SPINNING AROUND: SEVENTY SEVEN THINKING OUT LOUD

THE LATEST, GREATEST FLIPNOTE FILM

Freddy Fibs is back this week in Nintendo's latest flipnote film.

THere's more about the whole thing here.

HATS OFF ... SPAR GOES REGIONAL WITH WINE

Finally managed to track the clip down and get it up online ... Jonathan Ross, Dara O'Briain and Dominic Cooper have a crack at the SPAR regional wine labels on the show last night. Loving it. A lot ...

STUNT OR CANDID CAMERA?

My vote goes for stunt.

Could be wrong, but it feels like a neat piece of viral. In which case, I shall consider my role complete having done my bit to add to the spread.

THETRAINLINE.COM STORMS THE CHARTS

Many smiles on the faces of thetrainline.com team this week as their iPhone App stormed the App Store charts, clocking in as the second most downloaded free applications in the world.

Lovely stuff, we thought to ourselves.

So far, it's been favourably reviewed by many nice folk (thank you nice folk). And so it should have been, what with an offline timetable, as well as live and updated train times, a natty little "next train home" feature and a "last train home" thingy, too.

Well worth a look.

MORE CRACKING NINTENDO AND AARDMAN WORK

Back-story is here. Meantime, some more lovely shorts by Aardman for Nintendo.

BTW, the videos have now had over 400,000 views. Not bad, we reckon.

FURTHER CASSETTEBOY SHENANIGANS

Chris pinged this around. Liked it. Have blogged it. Toodle pip for now ...

HATS OFF TO THE PR ... DOWN IN NULLARBOR

An absolute belter as yet another Aussie tourist authority scores what will, we predict, go on to become an international sensation ... the world's longest golf course.

Hmmm ...

Ostensibly a course spread across over 800 miles of outback, the golf course is reckoned to take five to seven days to play. Funny, though, how the greens would appear to be made out of astroturf and look like someone might've popped them down overnight.

The finest quote in the whole story (and this is from that most august of media establishments, the BBC), is ...

The fourth hole at Nundroo claims to have the largest population of southern hairy-nosed wombats anywhere in Australia - surely a golfing first

After the "Greatest Job in the World" scam, this marks another feather in the Australian tourism industry's PR cap. And hence we doff our hats to them. From Blighty ... good work, chaps.

SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND

FAIL WEEK ... FRIDAY

The final choice of the week from the team.

Thursday's fail is here

Wednesday's fail is here

Tuesday's fail is here

Monday's fail is here

AS MAD AS YOU LIKE ... HELICOPTER BOYZ

Helicopter Boyz are a weird little Japanese pop duo who seem to do little more than dance (badly) to a pre-recorded backing track of happy electro.

But, in a remarkable moment of lateral thinking, they appear to have become the heroes of Nikon's latest Japanese stunt to promote the fact that the brand's latest cameras also have a projection facility.

It's a bloody clever way of showing how the whole thing works in an entirely watchable sort of way. Mad, but bloody clever.

via CR

FAIL WEEK ... THURSDAY

More fails ...

Wednesday's fail is here

Tuesday's fail is here

Monday's fail is here

FAIL WEEK ... WEDNESDAY

Fail the third ...

Monday's fail is here

Tuesday's fail is here

FAIL WEEK ... TUESDAY

Another day, another fail ... as pop-picked by Izzy and Sarah ...

Monday's fail is here

FAIL WEEK ... MONDAY

Certain factions in the Seventy Seven PR office have become a touch obsessed with FailBlog. Understandably, it has to be said.

So we thought that we'd declare this week FailWeek and celebrate our favourite clips from the site. First up, for you delight and delection is this gem ...

With thanks to mixmasters Sarah and Izzy for their choices ...

THE LATEST AARDMAN FILM FOR NINTENDO

There is a full back story to this piece of work.

Meantime, enjoy the latest film ...

FUN THEORY ... VW FOR THE WEEKEND

Alan came across this really cute little campaign for, of all people, VW.

Lovely piece of brand creatvity (I sort of hesitate to call it advertising because it just doesn't feel like it). It celebrates "the fun theory" and is a handful of clever and creative ways of making stuff that we don't tend to do fun, so that we do it more.

So these two are getting people to put stuff in bins and getting people to walk up stairs.

And they are lovely things. Clever, witty, smart and, above all, engaging.

But more than that, they hit the mark so beautifully in delivering the idea that this is a brand that applies some thought-through solutions (based in science and engineering) to basic problems in the real world that are interesting. And that they might do the same to problems with their car sprockets or differentials or something that aren't interesting.

Great piece of work, if you ask me.

