2008 : 2007 : 2006 : 2005 : 2004

Currys appoints Play to viral task

Source: Marketing | 12-Dec-07

Currys is making its first foray into viral marketing with the launch of a digital campaign promoting its range of electrical goods in the run-up to Christmas.

The DSGi-owned high-street retailer has briefed Play to develop a festive viral ad giving internet users the chance to win prizes ranging from a digital camera to an HD flatscreen TV.

The work comprises a virtual game of pass-the-parcel to Dean Martin's version of Let it Snow. Users click to unwrap the present, revealing aprize or a Currys discount voucher.

The initiative marks a change of strategy for Currys, which has previously focused on standard display formats such as banners and skyscrapers. The retailer is keen to use virals to differentiate itself.

Currys plans to expand its digital marketing team in an effort to conduct 20% of its business online by 2010.

Find out more about Play...

Heinz adds Play to digital roster

Source: Marketing | 21 November 2007

Heinz has expanded its digital roster ahead of plans to boost investment in online advertising across a range of brands next year.

Following a competitive pitch, it has appointed Play to its digital creative roster, sitting alongside Swamp at Brahm, which works with Heinz on a project basis.

Heinz has briefed Play to develop a branded web portal to showcase its soup brands, including Big Soups, Classics, Soup Cup, Special and Weight Watchers.

The company intends to invest in a digital drive to encourage consumers to enjoy soup in a 'non-traditional' way through the use of interactive recipes, video clips and message boards.

Find out more about Play...

Heinz Appoints Play to its digital ad roster

Source: Campaign | 16 November 2007

Heinz has appointed Play to its digital ad roster to develop strategies across a portfolio of brands. The agency will initially be briefed with creating a new website for the company's range of soups.

Find out more about Play...

Amoy plots web and tube work

Source: Marketing | 7 November 2007

Heinz is launching an online and digital outdoor campaign to drive sales of its revamped range of Amoy stir-fry sauces.

The company has commissioned Play to develop a series of rich-media ads to run on high-traffic websites and digital escalator panels at selected Tube stations.

The ads feature a selection of 2300 recipes created by consumers who have visited the myamoy.co.uk site to share details of the dishes they regularly cook at home.

The most popular dishes from the user-generated 'stir-fry' gallery form the focus of the work, which is intended to encourage young, affluent consumers to be more creative with Amoy sauces.

Find out more about Play...

Creative Skills in short supply

Source: Revolution | September 2007

Search is growing massively, so demand for people is outstripping supply. But this skill can be taught relatively directly. Maybe akin to accounting?

With media agencies, again there is a demand/supply inequity, but this can be remedied by moving some of the traditional people into the medium, so saving time on the training of basic media principles.

This is because, although there are a few more technical aspects to consider for media agencies, the fundamentals of media strategy, planning and buying can still apply.

The biggest problem lies with creative agencies. Many people can come up with a good idea, but very few can imagine how that idea filters through the user's interactive experience. Not just because most creatives don't think like that, but because the toolbox of digital possibilities continues to grow (RSS feeds, mobile uploads/downloads, social networking, etc.).

Additionally, creatives need to consider the question of action and ask, "why would our audience actually do that?" (eg. give out personal information).

This is much more complex than with print ads, in which communication is more direct - plant a seed, and hope it sticks the next time the consumer is interested in that type of product.

The types of skills needed to bring work to life have changed enormously in the past three years. In addition to your core designers, you now need action scripters, CSS HTML programmers, video designers, etc.

Three years ago, all you really needed was a fairly good Flash coder. The best thing we can do is engage the infrastructure of traditional agencies that need to embrace digital as a medium and not as a separate discipline, such as PR or sponsorship.

Written by Matt Gorzkowski, Managing Director, Play

Find out more about Play...

BBC shortlists six digital agencies

Source: Marketing | 29 August 2007

The BBC has shortlisted six agencies to pitch for a place on its digital marketing roster.

The Corporation has selected Agency Republic, GT, 20:20 London, Glue, Play and Start Creative to go through to the next stage of the statutory review of its digital agency arrangements.

The BBC is expected to finalise its digital roster in November, with the successful agencies beginning development work on web strategy and online advertising early next year.

The Corporation's online marketing strategy for 2008 will focus on promotions for specific BBC brands, services and programmes, as well as the creation of content across a range of digital channels.

The BBC's roster of digital marketing agencies will work alongside the Corporation's retained advertising and media agencies. The review does not affect the BBC's 270 agency-strong web design and build roster.

