Another strike on the Consumer Generated Media arena, this time by Agencia Click for Fiat and the new Idea Adventure car.

You start by choosing your story plot, as in traditional MUD or RPG games. Your choices are then reflected in a quite entertaining film, with an ending tag line: “What if you made other choices?”.

The film directing it’s great and many times through the film i imagined myself in the place of the main character.
As for the rest of the site, the menu needs a bit of a “tuning” as it seems they forgot to embed the font in the SWF file.

The Test-drive feature might be more highlighted to get efficient conversions from the hotsite.

Link: http://www.ideaadventure.com.br/pt-br/index.jsp

On a post by Seth Godin, Usama Fayyad, from the Strategic Data Solutions division of Yahoo, shared a interesting insight:

“If you run banner ads,(…) you can increase your brand awareness about 7% after a reasonable buy of banner ads“

Since most users have developed some kind of banner blindness, what’s the catch in here? Well, the thing is, users later recall those ads and are more receptive to click on your contextual text ads. We no longer think in terms of integrated campaign across media but also intra-media.

Besides focusing on the creative concept of rich media, brands should have a special attention in making the copy writing consistent through the different assets of their online marketing mix. Diversify the risk, and expand your media budget across several solution to find out the best results and later compare what media got the best conversions.

Of course, you might not be so lucky if you get into this embarrassing situation.

When a set of conditions is present – such as an enormous amount of luck – you can beat the highest score ever on Scrabble. And you don’t have to be a genius: a carpenter and a deli counter were able to score 830 points, breaking the 13 year old record of 770 points.

Read full article on Slate

The Swedish have done it again. Farfar has put online an entertaining website for BrioNetwork and it’s network toys, that are as fun (or more) as the playmobil toys.

Cool animations and online games are present throughout the website, with well done sound and motion design. You have a viral element there with a send-a-friend feature.

If I was a child, I’d want one of those toys for Christmas. What the hell, I do want a Network Toy 1.0!

Ogilvy won the Golden “Best Creativity Award” at Belgium’s Night Of The Internet 2006  with the site for Ford Fiesta Connexxion.
The voice-controlled online game, developed by OgilyInteractive and The Parking Lot, invites us to do some “vruum-vruuum” shouting to control the car.

Besides the racing game, we can also play a CD, adjust the car temperature or the navigation system, just by using our voice. Knight-rider fans, rejoice!

To promote the online game they’ve also placed billboards and promoted he game via other online games as Anarchy online, or Toca Race Driver3, collaborating with Massive Inc., a in-game advertising agency.

The online presence is quite a bang to promote the new voice features of the Ford Fiesta model.

Client: Ford
Agency: Ogilvy
Account: Anne-Marie Vercauteren en Michaël Marchand
Project Managers: Geerlinde Pevenage en Wouter Has
Creative Director: Phil van Duynen
In-game advertising: OgilvyInteractive and Massive Inc.
Game development: OgilvyInteractive and The Parking Lot

And now, for some shameless patriotic promotion, here are some of my favourite portuguese blogs on advertising:

• The Hidden Persuader
  One of the most famous worldwide, also available in english.
• Blog de Publicidade
  Ads and thoughts on portuguese advertising
• Tblogwa
  A corporate blog from the local office of ad agency, TBWA
• Publicidade Off-The Record
  The iconoclastic blog by coco&ranheta
• Sangue, Suor e Ideias
  Thoughts on marketing, advertising and CRM by João Pinto e Castro and Jayme Kopke.
• AvertisingEtc
  Daily flow of inspirations from a young portuguese art director.
• O Nosso Portfolio
  What if Portugal was applying for a job on a ad agency? Our portfolio showcases some of the best portuguese campaigns.

If someone feels offended that they’ve been left out, instead of flaming about it, feel free to contact me.

On the next episode, Portugal’s top Interactive Agencies.

Following the previous challenges, Stella Artois has a new mind game on it’s website.

When you enter “The Trap”, you are challenged to remember the movement of the machinery, wheels and tubes in a factory.
If you then activate the parts right, you can move on to the next level.

(more…)

I almost forgot to announce the beta release of the Flash Player 9 for Linux, since i do most of my posts on Windows. Obviously I’m writing this one from my laptop running Ubuntu.
So, if you’re a Linux fan, get the version 9,0,21,55 as an installer or standalone player.

• Download Installer for Linux (GZ, 2.48 MB)
• Download Standalone Player for Linux (GZ, 2.38 MB)

“Penguin Flash Developers” can finally browse the inspirational websites made for Flash Player 8 plugin +.
The regular Linux user should expect a final distribution in November, with the current version only available in English and placed on the user’s plugins directory.
via PenguinSWF

I can’t remember how i found Borat’s address at MySpace, but it’s so web 1.0 that it must be from Kazakhstan.

Great promo for the new film and the right way to do advertising in social networks, through recommendation and a pimped up profile.