CANAL+ ... THE POWER OF THE STORY

Just came across this and thought that it was worth sharing. Shows that the power of a good story can still raise a smile in marketing land.

QUALITY WORK FROM A KUTIMAN

Came across this in the Google deck that I posted. It's bloody remarkable. And it kind of makes me want to stop being in marketing because there is such a lot of good stuff being done by people. I'm actually not going to do that, but instead just try harder to be better.

Anyway, Kutiman takes lots of music clips from YouTube and then grabs samples and edits them altogether to create slightly mad new tracks from them, with the videos to match. Check out the site for lots more and the backstory and these clips, which were my two favourites, as a taster ...

FLIPPING QUALITY WORK WITH NINTENDO

Brief mention for a cracking campaign that Seventy Seven has been working on with Nintendo.

Faced with the need to create an idea to promote Flipnote Studio, the new DSiWare software that enables users to create flipbook animations with their Nintendo DSi, we came up with the idea of working with some of the creatives at Aardman Animations to see what they would come up with.

In the end, they came up with gold. Mad gold. But gold nevertheless.

So we have a collection of 12 mini-films, all of which have been created with Flipnote, that we hope will show what can be done with a bit of time and effort and will inspire people to get flipping.

So far, film one (released a month or so ago) has clocked up over 225,000 views on Flipnote Hatena (the site that hosts the flip note films). The second and third films in the series are doing very nicely too thank you, numbers-wise.

And they have picked up some cracking online coverage delivered by Nintendo's network of European agencies. Which is what it was all about.

The first three films are below for your viewing pleasure. Note: someone has ripped these to YouTube, so the numbers aren't quite as high. To see them on Hatena, they're here, here and here.

THAT'S ONE WAY TO PROMOTE A SINGLE ...

Actually, rather a clever one as it turns out.

Hadouken have glued together excerpts from 100 of the most-watched (ever) YouTube clips, stuck their new single in behind it and have unleashed it on the world. Over two-and-a-half million views later, it seems to have gone down pretty well, on balance.

Thought that I would do my bit to add to the fervour. But also to add that this is just a bloody good marketing idea and that it's handy inspiration type stuff. And that I wish that I had thought of doing it. For what, I don't actually know ...

NOT SOCIAL MEDIA WANK

The lovely folks at Google popped together what is a very good presentation on the best uses of some of their tools by creative types and brands alike. And very handy brainfood it is too. Definitely NOT social media wank.

Until I've worked out how to embed it, it's here.

... cracked the whole embedding thing (problem was that it was too big for this blog frame and got the whole thing out of kilter and generally made a mess). A spot of searching (on Google) sorted the issue. Bloody baffling tho it may have been.

SOCIAL MEDIA WANK

This film sums up exactly how I feel about too much social media talk.

Working at an agency where a bunch of "social media" work is a given as part of any piece of work for any client, from doing a spot of blogger relations to managing content on behalf of clients to creating campaigns that work almost entirely online, it's just what we do.

I'm not saying it's universal, but all you social media specialists could do with watching this because, too often, it's exactly how you come across.

NB. it's a bit sweary.

TELLING THE NAKED TRUTH ABOUT GAMBLING

A bit of self-congratulation if you will beg our pardon ...

News hit today that we've picked up the work for the Betfair-backed right2bet campaign.

And what a cracking campaign it is too.

We're working (alongside our European network partners in Sweden, Netherlands, Germany and Finland) on a PR and digital campaign to try and garner 1 million signatures, forcing the EU to take a more balanced and consistent approach to gambling regulations.

At the moment, gamblers in many European states can't access services from businesses based in other countries. So while you can play strip poker in public in many countries, you can't play poker in the comfort of your own home. Madness.

So we're on the case with our petition to tell the naked truth about gambling.

First up, the naked petition. Head to the right2bet website and sign our rather lovely campaign ambassador ... ANYWHERE about her body. What's more, if you do sign our friendly lovely, you'll be treated to her "bouncy video" as she celebrates your sign-up ... with a Space Hopper.

Lots more to come from this one ...

PUMA INDEX ... WORK OF GENIUS

There are some agencies whose work is always received in glowing terms and is lauded by all and sundry. Droga5 is one such agency.

But when they're creating work like this, it's kinda justified.

Basically, Puma has created a stock market tracker with a bit of a difference for their bodywear (read underwear), range.

There is a crop of scantily-clad ladies involved. And when the markets are down (the DAX, DOW or ASX), they're clothes come down too ... And when the markets are up, back on they go.

Just now, they aren't wearing a great deal.

Which is basically the point.

