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ABS Problem Statement
The ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) is currently developing a Metadata Registry and Repository (MRR) aligned with GSIM. While aligned with GSIM, the definition of objects for the ABS MRR will requires attributes additional to those which are defined in GSIM as a generic model.
A question has arisen in this regard when it comes to the modelling of Unit in the GSIM V1.0 specification.
The three examples given all relate to indivudal people, companies etc. Being able to identify a specific unit in this way is important when, eg, populating a register/frame or the unit identifier field in a unit record file.
It is very common also, however, to talk about "types" of statistical units (eg persons, families, enterprises, registrations, transactions)
While related, the concept of an indivudal unit and the concept of a type of unit don't seem equivalent. It seems unlikely, therefore, that "persons" is simply a Unit in the same way as an individual person.
The alternative of saying "persons" is a Population also seems awkward. A Population will usually have at least some form of temporal and spatial scope. In theory "persons" as a unit type refers to all persons ever born, or yet to be born in the future. This seems different in concept to the population, eg, of persons on Planet Earth (which would typically only include people who were alive at a particular time).
A couple of possibilities come to mind for capturing "unit type" as an attribute. The attribute might be, eg, populated from an extensible controlled vocabulary of recognised unit types (at an agency specific or international level).
Option 1
The attribute could be applied to Unit. This might (or might not) imply the list of unit types should be limited to mutually exclusive "base types". (At the conceptual level, are Dan Gillman as a Person and as an Employee referring to two different Units?)
Option 2
Perhaps it would be more appropriate to attach the attribute to Population to describe the "type" of Units (which would be subject to more detailed scoping in the definition of the Population) from which the Population is composed. For example US persons and Australian persons are
- different Populations
- composed of different individual Units
- built from the same "type of unit"
Option 3
Unit Type could be added as an object in its own right. This would allow Unit Type to have attributes and relationships of its own - including with other Unit Types. For example, it would be possible to define "Employee" as a specialisation of the "Person" Unit Type. (If "Legal Entity" were ever a Unit Type it might be a specialisation applicable to either "Person" or "Corporation"?)
I think that adding a new object tends to add more complexity to the model than adding a new attrribute to an existing object. Option 3 would need to add significant advantages over Option 1 or Option2 in order to justify the extra complexity?
Would you recommend other options be considered instead, or would you recommend one of the options listed above instead of the others?
18 Comments
Reply by Dan Gillman
Thank you for clearly describing this problem. When we were modeling GSIM, I knew we didn't really have Units right, but I figured we would get back to it later. I guess later is now.
As you point out, there are 3 ideas in use, and we have modeled 2 of them. Those 3 are
- the units being observed
- the population the units belong to (which as you say has time and space attributes)
- the type of units being observed
#1 and #2 are already modeled in GSIM. As for #3, Sundgren and others refer to this as an Object Type. Given that we are already using the term Unit to mean something else (#1), then I propose we use Object Type or possibly Unit Type to refer to #3.
I am afraid there is no good, direct way to account for all 3 classes with the 2 we have. Your example where Dan Gillman (#1, a Unit) is both an employee (#3, Object Type) and person (#3, another Object Type) is exactly right. Likewise, some Unit (Dan Gillman) might be a member of many Populations (#2), such as US Federal Employees in 2013 or Persons in the US in 2013. Finally, the Object Type is related to Population in the obvious way by seeing that Object Types are constituents, just as time (e.g., 2013) and space (e.g., US) are. Object Types may be specialized, e.g., going from Employee to Federal Employee.
It looks like Object Type should replace Poulation as a role for a Concept, and Population becomes an intersection of Object Type, Time, and Space. How this is done isn't clear right now, we may have to reconvene a group to think it through. In any case, I think your Option 3 is the way to go. Option 2 will work, but I like the purer approach in Option 3, and we don't know right now if having Object Types as a class in its own right will simplify other problems that crop up. Option 2 is much more constraining.
Stats Can put together good lists for Object Types (called Object Classes as they are in 11179) about 10 years ago. They should be incorporated. The basic kinds are consistent with work Sundgren did to help make the creation of SDMX DSDs easier.
Hi Dan,
I think I agree with what you have replied to Al above, that the use of Unit Type, particularly based on Al's option 3, seems like a good way to go (setting it up as another object, potentially the same as/very similar to the 11179 Object Class). However would this also mean that the role of Population in the (3) GSIM variable structures may also need to be reconsidered?
As Al mentions in his example, we tend to refer to the 'types' of units (ie Person, Household, etc), rather than the particular unit or population. In terms of a Variable, should we consider that it is in fact made up of a combination of the Unit Type and Concept (bringing it closer into alignment with a 11179 DEC), rather than the current Population/Concept combination? For example, do we tend to refer to a variable as "Person's Age" (ie Unit Type/Concept) or "All Person's in Australia, Age" (Population/Concept).
Would this then mean that the Variable/Represented Variables themselves are more re-useable, as they are defined based on a Unit Type, rather than for a particular Population, and it is the use of the Instance Variable in a particular study/dataset that would be further defined by the population.
However, if the Variable is defined thorugh the use of Unit Type, then potentially there is no direct relationship between a population and a variable/represented variable itself, it would occur through the Instance Variable -> Datum -> Unit -> Population relationship chain?
Whilst I follow the arguments and possible solutions I am concerned that maybe the problem is more general than the specific use case you mention. In the solution of Object Type the relationship between Unit and Object Type is "many to many". However, to extend this would not "person" also be related to objects other than a Unit? Perhaps other classes in the model may also wish to have a relationship with "Object Type". Now, one can model this explicitly each time we discover this, or we can have a generalised construct that can relate any object with an "Object Type".
This was a problem we had in SDMX as it was not possible to predict how organisations would wish to "classify" other objects in the model. This is the purpose of the "Category" in SDMX (not the same "class" as the Category in GSIM but you can see why it was named category as it "categorises" other objects). So, in SDMX we have a "Categorisation" object that links one Category with any other SDMX object. A specific Category such as "person" can have many Categorisations, each of which links to one specific object such as the "Dan Gillman" Unit. Equally, the specific object, such as the Unit "Dan Gillman" can link to many Categories such as "person" and "employee".
Now, this example does no more than link a Unit to one or more Object Types or one Object Type to one or more Units. But in this more generic model it would allow the Object Type such as "person" to link also to a specific survey instrument or business case or any other object in the GSIM model. In SDMX we have found that in practice this generic model can be used to solve many use cases which were not all foreseen. One such use case in SDMX is to "classify" a particular process step with both a subject domain "Category" and a GSBPM process type (e.g. 1.2) "Category".
In order to assist with "discovery" SDMX groups different "Categories" into "Category Schemes" but this is already supported in GSIM if the Object Type inherits from Concept as Concepts can be grouped into one or more Concept Systems. So, in GSIM you can group "Unit Type" Concepts into a Concept System and then you have the "controlled vocabulary" for Unit Type.
If you think the use case you describe with Unit and Unit Type (Object Type in Dan's response) is perhaps just one of many similar types of use case then having an "Object Type Link" object that has an association to an Object Type class, and an association to any "class" in GSIM would solve this.
In modelling terms we would have two new classes:
- An "Object Type" class (sub class of Concept)
- An "Object Type Link" class which is associated to exactly one "Object Type" and to exactly one "Identifiable Artefact". Interestingly this would also allow a Concept (which is an Identifiable Artefact") to be linked to another Concept in a specific context as understood by the linking Concept and perhaps the Concept Scheme in which the linking Concept resides. However, this may not be a use case.
I realise that in modelling terms these are just about the only two classes you need in any model (which whilst theoretically possible is not very useful as no-one has done any hard work to find out what is really required) it is nevertheless quite a useful construct if used within the context in which it is designed.
I am not suggesting that the class names above should be used (as "Object Type" in object modelling terms tends to mean "Class" and could be confusing), I am just using the terminology of the thread so far.
We have also discussed this issue. In the Statistics Sweden information model we have "object type" as an information object and we felt that the "type" was missing in GSIM. When we were discussing this our solution was along the same line as Helen is writing above and what Al has in proposal 3. For us object type and Unit type are the same things.
This issue has also come up at Statistics NZ. In previous modelling we have done we have included the idea of a 'unit type' as a necessary item. I agree with Al's suggested option 3.
Hi all,
I know there is already sort of a consensus in adding a new object for Unit Type so before doing that I would like to incorporate my point of view.
My point is that we don't need an extra object in GSIM to refer to unit type because Unit Type is an inherent characteristic of the Population, survey, framework, etc... object of our statistical study. Unit Types have similar characteristics as Values of Variables defined by a Classification (see Variable definition from GSIM 1.0).
For instance:
Take a certain statistical activity like Labor Force Survey and take "Employed Persons". The Units are "Persons" and "Employed" is a Value element of the Variable "Employment status" defined by the employment status Classification (following certain methodology).
So, in this case, Population would be "Employed Persons", defined by Unit and the Variable as the concept playing the role of a characteristic.
I guess this aligns more with the Option 2 described by Alistair and ideas by Helen's post.
Hi All,
The attached two documents are our 'homework' from the last meeting - a suggested object definition for 'Unit Type' - for discussion at the meeting soon.
