More on the Mini Billboard

So, in typical Monica fashion I saw something, thought it was cool, took a photo and posted. Did I do ANY research? No. Don't be silly.

So, talking with my Media Director about the billboard she pointed out that there is a whole campaign behind the Mini Soho billboard detailed on StopPress which you can read about here.

As a bit of an overview however, the gist of it is that this is a varied campaign to stir up some interest in the Mini Soho. There are only 15 Mini Soho's in the world, each individually numbered. What makes this even more interesting is that you can't test drive or buy one of these Mini's in a store, test drives are organised through an 0800 number and you can only buy these cars online. <-- If you click on that link then you can check out the website which is quite nice also.

I understand the idea of exclusivity that they are trying to build around these cars, but the expense of the media around it: the spectacular billboard, a window display at fashion boutique Black Box (which apparently also includes some promotion in conjunction with The Herald VIVA), bar coasters, urban digital projection and a 'daredevil' stunt; seems quite high considering the total potential earning from the actual cars. $49,595 x 15 = $743,925. I would take a punt and say they are spending maybe 10% of that on advertising. Curious.

At any rate, one of the parts of the campaign includes a pop up store in Ponsonby. I was a little confused as to what was going on when I walked past this last Wednesday and took photos of it. Of course, I didn't put 2 and 2 together when I saw the #1 billboard as I had had a few beers that night and forgot about the pics till I heard about the store.

It is possible that it is now complete and looks better, sorry about the dark shots, but it was late:

Pop-up store. Watch this space, I might go back and take some more pics depending on how good it looks completed.

Back on the billboard just quickly. They have tidied the bottom of it:

Much better.

And one of the gang at FCB found me on Twitter today to thank me for the interest in their billboard. That was nice of them. From what they told me they "worked with an outdoor company to secure this as a temporary site but it is owned by Atrium" (I guess hence no ownership tag - pity, if i were the outdoor company I would be pretty vocal about making this placement happen). They also mentioned that "this campaign isn't about sticking to outdoor timetables and old sites!"

Hate to say it, that last comment is a little too 'entering an award/one of the many reasons advertising has a bad name' language for my liking, but hey - good on them! At any rate, thanks to @jaredisle for the info.

Super site size me

So, was walking home tonight when, holy guacamole - check out this supersite!

This is walking down Elliot Street away from Victoria Street. This thing is massive. I haven't seen a skin up there before, nor have I noticed the billboard boarder, but crickey, I noticed the Mini.

I really like billboards, they are one of my favourite mediums because for them to be well executed the creative team have to communicate a message in the simplest way possible. Now, that might sound easy, but it really isn't. All other mediums have time on their side, for example

TV: 30 seconds (typically)

Radio: 30 seconds (typically)

Online: as long as the page duration lasts

Print: as long as the dwell time lasts

even Adshels, whilst similar to billboards because people drive past them, because they also have the pedestrian dwell time they can include additional information which is not intended for a fast moving audience.

Billboards however, because people are typically driving past them, need to convey the message in an instant (mostly because you don't want someone to be so distracted with trying to understand what the billboard is for that they crash). Compelling imagery coupled with a well thought out and clever (because you want people to remember it) headline. No room for excess copy to explain.

At any rate, the Mini billboard is cool for a couple of reasons.

1. It's MASSIVE

2. That great big 1 is all sparkly like

What I don't quite get about this billboard is when it was put up. It must have gone up this weekend (22nd/23rd) as it was not there when I walked home on Friday. This doesn't make much sense to me as posting for billboards is typically the 1st of the month and they are up for that month. 3 weeks into the month it is put up? This is confirmed by the print date at the bottom of the skin:

Must have had to be turned around super quick and taken as an opportunity? Perhaps somehow convinced Atrium to let them put this up on the side of their building. It wasn't put up super tidy with the job name in pretty clear view, which would suggest to me that this isn't a typical placement for the installers to work with, but I may be wrong.

Anyone who can shed some more light as to the interesting placement and odd timing - I'd appreciate it.

True Blood & Blood Service

So, Season 3 of True Blood starts on Prime in June (maybe July?). I'm a little excited about this as I am a big fan of True Blood. I have read all of the books (which - heads up, kinda ruins the show a little because you know why things happen) and am hanging out for book 10 which I believe is due out at the end of the month.

Right, now that that is out of the way. Here's a nice little synergy.

