Southern Comfort is to place its entire media budget into digital. This could just be code for "we are slashing our media budget in half", but it is interesting to see brands recognise the value of advertising around programming online in a less cluttered environment.

Last year, SoCo (the most irritating of self-appointed nicknames) spent $6m on cable TV and $1.5m on print of its $8m budget.

With its focus on 21-29 year-olds, SoCo believes that Facebook, Hulu et al are more appropriate places to advertise. It must also be appealing that restrictions relating to alcohol advertising aren't quite so stringent online as they are on TV.

Via Adage

The hot-or-not equivalent of the design and marketing world, Concept Feedback allows marketers to upload their ad/web/product concept to be judged by their peers and members of the public.

I was initially sceptical about this sort of thing - "ideas by jury" can often be lacklustre. Once everyone has had their say about what they don't like, the remaining bit of idea is often rather bland. Like comedy shows on BBC1.

Anyway, Concept Feedback is actually rather interesting - it is not just an X-Factor style voting system, rather it is more about the design and marketing community giving each other a leg up. The comments tend to be constructive, with professionals offering suggestions about how the concept could be improved. A reputation score system ensures that more weight can be allocated to the more constructive pieces of criticism.

For small businesses who might not be able to afford more expensive feedback avenues, this seems like a great idea.

Abashiri Brewery in Japan has launched a blue beer, Okhotsh Blue, which joins the ranks of fellow lurid blue beverages such as alco-pop WKD and rasberry Slush Puppies. Hardly good company to keep. 

Its USP is that it claims to be brewed using water collected from melted icebergs. Perhaps they should throw in some rainforest and a touch of white rhino?

Can you phone read a QR code made out of sand? Mine certainly can't given that it doesn't even have a camera.

It's a lovely project by self-proclaimed communication "architects" Sinap that also aims to highlight a beach-cleaning initiative.

Via ThisisSwordfish

Teen ad-funded mobile service Blyk is to close down this summer due to a lack of interest from advertisers.

Blyk launched in the UK two years ago, aiming at 16-24 year olds. Subcribers to the service received free phone calls and texts in return for listening to ads.

Rexona in Chile appears to be a bit more street than the cyber-cheese we have seen in other parts of the world. This campaign for Rexona Men Energizing sees high resolution projections of people practicing Parkour in the streets of Santiago.

A campaign site features videos of a bunch of nutters leaping over walls and encourages others to do the same. What would their mothers say?

If you weren't looking carefully enough you might be mistaken in thinking it was a trainer ad or skater ad.

Beamvertising Parkour Rexona from Lumina Motion on Vimeo.

The Moon advertising story posted by Olivia Solon does pose an interesting moral question.

Let's assume for a moment that the project won't cost about a billion pounds, it won't take years to produce the image & that the robots won't break down; is the defacing of a Moon really morally acceptable ?

As a specialist in out-of-home innovation I have had the pleasure of negatively responding to requests to project images onto the Moon, to paint illegal murals on buildings, to fire bluetooth requests at people without even trying to make them aware in advance & to steal advertising space (i.e. flyposting) but the principle of 'drawing' on the surface of the Moon takes the social responsibility debate to a new level.

One might argue that this is only a great idea if your comms objectives are to make people hate you.

PS - Having said all of this I do love a bit of genuine graffiti art which I realise makes me a complete hypocrite

PPS - I would never actually do graffiti though

Urban art project, 'Little People' involves the placement of tiny model people & props onto the streets of London.  There's a treasure hunt mechanic too. 

Discovered by our sister agency Marvellous Mobile

http://little-people.blogspot.com/

The temptation for brands &agencies to place 3D installations in public places without obtaining the necessary permissions is high especially as authorities can often be particularly strict.  But creating communications that are genuinely rooted in public art can result in some really original, legitimate media placements. (And importantly, being legal can help indemnify brands against health & safety offences & claims)