Nike Pulsing Back in Shape

I talked earlier about RG/A and the Nike+ concept. Well, I decided to use it myself and after close to two sportless years (this is what happens when you have kids!) I went back to running using a beautiful iPod Nano (Red) coupled with the Nike+ sensor.

I decided against changing my Adidas running shoes which are still fine (regardless of repeated threats from my favorite interactive agencies to switch to Nike) and just bought a $7 shoe wallet to insert the sensor inside. Believe it works fine!

So today I ran and did 5km in 27 minutes (on the graph you can see I reduced my speed right after that and cooled down for another 1k or so).

Bottom line, the system is great and I strongly encourage you to use it… I feel much better now!

My Nike+ alias is “nborgis”, so if you want to challenge me, please do

Technorati Tags: Apple, digital advertising, e-marketing, Nike+, RG/A

Executive lunch with Kevin Turner

Today the Interactive Agencies (AKQA, Frog Design, Monochrome, FullSix, Emakina-Groupe Reflect, aso.) had an executive lunch with Kevin Turner and Alison Watson to discuss Microsoft’s engagement towards the web ecosystem.

Damon and Manuel share their feedbacks on this lunch and explain the next steps going forward. As before, they do it in French, but they do it with style!

Feedback from French Web Agencies @ WPC2007

While seating in a great Windows Vista Ford Mustang, Damon and Manuel share their feedbacks on the WPC2007, Microsoft’s engagement towards interactive agencies and they do it with style! 

Technorati Tags: 7Seven, digital advertising, emakina, e-marketing, FullSix, Groupe Reflect, Microsoft, WPC2007, web 2.0

French Web Agencies @ WPC2007 in Denver

This is our first podcast from Denver, taken during the VIP cocktail party thrown exclusively for the interactive agencies.

AvenueA | Razorfish comments on the recent aQuantive acquisition by Microsoft, what it means to the industry and specifically what it means to Duke, the French agency they acquired earlier this year. Note that Manuel also did a post on this earlier this week.

Technorati Tags: AvenueA Razorfish, digital advertising, Duke, e-marketing, Groupe Reflect, web 2.0

EU Tube

So the EU has decided to launch its own channel on YouTube. And in doing so they intend to communicate widely on EU-supported initiatives, one of them being the cinema. Therefore, they have compiled a selection of short videos to promote European movies and let EU citizen and the rest of the world know of their contribution to the EU film industry.

What’s wrong with that you may ask? Nothing, except that the video “Film Lovers Will Love This!”, showing love scenes and ending with a nice “Let’s come together!”, is being both massively watched and critized as being tax-payers wasted money on soft porn.

As for me, I do think it is a very good initiative from an institution perceived as distant to connect with its audience. Maybe they should produce more of these films and the next referendum will be a massive “Yes”

Technorati Tags: advertising, e-marketing, EU, EUtube, YouTube

Nike+

RG/A has won the “Agency of the Year” award in Cannes last month for the great work they have done building the Nike+ concept from the ground up.

The following video does a good job of explaining the rational behind the Nike-Apple combination, both from a branding and project management perspective.

“Nike+ redefines how a brand can reconnect with its audience through meaningful experience. [...] And as the Nike+ community grows, the best is yet to come!” 

Technorati Tags: advertising, Apple, Cannes Lions, digital advertising, digital design, e-marketing, Nike+, RG/A, user experience

Technology is a means, not an end: usage is!

So I am about to head to the Microsoft Partner Conference with two outstanding people (Damon from FullSix/7Seven and Manuel from EMakina-Groupe Reflect should you wish to know) and as I browse through the list of agencies present I come across Projekt202.

Their baseline pitch is just so true… It is really not technology that matters but rather usage. Give more sense to a phone, add a twist of design and let the users do the rest… it is a non-issue that the network sucks rocks, that the battery will die on you faster than you can say “call me on my fixed line”, all that really matters is that you can relate to what it is you will do with it. And this is easier said than done!

Technorati Tags: 7Seven, digital advertising, digital design, emakina, Microsoft, reflect, FullSix, web 2.0

iPhone: when the co-marketing content deals turn into viral marketing

So today is the day the iPhone becomes widely available in the USA. Apart from the device itself, the network it is currently locked with, it is interesting to take a look at the viral marketing videos swamping the net. Interestingly enough, the New York Times, which has a co-marketing agreement with Apple, released a few “review” videos which in fact are more promotional ones. Even Walt Mossberg is turning into a billboard guy, yet you may want to take a peek at its Q&A with Steve jobs. 

Technorati Tags: Apple, digital advertising, digital design, iPhone

Brands struggle to address consumers’ multiple digital identities online

Back from Cannes, a French article on how the numerous identities we now have when online make it difficult (yet interesting) for brands to address consumers.

Les publicitaires cherchent à comprendre les identités numériques

5.00 am: Cannes Lions, day three

So here I am, up and running for my third and last day at the Cannes Lions festival. Tonight is going to be wild as it is both the Cyber Lions Awards ceremony and the MDAS party at the Palm Beach casino.