RPM Reporter: Standby Club

The dark and dingy archway of London Bridge’s Counter Culture Club was livened by an energetically eccentric performance from The Correspondents, whose Dubstep, Hip Hop, Jazz, Drum 'n' Bass and Funk beats were delivered with gusto, stamina and some serious sweat. Mr Bruce and Mr Chuckles have toured pretty much every festival scene this summer, headlining Bestival as well as smaller sets at Glasto, Secret Garden and Love Box, which explains why Mr Bruce can still fit into those spandex leggings he sports so well.

Bristol's finest, Parker, set things up nicely for Ninja DJ Jaguar Skills who, hidden beneath his guise, delivered a mash-up set with fierce exertion. Jaguar Skills, who recently headlined Freeze Festival, had an impressive set at The Strongbow Bowtime Bar at Isle of Wight Festival, and you can watch a clip here.

Standby Club is hosted by OurKidBrother, a talent-booking consultation and live event production company who we work with on a number of our events. Keep an eye on its website for the next event.

www.standbyclub.co.uk
www.ourkidbrother.com
http://www.twitter.com/OurKidBrother

RPM Reporter - Freeze Festival

There was a whole host of brand activity at this year's Freeze Festival, the most impressive being Nike's chill-out Lodge, Jagermeister's Ice Bar and Three Mobile's Jump OnBoard Bus. Other brands embracing experiential marketing were Vitamin Water, Desperados, ActionAid and LG Mobile.

Nike's Lodge was designed to resemble the interior and ambience of a ski lodge, with interactive games, a pool table, comfortable sofas, and computers upon which people could browse through different shoe designs. The lodge was full to the brim during the day, and looked great; Nike shoes were displayed all over the trendy interiors, which was a good use of subtle branding.

Jagermeister's Ice Bar, placed near the entrance, allowed people to buy a shot and drink it upstairs in the frosted, ice-cold bar. There was also a heated terrace upon which people were chilling out and which gave a great view of the ski ramp. Back on the floor, LG Mobile recruited photo marketing company Say Cheese to mill around throughout the festival, taking photos of groups of friends or individuals that were then instantly printed and able to be retrieved from the saycheese.co.uk website. LG also had a stand whereby friends were asked to pose in front of a faux ski backdrop and once again, after logging in online, you were able to download the photos.

Three Mobile's Jump OnBoard Bus was surrounded by a heated garden and offered you the chance to 'jump on board' and try out their new Smart Phone. The bus aims to help spread the word about the benefits of using the mobile internet on Three, and the area came equipped with DJ and waffle stand. The bus has toured festivals throughout the summer, and you can follow its progress on the Three Mobile Blog.

Desperados had a small dance arena, which had its own DJ line-up and small seating area. I wasn't overly impressed with this. There was nothing that particularly set it apart from any other music-related brand activity, and it certainly didn't compare to the Strongbow Bowtime Bar! Something tells me I'm somewhat biased though, and perhaps the budget was limited. I still felt they could do more with the entertainment aspect to it. Perhaps some live French bands would have been more engaging? Yes, Desperados is actually French, not Mexican!

Last but not least, ActionAid was continuing its 'Bollocks To Poverty' tour, which has previously been seen at Global Gathering, by asking people to pose in front of their faux NMH (No More Hunger) magazine background holding up anti-poverty banners. The photos are then able to be downloaded online. Bollocks To Poverty is ActionAid's youth arm; in their words, "We want you to ditch the guilt and say bollocks to poverty by doing something you love. Whether it’s through music, art, activism or shopping, there’s loads of ways to say bollocks to poverty."

All round there was some good brand activity keeping people engaged, on their feet and immersed in each brand.

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.

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.

RPM REPORTER: SPOTS V STRIPES

This weekend I headed off to the Thames Festival to check out Cadburys' activity for their Spots V Stripes campaign. Situated by Potters Field Park, I came acorss the Cadburys Treat Station first, where two brand communicators were sculpting a model of London Bridge out of chocolate. This drew quite a crowd and later I discovered more chocolate sculptures inside, including a London skyline and a dolphin. The Treat Station offered an array of chocolate bars to buy in a small stand, and provided people with a game scorecard and Spots v Stripes stick-on tatoos.

