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Q1 2015
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MEC Idea of the Quarter
Welcome back to the latest edition of Stuff We’ve Seen.
Once again, we’ve got a great mix of brilliant campaigns,
superb creative use of technology, some exciting startups and the latest news from the world of media,
technology and communications.
As ever, we welcome feedback and input from around the
network. Any great work you come across, please send it
our way. And similarly, don’t be shy in submitting the
great work we’re doing for our clients to be showcased –
big or small ideas, all are welcome.
Hope you enjoy!
Idea of the Quarter
Integrated Campaigns &
Smart Ideas
Creative use of
Technology
Interesting Start-ups &
Emerging Tech
Use the arrows on each page
to view more inspiring detail
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Marriott
seeks out a new
IKEA
storytelling ‘Medium’
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Marriott partnered with Medium to launch a new
native advertising platform
In a world of short-form content, many people seek out
platforms that allow them to share and find stories that tap
into longer or more visual formats. Medium, the blog
publishing platform founded by Twitter co-founders Evan
Williams and Biz Stone, offers the ability to tap into true,
powerful storytelling.
In an attempt to connect with next-generation travelers
and drive new business, Marriott International partnered
with Medium to launch Gone, a new travel vertical blending
native advertising with paid sponsorship.
Among the 60 stories that will be published on Gone and
labeled “presented by Marriott,” a select few will be loosely
connected to Marriott and identified as being published by
Marriott.
It is a powerful example that, in a world where many
messages are 140 characters (or less), powerful,
meaningful stories will attract people no matter the format
or length.
Dole creates the first
edible wearable
Dole gives runners a boost by turning a mid-race
snack into a tech-driven tool
Dole Japan, a longtime sponsor of the Tokyo
Marathon, created a wearable banana for the most
recent race. Thanks to an LED display and sensors
inserted under the bananas' skin, runners who
grabbed a banana along the route were able to
monitor their race time and heart rate. The smart
banana even drove Twitter messages of
encouragement for the runners. Once runners
crossed the finish line, the bananas were enjoyed
as a post-race treat.
This is a quirky example of leveraging technology
to make things smarter by serving multiple
purposes. While not everyone may be interested in
smart food, this is a fun way to provide runners
with utility on the go.
INTEGRATED CAMPAIGNS
&
SMART IDEAS
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IKEA displayed poorly assembled billboards to show
the importance of their Assembly Service
IKEA is known for leveraging eye-catching OOH
billboards to make the most out of simple ideas,
and their Assembly Fail campaign is no exception.
A lot of people joke about how IKEA furniture is
difficult to put together, so much so that
misassembled furniture has become a running gag.
To promote their Assembly Service, IKEA created
(what looked like) poorly assembled billboards.
It is a simple idea that shows their awareness of the
perception that their furniture is hard to assemble,
as well as their ability to take the feedback in stride
and have a sense of humor about it. The campaign
also showcases the easy solution of utilizing IKEA’s
Assembly Service to help a customer out.
8
Women’s Aid uses digital billboards to promote its core
message of the more people who notice, the less physical
abuse occurs
To coincide with International Women’s Day, a digital
billboard was created to show the impact of domestic
violence.
What made the billboard unique was that the more
people who looked at the billboard, the more the
bruises and marks on the woman’s face started to
disappear, demonstrating the idea of not “turning a
blind eye” to the issue. If people want domestic
violence to disappear faster, more people have to pay
attention to the signs and make a difference.
It is a powerful message brought to life thanks to
facial recognition software that registered when
people looked at the image.
Snickers’ unique approach to traditional billboards creates
buzz around its Super Bowl ad
To promote their Super Bowl
commercial, Snickers created a
hilarious billboard that slowly
transformed Marcia Brady into Danny
Trejo. Thanks to a group of painters,
the billboard was slowly transformed
over a span of a few weeks.
Not only was this billboard hype for
Snickers’ Super Bowl ad, it also kicked
off a promotion that encouraged
people to show off who they were
when they were hungry.
The billboard was a unique and fun
approach to out-of-home advertising.
It created buzz and furthered interest
in the upcoming Super Bowl ad.
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Destination Unknown is a game leveraging real-time
social content
Schiphol Amsterdam Airport created Destination
Unknown, a game that used real-time Instagram
content to get users interested in learning more about
Schiphol’s network.
Users had a set amount of time to guess as many
destinations as possible. The top 50 players with the
highest scores had the chance to win two return
tickets to any destination that can be reached via
Schiphol Airport.
Tapping into real, user generated content provided a
way to increase awareness among potential travelers
of Schiphol’s offerings in a way that felt relevant.
Consumers who shared content via platforms like
Instagram could discover new users, be inspired by
other users’ content, and perhaps even find a new
destination.
CREATIVE USE
OF
TECHNOLOGY
Google and Mattel bring back the classic View-Master,
introducing Virtual Reality experiences for just $30
The classic View-Master toy is being
re-launched as a partnership
between Mattel and Google,
allowing users to enjoy augmented
reality and 3D experiences from the
$30 device.
