Archive for December, 2010

Cashmere Tech Wrap-Up

Friday, December 31st, 2010

TOP 10 DIGITAL ADVERTISING INNOVATIONS OF 2010

Looking back over the past year’s advertising landscape, it’s becoming clear that it isn’t the individual campaigns that stick out in people’s mind as much as the use and pioneering of new technology.

This was a transitional year in which much-hyped mobile advertising began to be a serious player, Apple once again changed the business and brands began fostering real, two-way conversations with consumers.

Here’s a look at some of the top new technologies that redefined advertising in 2010 as compiled by Mashable.com.

Click to read full article

WHAT TWITTER’S TRENDING TOPICS TOLD US ABOUT THE WORLD IN 2010

Twitter recently released its own list of the top trends of 2010, but we thought we’d take a closer look to see how usage habits have evolved on everybody’s favorite real-time information network.

With the help of our friends over at What The Trend, the fine folks who provide us with the weekly dish on what’s hot in the Twitterverse, we offer some insight into a year’s worth of 140 character conversations.

Click to read full article

YARDSELLR IS TURNING FACEBOOK INTO EBAY 2.0

Yardsellr, which launched earlier this year, is built on the same premise: the Internet can be a way to efficiently connect collectors. But Yardsellr’s big idea is that standalone websites—like eBay—are passé. The best way to connect buyers and sellers today, says founder Danny Leffel, is within their Facebook News Feeds.

Click to read full article

Click to visit site for more details

BUMP TECHNOLOGIES

Bump is a quick and easy way to connect two phones. Simply bump them together and share contact info, pictures, calendar events, and even connect on social networks.

Click to see video

Click to visit site for more details

LIVE NATION, SWAGG SIGN MERCHANDISING DEAL

In a move that will help expand its online exposure and marketing efforts, Live Nation has signed a deal with SWAGG, a Web site that offers a mobile app designed to help people organize, use and distribute gift cards and ecommerce deals.

The deal allows fans who are registered with SWAGG to purchase gift cards that they can give to friends or family members to redeem for Live Nation merchandise, such as concert t-shirts and other music-related items.

Click to read full article

Cashmere 2010 Events Recap

Friday, December 31st, 2010

We at the Cashmere Agency experienced a great year. In 2010 we “Embraced the Renaissance” keeping both the virtual and real world abuzz. Let’s recap some event highlights from 2010 as we close on an epic decade and prepare to embark upon a promising New Year!

Fornever

On March 5th Murs and 9th Wonder hosted the official release party for their fourth collaborative album, Fornever, sponsored by Adidas.

The rapper/producer duo celebrated in style along with VIP friends at And Still Clothing Store on La Brea, in Mid-City Los Angeles.

Click here to view slideshow

A True Nightmare

Things got a little scary on April 28th in the neighborhood where the original A Nightmare on Elm Street was filmed. Cashmere Agency, along with The Source and Diamond Supply Co. hosted A Nightmare on Fairfax – a party to promote the release of the 2010 remake, A Nightmare on Elm Street. The event was packed with very little space to shop the Diamond Supply Co.’s showroom on Fairfax and Melrose. Special guest, rapper Jay Rock made an appearance, and his nightmare themed music video premiered as one of the night’s highlights.

Click here to view slideshow

LA >FWD Blog Launch

Cashmere Agency got involved with L.A. Public Media to head up the launch of their mega blog site, LA>FWD at the Marvimon House in Los Angeles’ eclectic Chinatown on September 16th. The extravaganza turned out to be an impressive networking event that attracted top tastemakers and influencers in media, journalism, music, communications and the non-profit sector.

Click here to view slideshow

From the Blogs to The Blocks

Cashmere Agency, along with the League of Young Voters Education Fund (LYVEF) kicked off BET Hip Hop Awards Weekend in Atlanta with IGNITE 2010: From the Blogs to the Blocks – an event focused on civic engagement and responsibility along with the 2010 Midterm Elections. Special musical guests Twista and Dondria performed live for attendees.

This cutting-edge event had no problem garnering top sponsors like VIBE Magazine. Ustream.tv streamed a live broadcast of the event, and Terminator Brand also partnered up for gifting.

Click here to view slideshow

How Cashmere’s Spending the Holidays

Thursday, December 30th, 2010

Our eclectic Cashmere Crew spent the Holidays traveling to some really cool places, and what better way to share the sights than with virtual cell phone pics and vids captured from some of the most desired locations across the globe.

