How Star Wars Saved the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra

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While we're pretty sure John Williams movie soundtracks wouldn't be classified as classical music by most purists, when you're the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra (OSB) trying to boost attendance before your entire audience dies, bending the rules a a little bit isn't an issue.

Combating the fact most of the OSB's orchestra is over the age of 65, Brazilian agency Artplan shot the OSB playing classic (again. a stretch of the word) movie soundtracks, linked to it from YouTube clips and, as a result, claim to have increased the number of young people attending OSB concerts by 40%. As well as achieving a sell out for the entire season.

Not bad for a little rule bending.

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by Steve Hall    May-21-13    
Topic: Events



10 Examples of Brands Newsjacking the Academy Awards

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So while Advertising Age is critiquing the $1.6 million commercials that ran during the Oscars last night, we thought we'd take a look at something a bit less expensive and a bit more inventive -- the real-time newsjacking that occurred last night during the broadcast.

Newsjacking refers to the practice of capitalizing on the popularity of a news story to amplify your sales and marketing success. The term was popularized in David Meerman Scott's book Newsjacking: How to Inject Your Ideas into a Breaking News Story and Generate Tons of Media Coverage.

Check out the full list here in an article we wrote for HubSpot.

by Steve Hall    Feb-25-13    
Topic: Brands, Events, Social, Television



Target Turns Tweets Into Everyday Collection Runway Show

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Well this is pretty interesting. On January 24, Target had a live fashion show which involved models reading tweets from people while holding products from Target's Everyday Collection. To participate, people could tweet their witty commentary with the hashtag #everydayshow and the models would stut thr runway and read the tweets. You can see a highlight reel below.

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by Steve Hall    Feb- 7-13    
Topic: Brands, Events, Social



Kimberly-Clark Celebrates Boy's First Flush With Epic Event

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Did you see the Kimberly-Clark First Flush story on Rock Center with Brian Williams last night? Well, here's the behind the scenes footage detailing how Ogilvy Chicago and partners created an epic celebration of a little boy's first flush. Something the little man will remember for the rest of his life.

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by Steve Hall    Jan-18-13    
Topic: Events



7 Companies That Are Capitalizing on the Mayan Apocalypse

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This article is written by Rachel Sprung, HubSpot's Brand & Buzz Coordinator. HubSpot is an all-in-one marketing software which helps businesses attract prospects and convert them into leads and customers.

Have you heard the rumors? In case you haven't, let's get you up to speed. The world will end December 21. At least that's the rumor. So what are you going to do? Buy canned food at the store? Board up your house? Prepare for an invasion of zombies?

No one really knows what to do to prepare for an apocalypse. But there are many companies who are using this legend to their advantage and creating creative marketing campaigns in preparation for the end of the world.

Here's what a few brands are doing.

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by Steve Hall    Dec-19-12    
Topic: Brands, Events



LA Laker Girls Perform Wearing Kumho Tire T-Shirts

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Kumho Tires has a thing for hot women. Recently, they focused on some hotties frolicking on the beach. They have since removed that video for unknown reasons. Now they've clad the LA Laker Girls in t-shirts with their logo. Last night, the Laker Girls wore red Kumho Tires tops during one of their on-court performances during the playoff match with the Lakers and Nuggets playing in their fifth of seven game series. For those who missed the game, you can check out pictures on the brand's Facebook page.

Oh and another thing. Kumho? Really? Say that a few times and see what visual it brings to mind.

by Steve Hall    May- 9-12    
Topic: Events



Meet the Creator of Ridiculously Horrible Commercials

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"No one wants to be amazing at something awful. But it happened to me." Those are the words of Todd Bieber who, in his own words, "used to make shitty local commercials in rural Pennsylvania."

He's taking his story on the road with a comedy storytelling routine that will reveal his experiences making these "ridiculously horrible commercials." You can see his work and hear his story at upcoming shows at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York and LA. Live appearances are Monday, February 6th and 20th at 8PM in New York and Monday, February 27th at 6PM in LA.

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by Steve Hall    Feb- 3-12    
Topic: Events



Today's Advertising News All in One Place

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Time to play catch up again.

- Brisk gets into bed with Star Wars in a "briskifying" visit with Yoda and Darth Maul.

- 180 LA is out with two new music videos for Sony Electrionics' in-dash receiver with Tom Tom navigation. Check the videos out here and here.

- Agency Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners is out with a campaign based on a contest that asked MINI fans to submit six words that described the best test drive ever. After 14,000 submissions, judges chose the submission from Portland Oregon's Mathew Foster, Stewardess, salt flats, paratroopers, sushi, Falconer. See the resulting two minute video.

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by Steve Hall    Jan- 5-12    
Topic: Events



Downy's Sherilena Strub the Highlight of Downy Scavenger Hunt

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The first thing we'd like to say about this Downy Unstoppable scavenger hunt in Las Vegas that used gaming app SCVNGR host a to hour cultural landmark hunt is, wow, Downy External Relations Manager Sherilena Strub has the most transfixing and attractively raspy voice we have ever heard.

Other than that, it was your average brand-sponsored scavenger hunt. Oh yea, Amy Sidaris hosted the event and awarded $20,000 to the winner. Check out the video summation of the hunt below.

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by Steve Hall    Jan- 5-12    
Topic: Events



New York Knicks 3D Projection Digs Beneath Madison Square Garden

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Not exactly advertising but cool none-the-less. Production company The Famous Group created a 3D projection for the New York Knicks which covered the entire basketball court in Madison Square Garden that was shown at the beginning of games. The 3D rendering, which required lots of technical setup with projector angles, camera angles and visibility from seating positions, shows the floor rippling then caving in to reveal the underworld of New York. The visual then presents an above ground view of the city along with player shots and the final reveal of the Knicks logo at center court.

This video doesn't do it justice but it gives you an idea of what the presentation looks like.

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by Steve Hall    Jan- 4-12    
Topic: Events