Jet Blue and The Simpson's - Co-branding partnership creates a fun, engaging experience

Usually airline online experiences or airlines for that matter are not known to make us laugh and we rather hurry along as a user, do our business of booking and leave. After all, lost luggage is no laughing matter, neither are long security lines, delays and bad food. However, Jet Blue has recently teamed up with 20th Century Fox as an official sponsor and partner in promoting the upcoming Simpson's Movie being released world-wide on July 27.

From the http://www.seeyellow.com site you can view all of the participating brands that promoting the film. However, for me, Jet Blue truly took a gamble and it is, as Mr. Burns would say "excellent".

http://www.jetblue.com/deals/simpsons/

Not only has Jet Blue fully immersed the Simpson's brand into their user experience and interface but they have allowed ever character a chance to have their 15 minutes of fame. I have never laughed so hard while visiting an airline site, I didn't want to leave, I suppose I am a BIG of the Simpson's and this helps, but from the rich content you feel like the Simpson's are right there with you as you click through the many great features and tools.

I particularly enjoyed Mr. Burn's Flight Log and letter to Jet Blue CEO David Neelman. Another great feature is the destination selector on the left bottom nav, each Simpson's character has their own favorite destination selected, the content is truly hilarious and compliments each character very well. What I found most clever is that despite the Simpson's take over on the site it actually made me want to book Jet Blue and gave me a good feeling about the company, brand and it's values in treating customers. And despite The Simpson's being the dominate focus it all is links back to the very important reason of an airline site, to book seats and generate revenue.

We all know how painful air travel can be, many us travel with our work frequently and it was great to see an airline add some fun the the whole process.

Cannes Lions 2007 - Powerful Ideas

Wow, it's been a while since I've written. From all of my work travel to New York and Charlotte, then to Vancouver it's been rather hectic! The pace is slowing slightly, but it's never dull in the world of Bank of America.

Anyhow, more coming soon, in the mean time I thought I would share some winning entries from this years entries 2007 Cannes Lions. These examples truly are expectational in their strategic thinking, creative execution and pure cleverness; what drives each of these campaigns are simple yet thought provoking ideas that help shape the message and brand. They certainly are worthy of their recognition and caught my eye as well. Enjoy!


Title: NIKE+
Advertiser/Client: NIKE
Product/Service: RUNNING APPLICATION
Entrant Company, City: R/GA, New York

http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/ <http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/



Get The Glass
Agency: Goodby/Silverstein & Partners
Studio that Created it: North Kingdom

Gettheglass.com continues the fantastical story of the Adachis, a family suffering from ailments related to their lack of milk. On the site, viewers play a board game in which they help the Adachi family get a glass of hard to reach milk. Players advance in the game by rolling a pair of virtual dice and driving the Adachis' plumbing van through a series of milk-related challenges all while trying to outrun Fort Fridge security and avoid being sent to Milkatraz. If you make it all they way to the end, Milk sends you an actual "Get the glass" souvenir glass.

http://www.gettheglass.com/



Title: Impossible Is Nothing
Advertiser/Client: Adidas
Entrant Company, City: NetThink, Madrid

The campaign allows the user to draw an impossible wish with a marker that paints a line from where urban elements pop up. Meanwhile a fast runner goes through the line that the user is drawing, linking to a microsite, where users can express what they think is impossible, but they might achieve.

http://62.151.22.210:80/festivales/cannes2007/dibuja/index.htm




Title: Great Pockets
Advertiser/Client: Nokia
Entrant Company, City: FARFAR, Stockholm
Country: SWEDEN


Henry Needle has created an incredible invention, the Great Pockets. These clothes allow you to bring all your multimedia with you at all times. The opposite solution to this is of course to bring all those things in the small and neat shell of the Nokia N95. It's not just one thing, it's a GPS, PC, Camera and more. Therefore the site was created to reflect these opposite ways of carrying all these devices. The visitor comes to the Great Pockets store, and can flip the site 180 degrees to end up in the reality that is a better solution.

http://www.greatpockets.com/index.php




Title: Coca-Cola Videogame
Advertiser/Client: COCA- COLA
Entrant Company, City: WIEDEN+KENNEDY, Portland

The hero of a gritty, car-racing videogame has a change of heart after drinking a Coke.

Click on the Screen Capture image:
http://www.canneslionslive.com/film/win_2_1_01317.htm



Title: CRITIQUE
Advertiser/Client: VOLKSWAGEN
Product/Service: VW CARS
Entrant Company, City: CRISPIN PORTER + BOGUSKY, Miami

Click on the Screen Capture image:
http://www.canneslionslive.com/film/win_2_1_04394.htm




Title: CLARENCE (Cat with Pipe)
Advertiser/Client: FILM SUEZ
Product/Service: BAFICI INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
Entrant Company, City: LA COMUNIDAD, Buenos Aires

A picture of a cat with a pipe is the saddest picture in the world, but one person doesn't feel the same way.

http://www.canneslionslive.com/film/win_2_1_02823.htm




Title: POWER OF WIND
Advertiser/Client: WIND ENERGY INITIATIVE (EPURON/BMU)
Product/Service: WIND ENERGY
Entrant Company: NORDPOL+ HAMBURG

Wind has a strong nature. Better keep him busy...

http://www.canneslionslive.com/film/win_2_2_03927.htm




Title: HAPPINESS FACTORY
Advertiser/Client: THE COCA-COLA COMPANY
Product/Service: COCA-COLA
Entrant Company: WIEDEN+KENNEDY AMSTERDAM

We take the audience on a journey through a coke vending machine into a fantasy land of wondrous characters and spectacular landscapes contributing to the delivery of the bottle.

http://www.canneslionslive.com/film/win_3_1_02489.htm




Title: SHAKESPEAREAN GECKO
Advertiser/Client: THE THAI OLMPIC FIBRE CEMENT
Product/Service: SHERA CEILING BOARDS
Entrant Company, City: PUBLICIS THAILAND, Bangkok
Country: THAILAND

Sharing the fate of Romeo and Juliet, one lizard sacrifices his life to be with his lover because of the cracked ceiling problem.

http://www.canneslionslive.com/film/win_3_1_01436.htm




Title: BALD 1
Advertiser/Client: TELECOM
Product/Service: ARNET BROADBAND
Entrant Company, City: SANTO, Buenos Aires
Country: ARGENTINA

A bald guy in a fundraising campaign for hair asks people to join the broadband plan.

http://www.canneslionslive.com/film/win_3_2_03244.htm
http://www.canneslionslive.com/film/win_3_3_03245.htm