Media cos work to stay ahead of online consumers

By Gina Keating

Apr 26, 2006 - Reuters

Big media companies must keep finding ways to reach on-the-go users and make money doing it to stay relevant in an online marketplace that values convenience and novelty, the leaders of three of the largest U.S. media and tech companies said on Wednesday.

In a wide-ranging discussion on tech trends at the Milken Institute's 9th Annual Global Conference, Walt Disney Co.Chief Executive Robert Iger, News Corp Inc.President and Chief Operating Officer Peter Chernin and AOL Chairman and Chief Executive Jonathan Miller agreed; standing still while users find ways -- legal or not -- to obtain the content they want is not an option.

"I think anyone who loses is anyone who tries to protect their traditional business. I think you've got a bad 10-15 years ahead of you if you try to do that," Chernin told conference-goers.

"What's both exciting and frightening is the pent-up demand for video products," Chernin said. "We did a survey and more than 90 percent of (users') favorite material on (video sharing site) YouTube.com is copyrighted material (from studios)."

Iger noted that consumers' appetite for user-generated content like ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos," which debuted while he was running the network more than a decade ago, has only grown.

Chernin said there was no longer a "first mover advantage" to finding an online distribution business model that works.

"I think the best possible thing is all the experiments that are going on," Chernin said. "I would be thrilled if Bob (Iger) stumbles on the right economic formula before I do because I'll turn around and steal it from him and vice versa."

Sony Ericsson launches music ‘Mobizine’

27-04-2006 - NetImperative

The ‘Mobizine’, entitled Soundtrack to Your Life, has regularly updated music editorial content such as news, reviews, gossip and interviews.

The Mobizine is made up of 4 sections Latest, Gig Previews, Club Previews and This Week’s Top Ten with 5 stories in each.

At the bottom of each story a user will find links to other stories, downloadable content or other relevant merchandising. All items will be accompanied by an image.

It has been published to promote the launch of the new Sony Ericsson W810i Walkman phone.

The mobizine, allows Sony Ericsson to showcase the multimedia features of its new phone by targeting contextual mobile adverts to music fans.

It follows Sony Ericsson’s co-sponsorship of the Glastonbury The Film tour, which showcased Julien Temple’s film throughout the UK.

The Mobizine costs between 3 and 10p depending on network, and was created in partnership with global planning and implementation agency MediaEdge:cia and content will be created daily by digital and mobile communications agency Que Pasa.

Mobizines operate on Symbian (using Macromedia Flash Lite technology) and Java-based mobile handsets. Each handset can store multiple Mobizines, and some handsets can store up to 50 individual Mobizines.

Developed by Refresh Mobile, Mobizines let consumers receive mini versions of branded content on their mobile. There are 17 titles live including traditional publishing brands such as Conde Nast, BBC and Time Out.

Details of how to download the mobizine to your phone - both in the UK and abroad are on our blog; http://simonandrews.typepad.com/big_picture/2006/04/sony_ericsson_m.html

Commercial-Free Premiere Episode Presented by Dodge and Quiznos

April 27, 2006 - Yahoo Finance

Turner Entertainment Ad Sales and Marketing announced today the multi-platform client partnerships around TNT's original drama series SAVED which includes Dodge and Quiznos as sponsors for the uninterrupted, commercial-free premiere episode. Both AOL and Dodge will also extend their messaging throughout the season to include product integration within the show's storyline. Earlier this month, the commercial- free premiere episode was announced at the TNT and TBS Upfront presentation. SAVED is set to air on TNT Mondays at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) beginning June 12.

"By combining the brand strength, the reach of our network and key strategic partnerships, Turner has developed an exciting messaging platform around the series SAVED," said Linda Yaccarino, executive vice president of Turner Entertainment Ad Sales and Marketing. "All three brands will reach consumers nationwide through their customized sponsorships which includes AOL product integration and exclusivity in an uncluttered environment for Dodge and Quiznos during the season. These key sponsorships are good examples of our branded networks teaming with our clients to offer a unique viewing experience on air and online, while integrating our sponsors with high profile content."

Dodge and Quiznos will both gain exposure for their brands through TNT marketing efforts surrounding the commercial-free premiere episode for SAVED. This includes on-air premiere tune-ins, tnt.tv exposure and national print campaign materials supporting the original series.

"Whether we're talking cars, trucks, minivans or commercial vehicles, Dodge is bold, powerful, capable and street smart," said Mark Spencer, Dodge Marketing. "In every single segment in which Dodge competes, our vehicles are edgy, in-your-face and loaded with affordable performance. Our strategic partnership with the TNT original drama series SAVED provides us with an excellent opportunity to communicate these product attributes."

"Quiznos is all about providing consumers with a unique and better eating experience," said Scott Lippitt, senior vice president of marketing for Quiznos. "This program offers a unique and better viewing experience for consumers, and therefore is the perfect association for our brand."

"Our integration with both Saved and The Closer -- an established hit -- allows us to tap into new audiences and broaden our reach in a unique way," said Richard Taylor, senior vice president of brand marketing for AOL. "We can showcase the value of AOL within the actual storyline, making it relevant to the characters' lives."

Fox, Fuel Industries and Capcom announce "American Dad vs. Family Guy Kung Fu" flash game

Apr 28, 2006 - GamingAge

After avenging his master’s death and defeating Akuma, Ryu faces his biggest challenge to date: an infant hell-bent on world domination. To promote the release of Fox Home Entertainment’s American Dad Volume One DVD Collection on April 25, Fuel Industries partnered with Capcom Entertainment to create American Dad vs. Family Guy Kung Fu, a Street Fighter-style game that pits the characters of both shows against each other in no-holds barred battles. In order to win, you must prove you’re kung fu worthy by facing off against the ultimate boss – Ryu.

