Heineken Touch Maze

Brand Activation 101: Get the basics right first and then worry about all the frothy cream...


So...I was out on Orchard Road on Saturday night and came across the Heineken Touch Maze.  Being an inquisitive creature I queued up to enter the maze.  On reaching the front of the queue after about 8 minutes of waiting I was informed that the Maze was "temporarily closed" and that I'd have to wait 5 minutes as the staff were taking a break.  The Maze was apparently open from 8pm to 12 midnight so I'm not sure why the Activation Agency couldn't stagger their staff so that the Maze could stay open for 4 short hours...anyway I digress.


I finally entered the Maze and it was fairly disappointing... the actual Maze is nothing like the attached image.  It lasts for maybe 20 seconds and then you end up at the neon-lit bar... but guess what, they'd run out of beer 2 hours into a 4 hour activation.  Who runs out of beer at a beer event?


I left the activation feeling disappointed and slightly disillusioned.  Activation 101 is all about getting the basics right.  Leave the fancy neon-lights at home next time.

Adidas Brand Experience: NZ

I love Rugby and whilst the All Black's might not be my favorite team, I thoroughly enjoyed checking out this video and the fantastic experience they delivered for a school in rural New Zealand.  Richie McCaw is a great role model for young rugby players - check out the clip.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrzcMagsWUM


  

KLM Activation

Sometimes the simplest activation ideas are the ones that generate the most cut-through and engagement... this activation really does bring the brand to life in a new and unique way.  Well done KLM!


http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=6NPF0A_vGC4

Hot Steamy Buns...

You can never beat a simple idea executed well.  As a dad, I know that keeping my little girl Emma's bun dry and rash-free is just as important as making sure she gets a good sleep or eats all her dinner.  

I recently came across this simple but well-executed idea in my home town of Singapore.  When Huggies wanted to introduce its new Dry Comforts Lock and Breathe Diaper it created a simple and straight forward message: No More Steamy Buns (not an easy feat in this part of the world)...

Typically, trail packs are offered via out-of-home advertising channels, but Huggies wanted to relay their message and be creative about it. The promotional mechanic was also a reversal of the traditional trend of on-ground to online as opposed to promoting something online and then distributing on ground.

To promote the sample pack request, promotional staff passed out steaming hot lotus paste buns together with leaflets for three days at the busy junction of Singapore’s Chevron House - a haven for professional and office-based working mums in Singapore.

The initiative delivered over 13,000 microsite visitors with over 11,000 of these people requesting sample packs.

Can Design Create a Brand Experience?

Of course it can...great design builds the emotional connection and relevance that a consumer feels they have with a brand or product - and that is a strong influencer on purchase.  Check out the latest plane designs from Kulula-Air.com out of South Africa.  

The body of the plane contains a big “Flying 101”  Logo which is the theme of their brand campaign.  The rest of the plane is covered with details about the plane parts including arrows pointing to the aircraft’s registration, the black box and the “Loo (or mile-high initiation chamber).”

The copywriting is clever and fun highlighting the airline's approach to their business and the way they treat their consumers.

Coca-Cola Friendship Vending Machines

Coca-Cola have just launched their first ever Friendship Vending Machines.  The Machine made its debut in Argentina during the “El Dia del Amigo Festival” at the end of July.


So what exactly is a Friendship Vending Machine?  It's a giant vending machine that offers consumers a buy one get one free deal.  The cool thing is that it stands 11ft tall which means you are going to need at least 2 or 3 friends to help you reach the money slot.  After all the hard work, everyone gets to enjoy a refreshing experience.

What is Brand Activation?

People keep asking me where I find inspiration for great Brand Activation ideas and the simple answer is, I keep my eyes open and find inspiration in many places.  As I live, travel and work around Asia, I'm constantly coming across ideas that make you stop and go "wow".


One of these came across my desk this morning.


Puma have recently created a new piece of sustainable packaging that is arguably a game-changer in their category.  Who knows what the economics of the packaging look like, but for want of creating 'buzz', 'chat' and brand stickyness, ideas like this really do the job well.


Is this just packaging innovation, and if yes, what's it doing in the Glue Agency Blog?  To me, brand activation is the process of bringing a brand to life through the creation of a meaningful and relevant content rich brand experience.  Arguably, this innovation from Puma does just that - it reshapes the way consumers look at the brand through a meaningful and relevant (alot of people do care about the environment) content rich (CSR is a content rich platform for brands to talk to consumers) experience (if packaging wasn't an experience...it is now).