What Does 'PIE' Have to do with Advertising?

What does PIE have to do with advertising you ask? Well, quite a bit according to a recently launched experiment by the well respected global advertising agency Wieden and Kennedy.

PIE (Portland Initiative Experiment) refers to a project which is just as much ambitious as it is innovative and aims to partner start-ups with big brands and Wieden clients to 'curate technology and innovation.' 

In essence, they are supplying a cauldron in which they can throw in and brew all sorts of good stuff such as start-up creativity, passion along with a healthy dose of real world needs of big brands. All of which they feel could lead to a very interesting concoction which capitalizes on the shared and mutual learning and experiences from brands and the start-ups themselves.

The initiative has already gathered formal support and backing from Coca Cola, Nike and Target.

It works by W & K supplying office space to promising start-ups, up to $18,000 USD and and access to key investors and developers. Brands are to supply mentors which will work with the start-ups as per supplying information and insight along with guidance relating to the exploration of potential brand-alignments and business opportunities.

All in all, as stated it is an ambitious project but one that certainly offers huge potential for all parties involved. In particular, the lessons it offers to advertising start-ups are invaluable and could certainly spell the difference from simply creating a mildly successful business to one that is able to really penetrate and build its models to truly suit what the big fish out there are all after.

Hats off to W & K and I would love to see this experiment catch on in other parts of the world.

Outdoor Advertising: The King of Impact?

Simply looking at the photo posted above--which I might add is a train station platform that was temporarily converted to appear as a FedEx branded tennis court--I challenge you to consider whether you get this kind of impact with another form of advertising outside of outdoor? 


Keep thinking...


Anything? Digital? Print? Possibly television, however that is becoming harder and harder to pull off these days with reduced attention spans.


This FedEx campaign truly signifies what outdoor advertising and more succinctly what 'experiential advertising' can do when done right. For those of you, not immersed in the world of advertising, 'experiential advertising' refers to allowing customers to engage and interact with brands, products, and services in sensory ways. It's the difference between telling people about features of a product or service and letting them experience the benefits for themselves. It is often used to drive sales and increase brand image and awareness. 


In this FedEx campaign, they used Wimbledon’s Tennis Championships main commuter station, Southfields, and transformed it into a lawn tennis court for the duration of the games.

This complete hijacking of a major station has certainly allowed FedEx to effectively connect the brand much more prominently with sport just ahead of the Olympics. They have also done it in such a way that it undoubtedly captures the attention and imagination of people. 

What is even more clever I feel, is that when something like this is done right, it also has the potential to become a viral geographical play. WIth a global brand such as FedEx and an assumed strategic objective of turning something like this into a viral spread, one can really see the value this offers to their brand. Good content as we know, is endlessly posted and shared via tweets, blogs and videos and something like this certainly fits those parameters of good posting/re-posting material for many. 

So to come back around, I challenge you to think of another form of media which can not only 'pull' people towards the brand in fun and engaging methods,  but also naturally fit into our newly developed habits of sharing and spreading of good content. 

How to Ensure the OOH Prophecy is Realized

"Brands need to engage people in everyday life."


"With outdoor you have the freedom to connect everything together."


"The Outdoor category at the Cannes Festival of Creativity awards reflects the future direction of the industry."


"The very best campaigns are able to bridge the gap between the traditional categories and can push the boundaries further."


"Outdoor's endless opportunities will persuade clients to shift more of their focus and advertising spend to the medium."


These quotes are certainly powerful. The fact they come from a leading creative director--Ed Morris--and juror from the outdoor Cannes festival awards, gives them even more clout. 
These are the types of quotes and beliefs needed to further educate and inform brands and agencies that outdoor is a powerful and underused tool within an advertising arsenal. 


The fact remains that outdoor often accounts for smaller portions of budgets. At times this can require an intensive pitch to brands, of which I would venture to say a majority still think that outdoor is strictly represented by billboards. This of course couldn't be more untrue, as many of us within the world of outdoor understand. 