A truly transmedia campaign, American Dad vs. Family Guy Kung Fu brings together gaming, television and the Web seamlessly. From Roger’s girlish outfit to Peter’s vomiting finishing move, the game incorporates the twisted humor that has made both shows famous.

Fuel and Fox intend to expand the game in the coming months to add new characters, special moves and easter eggs to the game.

“The game is a lot of fun, and we want people to keep coming back to it,” says Burns. “It’s exactly what an advergame campaign should be – fun, addictive, and what the fans want to see.”

Fans can play the game at http://www.americandadvsfamilyguy.com/.

Guldtaggen: this years best web ad

April 22, 2006 - AdLand

Norways "guldtaggen" (the golden tag - geddit?) has been awarded and among the winners were Toyota Norway who together with the agency Media.com did their own live version of subservient chicken. Except in this case it was a subservient Toyota RAV4 Driver.

Viewers sent in their request to check how the car performed, many asked for dangerous stunts and pedestrian things like paralell parking, and someone even asked them to stick a pram in the back - all which the driver did as soon as the SMS request reached him and it played live on the site. Later they rounded up the best and nuttiest things done and sorted them into a replay archive.

Kuma Advergames with DinoHunters

04/25/06 - TheGameFeed

It’s been said that advertising is a necessary evil to bring consumers free TV-programming (i.e. great network shows such as ‘Lost’ on ABC, or ‘Veronica Mars’ on UPN are interspersed with ads and commercials). But can advertising of this sort find a market in videogames? Kuma Reality Games attempts to answer that very question as they’ve announced a high-profile free release for the PC entitled DinoHunters. The game, which uses Half-Life 2’s impressive graphics engine, will be an online FPS featuring a much-lauded comedy script from former Maxim Magazine editor-in-chief Keith Blanchard. The game is being labeled the first ever ‘advergame’ title by Kuma.

“DinoHunters is an innovative online gaming series that combines intense first-person shooter action with the comedic storytelling sense of a first-rate television show,” says Keith Halper, CEO of Kuma Reality Games.

Previous games have attempted to merge the film industry with videogaming (ala the ‘cinematic’ RPGs from Square such as ‘Parasite Eve,’ containing about as much CG cutscene content as actual gameplay). Kuma’s DinoHunters, on the other hand, signals the growing trend of small-screen format sit-coms being combined with interactive gaming. If gamers are receptive to the free-with-advertising model of ‘advergaming,’ expect a new market niche to be born in the American gaming industry. Also, expect jaded TV sponsors to pop up and support the new brand of advertising, as TiVo and similar ‘commercial-skipping’ digital video software has left a lot of companies that rely on TV-advertising out in the cold.

“Kuma’s ability to marry quality gameplay with engaging storylines, while maintaining focus on the brand’s communication objectives enabled us to make it a centerpiece of the Schick Quattro campaign strategy,“ said Alex Kakoyiannis whose company Navigame worked with Carat Fusion to develop Schick’s overall integrated game strategy for DinoHunters. “Kuma’s episodic model also allows the brand to continue its relationship with gamers for an indefinite amount of time, which cannot be achieved with other advergames because they are not created with a serial approach.”

Kuma Reality Games’ DinoHunters is available now for the PC. Future episodes of DinoHunters are scheduled to premiere on the fictional Total Hunting Channel each month and are available for download at http://www.thedinohunters.com/.

Range Rover Sport goes virtual

05/2005 - Autocar

Can't afford a Range Rover Sport? Well now you can test drive a virtual version on your mobile phone. In partnership with Blue Sphere Games Ltd, Land Rover has launched Range Rover Sport Tourer, a downloadable game for mobile phones.

The game allows mobile users to take a supercharged Sport on a virtual world tour, passing landmarks such as the Great Wall of China and Mount Rushmore. Essentially the game is a simple race against the clock, with additional points awarded for taking photographs en route. Charges vary according to network.

O que vc quer é 1 ringtone gratis? Aponte o telefone para o cartaz

Walmore Not

25/04/2006 - BlueBus

Em Toronto, no Canadá, um poster promove o musical Lord of the Rings no Teatro Princess of Wales. Oferece a quem passa a oportunidade de obter um ringtone do tema da peça via bluetooth ou infra-red com o telefone apontado para o cartaz abaixo.

A Billboard In Your Pocket
Cell phones and iPods may be the next frontier for product placement

Apr 24,2006 - BusinessWeek

The current vogue is for advertisers to lunge toward audiences wherever they gather, be it myspace.com or msn.com's home page. But this notion is so 2005, says a small but influential coterie of producers and executives who integrate brands into movies and TV shows. To them, the real next thing is something that barely exists: Video on mobile devices and cell phones.

If they have their way, brands and products will be woven into mobile programming to an even greater degree than they have already invaded movies and TV. The cell phone and video iPod, they insist, are the next frontiers for what they like to call branded entertainment.

BUT THIS UNCERTAINTY, and getting in on the ground floor of a new media form, is what excites these producers and dealmakers. The terrain is wide open, unlike with TV, where branded entertainment advocates contend with long-established business models. Mobile-minded executives harbor hopes that they may be allowed to write some rules of engagement for this platform -- which will grow up without the public service demands placed on TV in its early days. "Unlike television, where [networks] funded the content, and owned and exploited it, here the distributors aren't funding the content," says Ben Silverman, founder of independent production company Reveille LLC and executive producer of NBC's The Office. In mobile, there may be no middleman between programmer and advertiser.