The thing that I love about this campaign is that it has taken a totally sideways look at the whole thing.

The link between the markets and pants is not well known.

But do you know what, if you need an excuse to show pretty girls (and blokes, now I think about it, there is that option), then the rise or fall in the markets (something that a lot of people care about right now) is not a bad one.

So they've come up with something that makes compelling, engaging content and have just kinda gone with it.

Cracking piece of work.

SONY MOVES ONTO SOUND

Having a bloggy kind of afternoon ...

Interesting, this one. Sony has started something of an online buzz campaign for its latest Fallon-created push.

First there was colour.

Then there was motion.

Now sound.

Apparently, they have created "Soundville" in which a small, Icelandic village was turned into a giant sound system. For a week or so.

Then they made a lovely film about it all.

Now the film is lovely. And I am writing about this thingy (as have some of the other ad blogs), but I'm not really sure WHY.

What's it all about? What's the message? What's the ... well ... point?

Is this just a lovely film that is (in all truth) eminently watchable? Or is there going to be some remarkable reveal that will explain why on earth they have done any of it? God knows, I hope so.

SCHOOL OF COMEDY HITTING SCREENS SOON

A bit of a plug for the lovely Laura Lawson, who has conceived and produced forthcoming E4 series, School of Comedy.

I saw (and raved about) the one-off that Laura did as part of an E4 comedy showcase some time back and now she's been given a series.

Short trailer here, which doesn't entirely do it justice, if I'm honest. Watch it, it's funny. Was all that I was going to say, really ...

THE UK'S TOP MARKETING WEBLOGS

This month's tables are all below. A big welcome to the chaps at Beyond PR (who I think I may just have missed last time to be honest), Holistic Search Marketing, Jim's Marketing Blog (in at a very creditable 27), and No Man's Blog all new to the chart this month.

Hope that they find you well and generally having good months of it. Without further ado, those charts in full ...

For those who may be interested, this chart is based on the AdAge Power 150, the top UK bloggers on all things advertising and marketing on 1 August 2008. If you feel that you should be included, you can get in touch with AdAge here, who will sort you out. As soon as you're in, I'll pick you up in this filleting of the AA chart.

