Log Off, Spend More Time with Friends, Chew Gum

Dentyne’s recent ad campaign encourages us to “Make Face Time,” taking the social conventions of our constantly plugged-in, mobile-enabled, online lives and puts them back in the context of real life experiences.  By re-imagining the meaning behind the emerging digital lexicon that defines what counts as a relationship these days, the brand is able to send a strong message that establishes their core values while also subtly pushing their product.  After all, who needs to be concerned about a little detail like fresh breath when the bulk of your interactions happen solely online?

Beyond their print and TV spots, the company cleverly backs up their initiative with their website design.  Users who navigate to the product page are told that they will have 3 minutes in which to enjoy the site’s offerings before they need to conceivably go out and start living.  Of course, limiting potential customers too much is no sound way to manage a business, so there are some built-in workarounds -looking at the ads (powerful lessons in the parlance of the site) happens off the clock and as the seconds tick down the audience is presented with one last chance to utilize one of the site’s many features – because who’s really keeping track anyway? The two best tools are a ”Face Time Request” that allows users to ask friends to meet up and a “Face Time Finder” that suggests great places to hang out based on geographical location.

So though phrases like “friend request accepted” and “the original instant message” reinterpreted offline remind us how enriching these actual connections cans be, the company has certainly got their own best interests in mind too.  But when the idea is beneficial for all involved that’s not necessarily a bad thing.