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The CT's
Monday, September 14, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
A BRILLIANT pile of Rubbish!!!
The $15,000 winner of the 2009 Waikato National Contemporary Art awards has sparked a very healthy debate around the country. As you can see in the picture, the winner was literally a pile of rubbish which will create the easiest of puns for the media. From my perspective I think it was a brilliant decision by the judge, but are we talking about the publicity it has received rather than the actual art?
The winner will probably have made his easiest payout yet after sending in the instructions by fax for the gallery staff to compile a collection of rubbish. What is even better was that the material used was actually the wrapping and paper left from of all the other artwork delivered in for the competition. Situated on the floor in the middle of the exhibition, you can see how this would have brought out the tissues. Renowned German artist Dane Mitchell probably wont have many Euros left after the exchange rate tackles into his prize, but I am sure he will be smiling over his Bavaria and pretzel tonight.
Outrage has launched the publicity to great heights with TVNZ focusing it on Close up last night. Paul Henry was in classic form as he made the Museum director say something she didn’t want to, and then replicated the idea by making his own pile of rubbish at the closing of the show. The publishers are also pumping it online and in the press, so it has engaged a very big audience across the country and overseas. This exposure can be seen as a great win for an award that apparently had lost some heat over the past few years, but the judge’s call is completely justified. Contemporary art is all about perception, Contemporary simply means "art that has been and continues to be created during our lifetimes". In other words, contemporary to you/me/us.
I guess you would be dark if you chiselled at a huge metal framework for 30 hours and then a foreigner wins by exhibiting the disposed wrapping you delivered your work in, but this is the beauty of it!
The winner will probably have made his easiest payout yet after sending in the instructions by fax for the gallery staff to compile a collection of rubbish. What is even better was that the material used was actually the wrapping and paper left from of all the other artwork delivered in for the competition. Situated on the floor in the middle of the exhibition, you can see how this would have brought out the tissues. Renowned German artist Dane Mitchell probably wont have many Euros left after the exchange rate tackles into his prize, but I am sure he will be smiling over his Bavaria and pretzel tonight.
Outrage has launched the publicity to great heights with TVNZ focusing it on Close up last night. Paul Henry was in classic form as he made the Museum director say something she didn’t want to, and then replicated the idea by making his own pile of rubbish at the closing of the show. The publishers are also pumping it online and in the press, so it has engaged a very big audience across the country and overseas. This exposure can be seen as a great win for an award that apparently had lost some heat over the past few years, but the judge’s call is completely justified. Contemporary art is all about perception, Contemporary simply means "art that has been and continues to be created during our lifetimes". In other words, contemporary to you/me/us.
I guess you would be dark if you chiselled at a huge metal framework for 30 hours and then a foreigner wins by exhibiting the disposed wrapping you delivered your work in, but this is the beauty of it!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Glaceau Mineral Water - Digital Out of Home
James Jordan, one of our traders in the UK, sent through a engaging concept for Glaceau Mineral Water which he worked on with Posterscope in London.
As you can see in the video below, this is a unique outdoor execution on arguably the world’s most famous billboard. It made great use of the giant Digital Piccadilly Coke screen, and the concept was also replicated in all major train stations around the UK.
James coded an application where Coke experiential staff could log into the signs, interrupt the current ad playing, and adjust the creative to be a direct message in real time. Coke staff would type messages targeted to specific people in Piccadilly Circus from their vantage point above.
Look carefully at the LED in the video and you can see it interacting with the crowd below, it says…
“hey you cool kids!
yeah! all of you with your rucksacks on,
on your feet!
line up! great now lets see the conga”
This was the first time anything like this had been done in both the train stations, and on the Piccadilly sign.
Glaceau Mineral Water - Digital Out of Home
Client:Glaceau Mineral Water (Coke)
Agency: Posterscope / Hyperspace
Tech Applications used: PHP, Flex, Flash Media Server and Actionscript
Friday, September 4, 2009
Party across the Internet!!!
Digital Agency Soap Creative with Universal McCann in Australia have produced some very cool online work for Lynx. 
