For the launch of Premium Economy, Virgin Atlantic have decided to do something different and offer punters the chance to win a real title. But first they have to take a ‘poshness’ test at www.getusedtofeelingposh.com.au
Whilst online, users can also explore the new Premium Economy cabin and all it has to offer. To drive traffic to the site, NetX developed a big offline campaign, ‘poshing up’ Martin Place rail station and turning it into ‘Martin Palace’. Practically every poster site, along with floor and escalator media in the station has been usurped by Virgin Atlantic. And cabin crew handed out samples of a new fragrance, Le Cuir - the scent of real leather (seats).
With the promotion running throughout May, it won’t be long before we discover who will be the first Baron of Bondi. Or Marquis of Malvern.
A collaborative effort between our friends at One Green Bean and Mitchells and NetX.
Forget Big Brother 08. Check out Big Chicken 08. A twisted version of the original with chooks replacing the err, adults (?) Eight Chickens. One Hen House. Only one winner will make it through to the flame grill. A gripping six part serial for Nando’s. Get online and get addicted. Find out which chook will be Australia’s favourite fowl. And whether there will be any turkey slapping. Vote for the bird that takes your fancy here: www.bigchicken.com.au
After a brief hiatus, the Lab blog is back up and full of beans. As we were moving gear from Balmain to St. Leonards in a recent change of digs, the server fell out the back of the company Volvo in the cross city tunnel. It was rescued by a couple of students, repurposed and given a new assignment as a dedicated Botanicalls server. We tracked the Twits down though after noticing some uncommonly green areas of Redfern, and everything’s back to normal (although there’s a couple of wilting gardenias who haven’t yet forgiven us).
Thank you for your concerned enquiries, it’s good to be missed and you’re all on the top of our Christmas card list (sure you’ll be happy about that).
In other news, James is considering getting a tattoo of two seagulls fighting over a chip.
This blog is very sad to lose a major contributor with now Ex-Xer Tim Buesing moving onto different coloured pastures. His thoughtful ponderings on all things creative and technical will be sorely missed around here. And he has shaped some of the best work to come out of NetX and St Edmonds Lab. Of course his new employer is very lucky to have him and will benefit greatly from all the expertise we here at the Lab have imparted to him (he is certainly a better German for having known us.)
NetX has opinions on the coming digital developments. Some are about strategy, some about technology, some are about our mothers. If you want to read up on how the next year pans out, look no further than this post. To mimic the style of Twitter, one of the most talked-about micro-blogging tools of 2007, we limited the predictions to 140 characters each.
Yes, it’s the silly season – and it doesn’t get much sillier than this.
For all your support and friendship during 2007, we’d like to express our sincere appreciation through song.
We only ask for one small favour in return – your patience. There are megabytes of love coming your way, which could, depending on the size of your chimney, take a few minutes to download. So please, get comfortable, have a Merry NetXmas and give it to someone special: Watch and listen to our NetXmas
For everybody who enjoys a look behind the scenes:Have a peek at our elaborate set and the no-expenses-spared filming. When you see it, it is hard to feel worried about Hollywood’s writers strike.
Apparently some CDs didn’t see the funny side of being sledged by text (SMS) at the AWARD party at Sydney’s great arts venue Carriageworks on Friday. Guests could text comments with their mobiles that appeared in speech bubbles over pictures of the award winners.
Most of the comments were funny or in good spirits but as the night wore on and the alcohol kicked in the barbs became more poisonous.
We knew this was an experiment and therefore going to be a bit risky (see a similar use at re:publica conference). And some people will always go too far. However we wanted to show that at events, technology and interactivity can come together in a very intuitive way. It was an opportunity for people to experience first hand how easy-to-understand and engaging an interactive idea can be.
Video of the projection at the AWARD 2007 party:
We set it up using a standard SMS gateway, drawing the incoming live data (text messages) into a flash file which constituted the projection of photos made a few moments earlier. This might have been the first time such technology has been used at an Australian event.
If you know of similar applications or would like to comment (sledge?), please drop us a line.
Update:
The SMS celebrated its 15th birthday two days after we invited to text to the AWARD screen. Of course, we hereby salute the engineers at Airwide for their brilliant addition to the world of communication.
Happy days! We’ve just launched our first Facebook app for SEEK. It’s a playful, social little thing that leverages their “Curious?” campaign. Users can describe what they see in the inky smudge and get an ‘inkling’ or hint as to their personality.
Online display ads in their current shapes have been with us for a while so it is always refreshing to see a new format appearing. This one provides a more complex and richer experience. It also delivers much more (dynamic) content in one place. And by this I mean more than the over-the-page, expanding leader board, mini game or video placement with dynamic text. While those executions already allow richer interactions than the traditional banners, they are still asking users to leave the page in order to follow up with their interest. That result of click through is how banners are priced and measured. But by demanding a click-through users feel a conflict: do I feel compelled enough by the ad to interrupt what I am currently doing?
Now they don’t have to feel that pain anymore. To up the ante on display ads, Google allows their format Gadget Ad to behave like a micro site (not new). And after introducing them in the US, UK and Germany, they can now be seen in Australia and be shared on personal blogs, iGoogle, or sent around (now that is new). Have a look via CNBC report. This opens the door to affiliate marketing models by allowing users to participate in the revenue stream through impressions, interactions and transactions .
Richness
The Google Gadget ad allows useful applications incorporating data feeds, maps, images, audio, video, Flash, HTML or JavaScript in a single creative. Transferability
Users can post and share the gadget ads anywhere. Full Interaction Reporting
Site-by-site interaction reports tracking multiple actions are possible.
As an “industry first” in Australia, NetX has produced a complex mini site in the format of the Google gadget. The current international Gilette Champions campaign website features videos, quotes and downloads by the global sport superstars Tiger Woods, Thierry Henry and Roger Federer. All of this content was shrunk to 300×250 pixel (all other AdSense sizes are possible as well though) thereby allowing users to interact with exclusive content of their heroes without leaving the page.
Now facebook apps are all the rage…with the clients. Via the back door of junior marketing people (who are entrenched in the social media scene), many marketing departments ask agencies like NetX to bring home the bacon. Namely, deliver a lasting engagement of users with their brand, product or campaign … inside their own social circles. While the entry barrier of using the f8 developer platform is set quite low, we simultaneously compete for limited real estate and user’s capacity and need for more apps.
Will users stop experimenting and even reduce the number of apps in order to slim down and have a better experience with their favourites?
In other words: will the majority of facebookers be getting a facial?
