ad:tech's Now and Next Technology Showcase was filled with a collection of small, upstart companies that are providing niche and new products catering to the drastically changing media landscape. One company, adhoc mobile, works with content publishers, brands and mobile service providers to bring marketer's messaging to multiple mobile applications, text and games. Snapse has launched a video creation platform that provides people tools to draw from multiple online video sources in a streaming fashion to create real-time, custom videos. Marketers can create custom video vignettes which users of the service can integrate into their personally created videos. Believe me, it's way cooler than I'm describing it.
Another very cool offering launching today, called MiNGGL, provides a browser toolbar that allows people to bring together their multiple social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, edit them, share them and basically take the headache out of dealing with more than one social media site. It's ad supported and therefore may not be welcomed with open arms by the MySpaces of the world since the service's ads appear in the same browser window as the social media site's ads do but it's a killer app for anyone who has more than one networking site.
Rimm-Kaufman Group released a study about the difference between pay-per-click ads proffered by both sides of the election. Some findings are below. Oh, and we're going to call the Republicans and Democrats Elephants and Donkeys because the animal names are funnier than the euphemisms:
- Political advertisers prefer Google to Yahoo. (We always thought that was just a universal preference)
- Elephant and anti-Donkey ads outnumber pro-Donkey and anti-Elephant two-to-one
- Donkey ads are three times more likely to be negative than red ads
- No campaigns reference Bush
- Donkey ads are longer than Elephant ads
- Donkey ads are more likely to include exclamations; Elephants favour provocative questions
We'd conclude this political digression with something trite but meaningful like, "God, can't wait until this day is over," except we'll probably just drink ourselves to oblivion like any other night. Cheers and may the best heels win. - Contributed by Angela Natividad
Yeah, what a shocker.
Some suspect this demographic skew may be partly because attending a live taping means getting dressed up - not, like, $200 jeans and flip-flops dressed up but, like, sequins and silk shirts dressed up. But hey, any show that can get 200 grandmothers and Ron Jeremy in the same room has got to be doing something right. - Contributed by Angela Natividad
Here's an interesting little piece about the meteoric struggle between the animator and the animated. Apparently it's #4 among the most viral videos du jour so there must be a lot of creative tension in the air.
Aw, hurting for inspiration that doesn't put up a fight? That's what conferences like ad:tech are for. You can't very well hallucinate alone. - Contributed by Angela Natividad
A PR guy asked us to say something about Scott's Clog Clinic/Halftime Flush campaign but we had some trouble taking the e-mail seriously. And upon visiting the site we were disappointed to find it wasn't as funny as the e-mail. So we're going to not talk about it at all and post our favourite parts of the e-mail instead. Enjoy.
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This demonstrates that it is both possible and gratifying to make your telemarketers feel violated.
Scamp tipped us off. He thinks the clip is about the importance of having a strong tone of voice. If by strong tone of voice he means being able to slide into an invasive Deliverance-style redneck state then we agree. - Contributed by Angela Natividad
Brentter points us to an ad for Volkswagen's Touran. A theme park-style ride simulates the journey from bachelorhood to fatherhood with sinister wax or clay dolls. The trip ends in a pretty place with birds chirping and a Touran which is supposed to make you feel better about the whole transition. We're not sure that's how it works, in part because the Touran doesn't exactly look like a blast, but it's a likeable ad nonetheless.
The spot was directed by H5 of RSA/Little Minx for Agence V. - Contributed by Angela Natividad
Siemens jumps on the advergame bandwagon with Stain Art. The object is to stain a shirt with a sadistic palette that includes babies, chocolate, grass and eggs. Soil is especially fun. The best shirt gets put in an ad and the winner receives a Stain Removal washing machine.
Interesting idea. What would be even better is if your shirt got replicated with all those disgusting ingredients and the guy from Cheer appeared at your front door to wash it in a Stain Remover washing machine, which he then gave to you along with a magically clean shirt. - Contributed by Angela Natividad
Stepping in where Bluelithium left off and getting our vote as the the company providing the coolest party entertainment, Datran Media hosted a party Monday night at ad ad:tech in News York at 110 University Place. Upon entry, the four corners of a two sided bar were graced with four women dressed in Datran-colored frilly outfits which revealed far more than they covered. In the back area of the club, a woman dressed in a flesh colored body suit was suspended from the ceiling, writhing in a sheet-like sling which did an effective job showing off the contours of her body. Apparently, it was interesting to the audience as every eye in the place was aimed upward. Beyond the gyrating human-style entertainment, the Datran party also offered numerous pool tables and even a bowling alley.
In terms of ambiance, another metric by which we measured the amusement factor of this year's ad:tech parties, both the Industry Brains and Crobar parties where at the top of the list though for very different reasons. Vertical industry keyword targeting company Industry Brains held their party at Divine Bar, a very red, elegant-ish establishment where decent wine and delicious snacks where served. The ambiance was relaxing and just what was needed after a long day at the conference. Good wine. Comfy couches. Good party. And an awards show as well.
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