RICK MATHIESON: GENWOW.COM

Interview: AKQA CEO Tom Bedecarré (Conclusion) - Alternate Reality Games, Location-Based Marketing & Targeting

In the conclusion of this source interview for my book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, AKQA CEO Tom Bedecarré offers his view of alternate reality games (ARGs), social media, location-based marketing and that most controversial of issues: targeting.

CLICK HERE to listen to: Tom Bedecarré, CEO, AKQA (Conclusion): ARGs, Social Media, Location-Based Marketing & Targeting

 

 

(Approx. 5:45)

Interview: AKQA CEO Tom Bedecarré (Pt. 3) - On Coca-Cola, Target & AKQA's #1 Core Value

In part three of this source interview for my book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, AKQA CEO Tom Bedecarré shares insights on a few more of his agency's most successful initiatives - including Design The World a Coke and the holiday iPhone app for Target - as well as how AKQA organizes itself around its #1 core value: Innovation.

 CLICK HERE to listen to: Tom Bedecarré, CEO, AKQA (Pt. 3): Coca-Cola, Target and AKQA's #1 Core Value

(Approx. 4:56)

   

 

Interview: AKQA CEO Tom Bedecarré (Pt. 2) - Nike, Visa & Undervaluing Facebook

 

More from my source interview with AKQA CEO Tom Bedecarré, for my book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND.

In part two, Bedecarré talks about some of AKQA's all-time greatest initiatives, beginning with the Nike PhotoID mobile app (see the YouTube video above for the latest version of the app, which enables you to design sneakers with Instagram photos). Along the way, we'll learn that for all the hype that surrounds Facebook, Bedecarré believes it remains grossly undervalued by marketers.

Listen to: Tom Bedecarré, CEO, AKQA (Pt. 2): Nike, Visa & the Surprising Power of Facebook

 

(Approx. 5:10)

Interview: AKQA CEO Tom Bedecarré - On Building The Agency of Tomorrow, Today

Tom Bedecarré is succeeding like few others in creating the ad agency of tomorrow, today.

In part one of an expansive source interview for my book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, Bedecarré shares the behind the scenes steps he took to shape what is arguably one of the most forward thinking digital marketing firms in the world

"There are a lot of advertising people who want to hang onto the past, want to hang onto 30-second television commercials and full-color magazine ads, and I think it's very hard to catch up," he tells me, with considerable understatement, before explaining how his team started putting the pieces in place a decade ago to capitalize on this amazing new era.

 

Over the next few days, I'll share more from this interview, including Bedecarreé's insights on some of today's mos exciting new channels, as well as his firm's most famous digital initiatives, from Design The World A Coke, to Nike PhotoID, to the Target snow globe iPhone app and more. 

Tom Bedecarré, CEO, AKQA: Building The Agency of Tomorrow, Today (Pt. 1)

Listen to: AQKA CEO Tom Bedecarré Pt 1: The Agency of Tomorrow, Today

(Approx. 3:10)

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3D Projection Mapping - On A Miniature Model of Tokyo (Video)

 

Call it 3D projection writ small. Very, very small.

In January, I posted about an initiative we spearheaded to super-size a client's core message on a 12-story building through the power and magic of 3D projection mapping.

In celebrating its 10th anniversary, Roppongi Hills - a renowned Tokyo landmark, decided to use the technology in reverse - with a remarkable digital campaign called "Tokyo City Symphony," an interactive website where you can experience playing with 3D projection mapping on a 1:1000 miniature model of Tokyo.

According to the Mori Building Company, the handcrafted model is an exact replica of the cityscape of Tokyo in every detail. Three visual motifs are projected onto the city in sync with music: "Future City," conjuring futuristic images, "Rock" that playfully transforms Roppongi Hills into colorful musical instruments and monsters, and "Edo City," or "Traditional Tokyo," that portrays beautiful Japanese images.

One very big small idea.

Check it all out yourself, here.

 

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Interview: BSSP's John Butler (Pt 2) - On Driving Digital Innovation for Mini

"Let's advertise to people who already own the car."

That, in a nutshell, sums up John Butler's unconventional approach to marketing MINI, which I explore in my book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND (available everywhere books are sold).

In part two of this source interview, Butler talks about how this mindset, combined with in-house digital expertise at Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners led to such innovations like billboards that use RFID technology to call out to MINI drivers, with messages like "Nice day to have the top down, Ed!"

The effort was part of the MINI "Covert" campaign that has helped MINI make a major splash in the world of automotive marketing. 

