Tissot Brings Augmented Reality To Point Of Sale

Tissot has partnered with Harrod's by installaing an interactive window display that enables consumers to virtually ‘try on’ watches from both the Ladies and T-Touch men’s collection, complete with a fully interactive touch screen that allows potential customers to experience the wider Tissot range range in an innovative and fresh way.

Whilst the idea and execution is no doubt highly engaging and interactive, the paper wristbands do somewhat detract from the premium nature of the watch brand, in my opinion...

Below is a video showcasing the many positive responses from potential purchasers, so perhaps my opinion doesn't matter much, in this instance.

Via - Luxuo

Augmented Reality Film

The Witness claims to be the first film to take place on the "outernet", blending drama with real life interactivity through a specially designed iPhone app, where participants either inadvertently saves the day or becomes the villain of the story as a result of a series of decisions they make along the way.


In order to participate, German viewers would apply online, where "winners" got to enter a real-life version of the movie in which they play a role, using their phones to watch snippets of the film that play out like a virtual layer over the physical environment they are in.

Via - YouTube

The World's Longest Banner Ad

BMW shows that not only are long-copy ads not dead, but can very comfortably find life in the world of online as well!

See if you are disciplined enough to read the ad yourself by clicking here.

Via - Ads of the World

Future Of Mobility & BMW

BMW is about to release series of four films about the future of mobility, where it could lead and how it could be shaped.

Each documentary will be released once a week online,and features interviews with trend-setters, designers, engineers, scientists and pioneers.

Below is a trailer that has already been released - and looks set to be very interesting as a series.

Via - BMW Activate The Future

Aston Martin's 6 Minute Commercial

The communications for the new Aston Martin Rapide 4-door sedan was launched last week with a heavy digital presence.

The centerpiece of the campaign is a commercial that runs 6 minutes and 25 seconds, which can be watched in three parts on a section of the Aston Martin Web site.

The campaign idea, "True Power Should Be Shared", is brought to life in the web series that follows a mission embarked upon by four Britons who are tasked with the sharing of the ultimate "Power" - that of time.

James Temple, executive creative director at R/GA London - the agency tasked with the campaign - said the communication will seek to bring to life the concept that a four-door Aston Martin “provides the same exhilarating experienced expected and loved in the two-door Aston Martin.”

The campaign will also play out in social media. For instance, the four members of the mysterious team are on Twitter and they will send messages to people who follow them.

Below is the first episode:

Via - Aston Martin

Adidas + Intel = New Spin On Retail

Intel, in partnership with Adidas, has launched a spectacular virtual display that renders products in 3-D, and allows a shopper to spin and zoom in on the shoes, and call up specs from a touch-screen display.


Supplemented by a supply of actual shoes that can serve as fit models, the display wall allows retailers to deliver massive inventory in a relatively small space.

The clever use of technology can really catapult traditional retailers into more interactive and immersive experiences for shoppers and is the closest any brand has come to combining e-commerce and traditional retail.

Via - FastCompany

Nativity Story - 2010

The nativity story translated for those born during the digital age. Lots of fun and very nicely executed!

Via - Adverblog

Hyundai's New Owners Manual

Rather than just providing written information, Hyundai USA has taken advantage of the iPad's capabilties to deliver an app that demonstates to you what it's talking about.

The added advantage of presenting the manual in the form of an app - apart from the obvious value-add for the purchaser in the form of a new iPad with every purchase - is that the the app is free to download on iTunes whether you are an owner or not, thus doubling up nicely as an interactive product brochure for potential buyers too.

Via - Autoblog

Affordable Car Deserves Affordable Ad Campaign

In a novel attempt to highlight the Chevrolet Cruz's low price point, GM decided to go free-hand for the billboard execution and armed an artist with a blue marker and a blank canvas to bring the message to life.

Via - YouTube

Absolut App Driven By QR

Absolut, the premium vodka brand, has introduced a neck collar incorporating Quick Response (QR) technology, in a bid to distribute its Drinkspiration app to consumers.


Launched in 2009, Absolut Drinkspiration combines mobile technology with social media interaction and user generated content. It is an encyclopaedia of illustrated recipes that allows users to browse drink recipes or receive personalised recommendations based on a variety of preferences such as desired taste, colour, spirit, time of the day, weather, bar vibe, or what is popular.

The initial drive will see QR-tagged neck collars on 200,000 bottles of Absolut and Absolut Naturals in the UK, which will allow iPhone users to download the application instantly and free of charge just by hovering their mobiles over the code.

Via - Marketing Magazine UK

Mini's Interactive Vending Machine

Mini's latest communication in Canada features an interactive "vending machine" billboard, which was projected onto the side of a building near Toronto's Air Canada Centre.

Cheeky and fun, the execution does well to not only interact with potential buyers of the car, but does a great job at showcasing the various models that Mini now offers to the public.

Via - YouTube

World's First Ice Touchscreen

Nokia brings the world's first ice touchscreen to life.

