Aap!Steps, escalator step advertising garners further praise
December 1st, 2008
DDB, ClearChannel and distributor Medialoop have effectively introduced Aap!Steps, the escalator step advertising system to Sweden via installation in Swedish metro stops; the campaign promoted a joint McDonalds and Coca Cola promotion.
The campaign won the Best Alternative Media campaign from magazine Resume.Se for August 2008.
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- Best Alternative Media Campaign 2008
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- Aap!Steps on escalator steps
Move Over QR Codes - Here comes NFCs
December 1st, 2008
Softbank Mobile, NTT Data and Hitachi and Dutch smart chip maker Gemalto are testing a new technology that aims to replace printed QR Codes and provide participats digital information by simply swiping their compatible cellphone or laptop near posters or other advertisements.
The first “field test” for the NFC or Near Field Communication, a short range, high frequency wireless communication medium is being conducted in Chiba, Tokyo in WALL-E and Tinker Bell movie posters embedded with the new technology tags.
Test participants will be able to receive and view digital content such as movie stills and trailers simply by holding their NFC-compatible phones (containing NFC-USIM cards) next to the smart posters. Along with the digital content, users also receive an access code that, when transferred to a compatible Hitachi HDTV at home, allows them to view a WALL-E trailer in high definition (via Hitachiâ??s content distribution service).
The tests, which are designed to help the companies evaluate the effectiveness and potential of NFC smart posters as a promotional medium, could be a sign of things to come in the field of poster advertising. Should NFC smart posters become cheap and easy to produce, they have the potential to replace the ubiquitous QR (2D) code that commonly appears in Japanese advertising posters. NFC is seen as more convenient than QR code because the user does not have to scan a code and visit a separate website to view the data. Instead, digital content can be accessed directly with a simple swipe of the phone.
NFC aims to provide improved accessibility when compared with traditional QR code because the user does not have to scan a code and visit a separate website to view the data. Instead, digital content can be accessed directly with a simple swipe of the phone.
The technology sounds great, but the added cost of additional tags installation, a non universal platform, and additional required content may limit the potential of this technology.
[Source: Nikkei Net, NTT Data]
More on NFCs
General information on Near Field Communication - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
NFC - Industry Forum @ http://www.nfc-forum.org/home
Industry Coverage @ http://www.nearfieldcommunicationsworld.com/
Interview with Visual Artist Marnix de Nijs
November 30th, 2008
What qualities do you value in your work, what do you strive to create?
As a contemporary artist I reflect on the world around me. A good work of art is for me a work that represents aspects of this world in critical manner and is successful when there’s a harmony, an agreement, a balance, between the way you present it and what you’re trying to say. The thing the work of art is trying to accomplish has to correspond with what it’s communicating. Because the world we live in gets more and more defined by technology it’s for me a logical step to use these technologies to tell something about this world, hence the technical character of my work.
How do the multi-faceted aspects of your work come together - do the mediums feel separate or do they all remain fluid and connected?
Do you have any set goals for this work or are you just interested in the creative process? What has been the result?
Do you see your projects as art or manufactured products?
The motives for making my works are very much alike as the motives from any artist. The functionality of the works however demands for production processes that come pretty close to the production techniques of manufactured products. Some works also do have the potential to be translated into commercial products but creating something new is always more challenging for me then exploiting old idea’s.
How collaborative are your projects? Do you work with other artists, crafts people and in what ways?
I’m a very individual person and develop my ideas mostly on my own. I would however never be able to realize these idea’s without the help of the dynamic pool of crafts people, artists and technicians around me. I’m always very happy to be able to co-operate with people that think with me, understand the concept, come with ideas to improve the results.
What do you think of advertising and commercial driven “art”?
I would propose to keep it simple, advertising and commercial driven art is not “art” because the intentions with which the works are made are different. Specially when talking about the field I know best, new media or video and animation, you can however question in which field the biggest artistic and creative steps are made these days.
How do you commercialize your work?
Do you ever feel that technology limits what you’re trying to do?
Has technology ever failed you in trying to construct a piece and message?
It does happen but at the same time a setup quite often reveals unexpected qualities with which I can tell the message.
What would the work be without limits?
I honestly wouldn’t know, the idea of having unlimited possibilities already blocks my imagination.
What is a typical work day/week like for you?
