Work > Social Media
Technology has enabled brands to connect with individuals in unprecedented ways. Perhaps more importantly, it is creating opportunities for brands to connect individuals with each other. The age of the brand as the facilitator is here.
GMAC - The Makers of the GMAT
When you are trying to reach recent college graduates - the best way to reach them is through their friends.
GMAC, the maker of the GMAT, was looking for a way to reach students who might not be thinking about business schools or the test required to get in to get in. We worked with them to create an integrated experience that not only got this group's attention - it got them engaged and enticed them to spread the word about the promotion to their friends through Facebook and Twitter.
We did this through a campaign called "Direct Your Destiny". Terrible, yet humorous, jobs were showcased by our spokespeople who informed the audience that there was an alternative to bad jobs right out of college - they could choose to take the GMAT and direct their destiny. At the heart of the campaign was a site that used video to deliver key messages in a compelling and accessible way. We also partnered with Oddcast to create a social media web app that allowed visitors to place their heads, or their friends heads, on humiliating videos of dancing hot dog promoters and sandwich board men. The campaign was a big success and the viral component produced some of the highest initial sharing statistics Oddcast had seen that year.
My role on the project: Connections Planning, Interaction Design, Information Architecture, Technology Partner Selection and Management
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Smirnoff Ice Ultimate Party
Architecture and design for an integrated loyalty and word of mouth program
Loyalty program creation, website design and development and supporting material creation for Smirnoff Ice's travelling "Ultimate Party" loyalty program where select partygoers were invited to exclusive events and given opportunities to offer access to their friends.
My role on the project: Art Direction, Interaction Design, Information Architecture, Flash Animation
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Captain Morgan Rum
How do you make sure a character-driven rum brand stays relevant? You get the character blogging.
While at Real Branding, I was the creative lead on The Captain's Blog, a digital experiment for Diageo's Captain Morgan rum brand. The three month campaign used paid media to drive blog visits and then used a mix of Captain Morgan blog posts, daily polls, interactive activities and promotions to drive repeat visits and get visitors to invite friends.
The project helped Diageo refine their emerging social media strategy, increase loyalty among their target audience of young men new to hard alcohol and paved the way for the shop to be named interactive agency of record for the entire Diageo account.
But there was a downside - the process of embodying the captain and writing first person accounts of on-brand debauchery has forever turned me off of rum.
My role on the project: Concept Development, Art Direction, Interaction Design, Information Architecture