What started out as a "playful experiment" for Nokia's team has resulted in an interactive device that gives us a glimpse of what can be achieved when it comes to interactivity in the future.

Below is the video, which offers a short explanation of the technology behind the innovation and reminds of the MIT Sixth Sense as featured on TED.

Via - New Scientist

Cool Hunting For GAP

Trend website Cool Hunter has collaborated with retailers GAP to open up a new pop up store in NYC for the up-coming Festive Season.



The store will feature locally-sourced goods with Cool Hunting set to feature hand-picked items using the same principles—innovative design, artisan craftsmanship, social and environmental consciousness—that mirrors the website's editorial content.


Via - Cool Hunting

Mercedes Benz Attempts To Understand Premium Aesthetics

Mercedes Benz's latest attempt at understanding premium aesthetics saw the German automaker collaborate with a group of scientists equipped with camera-equipped glasses and exposed a few test subjects on a quick walk-around the new CLS.

Below is the video of the "experiment" with some surprise findings on what attracts you to the opposite sex for your interest as well.

Via - YouTube

A New Way For Brands To Use AR - Powered By Google

Google Goggle's visual search app is innovating ahead with marketers in order to turn visual search results into immersive online experiences.

This is especially exciting for brands in a country like SA where back-ends to regular augmented reality campaigns are usually complicated and often prohibitively expensive as Google has done all the work for you!

Via - Fastcompany

iPhone Movies In 3D Made Easy

The clever Japanese have made watching 3-D movies possible anywhere, as long as you have an iPhone/iPod Touch - without the need to wear the embarrassing 3D glasses.

Media artist Jitsuro Mase invented a simple attachment that clips onto your device which instantly gives you the power of 3-D films in the palm of your hand.

Via - Fastcompany

Beck's "Music Inspired Art"

Becks has launched an interesting interactive initiative in promotion of their campaign, dubbed "Music Inspired Art".

The beer brand has installed interactive billboards all around London that invite passers-by to plug in their MP3 players and view their selected tracks in the form of visual displays. The interactive poster generates a graphic display from the music that is being played on the iPod. Once the track is over a still is taken of the display and uploaded to becks.co.uk/flickr.

Uploaded pictures are tagged to the various posters sites, which completes the interactive circle for participants.

Via - Talking Retail

Castrol Speaks To Drivers In Traffic

Castrol launched a campaign in the UK earlier this year highlighting their wide range of product offerings, allowing the consumer to find the right oil for their individual vehicles.

The campaign was supported online, as well as via a simple mobile app which allows consumers to send in their vehicle registration details. Castrol then checks the registration with the department of transport, thus allowing the brand to know the details regarding your vehicle before sending the user their recommended Castrol oil.

The brand has taken it a step further this week. Castrol has set up registration plate number recognition cameras at five slow-moving traffic sites in London, and once the registration details has been verified on the database, the correct oil recommendation for the vehicle is displayed on adigital billboard further down the road.

It's a clever use of technology which will allow the brand to add a highly relevant touchpoint for potential consumers.

Via -Brand Republic

Breathing Life Into Toys

A new online platform developed by US company ToyBots is about to revolutionise the way children interact with their toys in future - or rather, how their toys interact with them.ToyBot's new platform will essentially provide the online software for toy-manufacturers to build their "hardware" around. With internet connectivity and GPS tracking enabled on potential future products, a teddy-bear could ask it's owner for a hug or even learn some catch phrases and talk to their owners.

According to Revolution Magazine, "Other innovations include being able to "tickle" -- say for example -- your Barbie online and it will giggle in the real world or a grandmother would have the ability to record a story that the toy can read to her grandchild hundreds of miles away."

An interesting application which the platform also allows for is the connection to social networks from the physical toy - which would allow children to have a physical avatar to their online presence whilst interacting with each other.

Via - Revolution Magazine

Connecting The Old Fashoned Way

Whilst Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube have been considered essentials for any marketer worth his or her salt in the 21st century, it'd seem that one of the most established communications tool is making a comeback and offering an older, but perhaps more effective way of connecting with consumers.

A small company based in the Silicon Valley called SayNow has been offering a free service allowing stars to connect with their fans (65% of whom are teenage girls) via voicemail over the past few months. The approach has been gaining in popularity, with the service claiming that it averages 10 million fan calls per month - equating to one million voice minutes per day.

Callers can also leave voice messages of their own, many of which are then made public on SayNow.com. Callers can sign up to get text alerts when stars like Selena Gomez, of “Wizards of Waverly Place,” or the Jonas Brothers (22 million SayNow calls from fans and counting) record a new message.

Artists can also choose to chat on live conference calls, as well as returning calls for one-on-one conversations that can be broadcast to the entire group. Part of the value-add SayNow provides to it's users is the ticket sales alert, allowing fans to be the first in line to purchase tickets to see their favourite artist in person.

With cellphone penetration ever increasing worldwide, SayNow's business model is certainly one worth keeping an eye on for brands.

Via - NY Times