A press release came through from SKY last week about The New Zealand Blood Service has teamed up with Hachette New Zealand who publish Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels, and Prime to raise awareness of the need of blood donors.

So, new season of the TV series, new book - lets hit this with full force.

Not sure exactly how they're going to run this on TV, but they have started with the release of the new covers for the Stackhouse books with some nifty stickers

That shot was for the joy of Eric. Here is the close up:
So, this helps, but I have been thinking about donating blood for a while now. I have lots of blood, other people need it. Lets do it.

So - I sent a 'True' text to 515.

Gotta admit - I think this process gets a little but flawed.

I sent one text (bye bye 20c) they told me to send another text with my email address (bye bye another 20c) at which point they sent me an email.

Now, at this point I would like to point out that I have no idea whether or not I am getting charged, because there is no information anywhere to tell me one way or another. I feel like there should be, but that's just me.

I also think that they could have said: Text 'True' & your email address to 515 for more info. I realise its not a big sticker, but creatives are clever people.

Getting someone to text once is asking quite a bit, but twice? I'd love the know the drop off...

Anyway, it didn't faze me too much, the email (as below) directs you to the website to find out if you're eligible as a blood donor.

The good news is that I am eligible. The bad news is that there aren't any blood donor places near where I work and it is now all little too hard for me. If I happen to walk past a mobile unit one day I imagine that I will probably walk in, but its now too hard for me to hunt it out myself. Slack - yes I know. Sorry.

On another note however, I am hoping that with a new season there will be more great True Blood advertising. I loved this outdoor. So damn good.

Smart Promotion

I'm a sucker for a smart promotion - so thought I would share this little gem from the ladies at NZGirl and Saben.

Until the 31st of May you can enter the NZ Girl comp to win one of these beautiful Saben bags (Polly) when you create a Polyvore spread using one of these bags.

I know what you're thinking - what in the world is Polyvore? Well, that is what I thought too when I first heard about it, but, on the comps page of NZ Girl they explain it nicely.

A quick overview though, Polyvore is a site which allows you to pick and clip some of the most amazing clothes/jewellery/makeup/accessories and combine them with backgrounds and type to basically create your own mood board. Long story short - it is a girls dream.

Back to the competition/promotion - clip one of the Saben bags and create your own spread, let NZ Girl know where to find your spread (& post it on their Facebook page) and you're in the draw.

Reasons I like this:

• creativity always wins with me
• great way to promote a new product (the bag) directly to the audience who will want and purchase it (the NZ Girl audience)
• they are making the entrants really work for the prize, something so pretty shouldn't be easily obtained.

This is my entry to the competition:

This daydream includes:

• Discount Emanuel Ungaro Double-breasted satin trench $4,035 NZD
• Azzedine Ala?a Stitch Detail Ankle Boots $1,760 NZD
• Ikat Shawl - Raspberry/Cinnabar Red $315 NZD
• Vintage Coral Emmanuelle Khanh Oversized Sunglasses $265 NZD
• Vintage watch
• Polly Coral Leopard - Saben

So, so many things that I will never own, but will not stop me lusting after.

Mother's Day with Whitcoulls

I flicked out the photo below yesterday on Twitter having walked past some of the staff at Whitcoulls on Queen Street post-it noting a precious [love] MUM across their windows.

Freaking awesome but - I have to admit - being the cynic that I am, I did question how long the post its would stay up for (vandals and all).

So when I walked past at lunch today, this is what I found, a perfect, untouched wall with HEAPS of people hanging out. Why were they hanging out? Actually they were writing on the wall...

Under the supervision of Whitcoulls staff, with a basket of pens, pedestrians were encouraged to write a note to their mother for Mother's Day.

I of course had to write a note to my mother - for those of you who have never met her, you're going to have to take my word for the fact that she is one kick arse lady - so that is what I did:

By the time I walked past on my way home from work, people were climbing up the window to write their own notes, as all post-its within easy reach were covered, but that didn't stop people trying and checking it all out:

My little note which was all alone a lunchtime today is now surrounded with messages of love, to mothers all around the world.

I'm not a huge fan of Mother's (or Father's) Day as I think that our parents should be told everyday how amazing they are, but what I love about this wall and what Whitcoulls has managed to do, is that they have given the general public the opportunity to visually represented how important our mothers are.

They have been videoing this process, so I would imagine they will be leveraging this amazing little stunt with some PR somewhere along the way. Just a matter of time, keep an eye out.

Have you sent your mother a card I wonder?