Find out more about Play...

RBS focuses on golf tie-ups in online campaign

Source: Marketing | 01 August 2007

Royal Bank of Scotland is rolling out a digital marketing drive to promote its association with US golfers Jack Nicklaus and Paula Creamer.

The Bank has briefed digital agency Play to create a campaign based on its 'Make it happen' brand positioning to capitalise on consumer interest in the British Open golf tournament.

The first phase of the initiative comprises a series of video ads depicting moments when Nicklaus 'made it happen' on the golf course, including his final professional tournament in 2005.

The second phase, due to break later this year, will centre on the career highlights of US golfer Creamer, the youngest player in 53 years to win on the LPGA Tour at the age of 18.

The ads encourage consumers to visit an RBS-branded microsite featuring golfing tips, a golf calendar and an RBS Golf Majors podcast.

RBS recently launched an integrated TV, online and press campaign focusing on the themes of clarity, resourcefulness, ingenuity and creativity. The activity appeared on a range of finance sites including economist.com.

Find out more about Play...

Amoy rolls out rich-media ads for virtual stir-fry site

Source: NMA | 12 July 2007

Heinz brand Amoy will this week roll out an interactive campaign as part of a brand push.

The work will centre around myamoy.co.uk. Visitors to the newly created site will be encouraged to engage with a video game in which they make thier own virtual stir fry. Details of the dish can then be downloaded, sent by text or entered into a competition to appear in the next press ad from the brand.

A series of rich-media ads will go out across food sites directing people to the site, as well as on Viacom digital escalator panels at stations. Outdoor ads will also feature an SMS shortcode that consumers can text to get the recipe from the posters.

The aim is to target young, busy people with little time to cook.

The work was created by digital agency Play, which was appointed to the Heinz roster last month. Parent agency M&C Saatchi was also recently appointed by Heinz to handle above-the-line work. Vizeum handled media for the campaign.

Earlier in the year Heinz began its biggest ever on-pack promotion, 'Dreamz Meanz Heinz', driven by online and SMS. The digital work was carried out by digital agency Swamp.

Find out more about Play...

Silverjet assigns digital business to Play

Source: Marketing | 11 July 2007

Silverjet, the business class-only airline that launched earlier this year, has hired Play as its digital agency following a competitive pitch.

The agency has been handed a strategic and creative brief to build the fledgling airline brand on the web by highlighting its premium positioning.

Silverjet will roll out an extensive digital strategy comprising online ads, email and viral work, as well as digital posters and mobile activity. Play's first task will be to create a series of rich-media ads.

The long-haul carrier is searching for its first head of marketing, who will develop a long-term plan to help it become a household name. Silverjet, which launched in January, operates only one route, to New York out of a private terminal at Luton Airport. It plans to add further destinations over the coming months, as it takes on Virgin Atlantic and British Airways in the business-travel market.

The carrier offers reduced check-in times, while its fleet of aircraft features flat-beds and personalised entertainment systems.

Find out more about Play...

Twinings invites Play to 300th tea party

Source: Revolution | 9 July 2007

Twinings has hired Play to enhance its worldwide brand positioning by creating a global homepage for its 300th anniversary web site.

The appointment follows the success of an international site built by the interactive agency earlier this year.

The new global addition aims to draw attention to the English tea brand's presence in more than 100 markets.

Users will be able to use the global homepage to visit the main international site or browse regional sites. Countries are highlighted on interactive maps of North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. Play has most recently created regional sites for both France and Belgium,translating all content.

The international site provides users with a range of territory-specific content, and is currently used by consumers and journalists. The site features interactive executions to illustrate Twinings' history, with additional sections on the tea-making process, from leaf to cup, and a section on contemporary Twinings.

Users can download content from a 'Twinings to Go' section. Play has also developed a content management system enabling local markets to update territory-specific information.

Matt Gorzkowski, MD of Play, said: "It's great to be able to work with such an established British brand and it's a privilege to help it celebrate its 300th anniversary by communicating its extensive knowledge and incomparable passion for tea."

Play has been working on the Twinings account for a year and a half. The agency was initially tasked with rejuvenating the 300th anniversary site, and so far the work has been limited to the web site. Standardising the web site for international users and making access easier by creating regional maps were essential aspects of the brief.

Find out more about Play...

Heinz hires Play for ad campaign

Source: Marketing | 4 July 2007

Heinz has hired Play to create an online ad campaign to promote the new site for its Amoy brand. The drive will aim to persuade young professionals that they can be experimental and creative even if they lack cooking experience.