After I was pointed in the direction of the fish-face game, part of the campaign's 'Games Crew' I headed over and stood observing the inflatable structure full of delighted kids, who tried to grab as many floating pieces as they could which were scattered about the interior by blasts of air. Outside the structure stood another brand communicator, who drew attention to the game by explaining the point of the campaign and helped to highlight the 'recruitment' theme to it, as she asked, "Are you a spot or a stripe? Choose your team, play any game you like and log online to register your points".

Spots V Stripes was created by Cadbury to celebrate the fact that they are the Official Treat Provider to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The aim is to help millions of people over the next two years to play thousands of games, getting everyone in the mood for the ultimate event: the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Have a look at their website to find out where the next games will commence.

RPM REPORTER: Despicable Me

I was invited to a private screening of Universal's 'Despicable Me' last night, organised by Filmology. After a short speech from a producer at Universal, (who claimed that the film has taken over £250 million so far in the US) the animated, 3D flick began and I was kept in hysterics right from the start.

The endearing storyline narrates the tale of a Russain evil villain, who is soon to discover that a younger competitor is out-eviling him. In a desperate attempt to become the world's eviliest man, he decides to steal the moon, and with the help of three children and his thousands of Spanish sounding minions, the outcome is both triumphant and tear-jerking all at once.

A brilliant family flick to be enjoyed by both adults and children; in particular, the references to the 'Bank Of Evil' have an amusing resonance. Click here to view the trailer.

RPM REPORTER: Peroni Wrap Party

A few weeks ago I headed down to Brick Lane's Truman Brewery to check out Peroni's Wrap Party; a series of film events to promote Peroni's classy new advert, directed by Gabriele Mauccino. The event was organised by Creative Agency The Bank, and the advert documents two lovers and their journey through Italy.

A smart Peroni bar was the focal point of the room where pints of Peroni were elegantly poured, and the advert was played on a continual loop via a projector. In each corner of the room, was a small cinema with bare bulb lighting and brand communicator, who invited consumers to step behind the velvet curtain, put on some headphones and watch a short film about the making of the Peroni advert and Italian film making in general. Each cinema had only two seats within it, adding to the exclusivity of the event and the films were interesting in content.

Other nice touches in the space included the handing round of free popcorn, and the display of costumes and props featured in the film, including Vespas and designer clothing. The event wasn't too busy that you felt crammed into the space, and I was always able to get a pint of Peroni in good enough time. Every time. The event was definitely classy and did well to glamorise Italian film making, but perhaps lacked the turn-out it was looking for.

RPM REPORTER: BRANDS GALORE AT VINTAGE, GOODWOOD

Vintage at Goodwood, a boutique festival in Chichester, flaunts all things Vintage to the coolest of cats, including classic cars, old-school clothes, antique jewellery and costumes. The festival is like no other, with a faux high-street constructed right in the centre equipped with cinema, catwalk (sponsored by Grazia), beauty parlour (in association with the Jemma Kidd Make-up School) and a host of chic bars and shops. Civilised is an understatement; with a host of polite information people, litter-pickers galore and even clean toilets!

Jumping on the ‘clean bandwagon’, were Dyson, who had a stand exhibiting their powerful hand dryers using the ‘The Damp Hands Challenge’. I think we can all agree that from first impression the Dyson brand isn’t exactly synonymous with fashion festival, but in-built into their structure were multiple hand basins and soap, offering people the chance to wash their hands using the Dyson hand dryers to dry them. This practical approach offered people a very useful service whilst educating them on the importance of hand hygiene and allowing them to try out their product.

Bedazzling viewers near the entrance was The Tanqueray Torch Club, a venue providing waitored table service, with a large dance floor and swing bands keeping revellers on their feet all day long. I felt like I’d stepped into the 1950’s, and the ambiance of the room really suited Tanqueray. I also spotted another Tanqueray bar on the main high street, decorated to look like a classy cocktail hang-out with mint wall-paper, white leather booths and an outdoor seating area. Inside, a large bar was the focal point decorated at one end with Tanqueray bottles displayed in the shape of a larger bottle and a great selection of classy cocktails.

