Coca-Cola has created a whole bunch of innovative vending machines over the last couple of years. Pepsi on the other hand has created only a couple. Many of these soda vending machines I have featured here on Ramble.
Now to add to that collection here is Pepsi’s latest vending machine…dubbed the “Like Machine”, it is programmed to dispense soda to fans who “Like” the brand on Facebook via their smartphone or via the touchscreen on the machine.
Pepsi piloted the machine at a recent Beyonce concert in Antwerp, Belgium and has received a good response. So don’t be surprised if you see one popping up nearby at some point. 😉
At Antwerp Central station, Coke Zero challenged unsuspecting train passengers to unlock the 007 in them and get a chance to win exclusive tickets for the new James Bond movie SKYFALL. However, the tickets weren’t free. People had to go the extra mile and unlock their inner 007 in less than 70 seconds to win. 😎
Gaming giant EA has recently released SSX extreme snowboarding for the Playstation and Xbox360. But before SSX officially hit the slopes in Belgium, EA wanted to generate extra buzz and free press. So their ad agency Duval Guillaume Modem from Antwerp created an exclusive “SSX Shakes” event for a limited audience of popular bloggers and journalists. During the event, they brought the audience in the right mood with booze, snowboarding, music, chicks, tricks… and game play.
The slope had a cocktail bar where the invitees got to choose 1 of the cocktails that were named after a typical snowboard trick. The cocktails however, were not shaken by bartenders but by pro-riders who performed the corresponding snowboard trick and handed it over freshly shaken. Afterwards every blogger and journalist received a personalized movie with the making of his SSX shake to share with friends, fans & followers. 😎
Most people in Belgium know that Korean car brand Kia gives a 7-year warranty on all its models. That’s a good thing. But, a lot of them think 7 years warranty is too good to be true and that there must be a catch. That’s a problem. If people don’t believe your advertising message then regular advertising is insufficient. A different approach was needed. One where traditional advertising was supported by editorial content and especially a lot of word of mouth.
LDV United came up with a campaign where everybody got reminded that only Kia gives 7 years warranty. And that, although it sounds too good to be true, it is in fact 100% true and that there is no catch.
To prove the warranty was genuine and that there was no catch, a lie detector was used. Legal connections, an official lie detector company, hooked up the CEO of Kia Motors to their lie detector. Consumers then asked him questions on the 7-year warranty during a live online session.
The stunt was communicated through newspaper ads, banners and a press release telling everyone that an actual CEO would be undergoing a live lie detector test. As a result the event was picked up by countless blogs and got featured in various newspapers and magazines. A lot of buzz was generated on the streets.
The campaign’s impact according to independent media company Scripta was…
Brand recognition: 42% (instead of 32% sector average)
Attribution: 73% (instead of 62% sector average)
Resulting in an Effectiveness Rating of 31% (instead of 20% sector average)
And last but not least: An impressive credibility of 80%
USG People, one of the world’s biggest Outsourcing companies, launched ikki.be. A new portal for freelancers in search of new projects. There mission was to build awareness among freelancers and make them sign up at ikki.be.
What they learnt was that one of freelancers biggest concerns is to get their money on time. Which they usually don’t. But from now on any freelancer will be able to recall the accounts department of their late payment. With a little smile!
