Happy Is More Than a Music Video, Let's Call It Intelligent Marketing

http://24hoursofhappy.com/

There is always a tear behind a great smile. When you’re feeling down or sad, it is hard to make yourself feel better. Well, if there is one thing that made me smile that little more, it is the 24-hour ‘Happy’ video of Pharrell Williams. No kidding, 24 hours long! The groove just makes me dancing in my head all day long! The longer I listen to the song –which is btw the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack, the more I forget I’m hearing the same song all over again.

I like dancing, music and marketing! Maybe that’s why I ‘m a huge fan of “Happy”

The world’s first 24-hour video consists of images and people dancing to the song, including other celebrities like Steve Carrell, Kelly Osbourne and Jamie Foxxx. The video is presented as an interactive clock. Users can click specific times to jump ahead,  watching a few second of each performance. Each performance/take lasts 4 minutes, 4 minutes of dancing in the streets of LA.

Marketing it is!

This is not just another music video. It is an ingenious content marketing move! It shows you what you can do and what the capabilities are of a ridiculously simple idea. On top of that, how would you describe this project? Is it just a music video or is it art? But maybe, it is a great internet campaign? Yes indeed, ‘Happy’ is everything. Lines are continually being blurred between medium, artists, creation and communication, and that’s what I call great marketing.

The website has already 5 000 000 views! It creates powerful buzz, a dream for every marketer. Everyone can share his moment of happiness, and sure they do!

Unfortunately, the site doesn’t work on mobile – only on your desktop or tablet. Of course, as a digital marketer, I think it is a shame because responsive design is a must nowadays. It is the user experience that enables visitors to consume and share content on any website through the device of their choice and preference, anytime. The video is doing ok and is going viral, but when they should give us the possibility to view it on our mobile phone, the views and shares would increase even more!

So…

If you want to cheer yourself up, I highly recommend you to listen to the song and watch the video. But I’ll warn you, you will lose some time! Time goes faster than you think. I’m already addicted.  And don’t forget to share your moment of happiness…

http://24hoursofhappy.com/

Please let me know: do you agree? Is this Marketing? 

Author 
Brett Dufort - Application Inspiration
Student Digital Marketing at Ehsal Management school - ehsaldmc

• be.linkedin.com/in/brettdufort/

Flowboard Is the Real Deal!

My little secret

I admit, if there’s one thing I could do all day long, it’s making good looking presentations. Well, I discovered a new app that has made me love presentations even more – o god.

While I was looking at the app store on my iPad, I found it! Flowboard – a.k.a heaven. It is a presentation and storytelling app / platform.

6 reasons why Flowboard is dope:

 Interactivity

All types of content can be shown on a tablet. Flowboard knows this! Buttons, videos, web links, photos can be added from your Instagram, Dropbox, Facebook.  Your viewers will be able to explore web links without leaving the presentation and they can dive deeper into a photo gallery etc.

Share

Each Flowboard has a unique URL that can be shared to  individuals, or to your entire social network, by sending or posting a link.

Online / offline

While presenting your Flowboard, others can explore on the iPad. This makes it even more interactive. But the most important thing is that there is no internet connection needed on the iPad.

Best of both worlds

Powerpoint is so 2008! Flowboard is the real deal. 

The app is not a powerpoint, nor a photo gallery. But it has the best of both worlds.

 B-e-a-utiful

The presentation is visually stunning, professional, awesome, dope! It is important that you can grab the attention of your listeners. I guarantee you that is not an issue anymore with Flowboard. On top of that, people are attracted to tablets. Presenting with an iPad makes it more interesting and professional.

Simple

With simple touch gestures, you can add text, web links, pdfs, photos and videos, which makes it a compelling story that will captivate your viewers. There are some existing templates and graphics that you can use, which are designed by a Flowboard designer team.

Here is an example of a short presentation I made for Desperados – assignment Digital Marketing at Ehsal. 
Full presentation: http://flowboard.com/s/1mw8

Author 
Brett Dufort - Application Inspiration
Student Digital Marketing at Ehsal Management school - ehsaldmc

• be.linkedin.com/in/brettdufort/

Why Digital Marketing at Ehsal Is Worth the Money

Digitale Marketing - Ehsal 

As you may know already, I’m studying Digital Marketing and Communications at Ehsal Management school in Brussels. Even though it is not in my favorite city of all time – which is Ghent, it is worth it. It’s only for a year anyway.

And no, I didnt choose it because I didn’t want to work yet, cause that is the wrong attitude. Here are some reasons why Digital Marketing at Ehsal was the best choice for me!

Guest speakers

We literally learn from the best. All our lessons are guest lectures and seminars, which means that our lecturers are real business people with a lot of experience. That makes it more interesting and they know how to amuse the students. Some online marketing gurus from Flanders we’ve already had are Bart de Waele, Kenny Vermeulen, Thomas Troch, Bert Van Wassenhove, Tom de Ruyck etc.

Practical

The real benefit is that we get a lot of assignments that have to be done in groups. On the one hand, teamwork is good for your social skills and it teaches you how to work in a team. And on the other hand, it is very instructive! We’re all used to memorizing big manual by heart, but you learn a lot more a doing and making mistakes.

For real companies

All the assignments and everything we must do, are for real companies (like VRT, Incofin, Desperados). We are helping them with their social media or their online marketing. With the help of coaching sessions, we know what ( that we’re doing ok) we’re doing ok and what has to be better. 

So actually, we are already doing stuff like we will do in the near future. This is our job…

We are wanted

It is a fact that the landscape of marketing has changed over the last decade. Digitalism can’t be ignored!  Areas that everyone should keep an eye on are the areas of digital marketing, multichannel marketing, and ecommerce. As a marketing professional you have no choice but to get involved in the digital world! Otherwise things could be dangerous for your company in the future. Digital marketers are there to help you! Believe it or not…

Ehsal is forward-looking

They all are doing their very best to prepare us for the future. The lecturers are  giving us advise, tips and may give us a job in their company, if you stand out of course. Because all of the lecturers are taught by real business people, we are expanding our professional network. And that is always a bonus!!

If you don’t believe THIS is the future, please watch this video! I mean, social media has already taken over porn as the number one activity on the web!! 

Digitale Marketing en Communicatie @ Ehsal Management School

Author

Brett Dufort - Application InspirationStudent Digital Marketing at Ehsal Management school - ehsaldmc

• be.linkedin.com/in/brettdufort/