February 2016 | Page 9 of 11

Why Beyoncé, Budweiser and Puppies Won Super Bowl Sunday

February 8, 2016, 09:03PM

Super Bowl 50 was as riveting of a game as watching a gridiron of grass grow. Yes, the showdown was replete with storylines like, is this Peyton Manning’s last rodeo, and, will Cam Newton be coronated?

The only thing that was clear after the confetti had fallen and the Broncos hoisted the Lombardi Trophy was that Manning announced on TV he was going to enjoy a Budweiser – $3 million in free advertising! – and that Newton was back to his sulking ways. Oh … and thanks to Von Miller and Co., it further cemented the notion that defense wins championships!

The milquetoast matchup didn’t detract from the ad game, though. Forty-six companies were vying for big screen attention, paying in the neighborhood of $5 million to be seen with the big boys, but there was a substantial audience to tap into on mobile, too. Content on social was up by 223 percent since 2012, per Adweek. Brands like Marriott, Gatorade, Amazon, Taco Bell and the movie Deadpool, among others, were front and center on Snapchat, either using the “Live Story” channel, or their own accounts to promote content. And there was plenty of quirky humor and positive messages. We asked some of the creative minds at the Ayzenberg Group, a Los Angeles-based ad agency, to opine on Sunday’s non-football proceedings.

Editor’s note: [a]listdaily is the media arm of the Ayzenberg Group.

“What was with all the poo and toenail fungus? Seriously, no one wants that next to their beer, hot dogs and Coca-Cola. Unanimously the social team agreed that, although they may be able to afford the spot, someone should just say no to them buying it. On the positive side, though, I felt the Jeep “Portraits” spot nailed it. The arresting vertical crop images were stark contrast to the typical full screen landscape views and the use of cinemagraph-style subtle motion on some really made it stand out. Also the copy was as powerful and moving as the images. It reminded me of the Dodge “Farmer” ad from a few years back. Also thought Budweiser’s #NotBackingDown spot was dead on target to actually make people want to buy and drink their beer. Strong, take no prisoners visuals and hard hitting music demanded attention and I think that the crowd that drinks Bud will eat it up. Personally I missed the touching puppy and Clydesdale moments but I’ve always doubted that sold beer for them so good on them. However, they should have stopped there and skipped that Helen Mirren #GiveADamn spot that felt way off base as a follow on.”

– Rebecca Markarian, SVP Social & Digital

“Beyonce’s marketing team executed an A-game this year with the most cohesive multimedia campaign. First, they dropped the surprise music video “Formation” on Saturday and during the halftime show Sunday had a cameo performing her new track “Formation.” Then, halftime show immediately followed with the announcement of her World Tour “Formation.” All the while, her Instagram feed (@beyonce) was blowing up with gorgeous black and white photos of the whole show experience that matched the black and white branding for her world tour announcement TV spot. Not to mention, her new music video is super controversial (touching on issues of New Orleans hurricane neglect, police shootings, racism, sexism, slavery, etc.) but she still manages to get that Pepsi and Super Bowl money and reign Queen B of the whole mainstream scene. Pure marketing magic.”

Tickets On Sale Starting Monday, Feb. 15 at LiveNation.com

A video posted by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on Feb 7, 2016 at 6:09pm PST

– Shannon Randall, Senior Copywriter

“Puppies always win. The first brand to totally land my Super Bowl ‘puppies always win’ theory was Budweiser, when they stole our hearts and the show in 2014 with Best Buds. They brilliantly followed up with the Lost Dog sequel in 2015, and the best bud also made an appearance. Following the Super Bowl they released a ton of animal training videos and behind the scenes content to their channel. But because you can’t beat puppies in costumes – especially with a notably missing puppy in this year’s Budweiser commercial – these dachshunds won the 2016 Super Bowl, not the Broncos.”

– Casey Reed, Social Strategist

“Marvel’s use of conversational ads, Twitter emojis and sweepstakes to engage fans and promote Civil War won my heart emoticon.”

