Nothing small about this idea

In advertising, one of the biggest challenges can be:

"How do we really make a statement and sell something at the same time?"

Well, below is a great example of how to do exactly that. It's for a charity to help those with corneal disease. And as the video details out, the agency created an Art Exhibition that showcases the hardships of this disease (raising awareness and understanding) while generating donations (selling) at the same time. All too often, the Big Creative Idea only garners attention or even worse is simply interesting to just those who created it. In this case, the idea works double duty and even better does so in the name of a worthy cause. Something nice to see.

T-Mobile At It Again

T-Mobile is quickly becoming the Master of guerrilla/viral marketing. They've mob-danced in a Liverpool train station. Created a sing-a-long in Trafalgar Square. And now they're welcoming home international travelers at Heathrow Airport with an orchestral serenade. Terrific execution and a whole lot of fun, not only for the travelers, but for all of us online. Well played T-Mobile.

Rewrite this story

Tippex White and Rewrite has created a fun interactive Youtube video that allows viewers to completely change the ending of the current video. It's part Choose Your Own Adventure and part Subservient Chicken. The set up for the video is the familiar scenario of 2 guys camping in the woods. A bear arrives and the one guy tells the other guy to shoot it.



This is where your input comes into play. You can click on the video and direct the camper to either "shoot" or "not shoot" the bear. Whatever you choose, the poor guy will not shoot the bear. Instead, he asks for your help to rewrite this story. He then appropriately uses Tippex White and Rewrite to erase the "shoots" part of the Youtube title. From here, you can type in any new verb you wish.

 

This interactive video is simple, engaging and when it comes down to it, does a nice job of telling people what the product does. I'm not sure who still uses white-out these days, but the fact that this campaign has netted over 9 million views already is certainly a relevant story.

iPad Magic

Right smack dab on their website, Apple deems the iPad a "magical" product. Of course, they do so because of the iPad's multi-touch screen, expansive keyboard, vivid photos & videos, its ability to be your music library, reading tablet, calendar, game player, GPS and much, much more.

Well, here are 2 very cool videos that show the iPad and its magic in ways Apple probably never quite imagined.

Painting with Light -- Dentsu, London

Shinya -- Street Magician

Beyond the Like

Every day, with the simple click of a button,  millions of Facebookers are out there telling their friends, "Hey, guess what, I like _(fill in the blank)_." From movies, to music, to food, even to Plug the Oil Spill with Sarah Palin, you can "like" just about anything.  More than that, our online friends are letting us know they've "checked in" at this coffee shop or that new Irish pub. And while for many observers the typical response is, "Great, I really needed to know you like Lady Gaga's Meat Dress," there is a bigger picture here. People are sharing tons and tons of information -- much of which could  be very relevant -- with greater ease than ever.

Well, several companies are now helping everyone reap real benefits from the opinions of you and your many friends. Here are two to check out.

GET GLUE -- Akin to Amazon's "If you like this, we suggest this," Get Glue is about helping you find your next new favorite thing.  With Get Clue's app, you check in to say "HBO's Hard Knocks," a reality show focusing on an NFL team's training camp, and Get Glue will inform you of other like-minded forms of entertainment. Plus, if your "checking in" frequency is high, you can earn rewards or praise for your loyalty. Get Glue also makes for a great platform for TV networks and movie studios to engage and build a better relationship with its followers.


















FOURSQUARE -- This app is all about discovering new places. It links you and your friends together, giving you access to everyone's reviews or comments on restaurants, bars, shops and so on throughout your city. So as you're perusing the menu at some new French Bistro, you could see that your good buddy Joel Robuchon highly recommends the Duck. Ah Merci Beaucoup, Foursquare.

Arcade on Fire

What do Indie music group Arcade Fire and behemoth technology company Google have in common? Well, not much, until now. The two unlikely partners have joined forces to promote their respective wares. And the result is a terrific example of art and technology working hand in hand.

Arcade Fire, with help from Google's brainiacs, have produced the first HTML5-powered music video. What does that mean? Well, Google Chrome's blog sums it up nicely:

"It features a mash-up of Google Maps and Google Street View with HTML5 canvas, HTML5 audio and video, an interactive drawing tool, and choreographed windows that dance around the screen. These modern web technologies have helped us craft an experience that is personalized and unique for each viewer, as you virtually run through the streets where you grew up."

You kick the video off by typing in your childhood home address. At some point, you'll use a drawing tool to send a message to your younger self. And with Google Maps and Streetview, you'll be taking on a trip down memory lane. All along the way, you're listening Arcade Fire's new song "We used to wait."

It's a really cool use of Google and an incredibly great way to get people intimately involved in your music. And if you're wondering if sales will follow, right now Arcade Fire's new album is #5 on itunes. To see it yourself go to thewildernessdowntown.com and below is a youtube video.

