Google Street View nearly here

Rumours have been flying around that Ireland would be the next place to fall to the roaming Google camera vans, and with the launch of a plethora of UK cities in the new UK version of Street View, this seems very likely. People, pictures, landmarks, streets and houses from 25 UK cities are now available. The whole endeavour (to date) has taken 22,369 miles of video.

Cities currently available:
Aberdeen
Belfast
Birmingham
Bradford
Bristol
Cambridge
Cardiff
Coventry
Derby
Dundee
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Leeds
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Manchester
Newcastle
Norwich
Nottingham
Scunthorpe
Sheffield
Southampton
Swansea
York

The Dutch version of Street View also went bringing the total number of countries covered by Street View to 9.

Although concerns have been voiced on a number of occasions regarding individuals privacy, Google have made several statements dismissing this, saying that they only take images and video from major roads and motorways therefore eliminating any expectations of privacy. And while Google have introduced software to blur out faces and licence plates, the question has been raised by the firm, Privacy International, as to whether they have the right to even take the images in the first place. A recent statement said, "existing case law suggests that images for commercial purposes cannot be taken without prior consent of those who appear in the images".

It does raise an interesting point. Are Google making any money from the images, do they have the right to take them, and how would you feel about finding yourself on Street View?

What will the next idea be?

When ASICS wanted to create a corporate promotional video, they approached Nordpol Hamburg+ (who are currently listed in the top ten advertising agencies in the world), who in turn got artist Sipho Mabona to create this incredible piece...

Digital Marketing? No thanks, we're Girl Scouts

Apparently this kid is pretty famous in the US at the moment but, to be honest, today was the first time I heard the story.

Wild Freeborn, a good upstanding Girl Scout, set her sights on selling a huge amount of GS Cookies (as they do across the waters) Her mission was to sell 12,000 boxes of them. Yup, 12,000! Being the good dad that he is, her father decided she may need a little help and decided it was time to get digital.

He went about it by creating a YouTube ad and a coordinating online order form. Simple idea really, but aren't the best ones always just that. Guess what - it was a success. Orders started flowing in. Happy days for all concerned. Only it wasn't. The Girl Scouts of the USA forced the the campaign to a close, saying that it was against Girl Scout rules. Don't get me wrong, I don't advocate breaking rules ;) but let's be serious here. Why would you stop someone selling cookies that directly benefits your organisation by doing what you asked them to do - sell cookies.

Spokeswoman for the group, Denise Pesich, said, “We want to make sure that whatever the girl is doing is integrated into the program that she’s studying, we want to make sure we are in the development stages of a technological platform that will integrate it and be fair and equitable for all girls. But more importantly, it’s girl safety at its core.”

So what's the big deal? Her dad helped her and was main point of contact on all electronic and non-electronic touchpoints, no one could directly contact her (scary child preditors etc.) and she was learning about both technology and mass marketing. I really thing the Girl Scouts need to re-evaluate their rules.

Dublin Flash Mob

Via Darragh

Here is a video of Monday's Flash Mob outside the Central Bank:

Happiness Factory 3

By now everyone is familiar with Coca-Cola’s Happiness Factory. The first two campaigns have each achieved a huge level of success. Well Coca-Cola have finally launched Happiness Factory 3, in a continuation of the story of what goes on inside a coke vending machine. Happiness Factory 3 includes a new TV ad, a music track, and a series of interactive online games. The whole campaign is called “Yawnbusters.” This part of the story shows us what the factory workers do when they get tired. Why, drink a coke of course!

The TV ad continues the great 3D animation that has become synonymous with the inside of the coke machine. Animation agency PSYOP were again called in to provide their skills.

In a new move, Coca-Cola have teamed up with Warner Music to produce a dedicated music track for the latest campaign. Incorporating Coca-Cola’s 5-note melody from the first two commercials, the music track features Gnarls Barkley’s Cee-Lo, Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy, Brendon Urie from Panic at the Disco, Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes and Janelle Monae. The track is available from iTunes. The track was premiered on MySpace (myspace.com/openhappiness) but is also available on the Coke Facebook page.

Finally, to create a fully interactive campaign, Coke have launched the Happiness Factory 3 microsite, where visitors can play as a factory worker inside the coke vending machine.

Coke describe the Happiness Factory objectives as the promotion of “optimism” and “positivity”. The two feelings that they see as integral to the Coca-Cola brand.