A little late this month (my excuse is starting a new job!) but here’s the top ten tweets I sent out in March (based on link click rate). As always Hootsuite made this possible, so big thanks to them!

1. Stats that suggest Facebook and Twitter are Making a Major Impact on Purchase Decisions: http://ow.ly/1n7s6

2. Watch: The Last Advertising Agency On Earth… http://ow.ly/1pi03

3. The Social Media Cheat Sheet – http://ow.ly/1fu3R

4. Great idea: Marmite ads to stage parallel election – http://ow.ly/1s5Qk

5. Clever girl: Lady Gaga’s Social Media Genius – http://ow.ly/1fitC

6. Specsavers parodies Lynx bikini commercial – Good stuff. http://ow.ly/1kZ68

7. Brilliant – Mad Men Barbie! Is it wrong that I want one?? – http://ow.ly/1gBWb

8. Google facts and figures: Infographic – http://ow.ly/1cfAz

9. Trendplanner Twitter Top 10: February 2010 – http://ow.ly/1cGeY

10. Save money on your campaign: Use money (if it’s not illegal!) – http://ow.ly/1o3AR

Image: raster

Here’s a great idea from Vodafone using money as a medium.

By placing their message on bank notes they were able to reach their target audience by simply spending these notes in the places their audience visit. Then of course they just had to sit back and let the shop assistants, taxi drivers, and alike spread the message as they gave customers their change.

It’s not the first time I’ve heard of money being used as a medium. Perhaps an even more creative example comes from a sexual health campaign in the UK, in which 10p coins were placed on the floor of colleges across the country. Laying on the floor the coins appeared as normal but when students picked up the coins they were exposed to a message. On the other side of the coin a sticker read ‘some things you can’t help picking up. HIV or a STI shouldn’t be one of them’. A great example of how creative thinking can help you really engage with an audience that might not necessarily want to listen.

Both great campaigns with a nice sense of irony that money saved money.

That said, isn’t defacing money illegal??

Sources: thehiddenpersuader & Chris Arnold: Ethical Marketing and the New Consumer

Here’s a well put together video that aims to help people comprehend just how powerful Google is, and how incomprehensibly powerful they may become.

Is it possible to command such power and retain the principle “don’t be evil”? Or on the other hand is it possible to command such power and have people believe the brand isn’t evil whether their intentions are good or not?

With more and more reports and videos such as this Google is going to have to do more and more to demonstrate that Google really does have our best interests at heart. Google must remain transparent, continue to let the user retain a sense of control, and of course some brilliant emotive advertising can do wonders for a brand…

Once again here’s a list of the last month’s top tweets based on link click rate. As always the stats come courtesy of 3rd party Twitter app Hootsuite.

1. The Puma Phone. It actually looks pretty good, it even uses solar power – http://ow.ly/18u7D

2. Chatroulette Explained: 71% Male, 15% Female, 14% Pervert – http://ow.ly/1b7Xn

3. Your tweetage, illustrated – http://ow.ly/14cXD

4. VW Social Media Campaign wants to get everyone punching again – http://ow.ly/12Gxv

5. Trendplanner: Back in the UK and searching for a new Planning role in London – http://ow.ly/1aifW #jobs

6. Some interesting thoughts on What Advertising Agencies Will Look Like in 2015? – http://ow.ly/1b7Y4

7. How To Use Google Buzz. Worth a bookmark even if you’re like me not fully embracing the service yet – http://ow.ly/17XPb

8. Loving doings.co.uk – daily tasks and activities that keep the day fresh and zingy – http://ow.ly/12CBQ

9. 10 amazing Ads on buildings – http://ow.ly/TfYD

10. Man City: Breaking the Big Four with the latest marketing techniques – http://ow.ly/17I71

Image: Scobleizer

As it might be quite apparent from the subject matter of my posts changing from Chinese taxi touchscreen advertising to English dog walking woodland advertising that I have now returned from my travels to the East.

I’m now in the London area and available for freelance but preferably a permanent Planning role within London.

Please take a look at my website mattjksaunders.com to find out more and contact me at matt@trendplanner.com to request a detailed CV and to find out what I might be able to do for your agency.

