According to Wikipedia online: Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users’ updates known as tweets.
Starbucks is looking to utilize the power of social media by hosting an online photography scavenger hunt. The goal of the contest is to have Twitterers photograph posters from the most recent US outdoor campaign and post them online. The prize? Starbucks Gold Cards.
Click here to see Starbucks’ page on twitter: twitter.com/starbucks
The idea for the Starbucks photo contest came from watching what people already do on Facebook and Twitter, said Chris Bruzzo, vice president for brand, content and online at Starbucks. Each year, people race to post the first photos of Starbucks shops decorated in red for the holidays.There will also be a related YouTube channel, where Starbucks coffee experts will talk up the importance of quality in their beans and coffee.
The Twitter photo contest is a part of a fresh marketing campaign launched this month in United States newspapers and magazines. The campaign is described by Starbucks as the biggest marketing effort it has undertaken.
Quality is key. Print ads will be text-heavy, impressing upon viewers the importance of quality rather than cheap alternatives, such as their direct competitors McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts. Phrases on the posters take a dig at the competition, including “We think making coffee is an art form. They think it’s a new revenue stream.”
Posted by Marissa on May 20th, 2009
Filed under Advertising, Branding, Design, Marketing, Media, Photography | No Comments »
Nolita, a high-fashion Italian clothes label, launched a new ad campaign this week. The campaign features an anorexic model (an oxymoron, if you ask me). This woman has been anorexic since age 13. Her name is Isabelle Caro and I’d love to tell you more about her disease but her blog site is in French (a language I don’t speak). Isabelle has peaked my interest because her story of anorexia is not one that began because of the modeling world. Rather, the modeling world embraced her despite her disease. And, now she is helping to leverage the controversy over too-thin models. Interesting, right? But to what extent is Nolita going to push the envelope on this issue? And, why did they decide to spend time and money on a campaign that lacks deliberate call to action? According to The Wall Street Journal, Nolita is running spreads in Italian newspapers and posting billboards in cities such as Milan. The copy that appears on these ads is, “No. Anorexia.” Ok, great. I agree, now what? Can I donate? Can I sign a petition? Can I ban a competitor’s clothes line who employs anorexic models? Is there a high fashion label out there that doesn’t employ anorexics (even if it is to raise awareness of the issue)? Seriously, how is Nolita moving the issue? What is this shock value worth? What’s the shock going to inspire people to do? Voice their feedback on Nolita’s website? Then what? What action will Nolita take? Purpose, people, purpose! We need purpose. But most of all – more important than anything – we need to get to the bottom of anorexia as a disease. Whether a by-product of the modeling industry or a by-product of a poisoned childhood, it doesn’t matter. What matters is how do we get the women of the world to love Twinkies the way I do?
Posted by Marrianne on September 27th, 2007
Filed under Advertising, Design, Media, Photography | No Comments »
Here’s a nice segue-way from my previous post about the joys of Flickr. Check out this video of a demo of Photosynth, an amazing new technology for displaying visual data (thanks to Simplebits for the heads-up). The most stunning demonstration of this technology’s’s capabilities is it’s ability to create a multidimensional space from images culled from photo resources like Flickr. If you don’t know what a multidimensional space is, don’t sweat it, just check the video. It’s pretty amazing.
Yet while that feature may have the most “wow” factor, I am also intrigued by the possible implications this technology may have on advertising. Early in the video, the demonstration shows how you can zoom into images to a ridiculous degree. The power of this is that you can allow users to zoom in for more detailed product information. If this technology takes hold (and delivers on its potential), advertising design may never be the same.
Posted by Trev on June 4th, 2007
Filed under Advertising, Miscellaneous, Photography | No Comments »
In design, there is no such thing as having too much visual stimulation. That’s what makes a website like Flickr such a godsend. For the uninitiated, Flickr is a photo-sharing site, but it’s true appeal extends far past the ability to easily share photos of the family barbecue with Aunt Betty in Des Moines. What makes Flickr so useful, particularly to designers hungry for visual input, is the online community it created. Since the site gives users the ability to tag their photos, visitors can easily browse for photo reference on any matter of topics. Whether you’re looking for photos of polka musicians or an R2-D2 made entirely of Legos, odds are you will find it on Flickr.
My favorite Flickr feature, are the groups. Flickr groups allow members to post images based around a central theme. And the key word is images. Flickr is not limited to just photographs, users have uploaded all kinds of images, including illustrations and screenshots. This openness to all kinds of imagery has lead to some really interesting groups. Some standouts include groups about web-design inspiration, vintage children’s book illustrations, typography and lettering, and early advertising.
So, take a look around. Just be careful. It’s very easy for to spend hours browsing through all of the visual goodness.
Posted by Trev on June 1st, 2007
Filed under Design, Fun, Photography, Web | 1 Comment »