Consider the social potential of interactivity away from your screen. Y'know, in the real world. Life-sized.
If it's engaging enough, like this "Cultural Window" at La Vitrine in Montreal, you
just might have a viral experience in the making. If someone hasn't named it yet,
you heard it here first. (;-) It's interactivity on a human scale, talked about face-to-face, blogged about, photo-shared, podcasted, PR'ed, mobilized, tweeted, and tagged.
Is the idea of a viral video is starting to seem quaint, or is it just me?
Props to Moment Factory for developing the interactive system and content. And Photonic Dreams for creating the original video wall at La Vitrine.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tweet From The Street
First, let me say it's good to be back. Apologies to those of you who've been asking "what's up with the blog?" I've been ramping up my consulting engagements, which has been a distracting challenge that I've been digging in a big way. But, now that I've got that in order and chugging along, Buzzbean must get back up to speed as well. So, here we go...
Stweet. It's the street Tweet. The lovechild of a Google Street View and Twitter mashup. And it shows you where people are posting Tweets from...literally – the city and the street...with a view.
For example, I'm on my way to visit a friend's office. That friend can see where I'm Tweeting from, and give me visual directions...like"you're almost here...we're next to the Caribou Coffee..."
Stweet combines the coordinates from a mobile Twitter app like Twitterfon, with the location function turned on, with Google maps to provide a general location in Google Street View. The Tweet is a visual layer on top of the street view, and blammo – the visual Tweet.
The marketing potential of a tool like this is something to think about. Consider... Stweet a free concert, Stweet an in-store product giveaway or demo, Stweet a new store location. It's not perfect, because the map stuff is not real-time. But, providing a visual location along with a compelling event or happening, can add a sense of proximity and urgency. We won't know until someone tries it. And I'm sure you've got a few ideas off the top of your head just while reading this. (Let me know if you make it work!)
I think the most thought-provoking aspect of Stweet for me, is the convergence aspect. As marketers and users of interactive technology, we have to push ourselves to think of how each communication tool (digital and offline) can work together. When we think in terms of convergence we'll be creating marketing engagements that behave like the people we're trying to speak to – in motion, agnostic, and with a great premium on utility and experience.
Stweet you later.
Stweet. It's the street Tweet. The lovechild of a Google Street View and Twitter mashup. And it shows you where people are posting Tweets from...literally – the city and the street...with a view.
For example, I'm on my way to visit a friend's office. That friend can see where I'm Tweeting from, and give me visual directions...like"you're almost here...we're next to the Caribou Coffee..."
Stweet combines the coordinates from a mobile Twitter app like Twitterfon, with the location function turned on, with Google maps to provide a general location in Google Street View. The Tweet is a visual layer on top of the street view, and blammo – the visual Tweet.
The marketing potential of a tool like this is something to think about. Consider... Stweet a free concert, Stweet an in-store product giveaway or demo, Stweet a new store location. It's not perfect, because the map stuff is not real-time. But, providing a visual location along with a compelling event or happening, can add a sense of proximity and urgency. We won't know until someone tries it. And I'm sure you've got a few ideas off the top of your head just while reading this. (Let me know if you make it work!)
I think the most thought-provoking aspect of Stweet for me, is the convergence aspect. As marketers and users of interactive technology, we have to push ourselves to think of how each communication tool (digital and offline) can work together. When we think in terms of convergence we'll be creating marketing engagements that behave like the people we're trying to speak to – in motion, agnostic, and with a great premium on utility and experience.
Stweet you later.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Success By Design
It's often said that you're only as good as your clients. So, how do you do awesome work if you don't have brave brands like Nike, Apple or Coke to light the fires of inspiration and stoke your enthusiasm with big budge and a legacy of marketing greatness?
Change your perspective, radically.
Look beyond what is "known" about your client's brand. Look beyond the brand history (know it, but look past it). Approach the assignment as if the brand has all the potential in the world to be remarkable to people. David Ogilvy famously said, "stagnation [is] our death knell...". That statement is truer now than it was in the sharkskin suit and skinny tie days when he said it.
