On this afternoon we’re faced with rains and chilly weather, and yet in the face of this, I have never felt warmer. The source of my metaphoric temperature? My esteemed colleague James Mott carrying a torch that whilst not lit, is a flaming beacon of hope and inspiration designed to set alight the hearts of the nation in the journey to the London 2012 Olympic Games
Today Motty is out on the road flying the flag for BD and Coke in a dress rehearsal of the Olympic Torch Relay to make sure that when the real thing comes around, everything goes of without a hitch. You’ll no doubt see coverage of the day on the news later on, but for the story that really matters to us, check out our man running the biggest 800 meters of his life along the high street of Molton Mowbray:
To launch the long awaited Nintendo 3DS we knew the only way to truly experience the 3D phenomenon was to hold the product in your hands.
We created a truly 360 degree campaign with the consumer at the heart – ‘You have to see it to believe it’.
Initially key bloggers and influential Nintendo fans were invited to an exclusive reveal event, where they would be the first to experience the 3DS.
The reactions we captured were then used to promote the console online and through social media, encouraging others to trial.
Through online advertising and social media we drove people to a Facebook application where they could book a slot at a local experiential event. They could also browse reactions from others who had trialled.
All of this was done so that we could get the console in to the hands of as many relevant consumers as possible.
People were encouraged to share their reactions immediately online from the event itself, completing the cycle.
Heinz Beanz are an iconic, quick, versatile and convenient superfood. However, we needed to remind Australia of this, as engagement within the category was low and Heinz were losing market share, especially amongst young families.
Australians were asked ‘What do Heinz Beanz mean to you?’ and given the opportunity to respond by creating their own Heinz Beanz can online, featuring their story on the iconic label. All cans were displayed in a gallery where people could view, vote and share them on Facebook. The top-10 stories were immortalised on cans in stores around Australia and won their creators a share of $100,000.
The campaign attracted nearly 8,000 entrants of which more than 200,000 votes were cast. beanzmeanz.com.au attracted 141,193 visits to the website generating 847,000 page views. The Facebook community amassed over 8,000 Heinz Beanz fans.
Sales of Heinz Beanz soared by 14% over the 12-week period, increasing market share against its closest competitor by 5% points, with 135,000 new households buying Heinz Beanz over the campaign period, MAT vs last year.
Over three years we’ve brought to life the core brand proposition of ‘Good Food Deserves Lurpak’; developing a programme of consumer engagement activations that have driven brand affinity amongst consumers, consistently reinforcing the brand’s position as category leader – creating a step change for the way in which the category is shopped and driven volume sales year on year.
2009 – We launched an experiential marketing campaign at supermarkets and train stations to demonstrate the exceptional taste of Lurpak on simple foods like hot potatoes and fresh bread. A MONP with the sample and targeted door-drop to 2.8 million households turned trial into purchase.
2010 – Tapping into the trend of home baking, the ‘Bake at home’ campaign was delivered BTL with a GWP on-pack promotion to get a baking tin, and an on-pack FPD later in the year to win a Dualit Food Processor.
2011 – We combined an integrated experiential sampling campaign in Q1 with an innovative, category first on-pack promotion – offering herb seeds with every purchase over summer.
On 8th December 2011, Peugeot celebrated the launch of its latest model, the Peugeot 208, with the world’s first ever motion controlled, tactile live projection mapping show at one of Rio de Janeiro’s most iconic landmarks.
The event, created by the UK’s largest independent marketing communications agency BD Network, brought the 208’s ‘Let Your Body Drive’ ethos to life with a projection mapping video show controlled by the human body movements of a performer; literally letting his body ‘drive’ a live virtual projection of the Peugeot 208.
Using the latest motion capture technology, akin to the Microsoft Xbox Kinect system, the show pushed the boundaries of existing large-format building projections to deliver a captivating live theatrical show for audiences, supported by timed tactile physical interactions such as water spraying the crowd, real lights shining out, and more.
From concept to finished show, the seven-week project was BD Network’s ambitious response to Peugeot’s brief to create a live event that would generate international engagement and awareness as well as produce a piece of world-class viral content to support Peugeot’s increased focus on digital marketing.
A two-minute film of the spectacular show is now hosted on YouTube; and this post-event online video activity allows global audiences to engage with this unique experience that embodies Peugeot’s ‘Motion and Emotion’ brand positioning.
Jim Carless, Head of Experiential, BD Network, commented: “Peugeot tasked us with creating a campaign that would bring the 208’s ‘Let Your Body Drive’ proposition to life in grand style and produce a stunning piece of viral video content to drive their digital strategy. This exciting world-first introduces the Peugeot 208 to the world stage in an entertaining and visually stunning way, providing a great opportunity for true brand-consumer interaction.”
Xavier Peugeot, Marketing and Communications Director, Automobiles Peugeot, added: “The 208 is a new illustration of the Marque project launched two years ago and establishes itself as a new stage in Peugeot’s desire to drive itself towards ever greater modernity. BD Network has responded ambitiously to this project by creating a cutting-edge experiential concept that will introduce the 208 to the world. After seeing this event live in Rio, I am excited about sharing this world-first event and its stunning film content with the world, attracting new consumers to Peugeot whilst encouraging fans to engage further with the brand.”
I was at a recent award ceremony where upon introducing myself to the other table members, I was asked where we were staying. ‘Surry Hills’ I replied, to which a nameless party replied ‘Oh dear, does your agency not have very much money?’…
Now it’s hard not to have a small agency ‘chip’ here. Having worked for a mix of networks and large independent agencies, my new role is within a small yet beautifully formed agency. And, I love it.
