Starbucks Goes Digital

Starbucks customers in the US can now get more than just a 600 calorie Venti White Chocolate Mocha with Whipped cream, blueberry muffin and The New York Times when they step into their local branch. Uniting with Yahoo and their original WI-FI network, the coffee chain have launched their own Digital Network, which means that as customers nuzzle down into the green cozy armchairs, they are now provided with a whole host of free services such as News, iTunes and the Bookish Reading Club.

A link with job sites as well as career blogs and tips are also available. The network will be site specific, and a neighbourhood channel will bring relevant local content via Foursquare, Patch and Zagat. Starbucks's Vice President of Digital Ventures Adam Brotman, discussed Yahoo with Mashable, saying: “They're so strong in the three areas we knew we needed help with -- technology, content and search. They seemed excited by the local and unique nature of the Starbucks Digital Network.”

Not everyone sees this launch as a positive though. Read some of the debates here.

The Pop Up Shop and The Chewing Gum Factory

Although the heading of this blog sounds a little like the title to a modern age marketing fairytale, the above are just two of some of the many unique events soon to be held in London. Events enthusiasts listen carefully!

The first, is a pop-up book making shop created by Blurb, the creative publishing and marketing platform. From the 3-14th of November in the heart of the capital, Blurb will enable anyone to create, publish, share and sell professional quality books ranging from photography and fashion, to blog and fundraising. Blurb customer service professionals will be on hand to demo Blurb bookmaking, and a range of Blurb books will also be on display.

A world away from book making is The Chewing Gum Factory, currently being built by eccentric food architects Bombas & Parr in Whiteleys Shopping Centre. The group specialise in mastering what they call 'spectacular' food experiences through working with cutting edge technology; think Heston Blumenthal meets Salvador Dali if you're stuck for visuals.

Visitors will be invited to choose and combine 200 familar and unusual flavour of gum including Hendricks Gin and Tonic, curry and beer yeast! There's 40,000 possible flavours to tickle the taste buds and the factory is open from midday to 6pm, 25-31 October. Tickets will be availble to purchase on the day Whiteleys Shopping Centre, Bayswater, and are priced at £2.50.

Halloween Hairdos

Stuck for a halloween outfit? Bleach hair salon in Dalston is offering dip-dying, white-outing, and crazy-colouring to the store for a Halloween special. Check out the 'Dalston Chainsaw Massacre' menu including 'Cheryl Troll', 'Lady Carcass' and 'Taylor Monster' and get your nails, done too, all for £50.

Diet Coke Boudoir

Coca Cola have teamed up with cult celebrity jewellery designer Johnny Rocket to launch a Diet Coke Crystal Collection which kicked off in a pop-up workshop in Selfridges last week. The wrokshop, called ‘The Diet Coke Crystal Customisation Boudoir’ was supported by a Facebook campaign, using the brand’s "Love it light" page.

The bottles will be on sale in the Selfridges food hall for £1.50 each. Customers also have the option to pay £5 in the pop-up workshop to create their own bespoke bottles.

Bird-vertising

Bird-vertising took off at The Ryder Cup this year as Betfair recruited a flock of eagles and hawks to fly mini banners of support for Team Europe over the Celtic Manor course.

Stills were then taken of the birds in flight, with messages tied to their ankles, such as ‘get in the hole,’ and ‘watch the birdie.’

It's an interesting approach to say the least, although I can imagine the brewing 'birds v billboards' debate ruffling a few feathers!

Pop Up Parties-The Indesit Party Laundrette

Indesit embraced the latest US trend for pop-up parties in obscure locations through the creation of the Indesit Party Laundrette that ran from the 15th-17th October.

This very unique, very kitch party invited people to 'Get tipsy, get your groove on and get the laundry done' and you could literally chuck in your dirty socks and party on until the cycle was done.

The Indesit Party Launderette was launched via Facebook, and the page has since acquried 2,800 fans. Although this idea is a good one for attracting a trendy East London crowd, who did turn up in their masses, perhaps a more direct approach would have been more impactful for the brand.

Lumacoustics & Natwest

Tim Williams from Lumacoustics (the brains behind the interactive graffiti wall seen recently on Dragon's Den) sent me over this case study, in which they teamed up with M&C Saatchi to create an engaging brand experience.

Natwest, the client, were looking to engage 11-18 year olds and Lumacoustics were asked to provide an innovative way for them to create their own personalised debit cards and apply for a Natwest account. A customised version of the graffiti wall was installed, upon which students could create their own card design. These were printed internally and given as a take-away for each visitor, along with information about opening a Natwest account.

The image was also uploaded in real-time to the NatWest website where the user could order a real debit card with their own design on it.

RPM REPORTER: THE LONDON RESTAURANT AWARDS

Spitalfields Market played host to the London Restaurant Awards last night; a ceremony to celebrate the diversitiy of London Chefs, restaurants and cuisine served up within all 33 boroughs of the capital.

Food was prepared on site by enthusiastic chefs, who offered an array of samples and tasters for all to enjoy. Exhibitors included Wahaca, Delice De France and Street Kitchen, and Pizza Express chefs were also on hand kneading and spinning dough through the crowds, who were drawn to the slabs of sizzling pizza handed out.