Strange as it sounds, product placement on TV has matured. After years of brand-friendly hits from Extreme Home Makeover to American Idol, executives no longer fret about viewers rejecting ads embedded into shows. Now such broadcast-TV deals come with big price tags. It can cost $4 million to get a brand on The Apprentice. And big network deals often require substantial ad-buy commitments on top of product placement fees. "Sooner or later, we will find out how much the corporate world can sustain the kind of pricing the networks are putting out there," says Patti Ganguzza, President of AIM Productions, which does product placement deals for Unilever and Wendy's.

That such ads would be cheaper on mobile platforms is but one draw. Mobile is also a more malleable technology. On mobile platforms, advertisers "can change the user interface," says Daniel West, marketing vice-president at mobile programmer Nellymoser, and even insert animations or other graphics into the programs themselves. On cell phones, "any frame could be the start of an interaction" with an advertiser outside the confines of the programming itself, says Mark DiMassimo, CEO of DiMassimo Brand Advertising. (As in: click here.) There's also the ubiquity of cellular, with 225.4 million users projected for yearend by research outfit eMarketer, and the way these devices are treasured by hard-to-reach young consumers.

So where are the deals? Good question. West says Nellymoser has pacts "locked up" with major brands, but nothing that can be disclosed yet. Presumably those might show how brands and shows will intersect in this space. But even cheerleaders suggest it will be months before the deals truly start happening. Given consumer behavior and the newness of the terrain, that time frame may be -- how to word this politely? -- completely nuts. But should the medium take off, their broader predictions will too. If there's one takeaway from the recent history of American media, it's this: Those who have bet against ads worming their way into content in ever-more flagrant ways haven't won many wagers.

Automakers play to strengths of video games

By GRANT W. REPSHER

04/21/06 - AutoWeek

Automakers are using the latest online technology to create video games aimed at boosting awareness and capturing sales leads. Young men are the primary targets.

"It's not enough anymore to just proclaim your brand and product," says Laurent R.O. Stanevich, senior vice president of digital marketing at Wunderman Detroit. The marketing communications company creates branded video games for Mercury."

You have to offer entertainment value to the people you want to reach," Stanevich told Automotive News. "Games are a very effective way to clearly communicate detailed information, like product features or a more complex, nuanced message."

Wunderman Detroit created "Milan Traps," a game featuring the Mercury Milan that the automaker placed on its Web site, http://www.mercuryvehicles.com/milanworld/. The game encourages players to "protect" their Milan sedans by setting traps for those who come near them. Mercury ties the game to TV, print and online media promotions.

Stanevich says his company and Mercury designed the game to appeal to young men. According to a study conducted last year by 1Up Network, an online game-marketing company, the average age of video-game players is 23. Three out of five every gamers are male, the study says.

Mootube launches

April 21, 2006 - AdLand

In conjunction with PBS, we've (Peel) created MooTube, a look at the daily life of cows, from the cow's eye view.

We rigged up a wireless camera setup, found a bunch of ranches to record on, and off it goes! All this as a viral promotion for Texas Ranch House, PBS's upcoming old west reality show. It's been fun.

eBay Makes Bid For Reality TV, Prime-Time Show Will Air On ABC

by David Goetzl

Apr 19, 2006 - MediaDailyNews

INTERNET AUCTION GIANT EBAY IS entering television production as a partner in a new ABC reality show where its brand will play a central role. The show, with the working title "Make It Happen," will focus on families who have inspiring dreams but lack the financial means to make them happen. The families will be given the chance to place their "hidden treasures"--collectibles, memorabilia, artifacts, and other items--up for bid on eBay, where the proceeds will turn their dreams into reality.

The show is expected to air this summer with two episodes per week: a Monday night show to introduce the families and their dreams, followed by a Friday show with a live culmination of the bidding on eBay for the families' items. In between will be five days of public bidding on eBay.

The show is expected to serve as a marketing vehicle for eBay through brand integration in the content, the show's role in driving traffic to its site, and favorable PR as eBay plays a role in helping endearing families fulfill their wishes.

The show is a joint venture between eBay, ABC, and Madison Road Entertainment, the branded entertainment agency that brought the other two parties together. The trio has joined under the Plays Well Productions banner to produce the program.

The deal is the latest example of an emerging trend in which advertisers play a role in entertainment production as a way to integrate brands into the content with a favorable spin.

"Make It Happen" also dovetails with ABC's preference for reality programs that focus on wish fulfillment. Still, it's clear the network wants the show to be distinct from its hit "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and predecessor "Extreme Makeover." Casting information seeks families with "fun and attainable" dreams--including reunions with long-lost loved ones, scholarships, and saving factories from closing--but requests "no home or personal makeovers and no surgeries."

In order to boost a family's chance of making its dreams come true, producers are expected to seek product tie-ins, for which companies would donate items to be placed up for bid to help the family raise money. For example, a family seeking to revamp a Little League baseball field might benefit from items donated by Major League Baseball that could be placed up for bid.

Woman, will you survive the World Cup?

April 19, 2006 - Adverblog

In The Netherlands travel site EasyCamp has launched an online competition to target "Oranje Vrouwen" (Orange Ladies, aka the wives of Holland's football team supporters). The World Cup "survial quiz" challenges women to find out whether they will survive or succumb to their husbands during Germany 2006. Women are asked a series of football related questions, and for each answer they provide they can "preview" the reaction of their men.

Bet You Can't TiVo Past This
Companies aren't just pitching their wares on shows, they're producing them

APRIL 24, 2006 - BusinessWeek

This show is about the moments in our lives that are delicious in every way," purrs Chef Jacky Pluton at the beginning of The Fairway Gourmet, which runs on PBS. "I'm going to bring you to the most beautiful places in the world to play the game of golf... [and] taste the local flavor."