Despite these challenges, their is a true abundance of media options and solutions available to outdoor. The ability to really make a significant impact is real and will undoubtedly continue to build. It seems that Ed Morris' prophecy of an advertising age in which outdoor plays a major if not central role could be on its way. But to ensure all of this, 'the now' should represent an intensive period of education. 


Educating brands, agencies and properties in as far as how they all stand to benefit is the key for deepening the penetration of outdoor. Additionally, noting creative and unique ways to accomplish objectives outside the realm of traditional is also very much something which needs to be further refined. Lastly, and perhaps the most important I feel, is enlightening involved parties that outdoor truly is a bridge to a brands online play and investments. Outdoor can be the missing link for a genuine 360 degree campaign which aims to penetrate both the digital and physical realms. Presence in simply one sphere of a human's consciousness will not be enough to achieve that top of mind awareness that advertisers really crave. 


It does help that large brands are starting to get it. More and more successful case studies and even award winning campaigns are being developed. It also helps that digital giants such as Google and Microsoft lead this wave. To some, it may be ironic that firms which are defined by a digital existence should lead the charge. However, they seem to truly understand that one sphere of existence is NOT enough. A lesson which needs to be taught and re-taught to ensure that our bright  'outdoor' prophecy is realized. 

The Ad Industry Pivots in Japan...

The devastating tragedy suffered in Northern Japan earlier this year has had a huge impact on Japan and it's people in so many ways. The continued suffering across a range of social and economical areas is still very much real and prevalent. The advertising industry in Japan of course has not been spared and has really shifted and changed its stance on a number of fronts out of necessity.


For those of you living outside Japan and unfamiliar with some of the challenges faced, Japan is dealing with potential shortfalls of energy this summer as a result of reduced energy output capability. In Japan, the buzz word at the moment is 'setsuden' which basically translates as conserving energy. This has certainly created a lot of doom and gloom within the industry for some.  


This setsuden minded shift has made its mark in a strong way within digital OOH. Basically, it has knocked digital signage off of its most recent rise and trajectory in Tokyo. Immediately after the disaster, all digital signage was shut down. Now, what we are seeing however is more of a limited run on it during certain times and places within Tokyo. 


However the lasting impact here is that in speaking with many agencies, the types of questions they ask now are always centered on energy output. Detailed break downs and technical knowledge of energy related issues is a must for any electrical based media supplier. On the client side, many brands are quite reluctant to touch anything with a DOOH push for fear of being insensitive. I expect such a feeling to remain throughout the summer and even deep into the third quarter. 


However, such news is an opportunity for advertising firms to really pivot. As this has disrupted a lot of the usual media buying patterns, the opportunity for agencies or media houses to present new and effective mixes is certainly there. Ideas which might have been straight to the scrap pile, suddenly take on new relevance and importance if they promise to skirt setsuden issues. 


In essence, what I am trying to say is that despite difficult operating environments such as this one. It is always worth remembering that for every challenge faced, an opportunity will present itself if you have the right mindset and outlook.     

Interact, Engage and PULL!

I have made the case a few times over and provided stats which illustrate the rising power of OOH (out of home media) and what brands will do to gain attention. What we are starting to witness through more and more concrete examples is this phenomena. The cases of iconic brands stepping out of their ordinary comfort zones to interact, engage and 'pull' in new and effective ways seems to be on the up and up. I am sure this would make an interesting study unto itself and I would love to hear some definitive stats on this.  


In fact this noted trend was the point of one my recent tweets involving arguably the highest of high end auto brands Bentley and how it has stepped into OOH for the first time ever within the UK. They did a relatively safe OOH play with a billboard, however the significance is great. Before this they had been known as staunch supporters and purchasers of traditional media period. 


