Digital Discourse

BMW Spreads DESIR3 with Co-Creation Branding

Head over to YouTube.com where BMW has launched a video contest with a home page takeover.  The contest is fun, creative, and the prize is pretty fantastic – win a BMW 3 Series!  I worked on the digital strategy behind this effort and have to say it’s really exciting to see your recommendations become a reality.

 

The effort is part of the larger DESIR3 campaign that is focused on raising awareness of the all new BMW 3 Series.  For this particular work, the original challenge was to develop a recommendation around how to fully leverage a large media buy and amplify the media value beyond the impression and click.  What we did was create a program that lives longer than one single day (during the homepage takeover). 

How it works:  Show BMW how much you DESIR3 the new 3 Series in 5.9 seconds or less and it's yours - but you have to be as quick as the 3 - which hits 60mph in 5.9 seconds.

 

One of the driving activation insights behind this effort is that collective branding via user generated content (UGC) can help aspirational drivers feel an emotional connection to the brand.  And further, co-creation generates creative assets that spread!  I posted my video last Friday and it already has over 1000 views (see bottom of post).  If you start to project that engagement out with hundreds or thousands of submissions you inevitably see a nice amount of earned media value. 

As a final thought - whenever working in UGC, it’s important to offer some creative structure to participants – or else it just becomes a free for all that loses site of the campaign and brand message.  The structure we provided was focusing on an emotional brand value and placing limits on the submission to 5.9 seconds.  "Less is more," right?  The cumulative effect – beyond media exposure and awareness – is that BMW’s DESIR3 means something completely different after this partnership with consumers has taken place.  In today's modern media landscape, brands need to show that willingness to cede some control to their enthusiasts.

If you don’t have time today, the contest will live on after our take over media.  The amount of time you have to enter is, of course, 3 weeks.

Here's my submission - I shot it on the Super 8 iPhone App!

 

Content for Non Profits

I’ve just returned from a trip out to Rwanda with the medical non-profit organization, Team Heart.  Their mission is to address and prevent Rheumatic Heart Disease in Rwanda and East Africa, which is a significant problem to the tune of causing 30% of all hospitalizations.  Their strategy is to administer penicillin for prevention and operate on those who need heart surgery.

When I first met Team Heart I realized that their mission was multi-layered and that the language of medicine is not easily familiar to those outside of the medical world.  I produced this video to help them explain their mission in an accessible and easily digestible manner.

For my most recent trip with Team Heart, my goal was to create a video that they can use for their fundraising efforts.  Strategically, my aim for this work was not just to help people understand the mission, but also to build more of an emotional connection between the story and prospective donors. 

Every messaging strategy mixes logic with emotion but I think when it comes to giving your money for good, the logic needs to hit a certain baseline threshold and then the emotion needs to be the ultimate selling point.  Generally inspiration will always beat out urgency of the mission.  There are lots of urgent causes – but inspiration is ultimately going to be what make people feel good about giving and telling their friends.  For Sr. Cardiac Surgeon, Dr. Chip Bolman, the patients inspire him.

Short term, I’ve been sharing photos on Tumblr and Picasa (hit me up on G+)… Mid term I plan to deliver a 5-10 minute video for fundraisers… As for long term?  Dave Wilson, Chairman of Team Heart tells me I should think Sundance - but we’ll see about that!

Of course non profits do not need to hire a photographer / videographer to produce great content.  Simply starting a blog, Tumblr or YouTube page can allow you to share great content frequently enough to keep everyone engaged with the mission.  The key is to keep it simple and let the story tell itself.  And as always, the more visual the better!  Make sure to check out Team Heart's Blog.

 

#FIRSTANDFOREVER at Frontrunner Gallery

Doc Maarten’s recently showcased their social media prowess by hosting the #FIRSTANDFOREVER event at Frontrunner Gallery in TriBeCa, NY.  The event featured a new media installation of projected video, instagrams printed to canvas, DJ, custom bourbon drinks and the new line of Doc Maartens shoes.  A fine assortment of downtown regulars and bloggers were in attendance and spirits were high.