Yes the budgets are tighter, the risks greater and we may not always be able to stay at the Carlton in Cannes, but being small is exhilarating. Being independent and small is even better. It naturally makes you an underdog, a ‘working class’ agency if you like and something I generally feel more comfortable with. It’s far more fun to steer a pirate ship than a Cruise-liner.
As a small agency or start-up you have a lot to prove, so rather than investing time in small man syndrome, proof can only come though a great body of work. Ultimately great work comes through graft and all truly great ideas come at a price or a struggle… Look at the best campaigns in Australia today and you can tell they took effort, belief, pain, perseverance, persuasion and balls.
Ambitious small agencies seek rites of passage. Create a body of work that is effective, creative and recognised and the industry accepts you…But the hardest of all is to be patient – enjoy being small, agile, nimble while you can. Sometime we all feel the small agency chip, but it’s that chip that keeps you hungry to achieve more.
With Matt Duffey leading the troops and with clear instruction to start strongly, BD Brasil flew out the traps, closing down the opposition like men possessed.
After some unsure defending from Iris thanks to some constant closing we began to carve out some openings. It was only a matter of time before we made the breakthrough and it was Tim Dalton who passed one into the net to make it 1-0.. Having taken the opener, the chances continued to pile up though Iris were finding joy on the flanks and on the counter-attack, but were snuffed out by a stubborn BD defence. Dalton again struck with a great effort that curled into the top corner and left the keeper with no chance. Buoyed by a 2 goal lead, BD continued to press – Josh Norris was taken out in the box but the ref played a great advantage and the ball fell to Dalton who completed his hat-trick inside 30 mins.
With the half-time score at 3-0, it would’ve been easy for Iris to have thrown in the towel, but to their credit, back from the dead they came and pegged one back. At this point the tide had turned and Iris began to stamp their authority on the game, however, we kept our composure and kept battling away. A brilliant team move laid the ball on a plate for Matt M’Boge to put the seal on the game with a neat finish.
Three goal margin restored but back Iris came yet again, knowing that their pride was at stake and after we failed to clear the ball they punished us with a decent finish. Too little too late though and with the final result at 4-2 the celebrations broke out, having beaten Iris yet again to add even more misery on a team that clearly weren’t expecting to be beaten so comfortably. In truth, with all the work we’ve put in and determination we had in us, they didn’t stand a chance.
Final Score:-
BD Brasil 4 Iris 2
The line-up:-
Dermot Dever, Samuel Odoro-Ayim, Dan Gerrard, Dan Shone, Matt Duffey (c), Sam Steele, James Perry, Sean Cullen, Martyn Richardson, Tim Dalton, Matt M’Boge. Subs:- Telmo Alves, Aldo Brenna, Colin Knowx, Sam Prior, Josh Norris.
When we received this brief we were extremely excited, not only because it was a brand we instantly knew and grew up with but we all had something to say about it. How can anyone NOT have a response to what HEINZ BEANZ MEANZ to them?
Our challenge was to create an emotional attachment to an already established product. All users had to do was tell us what BEANZ MEANZ to them; whether it was a quick and delicious snack or sitting round a campfire when they were kids; for a chance to win a share of $100,000.
We did this by creating a microsite where users can enter their can with a supporting Facebook and Twitter page as well as online media driving traffic. However, the most fun we had was playing with the iconic BEAN! The entire digital team sat and drew their own character bean, which then led to the creation of Facebeanz where users can create their own and share it with their friends.
The idea is simple, but it was a project that the team was easily excited about as we could all relate to it, whether it was a ‘beans make you fart’ joke, or creating the first transgender bean (not that there are any transgender members of the team) we had worked together to make it success.
After many months of hard grafting, it is always great to see promotions come off the page, graduate from the inner sanctum of the agency walls, hit stores, go live and start generating some buzz. Over six months of solid work (and possibly a few quiet moments in a dark room with a cold beer) has taken us to the launch of the Carling Perfect Pint Experience. What a whirlwind, but now for the science bit….waiting for the entries to roll in.
The Carling Perfect Pint Experience is the biggest promotional activity carried out by Carling for 5 years in terms of reach and spend, with £6 million investment from the brand to see this go off seamlessly. Nurturing a close relationship with Carling’s ATL agency BMB, digital agency Fastweb, plus their packaging, media and PR agencies, BD Network has created the BTL support for the Carling Perfect Pint Experience, giving over 132 million (yep, that’s a small country) opportunities for Carling drinkers to win their own Perfect Pint Experience worth up to £15,000 for them and their mates.
Now… this Experience – it could be anything from playing 5 a side football in Rio with the locals, to lounging on a yacht in Monaco watching the Grand Prix….the more original the idea, the better the chance of winning. (My request for a day of David Beckham as a personal butler was a LITTLE too far, but you get the idea).
As well as the chance to win the Perfect Pint Experience, there are 12 million other Perfect Pint prizes up for grabs, the majority of which I secretly covet myself… do we think if I go by a pseudonym I could fool the system? A 1 in 10 chance to win is our attention-grabbing headline and prizes on offer are everything from Limited Edition Carling Pint Gasses, Carling Earphones and T-shirts to Carling Cup Final tickets, VIP Isle of Wight tickets, NME Award experiences and £200 Ticketmaster vouchers… all-in-all, up to £22 million worth of prizes available to be won (yep, that’s the funding for that small country…).
So now it is live and Carling perfect Pint Experience is out there for all to enjoy, the only question left is what do I do now I am about to depart from the Perfect Pint World? I guess I’m off to the pub…
that is effective, creative and recognised and the industry accepts you…But the hardest of all is to be patient – enjoy being small, agile, nimble while you can. Sometime we all feel the small agency chip, but it’s that chip that keeps you hungry to achieve more.