LEGO has always been a successful early adopter of technology.  From creating conversations in the groundswell to instore augmented reality, LEGO has done it again with their new iPhone App.

The LEGO application allows users to convert snapshots in to LEGO mosiacs. Simply by taking a picture, pressing a button and then watching the app build an image out of LEGO bricks. The application then allows users to share the images online.

What I particularly like about this application is it’s potential. If the process of pixelating the image could be improved and LEGO put the correct manufacturing proccess in place then LEGO could offer users the opportunity to buy the bricks needed, reproducing the image in real life LEGO.

Augmented Reality (AR)  is the combining of  the real and digital world. In this post I would like to share a couple of great examples of how this technology can be used. AR offers brands the opportunity to increase engagement in new and exciting ways whether executed in-store, online, at events or even on smartphones. The number of examples of this technology are growing by the day.

In this first PDF I would like to share with you three store executions. One by Lego, another by Hugo Boss which I personally experienced in London and the third the ESPN storescape in New York.

Download (PDF, 7.43MB)

The use of AR online has become quite common as the buzz around it has grown. It adds a new way for users to interact with content and take part in games. Here are two examples, one allows users to play rock, paper, scissors against themselves and the other enables users to access exclusive online content.

Download (PDF, 3.23MB)

As mobile technology improves the need for advertisers to understand it’s capability increases. Soon the penetration of smartphones will reach a tipping point that will enable more and more brands to take advantage of this technology by providing contextual messages to their consumers. The following PDF provides shows how features in the iPhone are making AR possible.

Download (PDF, 574.12KB)

I hope you have found these examples helpful. For a few more examples of AR please take a look at the following link: 35 Awesome Augmented Reality Examples

Having seen tilt shift being used in a number of campaigns over the last year I thought I’d have a quick look in to it and see if I could reproduce the same effect.

What is Tilt Shift?

Tilt shifting refers a type of photography where the camera is manipulated so that a life-sized location or subject looks like a miniature-scale model. It can be created using tilt shift lenses be expensive or “faked” by using editing software such as photoshop.

Tilt Shift Stop Motion Videos

By putting the tilt shifted images together it is possible to create stop motion video.  The follwoing example is a project created by Keith Loutit with the help of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter service. The serivce has run over 21,000 missions since it’s inception in 1973 and is funded completely by sponsorship and the local community.

Bathtub IV from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

The film is 100% ‘real’, it uses techniques such as time lapse to create the illusion of forward movement for the helicopter ocean scenes.  Another interesting project using tilt shift  in a stop motion is of the Raptors and Rockets playing basket ball by Sam Javanrouh a Toronto based photographer.

Tilt Shift in Print

Tilt Shift in has been used in a number of print ads over the past few years.

Here is a montage of a few. Follow this link to AdFreak to see the individual ads or click on the image below.

Tilt Shift Stop Motion Commercials

Here are two spots, the first  is for Deutsche Telekom by Philipp & Keuntje in Hamburg. It’s all about empowerment and how “big changes start small,” like people handing in their old cell phones and getting paperless bills to “conserve valuable resources” and “help preserve nature.”

I must agree with AdFreak when I saw the spot though, I did half expected a giant foot to stomp on to screen.

This final spot is for the National Australian Bank. Entitled little wonders it uses tilt shift to show how “Your world just got smaller, because we’ve doubled the number of ATMs” says National Australia Bank.

Finally

Although I can’t afford a real tilt shift lens here is one of my first attempts at recreating tilt shift using photoshop.

Following on from my last post, classical mobiles here is a festive sculpture by LBi.

After an agency wide mobile phone upgrade LBi decided to recycle the handsets with a festive project. The COO and his “elves” cut the plywood mount, someone in finance played the tune, the IT lads made it work and the rest of the agency helped put it up. Quite the christmas story.

Every time the sculpture is tweeted the tune plays. People can interact with the sculpture at http://xmas.lbi.co.uk/mobiletree/

LBi’s website: http://www.lbi.co.uk/our-work/a-christmas-collaboration/

I just thought I would share these two spots quickly that I like  which are based around creating classical music using mobile phones.

The first, is a viral spot for Vodafone, New Zealand which uses 1000 mobile phones to play Tchaikovsky, 1812 overture. This was achieved by using 53 different ringtones and synchronizing a number of text messages to create the necessary harmonies. The spots finishes with a call to action for the viewer to visit: http://www.vodafone.co.nz/symphonia/ . On the website visitor can download the 53 ringtones used in the spot for free as well as watching how it was made. Vodafone wanted to create something unique to support their,”It’s amazing what you can do” campaign.

