This time of the year brings us some great holiday cards. One of the better examples, is from Big Spaceship that goes all the way around, allowing personal messages and video mashup.
I’m in pure ecstasy. Finally i got a hand on a single from Neon Bible, Arcade Fire’s new album. Stereogum posted it today for download, in a better version than the one on 1-866-NEON-BIBLE.
(BTW, the toll-free-number is a great idea in creating a buzz for the new album).
Having read they were recording with a pipe organ, i wondered how it would sound like … and now i am awed. Brilliant track. It gave me the chills and now i understand why Will Butler cried when they first rehearsed it.
It’s no wonder that music chains like Tower Records are closing, when the Internet is changing the guts of the music industry. Take for the example a band called The Bastard Fairies, that just got a worldwide recognition thanks to a video on YouTube.
After the video was released, millions of bloggers and YouTube fans started the buzz and the hits on the band’s website were on record peak. Then it came the “Internet Generation” attitude, offering as a free download the whole album – free as in no questions asked – as a mean of promotion.
This reminds me of the new Web 2.0 motto, as stated by Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google: “Don’t fight the Internet“. Instead of patronizing users with their RIAA endorsement, new bands are understanding the power of the web to create their own long tail.
The sheer amount of myspace profiles for music artists is a living proof that record labels are loosing the battle. When a new mp3.com (or a sort of MusicPedia or YouTunes) comes along and takes their place as the nr1 source of music, establishing a culture of participation and responsible sharing, maybe they get serious about rethinking their business model and start concerning a bit more about the bands and the fans.
* P.S.: it sure helps having great songs and beautiful photos of the lead singer!
Swedish interactive agency NorthKingdom has launched On Toyota’s Mind, an immersive experience with lots of cows and whistles. Literally.
It’s fun enough to listen to the comments in sweddish (english subtitles provided), especially if you remind yourself that Toyota is Japanese. What a clash of cultures.
The great thing about this particular interactive genre is the fact that it beats the hell out of those boring slideshow presentations and dull annual reports that you show-off to clients. I’m not sure if this was the creative briefing, but it seems that while visiting the site, you end up knowing a lot more about Toyota.
It’s that time of the year when i get into the “Best Of” lists bandwagon. As music is one of the my main sources of inspiration, here are a few of my favorite 2006 albums.
If someone told you about a Chorus called Young at Heart, you would have thought of some 18 year old group of kids that gather around the weekend. And if i told you they performed some contemporary themes from the Beatles to Peter Gabriel you’d probably be even more sure.
But what if you surfed to their website? Then you’d better guess again !
Young @ Heart Chorus has in their lines people with ages ranging from 72 to 93, with shows all over the USA, with great reviews and feature articles in The Guardian and Time magazine.
Senior citizens are no longer the bystanders in modern society, and are now taking an important role in society and shaping cultural trends.
Marketing for the future generation
With the aging populations in Europe and America, marketing should be prepared for the growing market segment with an increasing purchasing power and influence in buying behaviors.
Most of the senior citizens found on the internet a way to reeducate themselves and keep in touch with friends and family. They probably also spent a great effort and/or money in learning how to use information technology. Now that they’re acquainted with new medium, “wired seniors” have a lot of time available to be online and are active purchasers, so it makes all the sense to consider this target in any online marketing mix.
With a special interest in this target is the Health sector, with the challenge of getting their message right in the online channel and at the same time trying not being mistaken with spam. From prescriptions to diseases or even in the fitness sector, online marketing is getting more important in comparison with the traditional below-the-line marketing employed to senior citizens.
“Wired seniors” use the internet mainly for email, so consider an approach through newsletters subscriptions and email alerts, with clear concerns on privacy, as these citizens seem much more aware of the importance of online security and are more suspicious when providing personal data.
Another implication on online advertising is the concern for accessibility, with great efforts to increase readibility, color blindness and support for aural devices. Much of today’s Web 2.0 design trends seems to have that already in mind, implementing valid XHTML markup that is a first step to conform to 508 accessibility guidelines.
It’s clear that many of online users feel they’re not being targeted, with online advertising clearly shaped to 14-17 year-old segment. Innovation doesn’t have to relate only to young people and if companies offer solutions and products to older users, they could create a competitive advantage as online population gets older.
This next 29 and 30 November will take place in Lisbon the 7th International Conference on Refugees.
The film is from DraftFCB Lisbon.
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Creative Direction: Duarte Pinheiro Melo, Luis Silva Dias
Art Director: William Silva
Copywriter: Aline Arantes
Production: Show Off
Director: João Moura
Sound Production: Som de Lisboa
Video Production: CEE
Production Company: A-Ver-O-Mar
A common feature in a self promotion or portfolio website is the use of great music. Whether as a soundtrack in a film reel or a background loop throughout the whole site, using music sets the mood for how the user interprets your work.
The works above used music in interactive narrative in different ways, guiding users but also involving them in a multimedia experience that goes beyond the visual. Usually are chosen simple instrumental soundtracks or background loops with clear cuts and transitions, with special attention with the drum sections that define the general rhythm of the website.
The recent rise of Flash Video also gave birth to a new technique, with it’s roots in e-learning and presentations, that is the use of a narrator or animated character (in case you’re not that photogenic), blended with the background as a alpha channel.
Already employed by large corporations, the technique allows a more close connection with the user, with a first person speech and taking advantage of the way our cognitive process works and reacts to visual stimulus.
Finally, one of the most important ingredients of a great portfolio is the navigation or the “interactive toys” you let your user play with. These is the kind of experience that is really memorable since it breaks the usual point-and-click experience and replaces it with a immersing multimedia travel.
Interactive narrative is like a romantic diner: you clean and organize your place (information architecture), prepare the main dish (your content) and a nice desert (the navigation or toys). Then, with the right music setting the mood you might just get lucky. With the user, of course.
