Online+Ad+Critique

On March 28, 2011 Skittles, and BBDO, a Toronto based advertising agency, launched a “whacky” interactive online marketing campaign called “Touch the Rainbow.” This campaign consisted of 5 online advertisements that were featured on YouTube. In each video viewers were asked to place their finger on a flashing red skittle on the screen, they then sat back and watched as their finger played a starring role in the film as it unfolds. The most popular of this bunch was the “Skittles Touch: Cat,” which currently has over 5 million views.
 * __1. Skittles Touch the Rainbow Campaign__**

__Skittles Touch: Cat__ media type="youtube" key="eDlaJlb1ezg" height="315" width="560"

__Skittle Touch: Cage Cop__ media type="youtube" key="Oech5Rpom2g" height="315" width="560"

__Skittles Touch: War Finger__ media type="youtube" key="ABJ32e5jUyY" height="315" width="560"

__Skittles Touch: Hitchhiker__ media type="youtube" key="oG694oqcpao" height="315" width="560"

__Skittles Touch: Skittles Girl__ media type="youtube" key="oxcaMCgdkZ8" height="315" width="560"

Children, teenagers, and adults alike can all get a laugh out of Skittles quirky brand of humor. However, the fact that these ads were created for an online environment, as well as the comedic nature of these ads may rule out children as being part of the target audience. Mostly, Skittles is targeting those who already consume their product and are using this interactive video in order to increase brand loyalty in their existing audiences.
 * Who is their target audience?**

Skittles is trying to advance brand awareness and brand loyalty in existing consumers by presenting their audiences with a fun and inventive, interactive advertisement that stays consistent with their existing brand image. Ultimately, Skittles “Touch” campaign engages its viewers with interesting, and sometimes disturbing content, in order to keep the Skittles brand at the front of the consumer’s mind.
 * What are they trying to advance?**

I first came across this campaign when researching for this particular assignment, the “Skittles Touch: Cat" ad appeared in my search as being one of the best viral marketing case studies of 2011 (“Viral Marketing”). After viewing the video, and being a fan of the Skittles brand myself, I couldn't resist using this particular campaign for one of my ad critiques.
 * When did you see this campaign, and where?**

One technique that can be seen in these Skittles “Touch” campaigns, as well as throughout most, if not all of Skittles campaigns, is their creepy or weird brand of humor that allows instant brand recognition by the viewer. This Skittles brand of humor, as is exemplified in the “Skittles Touch: Cat” video when the cat is replaced with a man dressed as a cat, intends to cause a reaction in its viewers. This reaction generally result’s in the video being shared online amongst friends.
 * What techniques did they use?**

Another technique which Skittles used is a call to action, as is seen at the end of each of the 5 advertisements, where a “click for more videos” button appears. This links users to Skittles YouTube Channel where they can view and comment on the full 5 “Touch” videos for this particular ad campaign.

I believe this campaign was very effective in increasing brand recognition, however the lasting impact of this campaign is debatable. To being with, all five of these videos have reached nearly 1 million views individually, with the most popular of the bunch going viral, reaching over 5 million views to date. Following the release of this campaign in 2011 the Skittles brand was up double digits from a profit and marketing share standpoint, which is the highest-level Skittles has reached in the marketplace (Haynes, 2012). The popularity of this campaign can be attributable in part to the innovation presented in these advertisements that shocks viewers and prompts them to share the video and to pass the shock on to their friends.
 * Do you believe they were effective? Why/why not?**

One of the downfalls of this campaign is that although it generated a lot of online “buzz” amongst viewers, no call to action was included for viewers join Skittles Facebook page or to sign up for more video’s through e-mail as they produced them (Fisher, 2011). Viewers aren’t being directed towards a more permanent source of Skittles related news and entertainment, such as Facebook or E-mail, which could further entrench them with the Skittles brand. As such, the lasting impact of these videos may be short lived. “The ROI of campaigns like this would be much higher if there was greater thought into turning the eyeballs into ‘family’ members” (Fisher, 2011).

