I don't think this is so much of a site launch, as a site I've just noticed.
Help is a pharmaceuticals company with a trendy little site. Kinda like if Nudie/Innocent took over Panadol.
I reckon the web is more in need of better writing than design. And Help delivers. Especially for a company that sells something so un-web2.0 as headache tablets:
Extract from the website:
Coatings and dyes can make a pill look prettier but they don’t really help you with your headache, and that’s what we are trying to do. If you enjoy coatings and dyes, you will have to eat them separately.
Thank you. You have given me relief from my headache without adding to my pain by making me read your overly verbose T's and C's or look at heavily-flared photoshop designed packets.
The site for the new Dunlop Volleys campaign is the first one in a while where I've actually taken the URL from a poster, and actually visited it. Hey, the system does work!
I've always liked volleys. They're a real basic sweet shoe you can't go wrong with. If you're a kid at school, your mum can buy them at Big W but you still won't get bashed up for it. And if you're an indie inner city skater, you can also wear them without fear of sneaker snobbery.
They've based the whole campaign on a middle aged guy in a knit sweater playing the tunes of classic songs, by making fart noises with his hands (you can't get much more un-snobbery than that eh?). Ending with one of the best taglines I've seen since the 60s: "Volleys - Exceptionally Average".
I like their site too. Nothing amazing about it. But it works, is unoffensive. And is worth a look. Straight into it without any fuss.
Just like the shoes, I spose.
Lovely work (posters, TVC and microsite) from the good guys at Marilyn & Sons.
< /end blatant attempt to score a free pair of dunlop volleys>
AMC are premiering a new original drama series on Jan 20 called Breaking Bad. If it's half as good as their first effort Mad Men then we are all in for a treat. After checking out the first 5 minutes online I have to say I'm intrigued.
View the experience here. An interesting fact is that all the graphics are shot as video. There's no 3D which is very evident with the test tube section. Also the experience is random giving you a different experience each time you visit. Although the random element isn't really sold into the user.
It reminds me of the early Hi-Res sites where you are taken through a journey rather than left to navigate freely. The sound design is top notch. Actually follow the instructions and turn your speakers up as this really heightens the mood.
Also it took me 3 minutes to realize it's the dad (Bryan Cranston) from Malcolm in the Middle. My fav character from the show. I had no idea he has been in so many different productions.
The online experience is by Mono and Unit 9. Mono reflecting AMC's success with everything they touch turning to gold and coming from no where to be a major player in the last 12 months.
I'm a few weeks late on this, it's by Grand union out of the UK.
ok, so the release says "A great site, aimed to normalise the use of condoms amongst teenagers." - but I guess if they're doing it already - then at least make it safe.
When i was growing up, I was mortified at the prospect of going into the local country grocery store and asking my old bus driver and father of my girlfriend for a pack of "ticklers" or "mambo's" or even the strawberry ones...
So I'm a fan of anything that reduces anxiety and increases performance, even if it's not real - like having 300 facebook buddies and pretending they're ALL great friends.
There's some nice 'missions', like #003 Guerilla Carwash (wash the dirtiest car on your street), #068 Operation Warm and Fuzzy (deliver some blankets to a homeless person you see), and #080 Automatic Park Assist (guide some stranger in as they do a reverse park).
I'd have liked to see the missions that didn't get past legal : )
I have signed up to #075 (take someone to the airport), even though I'm not in Canada and not technically able to take part with my crap, non-Volkswagen car. But will do so anyway to avoid bad carma.
Although this improve-your-effect-on-the-world-with-our-brand type of campaign is becoming increasingly common, it works well for VW, because their brand is actually feel-good.
(Ie- it's harder to swallow when this kind of thing comes from a bank).
And yes, there are missions that let you negate the effect of greenhouse gas your Volkswagen has.
Google and Sony (with Big Spaceship actually creating the site) have teamed up for an online experience to promote Bourne Ultimatum called The Ultimate Search for Bourne.
What I love best about these type of promos is you can instantly gauge its success. By using Youtube videos as a clue delivery service one only needs to check the view stats on said videos and you'll know how many people are playing. Day 4's clue (we're up to Day 5 now) is sitting on 800 views. The first videos are at 7,000. (see below)
Maybe people do what I did and just Google the questions and cheat?
