is highly beneficial for the consumer and ultimately for the enlightened organization, as it will draw it much closer to the people who use its products and services.’
About the author
Rob Brown graduated from York University and spent a year in radio before joining Staniforth as a PR account executive. He set up his own media PR business in the 90s, working with Granada Television, Channel Four and Endemol. He later joined McCann Erickson as PR Director with clients as diverse as Durex, Aldi, Peugeot and the NHS. In 2008 Rob returned to Staniforth, now part of the TBWA group, as its UK Managing Director.
Public Relations and the Social Web, published by Kogan Page • Hardback•9780749455071•192 Pages •£19.99
If you have any comments or suggestions please email Ulrich Proeschel or the author directly, Rob Brown.
The Mugabe regime has destroyed Zimbabwe. Along with massive food shortages and a cholera crisis, the Zimbabwe 100 trillion-dollar note is now worthless due to the country’s record-breaking inflation. And anyone brave enough to report such events, like the Zimbabwean newspaper, is either beaten, bullied or driven into exile. The regime applied a 55% “luxury” duty to the paper, making it unaffordable for Zimbabweans. In order to raise foreign currency, the owners of the paper decided to sell it in England and South Africa and asked TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris to help promote it. The Agency discovered that paper was actually more expensive than the 100 trillion-dollar note.
During the World Water Week 2009, Lee Clow interviewed the initiator of UNICEF’s Tap Project, Dave Droga, for Tap Project Radio. The radio show included personal insights on the initial idea of the project as well as conversation about Dave’s love for the environment and people – and his belief in big ideas.
It is easier and more important than ever before to create fan clubs for brands. Audiences might applaud or throw tomatoes, but whether they are motivated by love or hate, they’ll often take advantage of a chance to interact. At least they care. In his new book “Public Relations and the Social Web”, Rob Brown sets out the opportunities and challenges offered by social media and the so-called web 2.0.