The word document is an outline of what the new object could be, based on the template we used during GSIM development (so hopefully familiar!). At the end of the document (where the relationships are usually detailed) I have two suggestions, but am happy to get further input as part of the discussion.
The PDF document is a rough diagram showing the potential of where Unit Type could be included in the GSIM model.
Have a great day!
Hi all,
Let me elaborate a little bit more my misgivings about this issue through some examples. I've been reading all posts again (mine included) and maybe we need to clarify what we understand by Unit and provide more examples.
- Let's consider Person as the ultimate Unit, i.e., with no restriction at all. For any given study we need to specify a framework, that is, we need a Population. We do this following certain methodologies and classifications, never at random.
From this follows that anything that can be measured about a person can be expressed using Variables which elements are defined according to a given Classification.
2. Take persons as human beings. Take those who are alive at this moment. From them, take those who have USA nationality. Now consider those residing in the USA at this moment. From them, take only those who are older than 16 years old. We could go on until we end up identifying one particular individual.
3. So the question: Is Persons (without restrictions) a different object as Persons when we consider whatever filter?. Could we then say:
Unit Type: raw object of study: Persons (human beings), businesses, etc
Unit: object of study associated with a Population: employed persons in USA
a statistical process, is it relevant to explicitly define an object for Unit Type or could we incorporate it as part of the methodology that describes the variables which determine the Units object of our study?. What difference does it make (in modeling terms) that our statistical study be aimed at Persons or Businesses?.
5. In GSIM1.0 paragraph 66 we find the following example:
Population: Adults in Netherlands
Variable: Educational attainment
We could also say that the characteristic of being "adult" is defined somehow and it is part of a Classification so we could have a Variable for it: Age group. The same applies to "being from the Netherlands". It is easy to think about the Variable: Nationality. What is left here?. The Unit or Unit type: Person.
6. About Helen's diagram and Unit Type class:
At the end of the day, everything we say about a basic Unit Type can be defined or classified somehow and we don't really need two different objects for Units, just one of them. In the proposed new diagram by Helen I would take Unit type out and, if necessary, only incorporate the Classification object.
Considering the proposed definition of Unit Type: "For example, the Unit Type of "Person" could group together a set of Units based on the characteristic that they are 'Persons'." But is not that "group of units based on persons" what we understand by elements of Variables which ultimately define a Population, either it be of Persons or Businesses?.
Maybe we DO need to add an extra object but the examples and the arguments provided are still not clear enough to me.
Approached from a purely conceptual perspective there are two pieces of information we are trying to capture: information about individual units e.g. 'Alberto' 'Adam' and information that describes a set of units grouped based on a particular set of characteristics e.g. 'Person' or equally 'persons working on gsim'.
Considered in this way, the degree of aggregation used to describe the set of units is irrelevant. Grouping a set of units into 'people' or 'persons working on gsim' is the same action with the same relationships to other objects. Grouping these to different levels of aggregation does not mean that these need to be modelled as separate information objects.
This is how gsim currently models this information: unit and population.
In an ideal world this would be sufficient to capture this information with the proposed 'unit type' being represented as a population with subtypes to capture the more specific constraints on the units included.
However, in day to day operations of a statistical agency people do tend to separate out these concepts and as a result the 'unit type' is often discussed separately from the idea of a population.
The inclusion or not of an information object representing the highest aggregation of a group of units may not be a debate on whether or not such a concept exists as a separate entity but what will be of most use to people in stats agencies trying to understand and make use of gsim.
To support the aim of gsim as a communication device and seemly fairly common usage of he concept perhaps this is an information object worth including I the mode but leave open to individual implementations as to whether it is used at all or instead included as a 'top level' population.
Adam, I think your post is quite interesting and it raises the question on the limits of GSIM. It looks like the idea is to include more objects and leave it to the particular implementations of the standard whether to use them or not. This model will be flexible enough to accommodate perfectly all different use cases but will probably be too complicated for the implementer to understand globally.
A different approach would be to stick to the "ideal world" and create a more concise and stable model, more theoretically founded. A third way could be to have both worlds in a 2 - tiered GSIM.
Anyway, this is not the place for this discussion but we see there are many objects in GSIM that people have issues understanding: unit vs unit type, category item vs category, code item vs code, etc... maybe we could do with less objects?.
While I think I understand Alberto's perspective, I think for a variety of conceptual and practical reasons Unit Type is a commonly enough used and distinctive enough concept to be included in the next version of GSIM. It helps alignment with ISO 11179, and I think that is not for an entirely arbitrary reason. Take three examples : "Age of Person", "Age of Business" and "Age of Motor Vehicle". Are these all the same variable? They're all ages - but I'd see a conceptual difference between the age of a person, a business and a motor vehicle. 11179 would tell us they are all different Data Element Concepts.
Note that when it came to Age of Mother vs Age of Student then I become more comfortable with Alberto's approach. I'd be happy to say "I mean fundamentally the same thing by 'Age' but I am using a different qualification/classification applied to the base Unit Type".
This is why, as I think Statistics Canada have done, in implementation I'd suggest a small as possible number of distinct Unit Types with qualifications/classifications being used to define a wide range of populations based on them.
I agree there are shades of grey in this case, but I think Unit Type is dark enough to warrant inclusion.
I agree completely with Al's analysis of how the characteristic age differs in its various uses. Further, the use of Data Element Concept from ISO/IEC 11179 to illustrate those differences is exactly right.
I also agree with Adam, that Unit is for individuals - Dan Gillman, Adam Brown, my dog Luigi, Lassie, etc. The purpose of Unit Type is to have a non-contextualized aggregate for Units. We use Population to place context on a Unit Type, for the time and place attributes associated with a Population are what differentiate that from Unit Type.
Alberto is right that Unit Type could be modeled as an attribute of Population, but GSIM is supposed to be the fully blown out conceptual model. Also, Population and Unit Type have different relationships attached to them. Therefore, I want to see Unit Type and Population both as classes in the model.
The idea that you can specialize a Unit Type down to one individual Unit is interesting. That is the same idea as concatenating classifications on a large micro-data set to disclose records on individuals. However, there is a terminological difference between the individual and the specialized Unit Type tht only contains one individual. The specialized Unit Type is still a concept, and the individual Unit is an element of the extension of that concept. They are not the same things.
Add unit type as a new object
We might want to add the reasoning behind.
I suggest replacing Population with Unit Type in the Concepts model. This will solve the problems of using the description of Variables to describe data that are not statistical. Unit Type will be just a synonym of Object Class as it is used in ISO/IEC 11179. There will be no need to link Population to Instance Variable.
We will need to think about where to put Population. It may not belong in the Concepts section, as it is used in purely statistical situations.
added by Thérèse Lalor because it might be relevant here:
GSIM Issue: Observation Unit is a structured collection
In GSIM, Observation Unit (in Fig 11 called Collection Unit?) is defined as "A Unit for which information can actually be obtained during data collection".
Unit is defined as: "The object of interest in Statistical Activities and corresponds to at least one Population".
In our modeling of the data collection domain, we found that an Observation Unit most often is a structured set of objects. The examples given with the Unit definition therefore seem to be a simplification. In practice, we see examples such as: An Address "Broadway 12024" with the two Households living there, where Household 1 consists of Persons Mary, John and little Richard and Household 2 is Claus living by himself. Of each of these Persons we want to know the kind of Healthcare Services or facilities they have used in the last year. Instead of Healthcare, we might be interested in the mobility (trips or movement, a structured object in itself), the financial or economical transactions, etc.
This Observation Unit thus consists of objects of four different types, related to each other in a structured, layered fashion. The Analysis Unit in this example might bePerson.
The layered structure of the Observation Unit is reflected by the Unit Data Structure, through the Record Relationschip that ties together the instances of Logical Records(each one representing an object in the real world, like Broadway 12024, Mary, Claus or Healthcare service XYZ).
Looking at Units this way, the question arises "What is Population in this context?". Does each object(type) (Addresses, Households, Persons, etc.) have its own Population? If not, which of these object types then defines the Population?
I think we discussed this in the past - the relationship between a population and an object type or unit type. A population is an object type along with some geography and time specified. So, the people residing in the US in November 2013 is a population based on the object type (persons), the geography (US) and time (November 2103). We further specialize persons to be residents of the US, as people can either reside in the US or not. That is based on some (simple) classification. All (as far as I can tell) specializations of populations are based on applying one or more categories from one or more classifications to the basic idea of the applicable object type.
Any relationships among object types in use for a statistical activity would be directly inherited by the relevant populations. I would think the same structure applies to both the object types and the related populations in use for a specific instance of a statistical activity.


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Haddon Sundblom for Coca-Cola – The Man Who Painted ChristmasPosted: December 14, 2012 | Author: fra30774 | Filed under: Art, Beverages, Case History, Coca-Cola, Graphic, Graphic Design, Illustration, Legendary, Press/Outdoor, Testimonial, USA, Vintage | Tags: advertising, artwork, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Clement Moore, Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Santa Claus, coke, Haddon Sundblom, icon, Santa, St. Nicholas, the pause that refreshes, USA | Leave a comment
Though he was not the first artist to create an image of Santa Claus for Coca-Cola advertising, Haddon Sundblom's version became the standard for other Santa renditions and is the most-enduring and widespread depiction of the holiday icon to this day. Coca-Cola's Santa artworks would change the world's perception of the North Pole's most-famous resident forever and would be adopted by people around the world as the popular image of Santa.
