K-Swiss - A real Big Shot of a site

We don't tend to talk too much about websites on this blog and we should really. good ones are not just repositories of content but add personality to a brand - excite the visitor with different elements, a piece of video here, a product picture there and I think a good product website doesn't need to go ad with gimmicks - it needs to look and play slick, have smooth transitions and allow the user to move from section to section at will without feeling lost and or bored.

The bigger the site the more difficult this is to achieve and especially if its transactional it can easily lose its character and become just a trading post when the experience should stimulate sale and indeed extended sale.

We are very impressed this week with the K-Swiss site - it is quite dauntingly big but very well sectioned and is full of interesting content that does a great deal to not just reflect but also inform the brand. Already fans of the brand we are now pretty keen on a new pair of Kwicky Blade Light running shoes and of course their tennis shoe The Big Shot is certainly worthy of consideration!

KSWISS SITE

Posted via email from oliversrussell's posterous

Burger Focus (not a regular feature)

Wimpy - a 70's brand thats never managed to effectively update itself and yet retains a presence on many local high streets and retains an affection among those of us who remember when there was nothing else. Yes, no McDonalds, Burger King, KFC etc just the not quite fast food not quite proper restaurant experience that was quite a thrill for a 70's school child.

We were  dismayed to hear that despite Wimpy managing to hang on gamely in the face of logic that they are to ditch some of their most famous puddings - Knickerbocker Glory and Banana in a boat - very upsetting.

More suspicious is their continued faith in the 'Bender in a Bun',  the most suspicious sausage sandwich in the Fast Food oeuvre.

Can you imagine advertising a wheat filled bun today?

McDonalds - have announced that they are turning to experiential in order to promote their new range of wraps - their USP being that they are wrapped so you can eat them on the move. We applaud their move to a healthier menu but fear that the fall out will include an increase in the pavement drop of crispy chicken, spicy vegetable and we suggest perhaps a tie up with 'Rennies' might work alongside the 'on the street' and TV work?

.....Now this is what we call a wrap!

Burger King -Are going to be selling SPAM! They should have a chat with Wimpy on this one we think. A miniature burger called the BK Shot is to be launched in Japan - of course it is. Regardless of this Burger King are the best at filming content - in the US anyway...

Here's our favourite ever

TBS

Posted via email from oliversrussell's posterous

Jeremy Beadle - content curator

A really interesting viewpoint on UGC and the role of media channel as the gatekeeper of this type of content although the stretch to suggest that brands can be the new arbiters of good and bad content bothers me slightly....

http://www.redplanner.co.uk/2011/06/19/what-jeremy-beadle-can-teach-brands-ab...

As does this picture of the late great Beadle!

Posted via email from oliversrussell's posterous

Former Head of Adidas Olympic Marketing joins The Big Shot

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Mark Phillips the former Adidas senior marketer to our non-exec board.

Mark has held various key posts including Global Concept Brand manager and Head of Comms for UK, Ireland and Benelux.

He is also a very experienced agency man and former Board Account Director at Euro RSCG and brings a wealth of knowledge and an enthusiasm for content marketing that has already had him whizzing round the office during brainstorms!

We are looking forward to working with him immensely and not just because he gets great deals on Adidas stuff!

Posted via email from oliversrussell's posterous

McDonalds Pick and Play - The future of outdoor communcation

McDonalds have really simply utilised display advertising, consumer interaction, gaming, apps, location based targeting, mobile vouchers and in-store traffic drivers all by asking you to play 70's seminal game classic 'Pong' with a pair of french fries - it's almost perfect.

Posted via email from oliversrussell's posterous

Epic Meal Time

I'm a huge fan of shows that show the extreme side of eating - it's grotesque behaviour without being too difficult to watch Man Vs Food is a way for me to feel slightly smug about the fact that I'm quite healthy while actually fancying a go at a 12 ft burger.

Epic meal time takes things to another level though. 

It  starts by ordering huge amounts of fast food from McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King etc - which is funny enough on tis own as the bemused sales clerk says :you want 90 Egg Mc Muffins (and a blueberry muffin)" Really? 

You having a party? What sort of party that would be I dread to think! Then they take it all home and make something completely different out of the component parts as well as a lot of bacon it seems and suspiciously features quite a lot of Jack Daniels (Could it? No surely not!)

I love the fact that they keep you informed of just how many calories and how much fat is in the latest creation - I've seen a total of over 75,000 calories in one of their concoctions.

Then they eat it!!

Its funny on so many levels - I love it as a validation of the tastiness of fast food, The Worlds obsession with it and the naked truth of just how onanistic eating can be.

It acts as an ad and as a cautionary tale for all our favourite fast food places and is a great advert for how content can be compelling and filmed in a low fi way and still be a skilful production.

I also love the fact that it is now a merchandisable franchise - waddling across social media, selling T-shirts (XXXXL please) and most of all I love the skyscrapers on the home page very funny satirical display ad strategy.

My favourite - Lasagne......

http://www.youtube.com/user/EpicMealTime#p/u/5/m9FRSghXhDM

homepage - http://epicmealtime.com/

 

Oliver Russell | Joint Managing Director   

The Big Shot | 75-77 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SY

Email:  oliver.russell@thebigshot.co.uk
Web 
Blog

Linkedin

Twitter

 Facebook

    

Posted via email from oliversrussell's posterous