Thursday, November 15, 2012

A Very Public Display

"So real, it's scary," is the tagline for the the new LG IPS Monitor. While not exactly original or exciting for its category, the execution of that line does a wonderful job a putting some substance behind those words.

The video below shows how they tiled the floor of the elevator with their screens. When people entered the elevator, the floor looked as normal as can be. However, as the elevator started moving, the screens turned on and created the illusion that bottom was literally falling out. Pretty freaky.

Whether the passengers are actors or not is unknown. If not, I do wonder if they had defibrillators and perhaps new pants available on set. The idea behind this stunt is attention grabbing and a genuinely nice product demo. The video has already received 10 million views and countless stories in the news.

Looking forward to their next prank... I'm thinking the window in a high rise building, a flying superman and a giant splat.



Monday, October 22, 2012

The True Market Value of Heineken

As soon as I saw this Heineken video, I knew it was time to wake my blog from its dormancy.

The challenge proposed by the beer maker is simple, "How far can one get with no money and just Heineken." Now with the devaluation of so many currencies, this is no doubt the perfect time to put forth such a test. The guinea pig in this experiment is a guy named Justin. His journey will take him some 5187 kilometers via the already difficult Spice Route in Asia. His final destination is one giant party in Thailand. And again, the green bottled beer from Amsterdam is his only method of payment.

In watching the videos, you'll see him spend a lot of time bartering for bike rides, boat rides and other modes of transportation. His proposition is always the same "Can I trade you a Heineken for (insert Justin's need here)?"

While some of the situations seem oddly coincidental, overall I enjoyed the execution of what is a very cool idea. It was also a nice marketing story as Heineken is striving to increase market share in the Far East.  I am very curious just how many Heinekens were shared in the adventure.

Up next for Justin, how far can he get with only warm cans Milwaukee's Best?

 




Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Parallel Parking Pinball

Whether you consider yourself a parking wizard or a bumper's worst nightmare, there's no question we all would love a little help. So here's a cool idea from Ford to generate hype and purpose for their innovative parking assist feature.

This stunt is not only attention worthy, but it masterfully demonstrates the problem at hand and then solves it... with a Ford. It shows how even the worst offender can overcome his lack of steering wheel skill. And for everyone else, they can breathe a sigh of relief that there's one less pitiful parker in Paris ready to ding their car. A victory for all... well, except for Jacque, owner of Jacque's Autobody Shop.


Wednesday, March 21, 2012

What? I didn't even know John Tesh was coming to town!

So your favorite artist is coming your way. Great! Only you find out 24 hours too late. Crap! And now you are stuck scrambling to find tickets that are either a) in the nosebleed section, b) jacked up in price, or c) both a and b. If you've never had the displeasure of this experience, you can stop reading right now.

If you have felt this pain, then it's time to take a look at Songkick. By combing through ticket vendors, publications and venues, Songkick is able to track your favorite artists and then immediately let you know when they're scheduled to make an appearance in your neck of the woods. And it's ridiculously easy to let Songkick know who you like. Just use it through iTunes, Spotify or even via Facebook.  It'll simply scan the artists in your library or the ones you've "liked," and then bam, you've got a calendar of concerts near you.

Pretty handy little application. And a sure-fire way to guarantee that the next time John Tesh goes on tour you will not miss out on his magical live rendition of "Like a virgin."

Monday, March 12, 2012

The Invisible Car

Auto advertising can often be quite predictable. If your sports car goes 0 to 60 in 4.1 seconds, you show it. If your spacious SUV can fit a small army of soccer players in it, you show it. If it can handle rough terrain and snow with ease, you show it performing doughnuts on Antarctica while the driver enjoys a hot cup of cocoa without spilling... unless the creative team of course prefers sunshine, then you head to the desert or the beach.

That's why this execution from Mercedes, while very unique and eye-catching, is actually right in line with traditional automobile marketing. Mercedes is launching their environmental friendly F Cell technology, which produces precisely "0.0 emissions." The challenge obviously is, "How do you show nothing?" Watch the video. Very cool.


Thursday, March 8, 2012

A Razor Fight

If you work in marketing, you've certainly heard the phrase, "Give away the razors to sell the blades." And if you've ever purchased blades, you know exactly why they say that... because those tiny, sharp pieces of metal and plastic are serious money makers.  Well, someone is now looking to shake up this razor situation. Meet DollarShaveClub.com


A new idea in the male grooming category, Dollar Shave Club offers a monthly razor membership starting at just $1 (plus s&h).  This basic package gets you 5 twin blades every month. You can also upgrade to the The 4X or The Executive for a greater quality of blade.
 
Not only does this make for an interesting and different business model, but the way Dollar Shave Club is positioning itself is equally fresh. Dollar Shave Club looks and feels like the anti-Gillette. It doesn't take itself too seriously. It doesn't try to amaze us with the "space-age" technology inside their razors. And they don't have celebrity endorsements.

Nope, Dollar Shave Club uses their young unknown president to present their case. He describes their razors simply as "f*&cking great." He pokes fun at the unnecessary razor accessories you pay for these days. And while the Mach 3, 5, 7 or whatever number they're currently at would find itself backed with millions & millions of ad dollars and sponsorships, Dollar Shave Club created this one simple video. It's funny. It makes a good argument. And it's no doubt destined to go viral.

Yep, unlike a guy with tiny blood-stained tissues populating his face and neck, this is some smooth operating. Well played -- Dollar Shave Club.


Thursday, February 2, 2012

Flash Fans

Up in Canada, where a baby's first steps don't count unless it takes place on ice, just about every little boy grows up dreaming of someday playing professional hockey. They imagine the thrill of game-winning goals, exploding cheers from the stands and the majestic hoisting of the Stanley Cup. And for most, that dream is left behind somewhere on a frozen pond.

However, even over the passage of many years, their love of playing the game remains true. So, these men and their average (for a Canadian) hockey skills carry on at the local rink. After work. After putting the kids to bed. After picking a few things at the store. They lace it up and they hit the ice. No fans. No cheers. No glory.

But on one night, with the help of Budweiser, two teams were able to experience a pretty cool moment of "Eh, what if... "