– Kassi Horn, Associate Director, Social Strategy

Twitter Prepares New Algorithmic Timeline Set-Up

BY Robert Workman

February 8, 2016, 08:37PM

Twitter users may have noticed the hashtag “#RIPTwitter” trending over the past few days. That’s because some users are fearing that the social media platform’s days may be numbered, now that the company has announced a new algorithmic style listing for its service.

That said, it’s not all doom and gloom, since users can opt out.

According to those familiar with testing, a user’s timeline will be shuffled based on rankings of tweets – basically an expansion of the “while you were away” feature. This will be updated throughout the day, depending how often a user checks on the timeline, and will then revert back to a reverse-chronological timeline when refreshed. Related posts of popular tweets will also be included, for those looking more into a particular subject.

Former Twitter employee Paul Rosania spoke in defense of the new timeline. “In a purely chronological feed, tweet quality is distributed *randomly,*” he explained. “If you miss any tweets, *any at all,* there will be just as much good stuff in there as there is in what you actually see. Delivering some of that, by pushing down something else, is *guaranteed* to give you a better experience. Not by principle, just by math.”

In a purely chronological feed, tweet quality is distributed *randomly*. (Yes, recency plays a factor: more to come on that later.)

— Paul Rosania (@ptr) February 6, 2016

The move is the latest by Twitter in an attempt to bring in more users. The change in the timeline to an algorithmic format shouldn’t be a surprise, considering how popular it is on Facebook. “Algorithmic feed was always the thing people said they didn’t want but demonstrated they did via every conceivable metric,” said Bret Taylor, former chief technical officer for Facebook. “It’s just better.”

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has since gone on the offensive to quell the fears of users posting the “#RIPTwitter” hashtag, explaining that “Twitter is here to stay” and “We love the live stream. It’s us. And we’re going to continue to refine it to make Twitter feel more, not less, live!” Plus, there were reassurances that the new timeline could be opted out of, if a user wasn’t interested in trying out the format.

As to when these changes will take place on Twitter has yet to be seen. There were whispers that it could be introduced as of this week, but the social site could still be in the testing phase, for a debut sometime down the road.

Considering the buzz it’s getting from such a change, however, it’s clear that Twitter is hardly anything but dead.

AppsFlyer Report Finds Peak Use Time for Apps

BY Robert Workman

February 8, 2016, 08:16PM

It looks like iOS and Android users are more different than previously thought. In fact, their app habits are complete opposites of each other.

AppsFlyer recently posted results from a survey it conducted over the course of the second half of 2015, trying to see during what time period apps are most often used. Here’s what the team found out:

Weekends Score For iOS, But Not Android

The study shows that while iOS users enjoy using their apps quite frequently on the weekend, Android users don’t. Ina—engagement shows a spike going into Friday and Saturday on the iOS front, while Android users prefer to utilize them closer to the middle of a work week, between Tuesday and Thursday.

People Like the Late Shift

Worldwide, app usage appears to be highest during the evenings, going up around the 7:00 to 10:00 hour before showing a deep decline into later hours. Usage amongst iOS users actually shows an increase by 36 percent during this timeframe.

Ran Avrahamy, AppsFlyer’s head of marketing, speculated on why these numbers fluctuate so differently between iOS and Android. “From what is typically known about average iOS users, they tend to buy relatively expensive Apple devices and are generally categorized as more affluent, educated and brand-conscious, which can manifest in having busy weekday schedules that leave less time for app usage during traditional working hours. Hence, these users are more inclined to be in the mindset to install and engage with their apps at times when they are less occupied by other activities,” he explained, speaking exclusively with [a]listdaily.

Avrahamy also touched upon what kind of apps are popular during these times. “While this info isn’t covered specifically in the report, some familiar industry trends and patterns likely apply here. The typical mobile user has a range of 35-75 apps on their device(s), with the most popular (and highest retained apps) coming in the entertainment and social categories (including gaming, video, music, multimedia, etc).”