Image: GeneM1

There aren’t many places left in this world where you won’t be subjected to advertising. However, you would assume that while walking the dog in the middle of the woods, miles from any LCD screen, or even mobile signal, you might have found one of the few remaining places still devoid of advertising.

So it was to my surprise when I spotted this ad in that very context. Here’s a great piece of targeted advertising that matches anything Google’s targeting algorithm can come up with, in a place where Google can’t reach.

It just shows that as much as the latest modern targeting approaches can provide us, there is still a place for the real local knowledge these approaches can’t give us , such as exactly where people go to walk their dog.

That said, as demonstrated by pleaserobme.com people are sharing more and more about their location and perhaps when the mobile networks sort out their coverage we’ll be able to check geo tagged status updates of those people ‘out walking the dog‘ (perhaps).

In English Football there are 4 dominant teams, Man United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal, collectively they’re known as ‘The Big 4′. Their dominance on the pitch is reflected in their level of support both in the UK and across the globe. The Premier League is a global phenomenon, millions of people across the world are football obsessed and loyal fans of their chosen Premier League team. But this support is nearly always given to a member of the big four, these fans might be able to tell you every player in the Man United squad, but will struggle to name more than a handful of players that reside outside ‘The Big Four’.

For years now clubs have being trying to break into the top 4, some have come close, but none have pushed anyone out of even made the big four into a big five. One of the most recent clubs to fancy their chances is Manchester City, and thanks to some rather well off new owners from Abu Dhabi they might just stand a chance. Man City are determined to become a major force in English and World football, and are doing everything they can to cement their place at the top. As well as splashing the cash on world class players, they’re using other methods off the pitch to ensure the club is perceived and supported like one of ‘The Big Four’.

While the players get on with their end of the bargain (with limited success so far), advertising and marketing agencies are working at convincing the world they are the real deal, and in turn gaining respect and support. Of course it is nothing new to see the influence of marketing on football, this is a sport where players can be almost primarily signed simply for their marketing potential. For better or for worse football became a business long ago, however, it is interesting to see how Man City are using new techniques in order to achieve their goals.

One of the most memorable campaigns was run at the start of the season after Man Utd player Carlos Tevez did the unthinkable and made the move across the city to fierce rivals Man City. Playing on the fact that United are based in Greater Manchester and not the City of Manchester, a poster was put up in the City of Tevez with the words ‘Welcome to Manchester’. In a similar vein City ran ads featuring their new signing Emmanuel Adebayor formerly of Arsenal in the days before the two clubs met. Both campaigns are clear and direct attacks on the competitors, in both a sporting and marketing sense. Although the attack might have had a limited effect in a sporting context (Utd did beat city in their next encounter), it gave football fans around the world a clear message of City’s intent and suggested they were directly taking power off the so called ‘Big 4′.

Man City are also making use of the digital channel to boost their support and reputation across the world. Thanks to top digital agency Poke they have one of the best club websites online. The professional and functional site helps represent the level of quality that City strive for, while various features and social media content allow the club to interact with fans new and old. Man City have seen the importance of their website while other have yet to understand the role it can play. Man City understand that the site is a window into the club for many fans, and they have ensure they provide their fans with an experience that is useful, enjoyable, and appears to be built around the fans needs opposed to the clubs. Although other clubs do have great sites, far too many of them offer very little content of real use, or appear to be built around the needs of anyone but the fans with an abundance of advertising and a limited supply of content that fans actually want.

Furthermore, Man City are creating some great video content to build support before major games. We are now used to the likes of Nike and Adidas creating content using players but it’s not often we see clubs creating such content. Thanks to the Internet this content can easy circulate the globe, and can build support by rousing the people of Manchester to get to the game, and also making people thousands of miles away to consider tuning into the Man City game opposed to the usual choice involving one of the big four. One of the latest pieces involves Craig Bellamy, and as with Tevez and Adebayor it will be pushed in the run up to the Man City game involving Bellamy’s former Big four club, who in this case is Liverpool. Incidentally the remaining big four club in need of build up material is Chelsea, Shaun Wright-Phillips is a possibility for the star, but I think people would love to see something from Wayne Bridge (if this means nothing to you read here).

We are still yet to see Man City perform like a top four team consistently on the pitch, but it appears that if they manage to break into those top four places they’ll have the backing to ensure that they can convert success on the pitch to success off it. What’s more it will be interesting to see how the big four react in the marketing area if Man City start stealing fans as well as points.

