MEDIA ARTS MONDAYS:
Nonline Marketing

Audiences don’t live above or below-the-line, and it has taken our industry too long to truly embrace a through-the-line approach. But with the explosive growth of the Internet and the need for a specialized craft, we were quick to draw another line to differentiate on- and off-line advertising. But today’s audiences don’t live in an on- or off-line world either – they live in a “nonline” world. The more people and technology advance, the less separated these two places become in our daily lives. People can hardly tell the difference anymore between when they are “on” and when they are “off”; when they’re connected and when they’re not. People now lead seamless lives existing somewhere between the digital and the physical world with an endless number of connections linking them together.

Online campaigns tend to be limited to screens and often times don’t affect people’s off-line lives. Brands that stop drawing the line have the opportunity to create entirely new connections that seamlessly and simultaneously impact people’s nonline lives. Marketers need to tear down the self-imposed walls between on- and offline and break through the tyranny of click-through based online advertising. Instead of using separate on- and off-line performance tools, marketers need to look at nonline success metrics to evaluate their initiatives holistically.

Nike+: The Human Race

Nike+ is the world’s largest running club, connecting runners from ever corner of the Web, where anyone  can be challenged to a virtual race. On Aug. 31, 2008, Nike took this initiative to the next level and to the streets with the world’s largest running event: The Human Race. The charity race brought the online community together with 700,000+ runners competing in 25 cities across the globe. Nike rounded up this unprecedented experience with exclusive post-race concerts as part of the grand finale in each city.

Pod Hotel: Podculture

The Pod Hotel combines high style with high tech, offering hostel-style, discount accommodations for spendthrifty and Web-savvy travelers. To compete with trendy boutique hotels, the hotel lets visitors make advanced connections with other guests via its closed social network PodCulture. Improving the real-world customer experience, guests connect online in specific forums to meet up in real life to drink, dine, shop or go out. Sales and traffic have increased 40% since PodCulture has been introduced.

Twitter: Twestival

On Feb. 12, Tweeters in 202 cities around the world came together for Twestival under the mantra of “tweet.meet.give.” The volunteer-organized Tweetup with a social conscience was a fundraiser for charity:water offering entertainment, food and drinks while building awareness for the global water crisis. The call-to-action was Tweeted and in less than a month the event attracted 10,000+ attendees. The live gathering is a testament to Twitter’s ability to mobilize Internet activity into real-world action.

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