Installs are popular on some days with iOS, but more consistent with Android

The report also broke down the number of installs per day across both platforms, and while iOS showed an incredible spike leading into Sunday, it dropped back down by the time a new week began, whereas Android fared pretty consistent over the course of the week.

“Again, difficult to speculate on this, as there’s such a wide range of types and personas of Android users across the globe. And while the deviation isn’t so significant throughout the week (including weekend), it is an interesting point as there is a different mindset when deciding to install an app and deciding to use it once on a device,” said Avrahamy about the numbers.

“The report shows higher retention rates of the different types of apps on each platform and when they are used, but it’s difficult to draw specific conclusions about correlating usage between app retention rate and when exactly these types of apps are used.”

How Virtual Reality Will Shape Social Media

BY Steven Wong

February 5, 2016, 10:26PM

Incorporating virtual reality features into social media became, more or less, a foregone conclusion the day Facebook purchased Oculus VR for $2 billion nearly two years ago. As the social platform turned 12 this week, it should come as little surprise that its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, stated that he wanted to use virtual reality technology to take 360 degree video of his infant daughter’s milestones.

“Hopefully within a year Max will be taking her first steps, and when I took my first step, my mom wrote down the date in a book,” Zuckerberg said at a small gathering of Facebook users, there to celebrate its 12th anniversary. “I want to take a 360 video of it, so that way even if my parents aren’t there, my grandparents aren’t there, they can experience it, they can actually be in the scene.”

These kinds of videos, which allow friends and acquaintances experience events almost as if they were there, could become commonplace on user feeds as the technology becomes more accessible. Facebook, which recently reported tremendous success (largely due to its video features), began support for virtual reality videos last fall, and has a page dedicated to 360-video ads to help grow support for the format.

Similarly, YouTube has markedly stepped up its support of 360 video, partly as an effort to get more viewers to start using Google Cardboard with their smartphones. However, Google might be looking to step up its game, as it is said to be in talks with camera manufacturers to further develop 360 livestreaming features. As 360 livestreaming technology becomes more accessible, marketers can use it share experiences at a whole new level.

Realizing the potential of virtual reality, Universal Music Group has partnered with iHeartMedia to produce six to ten VR-based music experiences this year so artists can better connect with fans. The VR experiences, which starts with the iHeartRadio Music Awards on April 3rd, will include marquee events like the iHeartRadio Country Festival, Summer Pool Party, Jingle Ball Tour and more. Although other artists have worked with companies like Vrse and Jaunt to experiment with virtual reality, this long-term agreement could mark the start of a trend; especially with the rumors of how Apple may be interested developing virtual reality, which it would likely use to help promote services like Apple Music.

Virtual reality doesn’t just have the potential to bring artists closer to fans — it can bring people closer together in general, but being the perfect bridge between huge distances. Users can see, interact with each other, and attend events without leaving their homes. Landmark Entertainment is looking to launch a Virtual World’s Fair in 2017, where people can come together and meet, be entertained, and shop.

AltspaceVR has a similar goal with its VR platform, which allows users to enter virtual rooms and socialize. Last November, social space partnered with Wizards of the Coast to bring Dungeons and Dragons to virtual reality, and that’s just one activity out of many that include virtual stand-up comedy and trivia night parties. The AltspaceVR also recently became available for the Samsung Gear VR, so now users have a relatively low-cost means of socializing in virtual reality instead of having to spend hundreds of dollars on a high end headset like the Oculus Rift, which also needs a powerful PC to operate it.

Whether it’s sharing a moment, attending an event, or getting together, VR could play a key role in redefining what all of that means.

VR and AR in 2016: The Market Develops

BY Steve Peterson

February 5, 2016, 09:51PM

One of the most heated areas of interest in 2016 for the games industry, indeed for the entire technology sector, is the imminent arrival of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). After several years of hype, development kits, glimpses of technology and demos, the hardware will finally arrive for consumers – and soon. Oculus has been taking orders for the Rift, with shipments beginning in March. HTC’s Vive, created with Valve, will also begin shipping in a few months; pre-orders are beginning February 29th. Sony’s PlayStation VR is also coming by the summertime.