In the 1920s, The Coca-Cola Company began to promote soft drink consumption for the winter holidays in U.S. magazines. The first Santa ads for Coke used a strict-looking Claus. In 1930, a Coca-Cola advertised with a painting by Fred Mizen, showing a department store Santa impersonator drinking a bottle of Coke amid a crowd of shoppers and their children.
Not long after, a magical transformation took place. Archie Lee, then the agency advertising executive for The Coca-Cola Company, wanted the next campaign to show a wholesome Santa as both realistic and symbolic. In 1931, the Company commissioned Haddon Sundblom, a Michigan-born illustrator and already a creative giant in the industry, to develop advertising images using Santa Claus. Sundblom envisioned this merry gentleman as an opposite of the meager look of department store Santa imitators from early 20th century America.
Sundblom turned to Clement Moore's classic poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (better known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas") for inspiration:
His eyes — how they twinkled! His dimples: how merry,
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow
The ode's description of the jolly old elf inspired Sundblom to create an image of Santa that was friendly, warm and human, a big change from the sometimes-harsh portrayals of Santa up to that time. He painted a perfectly lovable patron saint of the season, with a white beard flowing over a long red coat generously outlined with fur, an enormous brass buckle fastening a broad leather belt, and large, floppy boots.
Sundblom's Santa was very different from the other Santa artworks: he radiated warmth, reminded people of their favorite grandfather, a friendly man who lived life to the fullest, loved children, enjoyed a little honest mischief, and feasted on snacks left out for him each Christmas Eve . Coca-Cola's Christmas campaign featuring this captivating Santa ran year after year.
As distribution of Coca-Cola and its ads spread farther around the world, Sundblom's Santa Claus became more memorable each season, in more and more countries. The character became so likable, The Coca-Cola Company and Haddon Sundblom struck a partnership that would last for decades. Over a span of 33 years, Haddon Sundblom painted imaginative versions of the "Coca-Cola Santa Claus" for for Coke advertising, retail displays and posters.
Sundblom initially modeled Santa's smiling face after the cheerful looks of a friend, retired salesman Lou Prentiss. "He embodied all the features and spirit of Santa Claus," Sundblom said. "The wrinkles in his face were happy wrinkles." After Prentiss passed away, the Swedish-American Sundblom used his own face as the ongoing reference for painting the now-enduring, modern image of Santa Claus.
In 1951, Sundblom captured the Coca-Cola Santa "making his list and checking it twice." However, the ads did not acknowledge that bad children existed and showed pages of good boys and girls only. Mischievous and magical, the Coca-Cola Santa was not above raiding the refrigerator during his annual rounds, stealing a playful moment with excited children and pets, or pausing to enjoy a Coca-Cola during stops on his one-night, worldwide trek. When air adventures became popular, Santa also could be caught playing with a toy helicopter around the tree.
Haddon Sundblom passed away in 1976, but The Coca-Cola Company continues to use a variety of his timeless depictions of Saint Nicholas in holiday advertising, packaging and other promotional activities. The classic Coca-Cola Santa images created by Sundblom are as ubiquitous today as the character they represent and have become universally accepted as the personification of the patron saint of both children and Christmas.
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A tribute to Haddon Sundblom from "Coke Side of Life" Campaign
The Sexy Side of a Christmas TreePosted: December 20, 2011 | Author: fra30774 | Filed under: Belgium, Brazil, Cliché, France, Germany, Press/Outdoor, Spain | Tags: Christmas, Christmas balls, Christmass Tree, Erotic shop, funny, lingerie, Playboy, sexy side of a Christmas Tree, Wonderbra | Leave a comment
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How to make a Christmas TreePosted: December 16, 2011 | Author: fra30774 | Filed under: Alcoholic Drinks, Car, Cliché, Illustration, Press/Outdoor, Social | Tags: ads, advertising cliches, Christmas, christmas tree, How to make a Christmas Tree, merry christmas, Xmas | 3 Comments
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National Centre for Domestic Violence – Advent CalendarPosted: December 10, 2011 | Author: fra30774 | Filed under: Case History, Direct, Social, UK | Tags: Advent calendar, Christmas, JWT, National Centre for Domestic Violence, UK, violence against women | 1 Comment
Domestic violence against women is at its highest over the Christmas period. The pressure on creating a perfect family occasion can sometimes place so much stress on an already troubled relationship that it erupts into violence. We were asked to create something that would raise awareness of the issue amongst ministers at this critical time.
The strategy was to develop what appeared to be a conventional, Christmas advent calendar. However, behind each of the doors (which were doors and windows of houses) there were scenes of domestic violence. The juxtaposition of the festival nature of the calendar illustration with the horror of what goes on behind closed doors at this time of year provided the tension that made it so powerful. The calendars where mailed out to government ministers in the run up to Christmas.
Advertising Agency: JWT, London
Year: 2007
Advertising Advent Calendar: 25 ideas for an unconventional ChristmasPosted: December 1, 2011 | Author: fra30774 | Filed under: Ambient, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Car, Case History, Coca-Cola, Denmark, Design, Digital, Direct, Event, France, Germany, Guerilla, Italy, Promotion, Social, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, The Nederlands, UK, Viral | Tags: 25 ideas for an unconventional Christmas, advent, Advertising Advent Calendar, Christmas, Christmas Gift, Coca-Cola, Donated song, drunk santa claus, elf yourself, iving Christmas Cards, Lego, Macy's, Mini, operation Christmas, Santa Claus, Santa's forgotten letters, Santamatic, Swedish Postal Service, Unexpected luggage, Xmas | 2 Comments
December 1 from Lowe SSP3, Bogotà
Ministero de Defencia National – Operation Christmas (2011)
After 60 years of struggling against Las FARC, the longest running guerrilla warfare group in the world, 6000 guerrillas still remain in the jungles of Colombia. The Ministry of Defense asked us for an idea to demobilize the remaining guerrillas, but delivering demobilization messages to them is very difficult because they hide deeper in the jungle everyday. We discovered that Christmas is an emotional time of the year for guerrillas because they are away from their homes and loved ones, so we created a four-day operation that brought Christmas to the jungle. Along a strategic guerrilla route through the jungle, we chose a 25 meter tall tree to decorate with lights. When guerrillas approached the tree, movement sensors made it light up and a banner announced the following message:
Result: 331 guerrillas who have demobilized acknowledged that they were motivated to finally give up their weapons thanks to this idea, that was replicated with 9 more trees. The Operation got so many people involved, that it was shown all over the world through videos, websites, social networks and blogs. Main local and international media networks like CNN and BBC broadcasted it. This Operation showed a more humane and positive side of Colombia's internal conflict.
December 2 from MarketingVivo, Madrid
Madrid City Council – The Wishing Tree (2008)
The Challenge was to find a relevant idea for an event that would involve citizens of Madrid, in the City Council Christmas campaign. A Christmas related idea but not a cliché. We create a concept for a participatory action that fulfilled the challenge: The Wishing Tree that grows with the wishes and hopes of Madrid citizens, for 2008. On that base we built a stunt in the Retiro Park, Madrid's most famous park, located in the centre of the city. Starting December 21st, a huge Christmas tree kept growing in the Retiro Park in Madrid, thanks to the participation of the citizens who went to set down their wishes for 2008, written down on helium balloons; the tree got to a height of 32 metres. 21 actors dressed up like gardener elves, with their giant snails, welcomed the visitors, and made the process easy, emotional and fun. This was a very moving experience for all participants. The action ended in a special ceremony, the tree opened up and all the balloons were released: all the wishes flew into the Madrid sky. By creating a participatory activity, we made Madrid City Council Christmas campaign, more relevant to the citizens A part from the fact of the massive participation, this was a very moving experience, not just for the kids but for grown people, who focused their energy and hopes in the moment that their balloon wishes for 2008 were feed into the tree. Result: over 120,000 people participated and wrote their wishes. Over 40,000 people attended the final event of balloons release, great media coverage in main newspapers (El Pais, El Mundo, ABC) and on main TV News. Madrid City Council wants this event to become a tradition at Christmas in following years.
December 3 from Ogilvy Brasil
Coca-Cola – Santa's Forgotten Letters (2011)
Coca-Cola and Christmas have always gone hand in hand. However, adults don't care so much about Christmas anymore, and its magic is almost lost. Our challenge was to give adults a reason to believe in Christmas again.
And to do that, we decided to take them back to a time when they believed: their childhoods.
Creative execution: remember a letter you wrote to Santa as a kid? What if Santa found it now and brought to you the exact gift you had asked for many years ago? That's exactly what we did. We searched the world and, in the little town of Santa Claus, Indiana, found the Santa Claus Museum, a place that keeps letters to Santa dating back to the 1930's.
We went through 60.000 letters, selected 75 of them and then set out on an impossible task: to find the writers and give them the exact gifts they had asked when kids – from a Cathy Quickcurl doll to an Evel Knievel Skyrocket. We also made a video documenting the whole process, including each personalized stunt, and spread it across the world through Coca-Cola's facebook fanpage, which has more than 25 million fans.
