In Jan 2008, I went to Tokyo (the new New - York apparently) "on research" to see what's what over in Asia when it comes to mobile and what is now leading the industry for them. I took some snaps and I met with Ogilvy digital (Tokyo).
Tokyo is just a mad place and, eventually, I was dying to go home when faceed with all the media clutter and advertiser presence. In spite of this, it is the real vision of an "always on", digitally mobile and connected society where, if you do manage to intercept a Japanese consumer you have to make it count!
They do this by putting a mobile response number/url/QR code/ or search box on their advertising. This allows consumers to act on the advertising there and then, reducing OTS, and maximising advertising effectiveness (Plus it's relevant and cool etc..)
Here are some snaps of mobile enabled advertising (from Japan!) If you are interested in seeing a full presentation download slides below! (Just scroll to end - past all the pictures)
Donald
Guinness Drip mat pub locator - you snap the QR matrix and it takes to you mobile website.
Mobile response QR code on McDonalds POS, Leads to mobile website where information on menu and nutritional value can be found.
Mobile Search box on advertising
Coca Cola Ambient advertising - snap image and be brought to "coke side of life" mobile website.
PRESENTATION!
Toky'o'Mobile_Return2Sender.ppt (4.92 mb)
Posted by donald | Comments (2)
Tags: donald douglas, mobile marketing japan
You may or may not have noticed but last week was Budrising week in Dublin and what a week it was.. Jam packed full of already established bands like Hard Fi, The Streets and The Ting Tings and up an coming acts such as Hadouken! and Ravonettes, the gigs took place in urban venues around the city from Monday 9th April.
The week finished on a high with a purpose built stage being erected on the docks of the IFSC. The stage was graced by The Streets and Mix master Mike (I think?? He is the DJ who previously played with the Super Furry Animals).
The Budrising Street Party was a low key event with all 1,000 tickets having being won by those who had pre - registered their details online.
Having attended the gig myself (we did some work there -- see below!) I can honestly say, as branded experiences go, it was top - class.
Upon arrival (after a walk along the red carpet) there were a myriad of activities in which to spend your time including a strong man competition, a vintage shop, a shoebox disco, a falafel stand...the list goes on.
The venue itself (inside the tent) was pimed out to the max with LCD screens placed from front to back so that anyone who was any height could catch the main acts.
As for the acts.. Mike Skinner & co put on a rockin show to a limited audience of 1,000 people and with their new found intimacy had to deal with neglige being chucked at them! The band responded well by getting everyone to kneel down for parts of songs before jumping back up for cresendos.
Something that I'm sure was a first experience for all.
In between acts break dancers entertained the crowd and also got most of them involved in some way or another!
For our part, we provided Bluetooth for the gig which was a bit of a first in terms of placing multiple bluetooth pods or units at an event.
The units were fully branded and spouted out ringtones from 'The Streets' and also a handy mobile venue guide.
The venue guide was a video and gave everyone who received it the opportunity to get a taste for the main attractions of the night.
Other mobile stuff at Budrising included SMS alerts around concerts, Mobile internet advertising and WAP site for information and content and finally Bud Snappers who took pictures of everyone as they arrived.
The pictures were saved and subsequently sent out to all those who wanted them.
A great Festival enjoyed by all - looking forward to Budrising Summer 2008 now!!:)
Posted by lisa | Comments (0)
Tags: budrising, dublin, mobile content, return2sender
Hello there.
Cadbury have just broke their new ad for daiy milk which is the follow up to the Gorilla.. called Trucks. The second "Glass and a half full" ad was created, again, by Fallon it shows a host of airport trucks and vehicles competing in a race along a runway. The 80s power ballad from Phil Collins worked so well in Gorilla and now another classic by Queen has been enlisted for trucks.
Unfortunately for Cadbury, the ad which cost £17 million to make and aired in the UK over the weekend, has been linked heavily on blogs and video sharing sites to the recent Terminal 5 (T5) debacle at Heathrow airport. Since its opening, the Terminal has received a ream of bad press with chaos reportedly leaving thousands of travellers stranded and 15,000 bags lost.
The Airport Transport Users Council has branded the ad insensitive "bearing in mind what's happening at the moment" but Cadbury will not be pulling their ad.
View the ad below...
Posted by lisa | Comments (0)
Tags: cadbury, glass and a half full
Came across an article this morning all about Google's new HQ in Switzerland and the craziest office spaces ever seen to man.... EVER.
well this is probably a mild exaggeration but the video tour is still worth checking out.
The Zurich office features slides, Beds and dancing poles amongst other things.
Check the video out below...
Posted by lisa | Comments (1)
Tags: google, google hq zurich
Music producing Svengali Timbaland ia about to make history by recording the first ever mobile only album. The artist/producer has teamed up with mobile network Verizon to launch their ""Mobile Producer in Residence" program where Timbaland will release a new song every month from March. The music will be solely availble to Verizon customers.
