The News

Leo Burnett and Contagious name Blyk as a ‘Wildfire’ Brand

18/06/2008

By Ann Sarimo
PRESS RELEASE FROM CANNES INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING FESTIVAL
June 18, 2008

Global communications network, Leo Burnett Worldwide and Contagious magazine today challenged marketers and their agencies to put people at the heart of their work, rather than brands or the category, at their “Wildfire” seminar.
Suggesting how this year’s seminar differed from years previous, the presenters dubbed the session ‘Creativity, with a Human Touch’. Tom Bernardin, CEO and Chairman of Leo Burnett Worldwide said, “Everything that matters in the advertising business begins and ends with two things: People and Behaviour. Wildfire brands understand this better than any, and as a result thrive within today’s ‘People Era’ – an era when marketers have to be more human in their behaviour, insight and voice than ever before.”

PEOPLE CENTRIC
Fundamental to 2008’s Wildfire seminar was a new appreciation of the most important link in the chain that connects product with idea, and campaign with brand — people — as well as tips on just how to truly interact with those people.
‘This year, we wanted to showcase brands that boast what Leo Burnett calls a truly ‘Humankind’ of attitude to their audience, brands that are actually doing something to deserve a place in people’s lives. In a sense, brands that are about Acts, not just Ads,’ added Bernardin.

ADVERTISING, THAT’S NOT ADVERTISING
Paul Kemp-Robertson, Editorial Director of Contagious magazine dared the audience to let go and be proud of creating work that’s NOT advertising, ‘Because if you do, it might just be the best advertising you ever create,” he said. Continuing with this ‘Acts not Ads’ theme, the audience were advised to think in terms of producing work that’s:
# So well targeted and informative that it feels more like a dialogue or relationship.
# Such a useful service or application that it becomes effortlessly embedded into people’s daily lives.
# Content that is so entertaining that the brand stands on an equal footing with TV shows, newspapers or favourite websites.
“This is what Leo Burnett calls true Humankind territory,” concluded Kemp-Robertson.

WILDFIRE BRANDS WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS
Highlighting the key components of a people-focused Wildfire Brand, Kemp-Robertson and Burnett USA ECD, Reed Collins, treated delegates to a round-up of some of the best-practice examples currently out there. These included:
# Canon, Australia: establishing the brand’s creative credentials by providing a ‘little box of inspiration’ to get photographers out and about, snapping away
# Miles, the Nike+ widget: a cute application acting as a personal trainer and integrated RSS reader, extending the Nike+ experience for its dedicated community
# Coca-Cola, China: a fully interactive, state-of-the-art 15 m high digital Coke bottle to which user-generated content and SMS messages can be instantly uploaded and broadcast live from the bottle
# Samsung: smart placement of branded mobile phone charging stations at airports throughout the world, so travellers need never be incommunicado
# Blyk, UK: a UK mobile phone service proving wildly popular with its 16-24 year old target audience, who agree to receive promotions and marketing messages in exchange for free calls and texts