Newly launched social enterprise Freshbox Catering took to the streets of Columbus, Ohio armed with Freshbox-branded attire and their signature desert, chocolate-covered Oreos™ to promote their launch this week.
100% of Freshbox’s proceeds benefit work training programs at Faith Mission homeless shelters and they were recently highlighted by the State of Ohio as a model social enterprise. Congrats on your launch and great use of alternative advertising to spread the word!
Thanks to our friends at Media Life Magazine for highlighting this clever use of alternative media by UNICEF’s Tap Project. The campaign featured a vending machine labeled “Dirty Water” in New York City’s Union Square in an effort to educate about the lack of clean drinking water in so many Third World countries around the world. The vending machine gave people the option of purchasing a multitude of Dirty Water flavors – from Malaria to Typhoid to Dengue Fever. Yuck!
Luckily, no one bought (or drank) a bottle of Dirty Water, but many were compelled to donate to this meaningful cause by inserting bills and change directly into the machine. The campaign also allowed people to donate with their phone by texting TAP to 864233 (UNICEF) – another great example of alternative media and SMS text messaging integration.
Props to the creative folks at Casanova Pendrill for coming up with this campaign and donating their time too. Great work!
Congratulations to all of the recently-named OBIE Award winners, merit winners, and finalists! This year’s participants all showed a great deal of creativity in the out-of-home space, but a few of them in particular caught my eye.
McDonald’s had a strong advertising campaign, winning two separate awards for both their “Always Fresh Coffee” and “Fresh Daily Eggs” billboards. The first of the two shown high above Time’s Square, a spout continuously pouring fresh coffee into a cup several stories below (I wonder where all the coffee goes after making its big NYC debut . . . ). The second involved a large egg that cracked open at 6:00 a.m.–when they begin serving breakfast–to reveal an over-easy egg, but closed again at 11:00 a.m. when breakfast ends. Between the two billboards, Leo Burnett Chicago took home two “Individual Execution- Traditional Billboard” awards as well as recognition for their Special F/X.
Another interesting use of out-of-home came from BBDO New York & Proximity Canada for Gillette Fusion Power, which took home the OBIE Award for “Individual Execution- Street Furniture / Transit / Alternative.” As seen in the pic below, the agencies made creative use of a zamboni by attaching a larger-than-life Gillette razor to the back of it as it swept across the ice.
One of the more interactive campaigns came from Leo Burnett Toronto for James Ready Beer who vows to try to keep their prices at $1 a beer. To do so, they needed to lower billboard costs and decided to look to their consumers for help. By offering up their billboards, consumers became “celebrities for the day” by sending in pictures to be posted on the giant signs. Underneath the images read, “Thanks ____ for keeping J.R. a Buck.” Consumers and judges alike loved the campaign, awarding them “Best of Show” and “International.” Click here to see the YouTube video.
All of this year’s award winners show that creativity and innovation in the out-of-home advertising industry are still on the rise. To find more information on the rest of this year’s OBIE Award winners, go to the OAAA website at http://www.oaaa.org/awards/obieawards.aspx.
As I was diligently toiling away in my office this afternoon, I overheard Brittany talking about a guy trying to get into the Guiness Book of World Records for the most advertising tattoos on one’s body. Needless to say, that’s something that will get your attention. After reading the complete article in the Anchorage Press, it turns out that Billy Gibby, aka “Billy the Billboard”, began offering up his flesh for sale about a year-and-a-half ago. GoldenPalace.com (an online casino gaming site) has the dubious honor of being the first “client,” occupying the prime real estate of Billy’s entire back. Since then, he’s added four more “placements” and is looking for others who will be willing to shell out some cash to make a permanent mark.
Now, putting my marketing hat on, I can’t help but wonder about a few key points:
So many things to consider! On the other hand, I’m thinking this definitely qualifies as advertising with the potential to really “touch” people.
It’s that time of year again: media savants from around the country come together for the 4A’s conference and tradeshow. This year, the conference’€”which will be held in New Orleans from March 4-6’€”is focused around today’s most challenging aspect of the media landscape: the consumer.
And the best part of it all: DOmedia is joining the fun and bringing with us a little excitement of our own! Introducing the DOmedia game, where attendees can win amazing prizes like 8G iPod Touches and iPod Shuffles just by stopping by the booth! Your mission: to collect as many game pieces as possible and drop them in the prize bowl in the DOmedia booth (Booth number 709, 711) by 6:30 on Thursday.
Attendees can collect tickets by:
Opening their mail! Many conference attendees received an official DOmedia travel wallet in the mail, complete with the first game piece.
Spotting the DOmedia rep in the Hilton Riverside conference area between 2:00 and 4:00 PM on Wednesday.
Simply visiting the booth and taking the DOmedia website for a test drive’€”Good for 3 tickets!
Picking up a DOmedia button at our booth and wearing it throughout the show’€”We’ll randomly select button-wearers and reward them with another game piece!
Following us on Twitter (@domedia) when we announce even MORE ways to win!
Winning numbers will be announced on Thursday at 6:45 via Twitter and in our booth. Just stop by before 7:00 PM to claim your prize!
What DO you have to lose?
