In order to start a conversation about the effects of Parkinson's disease Ogilvy Sydney created a simple campaign called "Shake it Up". Small wooden wedges were placed under table legs in restaurants and café's around Sydney.  When people discovered the reason their table was unsteady they were encouraged to visit a website to find out more about the disease.

Adelaide based brewery, Coopers, has launched a billboard that reveals its content after the sun has set.  Playing with the tagline "life after dark", the billboard was hand-painted with luminous UV paint by Chicago based street artist Pose.  Last year BEcause business director, Joss Davidge, blogged for The Marketing Society about a great billboard from Newcastle Brown Ale that toyed with the same theme:  Experiential Billboards

Brands who want to cultivate conversation do very well at festivals.  Much of it is about the experience with old friends and new.  V Energy Drinks has reimagined the rollercoaster drop snap-shot for a new market using new technologies.  At several Australian music festivals this year the "V Energy Power Wall "will take snapshots of festival goers for them to share with friends online.  It is a 3x5 metre interactive digital wall that takes high quality photos of those standing in front of it.  Photos are automatically shared with V Energy's Facebook page and it is hoped that this will "extend the conversation with festival attendees and bring them into a broader brand experience".

Anna Bradshaw, Account Director of BEcause Brand Experience in Australia Great integrated marketing is as much about excellence in delivery as it is about big integrated ideas – a point vividly illustrated by Coca-Cola’s recent “Share a Coke” campaign.

At BEcause, we believe passionately in leaving nothing to chance. Here are our five top tips working with integrated agencies to ensure that delivery adds to the idea, rather than dilutes or damages it.

1. Know your agency

The best integrated campaigns invariably come from those agencies that work with a blend of strategic, planning and creative talent. Recognise that your agency may want to challenge corporate norms, so check internally how you can push the boundaries and consider what parameters could be flexed in delivery terms. Are new things really not possible, or have you never asked? If you need support selling in new concepts to other areas of the business, ask your agency for advice and support in doing this. They want it to happen as much as you.

2. Understand the difference between a big idea & a big reality

Excellence in delivery does not start once a project moves into the ‘let’s make it happen’ stage. It starts in the boardroom when appraising ideas. An experienced brand experience agency should quickly be able to tell you what big experiential marketing  idea on paper, won’t translate in practice... and sometimes vice versa.

3. Be the consumer

The idea came from a consumer insight, shouldn’t the execution? Pre-empt from a consumer’s point of view what could detract from a positive brand experience. No you can’t do anything about the weather, but you can help ensure....

- that you’ve contingency planned

- your experience accommodates different engagement levels

- any staff or brand ambassadors passionately know what they’re talking about

- you’re responsive to feedback and learning’s

4. See things with your own eyes

Whatever the experience you’re looking to create, ensure you’ve experienced the touch point for yourself. This may involve a site visit, a rehearsal bump in/out, revisiting the supermarket aisle with your work hat on, immersing yourself in a new social media tool before your use it. Seldom can you deliver a seamless experience, if you’ve never experienced it yourself before.

5.  Empower your front line staff

Whether they be face-to-face Brand Ambassadors, social media community managers or a sales rep, give them the tools they need to be knowledgeable, enthusiastic and pragmatic. Immerse them in the brand, the campaign and the execution detail. That way they will communicate with consumers in a way that is genuine, and they will be able to exercise common sense when improving the delivery of an experience. At BEcause, we have considerable experience helping brands both plan and execute effective integrated marketing campaigns. And we know that brilliant delivery is all about brilliant teamwork – across every aspect of our business and yours.  

Republic of Everyone, an Australian sustainable strategy company, has received an International Green Award in the advertising and PR category for its work on The Garage Sale Trail. The award recognised the successful reinvention of the humble garage sale, turning the event into a national campaign and allowing Australians to meet their neighbours, make some money and divert waste away from landfill. Taking cues from the recent rise of collaborative consumption and communal sustainability, The Garage Sale Trail encouraged Australians to hold garage sales on the same day, throughout the country. Creating a dialogue based around environmental practices and redistributing goods was helped with digital technology. This allowed more people to get involved with smart phones and online, ensuring the lasting success of this concept. “Garage Sale Trail is an awesome collaboration...Over 3,000 households participated in hosting sales with 80,000 participants all up. People made money, met their neighbours and kept 55,000 kilograms of waste out of landfill in the process. We’re looking forward to evolving it further in 2012.” Andrew Valder, founding partner of The Garage Sale Trail. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8koFaCnZhkI