Always known for fantastic creative combined with very innovative media, Lynx have taken it up a notch with this one. In the Anti Hangover range, Shock and Fever Shower Gel provide the colours and fragrances for a range of male fantasy experiences. This online execution puts the browser directly within these experiences across online environments very relevant to the target audience. You are taken on a ride through men’s magazine Ralph, surf magazine QuiksilverPro, MySpace and video site Heavy.com before landing at the Lynx Effect Facebook page.
The campaign should surely see these agencies with their pants round their ankles come awards season. It combines almost every unique online execution possible which would send most online editors to an early grave (perhaps a topic for a later post?). There is content integration, expanding Rich Media into video, page takeovers, interactive games, but most importantly it lands on a Facebook signup to establish a fanbase for further engagement.
If you’re not familiar with past Lynx campaigns then check out http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/tag/lynx/ for a breakout of their work. Look up The Lynx Jet which won the Grand Prix in the Cannes Media Lions, along with two Gold Lions in the Lions Direct awards and a Promo Lion in the sales-promotion category.
The campaign should surely see these agencies with their pants round their ankles come awards season. It combines almost every unique online execution possible which would send most online editors to an early grave (perhaps a topic for a later post?). There is content integration, expanding Rich Media into video, page takeovers, interactive games, but most importantly it lands on a Facebook signup to establish a fanbase for further engagement.
If you’re not familiar with past Lynx campaigns then check out http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/tag/lynx/ for a breakout of their work. Look up The Lynx Jet which won the Grand Prix in the Cannes Media Lions, along with two Gold Lions in the Lions Direct awards and a Promo Lion in the sales-promotion category.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
No Milk, off Milk, to much Milk, soy Milk.....
No Milk, off milk, to much milk, soy milk. That was the analogy that sprung to mind as I tried to encapsulate my living arrangements to date. As you leave school, go through your university days and then head into young professionalism, a major factor in your lifestyle is obviously where your bed is parked and what surrounds it. I just thought I would give you a little insight to how my last few years have developed from a living point of view.No Milk, my first room out of the nest. This was a student accommodation setup by Unicol in Dunedin which I spent my first year “studying.” Unicol is Dunedin’s biggest Hall of residence with close to 500 people and far far away from any parental supervision. On the surface there is actually a bit of structure to the whole setup with organised meals, events, support staff, RA’s, it is the perfect place to start your university adventure. I was fortunate to be in the “flats” which were situated over the road from Unicol. This gave you time out from the towers, but still allowed you to be apart of the formalities. This was my first experience of living with 5 strangers and learning to work with people’s differences. There was milk provided every two days which signifies the formality, but it never got close to a cup of tea or bowl of cereal. It was either stolen by the neighbours, poured over you while sleeping, or used in a microwave experiment. None of these examples were initiated by me of course.
Off Milk, this put’s the following years in a nutshell as I became a North Dunedin resident. Being completely responsible for a run down house with 6 of your mates, and every neighbour in the same scenario, JACKPOT! I could go on for hours on the informality of student culture, where a hole in the wall means easy access to the next room and a burning couch generates you a fan base. However, this is a snapshot of young adulthood living development, so I must go on! Off milk refers to living in what would be determined as squalor to many, but considered as paradise to us involved at the time. When the udder dispatch actually was around in the fridge, there was nothing in this situation to have the milk with.
The to much milk scenario finds you fresh out of Uni and living with people new into the workforce. This equates to having money, but adjusting to a busy lifestyle. There is always milk in the fridge, it’s more about finding time to delve into it. Working late, Midweek socialising, fitness, weekends away, all majorly factor in your dairy consumption. The drain was the biggest blue top consumer over this period.
Soy milk brings me to my current living situation where I have worked out my milk/life balance, however now find myself living with 3 girls. In the Tofu, Soy, Low carb, wheat free, organic, barn laid land that is todays female, I am the free range piggie in the middle. The current flat shops are a hilarious series of events between aisles which basically brings me back to the no milk section of the cycle.