Sounds idyllic, no? It will be, and not just for Pluton and his viewers. Whoever picks up The Fairway Gourmet for its second season will pay nothing to produce or air the show. Meanwhile, the folks actually footing the bill will use the program to subtly pitch their wares to affluent baby boomers. Who's the backer? Here's a hint: Every resort next season will be in the state of Hawaii. "It's a perfect opportunity for us," says Jay Talwar, the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau's marketing chief.

Yes, the line between what's an ad and what's a TV show is getting more blurred all the time. Not only are companies creating entertainment to flog their stuff to viewers, they are getting increasingly cagey about it. The aim is to make the message so veiled that viewers don't notice they're essentially watching one big ad. It gets better: The networks can sell ads around the, um, ad. "It's not about putting [the product] everywhere anymore," says Laura Caraccioli-Davis, director of Starcom Entertainment, which helps place products and brands in shows. "It's about getting viewers to lean in and pay attention, and then connect with them in other ways."

TAILORED MESSAGE
Advertisers love the fact that they can tailor a message to a specific audience. Fairway Gourmet lets the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau court free spenders who like to travel in style. The underlying message: The islands aren't just for beach bums; they have plenty to offer the golfing foodie, too. "Ad placements weren't going to move the dial given our budget," says Talwar, who hopes PBS will agree to carry the Hawaii edition. "PBS has an audience we've coveted for years.

"Sometimes producing a show gives advertisers more bang for the buck, too. The production costs of the Hawaii edition of Fairway Gourmet will run $40,000 to $50,000 per half-hour episode, according to one of the show's producers, Direct Spotlight Media. That's about what it costs to place a 30-second spot with a middle-tier golf tournament on CBS or NBC, according to Nielsen Media Research figures. A golf tourney attracts far more viewers than Fairway Gourmet, but getting half an hour to push a brand -- if only subliminally -- beats 30 seconds.

RATINGS POP
It's no secret why the networks like advertiser-generated content. Typically advertisers foot the entire production cost of the show or pay for a portion and agree to buy big blocks of advertising on other shows in return. Sometimes, the advertisers refer to their shows in their print and TV ads, which can generate a nice ratings pop. And of course the TV guys sell ads against the program.

Building a show around a brand or product is not without risk, of course. Programmers stress that the show must be entertaining. They won't pick it up just because a big advertiser is behind it. And while they are open to having advertisers as production partners, network and cable executives say shows need to mesh with whatever channel they run on and contain no false marketing claims.

For advertisers, it's critical to strike the right balance. Push the brand too much, and viewers could resist the hard sell. Making the show appear independent and unaffiliated could backfire if people find out they've been had. But hit that sweet spot, say marketing experts, and advertisers will have potential customers fast-forwarding their TiVos just to get back to...the advertisement.

Land Rover Launches Web TV Channel

April 14, 2006 - AdWeek

April 13, 2006 - RandomCulture

Ford's Land Rover has launched an Internet channel for branded entertainment content called Go Beyond TV, claiming to be the first automotive brand to use the Web in such fashion to support its marketing programs.

"The challenge is to bring the brand into the 21st century, using the Internet as a medium," said Steve Hobbs, the editor of the broadband content. "It's an ambitious project and a leap of faith."

The Go Beyond TV initiative is led by Land Rover's lead creative shop, WPP Group's Young & Rubicam Brands, Irvine, Calif., and London, and includes the participation of Mediaedge:cia and MindShare.

Hobbs, a former editor of the British edition of GQ, said he wants the content to be "editorial, not marketing, to bring out the sense of adventure that is at the heart of the brand."

Go Beyond TV seeks to foster an online "community" wherein spectators can start uploading their own adventures. He said that aspect of the Webcast would reinforce the Land Rover message that breaking personal boundaries gives one a sense of "personal achievement . . . it makes you relook at yourself."

Online TV segments focus on "real people living lives less ordinary, with real-life adventures," said Hobbs, "From exploring the edge of space to a really exciting hotel."

In addition to shows from partners such as Discovery Channel and the BBC, the channel will run original content that "goes beyond mud-plugging. For example, we have a feature on Lance Armstong, on plans for a self-contained city above Tokyo Harbor, and on Virginia McKenna [the actress who starred in Born Free].

The content is available in English in the U.K and U.S. for now, Hobbs said. Initial viewers will be redirected from the landrover.com site, which receives about 20 million hits per year, according to Hobbs. "Ultimately," he said, "It will stand-alone."

In late 2004, GM's Chevrolet reached out to broadband customers via an online channel called "Chevy Live," created by ad agency Campbell-Ewald in Warren, Mich. The channel, no longer active, carried Chevrolet-sponsored live events, such as the County Music Awards, as well as music videos and product information.

Last year, Audi launched its own TV channel on Europe's Sky Digital system, but that was not a Web-based initiative.

Burger King to Introduce BK-Branded Xbox Games

12-Apr-06 - AdRants

Against the legal powers that be, Gawker gaming site Kotaku is reporting Burger King will offer its customers BK-branded Xbox games. It's a promotion that offers one of three games (action, fighter, racing) with the purchase of a Value Meal. The creepy King will be featured in all the games. Kotaku writes, "The action game is apparently similar to Halo, while the fighter combines Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat."

Greenfield Online, the company that did preliminary research for the creation of the games, is none too pleased and has sent a nasty legal letter to Gawker headquarters asking Kotaku to remove the story. They aren't going to. I mean it's all rather pointless anyway. Once the information's out. it's out. It's not like you can erase it so move on Greenfield and deal with it.

Blogs, Pods and Really Simple Stuff Deliver Advertising At An Increasing Rate

April 13, 2006 - Center for Media Research

The first installment in PQ Media's Alternative Media Research Series, the Blog, Podcast and RSS Advertising Outlook, reports that advertising spending on user-generated online media - blogs, podcasts and RSS - did not begin until 2002, but this combined spending has grown to $20.4 million by the end or 2005, a 198.4% increase over the 2004 level. Spending on blog, podcast and RSS advertising is projected to climb another 144.9% in 2006 to $49.8 million.

