This sure beats my Civil War project in 3rd grade…

What do you get when you put together the game franchise that reached the highest grossing media opening day in history ($125 million) and a creative team of marketing super-brains? The diorama of the CENTURY… While many of you have already seen the partnerships with Mountain Dew, 7-Eleven, and channel sales commercials from Gamestop, you may not have seen this piece of eyecandy.



Why am I so excited about this? Because it is one of the most original, exciting, interactive, and just freaking cool pieces of viral marketing I have seen in a while. The level of detail alone is enough to make any creative type stare and drool. But the story gets better in that not only can I watch, I can interact (click on the blue dots whenever you see one) and get an even deeper level of the story taking place around me.



In my opinion this will accomplish two rather monumental goals:
1) It will generate the viral interest they are hoping for among current Halo fans as well as non-current fans due to its sheer amazing-ness
2) The hype around this game is already at a fanatical frothing frenzy, and with stunts like this, the hype is staying strong even among the already dedicated Halo-lovers (How do I know? Well, I’m one of them!)

Some of the interactive elements even have a “date of release”—a nice ploy to keep me coming back for more.



One thing is for sure: the “Halo” franchise marketing train is definitely gaining speed…

Two Words: Nathan Freakin Barley...okay make that three

Another gem to come out of the UK last year poking fun at new media and consumer culture is a great ode to the rise of web stars and the infatuation with web 2.0.

In this clip aptly titled "The Rise of the Idiots," we see a commentary on the vestiges of hipster culture and the palpitations felt by all those witness to idiots expressing themselves.

Kid Suites with Uncle Bad Touch

I came upon this ad on a trash can outside of a Holiday Inn. Before I realized that it was for specialized rooms that cater to children’s needs, a number of amazing yet horrifying thoughts went through my head. Look at this thing:

Now, think about the message they are trying to get across with this: we have made efforts to accommodate our customers traveling with kids. But their way to advertise this is to…ummm, use ‘uncle bad touch’ as the mascot? I mean, seriously… look at this guy. Long hair, goatee, handle bar mustache, mouth hanging open with his tongue pressed up to the edge of his mouth...not to mention that uniform. He looks like some sort of Civil War general. And did you notice the one big hand, one little hand thing he’s got going on? I believe that’s some sort of Michael Jackson syndrome.

Anyway, yes folks…the Holiday Inn would like to invite your children to enjoy their newly fashioned kid suites. For your sake, I sincerely hope this guy will not be there.