Hasta La Creative!

NEW YORK – Luxury Champagne brand Krug has appointed New York agency Ceft & Company following a pitch against M&C Saatchi London.

• Pask Present » Exhibition
  Dancing robots, singing sculptures and growing metal tentacles are just some of the bizarre exhibits that will feature in an exhibition of work inspired by eccentric scientist Gordon Pask, one of the forefathers of cybernetics

Not content to rest on their laurels, Red Bull appears ready to jump into the cola wars, a reader passed along a photo of a tri-fold brochure on the product:

On the reverse, a list of ingredients:
Coca Leaf
Kola Nut
Lemon/Lime
Clove
Cinnamon
Cardamon
Pine
Corn Mint
Galangal
Vanilla
Ginger
Mace
Cacao
Licorice
Orange
Mustard Seeds

With caffeine provided naturally by coffee beans.

RedBullCola.com is held by MarkMonitor, the corporate standard for intellectual property protection in the domain market.

If you want to parse the German, here’s more info. I’m sure bartypes will be eagerly awaiting updated cola concoctions with a Red Bull twist. Captain and Red Bull Cola please.

(TrendHunter.com) The Travelmate by Conmoto is a portable traveling fireplace. The Travelmate is a stylized suitcase with a glass pane that is held together by magnets. The gadget, designed by Studio Vertijet, produces smokeless fire and has a weather-proof powder coating. The fireplace weigh 25 kg and runs on bio-al…

Really strong hair.

Advertising Agency: Grey Canada, Toronto, Canada
Creative Director: Rick Kemp
Art Directors: Nicole Ellerton, Lorraine Sit
Photographers: Westside Studios, hanghoon
Copywriters: Nicole Ellerton, Marisa Maravalle

(TrendHunter.com) Chrysler will offer internet access later this year, making them the first car manufacturer to offer the feature.

The WiFi will available as an add-on to cars that are already built, and later will be part of the assembly line. Since it’s WiFi, the driver will have to have a wireless phone contrac…

“The world needs a tape like this.” That’s the genius tagline of the new print ad campaign for Tesa tape.

Four of our recent “great” world leaders are featured with one of their pretty “smart” quotes (of which there is an abundance) with red Tesa tape used to tape their mouth shut. The campaign wa…

(TrendHunter.com) Some students at Albion High School in Salford, England invented a “vanishing” nail polish as part of a project with Salford University’s school of art and design. In addition, their new invention was inspired by their search for an innovative solution to their school’s ban on makeup.

The nail po…

It may surprise most people, but the leading character in the entertainment industry’s largest opening ever wasn’t played by Will Smith, Johnny Depp, or even Tobey Maguire. It’s a guy who goes by the name of Master Chief, and, no, he’s not a blockbuster movie star…yet. Master Chief is a super soldier from the future who stars as the main character of Microsoft’s extremely popular “Halo” franchise.

The video game industry witnessed a record-breaking moment in September 2007 when “Halo 3,” the last installment in the trilogy, grossed over $170 million in sales in the first 24 hours, topping the mark for a game previously set by none other than “Halo 2.” Games have quickly surpassed other forms of entertainment in both dollars and time spent across all demographics, thanks to highly recognizable franchises such as “Halo.”

Major video game launches have begun to resemble Hollywood’s biggest movie debuts. It’s even been rumored that these leading games are impacting actual movie sales. The most recent example? Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey said, “We anticipate the video game release of ‘GTA IV’ on April 29 could dampen the potential from [the] ‘Iron Man’ theatrical release on May 2.” With continued growth behind bigger video game franchises, it’s safe to say that games have gone Hollywood.

In the past, video game developers relied on improved visuals, innovative features, and additional game mechanics to encourage gamers to purchase sequels to their favorite titles. (It’s convinced me to spend $60 annually on titles like “Madden NFL Football.”) Recent video game titles have not only included innovative game play features but also taken storytelling via games to a new level. Games such as “Mass Effect” are lauded as much for the storyline as the amazing graphics and game play. Not only are gamers able to represent their alma mater and beat their archrivals in “NCAA Football ’08,” but now the consumer’s integrated into the actual story and given the sole discretion of determining the outcome. Video games combine movies’ addictive story elements with ability to determine a unique outcome.

With this increased focus on the storytelling, the opportunity to include real-world brands and products increases as well. As seen with movies, actual product integration adds to the plot’s realism. Consumers expect the leading lady to drink Red Bull rather than a generic energy drink on the big screen. The same rules apply to video games, as they make it easier to communicate brand messages or product benefits via the story. T-Mobile partnered with Electronic Arts’ “Skate” to include the Sidekick device as the main character’s primary communication tool. The Sidekick was integral to receiving messages and intrinsically included in the game dialogue. Unlike moviegoers, gamers were able to get a virtual hands-on demonstration of the device’s capabilities and recognize how they could use it in their real-world life. The most well-written commercial or print ad can’t provide that type of consumer experience. The game also reached a low estimate of over 1 million consumers who spent countless hours playing with T-Mobile’s Sidekick.

Improved storytelling in games also extends the reach of video game intellectual property. In the past, games were easily converted into comic books because hardcore gamers tend to be avid comic readers. Game developers’ emphasis on the game’s plot allows the intellectual property to reach additional media (e.g., movies, television). As marketers look to surround consumers with holistic marketing campaigns, integrating brands into multiple touch points that your consumer actively seeks out seems like an effective opportunity.

While Master Chief hasn’t won an Oscar yet, he helped Microsoft launch the largest grossing entertainment opening. Advertisers, if video games are the next blockbuster entertainment properties, let’s make sure we work with video game companies to ensure their products and messaging are up for best supporting actor.

 

Matt Story for ClickZ network

Plopping something really random or offbeat in the middle of a public place is a sure way to generate attention, and a fantastic way to generate buzz. It’s all about catching people off guard and shaking them out of their day-to-day routine and way of thinking.

That’s why a lot of modern ad agenci…