By creating these emotional and personalized door-to-door stunts, we gave the impacted adults a special reason to believe in Christmas again – some of them even sent us thank you emails saying they would never forget the day Santa knocked on their doors. The video was also very successful, being featured in several blogs, twitters and facebook pages. More importantly, we made adults believe in Christmas again.
December 4 from GOSS, Gothemburg
Gothemburg Homeless Aid – Return to Sender (2008)
Gothenburg Homeless Aid is a voluntary organisation that helps the homeless, substance abusers and other vulnerable people.
People are a bit more generous around Christmas and tend to give more to those less fortunate than themselves. That's why Christmas is a very important time for the Gothenburg Homeless Aid, a time when a large proportion of the entire year's funding is collected.
But what can be done to stand out in the onslaught of mailings and Christmas cards? Actually, we created another Christmas card. To draw attention to all the people with no fixed abode in Gothenburg we sent out the Christmas cards in envelopes addressed to: "Lasse Persson, a doorway/tunnel/stairwell, Hisingen (a part of Gothenburg)" and wrote the details of the actual intended recipient on the back of the envelope. Obviously the Swedish post office couldn't find Lasse because he has no real address. The mail therefore had to be returned to the 'Sender' address on the back of the envelope with a post office stamp saying 'Not known at this address'. The yellow label on the envelope not only highlights the fact that there are people in Gothenburg who have nowhere to live. It makes it virtually impossible for the recipient to simply discard it without opening it and seeing what it's all about. The Christmas card was sent to 20,000 people in Gothenburg, in the days before and after Christmas. The campaign raised SEK 1.6 million (around EUR 170,000), which is more than any other campaign for Gothenburg Homeless Aid. The result was also an increase by 60% compared to the previous Christmas campaign.
December 5 from Lowe Brindfors, Stockholm
COOP – Update the Christmas Table (2007)
In Sweden, people are very traditional – especially when it comes to food. We eat the same Christmas dishes as our ancestors have done for hundreds of years. Many can be traced back through the generations to the time of the Vikings. Needless to say, much of this food isn't healthy or inspiring. With this campaign, Coop wants to challenge traditional notions and introduce the target group to new ideas, including healthier Christmas food. The main goal of the campaign is to "Update the Christmas table", which the visitor literally gets to experience.
December 6 from Leo Burnett Lisbon
Bola Amiga (Abandoned Children Awareness) – Christmas Gift (2006)
The brief: motivate wealthier people to donate for helping abandoned children.
The solution: we decided to create a mailing peice for company directors and managers. It consisted of a Christmas gift. Only when opened, instead of a gift, they found a cardboard box with a printed image of a homeless child sleeping in it. Near the child, a card read: "For some, Christmas is never merry." The results: donations grew 35%. Nearly 60% of the people expressed their thanks. Many felt touched by it, and wrote things like: " The best Christmas present anyone could receive"; " I was totally surprised"; " My wife even cried when she saw it."
December 7 from Akestam Holst, Stockholm
The Swedish Post – Living Christmas Cards (2011)
Swedish Post's (Posten) business relies on people sending tangible things (cards, packages etc.), thus in a way the rapid digital development poses a heavy threat. Year after year, we see a decline in number of Christmas cards sent, and an increase in digital messages spread around this holiday. Consequently, the objective was to inspire Swedes, primarily young people who don't usually send tangible greetings, to send real Christmas cards and decelerate the negative trend. Main insight: people love getting cards but think it's too much of a hassle writing and sending them – thus, sending cards needs to be more fun.
New technology merged with old-fashioned thoughtfulness resulted in "Living Christmas Cards"; the world's first Christmas cards photographed live from the web. Our expectation was that this would re-energize Christmas cards and make them more relevant to young Swedes. A reindeer's pen was built on the top of a mountain and web-cameras were mounted in and around it so people could take their own unique pictures from the pen through a website. "Living Christmas Cards" was connected to a web-tool called "Real Postcard" where you upload pictures and write messages, which Posten then deliver as postcards.
Since many (especially young folks) think that Christmas cards are something for the elders and that is not something they go about doing, the key in this execution was to re-define what a Christmas card can be, and not the least how to create and send one. Hence, the execution made people interact with Christmas cards in a whole new way and realize that this product is not obsolete – it's in fact the opposite. This was also important from a brand standpoint, since Posten is often seen as old-fashioned… not so much any more.
In order to make people aware of our projects we placed advertising banners on relevant external websites, as well as on Posten's own site, that would lead the target audience to the respective landing site. Furthermore, the message was spread through social media, which played a key role in driving traffic. Results: the negative trend for real cards decelerated heavily. 2010 became the best year ever for the "Real Postcards" web-tool (from where the Living Christmas cards were sent) – an 18% increase in sent cards compared to 2009. 55.5% of all cards sent through "Real Postcards" were sent around Christmas, indicating that this promotional campaign was highly effective. Furthermore, the campaign generated massive impact in non-bought media. In total, PR contacts were estimated to 6.6 million (Sweden's population: 9 million) and PR was highly positive.
December 8 from McCann Erickson Belgium
Hospital Cavel – XMas Card Premature (2011)
Every year, the premature baby unit at Edith Cavell hospital sends cards to the other departments as well as to some ex-patients.This year, they sent this card in mid-October. When you open it, you see the message "It's a little premature, but Happy Christmas". The surprise to receive a Christmas card 2 months in advance was really appreciated.
December 9 from Shackleton, Madrid
Spanair – Unexpected Luggage (2011)
Spanair flight JK5208 from Barcelona arrived at Las Palmas on the evening of Dec. 24, at a time when most European families are traditionally enjoying their main Christmas celebration. As the 190 passengers waited impatiently for their suitcases, they saw the luggage belt lurch into action — but instead of seeing their own bags, they saw an array of bright, gift-wrapped presents of all shapes and sizes parading past them. Covered in gold, silver, red, purple and green candy-stripes and decorated with flamboyant ribbons, the unexpected packages chugged past the astonished passengers. People gradually began to notice their own names on the parcels' gift tags, but nervously watched them go past a couple of times before daring to pick them up. After awhile, they began to pick the presents up and shake them suspiciously for clues as to their contents. Eventually they tore open the wrapping to reveal gifts for every kind of passenger. For the kids there were teddy bears, giant candy bars, toy horses, cars, trumpets, puppets and costumes; and for the adults, beauty products, Lomography cameras and hats.
The passengers directed a spontaneous round of applause at the luggage belt, and each had a heart-warming tale about Spanair — which markets itself as "La de Todos" or "Everyone's Airline" — to tell their loved ones at Christmas.
The whole stunt was planned by Spanish ad agency Shackleton, based in Barcelona. The agency's VP, Enric Nel-lo, said in a statement, "We understand the emotional stress of traveling on such a special evening, particularly on one of the last flights, when everyone else is reunited with their families celebrating Christmas Eve. These passengers deserve a gift like the rest, with all the excitement and the surprise factor, too. It was a very special gesture for all those who have no other choice but to fly on the night of December 24th."
Nuria Tarr, commercial director of Spanair, said in the statement, "This action strengthens the company's image in the areas of innovation and closeness to our passengers. We've created a very warm and human brand experience and it's a true reflection of the positioning we have been building since last year."
In less than 48 hours, a YouTube video of the event received more than 100,000 views, and more than 7,000 users shared it on Facebook and Twitter.
December 10 from Ubachswibrun/JWT, Amsterdam
MINI – MINI Christmas Box (2010)
2009 was the year of MINI's "99 euro" campaign. MINI was looking for a closing offensive within this campaign for the month of December. The goal was to convey the MINI brand experience in combination with the low price. We used the familiar day-after-Christmas street scene: rubbish bags, Christmas trees, and the cardboard boxes our presents came in. A recognisable scene that MINI also makes intriguing. Because all over the city, we see a MINI Box on people's doorsteps with a big "99 euro" price-tag. This is how we showed that MINI falls under the category of "affordable presents".
December 11 from Saatchi & Saatchi Romania
Toyota – Christmas Bubble (2008)
Toyota client asked the agency for a direct mailing that would convey the company environmental commitment, also when wishing their clients Merry Christmas. We decided then to produce some delicate and precious objects such as hand painted Christmas balls, and to put them in an anonymous box with the word Fragile on it.
The boxes were then delivered one by one personally to a selected list of VIP clients, journalists and Romanian opinion leaders.
When they opened the box, they found a "Christmas globe" and with it a strong but sweet message: "The world is in your hands. Treat it well. Merry Christmas from Toyota.
December 12 from Contract Advertising, India
Cadbury India – Christmas Celebrations for the blind (2009)
The challenge was to create a package which would touch lives directly. A package that would reflect the simplicity and more importantly, the sincerity of the idea. The key objective was to take the brand and its gifting properties beyond regular consumers, to cement Cadbury's reputation as a good corporate citizen during Christmas. Cadbury Celebrations is an assortment of fine gift chocolates. During the festive season, alongside the usual boxes of chocolates, the client wanted us to initiate a Corporate Social Responsibility activity which would in his words, 'directly and tangibly make a difference' to someone.
Keeping the objective of 'corporate social responsibility' in mind, we thought of including blind children in this festive season. Could our pack make an emotional bridge between the season of giving and the brand?