That’s just the beginning; the next wave of hardware will be for Augmented Reality (AR), but that’s further away. Microsoft will begin releasing development kits for its HoloLens AR headset, and Google is rumored to have Google Glass 2.0 coming soon to some businesses for testing. CastAR’s low-cost AR will be in developer hands later this year if all goes well, and the mysterious Magic Leap has taken a huge stride forward by raising an additional $793.5 million in capital, bringing its total capital raised to $1.4 billion. “Here at Magic Leap we are creating a new world where digital and physical realities seamlessly blend together to enable amazing new experiences. This investment will accelerate bringing our new Mixed Reality Lightfield experience to everyone,” said Rony Abovitz, Founder, President, and CEO of Magic Leap, Inc. in a statement.

All of this means we should see three different major VR systems available for purchase by the summertime, and AR hardware should begin to be available perhaps as early as the end of this year. That sounds like a market opportunity – but how big is it? “The worldwide market for VR gaming will reach $5.1 billion in revenue in 2016E with an install base of 38.9 million consumers,” said SuperData Research in its recent VR Market brief. That’s coming as a result of over $6 billion invested in AR and VR companies between 2012 and 2015.

Let’s not get too excited, though. The potential profit for both hardware and software is not as big as it might seem, at least not right away. Oculus has already admitted that while it’s selling the Rift for $599, it won’t be making a profit on that right away. While Vive and Sony haven’t yet announced pricing for their VR hardware, it’s not likely to have large margins either because of the need to create an installed base so that the far more profitable software can be sold. So both Vive and Sony will be trying to keep the prices of their hardware as low as they can, but they are still likely to be in the same price neighborhood as the Oculus Rift.

Those prices will keep the unit numbers down for a while, and SuperData’s research indicates that what they call mobile VR will capture the largest installed base in 2016, with 71% of the market. The big market opportunity for 2016 is going to be with smartphones. Yes, Oculus and Vive and Sony are all attracting plenty of attention and will begin selling hardware in the next few months. While Oculus is looking to sell 5 million Rifts this year, SuperData projects that Mobile VR will reach 27 million units in 2016.

Devices like Google Cardboard and Samsung’s Gear VR, and competitors like MergeVR with its $99 headset that works with iOS or Android phones. At the low end we have Google Cardboard, which is so inexpensive that in many cases it’s been given away for free. Or with templates you can download for free and a little quality time with a utility knife and some cardboard, you can make your own. The Gear VR is $99, as is MergeVR, and no doubt we’ll see other low-cost units where you can slip in a smartphone and try out some VR experiences.

Yes, that mobile VR is nowhere near the immersion of the high-end VR hardware. But the hope is that the experience is compelling enough to get people motivated to spend the money on the high-end devices.

SuperData’s VR Gaming Market Brief projects $5.1 billion in revenue for 2016, but how much of that is in hardware rather than software? Probably vast majority… and given that Oculus at least is selling the hardware with little to no profit, according to Palmer Luckey’s statements, it doesn’t seem like there’s going to be much profit in this business in 2016. That looks to me like a very risky market for a small studio to enter. And with big publishers generally avoiding VR titles for now, that would also seem like an indication that profits are unlikely in the next year or two. Shouldn’t that concern companies looking to enter the VR market?

“Absolutely,” says SuperData CEO Joost van Dreunen. “The risk on an unproven market is enormous. But, it comes with the potential of great reward, namely, the opportunity to not just be a fast-mover, but to develop the application that defines a medium or a technology. Companies currently developing for Oculus or PSVR are wagering they’ll become the Angry Birds of VR.”

That’s a tall order, but van Dreunen believes the enthusiasm and investment in VR is evidence that the market is going to develop over time. “What’s unique about this hardware release is that everyone is so keenly aware of it,” van Dreunen noted. “I recall that around the launch of the iPhone there were skeptics than believers. For VR that is quite the opposite, fueling an already inflated sense of optimism.”