From a broader alternative media perspective, concludes the report, continued audience fragmentation, the perceived ineffectiveness of traditional advertising, and the desire to reach elusive younger markets are leading more marketers to take a serious look at new media opportunities. In the user-generated media markets, more advertisers are seeing the potential to reach younger demographics, as well as the lucrative influential markets, with media that tend to be highly engaging. On the downside, user-generated media have a host of technology and measurement issues that need to be resolved before these media can reach their full potential.

Going Unconventional to Market Movies

By STUART ELLIOTT
April 6, 2006 - NewYorkTimes

A MOVIE opening tomorrow, "Take the Lead," has an appropriate title, and not just because it is about dancing.

The studio releasing the film, New Line Cinema, wants to take the lead in finding alternative ways to market movies beyond traditional methods like advertising on television and in newspapers. It is a search that is also preoccupying the rest of Hollywood, anxious to reverse a slump in ticket sales.

For "Take the Lead" — a romantic drama about a professional dancer who volunteers to teach all the right moves to New York City schoolchildren — New Line is sponsoring such unusual marketing initiatives as a chance for computer users to create unofficial mash-ups. Those are mixed versions of music from the movie, using material available on the film's official Web site (taketheleadmovie.com).

To market "Take the Lead" effectively to its intended audience of younger moviegoers, "you can't force-feed them" with traditional top-down advertising, said Russell Schwartz, president for domestic marketing at New Line in New York.

Rather, "it's all about giving these kids our trailers, our songs, and letting them take control," he added. "Our assets become their assets, and that's how they become fans of the movie."

There are risks to that approach, Mr. Schwartz acknowledged, particularly since it yields results that are "not as trackable or researchable" as those for campaigns in mainstay media like television or print.

"The methodologies we have in place are not that valid anymore," he added. "But it is a new world, and we have to be brave about it." One benefit to shifting more of a movie's marketing budget to the new media is that "the Internet is not that costly," Mr. Schwartz said, adding that $1 million or $2 million is a significant amount to spend online.

Globo.com volta com fantasy game de futebol durante Brasileirão

11/04/2006 - BlueBus

A Globo.com está lançando nova versão do 'fantasy game' de futebol Cartola FC aqui que vai acompanhar todo o campeonato brasileiro, que se inicia esta semana e segue até novembro. O jogo permite ao usuário comprar e vender craques reais e montar e administrar times fictícios, concorrendo a prêmios. Será uma parceria entre TV Globo, Globo.com e o Clube dos Treze. Para inscrever seu próprio time, entre por aqui.

New Altoids.com is more musical comedy than typical website

April 08, 2006 - AdLand

Altoids has again raised the bar by launching their new Altoids.com website. It is incredibly fun and well produced. Bravo!

NBC & Visa Olympic Advergames

February 1, 2006 - RandomCulture

NBC has their Olympic efforts fully underway. Last night while watching TV, I saw an NBC commercial promoting some online Olympic sports games that looked fun. So I headed over to NBCOlympics.com to check it out. Of course, the homepage is crowded with so much stuff that I had to dig a little to find them.

The games are really sponsored by Visa. I didn't see much NBC branding when I got into the game. There are 3 games: bobsled, snowboard cross and giant slalom. The games look great, but you'd better have some serious bandwidth to load them. You should have IE as well, because these games don't work in Firefox. Argh.

Red Bull Flugtag advergame

April 07, 2006 - AdverBlog

The Barbarian Group has created an extremely simple but also very good advergame for Red Bull and its Flugtag.

I like it a lot because it perfectly fits the Flugtag day concept. After playing it you will not say "wow! look how cool is this game" but rather "cool! this is what Flugtag is about!". It's a game which delivers a marketing message, and unfortunately even if advergames are now so popular, this is not so common.

To find out what Flugtag is, click here.

Beware of the Office invaders!

April 05, 2006 - AdLand

A surefire way to get sod all done today is to play Baskin Robbins Office Invaders, where the object is to knock out as many collegues as possible with rubber bands until you make it to the executive office. I've ony made it as far as getting mauled by the managers. Grrrrr! Like Space invaders, this is silly addictive.

Unilever aims to kick butt on the airwaves

By Paul McIntyre

April 6, 2006 - TheSidneyMorningHerald

TWO weeks ago one of the more ambitious advertiser-funded TV concepts launched during prime time on ITV in the UK.

The show, underwritten by consumer goods giant Unilever, is now going to air in Germany and Russia. It will soon appear in other European and Latin American markets in the countdown to the Football World Cup, to be held in June and July in Germany.

The first two weeks on TV in the UK have rated well for the Rexona Fans United program, a documentary on the passion of football fans around the globe.

Unilever and its media agency co-developed a brief for the format. MindShare and a production company then co-produced 13 30-minute segments for prime time.

Here's what Unilever's global media director, Alan Rutherford, says about the approach: "TV is still a very important medium for Unilever but we have to be much smarter about how we use it. This new development from Rexona is a great example of the sort of approach we want to develop more and more. It's all about using material that is relevant for consumers as part of a 360 degree campaign."

And it's precisely the reason media agencies such as MindShare, Mediacom, Universal McCann and OMD are all developing their branded content expertise. Big advertisers are looking for new options.

"Major clients like Unilever are pushing us very hard to deliver quality service in this space," says Mike Rich, Asia-Pacific regional director for MindShare's sports and content division, Performance. "We've got eight or nine fully funded projects at the moment in eight different markets in the region."

