Cushions
Contagious Communications
Issue 8 | September 2008
Agency
Contagious Communications
Creative Team
Paul Kemp-Robertson; Harry Gayner; Richard Newman
Production Team
Rucomfy, part of The Bean Bag Group Ltd, Lancashire, UK
Other Credits
Dean Dorat - Design; Stephane Scheyven - Photos
Date
June 2008
Background
Contagious is a trade publication in magazine/dvd/online format that focuses on future-facing advertising ideas and the impact of emerging technologies on brands. Therefore, any promotional activity during the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival had to be original and unexpected in order to stand out and to reflect the editorial spirit of the publication.
Idea
Contagious cushions! Four large, comfy cushions adorned with the Contagious logo and URL were placed outside the infamous ‘Gutter Bar’ on the Croisette between the hours of 11pm and 4am every night during the festival. They symbolise the ‘Branded Utility’ trend that Contagious helped to identify – the provision of useful services rather than traditional advertising messages.
The Gutter Bar is seen as the unofficial social hub of the Cannes Lions festival. Several hundred attendees frequent this small, street-corner bar until the early hours of the morning. The problem is, space is at a premium which means people end up standing talking for hours on end. The Contagious cushions were designed to provide some generous, welcome relief while promoting the brand in a surprising, subtle way.
Results
A ‘media-first’, this ambient activity certainly kept the conversations going and proved that Contagious genuinely understands the Cannes psyche – adding to people’s enjoyment rather than trying to interrupt and intrude. The branded cushions were also taken onto the beach one night for a private Publicis party, to chime with the agency’s new global positioning: Contagious Ideas That Change the Conversation.
Target audience
Attendees of the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival
Volume/size of campaign
Attendees of the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival
Our Thoughts
Okay, so Contagious and Directory are sister publications but we haven’t chosen this idea just because Paul Kemp-Robertson is a great guy and a noble human being but because we know what it’s like to be at the Gutter Bar at 4am and so tired and emotional that you need a little sit-down somewhere….