Users can place their smartphones
into the device to use the
accompanying application to see 3D
images or larger 3D environments.
The View-Master uses Google’s
Cardboard technology, which
creates virtual reality out of simple
materials such as paper and tape.
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Additional experience reel packs
will be made available to provide
additional content, resulting in
immersive digital experiences for
children of all ages.
Japan’s Henn-na Hotel will be staffed with
humanoid robots
This coming July we will see the launch of the Henn-na Hotel
(meaning ”Evolve Hotel”) in Nagasaki, Japan. This hotel is
truly unique, as the property will include 10 humanoid
robots as a part of the hotel’s staff. The robots will be tasked
with everything from carrying luggage to greeting guests to
even cleaning hotel rooms.
The Henn-na Hotel’s robots will be modeled on young
Japanese women, and will mimic natural mannerisms
including blinking and breathing. They will also be
multilingual, fluent in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and
English.
The goal of including these humanoid robots as part of the
hotel staff is to enhance the hotel’s tech-focused hospitality
offering, which includes facial recognition technology for
room entry and a radiation panel to monitor body heat
when establishing room temperatures.
14
McDonald’s promotes the Egg McMuffin using a digital
billboard that rises along with the sun
For many commuters, deciding
what to have for (and where to get)
breakfast in the morning can be a
difficult task. In Canada,
McDonald’s helps make the process
a bit easier by using an eye-catching
innovative billboard unit.
Synced to the timing of the sun
rising, McDonald’s billboard also
rises, gradually revealing the image
of an Egg McMuffin breakfast
sandwich.
This billboard demonstrates how
out-of-the-box thinking in out of
home executions can still create
impact for consumers.
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Thanks to IKEA, furniture can now multitask
IKEA is partnering with Qi, a leader
in wireless charging, to design and
deliver a line of desks, lamps, and
tables outfitted with integrated
charging pads. The catch? The initial
products only work with a handful
of Android devices, though
adaptors are available for iOS.
IKEA’s charging furniture is
expected to go on sale in Europe
and North America in mid-April,
and a global rollout is rumored to be
in the works for later in the year.
This innovation in furniture design
helps bring consumers one step
closer to a connected home,
proving technology can help even
the most basic everyday objects
become smarter and help drive the
future of the ‘connected home’.
16
Merrell uses virtual reality to connect with adventure
seekers
In an effort to reinvigorate their brand image among
adventure seeking consumers, outdoor brand
Merrell partnered with Oculus Rift to provide an
interactive virtual reality experience.
The first ever commercial in-motion Oculus Rift
experience, users could walk around Merrell’s virtual
reality landscape, and were tasked with completing
a simulated hiking trail which included physical
elements (e.g. a rock wall and rope bridge).
By creating a virtual reality experience that
incorporated the physical need to walk around,
Merrell demonstrated that engaging consumer
experiences can be effective in transforming brand
perception.
17
Dutch airline KLM lets potential travelers give high fives
for a trip to Amsterdam
Live High Five, installed by Dutch
airline KLM, gave people in New
York City and Amsterdam the
opportunity to win a trip across the
Atlantic.
Using an interactive unit featuring
real time HD audio and video,
individuals were encouraged to
time the perfect high five for a
chance at a free flight to the other
city (depending on current
location).
Promoting KLM’s World Deal
Weeks, this was a great example of
how an airline can help connect
people around the globe faster than
ever before.
Never Alone leverages the power of gaming to
teach people about other cultures
Never Alone is an interactive puzzle-based video game
that taps into the lore of the Iñupiat people to tell
stories of Alaska Natives. Built in partnership with the
Alaska Native community, the game’s puzzles are
based on Alaskan indigenous stories.
Created in conjunction with the Cook Inlet Tribal
Council, a non-profit organization that works with
indigenous groups living in Alaska's urban areas, Never
Alone proves that gaming doesn’t have to be boring to
be educational or inspiring, and that, conversely,
education can be an immersive experience.
Smartwatch apps start to show real promise, delivering
utility, diversion and, thanks to Domino’s, pizza
Smartwatch apps are an ongoing
debate as more devices filter into
the mass market and brands
increasingly test engagement
opportunities. Some believe that
consumers won’t use apps on such
a small screen, while others think
that most smartwatch apps will be
used by consumers primarily to
deliver data to some other device
or interface.
20
Domino’s is testing the waters of
branded smartwatch app utility by
enabling customers to place and
track their order via the Pebble and
Android Wear. Branded tests like
Domino’s will not only uncover
brand-driven options for
smartwatch devices, but also help
consumers understand the utility
these devices can potentially
deliver.
Shared_Studios leverages technology (new and old) to
help develop international relations
Shared_Studios is a design and technology-driven
collective focused on using tech and physical spaces
to create ‘wormholes’ between different parts of the
world. The goal? Carving out secure spaces between
different populations, allowing them to interact in
ways never before imagined.
