T: 020 7831 2225

F: 020 7831 1408

E: info@thinktank.org.uk

Blog

Keep up to date with our blog entries on:

TwitterLinked inFacebookYou Tube      or,      Bookmark and Share

Mobile bank introduces itself with mobile orchestra

Wednesday, 29th May 2013 at 6:45pm

Hello BankBNP Paribas has launched what it describes as the first fully-digital mobile bank; 'Hello Bank'.

To commemorate the event Publicis Conseil, in collaboration with master production company B-Reel and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, recorded a special performance of 'Carmen'.

During a performance in Prague led by conductor Libor Pesek, the outfit's 60 musicians put aside their instruments and picked up mobile phones and tablets.

To show how much effort went into creating the performance a behind the scenes video was also released which how the mobile devices were hooked up to 227 different interfaces, and linked together via WiFi.

Watch both the performance and behind the scenes below.







Tagged Technology, marketing, stunt, Hello Bank, BNP Paribas, B-Reel, Publicis, Czech National Symphony Orchestra

Target builds giant dolls house in station

Thursday, 9th May 2013 at 1:30pm

Doll HouseThresholdIn an experiential stunt of the grandest of scales, American retailer Target built a life-size dolls house in the middle of Grand Central Station in New York.

The installation, which was created by Deutsch Los Angeles, is a showcase of their Threshold home décor line and features between 3,500 and 4,000 products, with staff on hand for demonstrations and help.

The dolls house was built in just 54 hours by fitting together interlocking 4-by-8 panels creating a 1600-square-foot open-plan house, as well as a patio and lawn area.  This space allows Target to show-off their latest lines in their entirety, which would not be possible to do in stores, and will give some great exposure with over 500,000 people visiting the station every day.

You can find out more about the installation at Ad Age here.
Tagged Target, Grand Central, New York, Threshold, Deutsch, Marketing, experiential, stunt, interiors, furniture

Budweiser lets you make friends with a clink

Wednesday, 1st May 2013 at 4:02pm

Buddy CupBuddy CupIt's an age old tradition across the globe. You say "cheers" (or regional equivalent) then 'clink' glasses, an almost universal symbol.

In Brazil, Budweiser is making this act, even more sociable, with their Buddy Cups.

The smart cups detect the contact between them and adds the other person as a friend on Facebook, this is done via a chip in the bottom of the cup and a code which you scan with your smart phone to activate it.

The cups are reportedly going to be used for events and concerts, but it is interesting to see how far afield this technology will be used

Watch a video about the new cup below.



Tagged Budweiser, Brazil, Facebook, Buddy Cup, Innovation, social, interaction, technology, media, stunt

Drama returns; this time to Dutch Town

Monday, 28th January 2013 at 3:44pm

TNT red buttonTNT push for DramaTNT add drama bannerTNT is at it again following the launch of their TV series and movie channel in Belgium, which we featured in April of last year. TNT is launching in Netherlands this time, so once again agency Duval Guillaume has placed a red button in a quiet market street, encouraging people to press it to 'add drama'.

Once the button is pressed, they are confronted with a choice of colours, kidnapped  and then dumped into the middle of a riot with a guest appearance by Elvis.

Definitely one to watch to beat those Monday blues.

Tagged TNT, Drama, Ad, Viral, Advertising, Stunt, Netherlands, experiential, funny

The corner shop comes to life with Red Stripe

Sunday, 2nd December 2012 at 5:57pm

Red Stripe StuntRed Stripe Promotional StuntThis stunt for Red Stripe by ad agency KesselsKramer (along with Stinkdigital director Greg Brunkalla and creative technology consultancy Hirsch&Mann) popped up in a convenience store in East London.

They rigged up loads of products in a corner store to suddenly start dancing and making music whenever a customer picked up a Red Stripe from the fridge.

It's a great bit of fun but knowing these types of stores well the late night crowd may get a bit freaked out!




Tagged Kessel Kramer, Stunt, Interactive, PR, Ad, Experiential, Fun, Surprising, Red Stripe, Advertising, Viral

Coke gets interactive

Sunday, 21st October 2012 at 8:08am

Coke Zero MarketingSkyfall MarketingCoke Zero has been getting interactive with the latest Bond movie. 

In a live marketing stunt at a railway station they invited Coke purchasers to take a challenge to win exclusive tickets for the latest 007 movie, Skyfall. Having to rush across the station to beat the clock Coke didn't make it easy for them.

A fun interactive marketing stunt that has gone viral with more than 2 million views.

See the video below:
Tagged Coke, Skyfall, 007, James Bond, Film, Movie, marketing, Interactive, Stunt, Viral, Fun, Zero, Challenge, Creative

Teleport between cities

Thursday, 18th October 2012 at 8:31pm

SNCFTo celebrate the launch of the new direct TGV service between Lyon and Brussels, French train operator SNCF created a "teleportation device" that instantly transported the Lyon public into the heart of Brussels.

They created a box that was situated in Lyon's Place de la République on 21 September and invited passers-by to "take a look at Brussels", by peering through a hole in one of its sides. Multiple screens connected by satellite then transmitted their faces to another set-up in Brussels' Mont des Arts square, while also feeding back images and sound to participants.