The second piece was created by BBDO for AT&T Wireless.  ”To dramatically demonstrate smart phone touchscreen performance on AT&T, the nation’s fastest 3G network, Shilo filmed award-winning rising star pianist Kwan Yi with help from director of photography Max Goldman, capturing Yi’s performance with a practical “smart phone piano” on stage at Broadway Stages’ Studio D in Brooklyn.”

In a new US campaign for LG by Young & Rubicam (New York), James Lipton teaches teens to think before they text.

“In a seriously hilarious new series of public service announcements (PSA), James Lipton shares his beard with teens contemplating txt-based attacks on their exes and rivals, so they ponder their actions first.” (Jezebel.com).  As well as these hilarious PSA spots the campaign has been executed online and in print.

Online, the campaign uses a referring microsite letting users navigate between different user-generated websites such as facebook and youtube shown in the screen shot above. Referring page websites are becoming a very popular way for companies to communicate with consumers online rather than just having a traditional standalone website. This is because it puts the brand message and assets in to the hands of the consumer adding a social element to the content. As long as guidelines are set up around managing, monitoring and interacting on each of the platforms this can produce a more personal relationship with the brand. I think the use of a referring site for this, fits in with the social tone of the campaign and provides a platform for users to interact with different online touch points. It also reduces the development costs involved with creating a standalone microsite.

Here is example of one of the Print executions:

I really like the whole campaign; it’s overall positioning, the PSA stlye spots and the use of a referring microsite. I think it promotes a socially responsible way of thinking and for LG that’s not a bad thing to be associated with. I suspect text based attacks/bullying are pretty common and must make many peoples lives a constant misery, this may even have been the insight behind this campaign. I think these hilarious spots help highlight the issue of people texting before they think and hopefully they will “give it a ponder” next time before they send something.

Here are the rest of the PSA spots, Enjoy!

He was about to send her a pic of his junk:

Carlos’s girlfriend will never know the joy of nuts:

I stumbled across an interesting post on Ad Land from earlier this year about BBDO Mexico “ripping” of a segment from Fully Flared, a skate video directed by Spike Jonze.

Here is the original concept from the opening section of Laki, Fully Flared.

This is another spot for a Chevy campaign that people reckon borrow heavily from the same skate video.

These days creating something truly original is very difficult, almost impossible. Although it was quite, shall we say, “negligent” for BBDO Mexico to copy the creative concept exactly, its is a very visually engaging spot. This was achieved by a clever choice of music, slow-motion video and explosions making the spot more appealing to a broader audience than simply a bunch of skateboarders.

Creative translation is very important in advertising it helps create pieces that stand out and remain contextual to it’s audience. Inspiration can come from anywhere. Whether it sparks an idea that highlights and communicates an insight or helps create a clever way of executing an exiting idea.

Here is another skateboarding video where a skater attempts to skate a bowl of balloons and an Aero spot that uses this concept to emphasise the bubbles in Aero.

Finally one more skateboard related video segment from Girl, Yeah Right, which was also directed by Spike Jonze. When I first saw this I thought it would make a great ad.

Enjoy!

An awesome well edited ski video that allows you to find out what the riders are wearing in it. As you watch the video product tags appear on screen. When clicked these tags or hotspots reveal a small product blurb, which can direct users to the online store if they wish to find out more or purchase the product. Hotspots are normally associated with those ugly tags and pop up ads on YouTube. However in this Hotspot for Nike, AKQA have added a whole new element to online content that is useful for brands and consumers alike. These hot spots place products in a real world context allowing the user to enjoy watching the video and find out about the products on offer. Considering the amount of money brands spend on sponsoring sporting professional for their appearance in videos and competitions. Hotspots offer interactive videos that build on an established association mechanic. Then when you think about the strength of a good viral video in creating excitement and brand awareness. These new hotspots videos offer the opportunity for brands to unexpectedly tap in to new consumer groups.

Objectified is a film documentary by Gary Hustwit, about industrial design. “It’s about our relationship to mass-produced objects and, by extension, the people who design them.”

After watching the trailer, I wanted to find out more. I went to www.objectifiedfilm.com where I found out about an interesting revenue stream for the project. Your chance to be an “objectifier”. For 500$ it is possible to have your name or company included in the film’s ‘thank you’  credits as well as receiving various other materials including t-shirts and an invite to a sneak preview premier in London or New York. I just thought this was clever way to gain revenue and also provide individuals and compaines the opportunity to be associated with the project. A little bit of  attribute transfer and a networking opportunity.