I want to use this blog for good and not evil so I am going to try not to spend too much time boasting about how fabulous we all are at Red Ark (or doing other such lame stuff). I want to share some of the really interesting and cool new developments that we come across almost every day. And some of the not so good too.

Mickey Ears at the Haunted Mansion

First up is is social media and you tube and twitter etc etc. There are good ways and bad ways of course of going about this.

The Witchery man stunt – and I know this is going to be a topic at the new Sydney Social Media Club gathering that’s coming up next week and which was also hotly debated on the Gruen Transfer a few weeks ago – probably seemed like a good idea at the time (awesome this has gone like totally VIRAL) but ultimately failed. It failed because like George Bush, they didn’t have an exit strategy. They didn’t even have a warship. It would have worked out really well for them if they had managed the reveal, so that people didn’t feel used but instead had a good laugh about the whole thing. One way would have been to include some clues that the smarter ones among us could pick up. Disney do this in an interesting way with what they call Hidden Mickeys. Hidden in their movies, their cartoons, their theme park attractions are Mickey Ears. At the Haunted Mansion attraction in Disneyland there is one that’s made up of a plate and two saucers. People who spot the Mickey Ears feel super clever and super special. How much positive reinforcement could Witchery have gained if Naked had just given it all a few more seconds’ thought.?

Want to know more about Hidden Mickeys?

I also believe that getting your consumers to make your TVCs for you constitutes something of a lack of imagination or flair in your ad agency. However there are ways that you can have a conversation with your consumer, get their engagement and explore some really interesting dimensions around your brands. The bathtime experience for example is key to Johnson & Johnson Baby. Mums aren’t just buying a product that will wash their baby – it’s an integral part of the play and bonding experience. For not very much money (or effort for that matter) J&J can look directly into these mums’ lives when they post a video in their Big Bubblin Stars contest. Check it out here http://www.youtube.com/baby

That’s me for the day. Y’all come back now, hear?