Posted By rmay - December 21, 2011
Kraft Jell-O is testing a vending machine that provides free samples of Temptations, a Jell-O line targeting adults. The machine only serves adults by using Intel’s facial recognition optics and software to identify children. When a child is detected, the vending machine tells the child to step away.
Implications: Facial recognition technology can be used to directly interact with a specific target audience. Jell-O is reaching adults by giving them the
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Posted By eknab - September 1, 2011
Talk and TV typically don't mix. When friends sit down to watch the latest episode of a show, they aren't interested to hear about what others had for lunch or the latest gossip. This is because watching standard television is a one-way communication, only allowing characters in shows and spokespeople in commercials to do the talking. Viewers are viewers and nothing more.
Digital is giving people a reason to speak up
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Posted By eknab - August 18, 2011
Beverage brand Carlsberg has created a mobile app called "Tournée Digitale" that aims to get people out of bed and into the bar. Users can buy a round of drinks for friends and self-name the beer to be a "Moxiesberg," for example, to keep track of who bought the round. Users can then select the friends they want to share drinks with as well as a Carlsberg-sponsored party or event
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Posted By eknab - July 13, 2011
Most people think augmented reality, or AR, is a type of mobile app that adds a digital layer to the real world. That isn't entirely true. It's more than visual, more than mobile and has more marketing potential than you may have realized.
The Status Quo of Augmented Reality
The stereotypical implementation of augmented reality involves a smartphone and an app. Users of such platforms typically open up the app, which turns
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Posted By eknab - July 5, 2011
Pringles is appealing to music lovers by turning their smartphones into guitars and drum kits. The Pringles Crunch Band mobile app mimics these instruments while the Pringles packaging itself can be turned into an amplifier by plugging a stereo cord into the phone. Additional instruments such as bass guitar and “the Pringleshaker” can be unlocked by purchasing more cans of Pringles and scanning their barcodes.
Implications: Pringles is adding value to
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Posted By eknab - June 30, 2011
Generally, the best ideas solve complex problems in the simplest of ways. Gesture-based interfaces, while simple and easy to use, have not solved complex problems traditionally. While Kinect may help to get people off the couch and moving around more, the true value is in the entertainment, making that solution a secondary outcome. But gesture-based interfaces are now taking steps into areas where the technology is a primary solution, amplifying
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Posted By eknab - June 16, 2011
Crispin Porter & Bogusky's final execution for Burger King, "Whopper Lust," is centered on DirecTV channel 111, which displays a rotating Whopper and a clock. For each five minutes that participants watch the channel they earn one free burger. To ensure engagement, viewers must answer questions that appear as they watch or else they lose.
Implications: This example demonstrates the strength of simple messaging and an interesting way to drive long-lasting
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Posted By eknab - June 8, 2011
With sites such as DamnYouAutocorrect.com it is no secret that predictive text can lead to some shocking and/or horrifying scenarios. Predictive analysis, on a more helpful note, can allow users and brands to take advantage of information mining or keep tabs on emerging media content that is soon to be a big hit. Brands can use this information to stay on the forefront of emerging trends in their industries.
Sites such
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Posted By eknab - May 11, 2011
People like presents. Brands want presence. Together these two truths showcase the win-win scenario that is social gifting. This trend has taken off in many digital branches, clearly strong in social media but also encompassing other technologies such as digital signage, GPS, mobile location-based check-ins and more. Social gifting has many perks for brands as well, including increased awareness, loyalty and engagement.
The latest example of social gifting that we have
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Posted By gsteen - April 21, 2011
Festis, a beverage brand based in Denmark, recently launched UnboreGrandpa.com, which challenges visitors to connect with a "grandpa" via live video chat and make him laugh. Those that do are rewarded with a free bottle of Festis juice. This campaign takes advantage of a largely untapped resource: people that have downtime during the day at work.
Implications: The proliferation of computers with built-in webcams has made it safe to assume that
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