Find out more about Play...

PC World uses rich media ad campaign in online push

Source: NMA | 4 July 2007

PC World is to roll out a rich media ad campaign as part of a renewed emphasis on online advertising. The ads will target consumers while they research products on newspaper and price comparison sites as well as technology areas of portals. The campaign will promote PC World's 72-hour sale on laptops. The work is being handled by digital ad agency Play. MD Matt Gorzkowski said, "It's great to be working with such a successful retailer who shares our vision of multi-channel retail and we're looking forward to creating future campaigns for the brand."

Media has been planned and bought by Walker Media.

Find out more about Play...

Play secures account for Off-Piste Wines

Source: NMA | 24 May 2007

New wine merchant Off-Piste Wines has awarded its online account to digital ad agency Play.

The recently formed company works with such wine brands as Kendal Lodge, Jason's Hill, Black Tractor and Montalto.

Play's first work for the company will be to roll out an online campaign for new product Froze, which will be launched this summer.

Matt Gorzkowski, MD of Play, said that Off-Piste Wines, being a new company, is open to using creative digital ideas to build the brand and didn't want to appear to be "conservative" in its advertising.

The UK-based wine company works with producers across Italy, Chile and South Africa.

Find out more about Play...

Briefs

Source: Marketing | 16 May 2007

Tourism Australia and Qantas have appointed Play to launch a digital campaign promoting Australia as a holiday destination. The initiative is intended to raise awareness of Qantas' Dreamtime Plus Fare, which offers travellers two stopovers en route to Australia and two internal flights once they reach the country.

Find out more about Play...

MFI plans digital drive to push online sales this summer

Source: NMA | 10 May 2007

MFI plans to launch a series of digital campaigns to drive online sales this summer.

The furniture manufacturer has charged ad agency Play with creating up to ten campaigns, starting with a four-week promotion for its summer sale later this month.

MFI will target homeowners and online shoppers via its affiliate network, which is handled by affiliate marketing company Buy.at.

MFI hopes the promotion will prompt customers to buy furniture, fitted kitchens and electrical products from companies like Bosch and Smeg online, as well as raise awareness of the MFI brand.

Play, whose client roster includes RBS, Qantas and Twinings, worked with MFI on a Christmas promotion last year. MFI relaunched its online offering a year ago in response to competition from Swedish giant Ikea.

Find out more about Play...

Qantas rolls out spring ads to push free internal flight offer

Source: NMA | 12 April 2007

Australian airline Qantas is to roll out a spring campaign in support of its Dreamtime Plus Fare.

The online work, by digital ad agency Play, will see a series of executions run across popular travel and entertainment sites including Lonely Planet, Time Out and Yahoo!.

The MPU, banner and skyscraper ads will inform consumers that Qantas is offering anyone taking a long haul flight to Australia two free internal flights as part of a package. The creative will feature a plane flying onto a map of Australia urging consumers to click through to learn more.

Qantas marketing development manager Malcolm Trevor said, "We find online a very effective way to reach customers and raise awareness. It's also extremely cost-effective and gets the message out there.

In January Qantas teamed up with Tourism Australia to run a homepage takeover of Yahoo! to promote the country as a tourist destination.

Media planning/buying for the campaign was by Zed Media.

Find out more about Play...

RBS takes 'Make it happen' branding online

Source: NMA | 29 March 2007

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is set to reveal an integrated campaign of TV, online and press pushing the brand and its 'Make it happen' ethos.

M&C Saatchi and digital ad agency Play (50% owned by M&C Saatchi) have been appointed to create the campaign, which focuses on the four themes of clarity, resourcefulness, ingenuity and creativity.

A series of ads will run online to illustrate these themes and will be rotated each month, supported by press ads and a 60-second TV ad that will run for the rest of the year.

The online ads will appear across a range of financial sites including economist.com and newsweek.com.

Play will also roll out a series of in-house banner ads for the main RBS site linking users to the rbsmakeithappen.com campaign site.

This site, also designed by Play, will feature content from The Wall Street Journal including interviews with business personalities who have implemented 'clarity, resourcefulness, ingenuity and creativity', linking in with the themes of the campaign.

Play MD Matt Gorzkowski said the campaign reflects a change in attitude from financial services. "Banks are big advertisers but they've only just scratched the surface with what they can do online", he said.

"Most will see online as a direct response mechanism, a way to get click-throughs, but this campaign recognises that it can also be an effective branding medium."

