• Here’s an out-of-home campaign that keeps growing – literally. Momentum Philippines is using a 60- x 60-ft billboard made from living plants to raise awareness about the environment and sustainability. Coca-Cola and World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines launched the project in Manila with help from other Coca-Cola agencies, including McCann Erickson Philippines and Starcom MediaVest Group. There are 3,600 pots of air pollutant-absorbing Fukien tea plants in the billboard and the pots are made from recycled Coca-Cola bottles. The billboard is meant to illustrate the company’s commitment to “Live Positively” and integrate sustainability into its practices.
• Hallmark Cards stores across Canada are now displaying the work of 24 creative contest winners on their shelves. The birthday cards were created by Canadians as part of the company’s first online greeting card competition, which launched in February at HallmarkContests.ca and Hallmark Canada’s Facebook page. The contest, dubbed “Now that’s funny, eh?” asked entrants to submit funny photos and witty captions; each winner took home $250 and their card is now on sale at participating Hallmark Gold Crown stores and several other retailers. The winners from a second competition, this one called “Your Crazy Pets,” will appear in stores in November. A third competition, called “Girls Gotta Laugh,” starts Aug. 1.
• Newad is running an experiential campaign for Tourism Victoria in a bid to get Calgarians interested in visiting Victoria. Wanted posters featuring three “bandit” ocean creatures – Sol the Seal, Orland the Orca and Simon the Salmon – that were last seen in Victoria and are thought to be on their way to Calgary have been put up around the city. Citizens that locate on the bandits can post a picture on Tourism Victoria’s Facebook page or on Twitter using the hashtag #VicSeaPals. There’s also a chance for a prize of a West Coast Adventure trip for four posted at TourismVictoria.com/calgary. An additional entry will be given to consumers that record their ocean creatures spotting.
• The Printing House Ltd. (TPH), a Canadian business services company, is sending its brand ambassador onto Toronto’s streets on Tuesday. “The Printz” character, central to TPH’s marketing campaign over the last year, is a warrior who suggests printing solutions. He has supposedly “wandered off” in Toronto and TPH has Viking-themed street teams out hunting for him and they’re asking Torontonians to help. There are also teaser ads around the city, as well as TV and radio ads. There’s also a contest element to this multi-platform campaign; online ballots are found at ThePrintz.ca and entrants can earn more entry ballots by answering questions about The Printz-related things or posting Facebook pictures from the current campaign.