Gola too had a small area. It was a vintage football set-up that invited festival-goers to ‘Beat The Keeper And Win £5’. This was a similar offering to our own Bop-it campaign we held last year, where we asked students to ‘Challenge The Champ for a Fiver’. Gola’s campaign seemed to be just as successful; there were queues of young kids, yet after noting the size of the miniscule goal, their attempts seemed even more futile after seeing the hench goal keeper, who blasted the balls away left right and centre! I’m pretty sure those five pound notes weren’t handed out very often.

Last but not least was the wrist band given in exchange for tickets on arrival. This was designed into the shape of a large IWC watch and really stood out as a great brand idea. Usually wrist bands at festivals make collectable items and it was interesting to have the brand displayed on your arm. For that particular weekend, everybody ‘owned’ an IWC watch, and it’s something I would definitely remember. The IWC watch also appeared on the website, showing the countdown until the festival began.

RPM REPORTER: PRE-MIX SAMPLING, VICTORIA STATION

Word on the experiential grape-vine had it that some Diageo Pre-mix sampling was taking place in the midst of Victoria Station, so I headed down to check it out. As I stroll towards the activity, I see a hub of people surrounding a small space dressed to look like a kitchen/living room with polished wooden floor and breakfast bar set-up. In one corner, sit two red chairs surrounding an edgily designed table made entirely of pre-mix cans, and in the other I see a faux fridge with magnets and kitchen cabinets providing a backdrop to the bustling sampling activity. The faux fridge connected to a real one at the back, and staff seemed to be taking samples to and fro from here. Nice touch.

As I approach, a man dressed in a smart uniform of white t-shirt emblazoned with a large pre-mix graphic and black trousers approaches. “Can I interest you in a sample of Pre-mix?” he says smiling. After challenging him to name all the flavours (he struggled a little) I’m given a stamp on the hand, a colourful leaflet offering 50p off my next purchase and a sample. The leaflet was particularly well designed; the type that any student would keep to stick on their wall with instructions on how best to serve. Made up of all the Pre-Mix flavours, it folded out like a finely crafted piece of origami.

The member of staff carried on to be extremely informative, telling me that I could buy the cans the cheapest from Asda and that the stand had been busy all day. In particular he told me he’d given samples out to more women than men, although I couldn’t help wondering that his gleaming smile had something to do with it.

Having done my research, I knew that there was a game to interact with and a goodie bag to be had. Unfortunately I did have to ask to play the game, but it’s likely that the stand was so busy it was difficult for staff to oversee it. I insisted though that I wanted to play, and a lovely member of staff sat me down on the comfortable sofa and explained how the rules went. Attached to the pre-mix table were the entire variety of pre-mix cans without their labels, and whoever placed the correct labels onto the right pre-mix cans the quickest won. Out came the stop-watch, and I manically began matching up the labels, challenging a fellow consumer. Low and behold I won- and came eighth on the winner’s board.

Despite only being 2 minutes long, I actually really enjoyed this clever brand interaction and turns out I wasn’t the only one. I noticed in amongst my shrieks of enjoyment that the game attracted quite a bit of attention, and was a great way to educate people about pre-mix. In fact I’m pretty sure as a result I could name every flavour. I was then asked to fill in a form in order to get my goody bag, which contained a can, branded ice-cube mould, another coupon and a branded drinks mat. I really thought this was a great selection of items to take home and enjoy, which was of course the whole idea behind the campaign; Diageo want consumers to drink pre-mix in the home very much like they would beer and wine.

I continued to have a few cheeky chats with the staff, who told me that the biggest attraction aside from the samples was the pre-mix designed table. “People love it- I’ve heard loads of passers-by saying they like it” and one even told me, “the sofas are a nice place for people to sit- there aren’t any places to sit in a station, so we have a lot of people chilling out on them”.

The interaction I had with Diageo Pre-mix must have been about 7 minutes in total, but it was enough to educate me on the flavours, have a taste, and get some great, useful branded produce to take home. A brilliant sampling campaign all round.