I say break the mold. Every time. Try to see the brand, the product or service, and the customer in a new, fresh, brutally honest way every time you're engaged with a new problem to solve. Aim to create a sensation as your first objective, or get comfortable being told "we're going in a different direction" by your soon–to–be–ex clients on a regular basis.
Consumers, users, buyers, targets...people, whatever you want to call the spenders that ultimately make your client's brand famous, are expecting the unexpected. People know crap. And they forget it or ridicule it like a bad joke. But if you can somehow manage to surprise the public, you're on your way to creating the next BK, Apple, Coke or whatever you deem an awesome brand.
It's a matter of having faith in the power of creativity and design to drive the business end of brands. In effect, you have the power to design your own success by pushing yourself and your team to honestly pursue something great rather than something that's just good.
Check out this brilliant, provocative talk by iconoclastic designer Jacek Utko who is single–handedly breathing life and profitability into what may be the most anemic product today – the daily newspaper. His creative approach to design is transforming not only the user's experience, but is also managing to increase sales by double, and even triple digits.
When all is said and done, creativity and design continue to gain momentum as potentially the most powerful marketing tools available to any CMO.
If you believe in your talent, you don't need a legendary client to do awesome work, you just need an awesome outlook.
Change your perspective, radically.
Look beyond what is "known" about your client's brand. Look beyond the brand history (know it, but look past it). Approach the assignment as if the brand has all the potential in the world to be remarkable to people. David Ogilvy famously said, "stagnation [is] our death knell...". That statement is truer now than it was in the sharkskin suit and skinny tie days when he said it.
I say break the mold. Every time. Try to see the brand, the product or service, and the customer in a new, fresh, brutally honest way every time you're engaged with a new problem to solve. Aim to create a sensation as your first objective, or get comfortable being told "we're going in a different direction" by your soon–to–be–ex clients on a regular basis.
Consumers, users, buyers, targets...people, whatever you want to call the spenders that ultimately make your client's brand famous, are expecting the unexpected. People know crap. And they forget it or ridicule it like a bad joke. But if you can somehow manage to surprise the public, you're on your way to creating the next BK, Apple, Coke or whatever you deem an awesome brand.
It's a matter of having faith in the power of creativity and design to drive the business end of brands. In effect, you have the power to design your own success by pushing yourself and your team to honestly pursue something great rather than something that's just good.
Check out this brilliant, provocative talk by iconoclastic designer Jacek Utko who is single–handedly breathing life and profitability into what may be the most anemic product today – the daily newspaper. His creative approach to design is transforming not only the user's experience, but is also managing to increase sales by double, and even triple digits.
When all is said and done, creativity and design continue to gain momentum as potentially the most powerful marketing tools available to any CMO.
If you believe in your talent, you don't need a legendary client to do awesome work, you just need an awesome outlook.
Monday, April 6, 2009
20-20-20 Vision
A recent Ad Age article written by Alex Bogusky trumpets the critical and undeniable role "small shops" are playing and will continue to play in the future of the economy and our industry. The "agency" model is morphing and reshaping itself faster than a six–legged powerplant cooling pond frog. And it's a good thing. A forced evolution if you will. And not just for the sake of those upstarts and budding iconoclasts gunning for a piece of the big boys, but because there is truly a fresh focus on the value of the idea within client offices as well as inside agency brainstorms.
This new small breed of creative solutions provider isn't charging for hours, or blended rates, or any other commodity metric. They're charging for the value of the idea. It's been called a "20-20-20" fee structure. And it's pretty cool...not to mention smart. Clients get three broad directions for $20k, specific executions across all relevant media for another $20k, and a 20% commission on production. Win-win, folks. Although I'd take it one step further and incorporate a commission for success metrics (purchases online, traffic, sales within the time of the campaign launch. Twitter mentions and searches...etc.)
Many clients of these upstart small shops are getting more comfortable and much more savvy about buying ideas and not agency infrastructures. And the question, "What's the solution?" is becomming CMO parlance for "what's the idea?" Everyone's finally getting smart about what's at stake here. Whether you're in a big shop or small.
Be careful what you wish for, my creative compatriots, the spotlight and the bottom line, is yours now more than ever.
