Two quarters of the way through game 5 of this year’s NBA playoffs, Samsung and rapper Jay-Z presented Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs fans with the opportunity to download his new album Magna Carta Holy Grail 72-hours before its July 4th release. For free. That is, if they manage to be amongst the first million Samsung SIII, S4 and Galaxy Note users to download customized new app that will available on June 24th. According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung paid Jay-Z $5 per unit, effectively granting him $5 million in sales and platinum album status before the album is even released.
Two quarters of the way through game 5 of this year’s NBA playoffs, Samsung and rapper Jay-Z presented Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs fans with the opportunity to download his new album Magna Carta Holy Grail 72-hours before its July 4th release. For free. That is, if they manage to be amongst the first million Samsung SIII, S4 and Galaxy Note users to download customized new app that will available on June 24th. According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung paid Jay-Z $5 per unit, effectively granting him $5 million in sales and platinum album status before the album is even released.
Seth McFarlane and Co. don’t seem to be bothered by potential controversy. In fact, they seem to thrive on it. This year, the Family Guy crew began its Emmy campaign by spoofing Lena Dunham’s popular HBO program, Girls – a competitor. The “For Your Consideration” ad running in entertainment industry trade publications portrays some of McFarlane’s famous characters Brian, Quagmire, Peter and Joe styled and posing just as actresses Jemima Kirke, Allison Williams, Lena Dunham, and Zosia Mamet were in the comedy-drama’s original posters.
When a young man picks up his first razor is an iconic moment in his transition into manhood. Most often it happens under the careful guidance of a father or father-figure and – for many – a can of Barbasol Barbasol was also a part of that experience. Which makes it fitting that just in time for Father's Day, the brand has come out with the "Field Guide to Manhood," a book of tips passed on through generations of men. GSD&M worked with the well-known shaving brand to give advice on how to groom, eat, drink, camp, and live like a mister. The book is currently available on Amazon for $19.19 (a play on the year Barbasol was founded) with 100% of profits going the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
It's almost Cannes week, and that means it's time for case study upon case study, even for the simplest idea that doesn't need an overblown, over-produced video to explain it. AdLatina and a BBDO Argentina copywriter are questioning the need for such excess with #VineLions, which challenges agencies and marketers to explain their creative in six seconds or less. Of course, it's easier for work like DraftFCB's "Daily Twist" campaign to explain what it was all about in that short a period of time -- but can a huge stunt like Red Bull Stratos be boiled down so easily?
It's hard for people to remember phone numbers, so companies often make sure their numbers spell something that's easily recognizable. Unfortunately for cable/phone/internet company Optimum, their digits spell out "Midwuls." It didn't mean anything -- unless Mother New York decided that it was the amazing feeling you get when you, say, get a great deal on phone, television and internet. To support the commercial, there's even a Tumblr, a Shop, and of course, the great decided: an Urban Dictionary entry.
Ogilvy & Mather and Coca Cola figure out another innovative way to make people smile, with "The Wearable Movie." The premise was simple -- thank some of the brand's fans, from the concierge in their Atlanta office, to their millionth fan in Mumbai, using a movie. But to make it special, the agency printed each frame of the movie on a t-shirt, then shipped it off all over the globe to its fans with a note, telling them to wear the shirt, then take a photo. The frames were then stitched together in a Psyop-directed film about about two friends, trying to get a pair of lips to smile.
After its CEO's sudden departure this week, activewear retailer Lululemon didn't seem to think a "Help Wanted" sign or LinkedIn listing would cut it. Instead the company posted this rather large banner on its website today.
Big Data is more than web tracking and social media.
Get the full scope of what’s happening in the evolving world of data and what it means to marketers.