The market’s development this year is a critical period. According to SuperData’s count there are some 829 VR games under development right now, a stunning number. Yet, at the same time, it’s not at all clear what the business models will be for these games. Will we see $50 or $60 VR games? Will they be free-to-play with virtual goods? Or will there be some mix of different business models? No one knows yet, and certainly the first few VR games will be taking some chances no matter how they decided to earn money for their efforts.

This no doubt explains why the biggest game publishers like Activision and Electronic Arts aren’t leaping into the VR market just yet, instead keeping a close eye on it and experimenting with the hardware internally. Sony is the one exception here, as with their PlayStation VR headset they are funding a good amount of VR game development. Sony certainly knows that great software is needed to sell hardware.

Many of the answers to these questions will emerge over the next few months, and we can expect the E3 show to contain a great deal more information on the VR market. All of the major hardware will be in place and eager to set the stage for a big holiday selling season. The E3 show should see retail and marketing plans detailed, along with key launch titles for all of the VR hardware. There will also be some knowledge of the initial acceptance of VR hardware, as we’ll have some months of sales to look at along with plenty of game reviews and social media buzz.

Panthers Quarterback Cam Newton Takes Madden Game Seriously

BY John Gaudiosi

February 5, 2016, 09:41PM

If Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton can make Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL 16 Super Bowl 50 simulation a reality on the field at Levi’s Stadium Sunday night, he’ll likely also end up on the cover of a future game. Newton was a finalist – twice – for Madden cover honors, and lost both times (to Calvin Johnson in 2012 and Richard Sherman in 2014). But given the Madden curse that has plagued many (but not all) cover athletes, perhaps Panthers fans eager for the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory, are just as glad.

Newton, who’s a big gamer, talks about his video game prowess in this exclusive interview.

When it comes to your video game expertise, how have you seen that help you throughout your real football career?

It has nothing to do with real football, but it’s just great to see what you do on actual Sundays and see it come to life in the video game. It’s great. I grew up playing Madden and watching as well, and it’s just a blessing for me to see myself no longer have to create myself and to have my likeness on a game.

What’s the jump been like for you to see PS4 and Xbox One’s version of Cam Newton virtually?

Unreal. You know. I find myself in awe just looking at like, ‘Oh my God that looks just like me.’ And when I have family members come over and they see me playing with my character and they’re like, “Man, I thought that was real because that the graphics are just ridiculous now.”

With Electronic Arts releasing a new game every year, what would you like to see in the next Madden that they don’t do right now?

I’m not sure. That’s something that I’d have to go back and think about. One thing about Madden, those new features that they have on the game are relevant and it’s cool to have that feature. So I don’t want to say nothing right now that wouldn’t have some type of staple in the game. I just have to sit back and watch and play more Madden to see what’s missing.

What advice would you give to someone who is going to play as the Panthers in Madden NFL 15?

I would have to say when the game is on the line but the ball in Ace Boogie’s hands. He seems to get me out of a lot of situations and get me over that losing hump and maybe win a lot of football games. So if it works for me, I’m pretty sure it will work for them too.

When it comes to your team, where do you feel you rank when it comes to Madden skills?

I don’t wear No. 1 for nothing, it’s kind of like a hit, but I will say I’m a pretty good Madden football player. I’m a Madden connoisseur for all type of years dating back, and it’s great to have my thumbs be so talented.

What would you like to see your ratings be if you were in charge?

I would like a slight increase with my speed being like 99. Like ‘big, strong, fast’ is something that we all try to be, and I think I got two of those right. But I’m always slapped back into reality when I play Madden with myself and I say, ‘I’m big, I’m strong, but I’m not fast.’ I’m like 86. I want 99. I need 99. I will not be stopped if I’m 99 and to push Michael Vick’s ultimate reign of being the most dominant Madden player. I need 99 for me to give a run for it.

Who is Cam Newton?

