By Gregg Ellman @greggellman. The Globalgig WiFi hotspot is a pocket sized device, which you connect your portable devices to enable them to have 2G and 3G broadband Internet access from just about anywhere. The Globalgig charges via USB and works in seven countries around the world on various networks. In the United States it […]
2013 Hermes Winner, OneVoice
Winner: OneVoice
Location: New York, NY
Client: Norelco
Title: Norelco Beard Wars
Category: #78c
Norelco, longtime leader in electric shavers, turned to OneVoice to create a PR campaign to pump up its products with the younger demographic. OneVoice combined the NHL playoffs, two hockey greats, and the Funny or Die website. The humorous campaign centered around the ritual of hockey beards. Leveraging hockey teams, social media, and traditional media, OneVoice garnered 100 media placements and more than 550 million impressions in key men’s and sports outlets. Funny or die generated more than 180,000 views. See video, here.
2013 Hermes Winner, M Silver Associates
Winner: M Silver Associates
Location: New York, NY
Client: Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau
Location: New York, NY
Client: Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau
Title: Defrost Your Swimsuit
Category: #81c Special Event
When it’s cold outside and you live the northern confines of the world sunshine and beaches beckon. Ft. Lauderdale is one of the top warm weather getaway spots in America and pulls heavily from the New York, Toronto, and the London markets. To entice snow birds, the Ft. Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau turned to M Silver Associates.M Silver is a high-profile consumer marketing public relations agency with offices in New York City and Ft. Lauderdale. The agency created a campaign called “Defrost Your Swimsuit.” It placed swimsuits in blocks of ice and left them in Times Square and other high profile places in the target markets. The campaign landed prominent placement stories in publications and on television. One highlight was the weatherman for Good Morning America doing his forecast from inside a glassed in ‘Defrost Your Swimsuit’ trailer on the streets of New York while bikini clad women tossed the beach ball in the background.
This Week’s Latest Tech Gadgets – March 19, 2013
By Gregg Ellman
@greggellman
I’ve had the ThinkTank Photo Airport Commuter backpack sitting around for a while but since I finally got to test it out on a trip and I was thrilled about it, I’ll still report my findings.
I’ve tried a lot of backpacks, which claim they can really hold a lot of gear, keep to form and not be a strain on your back but end up not coming through.
The Airport Commuter is on the other end because I filled it up and it held up as advertised and more.
I filled it up with a pair of DSLR cameras, 3 lenses, a flash, extra batteries and memory cards. In addition, I put a 15-inch MacBook pro and an iPad in separate compartments along with chargers and lots of cables and accessories.
If I organized it a little better, I’m sure I could have added even more.
The harness straps are padded and adjustable and include hardware to attach small accessories.
As with most of ThinkTank products, a built in rain coat is included along with lot’s of weather proofing throughout the bag, which includes material coated to be water resistant.
A medium sized tripod or monopod can be attached to straps on the side of the bag.
Other features include a cable lock, business card holder, water bottle pocket and an endless amount of storage compartments along with cell foam dividers, which create an endless amount of possibilities.
According to ThinkTank, the bag is “Sized to meet international carry- on size requirements,” which I can say I had no problem with.
www.ThinkTankPhoto.com $199.75
The X-mini capsule speakers are one of those “wow” devices I come across now and then.
They are every bit of pocket-sized and portable just as they are advertised to be but when you crank them up the sound is far from small.
Each speaker measures about 2-inches in diameter by 1.5-inch high, but expand to 2-inches when you twist open each speaker.
Unless you use the Bluetooth, the 3.5 mini audio jack connection cable that comes out the bottom of each speaker is easy to access and is easy to hide when not in use.
For setup, just connect one speaker to your tablet, smartphone or any device playing your audio, and then connect a speaker to the first.
Each speaker is magnetized on the bottom, so you can attach them together for easy storage.
They come in many colors in three different setups; wired mono ($39) or wired stereo ($59) choices (as tested) or a Bluetooth stereo system ($79).
It’s powered by a built-in rechargeable battery, which has a playback of up to 18 hours. A USB connection in on each speaker for charging it back up (cable included).
2013 Hermes Winner, Merck
Title: Merck Animal Health Global Headquarters
Category: #55 Other Environmental Graphics
Category: #55 Other Environmental Graphics
Merck wanted to convey to anyone entering Animal Health Global Headquarters that the world is better with healthier animals. The pharmaceutical company is best know for it’s human products. But Merck also provides medicine for animals. To emphasize the company mission, Merck created a series of posters, signage, and displays for its global headquarters. The eye catching designs pop out on the walls or subtley blend into the environment. The result is an artistic approach to an otherwise bland message.
Hermes Postmark Deadline Today
Calling all marketing and communication professionals.
It’s time to spend a few minutes to get the recognition you so richly deserve. Enter your best work by the end of the day today and you’ll know shortly how you stack up to the rest of the industry. You don’t have to pay a fortune and wait forever for the results.
– 188 Categories under Print Media, Public Relations/Communications, Electronic/Social/Interactive Media
– Timely, fair, credible judging by the Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals.
– 175,000 entries judged over the last 19 years.
