Aap! - Alternative Advertising Possibilities

Seems like QR Codes (those fancy bar codes that provide cellphones with bits of info, trivia, information) are finally making it to the United States in a significant manner. Citysearch is experimenting with 500+ restaurants/shops/businesses by linking their review database with printed QR Codes. At tourist locations throughout the city - the small QR feeds will bring users 15 to 20 second audio snipped of what or where they are looking. We’re excited since we’re big fans of QR Codes have integrated them into some of our past campaigns. Linking different media both digital and traditional is always fun.

Via SFGate

More on mobile marketing + outdoor media.

A tour of Times Square from Keyframe on Vimeo.

John Woods visits Times Square and explores digital signage and outdoor media.

Most impressive is that One Times Square building is empty and tenant less. Millions are instead generated off digital signage on its exteriors. Great intro video and fun interview with owner of Landmark
Signs, Tony Calvano, whose company has been maintaining and installing
most ads in Times Square when they were painted!!

Medialoop’s installation of Aap!Rails and Aap!Motion for Sex and the City covered in advertising publication NA24.

[ Read original Article "Rullende sex i Bergen" ]

Source: Konami.com - Product Placement in Metal Gear Solid 4

Gamers have a “consistently positive” opinion of in-game advertising according to virtual media space broker Massive, which is owned by Microsoft, after conducting a survey whose results it recently announced.

Media research firm Interpret looked into four of Massive’s advertisers: an unnamed fast-food restaurant, candy company and entertainment studio, plus Adidas footwear and apparel, and found the ads are having an effect, showing significant percentage increases in brand recognition when compared to those who didn’t see the in-game ads.

With the Adidas promotion, for example, gamers who saw the ads in 2K Sports’ Major League Baseball 2K7
said things like “Adidas is the only brand for me” and “Adidas is an inspirational brand” 70 percent more often than those not exposed to the ads.

Massive’s study suggests that gamers don’t view negatively on being influenced: 70 percent of gamers said the ads enhanced realism, fit the games they appeared in (universally sports games, except for the ads in
Rainbow Six: Vegas) and that the ads “looked cool.”

Source: Nielsen Entertainment executed study for Massive in January
2007. Data from surveys with 600+ gamers in North America who played
Need For Speed Carbon on Xbox 360 & PC platforms. Game published by
Electronic Arts.

Read the release after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sex and the City - Integrated Alternative Advertising from aapglobal on Vimeo.

Warning - Shameless Plug:
Integrating different mediums is an effective way to build and drive a successful client campaign. This is exactly what New Line Cinema has done by integrating alternative advertising mediums Aap!Rails, escalator handrail graphics and Aap!Motion lenticular billboards with traditional flyer and poster work in Norway via Aap!Global distributor MediaLoop. We’re excited by the implementation and will be sharing some more pictures, videos and more shortly. In the meantime check out Sex and City the Movie at your local cinema or learn more about alternative advertising.

[Sex and City - the Movie]

More on

Aap!Motion - Lenticular Billboards

Aap!Rails - Escalator Advertising

W

In building on our our thesis that Advertising and Graffiti continue to interplay on each other… the above video from back in the day documents the extremely creative and prolific transitional period of subverting bus stop and phone booth ads by KAWS. This work garnered a tremendous amount of press and speculation and resulted in the internationally lauded post-graffiti art star we know today.

See what KAWS has to say his Honeyee Blog in daily adventures in art, subversion and more…

GTA IV, “the new open-world, action-driving video game released today around the world will easily “top last year’s record-breaking $300 million first-week sales of Microsoft and Bungee Studios’ first-person shooter “Halo 3″ — and all without a similar marketing bonanza or budget. 

According to the AP report - ‘Grand Theft Auto’ Promo Campaign Kept Quiet’  Rockstar has been trying to keep their marketing message on the “downlow.”

We’ve been truly impressed in Rockstar’s ability to communicate and build hype directly with gamers through viral internet teasers and low cost non traditional out of home media including amazing phony wanted billboards, graffiti, and viral websites. (Even Bagel Bags, Coffee Cups…)

Some of the ficitional wanted adverts have included in them an e-mail address where residents of “liberty city” (the game’s fictional universe) can send in “tips” to LibertyCityPolice.com, a website which undoubtedly will be accessible inside the game’s internet function.

From a marketing perspective all this has been absolutely brilliant. From a CFO’s perspective the campaigns have demonstrated the value of low cost non traditional media and most importantly from a gamer’s perspective they have even been critical in building trust, interest and a direct relationship with players.   Seen in certain European and US cities, while we love the work we are just a little curious to see if these posters raised any objections.

Of course knowing Rockstar this was probably the intent…

GTA IV out today. Instead of enjoying the marketing - go play the game…

Review of GTA IV @ IGN 

Other Related Articles of Interest 

GTAIV ads pulled because of San Andreas flap Chicago - Transit Authority gave up a contract potentially worth more than $200,000 in revenue because people complained about another ad campaign more than three years ago.

While there are countless  websites providing a creative outlet for review and critique of advertising (Ads Of The World, etc) - Oshiuri (オシウリ), a recently launched Japanese site  throws something new into the mix.

Besides providing a space for the advertising community to share work - the forum provides a mechanism in which any idea/pitch hosted on the site can be bought and sold.

The site aims to become the creative agency of the internet allowing brands to scope pitches for brands directly from creatives.  Brands can also submit ads for creative pitches and will provide the best with contracts.

Not sure how the site is going to work collectively and avoid “idea” theft but so far there are some creative ideas for brands ranging from Axe to National Geographic that have been purchased through the site.

With pricing starting as low as 100,000 yen to priceless - the venue might be an opportunity for brands to connect directly with creatives.

The site was launched by Design Barcode, Inc - the little design studio that specializes in Barcode Design (Read our coverage on their amazing work for artistic product barcodes)

Visit Oshiuri [Sadly only accessed from Japan...]

We’re big fans of Graffiti Research Lab and some of the work they have done in theorizing and implementing new “open source” tools for communication.

A new documentary is due out soon on the work of these technology-hacker-graffiti urban artists.  BoingBoingTV features a preview of the film (embedded above) and will premiere in New York on May 4th. Hot!

[Update]

Anti-Advertising Agency cohorts, the Graffiti Research Lab are premiering their “Complete First Season” as part of PopRally at the Museum of Modern Art on May 4th @ 8PM + PARTY after with Javelin and special guests.

A panel after the film include Evan Roth, James Powderly, Steve Lambert, Bennett4$enate, and surprise guests.

GET TICKETS NOW

In great open source nature - if you know command line wizardry, how to concat and use parity files, the whole DVD can be downloaded from our server 50mb at a time. Otherwise it’s on Pirate Bay.)

Aap!Straps are the leading advertising straps for public transportation systems.  Used throughout Japan - we’re pleased to showcase our newest Aap!Strap that have been designed specifically for a metro authority in the Americas.

The new strap features a larger horizontal space  suitable for western writing scripts.  The high quality polycarbonate ring provide riders with comfort and the slotted advertising box offers the opportunity to interact with passenger in a unique and fun medium.

More information on Aap!Straps