A lovely Harvey Nichols Christmas viral

Department store Harvey Nichols launched this really cute christmas viral showing how it does not take itself too seriously.

DDB titled the viral: " Forget killer heels, ’it’ bags and statement jewellery, the must-have accessories this Christmas are canine."

Have fun watching it and have a lovely start  your christmas holidays! 

La Senza's Sexy Christmas Campaign - A Doppelganger!

When I first saw this campaign I thought it was a nice creative idea but than I thought: Why is a (likely) expensive campaign for a womens' underwear label aiming at men? Okay Christmas is about to come and they sure want to get men to buy their girlfriends underwear but I really would like to know the ROI on this particular campaign.

'We wanted to bring some festive cheer and what better way than the Cup Size Choir,' said Sarah Hawkins, Marketing Director of La Senza. 'It's a sure start to the party season ahead!'

'The activity is aimed at men to help them with their Christmas shopping, but we hope that women will find it fun and engaging too.'

Read more

Either way, the spot got millions of clicks within a few days and there is a Website where people can play the "Cup Size Choir" and send it to their friends what can be engaging.

But in my opinion La Senza should be more careful with the message it is trying to bring across, since their core customers are women and many of us do not appreciate being reduced to this kind of things and presented as "toys". 

Not to mention that this Campaign is da Doppelgänger from http://www.oooooouch.com by tanning cream brand Sundown. It shows that the idea can be presented less tacky and even funny. Also it is the original one. Shame on the Agency who did the La Senza Campaign!

What is your opinion?

The latest Trend in Marketing Part 2- A variation

Since many of you told me that they liked the blog entry about the 3D projections I want to share the new campiagn of Greentomatocars, which is an environmental friendly private car hire service. The just started an outdorr and online campaign. They will use a laser light technology for projecting the brand logo  the front of building around London. The outdoor activities will ne shared via social media. To me that seems like a lower cost alternative to the 3D projection. Watch the video below to see how it works:

Lighter On London :: Laser Murals from greentomatocars on Vimeo.

Heiniken launches Unified Global Marketing Strategy selling Merchandise via Facebook

As many of you have probably noticed Facebook is changing recently e.g. with a new layout. They would not be Facebook if there was not another idea behind it for making business and I think I got an idea today when I came across this article about Heineken trying to build a profitable retail branch online on it's Facebook fanpage.

They will be selling Merchandise and plan to use the interactive approach of Facebook to let people decide what they want to buy. A good idea since it is constant market research and cheap as well, because they will clearly produce and sell on demand.

With this strategy comes also a revamp of the global website and their youtube channel, and of course everything will be connected. A standardization of global brand appearance is planned as well.

Do you think this will work out? There are some interesting theories about convergence and divergence in global communication from Marieke de Mooji. I can highly recommend to look out for her papers and read them (use infolinx, especially warc or google scholar).

This is certainly an interesting case study to look at and see how it is developing.

Also from the perspective of Facebook becoming more and more an all-rounder in terms of internet use and has extended its function as a social network.

read more:

Article about Heineken

Heineken on facebook

Google book link to de Mooji




Inspiration and where to find it

Many of us find it hard to have creative ideas by command, but sometimes we need to. My advice for you is to seek for inspiration even in times you don't need it (for instance here on this blog ;) ). Visit London’s several museums and galleries (it's free!!!) the Saatchi Gallery in Sloane Square shows the most contemporary and unusual exhibits and the Victoria and Albert Museum gives you the most versatile design objects from different epochs and parts of the world.

And for those of you who are less active I can recommend the website "Inspire me now" that shows random design pieces and quite rare stuff on a daily basis. 

Where else do you get inspiration from? Feel free to comment on this post and share your sources :) 

Campaign to raise Awareness of Aids - Lady Gaga goes offline

Campaign to raise Awareness of Aids - Lady Gaga goes offline

The campaign is not only aiming to raise donations for "keep a child alive", but also wants to raise awareness of the fact that the disease leads to prejudices and social exclusion. To take a stand against this, many celebrities like Just Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Usher or Alicia Keyes shut down their entire social network accounts meaning twitter, facebook or myspace as long as it needs to raise  $ 1 m for the foundation. 

On December 1st they all said:

"I've sacrificed my digital life to help giving real life to millions of people being affected by HIV and Aids." In addition to this they all posed in a coffin for a photo shoot.