Take a journey around the world with Cashmere, as our team chronicles the Holidays of 2010 in this beautiful, seasonal photo essay.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Alison

“Here is Singapore by night, taken at the top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel”

“And here is a photo from Bali, Indonesia, on the way out of the Denpasar Airport”

Kosta

“Live from Lake Tahoe, NV”

Kristen

“White Winter at Big Bear Lake, CA”

Misty

“Back home in Chicago, IL”

Ryan

“Having a White Christmas in Iowa”

Theresa

“Here are some pics from San Francisco, CA”

Trupti

“Chillin’ in Seattle, WA”

CNN Names The 10 Biggest “Tech Fails” of 2010

Wednesday, December 29th, 2010

Yesterday, CNN released its “Top 10 biggest tech ‘fails’ of 2010″, highlighting the year’s “missteps, misdeeds and mistakes”.  One of the most notable entries to make the list is the much-publicized iPhone 4 antenna issue where some users were unable to make calls if the phone was held in a certain way, which Apple remedied by providing free phone cases.

Several privacy issues made the list including: the Facebook privacy bug where private chat conversations were visible to Facebook friends and Google Buzz’s privacy issue where people that Gmail users chatted with most automatically became followers, allowing others to see who the user interacted with  just by looking at the user’s profile.

Here’s the full list:

1.  iPhone “Antennagate”
2.  3-D TV
3.  Microsoft Kin
4.  Nexus One
5.  Facebook Privacy
6.  Google Buzz
7.  Gawker media sites hacked
8.  Content Farms
9.  Digg relaunch
10.  iTunes Ping

To read more about the “fails”, check out the full story here. What do you think about the list?  Did CNN miss anything?

Introducing Papa Sangre: Video Gaming without Visuals

Tuesday, December 28th, 2010

Have you ever heard of a video game with no video? Now you have. Get ready for Papa Sangre, the world’s newest game that is certain to give players a thrill, while the screen remains blank.

The premise of the game is that the user is in Papa Sangre’s territory, described by the creators as a “Mexican graveyard on the Day of the Dead – with the lights off”, someone you love needs to be rescued, and you both need to escape. But the twist is, you cannot see a thing.

Papa Sangre is a game that centers entirely around sound via audio clues. The creators have developed an entire world using the first ever real-time 3D audio engine implemented on a hand held device. Users have said that the thriller aspects incorporated into the game become very real using only audio.

Go to the App Store, close your eyes, play the game, and prepare to sleep with the lights on. For more information, head over to their website and check out the trailer below for Papa Sangre.

Cashmere Tech Wrap-Up

Friday, December 24th, 2010

DREAMWALK: THE MOBILE TREASURE HUNT

Use the DreamWalk mobile app to hunt for real treasures hidden around your city or create your own treasure hunt to promote your business. DreamWalk is a location-based marketing solution that is interactive, rewarding and fun!

Click here to visit site for more details

Sony Launches Subscription Music Streaming Service Challenging Apple’s Market Dominance

Sony Corp. on Wednesday launched a music streaming service in a bid to boost sales of its consumer electronics and break Apple’s dominance of the online music business. The music subscription service gives users access to a catalog of 6 million songs, which can be streamed across Sony’s PlayStation 3, personal computers and Bravia TVs.

Click here to read full article

Click here to visit site for more details

5 PREDICTIONS FOR THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IN 2011

The music industry continued suffering its hardcore identity crisis in 2010, buffeted by the languishing major labels, continued leaks/file-sharing and that most confusing of conundrums: How to get music to fans in a way that makes sense — without losing money.

Still, despite the industry’s continuing difficulty to adapt to the digital age in a truly profitable way, we have seen some stirrings of change: the expansion of the online music video oeuvre, more creative and diverse methods of releasing albums (via Ping, Facebook and even mobile apps), and more mainstream, established publications and institutions embracing social media all the more.

There’s a lot of noise out there in the music world — and we’re not just talking about the genre — and we’re all hoping that out of that tangle of ideas and sounds comes the antidote that will fix a system that is so obviously in flux. Although I don’t quite see that antidote being concocted this coming year, I do see more trial and error and creativity brewing that could, in the end, lead to the music industry’s eventual rebirth. Either that or it will all implode and we’ll live in eternal silence, but somehow I doubt it.

And with that I bring you my predictions for 2011.