A Super Bowl quarterback, a Heisman Trophy winner, a first-round pick, but more importantly God’s servant. I’m in this position, I scratch my head sometimes and I ask myself, ‘Why am I in this position?’ A lot of answers that I come back with is, ‘Why not?’ When I look at a lot of people where I’m from, and as you mentioned College Park, they don’t have a voice, because when the people that they look up to are the rappers, are this type of person, are that type of person, not even people necessarily from the Bankhead in Atlanta terms, but also people that’s from Buckhead that can make it from that area and be that microphone to so many different people.

How did your car crash last year impact the way you look at things?

That puts everything into perspective. I was going to bring little Chosen (his son) with me, but I didn’t think he could walk down the steps yet. He’s already walking if you ain’t know. He’s a month old. With me going through the car accident, everything is just, I’m just blessed, man. Sometimes you get asked questions and you’re speechless. You’re just here in this moment, because I’m so happy to one, walk away from it, but also see so much blessings be rained upon me.

What was the deal with those pants you wore on the flight to San Francisco?

It’s Super Bowl 50. The mantra … or the colors are black and gold. The black and gold attire that I had in my closet was extremely limited, so when I looked at my pants and I said these are black and gold, these shoes are black and gold, to tie along with the whole Super Bowl 50 black and gold.

What type of pressure did wearing those pants put on you to win the Super Bowl?

Every time I put on an attire, every single morning of my life, it’s a must-win attire, so it’s nothing different.

How do you train to be a great quarterback?

Just like you train to be great in anything else, you have to put your mind to it. First off, you’ve got to enjoy doing it and contrary to popular belief, you have to be enthused about doing it. If you’ve got those ingredients, you’ll be alright.

What do you think of Peyton Manning calling you “the future face of the NFL”?

Anything that the sheriff has to say, you can probably ink it in gold. It’s just a tremendous honor to be even mentioned and affiliated with the face of the league, but yet I think I have bigger fish to fry on Sunday, and then we’ll worry about the rest of the eight to 10 years after that.

What’s your favorite part of preparing for a football game?

I think that my favorite part of preparation would have to be game time when you’ve looked at something all week, when you prepared or you went over something with your coaches and for it to come and lay out, or play out like you went over it in the meeting room and for you to have the answer, I think that’s the ultimate answer for why you study so hard, why you stay countless hours, why you prepare so much.

How’s Super Bowl preparation different?

The preparation is not different at all. It’s just the media. The media frenzy is probably bigger than I expected, but yet it’s the Super Bowl. It’s the most impactful game of all of sports, as you can see.

What was your Super Bowl dream growing up?

Just to play in the Super Bowl, one, and to win a Super Bowl. That was the big dream of mine. I remember when the Super Bowl was in Atlanta and Steve McNair was there, one of my idols growing up, one of many idols. It just goes to show you that this is a game of inches. He threw the slant at the end and reached out and didn’t get it, one of my all-time favorite Super Bowl moments. Yet that just makes you prepare even more so that you’ll be on the winning side of the pendulum.

Understanding the Importance of The Internet of Things

BY Robert Workman

February 5, 2016, 08:41PM

The Internet of Things (IoT) continues to grow at a rapid pace, as everything from refrigerators to speakers, are connected online.

eMarketer recently put together a report using data from Tata Consultancy Services to help marketers understand the vitals of the Internet of Things, titled The Internet of Media and Entertainment Things. It’s a detail-filled 14-page report, but here’s a quick sum-up of some of the best facts:

It’s a big business

Many global industry executives believe that IoT initiatives will increase nearly double over the next three years, going up to $72.6 million for 2018. This is across a number of devices, used by both consumers and media/entertainment companies. Unsurprisingly, the most used IoT-enabled technology are mobile devices like smartphones running apps, which lead by a whopping 62.5 percent.

A small but growing industry

Even though the Internet of Things is still developing, it’s expected to show growth over the next few years, particularly when it comes to Telecom and banking/financial services. Although major industries like travel, transportation and hospitality will see a slight drop by 2018, they will still remain relevant

More connected devices are selling

While a majority of consumers prefer to use smartphones and tablets to remain connected, other devices are becoming increasingly popular. These include smart gaming systems, smart TV’s and wearable tech. The more items that are connected, the better communication circles can be.

