From the archives: Inventions and reinventions

I’ve produced hundreds of solutions for clients over the years. To begin with, in the realm of advertising and marketing, and latterly in the worlds of digital design and technology. I dug out a few of the highlights of my career as a Creative Director:

2016 EXPEDIA HTA FACIAL RECOGNITION  

Working with the Hawaiian Tourism Authority, through the Expedia Creative Partnerships Team, we designed an interactive, facial recognition campaign to deliver personalised travel itineraries to prospective visitors.

Connecting embryonic web technologies with innovative film making, we were able to watch viewers as they watched our films, allowing us to use sentiment analysis to deliver their perfect Hawaiian vacation. 

You can have a go yourself here discoveryouraloha.expedia.com

2015 BBC UNEARTHED PROTOTYPE  

As television evolves, broadcasters like the BBC invite their partners to be inventive with new technologies to deliver deeper experiences for viewers. 

In this instance we delivered an experiment that connected 360 degree film footage with innovative interaction techniques and binaural sound to place the viewer in the heart of the rainforest. A fully sensory immersion into the heart of the jungle. 

The technology is now being adopted across broadcast and will be a key part of future virtual reality programming. 

You can see and hear how it feels here.

2013 CBS INVERSE AUGMENTED REALITY

Invention happens when you connect the previously unconnected.

In 2013, whilst playing with augmented reality technology, our CBS client asked us if we had any ideas to promote their broadcast of historical Star Trek episodes at an upcoming convention.

So we inverted the technology and rather than overlaying content in AR, we found a way to remove it. And in doing so created a matter transportation experience for thousands of Trekkies which was seen around the world.

Watch the video case study here.

2012 SPURS MATCHCENTRE  

The goal in redesigning and building the new Spurs site was to get fans to visit on match day, rather than going to the large news publishing sites. 

We designed and built an innovative matchday hub that collated a multitude of data feeds into an exciting second-screen experience. Delivering over six thousand concurrent users at any given moment on any given match day.

Which equates to a lot of new revenue.

2006 INCREASING ORGAN DONATION   

Historically, campaigning to recruit organ donors relied heavily on positive affirmation of the altruistic act of carrying a card. Challenging that convention, we used the principals` of behavioural psychology to deliver a new approach to recruitment. 

Knowing that fear of failure is a stronger motivation than potential success, we showed that inaction made those not on the register complicit in preventable deaths.

A disruptive approach that saw a 300% increase in donor registrations.

1998 REPOSITIONING THE AA   

The AA was a breakdown service. 

People had little faith in their mechanics and no interest in their imperialistic history. 

So we repositioned it as 'The fourth emergency service'. 

Beyond marketing, the entire organisation had to change to live up to that new status.

Operationally and commercially it became one of the success stories of the decade. 

Winning effectiveness and creative awards alike. 

1995 IRN BRU REINVENTION

You have to deconstruct to reconstruct. 

So we killed 'Made in Scotland from Girders' and ushered in a new era of high volume, low-budget, guerrilla marketing campaigns for the brand.

Based on one sentence pitched to a very conservative client. We said, 'Disposable culture requires disposable advertising'.

Sensing a new digital zeitgeist, we reinvented not only the brand, but the way youth-culture brands were marketed. 

I have to say, I’m a bit embarrassed about the content, and having marketed soft drinks, but hey, I was young!

There's a legendary story behind the pitch, email me if you want to know it!