Ji Lee, a designer and creative director at facebook, puts together a really engaging collection of type treatments. The concept or challenge behind his effort here was to make words that work as images. It's not only very clever use of letters, but it makes for a brilliant communication device.
If you want people to pay attention to your words, this kind of thinking can achieve it. You can purchase the entire thing, entitled Words As Image, at amazon.com. Or for fun, pick out a word and try to come up with a like visual for it. In honor of Halloween, I'll pick... ghost... oh wait, I can't see it.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Defining a Terabyte
So... the new Panasonic BWT800 3D Blue Ray disc recorder holds a whopping ONE TERABYTE of content. That's right, one whole terabyte.
So... "How much exactly is one terabyte?" you may ask.
Well, Panasonic, with a corresponding marketing campaign, is setting out to define what this massive number means to you. Because after all, one terabyte is big enough to record high-quality HD video for 684 hours or 28 days. This kind of room gives you the power to appease the recording habits of your wife, your kids, your relatives, your neighbors, your neighbors' relatives and your relatives' neighbors. 28 days is an absurd amount of TV.
To hype the magnitude of this number, Panasonic is producing and of course recording 28 days of entertainment entitled, "The Persecution of Rommy Gulla." And unless your name is Rommy Gulla and you live in Australia, this sounds like a pretty fun idea. As described in the video below, Rommy is about to endure 28 very long, very painful days -- all to help quantify one terabyte. You can watch the series via Facebook or Youtube. Viewers can even suggest a prank, vote on pranks and win Panasonic stuff. Day one involved a late-night police invasion and helium.
Overall, this looks like a great example of engaging consumers and showing, not just telling, what your product can do. Now, what prank should I suggest?
So... "How much exactly is one terabyte?" you may ask.
Well, Panasonic, with a corresponding marketing campaign, is setting out to define what this massive number means to you. Because after all, one terabyte is big enough to record high-quality HD video for 684 hours or 28 days. This kind of room gives you the power to appease the recording habits of your wife, your kids, your relatives, your neighbors, your neighbors' relatives and your relatives' neighbors. 28 days is an absurd amount of TV.
To hype the magnitude of this number, Panasonic is producing and of course recording 28 days of entertainment entitled, "The Persecution of Rommy Gulla." And unless your name is Rommy Gulla and you live in Australia, this sounds like a pretty fun idea. As described in the video below, Rommy is about to endure 28 very long, very painful days -- all to help quantify one terabyte. You can watch the series via Facebook or Youtube. Viewers can even suggest a prank, vote on pranks and win Panasonic stuff. Day one involved a late-night police invasion and helium.
Overall, this looks like a great example of engaging consumers and showing, not just telling, what your product can do. Now, what prank should I suggest?
Monday, September 26, 2011
Have a Seat -- at your own risk
There is no question that an "earned" beer always tastes better. Whether, it's the one you proudly imbibe after finishing off some handyman work around the house or the Apres-ski one you toast after a day on the slopes, or heck, simply the one that marks the end of a long Tuesday at work... a beer that follows effort is a beer that brings with it the taste of victory.
In the below marketing stunt, Carlsberg, a Danish beer, takes this insight and expresses it in a unique way. You'll see how 2 people are put to the test of fear, sterotyping and the fear of stereotyping. The concept is nicely paid off by their tagline, "That calls for a Carlsberg." It works great in this situation and no doubt sets the table for many other executions. Up next, a standing-room only bus filled with a half-naked, fully-tattooed, senior citizens.
In the below marketing stunt, Carlsberg, a Danish beer, takes this insight and expresses it in a unique way. You'll see how 2 people are put to the test of fear, sterotyping and the fear of stereotyping. The concept is nicely paid off by their tagline, "That calls for a Carlsberg." It works great in this situation and no doubt sets the table for many other executions. Up next, a standing-room only bus filled with a half-naked, fully-tattooed, senior citizens.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Tongue Tastic
The story behind Orabrush, a brand new way to fight bad breath, is a lesson both on marketing in today's youtube world and one of perseverance by a little product that could. Invented by Dr. Robert Wagstaff (Dr. Bob), this tiny tongue scraping instrument went from something no company wanted to recently the shelves of 3,500 Wal-Mart's. Yeah, for the little guy!
