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Building upon the buzz that surrounds Second Life, HBO has purchased a documentary that was made entirely within Second Life. The film focuses on an avatar Molotov Alva, who goes about the virtual world and learns about the "complex social interactions that take place within Second Life."The documentary, "Molotov's Dispatches in Search of the Creator: A Second Life Odyssey" was not created by a Second Lifer. Well, that is not to say that director Douglas Gayeton does not have an avatar on Second Life, but he does have credible experience, having worked with Spike Jonze. HBO plans to submit the film for Academy Award consideration. They see it competing in the "animated short-subject" category.
Big brands have already begun setting up Second Life partnerships and experiences, so how far can advertisers spread themselves across the bridge of reality and virtual reality? Will interactive strategies bring more users to Second Life, or will brands attract new audiences through Second Life?
And why couldn't HBO submit this under just plain "documentary"? Yes, Second Life physically exists online and so, in the virtual world, but with all the partnering and future strategies no doubt lined up with advertisers, isn't it almost reality because its story is bleeding into it [reality]? At least, the experience seems like it would eventually blur into reality. (Ah, the line, the line! Is there one?)
Carmichael Lynch, Minneapolis ad shop, has lost one of their biggest clients, Porsche North America. I can only imagine the crying going on there this week. I'm actually sad for them.Porsche North America has awarded Cramer-Krasselt in Chicago creative and media for its $40 million account. Despite the loss, Carmichael will still work on a project for Porsche throughout the first quarter of 2008.
Apparently Porsche saw more potential for innovative communications in C-K. What does that mean for Carmichael?
(Side note, will C-K be one of the agencies we meet during Miami Ad School's Agency Exposure the week of Sept. 24? Wait and see...)
Here's yet another fascinating example of interactive marketing that has the power to draw people in so they actually experience something, rather than just observe a brand's online presence (i.e. visiting a site, playing a game, or signing up for updates).
Actually, it's a "first" according to PRBuzz.com.
Check out the Golden Jigsaw. It's an interactive game where players put together a puzzle by solving clues and finding pieces on various websites. The 1st person to put it together wins $1 mil. Strategic idea to get traffic from users advertisers wouldn't normally see.
Is anyone going to the PSFK Conference on 9/18? Technically, I'll still be in school but will be wrapping things up around this time. I've been reading PSFK for a while and looking at the list of participants/attendees, I'd really love to go. But, because I'm not working and a student, I'm not sure if I could swing the co$t. Does anyone know of any special discounts (aside from the hotel one listed)?The Connection Planning Conference is coming up in October. Mark your calendar for this "Polygamous Marriage".
Adam Crowe over at Imagination gives us another link related to connection planning, in addition to account planning and interactive strategy. Thanks, Adam!
Today I went to Barnes and Noble (easily one of my favorite stores) to look for Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide by Henry Jenkins. I need to research transmedia planning...and really, any new and emerging ideas related to planning, media, culture, science, and technology. Unfortunately Barnes didn't have the book in stock so I ordered it. I did, however, walk out with some purchases (can I ever walk out of a store without merchandise? no). I bought a magazine (Marie Claire, which surprisingly has morphed into a smart, sassy, and hip source vs. what it used to be a few years ago) and two books.Rengen (not sure if it should be in caps or not), Renaissance Generation by Patricia Martin - The book's jacket says Martin "argues that we are on the precipice of a major cultural renaissance. Who we are and what we care about is shifting--and a new set of imperatives, products, behaviors, and ambitions is emerging." The book looks at the factors influencing the economic, social, and cultural shift and seeks to offer yet more evidence that we are a culture of and in change. I'm eager to see if Martin makes any new statements that haven't already been said...Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes by Mark J. Penn - The author (CEO of Burson-Marstellar and chief adviser to Senator Hilary Clinton's presidential campaign) pinpoints over "70 microtrends in religion, leisure, politics, and family that change the way we live." A quick flip of the pages shows plenty of graphs and charts. It looks like each trend is supported by data, so Penn's analysis is not pure observation or gut instinct (though surely that plays a role in his findings). I've got some reading to do...
As you may or may not know, I am in Miami Ad School's Bootcamp for Account Planners. Part of the program involves lecture, where planning directors/VPs come in from various agencies (some have been Carmichael Lynch, Leo Burnett, and draftFCB) and speak on various topics. While the majority of the lectures have been truly meaningful and eye-opening, there has yet to be a lecture devoted solely to the future of advertising, and specifically, the future of planning. Everyone knows that we're living in a changing world - (but hasn't it always been changing?) - where people control when and how they're touched by ads, where tv is losing its power of reach, where people create the ads and control the brand (to a point).Should I be a little wary of my future if no one has talked about connections or transmedia planning? Hmm...I've been hearing more and more about connections planning, or transmedia planning being the future of planning as a whole. I haven't done enough research to have a firm handle on what it is, though in general I can say it is using the insights of traditional planning while considering the contact points for the business/brand. I've been told it's account planning + media planning. Don't listen to me because I'm too green on this.Here are some sources to bone up on connection(s) planning:The Account Planning GroupNo-Duh, Big A-haand transmedia planning: Henry JenkinsConvergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide by Henry JacobsTalent imitates, genius steals (Faris Yakob, Naked)the fruits of imagination (Jason Oke, Leo Burnett)I ordered Convergence Culture so I'll come back and post on thoughts as I read.