Taking off from who the gift was intend for, the idea to do a Braille pack for Cadbury Celebrations came spontaneously. How wonderful would it be for a visually-challenged boy or girl to wake up on Christmas Day and receive a Christmas gift like none other? We set about designing various options, using papers of different GSMs till we had a cost-effective, yet appealing solution which offered a unique texture.
This special package was not up for sale. However, it earned us rich dividends in terms of the joy that was spread in abundance. To see the children break out into smiles as they read the cover of the box, and then bite into the chocolates, was so heartwarming, that the Victoria Memorial School for the Blind invited Cadbury for every festival of the year. The goodwill earned, has cemented Cadbury's reputation as a good corporate citizen, who performed its Christmas act of giving, in a quiet and unobtrusive manner. No PR articles were issued around this for example, preserving the integrity of the project.
December 13 from Starcom/JWT Italia
Coca-Cola- Illumina la città di Milano (2009)
The 2008 campaign has a new claim "Light up Christmas with a Coca-Cola emotion". The challenge was to revitalize and further amplify "light up" communication code with innovative activations.
The insight that sparked the idea was drawn from the fact that media at the time was focusing on urban security concerns following an apparent wave of street crime. Dark winter streets were the symbol of this feeling – and large city administrations were putting a lot of effort into bringing light to their citizens. Coca-Cola could leverage this initiative and add joy and positivity to the initiative, by lighting up an urban vehicle (a tram) in the fashion of the traditional Coke Truck – which would navigate the streets at a peak moment in pedestrian traffic.
In order to illuminate Milan, Coca-Cola has chosen an urban transport icon, the tram – also, supporting the public transport service as a mean of higher security in a traffic-intense part of the year.
Historic trams were converted into branded cable-cars of white light, spreading brilliance through the streets and serve as an iconic image for both the advertiser and the city.
The cars toured the central area of Milan, spreading its positive message with the further support of actual Santa Clauses on board, distributing branded Christmas gifts at every stop. The Coca-Cola logo was highlighted at the head of the car, associated with holiday wishes from the Municipality. Adding a signal of social responsibility, the project was also engineered using low energy technology.
The project was announced in a press conference that also featured prominent Italian political figures including a Minister and the Mayor of Milan.
Even amongst the already sparkling Christmas decorations of the city, the tram had an extremely positive impact on passers-by and passengers. Immediate reactions captured on the spot clearly show the deep success that this initiative had in enhancing the overall Christmas atmosphere.
Also, due to its public component – as it involved local authorities and the support of their efforts in improving the life and aspect of the city – the action enjoyed a wide resonance and PR support, ranging from publicly expressed commendations from political personalities and the mayor, to press coverage, to word-of-mouth through the population of Milan.
December 14 from UM Sydney
Lego – Santa's Little Helper (2010)
To adults, gift-buying for children at Christmas time is a daunting experience. Especially when making the right choice validates them as a good parent, grandparent, auntie or uncle. Add to this the sheer volume of toy advertising pre-Christmas and you quickly turn a daunting experience into a nightmare. Too much choice, a whole lot of pressure, and very little time. Efforts were focused on taking the stress out of choosing a gift, and in doing so positioning LEGO as the No.1 choice this Christmas. LEGO = Santa's Little Helper, a multifaceted campaign that spoke to kids and adults.
At the campaign's epicentre was a purpose-built local website taking the anguish out of buying toys. Simplifying things, it showed parents the LEGO range by their child's age group. It also helped them find their nearest retailer, and print a product page to take in-store. Never before had such a LEGO service existed in Australia. To get gift buyers there, we bought a unique search term: "Santa's Little Helper". We placed the term front and centre in all advertising: Santa's Little Helper appeared in cluttered retail, outdoor, print and sampling environments in the Christmas lead-up. A refreshingly simple message, in chaotic places, at a chaotic time. Santa's Little Helper didn't stop there. Via product TVC's, kids were invited online to a fun-filled destination to create LEGO e-cards showcasing their favourite LEGO toys, which they could then send to Mum and Dad, unwittingly aiding the Santa's Helpers list.
Results: over 682,000 searches for LEGO or 'Santa's Little Helper'. Santa's Little Helper generated a click-rate of 3.5%… double the toy-industry average. And better still, our overall search click-rate was 6 times the toy-industry average. Gift buyers viewed an average 14.8 pages per visit – an extremely sticky result. Santa's Little Helper drove more product page views than any other LEGO-related term (brand terms are normally the strongest drivers). 5,263 store searches. 1,170 kids sending e-cards to their parents. 15,000 bricks in-hands through sampling. Sales were up 39% year on year.
December 15 from JWT New York
Macy's – Believe Mailboxes (2009)
The 2008 holiday season threatened to be the most difficult since the Great Depression. Macy's needed an idea that would drive traffic and rekindle the holiday spirit from new and existing customers, in a time when it was in very short supply.
Despite the economic forecast, there was hope. The election brought a sense of change to America, and people were desperate for good news. This led us to the insight that to believe in something as ineffable as Santa Claus is to believe in the true spirit of Christmas. For Macy's 2008 holiday campaign, we asked America to "Believe." Macy's has had a long history of epic Christmas celebrations. The brand boasts a world-famous holiday parade, iconic Christmas windows, and a well-known relationship with "the real Santa." Even a classic American holiday film "Miracle on 34th Street" is about the fact that Santa Claus works at Macy's. No other American department store had the permission to ask America to Believe. And few brands could pull it off at the scale at which Macy's is used to operating.
At the core of the Believe campaign was an activation idea where we asked people to prove they believed by writing a letter to Santa Claus and mailing it at Macy's. For every letter collected, Macy's donated one dollar to the Make-A-Wish Foundation – a charity devoted to fulfilling the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses. To collect the letters, we installed Believe mailboxes in every one of Macy's more than 800 stores nationwide. Our goal was stated from the beginning – we wanted to collect more than a million letters and donate $1 million dollars to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The Believe Stations that housed the mailboxes helped Macy's become a fun family destination for the Holidays, and not just another place to shop.
The idea inspired the nation. The Herald News from Joliet, Illinois tells of a four-year old leukemia victim named Mia, who collected over 800 letters from her classmates because she wanted to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
We exceeded our goal and collected 1,079,206 letters to Santa. On December 23, we presented the Make-A-Wish Foundation with a check for $1,000,000.
December 16 from Crispin Porter+Bogunsky Europe, Gothemburg
Swedish Postal Service – Magical X-mas Cards (2010)
What can the Swedish Post do about young people only sharing their lives on Facebook these days? How can we prove the strength of a traditional post card? Our solution: let people create and send Christmas cards, using modern technique! Let all the hours you've spent sharing your life on Facebook come to use, now as a real Christmas card – containing personal design made of the texts from you and your selected recipient. Write a greeting on the flip-side, and the card is delivered to your friend's doorstep, tempting her to send her own greeting.
By collecting status updates and comments from Facebook then making them come alive in the physical world, we created something original and unique. The target group was impressed by the personality and character of a physical Christmas greeting. Something they, in many cases, had never experienced before. This suited the brand like a glove. The Postal service wants people to feel that a physical letter is the most personal way of communicating. And you couldn't find a more personal Christmas card than this. Each one reflecting the sender and reciever's communication during the past year.
The strength of this campaign was two-fold, it spread itself through the actual physical cards delivered and also through social networking. The way this campaign combined the physical world with the digital was paramount in its success. To begin with, 100 cards were sent to chosen individuals in the target group. As a result, during the campaign's short span (18 days) more than 5000 cards were made and delivered by the Postal service.
The campaign created a massive positive reaction in blogs and social media where the Postal service was portrayed as well in sync with the present. During the 18 days this campaign ran, over 5000 cards were sent as a result of 65000 unique visits. The average time spent on the site was 3:40 and the sales cost per response was 25 SEK.
December 17 from Scholz & Friends, Berlin
Bosch – The Push-Puppet Chainsaw (2006)
Brief: create a retailer-mailing that draws attention towards the Bosch Professional Chainsaw which combines great power with outstandingly easy handling. We used a well-known toy to dramatise how powerful and easy it is to handle this professional chainsaw. Well timed for Christmas, we produced the "Bosch Push-Puppets" and sent them to the retailers. If they pressed the button at the bottom, the trees were cut down and a "conqueringly" lumberjack stayed standing, holding a Bosch Chainsaw in his hands. A sticker at the bottom reads: "High performance. Easy to use." The push-puppet was sent to retailers in Germany in combination with a request-fax for a personal presentation from the Bosch sales staff. The mailing generated an unusually high response of 11.5%.
December 18 from Famous Brussels
Belgian Lawyers Association – Santamatic (2011)
The Flemish Lawyers Association wanted to improve awareness about online agreements. Consumers don't realise that those are real agreements as well. With real obligations. Just like any other contract you'd sign. How could we make consumers aware of that carelessness?
Consumers are not aware of the fact that online agreements are also legal agreements. With real obligations. Just like any other contract.
The Santamatic confronts us straight with our careless behavior.
After seeing the movie, you could send it to a friend including a ridiculous obligation added by yourself. And wonder if your friends would read the terms and conditions.
A week before Christmas, an online application was launched in which you could morph yourself into an 80 year old Santa. You had to upload your picture, fill in your name and agree with the 'terms and conditions' But instead of seeing yourself as an old Santa, something else happened.
