Big Warm Up – Homeless Coat Drive Taps the Power of Interactive Video
Received an email from the Land’s End Shop at SEARS the other day. Can’t recall what compelled me to open what I normally classify as spam. In any case, it survived the big finger delete keystroke. After opening the BigWarmUp link in the email I was greeted with a mildly entertaining yet touching video. The video cleverly showcased the life of one red coat:
The coat’s Christmas reveal, to mom sewing her son’s name on the label, to its final resting place several years later. Lonely and forgotten it rests on the coat rack, second string to the latest fashion. Cut to a homeless center, exiting the building the red coat rests on the back of a man in need. Just behind, a homeless woman follows; she looks down at the label on her coat. My name was printed in black ink just like mom used to do.
Admittedly this is not the most technologically advanced or complex interactive video and it didn’t need to be. Advertisers and marketers, take note. It was the association and personalization that got me thinking about all those boxes in the rafters. What the heck am I hanging onto my old digs for anyway? It did what interactive video can do best for advertisers; it kept me engaged in the message and gave me the ability to take action when struck with the opportunity.
Interactive video screams entertainment, but for advertisers and marketers its power has scarcely been revealed. From personalization, to story driven reveals, to augmented reality, to a simple interactive link that lets you share or purchase the item advertised, interactive video provides a loaded brush to engage the consumer. It delivers the ability to capture and share of the moment interest, taking brands one step closer to the ROI Holy Grail.
Check out the Boston area campaign here http://www.bigwarmup.com/. If you are not from Boston you can still donate coat in your local area. Happy Holiday’s 