And the story of how that all happened is told in the first video below. As you'll see, Orabrush proves to us that good products that solve real problems demonstrated in the right way (see the other below video) will find a market and will sell, even if you have to do it yourself and make the retailers come knocking.
Orabrush also shows us how to capitalize on one's viral success. After finding an online audience, they then added a vast youtube library featuring their irreverent Tongue Mascot, also seen below. While it's a simple invention, it takes a not-so simple path to getting to market. Good job, Dr. Bob -- who is probably relaxing on his new yacht treating his tongue to the tastes of champagne and caviar. Afterall, who cares if you fish egg breath, when you have a yacht.
And the story of how that all happened is told in the first video below. As you'll see, Orabrush proves to us that good products that solve real problems demonstrated in the right way (see the other below video) will find a market and will sell, even if you have to do it yourself and make the retailers come knocking.
Orabrush also shows us how to capitalize on one's viral success. After finding an online audience, they then added a vast youtube library featuring their irreverent Tongue Mascot, also seen below. While it's a simple invention, it takes a not-so simple path to getting to market. Good job, Dr. Bob -- who is probably relaxing on his new yacht treating his tongue to the tastes of champagne and caviar. Afterall, who cares if you fish egg breath, when you have a yacht.
Monday, September 12, 2011
A Disgustingly Smart Idea
Contagion, the new action thriller starring every other popular actor in Hollywood and co-produced I believe by the Hand Sanitizing Association of America, just finished #1 at the box office in its first weekend. While I was not one of the 23 million to see it, I did catch this very clever billboard created to hype the film.
[Insert bad pun here -- on how this idea really grows and presents the opportunity to go viral.]
Warning: While watching this clip, Germaphobes may find themselves experiencing cold sweats, hot flashes, wooziness in the leg region and a dying need to take an emergency shower followed by a week-long vacation in a sterile plastic bubble.
[Insert bad pun here -- on how this idea really grows and presents the opportunity to go viral.]
Warning: While watching this clip, Germaphobes may find themselves experiencing cold sweats, hot flashes, wooziness in the leg region and a dying need to take an emergency shower followed by a week-long vacation in a sterile plastic bubble.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
A Visual Diary
So, I keep thinking that stop motion will soon feel old and boring.
Then comes along something like this.
Created by designer Joe Hollier, this stop motion piece details out a month in his life. He takes us on a little day-by-day journey of his activities and thoughts. It's a super-creative, super-fun diary. And as a marketing person, I have to add that it makes for an incredible self-promotional device -- showing off both Joe's skills and his personality.
Then comes along something like this.
Created by designer Joe Hollier, this stop motion piece details out a month in his life. He takes us on a little day-by-day journey of his activities and thoughts. It's a super-creative, super-fun diary. And as a marketing person, I have to add that it makes for an incredible self-promotional device -- showing off both Joe's skills and his personality.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Occasionally Perfect Billboard
Heineken, known for a more clever brand of beer advertising, has created a billboard that carries that torch and does a great job getting people to take notice. Because this particular billboard is sometimes just a plain, old billboard, and "occasionally" as they say, it becomes much more than that.
On Aug 17th, for example, it transformed into a stage for the group TV on the Radio. What a cool experience for the band and the people gathering on the street. I love that the billboard is a little cryptic. It doesn't say, "Hey, see what's happening here next." It also does a terrific job of connecting a product and brand with the people without feeling forced or disingenuous. And certainly, if Heineken is trying fit into the "cool" space, this helps that cause.
On Aug 17th, for example, it transformed into a stage for the group TV on the Radio. What a cool experience for the band and the people gathering on the street. I love that the billboard is a little cryptic. It doesn't say, "Hey, see what's happening here next." It also does a terrific job of connecting a product and brand with the people without feeling forced or disingenuous. And certainly, if Heineken is trying fit into the "cool" space, this helps that cause.
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