A little bit late, but nevertheless here’s the twitter links shared last month that got the most clicks. As usual it’s thanks to Hootsuite that I’ve been able to put this list together.

1. 10 amazing Ads on buildings – http://ow.ly/TfYD

2. Great collection of clever and creative IKEA advertising – http://ow.ly/Wljt

3. Five markets to watch in 2010 – http://ow.ly/TfQM

4. The most irritating ads of 2009 – http://ow.ly/WliZ

5. Now you can use your iPhone as a TV Remote – http://ow.ly/SB5v

6. Do you have the perfect profile pic?? The 4 Big Myths of Profile Pictures (more info than you’ll ever need!) -http://ow.ly/ZnJt

7. Diesel wants you to Be Stupid – http://ow.ly/XAby

8. Nice example of advertising as a welcome distraction: Shanghai Taxi Touchscreens – http://ow.ly/11MXa

9. Another list of technology predictions for 2010 – http://ow.ly/Yv7y

10. Top Tools For Tracking Topics on the Web – http://ow.ly/ZnNk

Here’s a nice bit of advertising technology that can be found in the back of taxis throughout Shanghai, China.

More than just a screen pushing ads, the interactive touch-screen device (or ipad as they’ll all be referred to as soon enough) gives the user something to do as they make their way across the city.

Reaching out to the audience in contexts where they have nothing better to do allows advertising to be seen as a welcome distraction opposed to an unwelcome interruption. New technology is allowing us to provide better experiences in such contexts. From TV screens above urinals to gaming at bus stops waiting has never been so much fun.

So here’s the ten most popular twitter posts I sent out last month.

1. Social media in China – It’s a whole new world – http://ow.ly/CJI8

2. The Ultimate List of Niche Social Networks – http://ow.ly/tjB0

3. Good tool. YouTube – Insights for audience. http://ow.ly/CJPM

4. Sony Japan turns ads to jeans – http://ow.ly/BQLg

5. Six Social Media Trends For 2010 – http://ow.ly/z60C

6. Social Media Accounts for 18% of Information Search Market – http://ow.ly/DDh2

7. It’s a map… of the future. Crazy but good. http://ow.ly/z5Zn

8. Good insight – 10 Principals for Engaging Teens/20 somethings. http://ow.ly/pq90

9. Scary stuff! Your Company May Own Your Tweets, Pokes, and YouTube Videos – http://ow.ly/zJhG

10. The Next Mobile Leap Forward: Fold-out Screens and Apps That Anticipate Our Needs – http://ow.ly/DDii

Here’s my August Twitter round-up.

Using the power of Hootsuite here are the most clicked links from the Trendplanner Twitter account for August. For other useful Twitter links on similar themes, check out Qapture which collects links shared by various interesting people on Twitter.

1. Nike: “We don’t do advertising any more. We just do cool stuff” http://ow.ly/kGup

2. The Portable Social Graph – the next big thing in social marketing? http://ow.ly/j1he

3. What playing Poker can teach us about using Social Media – http://ow.ly/krqz

4. 41 Shockvertising Campaigns – From Deplorable PSP Posters to Powerful PETA Ads http://ow.ly/lmIo

5. First iPhone Augmented Reality App Gets Past Apple and Appears in the App Store – http://ow.ly/lmLS

6. Ebay wicked sick BMX – Does creativity work? http://ow.ly/jxaX

7. “Don’t make digital strategy a speciality, make it cost-of-entry to all planners”(via @benshaw) http://ow.ly/lxfj

8. Everything You Never Knew About Facebook – http://ow.ly/j2q1

9. Steve Jobs on why Apple doesn’t do market research – http://ow.ly/iyXN

10. 10 ways musicians are embracing digital – Not everyone is fighting change. http://ow.ly/loT9
Image: Wiselywoven

Obviously Lego is a toy of many peoples’ past, but this needn’t be a negative thing. Lego has used it’s history to create a whole new audience for it’s product – people who aren’t kids any more. Lego is retro, retro is cool, so now you’ll find the Lego brand in some rather unexpected places. So people are loving Lego again, but perhaps they feel they’re a bit too old to be making things out of blocks? No problem, Lego has teamed up with fashion label Paul Frank to bring you Lego products that you can wear. You can also get your hands on a section of Lego accessories such as cameras and mp3 players, not all of these are official Lego products, but all go towards keeping that Lego brand in fashion.

