Three companies - HotelTonight, Scoutmob & Thrillist - have teamed up for this NYE #brandcollabo contest.
When one of the most successful artists on the planet releases a new album there’s inevitably a few non-traditional launch tactics. Yesterday I posted about the Taylor Swift’s ‘Store’ at Walgreens where fans can buy her new album, along with tee shifts, notebooks, posters and more. However, if you want to own her CD without leaving your house, Papa John’s will deliver it with your pizza order. You can also rock out to Taylor’s ‘Pizza Party Playlist’ while you’re waiting for the delivery. #cheesy
The new Walgreens circular is starting to resemble a magazine. It now includes branded content including interviews, travel tips and yoga lessons. This week also includes their ‘Taylor Swift Store.’
(Source: walgreens.com)
Picked up a pair of Tellason jeans at the American Field Pop-Up Market in Boston. I really like the fact that multiple brands are represented in each pair including Tanner Goods of Oregon where they source the leather for the patch and Cone Mills of North Carolina where they source the denim. This is also the first time I’ve seen Google referenced on a clothing tag. In this case it’s the URL for their translation services. Perhaps it’s because Tellason is based near Google HQ in San Francisco.
Heineken teamed up with the brand Public School to create the next product for it’s next ‘100 Program’ item. This celebrity seeding program periodically provides branded Heineken items to influencers.
(Source: twitter.com)
Bon Iver and his friend/guitar builder Master Luthier Gordy Bischoff team up with Bushmills to make custom guitars out of Bushmills whiskey barrels and raise money for ot build an arts center in the process.
Pepsi teamed up with the to-do/errands platform TaskRabbit to promote Pepsi Next, its newest diet drink. In collaboration with this relatively unknown startup, Pepsi will give away fifty hours of work every week for a month, adding an ‘extra hour’ to your day. This is a great example of a brand inserting itself into an experience that literally provides a utility for the consumer. The opposite of old school interruption marketing.
Neiman-Marcus & Target have teamed up with 24 different designers to create a holiday collection that will be available in both stores and online. The retailers worked with the CDFA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) to identify the designers and have committed a $1 million donation to the Council to commemorate the collabo.
Microsoft is rolling out a number of new physical retail stores around the country and using live music to create buzz. Recent openings have featured performances by a wide variety of emerging and established artists including Lenny Kravitz, Maroon 5, Zac Brown Band, Taio Cruz, Weezer, O.A.R., John Legend, Flo Rida, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green, Young the Giant, OneRepublic, The Black Keys, Joe Jonas, Kelly Clarkson and more.
Following a brand collabo trend among retailers, Toys R Us will roll out branded pop-up toy shops within Macy’s stores for the holidays.
(Source: retailingtoday.com)
The new Gap x GQ brand collabo reminds me a bit of the recent Target ‘Shops’ campaign, but the magazine adds a unique promotional element that makes this partnership stand out. Gap worked with each of the designers/brands named in GQ Magazine’s Best New Menswear Designers in America 2012 to create six different capsule collections. Check out the video to hear directly from the designers.
Chevrolet enlisted fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi to promote the new 2013 Malibu. In addition to videos featuring Isaac driving the new car and meeting women in cities across the country, he created a fashion line inspired by the new car that will be available exclusively through LivingSocial. Another element of the promotion encourages participants to share their ‘Malibu Style’ on Polyvore, a social commerce platform focused on fashion.
On a recent vaca I found it interesting to see US-based celebs endorsing brands overseas. At Piazza San Marco, one of the most historic spots in Venice, there’s a huge Scarlett Johansson ad for Moët & Chandon. In Switzerland I spotted this billboard featuring George Clooney (rarely seen in US ads) and in Florence Snoop was selling Adidas.
