2006 January | Web Jungle

Archive for January 2006

Happy 1st Birthday to this Blog

January 30, 2006 | Author Roland Hachmann

This blog launched 1 year ago out of pure curiosity. I already read blogs, I had read about blogs and at some point I was wondering what it was like to have and maintain a blog myself.

So I started this one and decided that I would blog about anything related to web culture, web2.0, digital marketing and advertising. I considered this easy to do, since I work in interactive advertising and hence have to deal with this on a daily basis anyway.

But posting on a daily basis, I didn’t manage sofar. I admire all those bloggers who put out (quality) content everyday, many even several times a day – while having a regular day job!

Still, I really enjoy this, so in 2006 I’ll continue weblogging anything interesting I find during my exploration of – and journeys through – that web-jungle out there.

Up and onward. Have a great 2006!

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Heavy traffic for honda

January 29, 2006 | Author Roland Hachmann

Just a quick update on a recent post: The Honda choir spot apparently had 800.000 viewers last week, as the wieden&kennedy blog states.
Not bad considering the fact that the distribution (=media) costs for this 2 minute piece must have been minimal compared to regular TV rates. Plus the fact, that many have blogged and/or talked about this.

Posted in Ad News, Digital Marketing, Interactive News, Online Advertising, Viral Marketing | No Comments »

A great idea of the Economist

January 29, 2006 | Author Roland Hachmann

Ad Blather pointed me to a great OOH ad:

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Blogs are (public) conversations, almost like a giant party.

January 17, 2006 | Author Roland Hachmann

Simon Dumenco writes, that a Blogger is just a writer with a cooler name.

Now, I would like to discuss with Simon, whether “blogger” is such a cool name in the first place.

But since Simon “posted” his article in the so called “traditional way”, even though already in the digital space, I can’t comment on what he wrote. I can only email him, leaving everyone else out of this conversation.

Neither can I leave a trackback on his post in order to show him that I am writing within my own blog about his points. (Will someone point him to my blog?)

I can’t have a simple public conversation with him. I could only ask him to join me in a discussion board or forum. But I can’t argue with him on the “digital street”, as I walk by, figuratively speaking.

Taking this thought one step further:

Traditional Media Publishing is like one person giving a speach to a large auditorium. You read it, then you discuss with your friends. Maybe you write a letter to the editor (like asking a question in a large auditorium – how many people do that, really?)

The forums and discussion boards are on the other side of the scale. After a short time, people tend to know each other very well and often it’s hard for strangers to join into the mostly well advanced conversations.

Blogs allow for discussions “en passant”. Comparable to a smalltalk party. You klick past many blogs, do some commenting here and there, engage in some discussions – and sometimes you find topics that capture your interest for a little longer so you stay (or come back often).

(btw, thanks to Steve Rubel for pointing out a whole lot of other factors why blogging isn’t quite just plain writing.

Posted in Digital Culture | 1 Comment »

Vodcast from BMW

January 17, 2006 | Author Roland Hachmann

While Mercedes Benz amazes me with a fascinating microsite, BMW fascinates me because of the way they are testing new channels of interaction and user involvement:

I already knew for a couple of weeks about their
RSS Feed.

Then I found out about their vodcast,

as well as their podcast.

Now I found, that they even supply you with a mediaplayer, through which you can receive all the above mentioned content, plus more than 3,000 online radiostations (as they claim).

Much of what they distribute through these channels are typical PR things (news, (video-) interviews at tradeshows, etc.). All in all a good way of keeping their fanbase engaged with the brand!

Posted in Digital Culture, Digital Marketing, Interactive News | 1 Comment »

Mercedes Benz from A to S

January 16, 2006 | Author Roland Hachmann

This is clearly one of the smartest and best brand microsites I have seen in a while: From A-Class to S-Class by Mercedes Benz.

With each letter of the alphabet (but only until S) this site shows one of the features that prove that Mercedes Benz pays a lot of attention to detail. This alone doesn’t strike one as being overly interesting.

What makes this a true “experience” of the features is the way you explore everything with your mousepointer. In the screenshot above, you push down the leather while moving your mousepointer across the leather. In another one, you can see how your mousepointer starts skidding away in a straight line once you moved over a puddle of what I reckon is oil. This one shows how ESP gives you directional stability.

In the beginning, the site even teaches you the three main ways of interaction with your mouse on this site: roll-over, click, click and drag. (Makes you wonder about the target group.)

A lot of fun, while using interactivity to its fullest, to demonstrate each point. Well done!

And now for the marketing bit: they didn’t publish all features just now. May be because they aren’t finished yet, but who believes that?. I think it’s a rather clever stunt to collect addresses: when I clicked on a letter that wasn’t “live” yet, I got a message saying that I would be informed of updates if I leave my email address (and it obviously also had a check box for “further information in the future”). Of course I left my email address. For one, because I infact do want to see the next couple of letters. Secondly, I want to see the follow-up email they’ll send me. Should be interesting!

Posted in Digital Marketing, Online Advertising | No Comments »

Honda’s Civic being promoted with a choir

January 14, 2006 | Author Roland Hachmann

Here is a Honda TV Spot that is currently making it’s round across several blogs.

I am curious to learn about how many views Honda gets with this spot – as it seems to be quite well promoted via a choir of word-to-mouth propaganda.

On some blogs, people ask what does it sell or achieve?

What does it achieve for Honda? Unfortunately, not much of anything. The same spot could have featured a Toyota, Volkswagen or Mercedes, and it would have worked just as well creatively.

Well, you could ask the same question for most car ads. In fact, you could ask the same about most spots these days.
At the same time, I have thought more about Honda (and in parts the Civic) in those 2 Minutes, than I have in the last couple weeks.
Or as Werbeblogger puts it, the Honda brand will most likely have moved up the ranks in the list of cars I remember the next time I buy a car.

On the microsite you can of course explore the car’s features. But you can also see the making of the spot.

(thanks)

Posted in Ad News, Online Advertising | 1 Comment »