Click here to read full article

FOURSQUARE SQUARES-UP TO FACEBOOK, ADDS CHECK-IN PHOTOS AND COMMENTS

Foursquare just upped the ante in its battle for control of the check-in location-based business by adding in the ability to upload photos and comment on friends’ check-ins. It’s a subtle change, but could have big impact on the battle with peers like Facebook.

Click here to read full article

Click here to visit site for more details

DROPCARDS.COM

Dropcards is the brand name synonymous with music download cards – high-quality, gift card shaped cards printed with your own custom artwork, a website address and a unique access code to unlock digital downloads – helping to successfully bridge the gap between the physical and online world of music downloads.

Most commonly used as a cost-effective alternative to CDs, Dropcards offer customization and distribution options never before available with traditional formats.

Click here to visit site for more details

Retro Jordans “Cool Greys” Release Causes Chaos

Friday, December 24th, 2010

On Wednesday, fans across the nation began lining up in anticipation for the Thursday release of the limited-edition Jordan XI “Cool Greys”.

Unfortunately, everything didn’t go smoothly as the release wreaked havoc on a number of shoe stores across the country.  In Mesquite, TX, a melee at a mall forced police to use pepper spray after shoppers began pushing as the 6am release time approached.  One woman, Laurie Martinez, waited in line for 11 hours trying to get the coveted pair of shoes before she was maced when the pushing started.

At Deerbrook Mall in Houston, TX, 300 people were lined up outside the doors at 5am and when they rushed in, the unruly crowds damaged the doorways.  This isn’t the first time a Jordan shoe release has caused trouble.  Last year, fights broke out over the “Space Jams” at Westfield Wheaton Shopping Mall.  Veteran shopper, Kelvin Rodriguez says it best: if you want the shoes, “you have to be clever”.

Of course the shoes sold out quickly, and while they retail for $175, sneakerheads speculate they can go for much more on eBay. Check out some of images below from the midnight shoe release.

Machete Immortalized in Brisk Iced Tea Campaign

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

In connection with the Machete DVD release on January 4th, the one and only Danny Trejo (Machete) is set to join the ranks of Lipton Brisk Iced Tea in claymation form.

Made popular over a decade ago, the claymation commercials have featured Bruce Lee, Babe Ruth, Elvis and Frank Sinatra and there’s no doubt that this new commercial featuring Machete will be unmistakably Brisk.

This video below, shot by the popular Levi Maestro, is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the claymation commercial and features an exclusive interview with Danny Trejo.

Immortalzed

Check out the video:

“A Christmas Story from Snoop Dogg”

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Christmas is almost here and it looks like everyone is feeling the Christmas spirit, including Snoop Dogg, or should we say, Santa Snoop.

The Boss Dogg took some time out of his busy schedule  to share his Christmas story with the world.

Check out the video below as Snoop Dogg reads his special Christmas story.

Cashmere Top Social Media Picks of 2010

Monday, December 20th, 2010

Take a look at the “Top Social Media” tools and campaign for 2010 as submitted by the ladies and gentlemen of Cashmere Agency:

Alex

Social Media Tool: Foursquare

Description: Foursquare is my pick for social media tool of the year as it has put location-based social networking on the map. Foursquare has changed the way I travel to all types of places because I am always checking-in and seeing if there are any specials I can take advantage of or tips from others that I can use. I never thought I would get so into it, but I always find myself checking out where my friends are at and competing for badges and mayorships. Foursquare is a great tool for personal as well as promotional use; there are so many opportunities for cross-promotion, scavenger hunts and interesting contest ideas.

Alice

Social Media Tool: Twitter

Description: When IGNITE 2010 was happening in Atlanta, #ignite2010 was used to spread awareness of the positive event. It was a success and received praise from both participants and attendees.  It was a combined effort from the Cashmere family and showed extreme support from everyone.

Ignite 2010 links

Alison

Social Media Campaign: How To Make Your Music Video Go Viral: 10 Tips From Cee-Lo, OK Go & More

Description: I really enjoyed this article because it is totally true! All the most popular viral videos are something we can relate, something that is actually good, a song cover or involves cats!

Read full article!

Anthony

Social Media Campaign: Antoine Dodson Bed Room Intruder Phenomenon

Description: Ingenious viral video marketing where someone took a real news event and created a pop culture buzz culminating with the Liberty University Christmas Carolers giving a special performance about it.

Brandon

Social Media Campaign: G.O.O.D. Fridays

Description: Kanye West leaked products of studio sessions/songs out via the internet to build up anticipation for his studio retail album.  The campaign was dope because such a high profile artist on his own flooded his own “leaks” to the public.