To further add support for this argument, I can present the case in which the company I own--BRANDPOINT Advertising--worked with the global fashion brand VOGUE for an OOH push last fall. They were looking to get help and exposure for their Tokyo version of their ultra popular 'Fashions Night Out' global event. What we did for them was outfit escalator handrails in high end shopping centers with media (Escalator Handrail Media) along with the hijacking of a basement parking garage of one of the most ritzy shopping centers in all of Japan with 'Parking Stripe Media' (PSM) (a media which is placed on existing painted parking lines). The PSM media was certainly out there for them and I feel pretty confident that such a move would have been off limits five to ten years back for a brand of that caliber. 


What both examples show however, are the risks brands are willing to take to once again interact, engage and 'pull'.  I am supremely confident that there are other countless examples to add support to the ideas raised in this post. I would be curious to hear others insight and thoughts on this topic.

Augmented Reality: The Future of Advertising?

What does a combination of computer interactivity, data, social media and the physical world add up to you ask? Well, for some it represents the entire future of advertising. These elements as noted above of course are the key ingredients to the various forms of Augmented Reality (AR) which are taking shape at a rapid pace these days. 


Just the notions of bringing something very static like a magazine, newspaper, poster, or even other physical world elements like buildings, consumer goods and outdoor structures to life has a very exciting appeal.


The biggest offering it allows I feel--and something I tend to harp about a lot within this blog--is the ability of connecting both offline and online media. This type of blending is key to establishing a highly effective connection point between the two realms we all seem to live within these days--namely the digital and physical worlds. Having this allows for the ever shifting and illusive 'top of mind' brand awareness to occur. That of course can then lead on to subtle yet extremely powerful media mixes in which buying decisions are being influenced, promotions realized and true ROI delivered. 


Our tools to 'try' and connect these worlds to date have been comprised of standard traditional media such as television, newspapers, billboards, posters etc. However, as you know these areas are waning in value and effect as they are built on 'push' models rather than the true gold of 'pull'.  As an OOH evangelist, I believe if outdoor is done right it can achieve 'pull' for an advertiser and ultimately make a strong creative connection point. If you throw in a successful AR campaign that pull factor could be massive! 


For perspective, just imagine, you are walking down the street and you have your smart phone out. As you survey the city scape you roll over a McDonalds building and up comes the latest promotions which magically appear in the air above and around the building. After finishing up lunch, you decide to take a stroll through a shopping district as a new pair of Nike's are needed. Once again, you bring up your handy dandy smart phone and enter your search criteria. You then do a 360 degree scan of the buildings nearby. Up pops the latest deals on Nike shoes. Great, you make a decision and enter one shop. Instead of trying on a number of shoes, you decide to grant that privilege to only a few styles. The weeding out process is all about projection mapping 10 or 20 different styles onto your foot. The top 3 are awarded the 'try on'. 


I am sure you get the point. These concepts while already available and possible in some respects are not far off in others. AR offers that unique blend of two distinct and separate universes. It is not hard to recognize the inherent value these technologies could offer with a little more streamlining and penetration. 


Lastly, if you are considering AR I have compiled some very basic tips that should be thought through before any project planning begins:


1. Make it easy to use
*There is no point making it overly complex and incomprehensible. Users will not go for it nor will others be able to endorse it if you need a manual to figure it out


2. Make sure it solves a problem
*Making an AR app for the sake of is not the way to move forward. Do some research and make sure there is a true need and problem 


3. Promote it with other innovative media
*Place the AR on platforms that unto themselves allow for specific targeting and buzz 
(see something like 'Parking Stripe Media' as an idea) 


4. Make it a utility
*Find a way to fit this into a persons life/routine and you have hit the AR jackpot! 


5. Support it
*Do not put this out for a 3 month run and judge. Build media mixes around it, nurture it and give the  investment of not only funds but time to see its worth develop


Have a look at some of these interesting AR campaigns already done for ideas. Or better yet, pick your favorite brand and do a Youtube search. Most big brands have started playing with the technology. 

Yellow Pages Campaign: A Brilliant tool, Case-Study and Read

"Anyone can achieve sales, but unless you can quantify against a longer-term vision as opposed to a campaign vision then it doesn’t deserve Platinum.”