It’s all very well appealing to new audiences, but this is no good if you end up neglecting your original and still primary audience. Lego are still providing products aimed at children, and key to this is the work they do around these products. Toys such as Lego face serious competition from digital content such as computer games and various online activities. Many brands would try and fight this digital technology, fortunately for Lego they are not one of these brands. Instead of working against digital technology, they have worked with it. Lego can’t stop kids playing computer games, so Lego have made their own, Lego can’t stop kids spending their time online on social networks, and online games, so once again they have made their own online content, and put themselves in the places people already are. More brand collaboration has enabled Lego to turn competitors into partners with the likes of SpongeBob Squarepants and Harry Potter Lego, and take the brand into new markets such as their recent tie in with Kickers school shoes.

Lego have not just been getting involved with the technology their audience are currently using, but they are heavily involved in developing the technology they will be using in the future. Augmented reality appears to be starting to take off, and Lego are one of the brands at the forefront of developing the technology and essentially directing the path it takes into the lives of their audience. Lego has used the technology to complement and assist the current product. Lego has installed AR terminals into their stores (above) in which customers can hold up a box full of Lego pieces to get a 3D image of what the product will look like when it’s finished. Then when the customer gets home they can even use AR to help them build the product.

Lego haven’t been doing the hard work by themselves, some of the best content has been done by Lego fans (see above) and can be found all over YouTube, and other Social Media sites. But then that’s what happens when you’ve built a brand people are happy to associate themselves with and most importantly when you’ve got a great product that lets your audience be creative.

Key to Lego’s success is synergy, isolate anyone element of the Lego offering and its very unlikely to perform at the same level, but together each element works along side one another which benefits the individual elemetent and the brand as a whole. Lego have managed to expand and evolve their product offering while staying true to their brand, be it amazing theme park rides or augmented reality experiences you can always trace it back to those original plastic blocks.

1. Agency site – made in YouTube – BooneOakley.com – Clever. http://ow.ly/altG

2. Top 10 Trendplanner tweets – May 2009. http://ow.ly/al1z

3. Google: Expect 18 Android Phones by Year’s End – Am sure some will be great but problem is they wont be called ‘iphone’! http://ow.ly/akF6

4. Consumer Psychologist: How Cool Are You? The 5 factor cool test… http://ow.ly/akEw

5. The Living Book: The book written entirely in QR codes. #qr #mobile #marketing #advertising http://ow.ly/cM0m

6. 5 Digital Music Trends. Things are changing whether the record companies like it or not! http://ow.ly/akEf

7. Red Bull gives you wings – Paper wings that is. Red bull paper wings weltfinale. http://ow.ly/an4w

8. 10 trendspotting tips in 10 minutes. nice slideshow from @jon_howard http://ow.ly/aCuI

9. Do you really want your TV ads to make your audience mad? http://ow.ly/e7xr

10. Top 10 Augmented Reality Adveritising Campaigns so far. #ar #tech http://ow.ly/dsHv

Here’s the latest TV ad for TV advertising, which I ironically saw on youtube.

Don’t get me wrong I thoroughly enjoyed the ad, it brings back memories of some great ad campaigns of the past and the context and comic timing does raise a smile. This ad would have been perfect before the emergence of digital media channels, but then of course back then there would have been no need for such a campaign.

The message of the ad is that TV can get through to your audience like no other medium, you can use it to push your message and it will get through. When the psychiatrist delves into the patients ‘deep subconscious’ he discovers nothing but classic TV ads. The context of this ad seems to represent the old way of approaching marketing, as a one way communication channel, where brands simply push their messages at their audience. However in our new digital world things are changing and as so is the  model, the brand audience now have the option to communicate with the brand, and with other member of the actual and potential brand audience.

The audience will no longer be satisfied with one way communication aimed at them (they might not want to be a a gibbering mess on a psychiatrist’s couch). Furthermore, brands should not be satisfied with this approach. No longer are they limited to aim at simply trying to push their messages into the audience subconscious, they can now truly engage with their audience, and can aim at building a relationship with can be of benefit to both brand and consumer. I’m not saying TV advertising doesn’t have a part to play, just that its approach will have to change, and integrated properly with other mediums it can play a key part in many campaigns.