1. Select a category
2. Upload or send in materials
3. Pay securely online
2013 Hermes Winner, Cornerstone
Winner: Cornerstone
Location: New York, NY
Client: Pepsi
Title: Pepsi NFL Anthems
Category: #34c Integrated Marketing Campaign
Pepsi wanted to connect music to professional football while increasing its presence inside and outside the game. The cola company turned to Cornerstone. Based in New York with offices around the country, Cornerstone is a full service marketing and creative agency with incredible connections in the music industry. The agency reached out to superstar artists who also happened to be hometown football fans. The artists created original music for each team and then performed in each stadium. Kelly Clarkson stepped-up for the Dallas Cowboys, Aerosmith for the Patriots, and Kid Rock for the Detroit Lions (to name a few). The results were impressive to say the least: 1.9 million song downloads; 725 million media impressions; 94 million Pepsi Anthem twitter impressions. The estimated advertising value was $14.6 million dollars.2013 Hermes Winner, Palladian Partners, Inc.
Winner: Palladian Partners, Inc.
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Title: Cut the Sodium but Keep the Flavor
Client: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Healthy Shasta
Category: 17 Handbook
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is concerned about high blood pressure in America, where one out of three adults have a problem. Diet plays a big role, espcially sodium. Since tens-of-millions of Americans eat out each day, the CDC wanted to attack the problem from a different angle by educating restauranteurs. The CDC turned to Palladian Partners in Silver Spring, Maryland and asked them to help Shasta County create a handbook for owners and chefs. The result is a smartly designed, eye catching, information friendly booklet. “Cut the Sodium but Keep the Flavor” is a highly visual work that utilizes bright colors, interesting graphics, and a simple layout to convey the message. Palladian Partners took a boring, fact based subject and transformed it into an light, inciteful read.
This Week’s Latest Tech Gadgets – March 11, 2013
By Gregg Ellman
@greggellman
At a quick glance, you’ll think the PhotoFast’s i-FlashDrive HD is just another flashdrive and it is, plus a whole lot more.
While one end of the drive is a standard USB connection, the other has an Apple 30-pin or lightning connection for your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 5.1 or 6.1.
This essentially gives the iOS devices with the USB port many users crave to get content on and off.
The pocket-sized device, about 2 inches long, is built with internal memory in choices of 8 ($99.99), 16 ($149.99), 32 ($199.99) or 64GB (323.17) to store digital files.
It’s Apple certified, doesn’t require a battery or charge, and can be used with secured file encryption for keeping specific files private. Video can be played directly from the drive, which can also be used to backup valuable contact lists.
Other features include editing, deleting, renaming and direct Airplay streaming.
With the iOS connections, data can easily be shared on the iOS portable devices using the i-FlashDrive HD app (free) without the immediate need to connect to you computer.
The 16GB comes in two configurations, with and without Lightning adaptor, while the 32/64 GB models include the Lightning adaptor.
Transfer rates can vary depending on your device. It’s rated to transfer at 10 MB per second on the USB side while the iPad 2 will go at 2.5 and the iPhone 4 1.5 MB/s with the 30-pin connection.
You can not use the -FlashDrive HD for charging or syncing.
The Jabra Speak 510 is the latest Bluetooth speakerphone from the company, which includes wireless ($179.95) and a corded ($149.95) option.
There really isn’t a lot to it; just pair it up with your smartphone (or tablet) like you would any other Bluetooth speaker for handsfree calls and functionality.
It’s plug and play with a computer.Select it as your speaker in your system preferences for a Skype chat or listening to music.
You can even pair it with multiple Bluetooth-enabled devices with the ability to easily switch back and forth.
Either way, you’ll be really happy with how it sounds along with how simple it is to set up.
You’ll get about 15 hours of talk time before a charge is needed and there’s a status indicator that shows how much power is left.
The round speaker is about 4 3/4 inches in diameter and is just 1-inch deep. Sound is delivered through a grill on the top so don’t use it as a drink coaster.
Jabra supplied me with an interesting detail from a study: mobile workers in the will account for 75 percent of the U.S. workforce by 2015, This percentage makes a portable speaker like this is essential if your like me and in that group.
There still seems to be an endless line of new covers, cases and products for the latest round of Apple products, which will probably get old soon enough.
Case Scenario’s Pantone Universe Bookcase is a high-quality iPhone 5 case, which has a protective front cover that doubles as a stand.
It’s made with Nubuck material and folds open portrait or landscape handsfree positions.
You’ll get access to all ports and plugs along with the touchscreen.
www.case-scenario.com $39.95
TopKase has launched the Aegis Series of iPhone 5 cases, which include a stylish anodized aluminum design.
It features a a really cool sliding shutter to open the touchscreen LCD, similar to an old roll-top desk, but when it’s closed the screen is fully protected from dust, dirt and scratches.
A feature I’ve never seen in any other design has a microfiber cloth built on the inside of the sliding door to clean the screen every time it’s open or closed.
For added protection, there are 8 internal shock absorbing silicon pads inside the case.
www.topkase.com $49.95
A big thank you goes to Scosche for being the first to finally have a retractable charging USB cable for the newer Apple lightning connection.
The retractable LINE PRO cable extends up to 3-feet or just 4.5-inches when it’s not extended, making it perfect for travel.
www.Scosche.com $24.95
The Mapi Orion iPad case is made with 100 percent pure cowhide leather and has a strong rotating flexible stand to really keep the tablet in place in multiple handsfree positions.
A flip open cover has a soft inside to protect your screen and gives full access to your speaker, volume and charging ports.
The leather seems really well made and includes built-in magnets to help keep it open or closed. It does add a little weight to your iPad but the looks and usefulness make it well worth it.
www.mapicases.com $159.99 available in black, brown, red, tan, and white for iPad 2, 3 and the newest generations
Contact Gregg Ellman at greggellman@mac.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @greggellman.
2013, Gregg Ellman.