The result was an intercity interaction with bands and all.

Take a look at the video to find out more. (Concept by TBWA Paris)

Tagged SNCF, stunt, Marketing, Event, interactive, TBWA, France, Paris, Brussels

Number One Hit Product Recall

Monday, 15th October 2012 at 7:29pm

Yolander Be Cool Press ConferenceIn this great marketing ploy Australian pop duo, Yolanda Be Cool, have announced an international product recall of their hit song "We No Speak Americano."

Their hit "We No Speak Americano" reached No. 1 on the charts in 16 countries and remains in the charts in many places even after two and a half years.

They have decided that they need to move on, mainly to their next album. So they've officially declared that the beats "are no longer fresh" in "We No Speak Americano," and they're calling on radio stations, DJs and fans worldwide to remove the song from their playlists and destroy any hard copies of it.

See the press conference below:

Tagged Product, Recall, Yolander Be Cool, Marketing, Stunt, We Speak No Americano, Press Conference, PR

Parkour Dominoes

Monday, 15th October 2012 at 6:59pm

Redbull ParkourCombining dominoes with freerunning, this video featuring Jason Paul is a bit engineered, but still good fun.

The Human-Powered Freerunning Machine is part of Redbull’s Parkour sponsorship.

Hold onto your seats!


Tagged Parkour, Redbull, Dominoes, Stunt, Video, Extreme, Sports, Jason Paul

Giant penguin towers over London

Sunday, 22nd July 2012 at 6:19pm

London Zoo penguinLondon Zoo has announced plans to to transform London's iconic Gherkin building into ‘The Penguin’  over the summer.

ZSL London Zoo has commissioned a production team to draw up a dramatic redesign of the famed skyscraper to remind visitors to the capital not to miss their penguins in 2012.

They plan to approach city bigwigs with the bold concept of turning the prominent Swiss Re Building – more commonly known as The Gherkin – into a giant penguin.

Not sure whether this idea will fly, especially being a penguin.

See more over on London Zoo's website.
Tagged London, Penguin, Gherkin, Tower, Building, Marketing, Stunt, Summer, 2012, London Zoo, ZSL

It's not too easy to stop with bubblewrap

Sunday, 15th July 2012 at 8:10am

Goodyear Tyres AdvertisingIn an interesting stunt for Goodyear in Brazil, Y&R has been inserting sheets of bubble wrap into newspapers and handing them out to drivers in São Paolo as they wait in traffic.

This was part of a campaign with the the message, "Sometimes it's not easy to stop."

It's a curious one, connecting the addictive pleasure of popping bubble wrap with the potential tragedy of braking hard with poor tires instead of Goodyear's ultra-grips but quite fun anyway.

See the video below:

Tagged Advertising, stunt, marketing, Y&R, Brazil, Goodyear, Design, Cannes, ad, press

Anti-smoking ad that points out hypocrisy

Sunday, 1st July 2012 at 9:09pm

Anti-Smoking AdvertisingThailand has launched a very thought provoking anti-smoking ad which points out the hypocrisy of smokers when approached by a child who asks them for a light.

Every smoker the child approached tried to persuade him not to smoke and how dangerous to his health it is.

The child finishes the stunt by handing the smoker a leaflet explaining their hypocrisy.

The ad received more than 960,000 views before being taken down but it has now reappeared again.

Please view it below and let us know what you think.

Agency: Ogilvy Thailand

Tagged Advertising, Ads, TV, Smoking, Thailand, Ogilvy, Hypocrisy, Stunt, Creative, Agency, Advert, Marketing

Drama descends on a Belgian town

Friday, 13th April 2012 at 2:07pm


To launch a new TV station, TNT in Belgium, agency Duval Guillaume installed a giant red button in the middle of a Flemish square of an average Flemish town. A sign with the text "Push to add drama" was hung above it, inviting the general public to use the button. 

When one of the locals did, the results were certainly dramatic, with a gun battle, ambulances and more. 




Tagged Belgium, TNT, Drama, Turner, Ad, Viral, Advertising, Stunt

How PR stunts can go horribly wrong

Friday, 3rd February 2012 at 8:26am

AttachmentGerman advertising agency Sassenbach came up with what appeared to be a great idea to create awareness for the 'wind and weather proof' messaging for the Mini Cooper.

The problem is that the stunt involved paying to name the cold front, now sweeping Europe, 'Cooper' after the Mini Cooper - a cold front that has claimed many lives.

Germany's meteorology institute allows the sponsorship of weather systems and the advertising agency says on its website that naming the front after the open-air vehicle was a "wind- and weather-proof idea".

It encouraged people to follow the path of the weather on meteorological websites and has also named a warmer weather front that will follow this one "Minnie".

This just shows how careful you need to be with PR stunts and how they can back fire! A great shame as it was a good idea.

By the way, can you get weather insurance for naming a weather front?

Click here for more info on the BBC
Tagged Advertising, BBC, BMW, Cooper, mini, PR, Sassenbach, Stunt, Weather