I have to say I'm a sucker for independent films, black & white, polish accents, vodka and storytales. Needless to say, this online micro-site for Wyborowa vodka struck my chord. There is no V in Wodkais agency Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam's way of carrying the message that Wyborowa Wodka is *the* original, the one and only "Voice of Poland" (I'd remove the "o" in voice).
The experience takes you through many creative vignettes exploring the notion of "the unexistence of the W" in Wodka. If you can stand the long loading times (and I have high-speed internet), you're in for an original world which does a great job at positionning the brand and establishing the "Wyborowa" universe.
I only wish I could also have a glance at the rest of the campaign elements that accompany this online effort. I like to see how campaigns are integrated, and also how the experience translates in the point of purchase. Most likely, this one will translate like this: "Vonderful Sales of Wodka, Dahling".
Stella Artois is history. History in its making, and also history in the making. Pretty much the same can be said about their commercials, which never fail to communicate emotion and then instantly pinch you with a subtle bit of humor.
And now, this. This, my friends, is the best advertising/web experience that could ever be produced for Stella Artois. It sticks to brand personality like a baby to a teat, or a man and his beer. It is called "Le Défi" (french for ze challenge). And it's from Canada! Yay.
What it is: Stella Artois once again draws the consumer within a strange universe, this time on the worldwide web.
You - and a friend whom you might challenge - will have to unravel the secrets behind a mechanical contraption, some sort of gauntlet. There are many challenges to take part in, all of which require quick thinking - as time of the essence. To the victor, a chalice of Stella Artois, paid by the loser. Of course its all a tacit bet, but still an interesting one. The whole ensemble is well narrated by a mysterious voice, and the overall "steam era" look and feel is quite a success.
The whole campaign was devised by Stella's Canadian agency Lowe Roche Toronto, whom haven't feared to put top dollar for their accompanying ambient outdoor media (thanks to Glossy for the pictures):
This is the kind of experience that should be lesson 101 in contemporary branding for announcers. Create a plausible universe for a brand, and bring the consumer to experience it. Nothing new, of course. I just don't see it applied everywhere so effectively. This is just stunning, and certainly generates a lot of word of mouth. (Thanks, Glossy!)
I had never seen nor heard about the Sony Mylo(Mylo stands for Mylife Online) digital companion until I saw a recent Rush Mylo ad, downloaded from an RSS feed on my PSP.
Just a bit about the product itself: The Sony Mylois a digital tool that's basically a portable broadband communicator. You can use it to surf the internet, check your emails, IM/chat, make voice calls over the internet, listen to music, check out videos and more. No wires needed - you just get connected through a WiFi spot, and get going. I thought there was an integrated camera in there, but apparently, none yet. Pfff. I don't know why people would get this instead of aSony PSP, which has tons more features, and is about the same price.
Nevertheless, they have this cool new campaign called "Rush Mylo", obviously targeting the golden demographic, youth 18-25. The campaigns mostly feature viral movies about "thumb students" living crazy episodes depiciting college life. You'll find most of these on YouTube, but here are a few anyway.
Among campaign elements, the RUSH MYLO WEBSITEfeaturing an interactive campus on which you can go about, and discover the life of a Thumb Student, and of course many of the Mylo features.
A MOST TRIPPY CAMPAIGN! I love it. Original and complete, noteworthy, talkworthy, with actual movies you can download and view on your Mylo or PSP. Great work from McKinney + Silver, in North Carolina.
Microsoft is once again acting like a millionaire's spoiled kid. When they can't have the lead in a particular category, they pout, and they want something BIGGER and BETTER to replace the competition. These days, they're screaming: "I WANT MY YOUTUBE TOO!".
Now, now, Mickey. Big daddy Gates is going to shell out the money, and you will soon be one happy little megacorporation with its new online video community software called SoapBox.
SoapBox will be part of the MSN line of products, replacing the once popular MSN Video (before Yahoo, YouTube and friends came and rained on its parade). Unlike MSN Video, Soapbox will be available for various browsers, including Apple's Safari and FireFox.
With SoapBox, you will be able to:
- Upload videos in almost any format-like from your video or digital camera (maximum file size is currently 100MB); - Tag and categorize your videos to make it easy for other people to find them; - Watch original videos and browse for new ones at the same time; - Set up your own personal RSS feeds for videos you're interested in; - Use your Windows Live Spaces profile with Soapbox on MSN Video; - Embed a video on your Web site or blog.
Check out the SoapBox front page here. While the site is still in beta testing, you can request an invitation. The very fruity video they're showing doesn't even play right on my Windows Media Player.
Wow Microsoft! Once again a day late and a dollar short. Bravo! What's next? Microsoft Yellow Pages? Microsoft Star Wars XP? Microsoften Dazs Cookie Dough Ice Cream?
Why don't you think of a good idea, and make it right the first time, Bill?
Admit it: you missed me posting these little video games. Try this wonderful Flash version of the original Super Mario Bros., complete with the little music that will probably play too loud on your speakers - instantly alerting any authority/cute girls at your office, which will probably come running and take down (or participate in) your procrastination/marketing research/creative inspiration.
Daily Color Scheme proposes just what the title says: A Daily Color Scheme. You can bookmark the scheme, and also consult the past scheme archive. This might seem unoriginal to most, but to me, it's not. That's how I stay krispy.
Telus wireless opened its first virtual boutique inside the popular "Second Life" world, last week. Second Life inhabitants can now visit the shop (which looks and feels like an actual Telus shop, retaining all the brand's personality) and get virtual cellphones with special features for their characters.
I've visited the shop in SL and it's quite a nice piece of architecture, featuring a wide, colourful area inside, some cellphones on display, and a veranda on the side with a virtual espresso machine (!). While I'm not sure virtual espressos taste like the real thing, they sure do the Telus brand some good.
I'm a freelancer and free thinker in the field of marketing and communications, trying to continually expand the known universe in my little mind -- and yours.
