Officemax has a very well done online video camapign currently running for their “Go Back To School For Pennies” initiative. Brandfreak has a great writeup on the campaign.
Why I think it works? Unlike certain brand campaigns that try to be clever and create ‘webisodes’, or deem videos ‘viral’ before they’re even made, OfficeMax kept their online videos short, light-hearted and funny but on message with more bang for your buck during the current recession. See for yourself below:
My only gripe with the campaign? The lack of effort that went into branding their Penny Pranks YouTube presence and lack of a Facebook Page to help support the campaign and videos. I can’t think of any reason why these would not have been setup…
OfficeMax – If you’re reading this, we’ll set you up a Penny Pranks Facebook Fan page for mere ‘pennies’ just to show you how much better these videos can be promoted…
As I read this Brandfreak article on Fedex and their ‘viral’ webisodes featuring Fred Willard, I was hit with a blast from the past. Turns out we also worked on a similar execution called The NBA Inspectors that was created by The Arnell Group for the NBA starring Fred Willard. The webisodes were tongue in cheek and featured on the microsite. You can view it here*.
This was back in 2004.
Webisodes are not innovative anymore. Brands like Fedex, though commended for actually putting budget against original video content for the web, should be pushing their agencies (BBDO in this case) to create video content that is more interactive and more in tune with today’s web audience. You also can’t create ‘viral’ videos as evidenced by the video being on YouTube for a week and having only 693 views to date.
You can judge for yourself on the ad below:
*The site is only partially functional as it’s not live anymore and is only being used for portfolio reasons.
Why is this the first time I’ve heard about Shopflick?! I love to shop, but always do it in-person because I enjoy the experience: seeing, touching, trying on, and viewing in the mirror at all angles. I don’t enjoy shopping online, because more often than not, I find myself returning clothes that looked great in the thumbnail picture shown on the site, but awful on me. Shopflick is the first retail site I’ve experienced that really does a great job at meshing the in-person experience with the online experience.
You can go to Shopflick to browse through very funky, cool clothes. (Yes, even men!) It is not unlike any other retail e-commerce site at first: select a section, click on a thumbnail image of one that looks good to you, and view a detail page about that item. Normally, however, the detail pages on other retail e-commerce sites contain just a single photo with a short text description. Sometimes you can view additional close-up photos and/or change the color of the item. Shopflick takes it to the next level!
When you click on a thumbnail in Shopflick, you are taken to a detail page that will contain the photo, and a “Meet the Designer” video. This video isn’t super high quality, but I think that is part of its beauty. It is a very personal video in which the designer(s) speak to you about their product line and what they try to achieve with their clothing line. It really gives you a feeling that you know the designer personally, and by understanding the craft behind the creation, there is sure to be a higher sell-thru. (Would be interested to find some stats on this!) These videos are short and sweet, encouraging you to watch all the way through. Also, on some of the products, if there is other footage on the specific product you’ve selected, it is included so you can view the item on an actual person from all angles. I am really impressed by Shopflick’s video integration because it is very compelling to a shopper like me, and doesn’t look expensive to make. (i.e. possibly shot on a handheld digital camera!)
The site also encourages you to join the community, where you can save favorite items, post comments/feedback, and even become a seller within the community. The list of designers featured on Shopflick is respectable and quite long! There is also a “Videos” section that contains series of webisodes such as Hall of Style and Kitchen Couture.
I first read about Shopflick on Mashable, and now I can’t get myself off this page. I’m sure to buy a thing or two before the day ends. Because I liked their video integration so much, I thought I would explore what Shopflick is doing in terms of social media. Sure enough, they are up to date, with a Facebook page, a YouTube page, and even a MySpace page! The YouTube page features the “Fashion Designer Series” and other various fashion videos. Nothing too fancy here, but in my eyes, very innovative in the retail web space.
We Are Organized Chaos (WAOC) is Zugara’s (www.zugara.com) interactive marketing and advertising blog where we’ll be featuring some great projects and discussing upcoming trends in the digital world. Work — good and bad — will be critiqued. Hope you’ll enjoy reading our insights and thoughts on interactive.