The online ads and stills for the print ads were shot on location in NEw York in a joint effort by the agencies. Gorzkowski said of this joint venture, " This is a fully integrated campaign in every way. we worked with M&C Saatchi on the strategy, creative and execution as one agency. It's what the client expected and it worked."

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group operates across Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific, with more than 36m personal customers.

Find out more about Play...

RBS hires M&C Saatchi, Play for integrated campaign

Source: Marketing | 27 March 2007

The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has appointed M&C Saatchi and its digital arm Play to create an integrated campaign aimed at building its position as the brand that can ‘Make it happen'.

The new campaign is intended to differentiate RBS from its rivals by dramatizing the qualities that underpin the brand values the bank is claiming, which include clarity, resourcefulness, ingenuity and creativity.

The initiative comprises press and online activity, as well as a 60-second TV ad, which will run throughout the year. M&C and Play shot several of the ads on location in JFK Airport and Soho, New York.

Play has also created a series of mastheads to feature on rbs.com in rotation throughout the year. These will link to a microsite populated with interviews supplied by The Wall Street Journal.

Each month The Wall Street Journal will post a different interview with a modern business leader, all of whom have used either ingenuity, clarity of thought, resourcefulness or creativity to make it happen for their business.

Find out more about Play...

Design Choice - Apple iPhone

Source: Marketing | 21 March 2007

There is a chance that the BlackBerry, every marketer's favourite toy, has been usurped. Apple raised the bar and got everyone a little hot under the collar with the unveiling of its iPhone at the MacWorld Expo back in January.

In an age when we all have myriad devices crammed into our pockets, the iPhone is intended to address consumer demand for convergence by combining a mobile phone, a widescreen iPod, a two-megapixel digital camera and impressive web and email functionality in one small, but beautifully formed, device.

With the iPhone, design supremo Jonathan Ive and his team have continued the lineage that began with the jellybean-inspired iMac and developed a user interface as intuitive as it is ergonomic. While other smartphones sport a baffling array of buttons, switches, tiny screens and cumbersome keyboards, the iPhone offers a sleek expanse that provides touchscreen access to an impressive range of features. Apple's success has not come from innovation so much as from an ability to transform technophobes into gadget aficionados by designing functional, simple and unique products. In a market where superficial feature overload is all too often confused for innovation, Apple has again proved that it ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it.

By Jon Sharpe, Creative Director, Play

Find out more about Play...

Digital Choice: Philips Shave Everywhere

Marketing | 07 February 2007

It could be said that it takes, well, balls to talk about shaving your balls. Shave Everywhere goes where very little product advertising has gone before - below the belt. Phillips' Bodygroom, a shaver designed for 'all-over male grooming', had viral potential from the start, but it's the ambition of this site that lifts it above the pack.

The acting is flawless, with the online host appearing so relaxed and unashamedly proud of his newly shorn body that we nearly get an eyeful as he sits back to answer your questions on the product and X-rated grooming. This winning performance is supported by assured direction, hilarious script and exemplary production values, creating a site that is polished, funny and perfectly trimmed.

As if this wasn't enough, the joke is taken one step further by creating an impressively convincing soft-rock video featuring our favourite hairless man belting out a ballad about his new 'optical inch' and 'tightly trimmed' appendage thanks to the Phillips Bodygroom. It wouldn't look out of place on late-night VH1. It's a salutary lesson to those still titillated by the novelty of interactive video that we must apply the most exacting standards to all elements to truly make an impact. All that's left to do now is discover whether the Bodygroom really is as scrotum-safe as it claims to be. Over to you, dear reader.

By Jon Sharpe, Creative Director, Play

Find out more about Play...

ITV hands Play and Poke new digital activity

Source: Revolution | 01 February 2007

ITV has hired digital agencies Play and Poke to create online campaigns for new shows airing on its channels in early 2007.

The broadcaster selected Play to promote its new adventure series, Primeval, which starts on ITV1 on 5 February.

The show follows evolutionary scientist Nick Cutter (Douglas Hensall) and his team as they track down and capture dangerous prehistoric creatures from Earth's distant past.

Play will develop an interactive campaign, including rich-media online ads featuring characters from Primeval, and a microsite providing profiles, episode trailers and interactive features.

The push aims to attract and engage 'young urbanites' to ITV1 by generating intrigue and excitement around Primeval.

Play worked with ITV on several projects last year, including promotions for its autumn 2006 drama season (Revolution, October 2005, p10).

