The first pre-launch of a car using Twitter

Twitter is only just taking off in Argentina, and Wunderman Buenos Aires managed to convince Ford to run the pre-launch on Twitter, with great success.

The idea was to give the most followed twitterer in Argentina the one and only new Ford Fiesta available in the country, with the condition that he drive it for 5 straight days, tweeting about his experience. That alone is not new, but the twist was smart. Some of the most famous TV stars jumped in the car and tweeted mini interviews while being driven around in the new Fiesta.

After just 5 days, the campaign had reached over 200,000 people. That is 50% of all Twitter users in Argentina.

Why this pre-launch mechanic works

It turns product access into a live narrative. One car. One highly followed driver. A fixed time window. That constraint creates focus and makes the story easy to follow in real time.

The celebrity ride-alongs add a second layer. They keep the feed fresh, they pull in adjacent audiences, and they make the tweets feel like “content” rather than a running spec sheet.

What to borrow for your next social launch

  • Give someone real access. Scarcity is a stronger signal than claims.
  • Put a clock on it. A defined window creates urgency and repeat checking.
  • Add format variety. Mini interviews change the rhythm and widen appeal.

A few fast answers before you act

What made this a “pre-launch” on Twitter?
The story unfolded through live tweets before broad availability, anchored by one high-profile driver and one car.

What was the core execution?
Argentina’s most followed twitterer drove the country’s only new Ford Fiesta for 5 straight days and tweeted the experience.

What was the twist beyond a standard influencer test drive?
TV stars joined the ride and tweeted mini interviews while being driven around.

What result is highlighted?
Over 200,000 people reached in 5 days, described as 50% of Argentina’s Twitter users.

What is the main takeaway?
Make the launch feel like an event, not an announcement. Access plus a live format beats static messaging.

Flashback Book Facebook App

You scroll through years of Facebook updates, realise how quickly your best moments disappear into the feed, then hit a button to turn them into something you can actually keep. Flashback Book takes your statuses and photos and produces a printed Facebook book you can hold.

The brief. Launch a Facebook platform without the usual gimmicks

Bouygues Télécom asks ad agency DDB Paris to come up with an idea to launch their Facebook platform. The goal is to go beyond using profile pictures in a funny way, or pranking friends with small jokes.

The insight. We post every day, then forget what we shared

DDB looks at the way we use Facebook and finds a simple truth. Even though we use the social networking site every day, we forget our favourite moments we share online. So they create an app that changes that, and keeps Facebook, in a book.

How the Flashback Book is created

Facebook ads engage people to participate in the creation of their books and receive a printed copy of their statuses and photos. You can also choose up to 10 friends to add into your book, as well as the desired timeframe, whether it is your birthday, your wedding, or from the very beginning of your profile.

Early traction

After only two days they receive 15000 fans, and the limited edition of 1000 books are gone in only an hour.


A few fast answers before you act

What is Flashback Book in one sentence?

It is a Facebook app concept that turns your statuses and photos into a printed book, so your favourite moments live outside the feed.

What choices does the user control?

You choose the timeframe and can include up to 10 friends, which makes the book feel personal and event-based rather than generic.

Why does a physical book work as a social idea?

Because it flips ephemera into permanence. It turns “endless scrolling” into a curated artefact you can keep, gift, and revisit.

What is the key execution lesson here?

Make participation lightweight and the output tangible. When the reward is a real object, the motivation to complete the flow increases.

The Speed Camera Lottery

The winning idea of the Volkswagen fun theory award was submitted by Kevin Richardson, USA.

Can we get more people to obey the speed limit by making it fun to do? This was the question Kevin’s idea answered and it was so good that Volkswagen, together with The Swedish National Society for Road Safety, actually made this innovative idea a reality in Stockholm, Sweden.