This party shocking campaign managed to rais already about $ 200,000 in two days and created a media buzz around the world

read more on brandrepublic

RESCHEDULED! 2nd Marketing Symposium, 1830 at Hogg Lecture Theatre

Notice: I'm sorry to tell you, that due to the snow and the weather forecast for tonight, today's symposium has been cancelled and will be rescheduled! I will keep you updated... Stay warm ;)


First I want to thank all the people for all the positive feedback on the MBS ThinkTank activities like this blog and the symposium! It's really motivating and we all are happy you gain something out of it.

However Tomorrow on December the 1st  we are pleased to host another Marketing Symposium with interesting guest lecturers again and we hope you all will come!

One of our guests is Christopher Macleod, Director of Group Marketing, Transport for London. 

That's gonna be an interesting one for sure. I know most of xyou suffer from tube strikes regularely, but the Marketing of TFL is versatile and Christopher hisself is very experienced in marketing and communications. 

A few infos on his curriculum vitae:

"Chris has spent his entire career in Advertising and Marketing. Beginning at the agency Leagas Delaney in the 1980s, he went on to work at Saatchi & Saatchi (twice) and the legendary Collet Dickenson Pearce, leaving as Chairman.

He is now Director of Group Marketing at Transport for London (TfL).  Here he is responsible for a diverse portfolio of Marketing programmes for one of London’s largest advertisers. This ranges from Oyster cards to Road Safety and Buses to the Barclay’s Cycle hire scheme.

TfL was Campaign magazine’s Advertiser of the year in 2008 and other awards include Cannes Gold Lions, IPA Effectiveness and MCCA Best integrated campaign.

A Fellow and former chairman of the Marketing Society, Chris has a degree from Newcastle Business School, a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and he is a regular on the Bakerloo Underground line."

Another speaker is going to be Damon Segal, Managing Director of Emotio Design Group and an INternet Marketing specialist who has been a major player in the field for over 20 years now.

Read more about him and his business here:

The Speaking Business - www.damonsegal.co.uk

Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/in/damonsegal

The Creative Business - www.emotio.co.uk

The Techie Business - www.intenix.eu

Our third speaker will be Darrell Kofkin,  Chief Executive of  Global Marketing Network.

"About Global Marketing Network

Global Marketing Network is positioned as the worldwide professional membership association for marketing and business professionals. GMN collaborates with leading business schools and academicians and around the world to help define, shape and raise standards in marketing practice worldwide. Global Marketing Network is focussed on delivering vital programmes in four really critical areas for the marketing profession:

• Realising the aspirations of marketers worldwide - by recognizing and rewarding educational and professional achievements through its global  accreditation system;
• Raising standards in marketing practice - by helping businesses achieve greater profitability and return on investment through a relentless focus - in all that we do, and on what actually matters to people in business in the 21st;
• Putting marketers back in the Boardroom - by enabling employers to insist on and recruit the best and most up-to-date marketing and business professionals through its continuing professional development scheme; 
• Supporting today`s global marketers - enabling them to be more knowledgeable, capable and better networked, leading to improved employability, promoteability and, ultimately, rewards - wherever they live in the world, and throughout their career.."

For more information visit: http://www.gmnhome.com/

Doesn't that sound like an interesting and amazing evening?

Be at Hogg Lecture Theatre at 18:30 and be part of it.

Of course there will be time for getting all your questions answered and for a discussion and networking with refreshments afterwards.

Hope to see you there...

New Ad Format on Google Images Search: Google Display Ads

There have always been ads on Google Image search, but after revamping the whole tool in summer, Google offers a more visual way to advertise. There are Banners above the images search results. The Google Display Ads have now arrived to the UK and Mazda is the first one to test it.

The new method offers the possibility to talk to consumers in all stage of the buying-cycle-process. Who of you has not Googled the image of something you were considering to buy?

The Google Ads are first trying to support a branding-effect and when a person later on enters a more precise request, Google uses this effect to lead the person to an online-shop.

In my opinion it is not sure that this strategy leads to a profit plus in all kinds of performance-oriented campaigns and for all shops. It is more likely for major players like amazon to benefit form this. What do you think? Please feel free to discuss this via commenting on the entry! 

read more:

Mazda first with display ads on Google Images in UK | News | Marketing Week

Techhcrunch.com: Google unveils Search Ads

The latest Trend in Marketing: 3D Projection Mapping

Recently more and more big brands like Samsung, BMW, Nespresso, H&M or Ralph Lauren, are using this tool for Marketing. Projecting images, animations or fashion shows on buildings in big cities and creating an event around is a new and unconventional way to create brand awareness, news worth and lots and lots of viral content.

Here I chose a few examples for you to enjoy. 