The evolution of communication channels means that the brand audience can easily talk to brands, and to fellow audience members, and with a bit of luck they won’t have to talk to psychiatrists.

I recently got sent some information about a very interesting marketing campaign in Brazil, for an online book store called Editoras. The campaign was looking to raise awareness of Editoras in Brazil, modernise the brand, and help the brand appeal to a younger audience. With these goals in mind DDB Brazil created a campaign that featured mobile, Twitter, crowdsourcing, and QR codes.

DDB set up a system that pulled in messages of love or hate from Twitter, they then put up QR code posters around Sao Paulo which when read by peoples mobile phones displayed one of the messages of love or hate. Their next step was to create an actual book full of these QR codes and sell it on the Editoras site, as with the posters people could use their mobiles to translate the QR codes to messages of love or hate. DDB made use of the fact that QR codes can simply provide links to online content and therefore you can change what information a QR code links to by simply changing the content at the end of the link. After every 7 days all the codes in the book provided different messages of love and hate, and ‘the living book‘ was born. (See video above for a better description)

By the sounds of it the campaign was a great success. The use of mobile, Twitter, and QR codes was perfect for strengthening the associations of the brand with modern and innovative traits, and in turn will have helped them connect with a younger audience. Furthermore, the campaign actually created a product that gave people a real incentive to visit the online store.

The campaign looked to the extremes in the use of QR code and this was appropriate in regards to their objectives and the fact that the use of QR is still regarded as new and potentially exciting outside of Japan. I don’t think we’ll be writing all our books in QR code but maybe if QR codes can establish themselves outside of Japan they can play some role in the enhancing the communication channel based on some of the principles seen in this campaign.

Perhaps QR codes could be placed on book covers so users can make a quick and easy check that the book is the latest version, or maybe QR codes could be placed next to various facts or figures to provide a quick link to the latest data. Taking things to the next level, print media could be produced before all the information is available, for example create a poster for an event before details such as the time or cost have been decided, simply put a QR code in place of this information and people can get the information when it’s available by scanning the QR code. Of course, the successful use of QR codes in entirely dependent on  the content they deliver, after all the QR code is simply a link and a way of bringing that content to the audience. What ‘the living book’ campaign demonstrates is just how we can use QR codes to merge communication channels, allowing us to bring new types of digital content (i.e. updated information from Twitter) to various non-digital mediums (i.e. books).

The Living Book

These days it’s easier than ever to get feedback from customers, they can simply send you an email, or perhaps respond to a poll on your website. You don’t even need your customers to get in touch with you, people are posting their thoughts on brands and products online and you simply need to search for them.

So you’ve got all this feedback, how much do you act on, is the customer really always right?

Based on feedback and requests from customers Innocent have recently released their first smoothie that doesn’t contain bananas. I for one was pleased to hear this, I’m a big fan of innocent smoothies, but not bananas, I thought I was in for the perfect smoothie!

However, it wasn’t to be. The bananaless smoothie wasn’t a patch on any of the previous smoothies I’ve had. Having not released a bananaless smoothie since they began in 1999 maybe Innocent knew it wouldn’t be as good, but bowed to fools like me who thought they knew what they wanted!

Of course I might be on my own and everyone else might love it (and innocent might have extensively tested the product to ensure this), and yes I am slightly over analysing a bad smoothie experience, but nevertheless it’s definitely still worth noting that the customer (me in this instance) might not actually always know what they want. People thought they wanted to make video calls on their phone, it appears they actually don’t. People often moan about the design of a website, then when it gets changed they want the old one back. People said they wouldn’t watch TV on a computer, the success of hulu and BBC iplayer suggests otherwise.

Yes you should search out customer feedback, and yes you should act on it, but with caution. Can their expectations actually be met, like with the smoothie, or can their expectations actually be exceeded as with web TV. The key is actually let the customer experience the product or service, methods such as beta modes and product testing can ensure you see if the customer really knows what they want.

This is a great little video from Germany that provides a little bit of marketing history and nicely demonstrates how our new digital culture is changing everything. For some people the content in this video is hardly anything new, but it’s presented in such a great way that it can serve as a little reminder to some, and as an education for others.