In May of 2011 T-Mobile launched their “Angry Birds” Campaign in Barcelona during a promotional event held in Spain. T-Mobile built upon the popularity of the mobile video game “Angry Birds” to showcase a unique interactive experience for passersby’s as well as for online viewers. This clip showcases an event where T-Mobile created a life size installation of the game “Angry Birds”. Players enter a kiosk equipped with a T-Mobile smart phone that broadcasts their gameplay on a giant screen. Once players release the birds on screen, a real-life eruption of Angry Birds into the public square occurs, accompanied by real explosions and sound effects. This video quickly went viral, and currently stands at over 10 million hits (“Top 14 Viral”).
 * __2. T-Mobile Angry Birds Campaign: “Life is for Sharing”__**

__T-Mobile Angry Birds Campaign__ media type="youtube" key="jzIBZQkj6SY" height="315" width="560"

Those who have smart phones, as well as those have played the popular game “Angry Birds” make up the general target audience for this campaign. T-Mobile’s target audience also includes anyone who is of the age and has the capabilities of using mobile phone devices.
 * Who is the target audience?**

The point that T-Mobile was trying to emphasize through their creation of this “Angry Birds” spectacle, is that no matter where you are in the world, if you own a smart phone from T-Mobile, you can always be a part of the action and join in the fun. Ultimately, T-Mobile hopes to reaffirm its brand image to audiences as a leader in mobile communications.
 * What are they trying to advance?**

I stumbled upon this campaign in my research for this assignment in an article entitled “Top 14 Viral Videos of 2011: Royal Wedding, Zombies and Muppets Top List.”
 * When did you see this campaign and where?**

T-Mobile merged online and offline advertising by creating a life-size video game environment which viewers were able to experience worldwide (Beirut). T-Mobile went all out in their offline creation of the “Angry Birds” set, which included a live band playing the Angry Birds theme song, camera’s capturing every angle of the action, as well as a T-Mobile smart phone featured as the gaming device. T-Mobile also cleverly filmed shot’s of people in the crowd capturing the action on their own smart phones. These images are supposed to be interpreted by audiences as being part of the T-Mobile network. It is important to note that this offline advertising phenomena was created in anticipation of this campaign being viewed online, and hopefully going viral, which it did, reaching 5 million hits in just 1 week (“T-Mobile’s”).
 * What techniques did they use?**

T-Mobile “Life’s for Sharing” campaigns (eg. The Flash Mob in Liverpool) are designed to shock and awe audiences with unexpected and exciting performances. Audiences are expected to draw a natural association between the footage of crowd’s filming these unique experience’s on their smart phones and the brand of T-Mobile presented at the end of the clip. Through this association, audiences come to recognize that it was T-Mobile who choreographed this mutual experience for their audiences, and through the power of T-Mobile technology, this experience was shared.
 * Do you believe they were effective? Why/Why not?**

One fault with this campaign, is that it piggy backed it success on the popularity of Angry Birds, and one can argue that this particular advertisement promotes Angry Birds just as much, if not more, than it promotes T-Mobiles brand. Furthermore, the interactivity of this campaign stops offline and is not incorporated into the online environment where it’s popularity exploded and went viral. One suggestion for T-Mobile’s “Life’s for Sharing” campaigns is to add a call to action at the end of their video’s to direct viewers to T-Mobile’s website, Facebook page, E-mail list, etc. where audiences can interact further with the brand.

__T-Mobile’s Flash Mob__ media type="youtube" key="VQ3d3KigPQM" height="315" width="560"

__Works Cited__
 * 1) Beirut. "Re: Angry Birds Live." Weblog comment. //Thoughtpick//. 1 July 2011. Web. 07 Feb. 2012. .
 * 2) Fisher, Alana. "Cats and Robbers: A Look at the New Skittles Touch The Rainbow Campaign." //Brand New Directions//. 31 Mar. 2011. Web. 07 Feb. 2012. .
 * 3) Haynes, Megan. "BBDO and Wrigley Get Global Attention." //Strategy//. 24 Jan. 2012. Web. 07 Feb. 2012. .
 * 4) "T-Mobile’s Angry Bird Youtube Video Hits 5 Million Views in 1 Week." //Grand Social Central//. 2011. Web. 07 Feb. 2012. .
 * 5) "Top 14 Viral Videos of 2011: Royal Weddings, Zombies and Muppets Top List." // Digital Strategy Consulting // . 22 Dec. 2011. Web. 07 Feb. 2012. .
 * 6) "Viral Marketing Case Studies – the Best Virals of 2011." //Digital Strategy Consulting//. 2011. Web. 07 Feb. 2012. .