Their latest project allows people to talk to strangers
in different countries via portals built inside shipping
containers with immersive audio and video
technology. Translation is available to those who
need it, allowing participants to have full-body, faceto-face conversations with strangers. For example,
New Yorkers can engage with residents in Tehran to
meet and learn more about each other. Ideally, the
portal locations change on an ongoing basis.
21
Take control of everyday life thanks to the
Misfit Flash
The Misfit Flash allows users to
control different aspects of
everyday life (e.g. changing the
household temperature, switching
music choices, connecting with
friends) all from their wrist. Thanks
to its developer’s toolkit, thirdparty developers are able to
integrate Misfit’s tracking
functionality into their products and
services.
As a result, Misfit Flash connects
with Nest, Spotify, IFTTT, Logitech
Harmony and more to ensure
connectivity via almost any
platform. This allows users to move
one step closer towards truly
connected living, starting within
their homes and spreading into
everyday tasks and activities.
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INTERESTING
START-UPS & EMERGIN
TECH
Prynt proves analogue is the new digital by turning a
smartphone camera into a Polaroid
When a digital medium comes
along and replaces a traditional
one, the predecessor tends to
acquire a nostalgic value for
consumers – think of how vinyl
became treasured and curated by
audiophiles in the face of CDs and,
later, MP3s and music streaming.
Prynt is a perfect example of this
tendency to idealize the old in the
face of the new. It’s an app and an
accompanying smartphone case
that work together to turn digital
snapshots into Polaroid-esque
prints.
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Funded in record time on
Kickstarter (over $1.5m was
raised), Prynt launched in March
2015.
AirDog allows users to capture aerial shots using
a GoPro
Looking to get more from your GoPro videos? AirDog could
be just what you need. AirDog is a drone for GoPro,
allowing GoPro users to capture aerial videos of
themselves in action.
Users can launch the drone from a control panel on their
wrist, and the drone will follow them while they perform
their activities of choice, including adventure and water
sports. The video is captured on the GoPro camera which
can be mounted to the front of the AirDog drone.
This is another example of drone technology looking for
ways to provide value off of the battlefield and in
consumers’ everyday lives.
When crowdsourcing meets apps, miracles like
Be My Eyes happens
Technology allows for everyday miracles to
happen, both major and minor. Be My Eyes is one
of those miracles: an iPhone app that allows blind
people to connect with a network of sighted
people who can provide help with live video chat.
How does it work? Be My Eyes connects volunteers
around the world with blind users to help them
virtually see the physical world. The app itself is
wonderfully simple in design – the blind user
connects to ask for help with anything from
reading directions on a package to navigating an
unfamiliar space. A live video feed enables the
sighted person on the other end to see what the
blind user cannot, and provide step by step
instructions and information.
It’s a wonderful reminder about the power of
humanity, and how technology can facilitate that
power for the greater good.
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In an increasingly mobile-centric world, Eero keeps slow
Wi-Fi speeds and dead data zones at bay
With smartphones and tablets
taking center stage of our daily
lives, we’re more dependent on
WiFi than ever. Our home networks,
however, are often woefully slow
and error prone. Eero aims to
change that with its eponymous
flagship product which combines
the functionality of a router, a range
extender and a repeater into a
single device, making the Eero a
complete WiFi system for the
home.
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Backed by former execs from Apple
and Palm, this sleek, beautifully
designed device promises to
blanket every square inch of your
home in blazing fast data when it
ships in late 2015.
In Spain, the innovators at Omnibrain lab are using Owl to
customize and enhance the dining experience
The Owl is a small, propeller-shaped electronic device which,
when placed on a restaurant table, delivers information to the
diner (e.g. the menu or the night’s specials) and relays valuable
data back to the restaurant about their diners (e.g. food
preferences of each customer, frequency of restaurant
attendance at the restaurant). The guest can adjust the position
of the Owl to signify needs such as ordering, paying the bill, etc.
To ensure every experience a customer has at the restaurant is
better than the time before it, the data the Owl records is
tagged with a unique consumer via a mobile app, enabling the
restaurant to recognize a diner on a return visit and view his or
her purchase history and dining habits, adjusting the experience
accordingly.
This is a great example of technology helping to enhance
consumer experiences on an incredibly micro level.
SOME OF THE SITES WE’VE BEEN LOOKING AT
Below is a small selection of the sites that we’ve been looking at. If anyone know of other
great sites to seek inspiration, please share.
www.mashable.com
www.contagiousmagazine.com
www.trendexplorer.com
www.adage.com
http://recode.net
www.influxinsights.com
www.trendwatching.com
www.cnet.com
www.techcrunch.com
www.emarketer.com
www.bbc.co.uk/technology
http://www.fastcocreate.com/
www.digitalbuzzblog.com
http://www.fastcoexist.com/
www.psfk.com
http://www.wired.com/design/
http://www.adverblog.com/
http://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS!
For more information, please contact:
Bav Panchal
[email protected]
Daniel Butler
[email protected]
Jarell Thompson
[email protected]
Rachel Pasqua
[email protected]
Whitney Fishman Zember
[email protected]