LYNX Anarchy: The World...

Lynx produce some seriously innovative digital work the world over (AXE in other countries) and probably none more so than this campaign that’s just launched in Australia, with the world’s first invisible ad installation using special LCD screens that can only been seen with polarised lenses. People passing by a street in Sydney were handed Related Digital Buzz Posts: Lynx: Sexy Rugby Rules For World Cup Lynx: Augmented Reality Angel Ambush Lynx: The Wingman Academy Webisodes

RIM Launches The Most B...

In one of the most anticlimactic (and likely ineffective) marketing campaigns in history, RIM has today launched its “Wake Up. Be Bold.” campaign in Australia. It began with a group of “protestors” disembarking from a bus outside of Apple’s Sydney store with signs that read “Wake Up.” But don’t get too excited — that’s the most exciting part of the story. After the long and vigorous rivalry between Samsung and Apple , both in marketing and in the courts, the South Korea-based company was originally blamed for the seemingly out-of-the-blue protest. RIM, of course, kept quiet. But it was in fact RIM that staged the shit show , which all culminated in the launch of the wakeupbebold.com website, wherein an Australian man explains how business has changed and that to be different you mustn’t just “think different,” but “do different” (which I’m fairly certain is grammatically incorrect), lest you end up “floating through life like a cork in a stream.” Not only is the ad boring — just a stream of text accompanied by a voice — but it really doesn’t resonate in any way shape or form. At BlackBerry Jam last week, we saw some pretty cool new features that will ship with BB10, including a badass new keyboard and a retro time-defying camera app built with tech licensed from Scalado . Yet, the ad talks about how business is no longer conducted by briefcase-carrying, cubicle-sitting suits. But if I remember correctly, it’s the old-school business man (likely forced by his big business employer) that still uses a BlackBerry. Way to go for a new demographic, RIM. What’s worse, the mantra of “BlackBerry isn’t for everyone” is woven throughout the campaign. “We know some people will choose to float on by, and that’s fine,” says the random voice. Not once throughout the ad does the company make mention of why RIM is ready to take on the iPhone and grab its core customer base (or floating corks, if I may be so bold ), and the campaign can’t even really crack a solid joke at Apple the way Samsung manages to do in its campaign spots . I usually love writing about phone ads, but this was a depressing and disappointing way to open up the week. Thanks for that, RIM.

AMC’s The Pitch Makes A...

If you’ve ever thought of advertising execs as naked, glistening, sword-wielding gladiators, then have I got a show for you. AMC’s The Pitch is like Mad Men but without the cool clothes. each week, the series follows two real-life agencies as they meet, brainstorm, create and pitch their campaign concept hoping to win the big client. In the first episode, which airs tonight, April 30, at 9, mid-size agency McKinny goes up against “envelope-pushing” WDCW on a campaign for Subway. The sandwich shop wants to convince millennials to buy their breakfast at Subway and that’s a tall order. McKinny, smartly, brings in some young guns of their own and invites them to compete against each other. They come up with animated sandwiches and a rap music video. WDCW goes with the popular zombie theme, “zAMbies,” creatures who are suffering from boring breakfast syndrome. Who will get the gig? You’ll have to tune in and find out. The Pitch has the potential to be entertaining for the masses and inspiring for marketers at all levels. Each episode is a mini-lesson in campaign creation and pitching and if nothing else, it will remind you of how important it is to reach for the stars with every grab. On the downside, the show is insanely dramatic. The editing, the straight to camera confessionals, the staging, all make it look as if these people are negotiating the fate of the world. When the guy from WDWC says that it’s like stepping into the gladiator arena he really means it. That’s both sad and funny at the same time. Before you dive too far into your work week, sit down and enjoy AMC’s The Pitch . Even if you don’t learn anything, you’ll enjoy watching these ad men knock themselves out trying to land that big whale. The Pitch airs Mondays at 9 pm (or 10 according to the trailer) on AMC.

Pepsi Puts A Pop Cultur...

Pepsi is launching a big rebranding campaign today, and the company says social media is going to play a crucial role. Specifically, PepsiCo Global Head of Digital Shiv Singh tells me that the biggest online piece of the campaign is a “social media cheat sheet” called the #NOW board — it has, in fact, taken over the Pepsi website . The board is built on top of Pulse, the social media visualization platform that Pepsi launched last fall . Looking at the RSS feeds from across the Web, as well as the firehose of wants being shared through Twitter and bit.ly (with help from startup SocialFlow ), Singh says the #NOW board presents the pop culture stories that are hottest in social media at any given moment, presented in easily-digestible form. Beyond serving as a news aggregator, Singh says the site will include other features, like the ability for celebrities to pose challenges to their fans, and exclusive deals courtesy of sites like Thrillist. And naturally, the content can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. That all sounds fun, but what does that have to do with a food and beverage company? Well, the theme of the campaign is “Live for Now,” and it tries to reconnect the Pepsi brand with, as Singh puts it, “the heart of pop culture.” He argues that “the more deeply integrated” Pepsi is with broader pop culture trends, the better the company does. My other question: Are people actually going to return to a Pepsi-branded site as a source of news? I mean, any news website is probably going to have advertising and sponsorships, and sure, we’re not probably not talking about hard-hitting journalism here, but it still feels a little weird to treat a Pepsi-owned site as a “real” news aggregator. Singh counters: In the last few years we’ve seen people in general care less about the source of an experience or who’s creating the content, and more about the experience itself. People care less whether it’s a TV network that’s creating a really funny piece of video or whether a brand is. The argument carries some weight, when you think about how ads like the Old Spice guy have become popular viral content. So is this advertising? Is it content? It’s a little bit of both, and it sounds like that’s what Pepsi wants.

Puma: The World’s Faste...

Here is a nice idea from Puma in Mexico. To showcase their super fast running shoes they encouraged customers to shop as quickly as possible by incentivising speedy shoppers with a discount in a campaign named “The World’s Fastest Purchase”. As shoppers entered the store they were prompted to push a big red button that Related Digital Buzz Posts: Tesco: QR Code Activated Virtual Stores Puma: I Am 60 Campaign Website. Zappos Real Time Purchase Mapping