Interestingly, Rich flags an intriguing shift in the way major advertisers and media buyers plan to use their advertising clout with media owners. TV stations, in particular, appear to be in for a boxing session or two.
Instead of traditional discussions between media buyers and media owners about advertising volumes, rates and few "value adds" which might include sponsor billboards or the odd product mention or brand exposure in a TV show, advertisers want to trade their ad budgets for airtime in which they can actually produce their own editorial content.

"We want to use that [advertising] leverage to persuade media owners to offer … editorial time as opposed to advertising time," says Rich. "Clients are starting to shift their thinking on media expenditure. So rather than allocating 100 per cent to traditional communications, we're reallocating a percentage to media in branded content."

That should trigger a few warning bells for media companies, particularly when it is the big spenders that are making these sorts of noises. TV networks are not going to like a huge market shift like this but it might just do one intriguing thing: advertisers might have to produce content the punters want to watch as opposed to much of the current advertising drivel they throw on the airwaves now, which is usually justified by sub-standard research techniques.

If indeed this brave new advertiser-funded content world does come about, advertisers will live and die by the ratings, just like the broadcasters do now. That means taking risks and, hopefully, producing stuff that is at least one rung up from advertising as we know it today. It could also spawn a whole new pastime for the masses: spotting the commercial fibs and furphies.

Audi's Art of the Heist Captured Leads

July 26, 2005 - ImediaConnections

A recently concluded interactive advertising campaign launched by Audi not only generated considerable traffic and industry buzz, but more importantly, it served as a consistent source of leads to Audi dealers nationwide.

Ad agency McKinney-Silver designed the three-month campaign, dubbed The Art of the Heist, to boost visibility for Audi’s A3 premium compact car. According to Jason Musante, an art director for the Durham, NC-based agency, a new 2006 A3 was "stolen" from an Audi dealership on Park Avenue in New York City last April. The "thieves" left behind a smashed window. Signs went up in place of the A3 at the New York International Auto Show asking for information about the "theft."

Thus began a comprehensive campaign (Audi declined to reveal total campaign costs but a company spokesperson said they were "substantial") that included virtually every known available medium -- print ads, billboards, TV commercials, radio spots, websites, live events, emails, videos, wild postings, blogs, IRC chats, direct mail, voice transcripts, puzzles, photos and scanned-in documents.

By far the most intriguing aspect of the campaign was an interactive fictional story sponsored by Audi that was told across multiple platforms.

In brief, the story used a technique known as alternative reality gaming, in which a community of users becomes a part of the story, interacts with the characters, and helps each other solve the mystery.

"The story centered around six 2006 A3s containing secure digital memory cards (or SD; a postage-stamp-sized storage device used with certain cell phones, digital cameras, smart phones and PDAs) with code plans for the largest art heist in history,” says Lee Newman, a McKinney-Silver group account director. "One car, a red A3, contained the key to decrypting the plans.”

"The Art of the Heist represented a true innovation in the way Audi connected with its target consumer,” says Stephen Berkov, Audi’s marketing director. "Creating the thriller on the internet which involved our new A3 engaged our target customer in the Audi brand.”

Live ads at the theater

April 05, 2006 - AdLand

Visit London has created a 3 minute "live ad" that will be presented for the first time tomorrow night during the evening performance of "Steptoe and Son In Murder at Oil Drum Lane" at the Comedy theater.

The ad will connect aspects of the city is is playin with those on offer in London, and will be supported by print and online. Each advert will feature a local celebrity or actor making a cameo appearance.

They claim this is a first, although last February, there was news of scripted "commercials" piloted at the Apollo in Victoria acted out by the cast of Saturday Night Fever for products including McDonald's, Heinz and Kellogg's during breaks in the performance.

University of St. Arvin Website

April 05, 2006 - AdLand

New website for Kraft Easy Mac Cups. Features an interactive video area where you can make this college guy eat a bunch of stuff. http://www.u-starvin.com/

Nissan Creates Show To Spotlight Brands

By Mariana Lemann

April 01, 2006 InsideBrandEntertainment

Mexico and the U.S. are preparing to face off next month in a soccer match in Los Angeles to set the record straight. The two countries have unfinished business since 1997, when they played in the prequalifying games for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, ending twice in a tie.

This year's rematch, however, is pure marketing. While the official U.S. and Mexican national teams are traveling to Germany to compete in the 2006 World Cup, Nissan North America will be seeking out both teams' 1997 players to face off once again.

Mixing soccer, branded entertainment and reality television, Nissan North America and New York-based The Vidal Partnership, its Hispanic agency, have created El Reto Final Nissan. The reality show consists of five one-hour episodes in which the 1997 players will be "ambushed" and, eventually, persuaded to regroup, participate in a training camp and play each other again.

The show, produced by Miami-based Zeal Television, debuts nationally April 16 on Fox Sports en Español. The match will take place May 21 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

"Anybody can do the World Cup; we can do the World Cup the Nissan way, bringing these teams on the wagon for the World Cup excitement," says Oswald Méndez, managing partner/director of integrated communications for Vidal.

The production team will travel in Nissan's Titan, Altima and Xterra vehicles chasing the retired players. "[The production team is] utilizing the products of the clients in the actual making of the show," says Tom Maney, svp of advertising sales for Fox Sports en Español. "This is truly branded programming entertainment at the inception."

Vidal developed the campaign that started in February with teaser ads and includes promotions, online, TV and public relations.

"This a first-of-its-kind show where, before it is produced, we create a partnership between the production company, an ad agency with their roster of clients and the network, and create it together from the inception all the way through," Maney says.

DIRECTV and Sprint are additional sponsors.

Shockwave Launches Advergame Development Studio

Apr 3, 2006 - MediaDaily

APRIL 12, 2006 - BusinessWeek

ATOM ENTERTAINMENT'S ONLINE GAME DIVISION, Shockwave, today will launch a development studio designed to aid marketers that want to create advergames.

