A few months ago, digital marketing agency Razorfish published a
report called The Brand Experience Report.
One of the main points they made was that actions speak
louder than advertising. In other words, digital is an
experiential medium and for brands to digitally engage consumers
today, they must not only stand for something but also
do something. Branded experiences (or actions)
are the new advertising.
You know companies that act this way: Amazon,
Apple, Nike (e.g. Nike ID, Nike+) are all
examples of experiential brands. They understand how engagement and
positive experiences create customers.
This is another example and it comes from a category you
probably wouldn't expect to be experiential, marketing-wise -
Pharmaceuticals. The experiential brand is Bayer's
Didget.
The challenge: parents of children with
diabetes face a constant struggle to instil the habit of regular
blood glucose testing that is critical for managing the disease
The insight: Blood glucose monitors have
traditionally been created with adults in mind. But what about the
kids?...how can Bayer ease the parent/child tension that testing
creates?
And how can it take it to the kids (modern) playground?
The idea: Didget - the first and only blood
glucose meter for kids, which connects directly to Nintendo
DS and DS Lite gaming systems.
The glucose meter positively reinforces consistent testing
habits by awarding points that kids can use to unlock new game
levels and customize their gaming experience.
The Didget meter is intended for kids aged 5-14 and connects to
www.bayerdidget.co.uk,
a password-protected web community where kids can spend points that
they earn from consistent monitoring practices and create their own
page.
Check the demo on the site - as Bayer mentioned: having a
meter that fits into a child's world is a simple win.
Before you click-away, this week on "What-The…?!?" section, a
Dutch security company finds an innovative way of targeting
potential employees.
Sheild Security came up with the idea to design
briefcases containing a recruitment message written in steel
letters. When the briefcases were passed through the X-ray scanners
at airports and other public locations, working security officers
could read Shield Security's surprise job advert clearly: "Wanted:
Experienced security personnel". Now, I say, try to do this stunt
in the US (or Israel)…let's see how brave you are…