A man confronted you with what you just signed. The picture you uploaded could be used to promote ivory.
At the end he reveals that he's a lawyer. The few people that actually opened the terms and conditions before they started morphing, got a congratulations message from the 'Flemish Lawyers Association'
Results: of the 24.000 visitors of the first 5 days after launch, only 6.566 opened the terms and conditions. That means that only 1 out of 4 people actually read what they're signing up to.
December 19 from JWT Spain
Amnesty International – Christmas Gift (2011)
Amnesty International needed funds so as to be able to continue campaigning against human rights abuse.
Our challenge: to do a Member-get-Member promotional activity encouraging current members to give an Amnesty International subscription to their loved ones for Christmas. We chose the typical gift you're committed to at Christmas time (a pair of socks) and turned it into a gift with commitment. In conjunction with a fair trade workshop, we created some socks with designs related to injustice.
As detailed on the list of type of media referred below (and in the presentation board), there was a print campaign in the Spanish Amnesty International magazine and an email sent out to all the people listed in their database (including members and supporters), along with banners that addressed people to the micro-site of this campaign.
These socks became the welcome pack which new members would receive with their gift subscription to Amnesty. And they were the first step to Amnesty International's Catalogue of Gifts with Commitment.
We multiplied the number of members recruited in previous Amnesty International 'member-get-member' campaigns by 26. And we ran out of socks.
December 20 from Wirz/BBDO
Salvation Army – Donated Song (2011)
During their traditional street collections, the Salvation Army sings the same well-known Christmas carols every year. This means the organisation is reaching fewer and fewer people and particularly lacks appeal to younger donators.
To reach a young target audience, our strategy was to make the Salvation Army appear surprisingly younger without losing its well-known singing tradition – after all, there are plenty of other musicians who have a lot of success with their songs.
Our idea was to ask Swiss music stars whether they would be willing to donate one of their hit songs to the Salvation Army. Some of the most famous bands in Switzerland took part, allowing the Salvation Army to sing their songs for free, several of which had been number one hits in the Swiss singles charts. This eventually enabled the Salvation Army to sing songs on the street from big-name stars who have an enormous fan base among young people in Switzerland. The Salvation Army was out rocking and rapping on the streets, attracting attention and giving it a younger image.
Everyone has seen the Salvation Army singing on the street. Everyone knows the hits that were donated. But the fact that the Salvation Army – which had always had a serious but slightly boring reputation – was out on the streets just like before but this time singing hit songs, confused people – but in a positive way. And that was despite the fact that the Salvation Army was out there doing what it does every year – namely singing.
The reporting carried out by TV and radio stations, newspapers and websites achieved 65% penetration countrywide. Achieving similar results using conventional advertising would have required a media budget of Swiss franc 550,000, i.e. seven times more than our entire communications budget.
The song donations were effective not only in the mass media but also out on the street. Young people reacted positively and the Salvation Army became a topic of conversation. It also helped to halt the slide and turn things around in terms of donations, which amounted to around Swiss franc 1.5 million, despite competition from other charities.
December 21 from TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris, Johannesburg
Drive Alive (safety message) – Xmas Tree (2007)
Ambient piece of media (a real christmas tree) placed in Johannesburg Town Centre and shopping center.
December 22 from TOY, San Francisco
Ministero de Defencia National – Elf Yourself (2007)
Our job was to get people to associate OfficeMax with the holidays. Treating the office cubicle as our medium, we created twenty holiday-themed websites linked together under one rollover tab. ElfYourself.com became the hit of the season. At peak, it received 200 hits per second and became the 275th most visited site on the Internet according to Alexa. Featured on Good Morning America, CNN, #2 on Entertainment Weekly's Must List, VH1's Best Week Ever, USA Today's Pop Candy blog and others, the site had over 40 million visitors and over 10 million elves were created in a five-week period.
December 23 from Ogilvy Beijing, China
Greenpeace China – Coal Globe (2009)
As China is now the world's second largest contributor to global warming, the nation plays a vital role in any global environmental decision-making conference. And as coal burning accounts for a vast majority of China's CO2 emissions, the objective was to show delegates that Greenpeace, along with others, provides a strong voice of opposition to China continuing their business as usual ways of energy production. The main physical challenge was that since there was very little known about the venue in advance, the design would have to have impact by simply sitting on a tabletop.
Greenpeace China needed a strong message to take to the UN Poznan Climate Change Conference, as it would determine how ambitious the environmental goals of the critical Copenhagen Protocol could be.
The Conference was taking place during the middle of the Christmas season. Therefore, a typically cheery snow globe scene was turned into a poignant environmental coal-burning message by replacing snow flakes with coal dust.
"It gave us the kind of jaw-dropping impact needed to convince global delegates that China is feeling the necessary pressure in the lead up to Copenhagen," said Greenpeace's Communications Director, Sze Pang Cheung. And subsequently, the Copenhagen goals being discussed for carbon emission reduction have been far more ambitious than previously thought possible.
December 24 from Swiss Publicis, Zurich
Blue Cross (alcoholism awareness) – Drunken Santa (2007)
People with alcohol problems have even greater difficulties at Christmastime. Wine and mixed drinks are available everywhere; one celebration follows the next. Some alcoholics are ashamed of their addiction and drink along so as not to call attention to themselves. Others don't want to admit that they have a problem. Blue Cross is an organisation that helps people with drinking problems. This was to be conveyed at Christmastime with a PR-attracting promotion.
Because it's difficult during the hectic Christmas season to generate attention for such themes, we had to conceive of something special. We sent an actor dressed up as Santa Claus into downtown Zurich. He acted drunk, staggering through the streets in his costume and trying to distribute flyers in this condition. He carried a sack with the message: "Alcoholism can affect anyone. For help call: 044/262 27 27. Blue Cross." The entire action was filmed by a cameramen and captured by a photographer, and passed on to the TV stations and newspapers to create even more publicity.
Alcohol addition is a taboo theme. Those affected usually cannot help themselves in regard to their addiction and friends and relatives often ignore the problem. Through this seasonally relevant action we brought alcoholism and the fact that it can affect anyone into media discussion.
The goal was to bring the theme of alcoholism to a broad public. The action was a complete success; thanks to the large number of spectators, hundreds of flyers were distributed. Multiple press reports from large newspapers and magazines such as the Tages-Anzeiger, 20 Minutes, Swiss Illustrated, etc., multiplied the value of the investment. Due to the PR as multiplying factor, more than a million readers (= 0.01 CHF per contact) were reached. The client received many letters and e-mails referring to the action.
December 25 from TBWA Germany
Sony Playstation 3 – LittleBigXmas (2009)
Christmas time is the time for Christmas cards. However, Sony Playstation didn't just want to wish its customers and business partners a Merry Christmas, but really wanted to give them a merry time.
Based on the game "LittleBigPlanet", a special Christmas greeting level was developed, produced and released online. All business partners were informed about this exclusive Christmas level through a mailing, and were challenged to play the game.
Therefore, a special Christmas Greeting Level was developed and built based on the Playstation gaming highlight LittleBigPlanet, and then placed online. Partners and friends of Playstation were informed about their exclusive Christmas Level by means of a mailing, and were invited to play it themselves.
Of the 3,000 persons who received the playable Christmas greeting, 910 finished it completely and awarded it with 4 of 5 stars. Amongst all the other 100,000 levels, this is a real top-rating.
Spanair – Unexpected LuggagePosted: September 15, 2011 | Author: fra30774 | Filed under: Ambient, Cannes Lions, Case History, Direct, Spain | Tags: Cannes Lions, Christmas, Direct, Enric Nel-lo, gift, ipo Virgos, Paco Badia, Shackleton, Spanair, Unexpected luggage | Leave a comment
Spanair flight JK5208 from Barcelona arrived at Las Palmas on the evening of Dec. 24, at a time when most European families are traditionally enjoying their main Christmas celebration. As the 190 passengers waited impatiently for their suitcases, they saw the luggage belt lurch into action — but instead of seeing their own bags, they saw an array of bright, gift-wrapped presents of all shapes and sizes parading past them.
Covered in gold, silver, red, purple and green candy-stripes and decorated with flamboyant ribbons, the unexpected packages chugged past the astonished passengers. People gradually began to notice their own names on the parcels' gift tags, but nervously watched them go past a couple of times before daring to pick them up. After awhile, they began to pick the presents up and shake them suspiciously for clues as to their contents. Eventually they tore open the wrapping to reveal gifts for every kind of passenger. For the kids there were teddy bears, giant candy bars, toy horses, cars, trumpets, puppets and costumes; and for the adults, beauty products, Lomography cameras and hats.
The passengers directed a spontaneous round of applause at the luggage belt, and each had a heart-warming tale about Spanair — which markets itself as "La de Todos" or "Everyone's Airline" — to tell their loved ones at Christmas.
The whole stunt was planned by Spanish ad agency Shackleton, based in Barcelona. The agency's VP, Enric Nel-lo, said in a statement, "We understand the emotional stress of traveling on such a special evening, particularly on one of the last flights, when everyone else is reunited with their families celebrating Christmas Eve. These passengers deserve a gift like the rest, with all the excitement and the surprise factor, too. It was a very special gesture for all those who have no other choice but to fly on the night of December 24th."