Source: Michael Reissinger

The truth can be funny.

Source: clevurdesign

See if these ads make you want to rush out and by the product or stay in and sleep with the lights on!

You’ll need the sound to really bring on the nightmares.

Again, add sound to get the full messed up experience, and note this is a real product available on amazon!

The people that let these ads lose on the public are either seriously inept or seriously wrong in the head!

During this year’s  Carling Cup Final (English Football) Carling are giving football fans the chance to use their electronic advertising boards to display messages of  support for their team.

Fans need to send in their banner suggestions via the carling website, and as long as it’s not offensive it might be displayed during the game.

Not a bad idea to drive fans to the site and get them involved with the event and the brand. However, surely it would be a much better idea to allow fans to text or email relevant messages of support during the game. You could still drive fans to the site by requiring them to register before the game. As well as being more engaging and impressive it should avoid the inevitable message of optimistic support for the team that is losing 4-0 in the last minute of the game!

image: eurosport

Psychology has always played a part in marketing and advertising, after all you require an understanding of the human/consumer mind in marketing and psychology is the study of exactly that. Marketing Agency Neurosence aim to truly combine the two.

An ever growing and major field in Psychology is Neuroscience, which in this day an age often involves using brain scanning techniques to understand human behaviour. Neurosence make use of these techniques in the aim of providing greater insight into the consumer mind.

Neurosense claim that their techniques enable them to obtain real feedback on the consumer mind, that they can tap into the unconscious processes behind human decisions and behaviour. This is controversial for many reasons:

• There is still great debate in the psychological community to what we can information we can really obtain from brain imaging. Just because we can what part of the brain is activated by certain behaviour does not necessarily mean we actually understand this behaviour.

• On the other hand  if the technology does reach a certain level, there are potential moral issues involved, total understanding could result in total influence.

I definitely believe that psychology is a vital part of marketing and advertising, neuroscience included, there will be times the findings can be transferred but there will also be times when they cannot. Furthermore, I don’t think we will ever gain a total understanding of human behaviour, we will of gain a much better insight, but I these insights alone are not suffient, they needed to be backed up by creative ideas that you won’t find in a brain scan.

So E4 teen drama ‘Skins’ is back. For those that don’t know Skins is a UK drama that follows the lives of a group of teens living in Bristol. Now in it’s third season, it’s back with a new group of characters.

Like the series that proceeded it the third season is a triumph in nearly every aspect. Unfortunately that missing aspect is the programme itself!

The problem (or genius is you like) with skins is that they have turned the art of programme making on its head. Conventionally the process (and list of importance) is; write the script, find a cast, create the programme, create the advert, market the programme. What they seem to have done with skins is have a truly brilliant marketing campaign, but then seemly forget to actually create a good programme.

The real problem is that this works! People watch the programme, people talk about it, they might think its awful but they still watch it and they talk about it even more.

The marketing campaign is truly impressive. The ads are edgy and exciting and leave you wanting more, on the other hand the programme lacks edge and drags along. As with any good campaign there’s a lot more than TV ads, you’ve got competitions, sponsored gigs, and some great digital content spanning mini sites, virals , and social networking profiles. Of course this all runs along way before the first programme is aired gaining the series a set of hardcore fans that won’t miss an episode before they’ve even seen it!

All this fits nicely with Psychologist Cialdini’s principles of influence, specifically that of consistency. People desire to appear consistent in their actions and will often go to great lengths to remain so. If before viewing someone decides they like the programme, tells people they do verbally or perhaps by signing up online, they will be inclined to try and appear to retain this view whatever the content of the programme.

If you’ve not seen it, just watch this great video above, don’t ruin it by watching the show.

You might or might not know about QR codes, they’re usually about the size of stamp and look a bit like bar codes. The QR code can store information such as urls, and can be read by mobiles, this means scan this code anywhere (e.g. in a magazine) with your mobile and be taken straight to the relevant website on your mobile browser.

For a little more info try here.

The QR code is huge in Japan and they can be found on food packaging to outdoor posters. They have even appeared in the UK in a few instances such as on pepsi cans, but never really taken off.

The concept has huge potential, such as it’s ability to allow the online and offline marketing channel to be truly linked, and the chance to provide real time feedback on offline ads.