Next time I am offered a hot drink, it will be a black tea I think.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Beyond Banners - Online Integration Example
Advertisers are constantly looking for ways to integrate within content and go further than the traditional placement. As well as being unique, the aim is to leverage the crediblity of the editorial and work today's ideal of entertaining rather than interupting an audience. For years this has caused a healthy debate between advertisers and editors as if done incorrectly, it can have negative impact of both the product and publisher.
Successful Online Content Integration
- Fairfax campaign proposal by Dan Maas to MediaEdgeCIA/Y&R for client Eveready/Schick
As online was a new medium for the client in this market, but where media consumptions habits were high against their target, we needed to produce a strong value proposition for Schick. Our online products and editorial innovation enabled our offer to create a platform which extended the Schick branding with interactive display placements, provided an original space to run their TVC campaign, and integrate within relevant and uniquely created content attractive to the 18-29 Female target audience. The Fairfax solution excited both the agency and client as it was completely original and put the brand in a market leading position far ahead of their competitors at the time.
The success of this campaign was due to all campaign elements working together from proposal to implementation. Due to our online capability and ability to develop and advance new products across our network, the agency and client had confidence in Fairfax to deliver on the idea. Together we were able to produce a campaign which drove innovation, product engagement and most importantly awareness of the Quattro for Woman brand.
In the development of the idea/proposal, Blogging on Stuff was effectively going through a growth stage both editorially and by audience numbers. The engaging format created the perfect opportunity for a brand to integrate around content that would be relevant to an audience. This generated the perfect opportunity for Fairfax to develop an environment and personality for Schick that would relate to their audience in a personal way that the rest of their media couldn’t. The Girls Guide was developed as a destination to discuss all topics of interest to women in their twenty’s. The true essence in the overall success of The Girls Guide was Jane Yee. Jane actually was a major factor in the client’s enthusiasm initially as she fitted the brief perfectly.
Jane Yee related to every aspect of a girl living in her “twentysomething” life. Writing 3-5 times per week and also providing a video diary, Jane discussed everything from relationships, through to career, and even living arrangements. This also attracted Schick as it moved away from the traditional unachievable supermodel type often seen as a figure with advertising in this industry. From an engagement level the readers continue to grow and Jane can encourage up to 100 comments on some of her posts.
Utilising our extensive online reach, we were able to promote the blog to gain a relevant audience immediately and therefore exceed expectations from the offset. Complemented by a tactical branding display campaign, Schick Quattro had a dominant national online presence over the summer period. The Girls Guide immediately became our highest read and most engaged blog receiving 108,000 PI’s and 31,000 UB’s in its first month (Dec 07) and since launch averaging 20,000 monthly UB’s. Schick Quattro was completely integrated throughout and developed a 1500+ database through razor giveaways, achieving the objective of putting the product in the targets hands.
The Girls Guide was a well executed idea which delivered Schick a vehicle to engage with their target audience through entertaining, informative and engaging content. It provided the ideal synergy between product and audience as the surrounding display promoted the Schick Quattro for Women razor’s functionality and interacted readers with giveaways and product information. Readers are very receptive to the Schick branding and in no way see it interfering with their experience or influencing the editorial integrity of the content.
Fairfax helped Schick to engage users at a deeper level through creative ad executions, designated environments and content that appeals to Quattro for Women’s core audience. The partnership is now a case study for true online integration and strategic collaboration with a targeted display campaign. This was a smart media executed effectively, not only has this exceeded expectations for the client it has created a popular new destination with online publishing in NZ.
Successful Online Content Integration
- Fairfax campaign proposal by Dan Maas to MediaEdgeCIA/Y&R for client Eveready/Schick
As online was a new medium for the client in this market, but where media consumptions habits were high against their target, we needed to produce a strong value proposition for Schick. Our online products and editorial innovation enabled our offer to create a platform which extended the Schick branding with interactive display placements, provided an original space to run their TVC campaign, and integrate within relevant and uniquely created content attractive to the 18-29 Female target audience. The Fairfax solution excited both the agency and client as it was completely original and put the brand in a market leading position far ahead of their competitors at the time.The success of this campaign was due to all campaign elements working together from proposal to implementation. Due to our online capability and ability to develop and advance new products across our network, the agency and client had confidence in Fairfax to deliver on the idea. Together we were able to produce a campaign which drove innovation, product engagement and most importantly awareness of the Quattro for Woman brand.
