Naked truth about anorexia
“I hid myself and covered myself up for too long. Now I want to show myself without fear even though I know my body is repugnant.”
These words from Isabelle Caro, the French woman who appears in the billboard above. She has been anorexic for 15 years, weighs just 68 pounds, and suffers from the skin disease psoriasis. And she’s the star of a new ad from fashion brand Nolita, launched at the start of Milan fashion week in an effort to warn the public of the effects of the disease.
The campaign from Italian clothing company Flash & Partners was created "to use the naked body to show everyone the reality of this illness, caused in most cases by the stereotypes imposed by the world of fashion."
The photograph was shot by the controversial Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani, who in 1992 photographed a man dying of AIDS for a campaign for clothing group Benetton.
Labels: advertising, culture, marketing
Halo Sickness
Microsoft has helped America become more productive than any other country, but the software giant is also responsible for a productivity slump following the Halo 3 release. Call it “Halo Sickness.”
Check out this cartoon.
Labels: culture, Halo, humor
Halo 3, and other, Viral Marketing
Weirdos in Times Square aren’t that unusual. But these guys are part of a Microsoft’s viral marketing campaign codenamed “Iris.” These mock conspiracy fanatics, the Society of the Ancients, have a website that discusses the Forerunner influence on Humans over the last hundred thousand years or so.
Other fun alt-marketing efforts include Adult Swim several websites for Doctor Who, his companion Martha Jones, and the Torchwood Institute. Don't forget Nine Inch Nails and, bringing it back to Halo, I Love Bees that was used to promote Halo 2 in 2004.
Labels: Adult Swim, advertising, culture, Halo, marketing, New York City
Fans and Microsoft "Believe" in Halo 3
“A cultural touchstone,” proclaims Wired, “a Star Wars for the thumbstick generation.” The Halo franchise is more than just a video game—it’s an audience-fueled phenomenon that combines interactivity with the sweeping narrative of a novel or movie. With mythology and references ranging from the Spartan stand at Thermopylae and the Book of Genesis, and drawing on sci-fi works likes Aliens or books from Larry Niven, William Gibson, and Arthur C. Clarke, Halo is an epic tale worthy of the Greeks merged with cybernetics and future weapons.
And it’s also a huge moneymaker—potentially a billion dollar cross-media franchise for Microsoft. Shane Kim, Corporate VP of Microsoft Game Studios, describes the launch as “the biggest day in entertainment history” and expects Halo 3 to surpass the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows opening day revenue record of $166 million.
It’s expected to sell three million copies in 12 days—including a record 1.5 million pre-orders. Microsoft isn’t just counting on a $200 million opening day. They’re counting on Halo 3 to push Xbox 360 sales. Some experts predict consoles sales for September will reach 400,000, and help Microsoft combat Nintendo and the Wii.
Call it the “Halo” effect
Like cinema blockbusters, sales for Halo 3 will be concentrated in first few weeks. That’s why Microsoft is spending a $10 million in advertising to promote it. This launch also comes with numerous tie-ins, including a special limited edition Mountain Dew “Game Fuel” soda, a Halo-tagged Pontiac G6 GXP Street, Halo-themed packaging at Burger King and 7-Eleven, and a Fifth Avenue event at Best Buy featuring Master Chief and UNSC Marines handing out the game.
Here’s another interesting number: 62 percent. That’s how many Halo fans who, according to a G4 poll, will call in sick to play Halo 3 on Tuesday. Productivity issues aside, that’s brand loyalty.
Labels: advertising, business, culture, Halo, marketing, Microsoft