Among all the great accouterments and creative uses of the Frontrunner space, the Instagrams printed to canvas felt particularly innovative.  The prints showcased the spirit of Doc Maartens and the evolving beauty of mobile photography.  Now I need to make my own!  Great for bringing some life to that undersized New York City apartment!

Inspired by the mobile photo installation, I captured Instagram portraits of the event attendees.

 

CrossLink: Crowdsourced Fundraising Nets $3K for Documentary

CrossLink’s second session, ‘Crowdsourced Fundraising’ covered the emerging opportunity on sites such as Kickstarter, ProFounder, CrowdRise, and JustGiving (see my presentation) - also shown below.  The focus then turned toward  two filmmakers, Ollie and Zach of Sent Productions, who are currently tapping into crowd funding via KickStarter for their project, ‘Breaking Trail.’  The film is about a father / son duo from Aspen who are starting a back country ski operation in El Arpa, Chile.  During the session, attendees donated $3000 and the project has now successfully captured $4,675 in funding.

Crowdsourced Fundraising

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CrossLink: Mobile Photography Installation & Meetup

On Thursday, August 4, colleagues from my team at KBS+P, in partnerships with Frontrunner Gallery hosted a Mobile Photography installation.  It was an effort to put on display the creative behaviors that have become common practice on the phone.  Hosting the output of serendipitous digital creativity in the gallery setting was somethign we saw as very similar to the Frontrunner mission - to support emerging artists and innovators.  The event functioned as part of the bi-monthly CrossLink meetup, which explores the connection between digital strategy and creativity.  Join CrossLink on Meetup.  Join Frontrunner Gallery on Facebook to see all of the photos!  The strategy presentation is featured at the bottomr of this post!

Official event description:

#MobileGallery explores the rapidly emerging behavior of connected mobile photography and the associated creative opportunities for artists, marketers, and everyday people.  The event showcases a selection of photos shot on iPhones by members of The Socialites, a group of social media strategists whose mission is to illuminate the frontiers of digital technology and creativity.  Some are practicing photographers while others are simply ‘cool kids with digital style.’   The combined presentation wrestles with the fine line between formal creativity and informal visual sharing among friends. Strategic points of view are offered regarding the space and directional trends that are making headlines today.  The show’s hashtag is #mobilegallery, on which a conversation, in both comments and photos takes place.

 

Mobile Photography at #MobileGallery

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The turnout at Frontrunner Gallery in TriBeCa for the CrossLink Event:

Details Matter - Spade & Partners say "Think Small"

Details matter.  They can be a real pain but when you get them right it makes all the difference.

Details matter in tedious areas like book keeping.  They also really matter in creative areas like art, experience and design.  And people notice details.  That's what makes them make the end result special.

Andy Spade and Anthony Sperduti discuss this insight in their presentation at PSFK.  Their thesis is that big brands can make a huge impact on how people percieve them by thinking small and paying close attention to detail.  

A great example that resonated with me is their work with J. Crew in creating the Liquor Store in TriBeCa, New York.  In the 90's J. Crew had no identity as a men's brand.  The solution was to simply fix up an old dive bar and make it a place to shop.  Initiatives such as the Liquor Store gave men a place to shop that felt authentic and comfortable.  Details such as the preserved bar, the gallery within the fitting room, and the sign outside the shoppe makes the larger experience feel authentic - i.e. - not global brand and generic.

Thinking about my own work in ad agencies, I've also learned a similar lesson.  When working with massive companies and many different teams, it's best to find a focus and do that REALLY well.  When you spread yourself thin with many different "one-off" engagements, you may very well help a larger group of people, but you likely won't be remembered for hitting the home run or changing the way people think and approach problems.

All of this thinking is inspiration for the partners at Frontrunner Gallery.  We're thinking about how to make the space feel more like a truly unique and brand experience.  If you have ideas, please shoot them our way or comment below!  We'd love to hear from you!

Media Innovation Payoffs & Risks: Volvo

The Volvo banner featured in this post caught my eye because it actually uses a QR code in digital paid media to drive to a mobile app so that users can play a branded game.  My immediate reaction was first one of skepticism, because it felt unnecessary to deliver an interactive experience in mobile, when a user is already on their computer.  Digging a little deeper, it makes a bit more sense when I think about the number of mobile programs that I’ve seen clients develop without having a promotional strategy in place.  The digital media / QR approach is actually quite innovative if you have a client that’s looking to promote their mobile experience for the right reasons. 