Microsoft have clearly seen this potential, and decided they can own the idea in the US and beyond with their version of the idea called Microsoft tag. They’ve changed the technology very slightly, codes now make use of colour and apparently are more easily read by mobiles. What’s more QR code contains all the information within the code, whereas the Microsoft tag contains the directs you to the information. This means with microsoft tag you can change the url which the user is sent to after the code has been created, whereas with QR you cannot.

So it seems microsoft might have improved the technology, but for the concept to really take off in the US and Europe they need more people to have mobile handsets that can easily access the internet and ideally they need these handsets to read these codes without the user having go through the hassle of downloading the application or understanding how it works.

The financial power of microsoft, as well as people’s knowledge and faith in the microsoft brand, combined with the current rise of smartphone ownership might just see this kind of technology take off in the US and Europe this year.

image

Cadbury are planning to put some rather (seemingly) obvious warning messages on some of their products. The Dairy Milk packaging will warn you of its milk content and the Whole Nut packaging will inform you it contains nuts.

Yes it seems a little silly, but you can hardly blame them. Remember the woman who sued McDonalds because her coffee was hot?!

What’s more brand names rarley reflect the contents of the product. How many red bulls do you think make up that energy drink. How many Lions make up that chocolate bar.

When people hear dairy milk chances are they won’t think about milk and cocoa, but a massive gorilla banging on the drums. That’s rights it’s all the fault of advertising and marketing creating a brand that is removed from the actual make up of the product. If we do our job properly ‘Dairy Milk’ should not bring up any connotations of the precise meanings of dairy or milk but whatever we decide it should do (of course if we wish it could include notions of these elements).

So as well as ‘Contains Milk’, they’ll need to find some space for ‘No Gorrilas’. Don’t blame the government, the public, blame yourselves!

Nice bit of promotion here in the Sun yesterday just to make sure everyone remembers to buy wii products this Christmas.

Is a negative story in the Sun going to stop Mum getting the kids those Wii products they want for Christmas?

Of course not, it will simply put the wii in the forefront of their minds. What’s more they’re most likely to remember the image, some won’t even process the story, and this image can only be described as a positive depiction of the wii.

A massive seller last year, so now they’ve all got one, kids will be asking/demanding wii extras this year. Top seller lists this Christmas will be full of wii products such as the wii fit.

You’ll never guess where you can pick up those in demand wii extras, The Sun online store of course. Who’d have thought.

Wunderman gave us the Rudolph Rodeo.

Partners Andrews Aldridge gave us a kiss.

Albion gave us the Queen.

My favourite is from AKQA, who gave us jingle bells through the medium of microwave.

In 1929 when the US economy was in a state not unlike today two major brands took two very different paths in regards to ad spend. The paths that these brands took would influence the future of the brand up until this very day.

In 1929 the biggest cereal brand in America was Post Cereals. When the depression started Post decided to make heavy cuts to their ad budgets. On the other hand one of their competitors decided not to cut ad budget. That competitor was called Kelloggs (you might have heard of them). Kelloggs came out of the depression as the Number one cereal brand, a position they hold till this very day.

This highlights the importance of marketing, and keeping track of your competitors marketing activity, and that there will be some winners in these hard financial times.

The high top trainer has been around for ages but thanks to some clever marketing from different brands they are bigger than ever. Retro trainers inspired from classic basketball trainers of yesteryear are all the rage.

Converse high tops have never went away, but with some fresh campaigns they’ve widened their audience but maintained if not improved their image. Some good digital work such as an improved website and campaign which saw the likes of Pharrell, Santogold, and Casablancas (The Strokes) create a music track together (while wearing their converse of course!) which users could download off the converse site the track went on to be massive on youtube and in the charts.

Then to another iconic high top that never really went away. The Nike Dunk like the converse is another basketball shoe that never really went away, but its profile has recently upped thanks to new editions and the new Nike ID service that allows you to design your very own. The service even extended to a mobile service which allowed you to take a picture of the colour you wanted your dunks to be with your mobile, send it on to Nike, and they’ll send you trainers in that colour – clever.

Now we’ve got Reebok re-releasing some of it’s classic high tops such as the pump, and not to be left out we’ve got High top releases from Adidas, Onitsuka Tiger, and Puma (pictured and personal favourite).

What else can a bit of clever marketing re-invent?