Nuria Tarr, commercial director of Spanair, said in the statement, "This action strengthens the company's image in the areas of innovation and closeness to our passengers. We've created a very warm and human brand experience and it's a true reflection of the positioning we have been building since last year."
In less than 48 hours, a YouTube video of the event received more than 100,000 views, and more than 7,000 users shared it on Facebook and Twitter.
Case History
Describe the brief
Spanair wanted to launch a Christmas greeting to all its customers.
On Christmas 2010, Spanair used segmentation, personalization and creativity to CREATE AN IMPACT at the right moment. The airline then used social media to turn contents into direct marketing tools in order to generate links on the Internet and pass on Spanair's positioning based on proximity, client orientation and attention to service details.
The passengers of the flight that landed at midnight on that Christmas Eve, couldn't imagine the experience they were about to live. And probably they wouldn't be able to forget it either…
Describe the creative solution
On the luggage conveyor belt and before their luggage came out, passengers found some unexpected luggage arriving: a personalized gift with the names of each one of them. The baggage claim area became a spontaneous party. The surprise and the passenger's reactions were recorded and became a video which was launched in Spanair's Youtube. Spanair sent this to all other clients as their Christmas greeting.
In 48 hours, the video was viewed 100,000 times and, in two weeks, 700,000 times. It was shared more than 8,000 times, blogs and Spanish TV channels Cuatro and Telecinco, BBC, ABC echoed the news.
The DM strategy for this project is based on 3 components:
1.- SEGMENTATION: Although the action took place in such an unexpected place -the baggage claim area- it was not only about giving a present, it was about the gesture and detail. With that in mind, 12 client types were defined based on sex, age and occupation, family role, etc.
2.- PERSONALIZATION: For each client type (ex: man/young/father) we chose a best-fit present with the passengers' name on it.
3-. COMMUNICATE WITH A FACT. We used an individual gesture to demonstrate Spanair "cares about the little things that clients care about" and waited for it to be passed around.
Describe the results
• Spontaneous applause from all passengers that received the surprise.
• In 48h hours, the video had more than 100,000 viewings, 700,000 in two weeks.
• More than 30,000 individual comments and replies were posted on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter etc. A token of the new relation the brand established with clients.
• Spanair's Facebook wall received thousands of comments demonstrating it had impacted more than just the passengers but all those who were moved by the campaign..
These reactions mean a first stage on the relationship and dialogue with the brand.
Advertising Agency: Shackleton, Madrid
Executive Creative Director: Enric Nel-lo
Creative Director: Pipo Virgos, Paco Badia
Art Director: Clara Mercader
Copywriter: Santi Garcia
Graphic & Event Producer: Marta Lopez


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Re-posted from my blog Killed By Fish.
There's a new billboard up the street from my house:
It must be true. I mean, it's on a billboard and everything. And we all know that we are morally obligated to do everything that a billboard tells us to do, up to and including enrolling in clown college.
Still, I wanted to know more. I figured there would be more detailed requirements behind this "cry mightily unto God" instruction; I wouldn't want to do it wrong, you know, or face the wrong direction or something and cause God to get angry with me right at the moment of Judgment. So I went to the website, FamilyRadio.com and found this explanation:
In 2 Peter 3:8, which is quoted above, Holy God reminds us that one day is as 1,000 years. Therefore, with the correct understanding that the seven days referred to in Genesis 7:4 can be understood as 7,000 years, we learn that when God told Noah there were seven days to escape worldwide destruction, He was also telling the world there would be exactly 7,000 years (one day is as 1,000 years) to escape the wrath of God that would come when He destroys the world on Judgment Day. Because Holy Infinite God is all-knowing, He knows the end from the beginning. He knew how sinful the world would become.
Seven thousand years after 4990 B.C. (the year of the Flood) is the year 2011 A.D. (our calendar).
4990 + 2011 – 1 = 7,000
[One year must be subtracted in going from an Old Testament B.C. calendar date to a New Testament A.D. calendar date because the calendar does not have a year zero.]
Thus Holy God is showing us by the words of 2 Peter 3:8 that He wants us to know that exactly 7,000 years after He destroyed the world with water in Noah's day, He plans to destroy the entire world forever. Because the year 2011 A.D. is exactly 7,000 years after 4990 B.C. when the flood began, the Bible has given us absolute proof that the year 2011 is the end of the world during the Day of Judgment, which will come on the last day of the Day of Judgment.
Short version: When God gave Noah his final instructions, he gave him seven days lead time. With that, God was also telling everyone who would ever live that He would destroy the world forever in seven God-days, which equals 7000 years.
Still, this didn't give me much on which to base my actions in the Last Days, other than repenting and so forth. But the reference on the billboard to the verse in Jonah was obviously another clue:
"But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them cry mightily to God; yea, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence which is in his hands."
Jonah, you'll remember, was the plucky fellow who spent three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish. Jonah got into that predicament when he was thrown into the sea by the mariners on whose ship he had booked passage. A storm had come, and the crew decided to draw lots to see whose fault it was. Surprise! It was Jonah who had brought divine punishment upon the ship. So they tossed him overboard. (They also had reason to believe he had booked his passage to Tarshish to escape the presence of God, which was evidently possible in those days.)
But Jonah was able to pray from inside the fish, and God answered him by telling the fish to vomit him up. God then told Jonah to travel to the great city of Nineveh, taking with him the message that the city was about to be overthrown and destroyed. He did so, but because the Ninevites humbled themselves by wearing sackcloth and sitting in ashes, God decided to spare the city.
Ah, now we have the key: on May 21, 2011, we can be spared God's wrath by wearing sackcloth (rough sacking material, in those days made from camel hair) and sitting in piles of ashes, while begging God for forgiveness. But the offer is limited. From the website:
Sadly, the Holy Bible tells us that only a small percentage of today's world will turn from their evil ways, and with great humility and fear will cry to God for mercy. Nevertheless, the Bible assures us that many of the people who do beg God for His mercy will not be destroyed. We learn from the Bible that Holy God plans to rescue about 200 million people (that is about 3% of today's population). On the first day of the Day of Judgment (May 21, 2011) they will be caught up (raptured) into Heaven because God had great mercy for them.
Well, I fully intend to win that Holy Lottery. I will spend that day, May 21, crying in a pit of ashes with a bag over my head. Many will scoff; the Bible tells us this. They will burn. Or drown, or get left behind or something. But I will be mightily crying to God inside my bag, and will be lifted up to Heaven from the ashes of this dying world. Presumably the bag will come off at this point. And I will rejoice, knowing that practically everyone I have ever known has perished and that I have been specially chosen to live forever with that blessed memory. Praise Be to Lord Jesus.
Views: 259
Seems to me Bullwinkle was always "getting close" to that rabbit trick, but he never really GOT there. can't help but notice a similar pattern with all the predictions of the End Times and the Rapture and whatever else have you.
"This time for sure?!?" That's what the moose always said, too....
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Thursday, July 7, 2011
CONTACT: Richard Penny, (425) 352-3395, email@example.com
BOTHELL, Wash. – Commencement 2011 was a momentous occasion for the graduating students of the University of Washington Bothell, and marked a milestone in the university's history as the school awarded its 10,000th degree to student Hillary U.
U graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on culture, literature, and the arts. While studying at UW Bothell, U also found time to work at the university's writing center and as a student assistant in the office of advancement and external relations.
"I'm so grateful for all the opportunities I had at UW Bothell," says U. "It was an excellent learning environment and I'm proud to be the recipient of the 10,000th degree."
An exemplary student, U was involved in numerous extracurricular activities. Of note, she served as a cabinet member in the National Youth Advisory Cabinet for Campfire USA and served as president of the Family Career Community Leaders of America. U now works for the University of Washington as an advancement services officer in regional giving.
About UW Bothell: The University of Washington Bothell combines the benefits of a small campus with the resources and prestige of a world-renowned university. Offering over 30 degrees, options, certificates and concentrations, its curriculum emphasizes close student-faculty interaction, collaboration among students, and hands-on learning.For more information, visit www.uwb.edu.


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Don Meredith, a former star quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys who helped change the perception of professional football with the easy Texas charm and provocative wit he brought to its first prime-time telecasts on Monday nights, died on Sunday in Santa Fe, N.M. He was 72.
The cause was a brain hemorrhage, his lawyer, Lisa Fine Moses, said.
Mr. Meredith always thought of himself as the small-town kid from Mount Vernon, Tex., where his parents, Jeff and Hazel, owned a dry goods store and where his mother swung a tire so he could practice throwing a football at a moving target. He spent much of his life backing away from the nickname Dandy Don, particularly during his secluded later decades in New Mexico.
As a boy, Mr. Meredith dreamed of playing in the Cotton Bowl, 100 miles to the southwest in Dallas, and that was where he played many home games in high school, at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and in the pros. He set passing records for the Cowboys that still stand, including the one for most yards in a game, 460, set on Nov. 10, 1963, against San Francisco.
But it was his sparkling, fun-loving personality that seemed to define him. As a quarterback he sometimes irked the buttoned-down Cowboys coach, Tom Landry, by breaking into a country tune in the huddle, and as one of the first two color commentator on ABC's "Monday Night Football" he made his down-home ribbing of the loquacious Howard Cosell, one of his two broadcasting partners, a hallmark of the show.