IoT Is Big With Sports/Live Events

June 2015 research by Mobile Sports Report (MSR) and Sports & Entertainment Alliance in Technology (SEAT) indicates that nearly eight in ten U.S. sports arena/stadium professionals have some form of distributed antenna system (DAS) to increase connectivity at events. In fact, some even go as far as to introduce a game-day style app for deeper interaction with fans.

Data is key

“Real-time data from IoT networks is helping purveyors of media and entertainment more quickly understand what is working and what isn’t,” the report explains. “They are getting closer to a world where specific digital content can be automatically offered to consumers deemed most likely to want it.”

Kurt Jonckheer, COO of Technicolor’s cloud-base analytics platform Virdata, added that the Internet of Things is “an almost organic environment that is constantly ingesting and exhaling information… almost like a data pump. It will circulate data from the field to the cloud for analysis and processing, and then send new data back to the field.”

Image source

Marriott Brings Back the Two Bellmen For Ad Sequel

BY Robert Workman

February 5, 2016, 08:12PM

Marriott has gone out of its way to appeal to current and new customers, and its original content has been quite impressive, especially Two Bellmen — a comedy where two bellman foil a heist.

You can’t keep two good bellmen down, so Marriott Content Studios is ready to put out a sequel. In it, the two bellmen (Hollywood stuntmen William Spencer and Caine Sinclair) make the journey to Dubai, where they’re immediately tasked with an adventurous journey to retrieve a missing USB stick from a vehicle, all the while using plenty of parkour-style tricks to their advantage.

The production is a follow-up to last year’s hit film, which managed to draw in a lot of attention on YouTube, and showed off the unique style that Marriott has been putting into its programming.

This time around, the studio is adding a bit of star power to the production, including local Dubai comedian Ali Al Sayed and actress Frida Pinto, who previously appeared in the Academy Award-winning Slumdog Millionaire.

Speaking with LoopNorth in an interview last year, Marriott’s Vice President of Global Creative and Content Marketing, David Beebe, explained how a special kind of connection to consumers can be special. “We do have a very intimate relationship with our customers – they sleep with us, after all,” he quipped.

“I don’t think it matters what generation you’re from. You’re not engaging with traditional marketing messages. You have DVRs, you can skip over television spots. Technology is a great thing but it also enables everyone to be a creator, essentially. There are so many messages,” he explained when it came to the outreach of programming, including content like Two Bellmen and the romantic French Kiss.

Storytelling plays a key factor. “Stop interrupting them, what they’re actually interested in watching, and become what they’re interested in,” he added.

Even though the story still revolves around Marriott, that doesn’t mean the brand has to be the entire focus, according to Beebe. “Obviously, (the film is) going to be about travel and it’s going to involve a hotel but then it’s more about pulling the brand into that story. But not in the way that it’s like a typical product integration.”

Feedback for Two Bellmen proved that Marriott was on the right track. “People commenting, liking, sharing, saying, in the case of Two Bellmen, ‘I understood that was a 17-minute commercial, essentially, but I liked it. I watched it.'”

5 Things Marketers Should Watch For This Super Bowl Sunday

BY Manouk Akopyan

February 5, 2016, 08:10PM

Did you know that 14,500 tons of chips will be consumed on Sunday? Of course you didn’t because you’re one of the 114.4 million people too busy planning for an epic Super Bowl 50 party.

That also means you probably haven’t had time to digest the buffet of brands lining up to tackle your attention during the broadcast.

In case you’re like us and update a notebook of useless statistics, like, the Denver Broncos have a record five Super Bowl losses, with three of them involving the biggest blowouts in the game’s history, then here’s some food for thought: 61 brands paid nearly $5 million each to advertise in last year’s scintillating show.

Like Cam Newton handing out footballs to kids, [a]listdaily is in a giving mood, too. Enter some of the top creative minds at the Ayzenberg Group, a Los Angeles-based ad agency, to break down the Sunday fun day advertising game as if they’re Peyton Manning at the line of scrimmage.