These were the words of a judge--Rob Campbell of Weiden & Kennedy--at the Asian Marketing Effectiveness Festival 2011. He was referring to the top 'platinum' prize which was awarded along with additional prizes to Clemenger BBDO & Proximity, Melbourne for it's Yellow Pages Australia campaign. 'How hiding a restaurant proved that Yellow Pages worked better than ever' for Yellow Pages Australia. The campaign won gold in the Best integrated marketing campaign, Most innovative use of media and Best idea categories. 


More importantly than the awards though was that this brand achieved it's lofty goal of integrating longer term visions into a singular campaign. 


Yellow Pages phone directory has had it's roots in print.  The challenge was to really strengthen the perception that it still has value. The consequences of failure you ask? How about a drop of say 20 to 30% of total sales in one year and more than likely a continued downward spiral.  


Needless to say, the campaign results were fantastic and their prospects are much better now. How was this done? Well you can read here for all of the details but basically the premise was to highlight the brand's worth and really increase the perception of value it offers. Yellow Pages had already aligned itself with Google`s search directory and was being used by 4.5 million Aussies a week. Value was there but did enough younger people know and understand it?


A plan was hatched and the goal was to exhibit value through the execution of the following:


Yellow Pages created a pizza restaurant and intentionally situated it in a hard to find basement of an abandoned building. Flyers offering consumers free pizza were distributed however the only place the details were listed was in the Yellow Pages. Hidden cameras were used to film customers at the pop-up restaurant. Afterwards a branded TV campaign was launched using the content captured from the restaurant, with radio and digital ad support. 


The results spoke for themselves: 


1) Created 20,000 new business leads during the April-September selling cycle
2) Exceeded lead targets by 15%
3) Generated an ROI of $10.8 for every $1 of marketing spend
4) It was Yellow Pages' most effective-ever advertiser-targeted campaign and succeeded in     shifting perceptions of the brand as outdated    


This award was wholly deserved on many fronts including the effective mix and leveraging of both new and old media, creating genuine cut-through and WOM. It was  also a great use of something I preach fairly often in this blog which is connecting both the physical and digital worlds in innovative manners for true penetration and spread. 


In getting back to the opening lines of this post which note that any brand can go for sales and short term gains, the trick for creating 'true success' as this campaign illustrates is in keeping the longer term objectives and brand health in mind. It is fair to say that Yellow Pages certainly balanced the vision of a longer term goal whilst also capturing it's fair share of buzz and excitement in this singular campaign.


For those of you who have these challenging roles of maintaining the integrity of a brand and it's perception over the long haul, I highly recommend this Yellow Pages example as a great tool and case-study. It surely contains all major advertising ingredients for creating a successful campaign that will deliver for longer than two to three months and will greatly enhance the prospect of ensuring the longer term health and vitality of your brand.

Times are a Changin (for OOH that is)

I was encouraged to see the news that global ad spend is expected to rebound for 2011. If you missed the news, WARC--marketing intelligence service—figures that the growth is to be around +5.1%, up from the +4.5% figure published in November. Not to mention, these stats are still down from an industry average of 6.8%. However, considering it all the news is welcomed.

The angle of this post is not so much on global ad spend and what I took away from those stats, but rather the rise of OOH and what WARC reported on outdoor. The report noted that spending broken up as per media was as follows: online advertising is expected in around 13% in the next year versus a 5.7% rise for TV ad spend in 2011 and a 6.2% jump for outdoor.

I think it is safe to say that much of the outdoor spending is derived from digital content, especially in transit and retail. Nonetheless, with these new avenues opening up and the inclusion of OOH as a tool to drive consumers into integrated social campaigns, I fully expect this stat to continue to rise.

OOH certainly represents a new way to connect with people who no longer want the ‘push it into your face’ approach of traditional media. The allure of ‘pulling people in’ and having fun with innovative media seems to be a new trend that many advertisers and agencies are playing, with whether this be calls to action via QR codes, AR or just flat out engaging creative. For the companies who are not exploring this track, they are doing do so at their own peril as 'OOH times are a changin.'

