John Smith's Grand National On-Trade Activation

What fun we had in our Grand National Sweepstake (or Seb's Stake in Wax World of course). So easy - pick a nag out of the hat and job done, that's your horse. 

But when it came to the day itself and you wanted to have a little flutter, not so easy was it?? What do I know about form? I've never heard of any of the jockies – Lester Piggot? Is he still around? Plumping for the one with the best name always seems the best option.

This is where promotional marketing comes into its own – using insight into my experience (which will be true of millions of other once-a-year punters in the UK) John Smith's developed the 'Puntometer' to activate the brand as part of its sponsorship of the Grand National. A genius creative idea (the genius as ever is in its simplicity), the 'Puntometer'  is a beer mat that becomes a spinning top to stop beer drinkers wasting good drinking time agonising over their selection and chooses their horse to back for them. Promotional kits were distributed to 8,000 pubs.

The Puntometer idea was also activated at Aintree itself, with an experiential team wearing back-packs with a giant version of the Puntometer to enable attendees to spin the wheel and choose their horse. I don't know if Nicky Campbell was involved. 

Space have been working on the John Smith's brand for ages so I'm guessing that it's a constant challenge from the client to maintain the high levels of creativity in the activation campaigns they develop to support the brand. This one is a winner – I hope it worked for them. Round of applause.

Next year they must do something involving daschunds….

Matt

http://www.thedrum.com/news/2013/04/03/john-smiths-promotion-targets-pub-goers-help-choose-grand-national-horse

'So, what do you do for a living then?'

If you're anything like me (and if you are, you have my utmost respect and sympathy in equal measure), whenever you're asked this question you'll assess the audience before formulating an answer.

How much do they know about the mad world of marketing communications? Everything? A bit? Nothing? The outcome of this assessment, which probably takes a fraction of a second, will have a critical bearing on how the question is answered. 

They know everything

I run a promotional activation agency – we 'activate people' - get them to DO something, to try or to buy a product or service – for big blue-chip companies like McVitie's, Nestle, Batchelor's and Currys PC World.   

They know a bit

I run a marketing agency – we focus on getting people to DO stuff - to try or to buy a product or service – for big blue-chip companies like McVitie's, Nestle, Batchelor's and Currys PC World.   

They know nothing

I work in advertising.

This last invariably prompts a response around which is their favourite (and more often least favourite) TV ad 'of all time'. Guinness 'Surfer' comes up a lot. The gorilla – 'what was that all about??' they say. Michael Winner and e-Sure. Shake 'n' Vac (accompanied by song and dance).

They I get asked about my favourite ad. And I tell them about this one because it's the best and in my view hasn't been bettered:

A simple product truth brought to life in a dramatic, compelling and memorable way.

Add, 'that prompts an action' and that's what we all do for a living. 

Matt

Heineken Ignite

Described as "an interactive bottle to re-invent your night out". ‘Heineken Ignite’ bottles have inbuilt LEDs that light up when clinked, sipped and even when music is played.

More info via PSFK here

Singing Ribbons

Matthew Maxwell is digital creative director at Sponge Marketing. He enjoys painting, but his expertise is in mobile marketing.

He’s combined his love of painting and technology to create art that can sing - inspired from the way QR codes are read and image recognition from the likes of Blippar to bring moving image or sound to life.

Download his app, Singing Ribbons and point it at one of his paintings to hear the music come to life. Susan Parkes, the Soprano singer, sings the notes.

Link to the full article: http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/exhibitions/meet-the-man-whose-app-can-make-art-sing-matthew-maxwell-8585673.html

Also check out matthewmaxwell.com

Message in a bottle

The new way to start a chat with someone in a bar! Really like this idea of attaching messages to a bottle…

Google Glass

http://www.google.com/glass/start/

Really interesting to think how a consumer might interact with products / experiences while wearing google glass.

Allot more information from recent SXSW if you find this interesting!!!

http://mashable.com/2013/04/04/glass-sxsw-demo/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedburner&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+(Mashable)

Thanks

James

Perrier Secret Place

Sparkling water company Perrier has put together an elaborate marketing campaign that puts you inside a wild online fantasy world, allowing you to fill the shoes of tipsy partygoers and elite socialites.

As a part of an effort to grow its digital strategy and build up a younger audience, the company rolled out on Tuesday an online gaming experience — available for desktop, iPhone and Android — that encourages players to hunt for a hidden bottle of Perrier inside the virtual world. Once you find it, you can enter to win a trip to one of the biggest party cities in the world, from Ibiza to Rio.

Although gamification is nothing new, Perrier's Secret Place (Perriersecretplace.com) is unique. The website starts with a quick video that takes you through a Parisian laundromat, which reveals a club in the back. By clicking any of the 60 guests at the party — from bartenders to ladies in the back playing chess — you see everything from their perspective.

Similar to the experimental Off-Broadway show Sleep No More, you follow characters from room to room to discover new clues and, ultimately, get closer to finding the Perrier bottle.

The experience is a bit overwhelming from the user standpoint, and you're not entirely sure what you're looking for (there are random Perrier bottles placed about the room, but yet you're on a quest to find a "secret" one). Even still, there is something captivating and intriguing about the game.

First, its intricacies are worth noting. With many scripted scenarios and choreographed scenes, you almost forget you're looking for something. The people are fascinating to watch, and it's fun to become a roller girl gliding about a party, while sitting in the confines of your desk.

In total, more than an hour of film footage (with the help of agency Ogilvy & Mather in Paris) went into the development of the website, and as you jump from person to person, it seems like you're always uncovering new events.

But finding that bottle is no easy task. In fact, the company says only the most experienced gamers will be able to do so. Although it's a bit time consuming, it's so easy to spend a good 30 minutes just playing around on the site, chasing around characters holding (non-secret) Perrier bottles as they meet and greet friends. And then you scratch your head wondering why you've just let yourself get so sucked in (and you still haven't found that bottle to enter the sweepstakes).

"With each visit to Secret Place, guests can discover more clues to find the secret Perrier bottle that unlocks your ticket into that sweepstakes, so we would certainly like to see people come back multiple times, and share with their friends via social," Gauthier Gay, group marketing manager at Perrier, told Mashable.

Although this is a lot of fanfare to bring attention to a sweepstakes (without even a new product), it's the latest effort from the company to lure users into the "experience" of Perrier, instead of just pushing out content.

"The Perrier target consumer is young, edgy, highly digital, and loves to socialize –- and these are exactly the people who will be attracted to Secret Place," Gay said. "And with digital and social playing an increasing role in these consumers' lives, we're maximizing these assets with Secret Place to enhance the experience."

Source: Mashable 2013