#ifihadglass I would pioneer the use of hands free AR in the experiential marketing space to develop richer events with less environmental impact.

In the weeks after Google doled out invites to the Glass Explorers program to cap their genius outreach platform, there’s been a fury of speculation over when, where, and how the hardware will be handed out.  I’m waiting with bated breath just like everyone else (and have been for awhile), but once I get my hands on it, I’ll be hunkering town with the rest of the team at OBE to figure out just how we can use this new technology to enhance live brand experiences.

If you want real time updates on all things Glass, keep up with the Glass Explorers community – otherwise, check back in here down the road for a more thorough report of what this exciting new toy is and what it can mean for experiential marketers.

Until then, have fun watching how awesome your life is if you own one of these things:

You guessed it: robots.

Well, not really “robots” (like the ones that chased Will Smith), but computer programs that function at the rate of human articulation. Dominic Basulto, an innovation blogger for the Washington Post and Big Think, points out the growing capability of bot-generated content and the literary possibilities it provides:

This is becoming the central paradox of the Information Age: the easier it is for humans to create content and information on their digital devices, the more likely it is that robots and online bots will eventually take over the job of creating content and information for those digital devices. In other words, the more we democratize the process of creating content, the more we are planting the seeds for our own future literary demise.

The notion of a machine writing as eloquent as Shakespeare certainly seems a long way off, but it’s just as much of a possibility as any of the other “the-robots-will-someday-be-smarter-than-us” theories out there.

For now, though, we’re seeing this sensibility manifest itself in more practical ways.  Yahoo’s much ballyhooed, whiz kid acquisition Summly is nothing more than a genetic algorithm – designed to mimic how a human thinks – that condenses pre-existing articles.  While the content is not necessarily original in thought, it is original in format.  Similarly, spam Twitter feeds have been composing unique tweets for years now (and we’re not talking about a small, isolated pocket of the Twittersphere – it recently came out that over half of Justin Bieber’s followers are fake), and some – like Horse ebooks - have parlayed their entirely random (yet oddly poetic) gibberish into hundreds of thousands of followers.

The down side of thoughtless machines creating thoughts are plentiful, of course. Just this week, Wall Street algorithms created to mimic human reaction to news on Twitter picked up a fake AP Twitter report of an explosion at the White House, setting off a DOW flash crash, a $121 billion swing in a matter of minutes. It was robot readers overreacting to robot writers – basically the entire human condition in nanoseconds. No bueno.

Similarly, there are specific pros and cons in using these new tools in the marketing world. On one hand, it creates a language overlap between man and machine that permits marketing databases to better understand and service the sensibilities of consumers (with something as simple as a smiley face icon). On the other, it has the potential to wear down the already thin layer of authenticity that any branded communication bares.

It is here, as an experiential marketer, that I lose my enthusiasm for computer generated content.  Our field relies on authentic connections – genuine, human moments – to create content that delivers branded messages in a package consumers care about.  Social media users don’t want a feed populated with brand-centric messaging assembled to appeal to recent web searches; they want glimpses into the memorable moments of their friends’ lives.

Experiential marketing creates those moments in a way a brand can be inextricably – but authentically – tied in, and these moments are naturally shared out for online consumption. A machine may be smart enough to type a perfect 140 character brand message, but that doesn’t mean it’s as impactful as a human happy enough to share a slightly imperfect one.

For example (always an example): I was provided a jolt of possibility by this recent article from the New York Observer sharing the landscape of branded journalism.  The piece chronicles the emerging presence of brand-backed content sites – such as Degree’s The Adrenalist or STIR from Sherwin-Williams – and how they attract the same type of talent as traditional journalism outlets because they are developed to cater to mass readership instead of overt brand messaging (the Adrenalist, for one, is built around an appreciation for active lifestyles – which is in line with Degree’s brand spirit, though a cognitive step removed from what their product actually does).