It looks great but its tiny type and super long UI is annoying as is Flash's limitations with copying and pasting text but that's not the agencies fault. Also I would have liked to have done more than just find answers and past it into a message window. Mini games or anything would have been a nice change.
What's interesting is Google didn't charge Sony for the privilege of hosting the game as it saw the benefit as mutual. Without Google's support this would have made the whole thing a lot harder to pull together.
Updated: (Sorry I had my agency's wrong)
The level of complexity for this game is quite easy compared to Red's ARG game out there called Ethanhaaswasright.com And yes I can't get past the 2nd puzzle!!! (it's shitting me)
Update 2: I was completely wrong (like most other people) Ethan Haas Was Right is actually for Alpha Omega a new RPG. More info here.
Thanks B!X you tried to set me right but I didn't listen.
The Simpsons movie is 8 days away (I would say how great it is but I've been told not tell anyone I've seen it) and we're heading into the biggest marketing push Fox has ever done. So big they have put together a website to showcase the promotions. See Yellow.
What's not on there is the new Simpsonize Me tool for Burger King. Just launched by CP+B.
Now it's a little rough around the edges (read: buggy) but when it does work it's actually pretty cool. Uploading a face definitely takes the grunt work out of creating a character.
Here's me Simpsonized. I had to adjust the hair but it's a pretty good likeness. It's even captured my terrible fashion sense. I also Simpsonized myself age 80. As you can see I no longer wear glasses and my ears are bigger but I've now got a great sense for fashion. I look forward to my Versace days to come in my 80's.
What's confusing is that the official Simpsons site has their own Create your own Simpsons avatar tool. Here's the Simpsons character I created a few weeks back. To launch two similar online initiatives seems a waste and also takes the allure off the BK one.
What's missing from both is a gallery function. I want to see other people's characters. I want to see them all in a huge crowd shot. I guess I'll have to browse the Flickr groups and fan forums for my fix.
And and if you dial you age in at 200 this is what you get. Don't do it as you have to upload your photo again after.
As for what else is happening outside of what's mentioned on See Yellow, there is also:
Both Samsung and Vans should have created official sites for these promotions. Their corporate sites (Vans | Samsung) don't even mention these at all. You can't rely on bloggers as your only form of information distribution!
Even more detailed info can be found on Wikipedia.
The English summer is (admittedly getting longer) quite short - yet, within this is packed all manner of sillyness and fun. Anyone for Pimms dot com like the weather, updates seasonally, and this is the latest - a quintessentially British view on the unique British summer, a window on the places you should be and the fun you should be having instead of sitting in front of a flat screen updating your "i am doing..." on facebook.
It's early days for Ten as they put their tippy toes into creating a destination off the back of their channel so it will be interesting to see how it fares. It's very advertising light right now which makes it feel nice and clean.
Also a friend mentioned that the new site resembles USA Networks.
Goodby Silverstein & Friends are at it again for the Got Milk Campaign... this time with an involved and visually engaging game about a family of characters trying to "Get the Glass"
Rather than jump on the Youtube train, Turner has created their own video portal concentrating on funny video content called Super Deluxe. What makes this standout is the quality of the content and the fact it's exclusive on the site. A notable contributor is FarkTV which is the video versin of the popular site Fark.com.
Sure they have all the other "community" boxes ticked but it’s the content that makes the site what it is. Check it out it's worth a look.
Here's my fav video series for the moment, Professor Brothers.
Another newcomer to the internet channel trend is Bud.TV. The content ranges from new and old Bud TVC's, exclusive promo-sodes (their word not mine) of TV shows and short comedy videos. It’s not as polished at as thought out as Super Deluxe but it's early days and it looks like they are expanding their offering soon.
The next offering is the Spike Jonze directed Vice TV or VBS.TV I don't think I need to say more than Spike Jonze. The guy's a freaking genius so let's see how this goes as Vice already has the street cred behind it.
Add these channels to MTV Overdrive and Youtube and you never have to watch real TV again.
glue London create personalised video viral campaign for MINI.
glue London have created a viral campaign for MINI to tie in with the launch of the new MINI Cooper S JCW GP Kit. Using video application combined with a remarkable level of personalised content, the viral has been created to showcase the new model.
