Look closely

It would appear that agency creatives setting up ambient ideas to enter into award shows is nothing new.

In fact if this pic is anything to go by it was happening way back in the 1930's!

Alfa affordability

When I lived in London my wife and I would often do our shopping at a hypermarket.

It was as the name suggests a seriously huge supermarket.

One thing I always remember buying from there was a TV for our bedroom.

That purchase was memorable mostly because I put the telly in the shopping trolley along with some groceries and a six pack of beer.

Can't say I've done anything like that since.

Now Belgian agency Duval Guillaume have gone even further and stuck an Alfa Romeo in a shopping trolley.

Why?

Because they could obviously. But also because it dramatically highlighted to people who saw it just how affordable an Alfa MiTo was.

Quite good fun I think. Although I'd love to see the health and safety permit approval process for a stunt like this.

Good rubbish

I'm no fan of people leaving rubbish out on the street. But who wouldn't love stumbling across on of these Mini boxes? They're just so damn cute.

It's a Dutch campaign but I have no idea who did it. Please leave a comment if you know.

Walk the talk

I've written before about advertiising innovations from yesteryear. These shoes are from the late 1880s. You can view their patent application here.

They're the advertising equivalent of treading on dog shit and walking it through the house as they print advertising messages on the pavement as you walk.

I find it hard to believe that people were thinking of stuff like this 120 years or more ago. Especially when you consider that back then TV or radio hadn't even been invented.

Early urban spam

I always thought that ambient advertising and urban spam were relativly recent ideas.

By recent I mean the last 20 years.

Turns out advertising has been invading public spaces for a lot longer than I realised.

Back in 1930 a Barcelona wine merchant used a rolling drum and stencil to advertise his wares on the pavement.

Unlike today's interuptive advertisers he didn't use paint.

He used water!

Which meant that after a while his messaging disappeared.

Environmentally sensitive advertising. In the 1930s.

Who'd have thought?

Rocks in the head

I haven't written about urban spam for a while.

I won't be writing much about it today either because this 'idea' speaks for itself.

Honestly. Who approves this kinda stuff?

Does this idea suck?

I really rate this idea by JWT Hong Kong.

Incredibly simple.

And pretty hard to miss its message.

But what exactly is its message?

Pollution is closer than you think says the headline.

No shit Sherlock!

Remember this drink lid idea is from Hong Kong.

I don't know if you've been there. But it has a serious pollution problem.

And as much as I love this idea I can't see it having any effect whatsoever on the Hong Kong pollution problem.

What a waste of a great idea.

Now that's quick

Brilliant ambient idea for Rimmel quick dry nail polish by JWT London. Love it!

A very sweet idea

Love this idea from Y&R Bangkok.

Product samples were handed out to kids by Colgate people.

These weren't just any old product samples though.

They gave out ice lollies and fairy floss which revealed a dental care message once consumed.

Great way to get through to the kids and get them brushing their teeth.

Missed opportunity

The headline in this poster is interesting I think. Just enough intrigue to get you thinking.

But is it strong enough to stop you in your tracks? I don't think it is.

I also don't think it needs to be underlined. And as for the exclamation mark!

You're probably sitting there reading this wondering why this poster even warrants an appearance on Brand DNA.

Here's why:


The body copy invited people to take a photo of themselves and MMS it to a number on the poster.

Minutes later they were sent a pic of how they would look at 70.

Hence the grey hair headline.

This is a very interesting idea I think.

But I can't help wondering if the agency people got so excited about the photo ageing idea that they forgot to give the advertising the thinking it deserved.