Omaha! … Hut, Hut, Hike!

Editor’s note: [a]listdaily is the media arm of the Ayzenberg Group.

The price of Super Bowl ads has grown 75 percent in the last decade, reaching a whopping $5 million price tag for a 30-second spot this year. Why is it worth it? How can digital budgets and efforts be properly executed, and even be a centerpiece?

“It’s critical to recognize it’s not just the 30 seconds of fame – it’s all the coverage of the ads and the publicity and recognition that goes with it. Smart brands realize it’s also the ecosystem they build around the ad itself. There are brands that will jump in with just what’s in the ad – the 30 seconds and that’s it. For small brands this can really work. Loctite’s Super Bowl Ad from last year is a great example. It was clever, creative and made them ‘known’ instantly which is all they really needed to do. However, ‘known’ brands have to go farther to bring it home and leverage the opportunity more fully. For two years running Newcastle Brown Ale has cornered the market on this strategy – getting more buzz that those with ads during the game without ever buying a spot. For me the ad either has to be exceptional and wow me in 30 seconds or it needs to be compelling enough to make me want to learn more or dig deeper.”

– Rebecca Markarian, SVP Social & Digital

What creative trends will we see from advertisers this year?

“The creative will be a mix as always. I think we’ll see more comedy and ‘shock’ factor like Puppymonkeybaby where creatives are playing to the traditional winners – babies, pets and puppies. We expect a good majority of the ads to include A-list celebrities to add to the appeal. Given our work in gaming, we’re excited to already see some games like Mobile Strike on the roster for this year, too. Outside of the traditional 30-second spots we expect to see the real-time Twitter war rage on and brands duke it out for their 140 characters of fame.”

– Matt Bretz, Executive Creative Director

Companies like Amazon and Shock Top got in the game with their first-ever Super Bowl spot this year. How do rookies measure success and carry-on strong for the rest of the year?

“Measurement of success should always be tied as closely as possible to the actual business goals of the company. For Amazon they should be tracking traffic to the site and apps and orders placed to see if there is a lift day of and week following. Similarly, Shock Top should be looking to see if bottles are flying off the shelf faster than usual. Brand lift, mentions, engagement with fans and press coverage should also be tracked and quantified so that overall impact of the placement is understood.”

– Robin Barnett, Director of Analytics

Marriott, Budweiser and Pepsi are all going to be Snapchat Live Story Super Bowl sponsors, and an endless list of brands end up delivering unique content in real-time. Still, Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram are trying to loosen Twitter’s social grip. How can businesses win big on social media?

“The Super Bowl is a huge second-screen event. Even people watching games with friends do so with the phone in hand to see what’s happening on their favorite social channels and share their own thoughts and commentary. Snapchat will draw more users and interest than ever this year given it’s exponential growth in user base and content partnerships, coupled with a reputation for cultivating shared stories from live events, influencers and the general public that are fun and interesting. Twitter will remain a primary funnel for real-time consumption of big game moments, but will lean more toward the 35-plus crowd with greater emphasis on text-based engagement than visual storytelling. Smart advertisers will put the right messages and types of content on each channel sticking to personalized, creative, vertical video on Snapchat and more text, image heavy content on Twitter.”

– Kassi Horn, Associate Director, Social Strategy

Mobile games like Game of War, Heroes Charge and Clash of Clans made a big splash in last year’s Super Bowl. This year, we have Pokémon. How can the games industry resonate with audiences much like the automotive and food and beverage industries do? Is there a new trade ready to take a seat at the advertising table?

“Gaming always has had a seat at the table when they wanted it and the lack of games had more to do with the game launch push happening prior to holiday – so there wasn’t much new to say. As with all entertainment, it’s now an all-year event and with persistent games like Game of War, there’s no reason to hold back from a Super Bowl push. We definitely expect to see more games, particularly in the mobile and online space push into Super Bowl where it makes sense.”

– Gary Goodman, Agency Principle & Executive Creative Director