This new small breed of creative solutions provider isn't charging for hours, or blended rates, or any other commodity metric. They're charging for the value of the idea. It's been called a "20-20-20" fee structure. And it's pretty cool...not to mention smart. Clients get three broad directions for $20k, specific executions across all relevant media for another $20k, and a 20% commission on production. Win-win, folks. Although I'd take it one step further and incorporate a commission for success metrics (purchases online, traffic, sales within the time of the campaign launch. Twitter mentions and searches...etc.)
Many clients of these upstart small shops are getting more comfortable and much more savvy about buying ideas and not agency infrastructures. And the question, "What's the solution?" is becomming CMO parlance for "what's the idea?" Everyone's finally getting smart about what's at stake here. Whether you're in a big shop or small.
Be careful what you wish for, my creative compatriots, the spotlight and the bottom line, is yours now more than ever.
Friday, February 13, 2009
What's The Big Idea?
Big ideas don't start big. They start small. Fine. Focused and thoughtful. Big ideas grow from little insights and keen observation of human behavior, habits and needs. For example, the creators of Twitter observed that it's human nature for people to wonder and ask friends and family, "What are you doing?" Nike and Apple partnered and capitalized on the insight that runners feed off of the support of other runners. The result was Nike+, the ultimate runner's coach, community and support group rolled into one. Think deeply about the quirky interests, small gestures and personal behaviors of the person you want to resonate with, vibe with, connect with. That personal knowledge of the consumer is power. Work with your entire team to look for the little things. And when you find one that makes you feel like someone just told you a secret, you're on to something. Build your ideas around that secret and watch that little idea grow up, in a big way.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Drawing The Line
I recently had lunch with a longtime friend and fellow creative director, and as we were seated I placed my iPhone on the table as is custom these days. Then, much to my surprise, my buddy unpocketed a Blackberry and placed it on the table. There was an uncomfortable moment of silence. "What's with the crackberry?"
This guy's a Mac nut. Now he's sporting the icon of PC mobile devices? It just didn't add up. Did he transfer to the accounting department? I couldn't make it make sense. My buddy just grinned and said, "it's for work". Now, given that "it's for work" was my rock-solid rationalization for getting the pricey iPhone, I was dumbfounded.
My friend went on to explain that he got the Blackberry so that he could make it his only point of contact with his agency and work life during the week, while turning it (and work) off on weekends. Which left his iPhone as his mobile device for personal use on weekends and all other personal time. No work email. No work calls. He drew the line. And he bought himself not just another tech device, but freedom to think and refocus. The freedom to engage in life, family and friends without the constant distraction of The Job of being creative.
I'm not suggesting that you need two phones to pull free from the routine and process of work. But it is important for anyone who makes their living with ideas to occasionally turn off work and give yourself the freedom to be a part of the world you're so often tasked with influencing, understanding and engaging. So, draw the line. And live a little.
This guy's a Mac nut. Now he's sporting the icon of PC mobile devices? It just didn't add up. Did he transfer to the accounting department? I couldn't make it make sense. My buddy just grinned and said, "it's for work". Now, given that "it's for work" was my rock-solid rationalization for getting the pricey iPhone, I was dumbfounded.
My friend went on to explain that he got the Blackberry so that he could make it his only point of contact with his agency and work life during the week, while turning it (and work) off on weekends. Which left his iPhone as his mobile device for personal use on weekends and all other personal time. No work email. No work calls. He drew the line. And he bought himself not just another tech device, but freedom to think and refocus. The freedom to engage in life, family and friends without the constant distraction of The Job of being creative.
I'm not suggesting that you need two phones to pull free from the routine and process of work. But it is important for anyone who makes their living with ideas to occasionally turn off work and give yourself the freedom to be a part of the world you're so often tasked with influencing, understanding and engaging. So, draw the line. And live a little.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Words Of Creative Wisdom
“A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.”
- Frank Capra
“For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.”
- Steven Wright
“It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.”
- Albert Einstein
“Technical skill is mastery of complexity while creativity is mastery of simplicity.”
- E. Christopher Zeeman
"Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today."
- Abraham Lincoln
“Get a good idea and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it's done right.”
- Walt Disney
“I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones.”
- John Cage
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