UK	Global
1 (-)	27 (+7)	David Airey
2 (-)	43 (-1)	Blogstorm
3 (-)	45 (-1)	NevilleHobson.com
4 (-)	53 (+11)	Chris Garrett on New Media
5 (+3)	60 (+32)	Nick Burcher
6 (-1)	65 (+4)	Econsultancy's Internet Marketing Blog
7 (-1)	80 (-2)	Crenk
8 (+3)	85 (+68)	russell davies
9 (-2)	89 (-5)	FreshNetworks Blog
10 (7)	115 (+66)	Welcome to Optimism
11 (23)	129 (+159)	How To Make My Blog
12 (2)	130 (+36)	We Are Social
13 (-1)	136 (+24)	Only Dead Fish
14 (-1)	137 (+24)	This Is HERD
15 (-5)	139 (+8)	Crackunit
16 (-)	140 (+33)	adliterate
17 (1)	170 (+18)	Collective Conversation
18 (-9)	174 (-38)	SEOptimise
19 (+3)	183 (+38)	Brand Strategy Magazine Blog
20 (+43)	197 (+311)	PR Media Blog
21 (-2)	198 (+6)	FeverBee
22 (+3)	207 (+23)	UK Affiliate Marketing Blog
23 (+26)	209 (+164)	PR Blogger
24 (-1)	233 (-6)	SEOgadget.co.uk
25 (-10)	245 (-74)	HERD
26 (+27)	254 (+160)	Life Moves Pretty Fast
27 (NEW)	258 (NEW)	Jims Marketing Blog
28 (-8)	262 (-53)	50-Plus Marketing
29 (+4)	264 (+21)	London Calling
30 (+6)	266 (+32)	Spinning Around
31 (+16)	272 (+90)	The Way of the Web
32 (-)	284 (-)	Faster Future
33 (+41)	291 (+355)	Simon Wakeman
34 (-7)	301 (-62)	Social Media Trader
35 (+8)	306 (+36)	The Engaging Brand
36 (-6)	309 (-38)	Wadds' PR Blog
37 (+2)	315 (-5)	Andrew R H Girdwood
38 (+7)	330 (+25)	Apple Pie & Custard
39 (+3)	331 (+3)	Modern Marketing
40 (-3)	333 (-25)	Interactive Marketing Trends
41 (-3)	334 (-25)	Hobo UK SEO Company Blog
42 (-16)	335 (-97)	Event Manager Blog
43 (-15)	338 (-88)	Rubbishcorp
44 (-4)	339 (-10)	Blendingthemix
45 (-14)	340 (-60)	A PR Guy's Musings
46 (+4)	344 (+37)	Drew B's take on tech PR
47 (+1)	362 (+7)	Liberate Media blog
48 (+7)	365 (+62)	livingbrands
49 (-3)	375 (-16)	renaissance chambara
50 (+6)	377 (+55)	Simonsays
51 (-16)	378 (-88)	Make Marketing History
52 (+2)	382 (+35)	UK Internet Marketing Blog
53 (-32)	390 (-173)	That Canadian Girl
54 (-10)	404 (-53)	Brendan Cooper
55 (-3)	406 (-)	Connect
56 (-15)	407 (-74)	The Ad Pit
57 (-6)	410 (-12)	Feeding the Puppy
58 (+6)	429 (+81)	further and faster
59 (+3)	430 (+73)	greenormal
60 (-3)	448 (-8)	never get out of the boat
61 (-32)	457 (-190)	SEOCO Blog
62 (-4)	473 (-29)	Sturgeon's Law
63 (-39)	475 (-247)	Technobabble 2.0
64 (NEW)	477 (NEW)	No Man's Blog
65 (-5)	507 (-39)	Mediaczar
66 (+7)	510 (+135)	Real Fresh TV
67 (+13)	539 (+148)	Funkadelic Advertising
68 (-2)	566 (-29)	Brandgym Blog
69 (-8)	582 (-97)	The Web Pitch.com
70 (+1)	586 (+10)	Digital Examples
71 (-4)	589 (-19)	PPC Blog
72 (+16)	597 (+151)	LitmanLive
73 (-14)	621 (-158)	Fraser's Affiliate Marketing Blog
74 (+3)	643 (+10)	General Marketing Blog
75 (-3)	645 (-18)	Organic Frog
76 (-)	652 (-2)	Tamar Search Blog
77 (+28)	672 (+186)	Freshen me up
78 (+3)	694 (+8)	The Renegade Agency Confessional
79 (+3)	695 (+8)	Blog Till You Drop
80 (-12)	699 (-118)	AdGrads
81 (-2)	701 (-20)	25 letters in the alphabet
82 (+5)	707 (+37)	Shiny Red
83 (-18)	720 (-205)	Confessions of a Wannabe Ad Man
84 (-15)	721 (-136)	Creative in London
85 (+6)	730 (+41)	The New Marketing
86 (NEW)	731 (NEW)	Beyond PR
87 (+7)	733 (+65)	PR Voice
88 (+16)	734 (+116)	Vincent Thome's Blog
89 (-)	736 (+13)	Nicola Davies
90 (-)	737 (+13)	mediations
91 (-16)	746 (-97)	(Almost) Always Thinking
92 (-22)	754 (-165)	[Bluurb] stuff and things
93 (+18)	768 (+194)	One Size Fits One
94 (+2)	770 (+37)	Indolent.com
95 (-9)	773 (-35)	middledigit
96 (-18)	774 (-111)	CarbonGraffiti
97 (-5)	788 (-13)	From PR to Eternity
98 (-14)	816 (-90)	Digital Marketing Viewpoint
99 (-14)	824 (-97)	Internet Marketing Made Easy
100 (-2)	835 (-23)	Ginger and Proud
101 (-)	836 (+2)	Unleashed on Marketing
102 (-19)	841 (-126)	Measurement Matters
103 (-8)	844 (-41)	Raw Stylus
104 (-7)	852 (-42)	The Rosemont Loving
105 (-12)	856 (-77)	Rock Star PR
106 (-6)	883 (-49)	Living in a digital world
107 (-8)	887 (-58)	Curiously Persistent
108 (-6)	900 (-57)	Engage: the Carve Consulting blog
109 (-2)	917 (-11)	The Red Rocket
110 (-2)	918 (-5)	Nitmesh
111 (-8)	924 (-76)	Norton's Notes
112 (-3)	937 (-18)	Buzz Attitude
113 (-1)	940 (+24)	A Mountain Dweller in the Thames Valley
114 (-8)	972 (-73)	noticing
115 (-)	987 (-15)	DaveChaffey.com
116 (-6)	992 (-39)	The Open Agenda
117 (-4)	996 (-26)	All Things PR
118 (-4)	1017 (-45)	Punch Blog
119 (NEW)	1033 (NEW)	Holistic Search Marketing
120 (-3)	1042 (-14)	PRwordSmith
121 (-5)	1044 (-43)	In the Cowshed
122 (-4)	1050 (-17)	From the Cowshed
123 (-4)	1052 (-18)	Offer and Acceptance