What has influenced your practice and how do you see yourselves inspiring others?
What new pieces are you working on?
I hope to finish my research project Exercise in Immersion by the end of September, at the same time I looking for new partners to create new levels for my installation Exploded views.
Do you collect anything?
No. It’s probably funny to read from somebody making such big hardware but I don’t like to have stuff around me.
Thanks Marnix!
Read more on Marnix De Nijs @
“Chew on This” - Big Bite Norway uses Aap!Rails in Winter Holiday Campaign
November 30th, 2008
Big Bite, a leading sandwich company in Norway is using escalator handrail advertising to connect holiday shoppers to delicious specials.
Billboards, Calcultta 1945
August 7th, 2008
“A bewildering mass of billboards at the corner of Harrison Street
(Burra Bazar) and Strand Road. One of the oldest sections of Calcutta,
at the foot of Howrah Bridge, it is a fine vantage point for
photo-graphing the passing parade of oddly dressed natives and curious
vehicles.”
Billboards, Calcutta (1945) from a WWII Military Photograph Album
One can’t help but be inspired by the wonders of Metropolitan Calcutta with great hand painted outdoor signage, street lief, commerce and energy. Explore the series to see even more vintage life.
Tokyo’s Advertising Paradise, Now On Google Street View
August 6th, 2008
Japan Office as Seen From Google Maps Street View…
Google’s hardworking wizard camera vans have finished traversing the labyrinth that is Tokyo; which means today you can tour some of the world’s most wonderful advertising and general real estate in Tokyo without leaving the comfort of your desk. No flight required….
While most foreigners will be happy to virtually tour the wonders of Meiji Shrine, see the shopping district of Ginza or visit the tourist spots of Tsukiji fish market,… we’ve put together a quick tour of some of our favorite outdoor media spots in Tokyo for the virtual world to enjoy.
Hachiko Square Shibuya Tokyo - one of Tokyo’s busiest railway stations, Shibuya is known as one of the fashion centers of Japan, particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area. The central meeting points features some of the largest and most expensive media real estate in the world. With full building digital displays to street teams - this is a great place to start on your tour of Japanese outdoor media.
Shibuya 109 - The iconic building owned by the Tokyu group is the original of the 2 and displays some of the finest building wraps in the world.
Standard Chartered Brands With Aap!Rails
July 26th, 2008
Standard Chartered has choosen to use escalator advertising for branding purposes. A great simple campaign highlighting its brand colors and logo.
Showcasing the importance of sticking to a delivery deadline a New Zealand courier “Deadline” rigged a billboard to explode at a particular time featuring a giant LED countodown and the message: “This will self-destruct in exactly . . .” alerting regular passers-by would know when to watch for the big event.
A web cam on the www.self-destruct.co.nz website provided a live video feed of the billboard counting down and the subsequent explosion.
DEADLINE EXPRESS COURIERS EXPLODING BILLBOARD
The billboard has generated tremendous buzz for the company with over a million people online seeing footage of the exploding billboard.
We’re big fans of the campaign. Great work BBDO.
Credits
Agency: ColensoBBDO
Creative Director: Richard Maddocks
Creative Team: Jamie Hitchcock and Josh Lancaster
Producer: Paul Courtney
Sources: Scoop
WeAre.Us - VenCorps Finalist!
July 2nd, 2008
Our parent company - the Aedeas Group recently launched into beta WeAre.Us - a set of very cool, online â??social support networksâ?? that bring together thousands of individuals in a social networking community geared specifically to their needs.
The WeAre.Us platform is a finalist in this year’s VenCorp’s Community Powered Venture Capital contest. Competing against 8 other companies, WeAre.Us is in the top 9 of start-ups being judged by a panel of community venture capitalists, founders, and facilitators in the IdeaWare contest.
Learn more about the WeAre.Us project - find or start a social support network today!
Daily Inspiration - Coathanger Gorilla
June 12th, 2008
Aap!Global, being an alternative advertising company fittingly uses an Aap! (Dutch for Ape) as our logo.
As you can tell we’re big fans of gorillas (guerrilla marketing) and found the above sculpture by David Mach, a talented sculptor, to be the potential art piece for our entrance.The Coathanger Gorilla (and other works, viewable via the link below) was made from welded-together coathangers over a plastic base. Great stuff.
