Get the skinny on Kit Kat's leap into the future of candy... and Chipotle's content leap into the dark side of food production. We'll also dish out the latest on Facebook's video ad play, Google's cookie-killer, and how to use hashtags to promote music (or just about anything else). Skim to skip the cookie jar.
What a dark tale brings to light. Chipotle generated much positive buzz with "The Scarecrow," the fruit of a collaboration between Fiona Apple—who sings the haunting Willy Wonka throwback in the video—and Moonbot Studios, which produced the equally haunting film, positioning Chipotle's protagonist as a hero for sustainable foods. The Scamp deconstructs the ad, calling it a powerful example of the power of negative thinking: using negativity to take users on a redeeming journey, instead of spouting a medley of positive messages that bring people nowhere in particular. The video's at 5.5 million views and counting. To watch it is to love it:
Could Kit Kat be our new Oreo? Riding high on the attention it's received since news of its Android partnership, Kit Kat's released a revamped mobile-themed website that satirizes smartphone and tech campaigns in a manner most savvy. This cheeky delivery of "the future of confectionery" may well be the best way to position itself as a sector innovator... without having to change a single stick.
An ad format agencies don't want. As Facebook prepares to roll out its new video ad product, agencies protest everything from the price (an alleged minimum commitment of $2 million) to the format (auto-play... in your newsfeed). Facebook's struggling to find the right balance between advertiser and user, but don't expect miracles; the Zuck says Facebook is over being cool.
If you build apps, will they come? Cool or not, FB remains the leading social network in most countries. Roger Katz wrote up three ways to improve Facebook app engagement, which includes tips for motivating fans to share the experience and promote the engagement elements well. Read it to master the new big blue.
Your digital debit card. Google Wallet's been released for US-based users on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch... in advance of a similar product Apple is expected to launch. The app lets you send money to friends using their email addresses, and store credit cards, debit cards, loyalty program cards and other special offers. Would-be mobile e-commerce marketers, now's the time to start your engines.
Transforming numbers into insights. Still trying to nail down data visualization? It's hard to put piles of raw figures into a usable (or presentation-worthy) context unless somebody's graphed them for you, so Scriptiny gives us the best data visualization tools. Our office favorite is Birst, which makes chart-building as simple as a few drag-and-drops. Bonus: your charts are accessible on mobile devices, making sharing super easy.