Basically adapting the idea of putting out free music to promote his upcoming project. Instead of a mixtape, it was for an actual retail product.  It also caused rumors of an EP with himself and Jay-Z.  The branding of the project was crazy too, a simple but consistent use of distinct typography over simple photographs.  This style was stolen/bitten/adapted by up-and-coming artists leaking their freestyles over Kanye’s leaked tracks.  Kanye also used twitter to drive traffic to download links.  He made simple tweets to build anticipation for specific songs (with features).  The features he brought together were crazy as well.  Huge starts on FREE tracks.

Kanye West’s GOOD Fridays

David

Social Media Tool: Foursquare

Description: While numerous location-based social networking platforms popped up in the social media world, in 2010 Foursquare remained king. It’s ease of “checking in” at various venues allowed everyone to share with their friends where they were and what activity they were engaging in at that moment. We will see what 2011 will bring for this innovative social media tool.

Grace

Social Media Campaign: Whopper Sacrifice

Description: Burger King asked to un-friend 10 friends on Facebook to get a free Whopper. Unlike other campaigns, it used the fact that Facebook doesn’t mean as much as it seems by using a cheap and already accessible prize. It wouldn’t have worked if the prize was huge. Though it is borderline mean, it’s just hilarious that you would choose a Whopper over 10 friends.

Jason

Social Media Campaign: The Boondocks Soap Box Gifting

Description: I’m a fan of the The Boondocks, and it was cool to be able to create a viral campaign for the TV series.  We created a cool concept, and went out and executed.  We also got to work with a lot of different artist.

Paul Wall video

Jasmin

Social Media Campaign: Kanye West joins Twitter

Description: I think the greatest thing that happened to Twitter was when Kanye West first joined.  It brought a ton of attention when he announced he was going to follow one random person on his follower list, that is a great way to get your follower numbers up.  Everyone was watching what he was tweeting, he kept it interesting with posting lots of pictures and saying outrageous things.  It wasn’t really a competition but there was definitely strategy behind it and it made a lot of blogs/online media stories.  He had made a statement that he was trying to rehabilitate his image and this was the best, fastest and most direct way to reconnect with his fans and different demographics.

I like it because it was a clever way to get people to listen to what he says, he could drop a fake album title and websites everywhere would post about it.  He could promote or send any message he wanted through twitter only and it would still get as much attention as if he ran an entire online media campaign.

Kanye West’s Twitter!

Kelly

Social Media Campaign: Numark V7 Workshop at the Scratch Academy

Description: The highlight for me this year was the Numark V7 Workshop that took place at the Scratch Academy on July 31, 2010.  This was an event that we helped set up and got to see some of my DJ friends come out and play with the Numark V7 turntable controllers.  We captured hours of footage, interviewed a bunch of DJs on what they thought about the Numark V7 and compiled it into dope video piece.  This was also the last time I saw my friend, Dannie “Fut” James, who came out and supported the event even though he was not feeling well.  Fut passed away earlier this year from a form of cancer known as multiple myeloma.  If you pay close attention to the video, it shows a shot a painting of DJ Hideo Sugano who we also lost this year.  May both of you Rest In Peace…

Kosta

Social Media Campaign: Snoop Dogg Green Screen Campaign

Description: With Snoop Dogg’s new album nearing its release Cashmere Agency was tasked with developing and interactive and creative promotion plan. Referencing the Old Spice Social Media campaign, Cashmere took Snoop Dogg and placed him in front of a green screen to let him do his thing. As a result Snoop started calling out top celebrities and tastemakers on Twitter.  Ranging from Ashton Kutcher to Martha Stewart each celebrity received a public tweet from Snoop linking back to his green screen video for them. The campaign resulted in millions of views and hundreds of thousands of Tweets and Retweets.

Kristen

Social Media Campaign: Old Spice Guy Videos and Commercials

Description: This past year, Old Spice cleverly launch a marketing initiative starring Isaiah Mustafa.  The campaign first gained noticed  on from their television commercials with Mustafa and quickly became a hit online via Old Spice’s YouTube website.  The campaign also included a Twitter marketing initiative where Mustafa would do a video shout out to random celebrities, talking about random topics all the while holding an Old Spice bottle.  This was one of my favorite campaigns because it was funny, captivating and was not over the top promo-ie.  The videos and commercials also were very inventive and the type of filming style has rarely been seen.