Dave Williams, general manager for Shockwave.com, said the company created the studio to help brand advertisers navigate the growing advergaming space. "As we looked at the market in the last 12 months, we saw ad-supported online games as something that was going to accelerate pretty dramatically," said Williams. "There are a lot of very big advertisers that are starting to just scratch the surface in terms of games."

He added that the studio marks the company's attempts to "foster the development of more online games."
The studio will be headed by Shockwave developer Cam Daley, and managed by Peter Glover, Shockwave's vice president for games.

Shockwave.com also is expected today to launch a full redesign of the site, separating out the downloadable, pay-to-play games and the free, ad-supported online games into more distinct sections. The subscription service, GameBlast.com, is being rebranded Shockwave Unlimited and brought to the Shockwave.com site.

"We're doing that to create some flexibility for us as a company around the different revenue streams," Williams said. "More information, more categories, allows us to target different types of users better with advertising and sponsorships."

Coke backs Relentless energy drink with online marketing

by Emma Rigby Revolution UK

23 Mar 2006 - BrandRepublic

Coke is to launch its new energy drink, Relentless, with a website and viral communications.

Relentless is a new energy drink targeted at active people. Erasmus was appointed by Coca-Cola to develop the brand last October. It has come up with the message: "Give and you shall receive. No half measures." The idea was to focus on a struggle and sacrifice in the pursuit of a goal, and facing up to challenges.

The drink will be launched on the website with weekly virals seeded for six weeks.

Visitors to the site will be able to view an ad, which is to be shown across 1,000 cinemas in an eight-week push.

There is also an extensive point-of-sale push across thousands of outlets. Brand posters will promote specific events that Relentless is involved in over the next few months.

The Hills Have Eyes

March 28, 2006 - Adverblog

The website promoting the horror movie Hills Have Eyes features two advergames:
1. One (very scary) game for Australia, created by Soap Creative.
2. One (Schockwave) game for the US, created by Jetset Studios.

What will you do to promote an horror movie? You will first put online a minisite, and then add two scary advergames. Easy, isn't it?

Have a look at The Hills Have Eyes minisite (lovely interface) and then go and play the advergame (very scary!) created by Soap Creative. This is the advergame launched for Australia. If you can select how big you want the game screen to be. Even if you have a fast connection I reccomend the small screen... zombies look really scary and the smaller they appear, the better :-)

New advergame for Pepsi

March 27, 2006 - Adverblog

Pepsi Japan is online with a weird advergame in which you have to run and click to destroy a series of ice walls. Make sure you read the instructions before starting because they forgot to put the help option. It very difficult to play so, be patient!

Jenna Jameson's Boobs Promote Adidas Adicolor

31-Mar-06 - Adrants

This is whacked - as in whack-a-mole. Calling attention to its Adicolor customizable sneakers, Adidas, working with ad agency Idealogue and seven directors has released seven colorific videos, the first featuring none other than Jenna Jameson and her saline balloons.


Adidas Adicolor: a beautiful concept

April 02, 2006 - Adverblog

I really like what Adidas is currently doing online with its Adicolor campaign. It's a rich and (of course) colorful concept they are devoloping with wit. The Adicolor mini-site isn't really a "mini" website, since it features a lot of content to explain the Adicolor idea and engage users to submit their own interpretation of the shoe.
Adidas scores the first point linking consumer generated content (the shoe design) with the offline tangible world: the winner of the White series competition will have his shoe produced in a limited edition of 50 products. 25 will be allocated to the winner and 25 will go on sale to the public.

The second part of the Adicolor concept kicked off only a few days ago, with the launch of http://www.r255g255b255.net/ (does it ring any bell?). The site is a collection of (viral?) videos inspired to the Adicolor colors.

Even if the first video (White - starring Jenna Jameson) looks like total no-sense (at least to me) I like the crazyness of the concept which inspired the project. The next videos will be added over the next six weeks and, of course the content is available also for PSP and iPod (you can subscribe to the videocast).

Are you a Friend of Bright?

Adverblog

Orbit is online with an advertainment website called "Friends of Bright" (created by EVB). Very American (smiling faces everywhere :-), very hippy (Brightness isn't a destination, it'a way of life) and "broadbandish" ( it's full of video and audio content). If you have five minutes to invest, check it out, it's fun.

The site isn't just funny it is also extremely smart. It features a somehow intelligent video interface which keeps track of your actions and the second time you come back it actually welcomes you in a different way. Okay, it's just about cookies, but cookies + video interface is kind of new, don't you agree?

Poverty is unfair, also online

March 28, 2006 - Adverblog

Draft London is behind the new online marketing campaign launched by Oxfam to make people sensible to the world poverty issue. To deliver such an important and serious message, Draft decided to take an entertaining tone of voice, setting up A Bit Unfair, and advertainment site which makes people "play with poverty".
The sad message is that no matter what's the game, rich countries always win. Things need to change.

24: The game it's not just gimmick

April 02, 2006 - Adverblog

I loved watching 24 on TV so I've been immediately very curious when Mark emailed me the link to their new integrated campaign for 24: The Game. As you can see from the screenshot below, the teaser is simple but effective, and immediately grabs visitors' attention. But the campaign of course isn't just about this gimmick, it develops through two online films personalized for the subscribers of the Sony Playstation newsletter.

As Mark Riley, planning director at 20:20 London (the agency behind the campaign) explained me, the story in the game involves Jack Bauer's search for his daughter Kim who has been kidnapped (story based on events between series 2 and 3 of TV programme). Gamers on the Sony Entertainment, PlayStation database received an html email that linked them to a personalised internet film, in the film Jack Bauer is seen sending an SMS to CTU (headquarters) asking them to contact YOU (your name appears in the text he's writing), then in minutes you receive an SMS on your cellphone, it asks for your help and gives you a unique URL to go to.