Meanwhile, Poke has been appointed to produce its first work for ITV1, beginning with a microsite and online ads for upcoming new comedy Benidorm, which airs in February. The show stars Johnny Vegas as one of a group of stereotypical Brits holidaying on the Costa del Sol.

The microsite takes the form of a spoof travel site, designed to highlight the comedy holiday scenarios of the new series and those with which the audience would be familiar in real life; for example, unfinished hotels and noisy building works.

It also offers a currency converter, which translates euros into pints, fags and chips.

Find out more about Play...

ITV appoints Play to push WAGs reality TV programme

Source: NMA magazine | 01 February 2007

ITV has appointed digital agency Play to promote its new reality TV series WAG's Boutique.

Play will roll out a series of rich-media ads in support of the ITV2 programme, which follows a group of footballers' wives and girlfriends as they open rival fashion boutiques.

"The show is a great opportunity to build the ITV2 brand and differentiate it from ITV1," said ITV brand manager Sue Fall.

Based on the themes of rivalry and sabotage, the banner ads feature WAG characters interacting with other ads on the page, such as jumping into them and knocking them over.

The ads are currently running on thesun.co.uk, hellomagazine.co.uk and handbag.com.

Find out more about Play...

Tourism Australia and Qantas to takeover Yahoo! home page

Source: NMA magazine | 25 January 2007

Tourism Australia and Qantas airlines are running a home-page takeover on Yahoo! to celebrate Australia Day on Friday 26 January.

The campaign was developed by digital agencies Carat and Play.

"We've been looking to use our front page for a home-page takeover, which keeps users on the main site and doesn't send them off to an external campaign site, for a while now," said Blake Chandlee, commercial director of Yahoo! UK & Ireland. "Technology is now at the stage where we can do this, and hosting a takeover in this manner keeps users engaged and is a better user experience."

The page will host a video promoting Australia's attractions, and a competition offering 26 trips to Australia with Qantas.

Meanwhile, Chandlee said that Yahoo! is set to launch a media player in the next two weeks, which will offer streamed video content covering music, sports and films, as well as user-generated content.

Find out more about Play...

Horror film ad backs creative for impact

Source: NMA magazine | 25 January 2007

Film distribution company Metrodome has launched an online campaign for horror film Them, supported by the UK Film Council.

The campaign for the film, released next week, includes a viral video in the form of a police surveillance video.

"We were keen to make the creative as impactful as possible," said Jezz Vernon, marketing director at Metrodome. "We worked on the principle that great cut-through can be achieved through an unusual or challenging ad and need not rely on frequency."

The campaign is the first work for Metrodome by digital ad agency Play. MD Matt Gorzkowski said the online campaign was designed to create curiosity and interest in the film without giving away too much. The campaign, currently appearing on Kerrang.com, TheSun.co.uk and Bizarremag.com, was rejected by film magazine Empire's site on the grounds it was too gory.

"In terms of how far we can push the creative, we've been led by editorial opinion from each site," said Vernon. "But on a limited spend we need to be as edgy as we can. There's nothing more pointless than flat creative."

Find out more about Play...

Qantas to offer a raft of online content after Play appointment

Source: Revolution | January 2007

Qantas, the Australian airline, has launched a raft of online activity following the appointment of Play as its digital agency.

Play has created a brand ad campaign and microsite, and plans to launch more projects in the next few months.

The 'Relax' brand campaign incorporates rich-media executions to push Qantas' business class services. The ads showcase the Qantas skybeds, service, food and entertainment available, and will drive traffic to the Qantas web site.

The campaign also aims to reinforce public perceptions of the brand as being a premier choice for long-haul flights.

The microsite pushes the airline's new multi-sector booking engine which allows users to book all flights, including stopovers, online, instead of having to visit a travel agent.

The microsite will be advertised on the Qantas site and via an e-mail campaign to its customer database. An interactive promotion on the microsite will encourage users to create their ideal trip, including stopovers, for the chance to actually win it.

Matt Gorzkowski, MD of Play, said the work was a step forward for Qantas, which has previously only run direct response ads online.

"For Qantas, it's the proverbial dip of the toe in the water. We hope they are going to do more and i think they will - it's just a matter of treading carefully. We're already doing a lot of big things for them and I think they'll wait to see how it works out - whether its gathering email addresses with the microsite or changing people's perceptions with online ads - and hopefully those things will come in positive and a lot more will follow", he added.

Find out more about Play...