In the development of the idea/proposal, Blogging on Stuff was effectively going through a growth stage both editorially and by audience numbers. The engaging format created the perfect opportunity for a brand to integrate around content that would be relevant to an audience. This generated the perfect opportunity for Fairfax to develop an environment and personality for Schick that would relate to their audience in a personal way that the rest of their media couldn’t. The Girls Guide was developed as a destination to discuss all topics of interest to women in their twenty’s. The true essence in the overall success of The Girls Guide was Jane Yee. Jane actually was a major factor in the client’s enthusiasm initially as she fitted the brief perfectly.
Jane Yee related to every aspect of a girl living in her “twentysomething” life. Writing 3-5 times per week and also providing a video diary, Jane discussed everything from relationships, through to career, and even living arrangements. This also attracted Schick as it moved away from the traditional unachievable supermodel type often seen as a figure with advertising in this industry. From an engagement level the readers continue to grow and Jane can encourage up to 100 comments on some of her posts.
Utilising our extensive online reach, we were able to promote the blog to gain a relevant audience immediately and therefore exceed expectations from the offset. Complemented by a tactical branding display campaign, Schick Quattro had a dominant national online presence over the summer period. The Girls Guide immediately became our highest read and most engaged blog receiving 108,000 PI’s and 31,000 UB’s in its first month (Dec 07) and since launch averaging 20,000 monthly UB’s. Schick Quattro was completely integrated throughout and developed a 1500+ database through razor giveaways, achieving the objective of putting the product in the targets hands.
The Girls Guide was a well executed idea which delivered Schick a vehicle to engage with their target audience through entertaining, informative and engaging content. It provided the ideal synergy between product and audience as the surrounding display promoted the Schick Quattro for Women razor’s functionality and interacted readers with giveaways and product information. Readers are very receptive to the Schick branding and in no way see it interfering with their experience or influencing the editorial integrity of the content.
Fairfax helped Schick to engage users at a deeper level through creative ad executions, designated environments and content that appeals to Quattro for Women’s core audience. The partnership is now a case study for true online integration and strategic collaboration with a targeted display campaign. This was a smart media executed effectively, not only has this exceeded expectations for the client it has created a popular new destination with online publishing in NZ.
Welcome - Trading Concepts
Welcome to the first online destination for the Conceptual Traders, it’s very exciting to be here.
The Conceptual Traders have been established to collaborate unique thinking and formulate concepts which engage. Coming from a variety of creative industry backgrounds, our extensive network allows us to pool resources applicable to campaign requirements. This is where the notion of trading concepts comes from, our firm facilitates the logistics of bringing it all together. Get in touch to learn more about this specifically.
Our extensive network of bright young talent is pulled together through the brilliant power of the global community. Although not restricted to, you will notice that this blog will have focus on the developments within digital and innovation. As we are the generation to embrace its development with open arms, naturally many of our discussions circulate this medium. Importantly though, anything that engages or creates inspiration will be here.
This landing page is our Ideabank™. The blog format allows our thinking to go live, create an open community, and ensure that there is room for discussion. Our team and contacts will meet here to publish their unique perspectives on the creative industry. The space is an open book and only limited to its word length, please contribute and become a trader.
The Conceptual Traders have been established to collaborate unique thinking and formulate concepts which engage. Coming from a variety of creative industry backgrounds, our extensive network allows us to pool resources applicable to campaign requirements. This is where the notion of trading concepts comes from, our firm facilitates the logistics of bringing it all together. Get in touch to learn more about this specifically.
Our extensive network of bright young talent is pulled together through the brilliant power of the global community. Although not restricted to, you will notice that this blog will have focus on the developments within digital and innovation. As we are the generation to embrace its development with open arms, naturally many of our discussions circulate this medium. Importantly though, anything that engages or creates inspiration will be here.
This landing page is our Ideabank™. The blog format allows our thinking to go live, create an open community, and ensure that there is room for discussion. Our team and contacts will meet here to publish their unique perspectives on the creative industry. The space is an open book and only limited to its word length, please contribute and become a trader.
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