This second internet film again shows Jack searching for Kim, he is interrogating a suspect who had a memento box that belonged to Kim, we see an envelope, on the label is your name and address. 48 hours later this package arrives on your doorstep! It contains an old cigar box with Kim's old photographs and saved trinkets, and bits from her time at CTU, but there are other clues to find too, and if you follow them there is a fully working demo of part of the game that references many of the things you've learnt throughout this marketing activity.

Advertising With Porn

March, 30/2006 - MIT Advertising Lab

Warning: the featured site is not work-safe at all.

If you are tired of semi-naked women lamely placed in ads to peddle everything from beer to deodorants but still think that sex has some selling power, this site is for you. A European fashion maker of the Shai line of clothing has published Sexpacking.com, a site where BMW films meet Victoria's Secret catalog along with One Night In Paris. It's a series of three Flash movies that are very elegant but also rather bluntly pornographic. On the top of the movies, they place green dots that open small pop-overs with info on that particular piece of clothing, kind of what Microsoft is trying to do with its video hyperlink ads.

The movies are downloadable in several formats, including PSP, iPod and mobile. The .mov file is multi-layered and also features the "hotlinks".

They are doing many other things right, making it the best interactive execution I've seen in a long time. They offer a "making of" video, an RSS screensaver and a bunch of downloadable goodies, including different versions of the kick-ass soundtrack (if you want more of their music, tough luck; it's been produced specially for this project by nventa). The song, called "No reason to be Shai", is also carrying the brand message.

Chevy and The Apprentice Team Up

March 17, 2006 - About

Chevy and The Apprentice Team UpThe Apprentice has become known for cross-promoting other products and this week's episode helped launch a commercial contest. Chevy wants consumers to create a commercial to promote the 2007 Tahoe.

The downside for creatives is that Chevy wants you to use clips they've already put together instead of submitting your own video. You drag and drop the clips to create your own version of a commercial.

Shaw to head Honda F1 promotions

March, 21/2006 - MediaWeek

Former Universal McCann executive vice-president Chris Shaw has joined Simon Fuller’s 19 Entertainment to head promotion of the Formula 1 Honda Racing.

Fuller was signed by the Formula 1 team in February this year to help reconstruct its image and take the sport to a younger demographic. Fuller has brought Shaw on board to take over media activity for the team, looking especially at the area of branded content and the ever-increasing number of new media channels that are set to cover the sport.The partnership between Honda and 19 marks the first time that a major Formula One team has signed with a big entertainment organisation for the marketing of its brand around the world.

The deal followed Honda's purchase of its F1 racing team in 2005 and the signing of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, as drivers for the 2006 season. 19 Entertainment's other sporting contracts include the promotion of the England football team by its offshoot 1966 Entertainment.

Productions made by 19 include Pop Idol and World Idol, sponsored by Kit Kat, and American Idol, which included heavy product placement by soft drinks manufacturer Coca Cola.

The company creates bespoke television content for worldwide brands including Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Nokia and Adidas. It operates in more than 30 markets worldwide and is a global leader in the integration of brands with entertainment properties. Shaw left Universal McCann in December last year with ambitions to enter into the branded content arena.

His last job at the Interpublic Group agency involved running Europe, the Middle East and Africa in tandem with holding the UK chairman's post. Prior to that, Shaw had held a raft of senior positions including managing director of Universal London and director of IPG buying arm Magna Global.

He was replaced by former managing director of ITV Sales and chief executive of ZenithOptimedia Graham Duff, who became president for the EMEA region in January this year.

Shaw confirmed that he was due to join 19 Entertainment to head up the Honda Formula 1 team.

Dodge Looks Online to Reach Young Buyers

March 31, 2006 - ClickZ

Dodge is taking to the Web to market its new Caliber model compact car, targeting young, hip professionals.

"We're trying to connect with young people, who are early adopters of technology. When you look at the youth group, you see their consumption patterns are online, in gaming, social networking, and video. We want to be where they are," Mark Spencer, senior manager of Dodge communications for the Chrysler Group, told ClickZ News.

To reach these consumers, Dodge will allocate 20 percent of its Caliber advertising budget to what it calls "non- traditional" ads, which includes online and gaming. Most of the company's campaigns barely broke the 5-percent mark two or three years ago, and today 10 percent is a big allocation for some models, Spencer said.

Online ads will focus on comedy, music, animation and sports sites. The campaign will run banner ads on sites like The Onion, Daily Candy, and The Knot. It will also run :30 pre-roll video ads before the content on Time Warner's newly launched "Office Pirates" site, which targets 20-somethings with its irreverent video content. Dodge is also exploring more co-branded marketing opportunities with Office Pirates as that property grows and develops, Spencer said.

Dodge has worked closely with Comedy Central, both online and off, to tightly integrate the Caliber into a Friday night sketch comedy show, "Stand Up Nation with Greg Giraldo." The Caliber is part of some of the sketches that will appear on the show and online.

"This is the furthest I think we and Comedy Central have taken a branded content integration," Spencer said. "We've integrated our message into the content, so we're just part of the experience."

Dodge will also try to tap into social networking opportunities, such as creating a branded character on MySpace in May. The company will also offer avatars on IM clients at Yahoo! and MSN. It will also add Caliber to the Xfire IM and gaming platform, where it already has a presence with its Charger brand.

Dodge has built four custom online games with the Caliber, and has integrated the car into four console games for Playstation and Xbox, including EA Sports' "Fight Night 3," Ubisoft's "And1," and two Tom Clancy games from Red Storm Entertainment.

Dodge has also created several 30-second video modules for Dodge.com to highlight key product features.