With tongue firmly in cheek the concept for the viral centres around the idea that men aren't real men anymore due to the rise of the metrosexual. Users are asked to visit the website http://www.aveaword.com/ where they can nominate friends who may be demonstrating unmanly characteristics. The unsuspecting friend then receives a personalised email from their friend advising them that 'someone wants to ave a little word'. At the website they get a personal video message from a character who seems to know a lot about them including their job, girlfriend's name and most importantly their worst crimes against mankind. They are encouraged to 'sort themselves out' and are encouraged to enjoy the visual feast of the MINI Cooper S JCW GP Kit model for inspiration.
For the last bit myself and the gang at Peel have been busy with one of the oddest assignments we've had in a bit - perhaps ever. We've been putting (and continue to put) cameras on cows, and recording the "cow's eye view". A rather silly endeavor, with much grass, and the occasional blair witch bit of motion, but all in all, rather fun. But I'm of course biased, since I've been in the fields of Texas following around longhorns with a crazy wireless video recording setup, and it's been quite fun.
Good stuff - Google to apply their system to online dating....
April 1, 2006 - Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced the launch of Google Romance™, a new product that offers users both a psychographic matchmaking service and all-expenses-paid dates for couples who agree to experience contextually relevant advertising throughout the course of their evening.
It has finally been reveled what all those billboards of people looking up are actually looking at. Check out www.fortheloveof.com.au.
It's no "Big Ad" (as you cant sign along) but it's still entertaining.
I would have titled the campaign "Golden Shower" as I think that's more fitting, but thats just me.
The site is a little ho hum but I guess mist of the dosh went into the post production for the ad.
ps. I prefer to have my videos downloadable rathen that those ful screen vividas clips. I end up watching a clip more from my desktop rather than having it blast across both my monitors in all it's blurry goodness.
Saatchi & Saatchi NZ have launched a large online campaign for Ferrit. With 4 faux sites and 2 more in the works. This must be when the client can't decide what idea to go with and just says "Do them all".
Here's a quick roundup of the Xmas links that have come our way in 2005. No surfing Santa's this year which is a change. (many links lifted from adverblog and Ad Rants
A very tone deaf Xmas from the Soaperheroes at Soap Creative. And for those wondering Chuck works in Soap's account department. He looks after the receivables.
Communication Arts have their second annual Xmas Ecard annual online. This one has Soap's 2004 and a few others not listed here.
M&C Saatchi & IAG (Insurance Australia Group) remind us that insurance is an important part of the holiday season with the game Sneaky Santa.
I could have sworn M&C Saatchi already did a bad joke cracker ecard last year but I can't remember.
UK Agency Dare Digital sends us an e-card that we'll be keeping long after christmas Lynx Girls
Trampoclaus wishes your a merry fucking christmas.
AKQA show how hard it can be to put together a xmas message.
Ever since aid agencies started putting products to donation amounts it makes giving so much easier. I much prefer buying a goat than just donating $50.
Care Australia has a nice and simple gift shop open now. View it here.
Site by the talented people at Visual Jazz.
This year why not have your agency buy a plough for a village or a couple of cows.
Amnesia launch a different type of puzzle site for the Xbox 360
I'm not sure why it's backwards but the site is quite unique. This is one for the hardcore fans only as the puzzles are so abstract you have little hope of passing unless you read XBOX monthly.
My team at RMG Connect* today launched what I feel is a great example of brand and product interaction online for the new Samsung D600 phone. The centrepiece of the campaign is an interactive game titled 'The Inside Job'.
I won't say much more, other than you can play it here and judge for yourself The Inside Job
*Lets not forget little old Soap Creative [Ashley]
It's been 3 weeks now since Soap launched K-Kash for Pac Mags and there is over 22,000 registered users all searching frantically for codes in the K-Zone magazine and website.
Page views on the Kzone site have more than tripled. That's not including visitrs to the actual K-Kash site.
I put a short KKash case study on my personal site for those interested in the lead up work that lead to the final site.
Update: K-Kash ended after 6 weeks with a total of 34,425 registered users submitting over 1.4 million codes.
![mashup.ww[1].jpg](http://www.bannerblog.com.au/news/picts/mashup.ww%5B1%5D.jpg)
It has finally been reveled what all those billboards of people looking up are actually looking at. Check out 
