Budweiser Beer Mats Link Fans to FA Cup!
April 12th, 2012We all love a bit of social media and apps are one of the more fun ways to enjoy it, however, occasionally you come across something that you find absolutely fascinating and today happens to be one of those days for me. I came across a wonderful app idea and therefore I thought why not share it with you all:
Budweiser, the sponsor of the FA Cup, has launched an app that allows consumers to pose with a virtual replica of the trophy by pointing their smartphone at a Budweiser beer mat.
The man of the match app uses augmented reality to bring the trophy to life.
The app, which already allows consumers to vote for their man of the match, browse through upcoming fixtures and access match stats, has been updated to include the augmented reality technology.
Consumers that point the camera on their smart device at promotional Budweiser beer mats will see the FA Cup appear on their screens in 3D.
Iain Newell, European marketing director, Budweiser, said: “Part of Budweiser’s mission as FA Cup sponsor is to bring the famous trophy closer to the fans.
“The collaboration with Aurasma literally puts the trophy in the hands of football fans across the world and builds added anticipation for the final stages of the competition.”
Advertising The Brand: Discovering Where It All Began
April 12th, 2012
Being a 21st century Creative Agency, we all know the industry is forever changing and new technologies appear every five minutes, its hard to keep up sometimes, however we manage. But does any one ever stop to wonder where it all came from? The brands we all know and love such as Coca Cola, Nike and Cadburys (to name a few famous ones) have developed into global corporations throughout the years but how did the term brand come about in the first place for them to become so famous?
Well, if you want to know the answer to that one, we have to look back through evolution over hundreds of years. The term brand itself originates from the literal phrase to distinguish one persons cattle from another by branding it with a hot iron stamp. In a way, this has changed very little as brands today still want to be able to distinguish themselves from other competitors in the market by having a fully established brand identity. A brand is the whole face of a company, the identity which it with holds and allows the consumer to understand what the company is all about, the brand being the personality of the product or service on offer.
So there you have it, the next time you crack open your coke can or indeed visit our very own DDCA website, just think every brand originated from a simple mark on a cow! A handy bit of general knowledge for you to impress at the next pub quiz I think.
It was a tough ‘un but here they are…My Top 5 Apps
April 3rd, 2012After much deliberation, a good 20 minutes or so of sifting and copious amounts of sugar, I have managed to compile a list of the top five apps currently to be found on my treasured iPhone. The list is subject to change and I am under no illusion that tomorrow could herald the arrival of a shiny, new obsession. However, here goes -
Draw Something
A close contender to ‘Words With Friends’, ‘Draw Something’ is bringing out the artist, and occasionally the cheat, in all of us. By “adding” friends or syncing with a Facebook account, friends are able to connect and play this ‘Pictionary’ inspired game via 3G or Wi-Fi. It has already gained a cult following on Facebook and trended on Twitter. Websites have been set up solely to promote the best and dire worst that participants have to offer. From “Cannons” and “Cats” to “Polkadot” and even “Beyoncé”, the user is given a choice of three words to draw ranging in difficulty. The most bizarre three I have been faced with? “Reggae”, “Bromance” and “Roosevelt”. Now, it’s not always easy, but it’s sure as hell entertaining!
Cards
Apple recently entered the greetings cards market up against competition from companies such as ‘Moonpig’ and ‘Funky Pigeon’ with the release of their easy to use “Cards” app. By using a simple template, users can upload photos and insert text to customise their greeting all from their iPhone. The final design is then submitted (for a reasonable price) and printed to a high quality on professional paper before being sent directly to the recipient; missing Dad’s birthday or Mother’s Day has never been so easily rectified. However, you may be caught out by the Czechoslovakian post-mark. Clearly Apple, Inc struggled to find a UK based printer.
Etsy
Ever struggled to find a gift that is unique, genuinely quirky or painfully fashionable? Fear not! ‘Etsy’ are here to help. With their range of gifts from cookware and clothing to figurines and art, it’s simple to find the perfect present for the fussiest of recipients. But don’t be fooled in thinking that this App is for just your nearest and dearest; take a look and you’ll be sure to find a little treat or three for yourself too.
Fotoffiti
Every now and then, one can be found lying in bed struggling to get to sleep. I like to utilise these times by changing my Facebook profile picture or perhaps updating my Twitter badge. However, at silly o’clock in the morning, creativity reigns and suddenly I find myself using ‘Fotoffiti’. First things first – select an image or use the iPhone’s camera to take a picture. Then ‘Fotoffiti’ turns your selected image into a stencil with which you can select a colour and spray. The result is a Banksy-esque portrait of your mush that you can MMS, email, Tweet or assign to Facebook with pride. Boredom averted. Marvellous.
Word Lens
Ever been abroad and faced the prospect of trying to order dinner without a single English person in sight? If speaking slower and louder just won’t cut it, ‘Word Lens’ is for you. Simply wave the camera over the menu and this clever little travel companion of an app uses augmented reality technology to magically translate the words right in front of your eyes. What’s more, it’s free. Failing that, “BigMac” is pretty universal; you won’t starve ;)
Pinterest to Update Terms of Service
March 26th, 2012After a few issues were raised in the press surrounding Pinterest’s Terms of Service, the photo sharing site has announced that they are due to be updated as of the 6th April.
One of the big issues that will be resolved is that of ownership, as at present any content posted to the site becomes the property of Pinterest. This caused much outrage among the online community and as such will be removed from the ToS when the update comes into effect; “Selling content was never our intention and we removed this from our updated Terms.”
The full Terms of Service can be found here, happy pinning!
DDCA are on Pinterest, you can find and follow our boards here.
The Worlds Shortest Video Ad Lasts Just One Second
March 12th, 2012This brilliantly simple ad from McCann Digital Israel lasts only 1 second.
They were tasked with raising awareness for the International OCD Foundation, the brilliant bit about it is that the ad doesn’t ‘tell’ people what OCD is like, it instead puts the viewer in the shoes of a sufferer by making them experience just one of the symptoms. Take a look and see for yourself:
Let’s Start a Conversation
March 8th, 2012Hi Guys,
Have you all seen my new advert in this months North East Times?
If not here you go:
Pinterest: A Marketers Guide
February 29th, 2012I can remember coming across Pinterest and waiting avidly for my invite to join to drop into my inbox, that was 4 months ago and now I’m hooked!
I’ve been trying every which way to find a use for the site for my clients and as yet have come up with little to no reason for them to join the ever growing social sharing site, until now:
The Latest Twitter Stats
February 27th, 2012Last week we shared the latest stats from Facebook and now it’s the turn of Twitter (my favourite form of social media!):
