Integrated marketing

Buster the Boxer Likes To Bounce.

Every year British department store chain John Lewis goes all in on their holiday marketing campaign, and this year is no exception. From the TV commercial, “Buster’s Garden” to the extended length YouTube spot, the VR 360 companion video and the website, plus social media (they have a dedicated Snapchat filter you can get) they have pulled out all the stops. The video is a really nice blend of CG and live action with a story that ties it all together. The concept is built around the story of a little girl called Bridget who loves to bounce. When her mom and dad buy her a trampoline for Christmas, they soon discover that she isn’t the only one with a passion for jumping.

If you click through to YouTube and select the more information section you will see where John Lewis has partnered with the Wildlife Trusts to help protect and restore our nation’s wildlife and natural habitat for our children today and in the future. I addition there are options to sign up for additional videos that will be posting this holiday season and the usual hooks to social media as well. The microsite does a really solid job of integrating the extended content and encouraging visitors to do more than just shop. While shopping is encouraged and there are really strong ties to product related specifically to the advertising, there are additional calls to action with Bring Skills to Life which ties the campaign to real world activities children can engage with at home.

One of the things that I think is really interesting, and I wish I were going to the UK to see it in person, is the fact that John Lewis has created Buster’s Garden at a number of their stores allowing you to explore the space using Oculus Rift technology. Like the rest of the campaign, its a nice blend of technology and the physical store environments.

175 Years of Cunard.

Digitas LBi has put together an impressive and ambitious 2 minute animated short to help Cunard celebrate it’s 175th anniversary. The short is an animated timeline that highlights the milestones and accomplishments that Cunard has made in it’s 175 year history. Through out the piece, the styles of the illustrations change to reflect the era they are from. This coupled with a changing score, excellent sound design and fluid motion help to keep you engaged through the entire two minute online spot. The YouTube video also links back to the microsite that was built for Cunard’s special 175th anniversary cruises. At the microsite, there is an additional series of videos that highlight the anniversary, and Cunard achievements, and a section where you can book a cruise.

Nice work all the way around.

The Seven Wonders of Oregon.

I’m over the “I can’t draw” sketchbook look, and the “Badly painted” hand lettering look. It reached a fever pitch of a year ago and its starting to feel a bit dated. I know this is a personal opinion, but it’s like the stop motion craze with vintage effects look, for me it’s jumped the shark. One exception that I have to the sketchbook / painted hand lettering look for me though is the “Seven wonders of Oregon” campaign. I like it because it doesn’t feel like every other travel / tourism campaign that starts to roll as winter melts away and gives into spring and summer.

Travel Oregon made it’s largest marketing investment ever with this campaign at a cost of $3 million dollars. The integrated campaign uses a combination of TV, Social Media, Print, and Direct Mail, developed by Portland’s own Wieden + Kennedy, Substance and Sparkloft Media. Th e basis of the campaign is pretty clever and straight forward. It argues that whoever created the original list of the seven wonders of the world, never set foot in Oregon. So,Travel Oregon named it’s own seven wonders for the state: the Oregon Coast, Mt. Hood, the Columbia River Gorge, Crater Lake, the Painted Hills, the Wallowas and Smith Rock. Placed over the images are a series of stamps or logos which use the amateurish hand drawn look to effect. The logos are used through out all elements of the campaign and render an entirely different feel than typical travel, or luggage stickers used in many tourism campaigns. The illustrative style is used across all aspects of the campaign from video to web to social media creating a cohesive voice and brand for Travel Oregon. Hopefully it will have staying power for a few years.

Push It With Intel.

Intel has always done a really solid job of promoting their brand and products. Intel is also a company that is heavily invested in digital convergence marketing tools, tying physical and digital spaces together quite well. One of their latest campaigns is “Push” an old school arcade game tied to a social media campaign, attached to a game where the grand prize is a new Ultrabook.

It’s a fairly simple concept. You connect with Facebook or Twitter and get in line. When your turn comes up, your name in 3D block letters is pulled by a robotic arm and placed on the table. Then those letters are pushed forward in the stack. If your name is the one to push it off stage, you win. The game plays out in real-time, streamed to the web.