This week, we’ll stay with YouTube and turn to short films from Google for its web browser Chrome. Yep, you heard right, the search god is indeed turning to uncharacteristic marketing tactics, in this case a web video campaign, to push the browser, which has only gained measly market share from competitors Internet Explorer, Mozilla and Safari, since its launch last fall. Today, Google launched a YouTube channel with 11 videos extolling the virtues of the new browser from designers, illustrators and creative shops such as Motion Theory and Superfad—Ad Age has more on the story.
This effort follows Chrome Experiments, a website featuring user-submitted coding experiments. While the films are only on YouTube for now and Google’s hoping for viral pass-along, a media buy is not out of the question. Can you believe it? Is Google diluting its too-cool-for-advertising image to save Chrome? Is “advertising for Google” an oxymoron? Will we be seeing Google spots on TV anytime soon?
From Creative Social - A recent review and insight into the Festival of Media Awards, some very interesting work coming from brands. Is it marketing? Is it content creation? Or is it simply rewarding? Read on below:
I had the pleasure of judging the Festival of Media awards which made a nice change to the usual Creative fare. The main difference is of course results and it was fantastic to be able to follow some of the campaigns from initial insight through to the results. It was also great to be sitting alongside clients in the jury panel who added a lot to the experience. Anyway there were actually some really great entries (I do hope that the Festival of Media become a prominent global media awards) and here are my pick of the bunch:
Condoms (Best Communications Strategy)
How the agency found an insight which completely changed the overall strategy to make a real difference in India to tackling the issue of condom usage
Reebok (Best use of mobile) -
Case study to show how Reebok used mobile to enter the phrase “You got Rondo’d” into household vernacular
Gatorade (Best use of Gaming)
Gatorade integrated themselves into the game by creating a new feature which not only enhanced the game but felt really authentic. How gaming should be used.
Dove Pro-Age (Brand Bravery)
Dove found 11 amateur actors and then put a play together. Opened to rave reviews, was sold out and obtained significant press coverage
Haagen Dazs (Media Responsibility) -
Haagen Dazs created a new flavour (Honey) to highlight its natural flavours and campaign was focused on increasing awareness of the honey bee process
Dove Ugly Betty
Dove’s full integrated sponsorship of the Chinese version of Real Beauty. Case study tells a story of recognising and addressing local cultural issues to support a global campaign
Well done to Goodby Silverstein who picked up the runner up spot as Agency of the Year. The other social to pick up an award was Profero London (well done team) who showed how can use an insight and creativity to really drive performance with the Sun Expats campaign for HBOS. Also well done to Microsoft (who continue to sponsor our global events) who won Digital Media Owner of the Year.
If you want to get a feel for main topics talked about at the conference, then go here. Also see earlier post on Chuck Porter’s talk which was excellent.
Today marked another milestone in XM history. XM beat 14 other agencies in a 2-stage RFP process to win one of the biggest pitch of the year in Singapore. You can read more about it in the official press release.
A dam good example of media placement, design expression and film playing together in a nice harmonious fashion. Thank you Leon for the find. View it here.