Drinks were also a plenty, with champagne poured freely and some classy Zacappa sampling. The latter was distributed by two smartly dressed men, who took you through the background to the drink, the right drinking occassion and handed out a smart Zacappa leaflet. This was a good event to carry out this kind of sophisticated spirit sampling. Full of food experts and high profile restauranteurs, there seemed to be an interest in this after dinner spirit.

Foodie Tom Parker Bowles hosted the evening and I even spotted Masterchef's John Terode, who took it upon himself to crack open a bottle of champage which he claimed for the evening!

RPM REPORTER: Diageo's Cocktail Bar

I went to check out Diageo's elegant cocktail bar in Selfridges on Sunday, designed specifically to celebrate London Cocktail Week. The bar sits on the men's floor and provides a relaxed yet chic environment to ditch the shopping bags and indulge in some fine spirits. The spacious bar is equipped with cocktail experts, who take you through a week of cocktail making classes and sessions, designed to educate, involve and excite the consumer. Each day, a certain spirit is selected and consumers can enjoy a range of different flavoured drinks and mixes.

Martin Swims Gibraltar Straight!

We understand how important it is to stay motivated and in touch with the latest trends. So we offer any full-time RPM staff member the opportunity to 'stretch the boundaries' by undertaking a new experience that will develop them in a new way. Each month, a fund of £500 is avaliable and may be granted to help them fulfil an ambition.

Right at this moment, Martin Barron, one of our Junior Art Directors, has chosen to swim the Gribaltar Straight. I know what you're all thinking......is he mad?!

Quite simply, yes.

In preparation, Martin has had to put on the pounds to fight the freezing water temperatures as well as completing rigorous training. I'll be tweeting on his progress. Best of luck Martin- swim swim swim!!

Experiential Marketing Is On The Rise!

Well what d'you know, Experiential Marketing is on the rise! From our clients and potential new ones we've spoken to, there's been a high demand for the need to engage consumers with an emotional, long-lasting connection. Happy to help!

The World's Largest Beach Towel

Tropical Beer created the world's largest beach towel to promote the 'sharing' of a beer experience in The Canary Islands. The towel set a world record and users were able to use social media to register their place on it via a grid system. At first this idea seemed rather laughable, but the press reach was absolutely massive and it generated some great PR- so hands up to them!

Smart City Dressing In Today's Metro!

Our City Dressing Specialists, Smart City Dressing, have been working on a project in Redcar, Teeside, to revamp the area with the intention of bringing in business. The project includes the development of a virtual restaurant, cafe, furniture shop and boutique.

Smart City Dressing's core products include retail window dressing and shop front graphics, interactive light projections, lamp post banners, city centre flagpoles, outdoor freestanding banner systems, city gateways, light installations, building dressing and projection.

RPM REPORTER: GHOST STORIES

At RPM, we love a good experience; and what better than a experience so profound, it promises to set your whole body into a constant tremble, forcing your lungs to secrete the loudest, most spine tingling scream.

Oh, and all for at least 80 minutes?

This was not a brand experience (albeit it would have made a great one), more the promise of terrifying play 'Ghost Stories' at The Lyric Theatre, directed by The League Of Gentleman's master of the macabre Jeremy Dyson.

The Marketing behind this play is fantastic. I was genuinely scared simply by entering the website. 'Are you brave enough to enter?' it asks, and I hesitantly clicked to continue. In true blare-witch style, none of the play's content was revealed. Instead of the usual plot summary and cast synopsis, I was faced with eerie music and a film clip of the audience's reaction which I couldn't stop myself playing over and over again. Boy did that have an effect.

The actual play didn't fail to live up to the hype. Before the show had even started, the theatre lights were flickering dimly and people couldn't stop gossiping about their own ghost stories. Even women in the toilet queue were telling ghostly tales and I couldn't help but wonder if this was yet another clever Marketing ploy.

Throughout the play, smells of bleach and dry ice were pumped throughout the theatre adding to the chilly atmosphere and loud, unnerving sounds were also played in between scenes. I know you want me to, but I won't reveal anything about the actual play. The cast in fact request that you don't tell the secrets of Ghost Stories. All I will say, is that this is a theatrical experience like no other, and if you like being scared, it's a must see.

Johnson & Johnson

Westifeld never fails to keep us entertained, and I'm not talking about the shopping! One member of our RPM team walked past to see these three human beauties posed on a billboard to advertise Johnson & Johnson moisturizer.

SKY 3D at The Ryder Cup

Despite the rain pouring down at this weekend's Ryder Cup, our polished Sky 3D Prism stood tall, drawing queues of intrigued consumers. All who entered inside were treated to the high-tech world of Sky 3D. The Prism continues to tour around the UK.

Donate A Barcode

This 'Donate a Barcode' ad campaign aims to feed the hungry by using images of food to explain that local food banks need support by way of food donations..

The Federation of Food Banks in Belgium is calling for the population to head to their nearest supermarket, purchase food with a Food Bank bar code and a product purchased will be donated to the campaign.

About Food Banks:

Anti-hunger project called “Food Banks” is based on the general principle of gathering place, local aid, bringing the benefit of donors, allowing closeness between the giver and receiver. Today there are 282 Food Banks operating in Europe, which in 2008 distributed 294,500 tones of the 4.5 million people through 27,000 associations.