You have to experience this. What an amazing job by Google Japan. This new Chrome Experiment syncs up your computer and your smartphone, and turns any website into a 3D maze, where you can play.

http://www.chrome.com/maze/

I must say I am speechless. The technology worked perfectly well, it is easy, fast and simple. You use your mobile device to control the ball in the maze. Here is a screenshot from my iPhone. Oh yes, luckily (and cleverly) it is not an Android only project.

If you are unfortunately not able to experience it, here is a short video that showcases how it works. I am particularly impressed by all the details which have been put into the development like the elevators for instance. Therefore it does not only provide a brilliant technology demonstration, but also a good gameplay.

No doubt brands will see there a great potential as well as an opportunity and a wonderful playground for creativity.

Here comes a new UWO (Unidentified Web Object) from planet Wieden + Kennedy.

And this time you will experience it on SuperImportantTest.com for Oreo.

Once again you are invited to face a Cornelian choice. Biscuit or cream, which one is the best part of an Oreo. Whatever you choose, you will then experience weird videos. Here are screenshots of three of them taken randomly.

It is totally pointless, absurd (I promise this time I won’t refer to Albert Camus…) and for some of us a lot of fun. I have learned my lesson with Oreo, I let you choose your side.

What I simply notice is that W+K seems addicted to #WTF concepts : the iconic Old Spice saga, more recently the Pony Mixer for Three, and now, even if it wasn’t their first attempt with them, this firework which closes their partnership with Oreo.

I don’t particularly point at W+K, as I feel very respectful for what they have been achieving, plus they are not the only one to use this #WTF mechanism (They are just probably the most highlighted and successful). I just wonder if they don’t take the risk of categorizing their creativity. Can non-sense become a trademark ? Let’s not be a spoilsport, one has to admit this is internet DNA, and a lot of people like that. But of course we can’t avoid thinking of the limits of this exercise. I let you think of it and comment while enjoying an old time internet #WTF here.

The google doodle celebrated the 46th anniversary of the original star trek series yesterday.  The google logo was transformed into the crew from starship enterprise. People could click through different scenes from the control room to the transportation room – and even a hommage to the worst fight scene of all time.

I’m not sure how I could have missed this (12 million views so far) – but certainly a clear winner for the worst fight scene of all time!

via creativity online

Are you unsure about which of the digital trends will really make its mark this year? Then look no further than ‘Perspectives 2012′ published by independent international agency Reactive. Originally sent to clients in a nicely designed and bound print edition, you can now enjoy the same benefits from the free PDF download.

‘Perspectives’ topics range from responsive design, the tablet experience and global multi-channel retail to re-marketing aka behavioural targeting. Being members of the Society of Digital Agencies SoDA, the Reactive authors leveraged some international connections as well as wove in their Kiwi-Aussie viewpoints.

Check the document on Slideshare or download the PDF here. Rather than scanning it during office hours, I can recommend printing it out or reading it on a tablet in a quiet moment.

As Reactive’s co-founder Tim O’Neil puts it: “Get ready for the Year of the Dragon — where the major trends from last year reach mainstream maturity (mobile, Pinterest, the cloud) and new ideas leap into view.”

If you want to return the favour, please feed back your thoughts via Reactive’s twitter account @reactivemedia or facebook page. We welcome all agencies’ insights, please let us know if you have published similar digital perspectives in your part of the world – email us teamadverblog at gmail dot com

Always nice to see that after decades of marketing and advertising people still come up with great simple ideas.

Here is a nice case study of a campaign for BGH microwaves. It’s fun, it’s effective. The video speaks for itself.

Great job by the successful Argentinean  agency Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi. It proves once again that in advertising, the most simple ideas are often the best.

No.

Say it.

Say it and mean it.

It’s a great word, and the only thing that stands between you and bad work with your name on it. Lately, even in digital, I have seen this letter combination become the ‘F’-word of our industry. Shunned in favor of the friendlier, more service minded word: ‘yes’. Change the lay out – yes. Scrap the creative – yes. Make it bigger, smaller and to the left – yes. Can we also make it say these other five things and get it at half the price – yes. Can we change our minds again and then blame you for the result – yes.

image by Ben Heine

But no is the only thing that stands between what you know in your heart is the better idea or execution and work that no one will love or care about. Some will say that no a childish and self-indulgent word. But the truth is that it is the most generous, selfless and professional thing you can do for your client. Your belief in the work, your honesty, your ability to judge the message and the mood of the people in order to create relevance is all you have. The further you ‘yes’ yourself away from that conviction, the less you are helping your client.

Some will say that ‘yes’ means you get paid and ‘no’ means you don’t. Well, where has the yes culture taken your agency? ‘Yes’ is selling our convictions – the magic that once was valued by clients. Digital retained this magic longer than traditional media – but as we start to become part of the mains stream mix, even our shining towers are starting to show signs of wear and tear. We need to start saying ‘no’ in order to keep creating relevance. We need to have strong opinions and a strong connection to what is happening now and believe in our ability to navigate this reality. We have to believe in our ability to know how our client’s brand should relate in order to succeed. Yes puts all of these qualities out of reach for the client – and that leaves us with nothing to sell.

Jonas Lembke’s career in advertising spans more than 15 years, spent in Stockholm, London and Sydney and mostly within the BBDO network. He is currently Creative Director at BBDO Proximity Nordics.

Many remember the Alice in Wonderland and Touching Stories apps as benchmarks for interactive storytelling on the iPad. The iPad2 brings a natural progression with The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, by the film makers at Moonbot Studios.

The story is effortlessly floating, and its playful interactivity makes the most of the iPad features. I recommend you install both eBooks, compare the two and you’ll find the game has changed very quickly. Similar to cinematographer Roger Deakins crossing over and bringing his camera skills to animation films such  as Wall-E and Rango, this Morris Lessmore eBook is driven by an experienced Pixar creative,  William Joyce of Robots fame.

I look forward to brands collaborating with film makers to bring us this level of iPad entertainment.

This is a little personal moment i wanted to share. Last year i was invited to speak at a TEDx event in Mexico City and, to be honest, i had no clue on the topic i could talk about at first.

In the end, the subject i chose to speak of was advertising as a way of change, more specifically about growing talent for this industry, something that i was involved when at Digital Invaders, the digital communication school i was part of at my previous job. I was a little bit too nervous, and although the video is in spanish, there are english subtitles available if you watch it on YouTube.

Hope you like it!