Twitter for Beginners - Part Four

We're so close. Next topic, easy search columns in Tweetdeck. There is a + at the top of Tweetdeck, click that and you can add a 'lists' column (we covered lists in part two), or connect with your Facebook/Myspace/LinkedIn account, or you can search for a keyword(s). Here I have searched for RWC (as Rugby World Cup is one of those things that has rubbed me up the wrong way lately):

Which then creates a new column with ALL tweets which have RWC in them. As you can see below, there is mention to ANZ being a major sponsor and comment on the Jeremy Wells ad; using the search term you can monitor what is being said out in the Twittershere - this is particularly handy if you are running Twitter on behalf of a company - and you can find out who is talking about your brand/whatever it is you are looking for, outside of just the people you are following.If however you are looking after an international brand within NZ, use Twitter Search 'advanced search' on the Internet to do a localised search. It isn't fool proof, but will capture the bulk of NZ Tweets. Just centre your search around an NZ town. For example, what if you were McDonalds?This way you can see what people who (when they signed up to Twitter) classify themselves as being in NZ are saying about McDonalds:

Nothing is 100%, but it's better than nothing.

OK - so finally, why does anyone want to know what you had for lunch? Twitter is all about sharing. Sharing thoughts, information, recommendations and (frequently) complaints. If you've had an amazing lunch, Twitter is an easy place to recommend a cafe or restaurant. Similarly, if you have experienced bad service or food it is an easy warning/venting system - and if the restaurant/cafe is paying attention, then they can address the issue, or thank a twitterer for their compliments.

Twitter is all about listening, sharing, networking and communicating with other people - and the brilliant thing, is that it gives you access to a world of people you may never have had the opportunity to converse with previously.

If there is anything I haven't covered that you want to know about, or something that needs further clarification, please don't hesitate to comment or flick me an email. I can't promise that I will be able to answer your question, but I might be able to find someone who does on Twitter.

Now, go forth and Tweet.

Twitter for Beginners - Part Three

Sorry for the delay, but here we go... part three. At the end of part two I said that this was going to "cover tweeting photos, short URLs, Retweets, searches and I will tell you why people do want to know what you had for lunch..." so that is what I am going to do over part three, and part four.

The nice thing about Tweetdeck, I can't promise the other Twitter clients do all the same things, is that it makes Tweeting photos, shortening URLs, Retweeting and searches easy as pie.

First things first, photos. There are lots of different sites which will store your pics and publish them to twitter, I use yfrog but there is also twitpic and tweetphoto, (take your pic - ha ha ha) which allows you to take photos on via phone and upload them or upload straight from a laptop. Within Tweetdeck you can simply drag and drop the pic into the 'compose update' field and within the settings function you can choose which pic client you want to use, after that, it's all automatic.

So the above is a picture that I took today whilst walking up Queen Street, I think the window is going to look great, but I will be interested to see how many of the post it notes last the night...

So I twittered the picture, and one of the people that followed me decided that they wanted to share the picture too, so they Retweeted it (RT). In this instance they commented before they retweeted my tweet:

Twitterers have the option to comment on what they are retweeting or directly retweet it as per:The above is what I see in the web version when someone automatically RT's my tweet. In tweetdeck it looks something like:

However this will not come through in my mentions - which means to find out who has retweeted without editing, you do need to use the web version - unless someone else can shed light on this for me??

Retweeting is a nice way to share information which you find interesting with the people that follow you. Similarly, if your followers find your information interesting, they will share it. If for some reason you want people to retweet you - for example you write a blog, or are using Twitter on behalf of a company and want the information to reach further than just your followers - for the LOVE of all things good please work out how many characters 'RT +@(your)username' takes up and make sure that when you compose that tweet, anyone who wants to RT it doesn't have edit it down before they do so - you gotta make it easy for them.

In Tweetdeck, if you want to RT something - click on the forward direction arrow when you mouse over the users avatar.

If you are including a link but the URL is super dooper long, there is a way around that as well. Tweetdeck again, being the clever little client that it is, automatically shortens your URL for you (but also gives you the option to unshorten it if you want the URL specifically). However, if for some reason you are using the web to tweet and need to get that URL down, then use bit.ly or tinyurl.com to help you shorten that URL. For example, the URL to my blog post for Part Two was super long, but bit.ly shortens it right down:

LOTS of characters to not nearly as many characters. Awesome times.

OK, I think that is enough for one blog post. We're so close... there is just search to go.