Facebook, Facebook, Facebook

Last week, Facebook has reached 500 000 millions members. I am pretty sure that you all are one of them...
Facebook has changed the life of many people. To celebrate its numerous followers, Facebook wants to hear from them - us.
Anyone can post his Facebook Story!

Mark Zuckerberg could repeat again and again that his web community had impacted the life of most of us... But what would be more credible than stories directly told by
us? I pretty sure most of us have something to say!!


Moreover, the movie The Social Network about the story of Facebook itself is creating a buzz online. Facebook members can be part of the 2.0 movie poster! You just have to upload your picture, and you are part of the mosaic!
This is a great idea! Users who are the essence of the movie can become more involved. Here is the trailer of the movie... I look forward seeing it!!!

Abercrombie & Fitch finally in France!

Here it is, Abercrombie & Fitch reinforce its presence in Europe by opening a store in France!!

I hear you all my french friends, screaming Yeaaa finally!!!
I am also glad they are gonna stop asking me to ship them some A&F clothes... I am sure that every European living in the US knows what I am talking about!

The store will take place at the number 23 on the Champs Elysées avenue. I heard that the American brand is going to spend $6.4 million for this new store... The brand had been entered the European market in May 2007 with its flagship in London. Where I used to go shopping A&F while I was living in France...
In 2009, a second flagship opened in Milan, Italy. I am glad the third one will finally be in France!


I believe that the notoriety of Abercrombie is France was made of its "non-accessible" position. Indeed, French people like the brand because they need to make an effort to access it... I am not sure the craze is going to stay, now that they can just go to a store, or on the coming French online store!


I look forward to see what the store is going to look like...
In Milan, A&F has adapted its strong in-store design identity to the Italian culture/history! I personally prefer the orignal/American in store design...

What about Abercrombie at home?
Last month, the brand had to close 2 of its NYC stores... The reason? A bed bug infestation!! One of them is the SoHo Hollister store Where I used to stop buy everyday when I was living in the area

The Associated Press official article
The Wall Street Journal Article

When INTEGRATED campaign goes beyond the real...

During my internship last summer in an interactive agency in NYC, I worked on the launch of a new perfum. The brand was trying to break down the traditional launch campaign using TV and billboards.

I can see that it becomes a trend for this kind of campaign to use new strategy! More integrated than ever, Biotherm first male perfume's campaign is based on a TV spot starring Tyson Ballou wAouuuuuu using mental force to control water.
Force is the name of the perfume... of course!

The campaign invites us to try it too, through different tools:

• A website where you can manipulate water... without touching your computer!
• In-store displays in 30 European stores
  

Try it online.... a surprise is waiting for you at the end of the experience!! And, because integrated campaign cannot exist without social media, you can share the result on Facebook

PS: Being ridiculous does not kill you... don't forget that!!

I truly appreciated when the campaign go beyond the traditional media in this way... Integrated campaigns often combine different media but they have to complete each other, each having its own role. In this campaign, Biotherm propose customers to interact with the brand through media themselves.
We often read about how people are aware about advertising nowadays, and how they reject it.

Who would reject the idea of going beyond the real? Of course everyone knows that there is nothing magical, but they want to play to find out how it works.

Provocative Renault do Brazil

Being French and future Brazilian, I must present you this campaign!! In Brazil, Renault believes that its Clio 2011 makes even the competitors jealous...
To take advantage of the situation, Renault has launched a street marketing campaign in Sao Paulo. Competitor cars have been covered up. They now looked like a Clio and carried the message "The popular that all the populars would like to be"

I agree that this message is hard to believe by the consumer but the provocation part is always a good way to catch attention!

Few facts about Renault Brazil:

• Production: 118,209 vehicles, or 4.6% of the Group total
• Workforce: 4,526, or 3.5% of the Group total

The French carmaker Renault is now the 5th most popular in Brazil, by doubling its sales in the country between 2007 and 2008.

I liked the way it sounds Renault Do Brazil !!!

WWF defends animals... but what about artists??

Looks like Ogilvy Paris want us to talk about their campaigns again...

For the last WWF campaign they have created, the agency chose What will it take before we respect the planet? as sloggan... The concept has been declined through 4 different posters...










What do you think about this campaign?
I personally like the concept, and even more the creative work! Anyone who is chocked?!...
Well, I did this post because I heard many people complaining about this campaign. The fact that there are graffitis is used to show a non-respect. Moreover, these people consider graffiti as an art! I could understand this point of view, but for me it exists different kind of graffiti. I would not consider the ones in this campaign as an art. They are mostly the ones we can see on our wall or in a subway... And they have been intentionally created to show disrespect!
The message in the campaign is well represented. Morever, I would have put the sloggan bigger on the visual to make it more catchy!

The Perrier Mansion Campaign

Created by Ogilvy Paris, the new Perrier campaign starring Dita Von Teese has created a buzz on the Internet. The campaign is based on the concept of The Perrier Mansion. A website has been created for the campaign and reflects pretty well the Dita Von Teese influence. The creative work is wonderful, combining high quality video with interactivity with viewers. I invite you to visit www.perrierbydita.com and I challenge you to find her in the Perrier Mansion.
Generally, brands using celebrities choose them according to its own identity. When it is not the case, the gap between the muse's and the brand's image makes the campaign unbelievable by consumers.
In this case, Perrier had been loosing his identity for few years and really needed a strong campaign to set up its new image. They chose Dita Von Teese as its muse and adapted the brand to her atypical image. I believe that it is a great campaign but at the same time, it is going to be hard for Perrier to keep up with its new sexy identity.

Here is an explicit video to show you this campaign's sexy atmosphere:

First Bank also helps you with your kids

If you have traveled to or stoped by Denver airport these last months, you might have seen this campaign. The ad's proposition "Tire your kids out so they sleep on the plane" is in line with the First Bank's sloggan "We're here to help." The concept is that children put theirs hands on the rotating billboard and get tired of following it. This campaign has been created by TDA Advertising and Design.

I personally appreciate when brands try to interact with viewers/readers, even through traditional media such as billboards. We should see it more often!

In bed with Ikea France

My first thought when I heard about this event was "OMG why am I not in France anymore??"

Beginning of June, IKEA has launched a competition where we could win a huge pyjama party. The party was not the only big idea, but the place chosen was also part of the prize. The Olympia, famous parisian concert hall, switched its seats for beds and its classy dress code for pyjama suits.
Even for its French stores marketing, Ikea shows its personality and origins: a symphonic band playing ABBA and the Swedish TV show "Millénium" on the screen. Of course, it could not be a real pyjama party without music and TV.

The interest for Ikea? Customers can try its mattress Sultan line. Moreover, during the pyjama party, customers can enter to win "a night in an IKEA." Who has never dreamed about spending a night in a supermarket?

Let's hope that Ikea US is gonna take it as an example...

Here to download the Official Press Release - sorry it's in French