Assessing the payoff:

If you’re going to invest in driving people to an app, you have to assess how much value you place on app downloads and whether they’re likely to engage with the app once versus many times.  In the Volvo example, is it worth the spend when you’re getting users to download a branded app that they may use only one or twice?  For branded apps that are more utility driven, and thus, used more than once and for a longer term, investing in app promotional strategy may show a much higher ROI.

Interestingly, it appears Volvo often goes for the innovation angle.  Being the first to do something new has always had PR and buzz value.  Further, if it’s untested, you can usually negotiate for more value-add in the media deal.  The big take away here is that innovation entails more risk in advertising, but it can also spark more value, buzz and positive perception than playing it safe all the time.  Obviously, the risk assessment always needs to be calculated – but can pay off in the end.

 

Making QR the Hero: JetBlue

Every morning during my commute to work I see the different ads posted in the subway.  One recent JetBlue ad really captured my attention and kept me thinking about the brand between train rides.

JetBlue made a QR code the central focus of their subway poster.  Wow!  Talk about straying from the brand’s look-book.  Kudos to the creatives for making technology aesthetically pleasing! 

JetBlue’s ‘in-your-face’ approach to QR codes seems to do three things really well:

1. Spark immediate intrigue with bold visuals
2. Reinforce perception that JetBlue embraces new technologies
3. Facilitate program response with immediately available technologies

 

From a strategic perspective, I’m left asking if they were focused on one or many different goals.

The ad actually functions – quite literally as a traffic driver to JetBlue’s St. Pete / Clearwater promotion, which gives away one free trip for every week of February.  The call-to-action tells viewers to go to the vanity URL jet2thebeach.com and enter to win.  But why have a QR code in addition to the vanity URL, and why place the QR code so prominently in relation to the vanity URL?

I’m inclined to believe that QR on subways – and even on-the-go for that matter - is particularly relevant for facilitating what the name claims: ‘quick response’.  If you see a URL in a magazine, you just mark the page and come back to it when you’re ready to act on it.  But if you don’t own the magazine or if you’re on the subway, you may be captivated by the ad momentarily, but by the time you sit back down at your computer, the program is likely forgotten.  Capturing the QR code makes response easier, and on a device where action can be taken more immediately, from almost anywhere. 

On my phone I scanned the ad with the RedLaser app, which is a popular QR scanner.  I did not have immediate service in the subway, but once I was back on the street, all I had to do was tap on the bookmarked link (rather than remembering to type in the URL).  Upon arriving at the campaign microsite, I was redirected to a mobile optimized site, which prominently showcased the basic call to action: enter the sweepstakes by filling out the form. 

Ultimately, QR can help both perception and direct response – it’s not an “either / or” opportunity.  JetBlue showed bold, creative thinking by making QR the visual focus.  That said, QR still presents a big opportunity for the vast majority of brands who are simply looking to make their traditional media more response oriented and immediately actionable.

 

 

Further reading:

On Mashable, Hamilton Chan discusses:

Why QR Codes Will Go Mainstream and

Why the Best Online Marketing May be Headed Offline

Key recommendations highlighted:

1. Optimize for mobile
2. There must be a payoff to QR programs
3. Consider ‘Context Sensitive Marketing’ (CSM), which promotes impulse actions

 

An Interview with John Wolf about Cause Marketing

John Wolf, Senior Director of Public Relations at Marriott International discusses in an interview some of the strategic thinking behind the TownePlace Suites 'Make-a-Bed' Program. www.facebook.com/makeabed

When you make a virtual bed at the promotion's Facebook page, Marriott will donate $2 to the Red Cross, up to $50,000. The Red Cross will use the money to provide comfort kits to people in need. Comfort kits include soap, razor, toothbrush and the like.  By making a bed, participants are also entered to win a free extended stay at TownePlace Suites, and other secondary prizes, such as Flip Cameras.