Poo in Blue

My sincere apologies, as it's been a long time since I made a post. Anyhow, this product and commercial makes for a solid starting point to get back into things. It's for New Huggies Denim Diapers.

Yep, for a limited-time only, your little one can toddle with style. Certainly the absurdity of this product does not get past me. As the father of a 15-month old boy, I am more than fully aware that there is no need for "cooler" diapers and Huggies is not solving any kind of problem here. As no child, young enough for diapers, is thinking, "Mom, you know what, I would feel so much more confident with a killer pair of denim diapers."

However, with all that nonsense in mind, I do think these will sell. Parents love to play dress-up with their kids. They latch onto trends very quickly. And it is so ridiculous, it's actually fun. At first I wasn't sure if the commercial below was real or not. I think ad agency JWT has done a good job of not taking this product too seriously and acknowledging it's all in good fun. I particularly enjoyed the line, "When it's a number 2, I look like a number 1." 

I'm sure this product will get it's share of detractors, but that doesn't mean it's a bad marketing idea. Up next, Huggies by Kim Kardashian, you know for when you've got that extra junk in the trunk.

The Great Walls of China

What can one man do with 344 square feet? Well, in the below video Gary Chang of Hong Kong shows us exactly how to maximize your space. Yes, pulling out some Houdini-like moves, Gary transforms his tiny Hong Kong apartment into a space of many looks and dimensions. George Castanza and his under-the-desk bed would be proud of this kind of ingenuity.

Cold Sport. Hot Pants.

Here's a major marketing conundrum? How do you bring excitement or attention to a sport like curling. Yes, that frozen shuffleboard game that takes forever and whose rules are about as understood as the U.S. tax code. Do you add tackling, checking or a little broom-slashing to the game? Or how about retractable holes where unwitting players plunge into the chilly waters below? Or perhaps: Put on some funky pants.

Yes, in these 2010 Olympics, while the Canadian Men may have been accessorized with Gold Medals, it was the 2nd place team from Norway and their colorful attire that gained fans from all over. The pants (I mean the team) have over half a million Facebook fans. And I can only imagine how many Norwegians are parading around in these fancy pants. Well done Norway! If you're interested, these Argyle wonders are available at loudmouthgolf.com for $90.00. If they were wise, they might throw in a couple brooms and a silver medal to complete the outfit.

Snow View

For years now, Google Streetview has been fantastic way to take a virtual stroll through any neighborhood you wish to see. It's been employed to scout for new houses, take a peek at the giant estate that former high school nerd turned internet mogul just bought and it's even revealed a few inappropriately parked cars. "Wait a second! Why is there a pool repairman truck in our driveway? We have no pool."



With the Olympics in full throttle, Google has taken the Streetview concept to bring us a closer look at this worldly venue. I love this idea. And actually wish they went further by bringing a camera down the bobsled track or along for a Shaun White-esque, half-pipe ride. They do show a little bit of an alpine run, which is cool.

To satisfy my craving for an even better virtual experience, I give you a series of helmet cams that offer a feel for the thrill of these Winter Olympic sports. If you've watched the events this year, you've seen how NBC has taken advantage of innovative cameras and interesting setups to really bring the action into our living rooms. And yes, go USA.

Guerrilla Goodness

Guerrilla Marketing, not so long ago, was something seen as hands-on and personable, yet small and short-lived. Typically, a tactical team would hit a city block or a train station or a college campus. They would do their thing. And then several hours later the effort and the impact would be history.

These days, however, thanks to the vast power of this little thing called the internet, the right guerrilla approach can live on and on. In fact, as a part of your marketing plan, you can create and execute ideas that work both from a guerrilla standpoint and a viral one.  Here are 3 well-played ideas. One from Coke. One from T-Mobile. And one from Motorola.

The Happiness Machine in action:


T-Mobile shows us how life's worth sharing:


Motorola Droid hypes their secret apps... sort of.

Another 5 Most Excellent Outdoor Ads

Maybe it's the frigid temps here in Chicago right now, but this billboard for Norwegian Air is really appealing to me. It takes the reality of the ever declining weather that you're suffering through and kindly offers a nicely priced escape.



Nothing fancy here, it's just a great use of the environment to make a small ad for Altschul Orthodontics much bigger.

  Here's a clever campaign from SPCA to help get shelter dogs a home to call their own. Sure the way a pooch wags his tail, slobbers all over you and fetches that stick is nice, but this idea shows a real purpose and benefit to having one around. They're protective of their, that is your, domain and that could keep you safe.



Ah, another dog-related ad. At first I wasn't sure about this execution: "Dog staring at food." But then I spotted the drool on the ground. Nice job Royal Canin, Pavlov would be proud.



If a car were to come in a box, it probably would be the Mini Cooper. This outdoor Christmas tactic, does a nice job a blending in just enough to make the reveal worthy of a smile. It carries on the Mini Cooper's embracing of its size and gives people a thought on how to create a very surprising gift.