Why is this a jolt?  In exploring this expanding marketplace, I realized the ambition of these content hubs are no different than ours in a live experience: they intend to break down the barriers between a brand and a consumer to connect over the things both sides can appreciate.  Consumers will tune out heavy-handed product messaging and brands will never spend money without the intent of a return, but somewhere in the middle is a spirit both sides can appreciate.  For us, it’s creating a marathon so that Nike and runners can unite for a shared love of running.  For Degree, it’s creating a content site about the shared love for the things that make you get up and sweat.

And it seems to work.  From the Observer piece:

For a firm like Unilever, Degree’s parent company, content is a relatively small investment, and it is more effective than banner ads, which are starting to cause (to use marketing speak) banner-blindness among consumers and haven’t turned out to be as effective as was once hoped. While it’s not uncommon for an Adrenalist article to have 300 “likes” on Facebook, who really likes ads?

Whether branded content can carry the same authority of a New York Times or Cosmopolitan remains to be seen (although Justin Ellis, an assistant editor at Harvard’s Nieman Journalism Lab, does point out that many modern consumers tend to be “more attached to Old Spice and Doritos than to The Wall Street Journal and The Denver Post”).  But I wouldn’t bet against it; we find that brands who embrace this philosophy in the experiential space are able to foster a greater sense of appreciation and loyalty from those who engage.

This is all just another reminder that an experience is an experience no matter whether it takes place in the physical world, on a computer screen, within the pages of a book, or anywhere else.  The broader we, as experiential marketers, are able to go with our definition of consumer experiences, the more meaningful our offerings will become.

“Brands have done this whole selling experiences thing for a long time — the idea that if you buy this toothpaste it will change your life. This is a way to be different, to [actually] change your life”

Greenwood goes on to reference a number of innovative marketing initiatives that forgo paying lip service to their beliefs and actually put their beliefs on display in physical ways (including a certain Red Bull stunt we praised over here). Her reasonings for this movement are readily available in any of this blog’s writings, but one fresh topic can be found in her concluding sentiment: a call for agencies to carve out a role for a Chief Experience Officer.

We’re not talking UX, folks – this is off the screen, face to face, brand engagement of all kinds.  This is a role that explores not only how a person might receive information from Facebook or a commercial, but how a person naturally interacts with a brand in each facet of their daily lives (you know, the times you are open and receptive to product information – not when you’re stalking friends or waiting for It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia to come back on).

This isn’t an entirely novel concept, of course, but it is popping up more and more.  Early adopters led the charge years ago (Crispin Porter’s OuterActive division comes to mind) but now many agencies are finding themselves drawn to Greenwood’s mandate (the most notable recent example is W+K, who is setting renowned ECD John Jay free to create his own experience-building partner shop Garage).  With this developing interest in the experience at the executive level, you can rest assured the trickle down effect will be significant.

Perhaps significant enough to (gasp) shift advertising as we know it.

I love this video, not only for the result (how cool is that?), but for the process towards that result.  Creativity seeps into each step along the way and it shows.  The “Big Idea” was not just one spark of inspiration, but a collection of minor (but miraculous) steps forward that led to a killer finished product.

So many agencies entrench their employees in departments and roles, specified tasks that should not bleed into the other.  But it’s the gray area where true collaboration occurs, where creatives and strategists and technologists (and more) can pool their abilities to create the things that have never been seen before.

The benevolent spirt aside, I’m drawn to this as a reflection of just how human an online campaign can be.  The knock on social media is that it dilutes true interpersonal connections by filtering them through a computer screen, but, in this instance, what’s more socially connective than stepping out and using your gifts to improve the lives that surround you?  This is people supporting other people, face to face and hand in hand.  Just because the actions are prompted and shared online doesn’t make them inherently “digital”.  These are real life experiences.  

#GivingTuesday showcases a more refined approach to digital engagement - one that uses online mechanisms not as the expression itself, but the tool by which we can share expressions.

Here’s hoping for a great response next Tuesday; one that showcases the power of not just the social media space, but the human spirit.

(How’s that for a cheesy, Thanksgiving-y endnote?)

