SHOOT FROM THE HIP

What makes something catch on, or “go viral”? I’m not talking H1N1 here. I’m talking ideas and products. It’s a question every marketer and brand wants answered, definitively. Each time a video on YouTube becomes the latest craze or a fashion trend becomes ubiquitous, a new theory pops up. There are some common criteria that can be identified, of course. Pete Cashmore, from Mashable, does a great job of outlining a few, in relation to YouTube, for his recent story at CNN.com. But the truth is, there are many cute, funny or emotional videos, and many products with cute, fun or emotional brand stories attached, which affect barely a ripple on consumers’ consciousness.

So what makes something talkable?

Photo by McAzadi/BUSY via Flickr

We share things that make us pause. We share things that stop us in our shoes. We remember things that make our brains jump off the track of mundane, routine and expected. For anyone who recalls what records are, it’s like when the needle skips in the middle of a song we’ve heard a million times.

Photo by NationYell via Flickr

We sit up. We take notice. We talk.

So when was the last time you had a needle skipping moment? What did you talk about?

Technology is killing old media. At least, that’s what we’ve been told. Every few months, someone announces the death knells of print media in the face of the internet’s power. This month, Esquire Magazine decided to challenge this new paradigm by marrying the two seemingly opposing forces. In the December issue, Esquire has adopted Augmented Reality to give readers a unique, memorable, personal, and interactive experience.

How does it work?

Simple, really – except the technology behind it, that’s more complicated and best explained by a tech guru. Anyone who has purchased the December issue can go to the Esquire website, download some software and then hold various pages of the magazine – including the cover – up to their webcam. What happens next is better seen than explained…

Obviously, this kind of interaction with one’s magazine won’t work for every periodical or even every issue. But it’s such an exciting way to engage readers and guarantee their undivided attention, that it’s got people talking.

So check it out, and let me know which page is your favorite. Personally, I like controlling the weather – something I wish I could do off the pages of Esquire as well.

Full Disclosure: A Squared Group has no affiliation with Esquire Magazine. We just think it’s cool.

Waiting in line for Grand Opening Event

What would make jaded New Yorkers do a double take, tourist buses screech to an unscheduled halt and busy shoppers feel like the holidays came early? An unexpected encounter. A phenomenal experience. A change from the ordinary to the extraordinary. That is exactly what happened a few weeks ago at Old Navy’s flagship store in Manhattan. In concert with nineteen other Grand Opening events that A Squared Group developed and orchestrated throughout the United States and Canada, including a carnival complete with Ferris wheel in Manhattan Beach, California, we created a jaw-dropping brand experience in SoHo, New York.

wow

Our goal? To ensure that every Old Navy customer and passerby, from infant to octogenarian, felt part of the Old Navy celebration and the Old Navy community.

Lots of smiles

The excitement level was at a fever pitch all day long. Vintage sodas, popcorn and freshly spun cotton candy were given out. Face-painters and balloon artists delighted children (and adults) with their creations. Branded games were created specifically for the event. And members of Cirque du Soleil wowed the crowds with feats of daring and delight.

Teamwork

Customers called, texted and tweeted their friends and family. Pedestrians made unplanned detours into the store. More than one sight-seeing tour added Old Navy to their agenda. The experience reaffirmed consumers’ conviction that Old Navy is a fun and friendly place for the whole family. And we loved being part of it!

ROI

As most Americans prepare to sit down with friends and family for a day of eating, everyone’s focus tends to be more on what goes in the mouth than what comes out of it. Talk, however, is a huge part of what makes holidays great – an unexpected conversation topic, a shared observation between two “orphaned” friends, a serendipitous story recounted by a visiting relative, or crucial advice imparted by one generation to another. Acknowledging this, I am left wondering what folks will be talking about tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day.

How many people will decide to pursue a new endeavor, check out a new store, product, website, or experience, or shift their perception about a brand based on a discussion had around the dinner table or during the commercial break of a football game? When over 80% of us still make our purchase decisions based on recommendations from family and friends, the words that get passed around may just be more filling than the turkey and stuffing.

So take a moment to listen to what’s being said at your holiday gathering. And don’t worry, there will still be plenty of left-overs to go around.

Happy Thanksgiving from A Squared Group!

Last week, a team from A Squared Group was in the Big Apple to spend some time with robots. Well, the Droid, actually. We produced another event for Motorola. This time, Manhattan taste-makers were able to check out the covetable new Droid smart phone.

The product has already made huge waves in technology and social media circles. Now, everyone else is talking about it too.

Don’t be surprised if it takes over the world.