Free pints when temperature tops 20°C ?!

Effective cross media mixes are surely a new wave you need to figure out. As noted in the last blog post Online X Offline = BIG POTENTIAL leveraging the physical into digital is one sure way to create pull and captivate consumers. In note of this fact here is yet another creative way that smart brands are utilizing this thinking to create buzz, engagement and just good old fashioned brand building.   

Budweiser Anheuser-Busch will be launching an app called ‘The Budweiser Ice Cold Index’.

The app sends users special offers to redeem at 2,500 participating venues across Ireland. If the temperature rises above 20°C in select towns and cities consumers will receive a free pint. The app will also offer €2 off when it reaches 18°C or 19°C outdoors, with €1 off if the temperature is 16°C or 17°C.

On a designated "Index day", consumers can redeem their free or money-off voucher between 1pm and 11.59pm. Once consumers have downloaded the voucher, the participating Index bar will provide them with a pub code and they will then have two minutes to redeem their voucher before it expires. The app will be available from May until August 31st and it is understood it may roll out to other markets in the UK should it prove a success.

Outdoor, digital, TV, print and POS activity will feature Bud Ice Cold Index "weatherman" explaining the premise of the promotion. Talk about going for it across all media spectrums!

What I like about this, is that the powers behind this idea are smart enough to know that a successful campaign surely depends on spreading the message across multiple channels--which are NOT only limited to the traditional anymore. Do I feel that this campaign needs to spend in each media category to be successful? No probably not, but hey being a big brand offers these options to really nail it. It will be fun to see what the uptake on this campaign becomes. The fact that it has buzz already with both big time bloggers and news sites talking about it before it's official launch is a good sign though.  

Online x Offline ads = BIG POTENTIAL

Having reflected on the many pitches and meets I have had with numerous advertisers and agencies over the last year, it has been interesting to hear so many different ideas being floated around. In particular the cross media mix of online media content with offline OOH advertising. Digital agencies have started exploring OOH. Non digital agencies have started to explore collaboration and use of digital content. In both scenarios these firms are starting to understand that in order to stay on the edge, collaboration and new mixes are needed. 


Of course for what our company does this certainly helps. The logic behind it all makes complete sense. No doubt, there is power within online advertising whether it be Google Ads or social media.  As we all know, social media is everyone's darling and we all want to find a way to harness its power. Advertisers who ignore this, do so at their own peril as this trend is not going anywhere. 


Shifting gears into OOH, as noted in an article by the Economist, MagnaGlobal, a media researcher, predicts that worldwide spending on out-of-home advertising will expand by 8.3% in 2011 to about $26.4 billion, faster growth than that seen for other non-internet forms of advertising. Spending on digital billboards and posters is expected to double in the next five years, to $5.2 billion.


What this amounts to are very new and interesting cross media mixes being thrown about. What better way to direct target consumers to online campaigns than through engaging and fun media in the 'offline' physical world via things like AR or other innovative ideas like --shameless plug--'Parking Stripe Media'.  Recognizing the opportunity to really have fun and physically engage and 'pull' people towards your brand in noticeable and memorable ways is key. If that interest is fully captured we know what can happen--mobile pics, tweets, blog entries, sharing on social networking sites etc. 


Big advertisers are getting it too. Here in Japan, Toyota's very own agency  has summed up my feelings very well on this subject with their corporates-ese message on their website : 


"People’s life style and behavior are becoming increasingly diverse and personally distinct. Today, conventional means of mass communication are no longer able to reach consumers individually. Developing unique approaches suited to various diverse personal interests and activities is vital. In order to contact each customer (user) individually and establish “points” for a relationship, we devise, develop and conduct action plans in both the real and virtual worlds."


This trend should only accelerate. All in all, it is undoubtedly an exciting time to be part of these new mixes of Online x Offline media content.