The most admirable characteristic of their strategy, to me, is their willingness to test its limits – to defy the expectations placed upon an energy drink company to position themselves as a brand that, well, defies expectation.  While action sports and nightlife marketing are part of their core (as is natural for an energy beverage), they activate campaigns as wild and unique as Flugtag (the competition of home crafted flying machines), a Soapbox Derby, and a street ball tournament on Alcatraz.

All very cool, obviously, but such a strategy can get a brand caught in niche circles.  So what does Red Bull do when they want to generate a tidal wave of attention?  How can they possibly achieve reach focused almost exclusively on experiential marketing tactics?

Apparently by throwing a man out of a spaceship:

Red Bull Stratos had a whopping 8 million live viewers watching online, with 216,000 new Facebook likes and 10,000+ Facebook comments in a span of 40 minutes.  Forbes is calling it a one time stunt worth tens of millions of dollars in branded exposure and many outlets are proclaiming it as a game changer in the marketing world.

Yet the core of Stratos’ succes is no different than any other Red Bull campaign: a willingness to do things never done before.  When an audience can experience something new, something truly unique, it will not only call their attention, but leave a lasting imprint.  In this case, Red Bull did what nobody expected a brand to ever do (or even could do).  That strengthened its position in more than just their core; it captured the imagination of a mainstream audience.

…perhaps at the expense of some other organizations:

But now, on Kickstarter, there’s Everpurse, the purse with a built-in phone charging pad:

How simple (but awesome) is that?

More specifically, it is one of the smartest examples (that I’ve found (so far)) of how technological wonders can be effectively implanted into physical objects (even better, I must concede, than my favorite smart wallet).  It shows a new level of consideration for not just what you can do with embedded tech, but what you should do. It’s advancement for the consumer’s sake, not the technologist’s sake.

And it even passes the OMG reaction test:

Which is why it raised eyebrows when, earlier this year, the successful online-only apparel store Bonobos announced a wild new innovation: selling into Nordstrom’s.  On the surface, this may seem like an odd direction for a progressive, online entity, but CEO Andy Dunn provided an insightful explanation:

“We were kidding ourselves thinking the only way to offer this was online—sometimes you want to try and touch and feel it,” Mr. Dunn said.  “It was foolish to contain this brand in one channel.”

To further this perspective, Bonobos is also rolling out a series of Guideshops, which provides all the perks of the retail experience without, well, the retail.  At these locations, set in key metro cities, shoppers register for a one-on-one (and free) fitting consultation, where they can try on the various products and better understand the sizing, look and feel – before being released to buy it on their own, hopefully over and over (though, there are online order portals in the store).

The theory is, of course, that a service oriented brand experience will go a longer way than a sales oriented one (a theory that is very much in place at the current hallmark of brick and mortar: the Apple Store and its Genius Bar).  Consumers crave the personal attention of a brand and the direct connection with a product to ensure it is right for them.  Online shopping offers a much more convenient way to purchase items, but the physical product engagement still drives their decision of what to purchase.

As the retail experience continues to evolve into our connected future, it will be the brands – like Bonobos – who don’t overlook the experience portion that will pace the way.

This is the inspiration behind the Brighter Day Project, a campaign for happiness that has recently popped up in Connecticut.  The premise is simple: to give people a brief moment of levity through signs placed in their everyday world.  There’s nothing cutting edge about the signs – no RFID or geotargeting or expensive media buys.  They are just random and fun, giving random, local passersby a reason to smile on their way to or from wherever it is they’re going.

The potential of the project, however, is not nearly as limited as its scaled execution might suggest.  Through social media outlets (which they’ve begun to use in earnest), the message of the Brighter Day Project could very easily extend beyond their physical locations.  As such, these simple, local community signs have the power to spawn a mass movement – the same experience of stumbling into the sign can occur as easily online as it can for a passerby in the neighborhood where they are posted (for example: they drew my smile all the way from California, when I found them on NotCot).

Whether they will or won’t is for us to watch and see, but it’s the type of minimilast – but clever – gesture that can move a community of followers, both off line and on.