TMW Ideas

The Chicago Tribune online comment on Kraft becoming the first FMCG brand to open a supermarket in Second Life. (Sorry if I've gone all American, but this is another article I read from a link on the IAB newsletter. I thought it was interesting for those of us who work on FMCG brands and those who work on digital brands - so basically interesting for all of us.)

Northfield-based Kraft said it will become the first foodmaker to launch its products in this emerging Web-based environment, joining other companies in testing a new way to reach consumers. Instead of being fed 30-second messages in TV or radio spots, consumers can create an experience at SecondLife.com, in this case by trading recipes or downloading product information to cell phones.

I thought it would be an interesting story for us to follow and see just how far Kraft go to exploit Second Life. Kraft intend to use the environment to enable consumers to engage with new products, but what I think would be interesting would be to see if Second Life could be used to trial new products prior to launch. So could it reduce time to market or even help develop new products? Imagine if you sell something on Second Life only and if it sells well you launch it, if it bombs, you don't? Possibly this has already been done by another brand but I think it would be quite cool. You could drive around in a car of the future, listening to a brand of the future, running on a fuel of the future and see if any of it would ever work in our first lives… well I think you could and I think it would be cool.

Posted by Laura Ball at 3:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You may well have seen this by now but we posted this movie onto YouTube for Flora in relation to their work around the Flora London Marathon. The viral was created by BBH as part of the new Flora love your heart work and if you click through to youtube you can see how popular it has been. Now, clearly it will be impossible for us to measure the incremental sales uplift that this will drive, but that's not the point. It didn't cost anything for the brand to do this and it gives them a presence within 'social media' for the first time. Basically it shouldn't do them any harm so why not - and the brand team agree.

Posted by Laura Ball at 2:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Only a few hours left to get yourself signed up for the Talisker Trek…

Posted by Gareth James at 1:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This week's Economist carries an interesting story about the death of pubs in posh London districts. It hightlights the closure of The Australian, on Milner Street (go up Markham St. to Bodega's, turn right (past the crazy house) carry on down Cadogan Street to Halsey Street, and turn left. You can't miss it. Well. You can now.)

As a responsible business that seeks to improve the environment in which it lives, I think it is important that we do all we can to arrest this sad state of affairs. So, this, and every other lunchtime, find a pub in Chelsea and have a beer, or two. It's your civic duty.

Beer in the evening should help you with selection. (We all love The Phoenix, Coopers, Builders, Bodega's, but spread your wings a bit - The Pig's Ear, The Cross Keys, The Admiral Codrington - all worth a look. The Phene Arms and The Surprise have closed as well, so don't dilly dally)

(Photo from News of the World)

Posted by at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It might have taken me a while to post about this but it doesn't mean I was any less inspired. Having said that I still haven't bought an innocent smoothie recently… Anyway, the image above shows the gift I received through the post after I responded to an innocent email - I got to ask for a Christmas present. Now I have to admit I was hoping for a box full of free smoothies but guess the mistletoe was cheaper for them and gave me an equally warm glow inside. It did only get me one kiss though - should I have been more pro-active?

Oh and whilst I remember, here is the link to the innocent flickr group.

Posted by Laura Ball at 9:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

…more wasted opportunities. The next in our small youtube film festival, here's the new Boots Christmas ad, directed by none other than David La Chappelle! It's alright, I suppose. Brave for Boots. I imagine that the website will also reflect La Chappelle's witty, glamorous take of the pefunctionary shallowness of modern celebrity culture - eh? oh.

Well, at least they'll be using La Chappelle's hi-gloss love/hate of modern life images on their Advantage Card DM - what? Usage rights, you say? Different budget? Oh.

sigh

P.S. I've herad that music before as well, haven't I?

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You may be aware of the pea blog that we helped Bird's Eye to set up. Their Head of Agriculture, the lovely Colin Wright, blogged about the pea harvest - they have to harvest all the peas for a year a six week period around July/August.

There is a presentation that details traffic, interaction and our recommendation on where to go with it next. You'll find it here on the S drive (sorry, TMW only!)

Posted by at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

another classic aussie pearler ad!
http://www.flashbeer.com.au

Posted by Laura Ohrman at 2:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

People will spend a lot of time explaining to you why your presentation was very interesting, but they just don't see how that could apply to their business. They're in a mature industry, y'see, with tight margins. You don't understand consumer behaviour - they don't think about things, they don't care, ours is a low interest product, blah de blah.

Well, I was very excited when I saw Method's website. Even something as established and dull as cleaning products can be rendered beautiful by belief, honesty, and humour.
There are three things in particular I love about this, and that are worth thinking about when we are doing any sort of communication to consumers.

1. The shining light of a mission - “Our founders”, “Adam Lowry, one of our co-founders”. The website subtly (OK, subtly for the US) makes the founders and the people who work there into heroes, fighting the man.

2. They then recruit people to the mission. Nice

3. The lightness of touch and the view into the company - there are little asides about their imagery, how poor they were when they started and so on. It's all very endearing.

There you go, I'm endeared to a company that makes sink cleaner. Anything is possible in this crazy world!

www.methodhome.co.uk

(Spotted on B3ta, which used the great line - “Where dirty junkies go to if they're looking to kick the Habitat?” You'll be offended by something on B3ta though, so beware)

Posted by at 8:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When you've premiumised the air we breath, cut production costs and margins to the point of charity and your share price has just collapsed, what can you do to increase the market share of your flagship detergent?

Posted by at 1:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Afternoon all

I've had my weekly email from Innocent and for those of you who don't receive it - get signed up, it's awesome. This week they've made a short video for their Fruitstock festival and it works really well as their lead article as it is v.intriguing. I am now wondereding what I can power using lemons - don't get funny Martin ;)

Anyway, check out the website for the oranges and lemons thingy and then visit Innocent too

See you all at Fruitstock
x

Posted by Laura Ball at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)