To quote Mary Poppins, a spoonful of sugar makes the the medicine go down.

In this case, the spoonful of sugar was a tank-full of petrol. And the medicine was a meeting with a financial planner.

We were working with AMP’s Financial Planners last year on the launch of their new superannuation product and they decided an incentive was needed to encourage clients to visit them – a $50 fuel voucher.

We just had to come up with a cost effective and engaging way of delivering the message.

We created an oversized postcard with a lift-up ‘fuel cap’. By die-cutting and hinging the ‘cap’ we created something that was tactile and playful whilst also adding some drama to the offer and giving the piece impact.

A big impact helps to generate big results.

And big results mean happy clients, happy customers and a very happy agency.

On the official scale of exciting things, paying bills is usually a notch above watching paint dry.

Thankfully, TRUenergy bill payments just became far more interesting. Because paying your bill on time now comes with a chance to win a Samsung 3D (yes, 3D) TV.

To let customers know about this great deal, we developed a piece to be sent out with their bill that literally puts the offer right in the customers hands.

A life-size Samsung TV remote control with the competition details inside.

It’s simple, tangible, straight-to-the-point and it quickly dramatises the idea of winning a shiny new 3D TV.

So if you’re a TRU customer, look out for your next bill, pay it before the due date, cross your fingers and leave your fake remote on the coffee table to impress your friends.

And if you’re not a TRUenergy customer, click here and join in the fun.

Whenever we have a client meeting with ANZ, our staff are lining up to come along.

If you’ve ever walked into the ANZ Centre, you’ll know exactly why.

The building is magnificent.

Just last week it won (another) award for interior architecture.

But it’s much more than just a pretty face.

It’s also one of the world’s most environmentally progressive workplaces with a six (count ‘em, six) star green rating. Most of the energy is generated on-site and their underfloor air conditioning system uses water from the Yarra to reduce demand on the cooling towers.

Cool, huh?

If you’d like to check it out for yourself, you don’t need to set up a client meeting as an open-office is scheduled for Saturday, 24 July and Sunday, 25 July with tours of this jaw-dropping building every half an hour between 10am and 4pm.

Maybe we’ll see you there.

Ad folk are frequently told to ‘live the brand’.

That’s just what we did today for the University of Ballarat and UB Tec.

The taglines for these two brands are ‘Learn to succeed’ and ‘Your hands-on career starts here’. We reckon we brought those ideals to life by using students from the Arts Academy as voice over talent in the latest batch of radio and TV commercials.

Thanks Marty, Elise and Nicole! You did a great job – and it looks like you’re all off to successful careers.

We’ve just added 29 new CUBISMs to our flickr. The latest batch includes references to giant diamonds, Brendan Fevola, comedic pugs and creased pants.

Here are our two favourites. See the rest here.

If you’ve ever had a chat with a 5-year old, you’d have noticed they ask ‘why’ a hell of a lot.

Why is the sky blue?
Why don’t plants have eyes?
Why is that dog sniffing that other dog’s butt?

So perhaps I never grew up, because whenever I hear a marketing ‘must-do’, the first thing I ask is why.

Take ‘the power of integration’ for example. We all bang on about it, but why is it so important.

A text book (or your boss) would define integrated marketing as:

A data-driven approach that focuses on identifying consumer insights and developing a strategy with the right mix of channels to forge a stronger brand-consumer relationship.

Yawn.

Much more exciting to look at the ‘why’.

Let’s start with a snapshot of the science that sits behind the method.

It’s called the multiplier effect.

Simply put, when your target market sees, hears and interacts with a campaign in multiple channels, the impact of your message intensifies. So they understand it quicker and in greater depth.

The old adage ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ has been debunked by psychologists.

In fact, it’s just the opposite. We not only pay more attention to a message or brand the more we see it, we become predisposed to like it. So show your audience the television commercial, hit ‘em with some press, get them interacting with your brand in social media, maybe throw an outdoor billboard at them on their way home from work. Their recall will improve because the information is being processed at a deeper level.

Integration also helps you get a fuller message across. Some media lends itself to information, whilst others are better for emotional engagement. By combining media you can include both.

So that’s why integration is a good thing.

On to the ‘how’.

Experts say the key to optmising the multiplier effect is – surprise, surprise – creative.

‘Creative links’ and varied designs strengthen the effect. So to achieve the multiplier effect there must be strong creative links between the different media channels you’re using.

This doesn’t mean taking a still from the TVC spot and whacking it on a billboard.

No, no. It means working with the basic creative idea of the campaign and using consistent visual cues in each channel. This reinforces the advertising content. Because the more we humans see something, the more connections our brains make and the more we remember!

So next time you’re working on a campaign, use the multiplier effect to your advantage.

Why not?

Cheers,
Chantelle

Like this piece? Think Chantelle’s full of it? Let us know by adding a comment or emailing her here

Imagine our delight when we discovered our freelance web designer, Harry, is also a magician.

Prepare to be dazzled.

Apple did it.

So did Xbox.

And if you scratch around the recesses of your mind, you can probably recall Star Trek doing it too.

There’s no denying it. These days, it’s all about the next generation.

So it’s no surprise that ADMA’s got in on the act and released their latest model – complete with wireless capabilities and extended battery life.
It’s known as [Y]ADMA (Young ADMA): a group of young DMers from all over industry, here to turn you on to the coolest people, events and trends in direct marketing.

A couple of CUBED kids have signed on to be part of the committee. So we’ve been overhearing whispers of secret parties and creative rumbles around the office for the last few months.

Now, finally, they’ve announced their pre-launch party.

And it sounds like it’s gonna get ugly.

The group is kicking off with the [Y[ADMA Slam Down – a creative pitch that pits two DM creative teams against each other in a gloves-off, winner-takes-all challenge.

The stakes? A rad trophy and the chance to bask in one’s own glory.

The bloody scene is set to unfold at the Brood Box (off Little Bourke Street) on Thursday 19th August. We’ll all be heading down to drink the free booze and cheer on Team CUBED.

If you’d like to join us, you can get your tickets here.

And if you want to follow [Y]ADMA’s  shenanigans in the meantime, check out their Facebook page and Twitter feed.