Here's more from a great interview that offers some outstanding insights on success in the digital age.

Listen to: John Butler (Pt. 2) - Driving Digital Innovation for MINI

(approx 5:34)

 

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Interview: BSSP's John Butler on Brands in the Digital Age (Pt 1)

"Building brands in the digital age comes down to a single word, and that word is 'experience.'"

It's just one of the pitch-perfect comments made by John Butler in this source interview from my book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND (available everywhere books are sold).

This podcast is the first from that interview, which offers an exclusive look at how John and his agency, Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, approach digital marketing initiatives ranging from RFID-based billboards that call out to MINI drivers by name, to the new Jamboxx iPad app.

It's a great interview that offers some outstanding insights on success in the digital age.

Listen to 'BSSP's John Butler on Brands in the Digital Age (Part 1)'

(approx 4:08)

 

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Interview: Tina Sharkey, CEO of BabyCenter - On The Care & Feeding of Social Networks

BabyCenter, the phenomenally successful online community that reaches 78 percent of all online women who are pregnant or mothers of children under 24 months old, has become a soc-net cause celebré America's moms.

In fact, more moms visit BabyCenter in the US than there are babies born in the US in a year.

In part one of this exclusive interview with BabyCenter Chairwoman Tina Sharkey, portions of which are featured in my book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, I get the inside scoop on how BabyCenter has connects with moms through blogs, forums and branded content - as well as an interesting mobile app called "Booty Call."

Tina Sharkey: The Care & Feeding of Social Networks, Part 1

(Approx 6:17)

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Talking Branded Games at DemandCon San Francisco

I'm starting to get amped about speaking at DemandCon San Francisco on April 16 - and this time I'm bringing along friend and client Rick Wootten, senior director of online marketing at Seagate Technologies.

The two of us will give attendees a behind-the-scenes look at the blockbuster results we achieved on a branded game we developed when he held a similiar role at SonicWALL.

Wootten and I did a similiar presentation at BMA SF last year. And now we're super-sizing it for DemandCon to bring you a crash course on how branded games can:

• Supercharge integrated communications programs

• Dramatically boost interaction times with prospects

• Amplify your social and mobile initiatives to move beyond mere "presence" to true engagement like never before

Make no mistake: You can score some very serious business with branded fun and games - and we're going to show you how.

See you there!

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Dove Photoshop Action 'Beautify' Secretly Reverts Images, Makes Models Look More 'Real'

 

Don't look now, but Dove may be undoing all your Photoshop work.

As part of its long-running "Campaign for Real Beauty," the brand has launched a nicely-subversive new branded Photoshop action that secretly reverts your images back to their original state.

Which means all the baggy eyes, moles and muffin tops you spent so long "airbrushing" away suddenly reappear, returning your models to their true selves – wrinkles and all. (Designers, don't worry: It's easily undone.)

"Don't manipulate our perceptions of real beauty," admonishes an advertisement for the effort (from Ogilvy Toronto) which is aimed at "shaming the body-shamers," as Co.Create recently put it. 

In my book THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, I take an in-depth look at this venerable campaign and its history of innovative marketing initiatives, digital and otherwise. It isn't every day, after all, that you see massive global campaigns aimed at seamlessly pitching Dove products like Firming Cream and Exfoliating Body Wash - while promoting healthy body image and encouraging girls and women to eschew beauty industry stereotypes.

Among my favorites: Times Square billboards that let passersby vote on whether a model is "fat or fabulous," "wrinkled or wonderful," and "oversized or outstanding" via mobile voting. And, more recently, an initiative that enabled women to switch out Facebook ads that are downers (beauty ads that feature negative or unrealistic visuals) with uplifting ads that encourage women to define their own ideal of beauty.

It was all enough to see the campaign become the first ever to win both the TV and cyber Grand Prix Awards at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

(You can listen to my interview with Unilever's then-SVP of Global Media, Laura Klauberg - about the astonishing results the campaign has been generating, and how digital in general, and social media, online video and mobile, in particular, have reshaped the way Unilever markets its personal care brands – here)

Until now, the campaign has been aimed squarely at end-users who must embrace or reject harmful beauty stereotypes. I believe this is the first element to target those who craft images that can warp our perceptions of beauty. The action was surreptitiously placed on design tool sites as a free download, without mention of its true purpose. Which could be a little cruel. But for many, the turnabout may be very fair play, indeed.

Read more about the "Beautify" action, here.

 

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