1. How did the Marriott / TownePlace Suites campaign come about?
Community service is at the core of Marriott International’s culture and TownePlace Suites has been a leading brand in giving back to communities where it does business. In this case, the Make a Bed Facebook application was a perfect fit. TownePlace Suites is an extended stay brand, serving people primarily on travel for weeks to months at a time with features, such as guest suites, kitchens, 24/7 access to food and beverage, and the TowneMap that familiarizes guests with the neighborhood. Because of these services and amenities, TownePlace Suites also serves guests who have been victims of disasters, as well as disaster relief workers.
 
We wanted to incorporate all these elements into a meaningful promotion with the American Red Cross that celebrated community while connecting with our guests online.
 
3. What was the goal of having it focus on Facebook?
Many of our guests spend a considerable amount of time on Facebook. In order to maximize the effectiveness of the program and its accompanying donation, we believed Facebook would be the best way to introduce TownePlace Suites to a new audience in a meaningful way, while ensuring success with the program. It's been a great decision and in a month more than 6,000 people have "made beds," so far.

5, 6. How will you measure success?   How is Marriott's donation structured? That is, does Marriott guarantee a certain amount? What's the cap on how much Marriott will donate?
The ultimate success is raising the full $50,000 donation limit for American Red Cross Disaster Relief. If we do nothing else, the program will have been a huge success. We also are measuring awareness and consideration for TownePlace Suites with users who have engaged with the program, using a variety of engagement metrics (Likes, views of videos in the application, sharing, surveys, etc.).

8. How did Marriott choose the Red Cross as a partner?
We have long admired their work and as part of the Marriott family, have had long-standing relationship with the Red Cross in the aftermath of disasters.  With over 190 TownePlace Suites locations, we are an active part of many communities across the country. Every day, the American Red Cross helps with disasters that sometimes touch those communities, from house fires to hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes.

9. The Red Cross is one of the top two or three largest charities in the U.S. And it's the only one with a Federal Charter. But it has had a reputation as being a little fusty when it comes to marketing. What concerns did Marriott about that?
We had none. The American Red Cross could not be a better partner. They have been fully engaged throughout the project.

10. TownePlace Suites is Marriott's long-term stay brand. What about long-term stay made this campaign appropriate for a relationship with the Red Cross?
As an extended-stay brand, TownePlace Suites serves primarily business travelers away from home for weeks to months at a time. Therefore, it naturally has also been a hotel brand of choice for people recovering from disasters, and for those that respond to disasters, such as the American Red Cross.  

 

Cause Marketing: TownePlace Suites on Facebook

TownePlace Suite's Make-A-Bed program is a cause marketing promotion that aims to reward consumer engagement with donations to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief.  In addition, participants can win a grand prize free extended stay at TownePlace Suites.  

I've been honored to support this effort strategically and I'm really proud of what we've come up with.  One of my main tasks was to determine our conversation strategy.  Because we are giving away Flip Cameras as secondary prizes, I recommended that Flip Cam video interviews with the ARC be a part of our wall strategy.  As is the case with many social media campaigns, we were working on a limited budget and the Flip interviews were a great way to develop compelling content on-the-fly.  Justification for shooting on the Flip Cam was essentially that while the production value may not be at the level of traditional marketing and advertising, Flip interviews speak in a uniquely social voice and humanize both the partnership with the Red Cross and also the prize that is being given away.

I think our effort with the Flip Cam interviews speaks to a larger trend in our industry around the need to spark 2-way conversations between brands and consumers.  The quick video interview is effective at sparking conversations through taped conversation.  We've seen some great comments on our Flip Cam videos and I'm hopeful that marketers will begin to see that in "always-on" social channels, on-the-fly efforts are often appreciated by fans and followers when they are posted.

Go to www.facebook.com/makeabed to help support the program give up to $50,000 to the American Red Cross.  Every click on the Make-A-Bed tab helps TPS donate 2 dollars to the ARC.  "You Click - We Donate."

Check out causemarketing.biz to see a full interview with Marriott's head of public relations about the TownePlace Suites Make-A-Bed program.

Below are 2 of the Make-A-Bed Flip Cam interview videos: