brand-e » contest

Putting story at the heart of digital

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:44:48 +0000

Microsoft has launched the Microsoft Advertising Story Awards, tasking marketers from 30 countries with submitting a campaign idea for a brand or non-profit using Microsoft Advertising’s storytelling platforms.

Entrants need to submit a hypothetical digital media plan and creative idea around a key business challenge for the selected organisation’s 2012 or 2013 calendar year – marketers need to tell a brand’s story using technology and solutions such as MSN, Mobile, Windows Live, Xbox, and Messenger to solve real marketing challenges.

The contest is split into two stages – local heats followed by a global final. Two global winners will get the Global Microsoft Advertising Story Award for 2012 as well as a VIP trip as Microsoft Advertising’s guests to the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity 2012, 17 to 23 June 2012.

“The fragmented nature of today’s media landscape can cause brands to lose the clarity of what they are trying to communicate to their audience,” says Richard Dunmall, vp of global agencies and accounts, Microsoft Advertising. “This competition, and the focus of the wider Microsoft Advertising business, is about helping brands to step back from the clutter, and put storytelling firmly back at the heart of digital marketing.”

Chevy gets a film wall

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:04:18 +0000

Microsoft Advertising has created an online hub to house and share videos from Chevrolet’s Chevrolet Route 66 global filmmaker contest launched back in June, writes Steve Mullins. The car brand’s campaign attracted close to 200 submissions from 32 countries, and the competition’s clips can now be viewed on the web in nine markets.

The new video wall is designed to make discovering, viewing and sharing as easy and efficient as possible with sharing features and can be accessed from virtually any device.

“Microsoft Advertising is also getting into the spirit of the contest,” says Stephen Kim, general manager, global creative solutions, Microsoft Advertising. “The person who shares the most videos with friends will also win $10,000. Everyone who visits the video wall will get the opportunity to engage in the excitement. The wall’s hub will feature a leader board so it’s clear who is sharing the most.”

Microsoft Advertising is promoting Chevrolet’s contest across multiple properties – MSN, MSN Video and Bing Video.

Creative music heads to Cannes

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:30:59 +0000

midem has unveiled the 10 finalists in the midem Marketing Campaign Competition to identify the most innovative and creative use of music in a marketing campaign. Those shortlisted include Converse Rubber Tracks presented by Cornerstone and Converse, Carte Musique presented by Euro RSCG C&O and The Hours, and The Vaccines Wetsuit Instagram Video presented by Anomaly.

Of the submitted campaigns, 23% came from transport brands, 21% from major retail names, 19% technology brands, 17% from the luxury and beauty sector, 7% from entertainment, 7% leisure, 4% finance and 2% from institutions.

The finalists will present their campaigns on Saturday 28 January in Cannes to midem participants and a jury made up of executives from the music industry, advertising agencies and brands, plus media personalities

Here comes TED

admin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:07:08 +0000

TED has announced that five agencies entering the Ads Worth Spreading initiative will be randomly selected for a visit, with the TED team curating a special session and meeting one-on-one with each agency. These visits – slated the first half of 2012 – are designed to spark deeper conversations between TED and the global advertising and marketing community.

Hubbing social innovation

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:01:11 +0000

McKinsey has been busy crowdsourcing, and over the past couple of months has been calling for 60-second videos to showcase innovative social projects, says Steve Mullins. The move elicited 150 clips from 30 countries and the public has been given the opportunity to vote on them.

The social innovation videos demonstrating the most inspiring and impactful innovations will feature across McKinsey’s online and print publications, on the websites of the consultancy’s publishing partners, and at a networking reception in New York City. The reception will bring together leading thinkers on social innovation from across the public, private and social sectors.

“Our world today faces unprecedented challenges, from widespread drought and famine to environmental degradation and human trafficking,” says McKinsey. “But every day, social innovators… are confronting these problems and having a tremendous impact.

The company says its goal is to create a hub where it can highlight work taking place around the world and where change makers can share new ideas and best practices. “We want to create a platform that draws attention to these innovators, so that we can celebrate their hard work and have them take their place alongside the world’s most recognised voices in social innovation.”

Counting on Canimations

admin — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:07:42 +0000

Red Bull is looking for help to sort out the best canimations. Canimations? “We launched a search for supremely talented animators, and asked them to show us what they could do with just their imagination and our blue and silver can,” the brand says. And now Red Bull wants the public jury to go online to Canimation Gallery, view the entries, and vote for the best.

Show Us, by Levi’s

admin — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:55:56 +0000

As part of its Go Forth campaign, Levi’s has teamed up with the American Film Institute to get creators, makers and visual thinkers coming up with their ideas of a better tomorrow, writes Steve Mullins.

So, for its Show Us The Way film contest, the brand wants those kinda folk to submit their treatments for the opportunity to produce a five-minute short about ‘a tomorrow that is better than today’.

Each of the half-dozen winning participants will receive $5,000 to make their films, as well as $500 for a Levi’s wardrobe for their cast. Winning participants will also be given 10 hours with an AFI mentor who will provide an experienced perspective.

All six films will get to chance to be showcased at AFI Fest in 2012, and all directors will be flown out to the event, all expenses paid, to present their vision in person.

“Think you got what it takes?” asks Levi’s. “#Showustheway.”

The force of music

admin — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:59:55 +0000

midem is calling for submissions to its Marketing Campaign Competition, an international contest rewarding the most innovative and creative use of music/artists in a marketing campaign. Each campaign will be judged on its force and creativity, the relevance of its concept, as well as its results compared to its objectives. Candidates are welcome to submit more than one project providing that each campaign ran in 2011 and includes a strong musical dimension.

Selected by Contagious Magazine, up to 10 finalists will be invited to midem to present their campaign to the following jury members:

Nick Bailey, executive creative director, AKQA Amsterdam

Ryan Fitch, music producer, Saatchi & Saatchi

Steve Mullins, content director, brand-e

Julie Nollet, international communications manager, Hennessy

Olivier Robert-Murphy, global head of new business, Universal Music Group

Click here for more information on the midem Marketing Campaign Competition