Their spirited banter helped make "Monday Night Football" one of the most popular programs on television, one that soon took its place in the television pantheon, alongside classics like "M*A*S*H," in terms of longevity, ratings and cultural influence. The weekly clash between an opinionated intellectual and a freewheeling spirit drew women to watch football games and caused restaurants and movie theaters to report lower traffic during broadcasts.
"I'd just wait for Howard to make a mistake," Mr. Meredith said in an interview with Sports Illustrated in 2000. "Didn't usually take too long."
In fact, the whole act was planned, by Mr. Cosell. "You wear the white hat, I'll wear the black hat," he said to Mr. Meredith in a rehearsal before the premiere of "Monday Night Football" on Sept. 21, 1970.
Mr. Meredith offered a taste of his breezy, even risqué, humor in that first broadcast. In talking about the Cleveland Browns receiver Fair Hooker, Mr. Meredith said, "Fair Hooker — I haven't met one yet."
He later referred to President Richard M. Nixon as Tricky Dick and made what seemed to be a joke about his own marijuana use at a Denver Broncos game. "Welcome to Mile High Stadium — and I really am," he said.
Frank Gifford replaced Keith Jackson as the play-by-play announcer — and straight man of the crew — in the broadcast's second year, and many announcing-team combinations followed over the next decades. ESPN now broadcasts Monday night games.
Joseph Donald Meredith was born on April 10, 1938. In high school, he acted in school plays, scored 52 points in a basketball tournament game, graduated second in his class and won a statewide contest for identifying shrubs. He was an all-American quarterback for two years at Southern Methodist, after turning down Bear Bryant's entreaties to go to Texas A&M, where Mr. Bryant coached before he became an Alabama legend.
The Cowboys coveted the local hero and signed him to a personal-services contract before the N.F.L. had even granted Dallas a franchise. The Chicago Bears drafted him, and the Cowboys traded future draft picks to get him.
In an interview with The New York Post in 1966, Mr. Meredith said he assumed he would supplant Johnny Unitas as the league's pre-eminent quarterback in about a year, but Coach Landry thought quarterbacks should ideally have around five years of seasoning before starting. Mr. Meredith mainly sat on the bench the first three years.
As he sat, he grimly regretted not becoming a lawyer or preacher. "It was two years before Landry even spoke to me," he said.
He got his chance to start at quarterback in 1963, and he succeeded by almost any standard. He was named to three Pro Bowls and in 1966 was named the N.F.L.'s most valuable player. But he sustained many injuries and bickered with Mr. Landry about play-calling. Mr. Landry ended up calling plays.
Dallas fans began booing him after the Cowboys were unsuccessful in the playoffs, losing by inches and seconds to the Green Bay Packers in 1966 and 1967. He retired after nine seasons in 1969 at 31, saying he was eager to try other fields.
But the road to his future was paved after the second loss to Green Bay in an epic battle called the Ice Bowl. Wearing a blood-stained uniform, Mr. Meredith poured out his heart in a postgame interview. CBS was flooded with mail about this soulful, articulate, apparently real-life cowboy.
The interviewer was Mr. Gifford, who recommended Mr. Meredith to Roone Arledge of ABC, who was then planning to bring pro football to prime-time TV. Mr. Arledge wanted a former player with lots of personality.
But Mr. Meredith had already agreed to work for CBS's football coverage. He met Mr. Arledge for lunch and, scribbling contract terms on napkins, agreed to join "Monday Night Football" for $30,000. Mr. Arledge grumbled that the lunch cost him $10,000.
"It's the best $10,000 you'll ever spend," Mr. Meredith said.
He left the show after the 1973 season for NBC, which promised movies as well as work on N.F.L. coverage.
It met another condition as well: no one would call him Dandy Don. Mr. Meredith returned to the Monday show in 1977 and stayed until ABC's coverage of the 1985 Super Bowl.
After acting in movies and television, Mr. Meredith receded into a quiet life in Santa Fe, writing, painting, golfing and acting in a stage production of "The Odd Couple." He played Oscar. Mr. Gifford was Felix.
He is survived by his wife, Susan; his brother, Jack; and his three children.
For many Americans, their most abiding memory of Mr. Meredith was how he suddenly burst into a Willie Nelson song when he decided a game's fate was conclusively decided. "Turn out the lights," he'd sing, "the party's over."


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On this episode, we go house hunting with actress and native New Yorker Amy Stiller as she searches for some new digs on the Upper West Side (Watch video below). Next, take a tour of a spectacular home north of Chicago that features a theater, exercise room, sports court and batting cage (Watch video below). Then, the pros at Coldwell Banker provide some helpful tips and tools for those looking buy a home for the very first time (Watch video below). Later, we get to tour the estate of famed glamour icon and actress Zsa Zsa Gabor in Beverly Hills--even Elvis Presley has stayed in this spectacular home (Watch video above). Finally, Libby Langdon is at it again, transforming a living room and foyer in just one day (Watch video here)!. Tune in!
Are you following Open House on Twitter and Facebook?
This episode of Open House was hosted from 24 Thompson St., New York, NY. For more information on this property, please contact Spire Group NY at 212-500-1902.


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Four local Republican members of Congress have been pressing the U.S. State Department over American funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the controversial organization that assists Palestinian refugees and their descendants.
U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, from Chester County; U.S. Rep. Charles Dent, who represents the Lehigh Valley; U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan, whose district is based in Delaware County; and U.S. Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, from Bucks County, first sent a letter Sept. 17 to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
"Recent news reports indicate that the UNRWA is using educational programs to promote violence, anti-Semitism and religious extremism among Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory," the letter stated.
The House members called for an investigation of these allegations. They heard back from a State Department official 10 days later and then – apparently unhappy with the response they received – fired off another letter on Nov. 20, containing a new round of questions.
UNRWA was created in 1949 to assist Palestinian refugees from Israel's War for Independence, soon after the armistice that ended the conflict.
In 2012, the U.N. group received $232 million from the U.S. government.
The agency has been a subject of controversy for years. Critics have long alleged that the agency promotes an anti-Israel agenda, hires known terrorists and perpetuates a system of dependence for the descendants of the original Palestinian refugees.
Over this past summer, UNRWA got some new attention due to the release of a 19-minute documentary, available on the web, called Camp Jihad. Released by the Israel-based Center for Near East Policy Research, the video showed young children being exposed to anti-Israel propaganda.
The congressional letter was spearheaded by Gerlach. The issue was brought to the lawmaker's attention by a constituent, according to Gerlach spokesman Kori Walter.
"Congressman Gerlach continues working on the issue with his colleagues because it is critical to ensure that American aid is used to advance the interests of our country," Walter wrote in an email. "Under no circumstances should this aid be used to foment anti-Semitism or undermine our allies."
David Bedein, a graduate of Akiba Hebrew Academy who made aliyah to Israel in 1970, oversaw the Camp Jihad project. He said a number of the documentaries he's made have gotten traction on Capitol Hill, but perhaps none more so than Camp Jihad.
"I have worked on the UNRWA issue ever since a sociologist and rabbi, Eugene Weiner, addressed our senior class at Akiba in March 1968 and declared that Arab refugee issue was our problem now -as a result of the Six-Day War," Bedein wrote in an email.
In a Sept. 27 letter to Gerlach, Thomas Gibbons, acting assistant secretary of legislative affairs for the State Department, said the department "has closely monitored UNRWA's actions in response to the allegations contained" in the Camp Jihad documentary.
But, according to the letter, the State Department's analysis of the situation is based on an UNRWA internal investigation.
The Sept. 27 response apparently didn't satisfy the congressmen.
In their own follow-up letter, Gerlach and the other House members wrote that the State Department failed "to provide specific examples of how the U.S. Department of State conducts oversight of U.S taxpayer dollars dispersed to UNRWA."


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PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — Oscar Pistorius was granted bail Friday, paving the way for him to be freed from custody pending his trial in the Valentine's Day shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Pistorius' family members and supporters shouted "Yes!" when Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair made his decision after a near two-hour explanation of his ruling.
Nair set the bail at 1 million rand ($113,000), with $11,300 in cash and proof that the rest is available. The magistrate said Pistorius must hand over his passports and also turn in any other guns that he owns. Pistorius also cannot leave the district of Pretoria without the permission of his probation officer, Nair said.
The double-amputee Olympian's next court appearance was set for June 4.
The magistrate also ruled that he could not return to his home, where the killing of Steenkamp took place.
Nair made the ruling after four days of arguments from prosecution and defense in Pistorius' bail hearing.
Nair said Pistorius' affidavit, in which he gave his version of the events of the shooting on morning of Feb. 14 in a sworn statement, had helped his application for bail in Pretoria Magistrate's Court.
"That reaching out in the affidavit, the way that he did, placing it before the court," Nair said. "I come to the conclusion that the accused has made a case to be released on bail."
Pistorius shot and killed Steenkamp in the predawn hours of Feb. 14. The athlete says he shot his girlfriend accidentally believing she was an intruder in his house. Prosecutors say he intended to kill Steenkamp and charged him with premeditated murder, saying the shooting followed a loud argument between the two.
Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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