They show how you can use this tool in a very good way. Ralph Lauren showed a fashion show via 3D projection not only in London, but also in New York and Tokyo. The fourth dimension is the new Perfume that is sprayed over the audience at some point of the show. RL also shows that you can use synergy effects with this tool, since they did not have to organise different shows all over the world, but only slightly smaller events and the projection. I'm not sure if this is also cost effective, though, since those projections seem to be expensive in producing and planning... why else would only big players in the market use the tool?

H&M (again... I know... but they are amazing) is announcing a shop opening in Amsterdam. A smaller event than RL, but indeed nice to watch.

Samsung is launching a new product using 3D Projection Mapping.

What do you think, will this kind of Marketing become a permanent feature?

The Official Ralph Lauren 4D Experience - London

3D projection mapping in the city centre of Amsterdam for H&M

Samsung 3D projection mapping

Good Parties always end up in the Kitchen

Everybody knows that no matter how nicely you decorated the living room, no matter how much furniture you moved... at all the good parties sooner or later everybody ends up in the kitchen!

IKEA knows this as well and created a very entertaining viral that I'd like to share with you. Even the song is good... what do you think?

"You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties"

Funny bit of Advertising to start the Week

The following TV ad from Norway for the cellphone network provider TELE2 Bipper Norway is indeed funny to watch (on a Monday especially...) and it also achieved to be appealing to kids and parents while bringing its message across... but see yourself and klick on the video below!

Have a nice week!


P.S.: don't forget to subscribe to the blog to get ll new entries directly into your mailbox and share share share... :)

H&M Designer Collaboration with Lanvin, Part 2: Guerilla at Marble Arch

Last week I told you about the integrated marketing campaign by H&M for the launch of its new designer collaboration (read more here). This weekend when I was at the christmas market in Hydepark I accidentely saw this guerilla ad from H&M preojected on Marble Arch. I happend to have my camera with me so I captured it... beautiful, isn't it? 

Our first Marketing Symposium - a success!

First: A big Thank you to everybody who came to see the symposium and supported us. Many of you told us, that we did a great job and you enjoyed the evening and found the lectures inspiring and interesting.

Of course we also want to thank Roberta Ramsden-Knowles, Diego Santana and Richard Philip who made this Symposium happening in first place by giving us some hours of their time.

Richard, Managing Director of First Concept, started the evening as a WBS MAMC Almuni himself and told us about his life and work as an entrepreneur and how postgraduate students in marketing can start out in their professional life. Don’t forget: never ask how much holidays or Christmas bonus you get, BEFORE you even have the job :)

Diego, a young marketing manager from the Chilean wine company Concha  y Toro, gave us an detailed and interesting insight in his work, especially according to the wine brand Casillero Del Diablo and the kind of marketing mix they use for marketing it.

More information on Concha y Toro: CLICK HERE.

Roberta from reputation strategy and management consultancy Regester Larkin Limited closed the Symposium with a highly interesting presentation on her daily business, using case studies and examples. Now each and everyone of us knows the difference between an issue and a crisis.

More informaton on Regester Larkin Limited: CLICK HERE

The presentation have been followed by an open discussion between the three lecturers of the evening, students and professors and a little get together with nice refreshments sponsored by the uni.

If you missed this wonderful evening, don’t be sad! You will have another opportunity on December 1st, where we organised the second Marketing Symposium with brand new and amazing lecturers. Details will be published soon on this blog, your new information source! 

Some impressions of the evening:

Richard Philip

Diego Santana

Roberta Ramsden-Knowles

The open discussion

Diego seemed to be the popular guy...

presets for the lecturers

the get together 

The MBS ThinkTank Team and the Lecturers

First MBS Marketing Symposium on November 17th, 18:30 at Hogg Lecture Theatre

The MBS ThinkTank Team worked hard for you over the past few weeks to bring you this event. The Marketing Symposium will be the first of a series of regular symposia where selected Marketers and Businesspeople will share their knowledge with you and give you interesting insights into their daily business. 

This is an interactive event with postgraduate students, professors and alumni from the WBS Marketing courses. There will be room for discussion, questions and a little get together afterwards.

I hope to see you there!

P.S.: The next Marketing Symposium will be on December 1st!

Guerilla Marketing: Coka Cola makes London Students Happy!

I just found this viral about a guerilla marketing action of coca cola. They placed a "special" vending machine in an univeristy in London. Watch the video and have fun!

P.S.: Why don't they do in in WBS?

P.P.S.: Does anybody know where this happened?