The plan is for Timbaland to collaborate with a new guest artist every month and all tracks will be recorded from the fully equipped Verizon Mobile recording studio bus.
As the bus stops in cities around the US, fans will be able to catch a glimpse of Timbaland's recording process by gaining exclusive access to the Bus itself.
Read what Timbaland has to say on the partnership here.
Posted by lisa | Comments (0)
Tags: verizon wireless, mobile music, timbaland
Terribly exciting times here in Return2Sender as we have just produced Ireland's (and the worlds?!) first made - for - mobile ad.
This really is a first the ad, which features "future Steve", brings us a message from the year 2030 to tell us that mobile media portals is the primary media for all communciations and that advertisers should get involved in this space to avoid missing out!
In conjunction with Lovely Productions, the ad was shot here in our Dublin office and it took a dedicated team (one of which felt warm in a golden suit) to produce it.
So the cool ad was shot and resized for mobile and can now be sent via MMS (yes it's that small at 280kb), without compromising quality or sound.
To be sent a mobile version of the clip freetext "VIDEO" to 50308 (ROI only) and we will send it back to your phone.
Not to go over the top here but it really is a first- the first time to see a video clip of such high quality not only playing on mobile but sent over MMS, the first time to have an advertisement filmed and edited specifically for mobile and the first time for us to make an Ad!!
Call us for further info - we just love talking about it!! Cocky much?!!
Posted by lisa | Comments (0)
Tags: r2s ad, mobile advertising, mobile ad, funny, future spoof
This viral is promote website Reevoo.com, where you can review all sorts of christmas presents before you buy!
Make sure you don't upset the kids etc.. this Christmas!;)
Posted by lisa | Comments (0)
No joke - Fast food giant McDonalds are now advertising to school kids and parents of selected schools in the US through academic report cards.
So that's how to really target the consumer?! And not at all controversial!
Posted by lisa | Comments (0)
A Gorilla giving Phil Collins a run for his money by drumming up a rendition of the 1981 classic "In the Air tonight" wouldn't be your conventional idea of what might sell chocolate bars. However, UK agency Fallon have (Yet Again) Challenged convention by creating a fantasic new ad featuring.. yep you guessed it.. a drumming gorilla! (If you haven't seen the ad yet click on the following link to view it here on the official web site. )
You may remember Fallon making - a - car - out - of - massive - cake project for Scoda? Yep well this time the advertiser is cadbury and the big idea is that each chocolate bar provides us all with a "moment of Joy" and we can relate this to the Gorilla as he psyches himself up for his big crescendo. As he has launches himself into his drum solo, so have you with your chocolate bar - this is the melt in your mouth moment.
Pure bliss or pure madness? Since the ad aired agencies, advertisers, consumers and now us have been positively raving about the ad online giving their 2 cents on the hidden meanings behind the kooky creative. Who knows why consumers love it so much but they definitely do as the ad has been viewed over 500,000 times on youtube and a select few have set up a facebook group dedicated to the Gorilla called.... We love the Cadbury's drumming Gorilla. The group already has 329 members.
The Gorilla in the ad is of course not a real, live animal but an actor called Garon Michael who has played the part of a gorilla in "Congo", "Instinct" and "Planet of the Apes".
The ad is part of Cadbury's new campaign to promote that their chocolate is a "glass and a half full" of milk and The good news is that this is the first in a run of "Glass and a half full" productions from the agency. So, we are likely to see more off beat advertising coming out for the campaign. On a Return 2 Sender note, we are facilitating the Irish leg of the campaign with a text to win on-pack promotion. The promotion features on all 8 Square cadbury chocolate bars and is running for a month and a half. To win a prize and a half ,every day and a half consumers text in the last 4 digits of their barcode to shortcode 53799. Prizes include a round the world trip and lonely planet guide book, a trip to the London Eye and a digital camera, overnight trip to the K Club and a Golf Bag. See packs in store for more details.
UPDATE: Just came across an official interview with Laurence Green one of the Fallon Partners. Check it out here.
Posted by lisa | Comments (0)
Sony Ericsson and 3 have teamed up with Paddy Casey to create the Paddy Casey W880i Walkman Phone. Paddy was in the 3 Store on Grafton street at lunchtime today to launch the phone and was introduced onto the 3 Stage by Tom Dunne, who as it happens also has his own channel, "The Hive", on the planet 3 portal.
In keeping with operator theme, the singer performed 3 tracks from his up coming album "Addicted to Company (part 1)". 3 Customers and passers by were in for a treat as Paddy belted out new songs - "Not out to get you", "You'll get by" and "Refugee". The phone features the new album and is on sale now in 3 stores nationwide.
Posted by lisa | Comments (0)
Tags: 3 ireland, paddy casey, cool launch