Wow, 2.8 million clicks for a banner campaign! Uniqlo had a sale and decided to spread the word via a widget embedded by willing blog and website owners. Click the widget and the page transformed into a Uniqlo Lucky Ticket that revealed great deals or a tote bag prize. I encourage all brands to copy this idea and see if they get the same results. It will help if you have an uber cool, global brand with plenty of disciples (I can’t see the same idea working for Hallensteins or Barkers).
Full page fashion ads in GQ don’t do much for me – you know the ones – same Blue Steel stare, different label. But I do enjoy opportunities to learn more about brands, a case in point being this You Tube clip to celebrate Paul Smith’s collaboration with Evian. On the one hand I think ‘wow cool new bottle, I might buy some’. And on the other I go ‘that Paul Smith guy seems quite decent, maybe I will look twice at his $448 jeans’. The challenge with these sorts of branding exercises, that aren’t really viral, is coming up with cheap, effective ways to drive traffic. I guess that’s where seeding comes into play.
Given New Zealand brands have moved closer and closer to hardcore retail in the past five years, I thought I might start posting more retail sites. Particularly those that try just a little harder, like this (UK) microsite for Lands’ End. It has a fun island theme, easy navigation, works hard for the product and educates ladies on the best style for their body type. Awesome.
Dell sales via Twitter have now passed the $3 million mark. What’s more, its Twitter page now has more than 700,000 followers. Figures like these must be every marketer’s wet dream – sales without media spend – but the PC giant has definitely put in the hard yards over the past two years. How many other brands have dedicated bloggers or a history of campaigns like Dell IdeaStorm and StudioDell? For more on the Dell story see Igor Beuker’s latest post.
Although I might not be swayed by what famous people wear, I’m sure there are millions who are. Nike has developed a nice little site featuring short, fun clips of a famous Italian DJ, volleyball player, designer and footballer all looking uber cool in its latest sportswear range. Click on the highlighted items to reveal fullscreen product shots.
The guys behind the Mr Vintage tee empire prove you don’t need lots of money to develop a fun, distinctive brand. You just need the desire to do so. I particularly like the tongue-in-cheek humour that runs through everything they do, from retail offers to product descriptions. Did I mention the winner of the Mr Vintage model search? Nice.