Facial recognition software has come a long way since researchers began programming computers to pick out human features in the mid-’60s. A recent project by the Berlin offices of DDB in collaboration with women’s rights group Terre Des Femmes found a new, shocking application for the technology: highlighting the prevalence of domestic violence. Violence perpetrated…
The love story that has a nation holding its breath. It will move you in ways you didn’t expect. #LoveYourGut
(TrendHunter.com) Taking a distinct move in the direction of apparel collections, the Herschel Supply Co. clothing varieties have been announced as the brand’s first foray into making clothes. Set to be…
Cable news is entering the TV upfronts in the strongest position in its history thanks to a certain president-related traffic windfall. The three big cable news networks say the Trump bump has attracted more advertisers that don’t typically buy news — and even advertisers who want to speak directly to President Donald Trump himself.
The positive story around cable news has created an entry for those advertisers who in the past didn’t necessarily care either way if their messages were running in news, said Catherine Warburton, chief investment officer, Assembly.
Ms. Warburton added that in the past if there was an advertiser whose target demo was 25-54 and its media plan didn’t include news, they likely wouldn’t care either way. “Now if you are doing a 25-54 buy and it doesn’t include news client will likely ask why,” she said.
It was a marketing executive’s nightmare. Ellen Junger had just joined Payless ShoeSource Inc. as chief customer and marketing officerless than two months later, the Topeka, Kans.-based discount retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As part of the announcement from earlier this week, Payless said it planned to close some 400 storesor 9% of its fleetand restructure. Now, Ms. Junger has to do some fancy footwork and convince customers to get over the bankruptcy and negative headlines, and visit the remaining 4,000 Payless locations.
“I’m well aware of the challenges in retail overallI don’t think Payless’ challenges are different from what other retailers are facing,” said Ms. Junger, who formerly worked at Hallmark Cards Inc.
She’s currently relying on social media to relay the main message that, yes, Payless is still open for business and doesn’t plan to liquidate. Many consumers have taken to Facebook to inquire about their local store closures. Payless is also using geo-location and its loyalty program, which has about 20 million members, to target consumers who used to use a store that is slated to shutter and tell them about another store nearby that is still in operation.
HBO’s iconic static opener is an icon of entertainment branding — a subject of fascination for both everyman and intellectual, with many pondering how those fuzzy black and white visuals, elevated by a heavenly, choir-driven chord, manage to get viewers so riled up with anticipation. HBO “solves” that mystery in its new brand campaign, “It’s What Connects Us,” created out of Mekanism.
A hero spot gathers 61 stars from its various shows. Each stands before the camera delivering an indescript sound in the neighborhood of “um” or “ahh” while completely costumed and in character. Duane Johnson’s Spencer Strasmore from “Ballers” adjusts his tie, as if looking in the mirror, while Issa Rae (“Insecure”) checks herself out and gives a self-assured nod. Meanwhile, Big Bird’s muttering seems a bit befuddled, John Oliver’s “ahh” reads more like “what the f#ck is going on,” as does that of “Game of Thrones” Jamie Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), gasping at his fake hand. More stars appear fast and furiously, their murmurs and mugs ultimately melding and shrinking to become the pixels and notes of the HBO opener.
The campaign features two straight-up celebrity extravaganzas. A third, also teasing “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver,” pulls a meta move: it depicts the show host doing one of his classic rants, but on the premise of the campaign itself. “Nobody turns into HBO for the static. That is not a beloved sound The fact you’ve managed to get the entire ‘Game of Thrones’ cast — ‘Hey, Jamie Lannister, make a noise with your mouth!’ It’s impressive if it isn’t some form of corporate bullying, by which I mean, ‘Ahhh!'” At that point, he gets sucked into the vortex.
Media, Outdoor, Online
Mondel?z International
Countries have words or chants to encourage their teams. In Puerto Rico, it’s a curse word. The MLB didn’t see it that way and banned it during the World Baseball Classic. Dentyne is the ally of good breath, and invited Puerto Ricans to shout it out with confidence during a big game screening in downtown San Juan. We programmed a Facebook Live stream with a sound analyzer to measure the chants in real-time.
Advertising Agency:McCann, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Creative Director:Nanel Rodríguez
Senior Copywriter:Luis Romero
Art Director:Gerardo Figueroa, Jose Llompart
Ceo:Rubén Rodríguez Cid
Editor:David Arguello, Rubén Torres
Online
Hershey’s Chocolates
The young watch, read, breath, wake up and sleep online. For the first time in history, a brand create the opportunity of eating the internet. We’ve transformed in chocolate a whole website for the EATERNET campaign – Open your mouth and eat the website. A real website, with real chocolate, to really eat it. The big idea was to turn things that people
love in pieces of the website with 1,5 kg of chocolate. The website changed everyday with new pieces, and to participate, the young had to buy Hershey’s, register and bite the site. The piece that was clicked, if awarded, was delivered in its home.
With a constant usage of search and performance tools with data gathering, we’ve selected everything that Brazilian youth most love on internet. From songs, memes and movies to fashion, travels, news and horoscope. We transformed all this data in 1,5 kg chocolate pieces of all flavors and put them to be clicked on the website, both on desktop or mobile versions. With a fresh approach and, as an integrated campaign, the first contact with the user came on the product packaging which informed the opportunity to “bite” the website. Speaking in young language, have you ever seen a brand who had the punch to make a chocolate emoji poop? It says a lot about our kind of approach.
Advertising Agency:Aktuellmix, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Partners:Rodrigo Rivellino, Celio Ashcar Jr.
Chief Creative Officer:Fabio Mergulhão
Creative Director:Fabio Moran
Creative Managing:Érica Igue, Tom Soraire
Art Director:Fabio Moran, Leandro Calado, Wirley Almeida, Tom Soraire, Rodrigo Caetano
Copywriter:Érica Igue
Strategic Planning:Gabriel Boaventura, Vitor Tanabe
Business VP:Mario Medina
Account Director:Juliana Pileggi
Account Manager:Lucas Tagliani, Julia Audi
Executive Production:Priscila Villa, Rodrigo Niro, Camila Ciffani
Print Production:Rodrigo Merigue, Amanda Xavier
Media:Marcos Bittencourt, Gabriel Barreto, Nathália Cantalejo
Product design:Juliano Bortolin, Luiz Fernando Haddad
Photography:Wirley Almeida
Product Concept Design:Carlo Giovanni
Illustration:Fabio Moran, Felipe Lopes, Gelmi Studio
Film:Fuego, Bolha
Audio:Antfood
Execution:Bolha
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