British Airways Goes Digital for the 2012 London Games

According to The Guardian, a leading US and world newspaper, British Airways planned to abandon TV advertising to focus it's efforts on print and, more importantly, digital advertising earlier this year.  After signing on as a top level supporter of the London Games in 2008, BA has established a two pronged campaign.  

The first step has been to used to as a means of soliciting outside professionals to add to the British Airways experience.  In this approach, Britains--chefs, artists, and script writers--are asked to submit proposals for in-flight menus, plane exterior design work, and in-flight short films that will combine and showcase the Olympics and the British culture.

British sailor Ben Ainslie surfing the
skies with British Airlines

As for the other aspect to their campaign, British Airways has plans for creating ads featuring the athletes they are sponsoring to make the British Olympic team.  

Abigail Comber, British Airways' head of branding, understood the necessity of a viral campaign to reach the audience members necessary to help them with their London Games campaign.

In addition, BA created a microsite to help facilitate an information base of their marketing efforts with the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

Anyone interested in attending a London Games event needs to see official site.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/may/05/british-airways-olympic-2012-adverts

Digital Samba

As some of you may know, I studied abroad in Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil for six months during the fall semester of 2010.  While there I fell in love with the country, culture, people, music, food, drinks, and general atmosphere.  One of the main things that people asked me about after my return to the States was Carnival.  "How was Carnival?"  "Did you get crazy?"  Unfortunately, my time abroad ended a couple months before Carnival, so I was unable to participate in the never-ending party of parades, music, dancing and drinking.

Although I did miss out, I know I will attend one day.  This year would be a good one to attend with new innovative digital additions.

Float design for Portela Samba School sporting digital
screens from Positivo

This year, Positivo, Brazil's largest computer producers, and Portela, one of the top samba schools in Brazil, team up together to bring samba from all over the world to Rio de Janeiro.  Positivo has donated multiple monitors to be mounted to the top of Portela's float that will display photos of individuals dancing samba from countries all over the globe. 

This innovative way of incorporating these digital screens will be giving both Positivo and Portela some positive publicity during the country's biggest event of 2011.

Source: http://adage.com/article/global-news/brazil-s-carnival-digital-marketing-element/142053/