Misty

Social Media Title: Key Visual New Media Strategies

Description: The power of connecting people and connecting with people of varied demographics and life experiences is a spectacular strength, especially if done correctly. From interactive page skins and the customized FBML tabs on Facebook to the detailed and ultraly artistic packaging of Kanye West’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” album, the visual element is harnessed and ultimately propels the success and sale of a product. I look forward to seeing the visual and creative aspect of marketing and advertising enhance over the next year. What a wonderful, evolving world we are blessed to sculpt.

NBA Jam Session’s Facebook Page

Mimi

Social Media Tool: Geo-location phone applications (i.e. Foursquare, Gowalla, Facebook Places)

Description: I think this technology is truly the future of marketing as it enables brands and advertisers engage with users wherever they are.

From a user stand point, the service offers consumers an engaging city guide, friend-finder and game that challenges people to explore new places and connect with other locals in a fun, social way.

From a brand/advertiser stand point, the opportunities are endless. Advertisers receive detailed information about their audience and their product preferences and behaviors. The nature of the technology presents advertisers with extensive creative marketing opportunities including coupons/deals, check-in challenges, location-based lists and treasure hunts.

The applications also act as free, organic marketing for advertisers as users share and talk about the places they are at directly with their network.

Nereya

Social Media Tool: KickStarter.com

Description: Free, online fundraising platform  designed to connect ideas directly with donors. Each idea creates a project profile and interested donors can pledge online to support the project. Projects do not go through unless they are meet 100% of their funding goal to protect both the project makers and donors money. I am a fan of this because it allows you to see interesting ideas people are coming up with and support making those dreams a reality. A classmate of mine used it for the first time and he received enough money to fund his first independent short film.

Nneka

Social Media Campaign: Antoine Dodson From Rage to Riches

Description: My most memorable online moment in 2010 was Antoine Dodson. This cat went from he and his family being victims of a burglar and would be rapist in their Lincoln Park project apartment, to exploding online an international phenomenon after his interview with the local news went viral.

The “Bed Intruder” viral video was remixed from an original news story and the chopped and screwed version garnered millions of YouTube clips, and the song was made available on iTunes. There was a Halloween costume made in Antoine’s image, an online video game, he even performed “Bed Intruder” at the 2010 BET Hip Hop Awards in ATL.

Antoine Dodson represented what a true viral video is, and helped solidify the web as the new television for our generation.

“…and you can run tell that…homeboy!”

Rona

Social Media Campaign: Although this is more of a marketing campaign, it does involve social media and is innovative: DailyDooh.com.

“This one-of-a-kind experience allows consumers to learn all that DROID DOES via a fun and holiday spirited, interactive game featuring the famous Verizon Wireless Droid Snowbot.

Description: Using various forms of gesture, touch and social media interactivity, Pearl Media, along with its strategic partner EyeClick Ltd. challenged consumers to block rapid firing snowballs from the Droid Snowbot. As time counts down, snowballs featuring different
elements of the Droid phone are mixed into the game with regular snowballs.

When the game is complete, consumers are able to enter in their email addresses and share their experience with thousands of friends by posting their results on Facebook.”

Ryan

Social Media Campaign: Cali Swag District’s Dougie Phenomenon

Description: To me, the year’s best campaign was from Cali Swag District’s “Teach Me How To Dougie”. In an organic, grassroots and credible way the song became a pop culture phenomenon. CSD managed to do everything that large brands and companies spend millions of dollars on trying to achieve. These kids from Inglewood proved that being young, inventive and fun is still infectious and is crafted perfectly for the beginning of the next decade!

Theresa

Social Media Campaign: While the tabloids and news were filled with announcements of Prince William’s engagement, Snoop Dogg cleverly used the opportunity to declare his feisty song “Wet” as official soundtrack for Price William’s birthday party. This announcement took place via Twitter, by literally flooding the social network with humorous tweets addressed to hundreds of influencers (actors/actresses, artists, athletes, DJs, etc.).

It was impossible NOT to notice Snoop’s musical contribution to the big news of the Prince’s engagement, and it got everyone from Jimmy Kimmel to big international press publications to  laughing and talking.

I think it was a genius idea to use the occasion of a big tabloid hit for promotional purposes and put a comical spin on a news piece about the usually somewhat “seriously” viewed Royal British family. The campaign proved, once again, that Snoop hasn’t lost his sense of humor and his skill to stay relevant in this day and age when times are changing faster than ever.