French crazy 3-D ads inspire to travel more

You're walking down the street and you see a giant 3-D mouth singing opera. Maybe you see an enormous, realistic rugby player taking a shower. Perhaps a gigantic Marilyn Monroe dress blowing in the breeze grabs your attention on your way to a bus stop that plays disco music if you touch the weird medallion-adorned hairy chest of a swarthy dude.

Well, if you're in France and you encounter any of these scenarios, you've probably come across the latest outdoor campaign from SNCF French Railways and agency TBWA\Paris. These crazy larger-than-life ads aim to inspire people to travel to places they are passionate about. 

If you are not in France and you see these things, you may want to seek therapy.

Evian - new babies campaign

Evian is bringing back the dancing tots. "Baby & Me," a new film from the brand, created by BETC Paris, starts with an adult catching his reflection in a bus window and seeing a baby version of himself looking back at him.

Babies, have of course, been the cornerstone of Evian creative since 1998, when the brand launched "Waterbabies." 2008's "Roller Babies," remains, according to Guinness, the most viewed ad video ever. 

Besides the film, the campaign will include an outdoor campaign that will bring the baby-and-adult mirrored-dancing concept to life on digital posters. (Look for cameos by tennis champion Maria Sharapova and the golfer Melissa Reid.) There will also be an app that allows you to "babify" yourself thanks to facial recognition software.

Another brand with a outstanding brand image.

Le Trèfle - Emma ad

Out of all the people hating on digital, toilet paper companies are probably the ones still allowed to say that paper is still necessary. A funny spot from French TP company Le Trefle and Leo Burnett Paris shows the digital vs. paper battle between a husband and a wife.

So good that it requires to be posted as a separate post. Well done, France, you never stop surprising me :)

Videos Autumn 2012

Some of the most amazing videos/ marketing activities I've seen during the last month or so. Enjoy!

Heineken: The real Master of intuition

"We’ve staged a special broadcast of the UEFA Champions League final match in a pub in Milan. Two legends of Italian football, Billy Costacurta and José Altafini, are in the pub giving live commentary. They don’t know we’ve hidden cameras everywhere to give them the surprise of their lives." 

Unleash Your Fingers : Next Generation

Last year, Samsung France released a very cool advert for their new Samsung Galaxy entitled Unleash Your Fingers. With the premise that the larger screen of the Galaxy allowed users to have more room to use their fingers, the advert focused purely on the these oft-overlooked digits and produced a beautifully choreographed ‘finger dance’, or Finger Tutting as it’s known professionally.

Whilst this was novel enough, Samsung blended it with seamless and stunning digital effects to complete the marriage between the finger ballet and the digital tech with which they’d dance.

This year, Samsung France have decided against spoiling a winning combination and have returned with Unleash Your Fingers : Next Generation which is more of the same, but bigger and better. Take a look at the new and the old versions and compare!

And the video from last year.

Dior Addict Fragnance

The French fashion house Dior has showed us once again its recognizable note of playful elegance presenting its latest campaign and video for well known Dior Addict fragrance line. It’s created by Swedish director Jonas Akerlund and inspired by the legendary scene from the Roger Vadim’s movie “And God created women”, from 1956.

Dior has decided for a cheerful summer residence in contrast to usual glamour, starring the popular Dutch model Daphne Groeneveld. The playful romp on Saint Tropez beach with a 60’s style all over it, is completed with Stereo Total‘s soundtrack ‘I love you Ono’.

Titled “And Dior Created Addict”, the brand kept a same kind of sensual and funny inspiration just like in their previous campaign L.A.dy Dior starring with actress Marion Cotillard.

The Art of Packing from Louis Vuitton

What a great way to present not only its luggage collection but also the wide range of apparel, shoes and accessories produced by the French luxury brand.

Starting from the size of your bag, learn how to fold t-shirt, jackets, pants etc… and how to dispose them so that everything fits and, most of all, you don’t have to iron all the items again when you reach your destination. Useful and beautiful, the experience allows you to interact with the items and follow the folding instructions step by step, or simply play the video and watch the process.

 For a quick sample, watch the video below, but if you have more time, or you are in desperate need for good packing tips, don’t miss the website.

adidas: Ready to Run Experiential Campaign

Yeah, French are absolutely crazy! I've been recently fascinated by the two viral campaigns and now this... Niiice!

I love this experiential piece from adidas France. With the insight that the younger audience hated running they needed a new way to create hype for the re launch of the Climacools – pure running shoes.

adidas wanted to give teens a reason to run so they launched this experiential campaign “Ready to run.” The concept begins with each teen that tries on a pair of Climacools anywhere in France, has their chance to be chosen to carry out a mission which involves racing across the city. The chosen teen gets kidnaped from within the store, taken into a van, given earphones and instructions before they are left to run their mission. They are filmed as they carry out their hour long operation. adidas involved key stars in the campaign such as athlete Teddy Riner’s (world judo champion) who gave the teens their instructions remotely. What a great way to create some hype around this running shoe!

Viral

If I was asked what is my favourite viral, PR, or a flash-mob campaign... most probably it would be this one.
And this is France, once again :)

Nivea France viral

Brilliant idea!

The Tippexperience the hunter and a bear are back!

After the worldwide success (50 million views and multiple awards) of the Hunter vs Bear campaign for Tipp-Ex, everyone was wondering if Buzzman agency would be able to take up the challenge of a sequel. Job done.

In 2010, the Hunter and the Bear proposed us to rewrite the story. This year, Season 2 goes further by giving us the power to rewrite History.

This this year's campaign by yourself:

And now the campaign from 2010:

L'Odyssée de Cartier

The panther itself is steeped in history. 'La Panthère' being the nickname of Catier's legendary designer Jeanne Toussaint who created their first ever piece of panther jewellery - a bracelet for the Duchess of Windsor.
They wanted to create a movie that they would be proud to show to Steven Spielberg".
In my opinion, it is just... breathtaking! Have a look: