Art Center printing workshop in Sao Paulo is just one more serving the advertising agencies demanding market. So, it created something really different, just like creatives like to “taste”. Watch the video and take a “sample” of what happened.

Facial recognition technology seems to be making a big entry in street and point of sale marketing strategies and brands such as Coca Cola, Kraft, Adidas and even The Venetian casino in Las Vegas are leading the way.

Adidas will be using the technology in shopping center screens to identify a person’s age in order to better serve ads that are most relevant to them.  If you’re a 60 year old man, chances are you’re not much into flashy hipster style runners…

Kraft will use the technology in face scanning kiosks, depending on your age and gender, it will serve up different suggestions on how to best prepare you Kraft products.

The Venetian resort, hotel and casino in Las Vegas is now using the technology to suggest restaurants, clubs and all types of entertainment to their clients

But what is facial recognition and why is it such a controversial issue?

Facial recognition brings privacy issues because it can allow you to start from an anonymous face and end up sensitive information about any given person, a third of the time.  This was demonstrated by a study from the Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College in Pittsburgh.

In order to better understand the debate it is fundamental to know that there are two types of facial recognition technology.

There is the type that can match you face to your identity, this is primarily used by law enforcement agencies around the world.  Facebook and Google would also fall into this category, they both offer their own photo software which scans your pictures and suggests matches with pictures that include the same people.

The second category of facial recognition technology will only scan you face to get two types of information: gender and age.

The debate rages on but that does not seem to discourage brands such as Coca-Cola and Google to keep experimenting with the first category of facial recognition technology, moreover, the technology is starting to appear in the most unusual way, such as online dating agencies.  Looking for a good looking mate?  Let facial recognition technology take care of your quest.

As we wait for government regulators to step in, those who want to opt out of Facebook facial-recognition features can do so following these 4 easy steps…courtesy or the Los Angeles Times…

Daniel Arenas Tello

It’s awesome to see that our last consultancy job for Aston Martin’s launch of the Cygnet in March is starting to pay off for them.

The challenge was to create a “New Media Marketing Roadbook’’ in order to help Aston Martin with concrete activation tools and ideas.  One of these was the “Co-Branded Event” in collaboration with cool brands that can connect with their brand.

As you can see here Aston Martin is Co-Branding with the famous Parisian concept store Colette by creating a limited edition of the Cygnet: the Colette Cygnet, Well Done!

Bueno ayer tuve el placer de que me invitarán los de eventoplus a la presentación del estudio del sector de los eventos en España en el Liceo de Barcelona. Ya empezando por aquí me quede reflexionando como el venue puede ser determinante para un evento. El sitio precioso, muy americano a nivel decoración , muy bien iluminado y con 3 pantallas como mandan los canones!.. esta gente tengo que reconocerlo que en los últimos 2 años han hecho un salto caulitativo y cuantitativo. Su expertise en eventos ya esta a un nivel muy muy alto.

2010 Ha sido el año del ajuste en el sector, han caido varias agencias y prov. de servicios y todos hemos tenido que optimizar nuestros procesos. El termómetro del sector dice que estamos optimistas y que pensamos tener un año de un crecimiento moderado entorno al 2-5% sin embargo los clientes nos dicen que vamos a un -4.

Los mercado emergentes están en Alemanía, Francía, UK, USA y sobretodo ASIA que se vuelve real y empieza a tirar bastante así como Indía.

Ahora bien seguiremos teniendo recortes y vendrán principalmente en menos extras, menos lujo, eventos mas cercanos, eventos mas cortos, menos gente o menos eventos. Los eventos virtuales eso si seguirán siendo una tendencía, aunque ya se ha demostrado que no pueden ni tendrán el mismo nivel que un F2F. nada a día de hoy puede superar eso. PQ?¿ pq somos animales sociales y relacionales y necesitamos el contacto fisico , de hecho generamos dopamina cuando nos relacionamos con mucha gente y llegamos a un estado de excitación. Esa excitación que es comunicación no verbal, no puede ser reproducida por el mundo virtual.

Los clientes siguen pensando que somos pocos transparantes , que solo queremos colocar costes, que las agencías no aportan valor y en algunos casos hasta que no le entienden. Esto como muchos sabeís viene dado porque en el sector no esta definido nuestro modelo de negocio y de beneficio. es poco claro para el cliente. Así que se tendría que trabajar en demostrar o mostrar esta transparencía.

Pero que dicen las agencías sobre los clientes?

Que abusan , que cambian el briefing, que quieren duros a 4 pesetas, que les roba el cliente la creatividad, que los concursos ya parecen el sorteo de navidad. Bueno esta claro que 2010 nos ha dejado un año de tiranteces.

Como datos muy importantes en un 50% de los casos el cliente se hace sus propios eventos!.

Ahora bien que busca el cliente en la agencía?

Creatividad 90%

Transparencía 72%

A medida 72%

Atención al detalle 70%

Estrategia 58%

El cliente en definitiva esta un poco perdido ya que la oferta de servicios de las agencias es demasiado amplia y se pierde entre todos los servicios que puede llegar a ofrecer.

Bueno por hoy os dejo ya esta parte que creo que tiene suficiente sustancía como para dejarla digerir.

Mañana +..

Un saludo

JP

PD( Gracias a Eventoplus por invitarme al liceo)

Muy bueno esta acción de una marca de bebidas Honest Tea. La acción es simple tu decides si lo pagas o no. Así puedes ver cada ciudad lo honesta que es. Si lo hacemos en España que pasaría. Quien sería mas honesto Sevilla?Madrid? Barcelona?. .. se aceptan apuestas..

And here is our latest job called ADTRENDMAP The perfect tool for planners and brand managers. Using the Barcelona metro map. It picks up on cutting-edge trends, instantly bringing the new consumer exciting insights across all media / platfforms.

I invite you to check this work as a tool for planning and manage new campaigns..

ADTRENDMAP has been created with my two friends Joan and Rafa, we gather more than forty years working for brands between Barcelona, Brussels and New York. We share a vision focused on the prosumer as the only protagonist of our marketing efforts.

We belong to three different agencies but we strongly believe in coopetition: the competition based on cooperation. We all needed a simple tool for our customers to understand the new landscape, and the Adtrend Map is the result of that. In the following months we’ll receive enriching feedback from marketers and advertisers like you. Be sure we’ll be pleased to improve the map with all your comments.

A small Mexican brewery called Minerva has brewed several new beers targeted specifically at gay drinkers. Purple Hand Beer and Salamandra, supposedly the world’s first “queer beers,” are already available in some bars and restaurants in Guadalajara, Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos, according to reports. The “artisan honey-ales” are made with organic honey and malt, giving them an orange flavor, which the brewer believes appeals to gay communities. Also, in a nice touch, the labels (which reference gay themes) are designed to be unglued and worn as a symbol of gay pride. It’s an interesting idea, and some people will surely try the stuff just on principle. But can you really expect someone to like the flavor of something based on whether they’re straight or gay? One thing’s for sure: They won’t be packaging this stuff inside dead rodents like the Scottish do. Via PSFK.

From LeoBurnett Ageny here is a good example of how to integrate traditional media with 2.0 tools with new guerrilla marketing actions. I have to say that i´m impress about it. .. just watch the video!.

Mira y saca tus propias conclusiones

Have a look and think about it..

French luxury brand Hermes presents a nice viral featuring some Fingerboard skate action and their current Fall/Winter 2010 Collection.

La marca Hermes presenta un  video viral donde usa como hilo conductor un skateboard para mostrar sus prouctos de Otoño- Invierno 2010.