MINI Roller Coaster

For the adrenaline junkies among us the mere thought of a roller coaster induces a feeling of excitement and delight. With a new video advert that is expected to go viral, MINI Canada are hoping to get your heart racing. Production company Asymetric, transformed three MINI cooper 5 models into MINI Roller Coasters, by removing the rear seats and roof, then adding custom built roller coaster frames as well as carts, speakers and wind blowers, to create the optimum visual experience.

The cars were driven around the streets of Toronto where actors screamed as if travelling at gut turning speeds, when in reality they were cruising slowly along the urban streets of Toronto.

 

This video is MINI’s newest execution as part of the brands ‘Not Normal’ platform that started back in May. The campaign accentuates MINI’s uniqueness in comparison with other motor brands opting to highlight excitement over comfort and style or reliability. Not that MINI compromises any of those factors; it just heroes USP's that are not traditionally a focus for motoring brands. MINI is known not only for the classically British cars that they produce but the effortlessly cool brand identity that they have created.   This campaign manages to bring to life their brand and derive attention and emotion from both loyal and new customers.

 

Their video content captures the disruptive and effective nature of the campaign –stopping passers-byin their tracks, encouraging them to capture their own #MININOTNORMAL moment and share it with their social networks, subsequently increasing the reach of the campaign in an organic, credible manor.

 

Dave Douglas Partner/ECD at Anomaly was right when he said 'The stunt was truly unconventional and not the normal way to communicate the brand core of excitement'

 

We certainly get a taste of what it’s like to be Not Normal from this campaign and in the words of MINI who wants to be average anyway?

 

 

Read more about the '#MININOTNORMAL' campaign here


 

Art Attack

This video shows the colourful chaos of a guerilla public art project in which art students on bikes dumped multicoloured paint onto the roads of Berlin's busy Rosenthaler Platz. As cars became the paintburshes and the road the canvas, colourful lines were created as drivers drove over the splashes of paint.

Photo Of The Day-Fancy A Fry-Up?

Artist David Sykes has cleverly transformed these balloons into a fry-up. He clearly has a very original style and creative flare. He did miss the Ketchup though....

Stick 'em Up

‘Emirates Environmental Group’, is an NGO dedicated to recycling in the United Arab Emirates. To promote an organized can collection drive they created these unique posters where people could stick their empty soda cans to them. After only 6 days, the posters collected a total of 1458 cans and increased the number of people who joined the Can Collection Drive by 12%.

Alistair Dickson Explores Really Real Experiences

2010 has already seen 3D technology take the world by storm, but why is there a sudden need to get up close and personal with absolutely everything? The answer lies in the emerging trend of ‘really real’ experiences that consumers now crave; a trend which has been around for a few years and is showing no signs of abating.

Consumer’s pursuit of everything and anything that gives them something different to talk about is a must. Status is no longer measured by symbols that you can show; it’s all about the personal experiences that you can talk about. Having ‘really real' experiences is the most authentic and relevant way to appease this consumer craving, with entertainment technologies like 3D, augmented reality and the rest, in pole position to deliver them.

In their very nature, these technologies make what you see more life-like, they bring you closer to the action and they captivate an audience. They are harder to fabricate and therefore more trustworthy. They move the interaction from simple passive participation to an immersive experience, engrossing and involving the audience to a much greater degree.

Examples of this in action can already be seen with O2’s 3D screening of England’s six nations rugby matches at cinemas across the UK, providing a completely new rugby viewing experience. Sky has also got in on the act, recently conducting a trial of 3D football screenings in pubs across the country. Of course we can’t forget the traditional stomping ground of 3D, the cinema, with the hugely successful release of Avatar 3D taking all the headlines (and the box office).

Technology aside for a minute, this trend goes deeper than execution and into the very fabric of communication. Concepts and messages must maintain the raw sense of honesty and reality to truly resonate in the modern market place.

So the point is simple. The rise of these technologies isn’t technology for technology’s sake, its meeting a consumer need; a need to close the gap between sender and receiver. And this is true of both media and message. If brands can help facilitate this pursuit for ‘real’ experiences they not only create positive brand association, they also create an immersive interaction with a consumer which has no interruption. Surely, a marketers dream (certainly and experiential marketers dream)?

One important caveat… content is still king. If it is poor quality, really real or not, the technology and the strategy will only bring to life your failings. So come on folks… time to GET REAL.