We’re big fans of WeTransfer; a service that allows you to transfer big files for free. We like the clean site and are impressed by its business model; it simply sells wallpapers as advertising. And though the ads cover your entire screen, they’re not intrusive at all, cause WeTransfer only allows stylishly branded images – rotating every 45 seconds. With this game, built by Samsung and promoting the 3D LED Monitor, WeTransfer has taken things one step further. When you click on the pair of glasses (see picture), you become part of a first-person shooter and have to perform some simple tasks like reloading your rifle and spotting a terrorist with your binoculars. The game is not that special, but we like the fact that WeTransfer made it subtly ‘on demand’, instead of in your face.

The Liquid Mountaineering viral for Hi-Tec, conceived by CCCP is already legendary. So what’s next? The Hi-Tec “Infinity Run“, a game also conceived by CCCP and built by Soepel. The game lets you run on water and also has an in-game shop, which is apparently fairly unique. Once you enter the game, you only need to choose your character, your Hi-Tec gear, and the city in which you would like to hit the water – of course we chose Amsterdam. We were crap at it, but that’s actually a good thing, since each week a very ugly pair of trainers is being given away to the highest score.

Last Thursday the Spinawards were divided between the top digital agencies in the Netherlands and Belgium. In ‘Online’ there were two golden awards; ‘Philips wake up the town’ (A fantastic concept by Tribal DDB) and ‘Hi-Tec Liquid Mountaineering’ (a very strongly executed viral by CCCP – judged as the best mockumentary of 2010 by Adage). There was one silver in Online; KLM Surprise (see embedded case film) – this also won gold in ‘Cross Media’. KLM Surprise winning two Spins was indeed a surprise. The concept is quite thin; passengers at Schiphol airport using Twitter or Foursquare were given a special gifts that matched their travel plans – seeding the shaky film footage online didn’t make it a stronger concept. In our opinion the only fair award for this surprise would have been in ‘Social Media’. Speaking of social media, in this category Boondoggle won silver for ‘Take Mokum’ – “a great way to activate your audience” is how we judged it back in September. The three awards for Boondoggle made it digital agency of the year – regardless the surprise a fair decision. KLM – also winning a second golden award for iFly Magazine in ‘Content’, created by Born 05 – became digital advertiser of the year. Considering the amount of innovative stuff KLM has created in the past year, their award was entirely deserved. Muse & Ice Mobile won gold in ‘Innovation’ for their app ‘Appie’. Indeed one of the more innovative concepts we’ve seen last year. Another gold went to the addictive game ‘Noisia Infection’, created by Flavour – “playful branding”. A very strong Spinaward (gold) went to the Blurshirt for Beachmasters (party holidays for teenagers), in the category ‘Young Talent’. It was  created by Nik Sluijs and Nanette Visser of de Willem de Kooning Acadamy. The shirt has a shotcode underneath the collar so that, when embarrassing pictures are uploaded on social media, the face above the collar automatically gets blurred. Now there’s a concept that taps into a serious target group need.

This short Rivella (a Heineken brand) film promotes the ‘one button website’, a website that helps you to snap out of your daily routines for a few minutes in a *tada!* refreshing way. The lovely Japanese tunes that make us very happy come from YMCK. If you don’t know the brand Rivella, you might want to know that Rivella’s pay-off always used to be: ‘A bit strange, but quite tasty’. Though they don’t seem to use this line anymore – what a shame – this ‘one button website’ combines strangeness and tastiness perfectly. Created by Superheroes, together with illustrator LouLou en Flash artist Mark Barcinsky.

Dutch navigation device manufacturer TomTom offers a very special set of new navigation voices in joint promotion with Star Wars. This viral – yes, we do consider it a viral – created by Pool Worldwide and directed by Willem Gerritsen (CZAR), advertises Yoda’s voice – on sale for US $13. In May Darth Vader was released. Very funny, though we can imagine – as the commercial already shows – that this voice will (literally) drive you nuts after a while. On the TomTom website you can also listen to voice samples of the other Star Wars characters – Darth Vader, C-3PO, and Han Solo. There’s also a Star Wars game – we could almost hear the client say “let’s also do a game”. It has to do with augmented reality through your webcam, using the force and winning ‘a personalized Yoda voice’ – whatever that may be. All in all, TomTom – in difficult times because of the recession and tough (mobile phone) competition – and Pool have done a great job in turning TomTom into a more likeable brand.

Last time we wrote about Samsung, it took over a building in the centre of Amsterdam with a 3D projection. Today Samsung is taking over You Tube with a game. The game-take-over starts with a film of the 3D projection on the Beurs van Berlage. Then it slowly takes over YouTube. The game is nothing special (click on as many butterflies as possible  and win a 3D LED TV), but the take-over makes quite good eye candy. Created by Muse.

Finally, the first example of Layar – the augmented reality browser – applied in advertising. Created by TAB World Media, a company that specializes in augmented outdoor advertising. With an Android or iPhone you can watch the new trailer of Walt Disney’s ‘Prince of Persia, The sands of time’ through Layar. But of course there’s more. The Dutch AR browser also gives access to a game. The movie character Tamina speaks to the player (see image) and explains you need to answer three questions. By answering correctly the player can earn 50 ‘Movie Minutes’ – for 90 MM you can buy a DVD. The Layar also gives access to an augmented cinema locator and the option to share the game within your social network. We look forward to the future – this is just the beginning…

Two weeks ago we already mentioned that augmented reality (AR) is picking up in the world of advertising. But as far as we know this is the first time it’s being used for an online game. In this game for surf brand O’Neill – created by Achtung! and built by IceMedia – you can virtually ride the waves. The longer you stay on your board the higher your score and the bigger the chance you win a trip to the World Cup of Surfing in Hawaii. To play the game you need to have a copy of the print ad of the new HyperFreak, which is – according to O’Neill – the most technical boardshort in the world. The funny thing is that we saw the HyperFreak print ad earlier this week, but didn’t know at all what we were looking at – would that be a waste of budget? Anyway, apart from playing the game, you can also see what the HyperFreak looks like in AR and on the website you can find out more about its special features; stretch fabric, super strong and light, no inseam, etc. What a nice campaign! It made us realize that AR is going to be the biggest revolution in advertising since the invention of YouTube.

These are the Easter eggs that were hidden by Holland’s biggest supermarket chain, Albert Heijn (AH), in the latest version (1.5) of its iPhone App. The App, called Appie – a good choice of name, since many Dutch use it as the grocer’s nick-name – helps its customers to make a grocery list, search for recipes and of course find the latest ‘Bonus’ offers. Though probably only a tiny part of AH’s customer base will frequently use the App, it shows that AH wants to create added value for its customers in an innovative way. And that, we believe, makes the grocer very likeable. And since we’re only at the beginning of the App revolution, you can expect many more services on the App(ie) in the future. Anyway, to show that AH has a sense of humour, some Easter eggs were hidden in the App this Easter. On Twitter (#Appie) hints were given about where one could find the eggs. AH also hid a IRL Easter Egg in one of its stores. The person that found it, won an iPad (not on sale yet in the Netherlands). The Apps were built by digital agency Muse. If the 1.0 version of the App won’t win an award (for digital advertising) at the SpinAwards tomorrow, the 1.5 version definitely should next year.

Here’s a teaser for the new Onitsuka Tiger campaign made by Amsterdam Worldwide (AW). What a cool brand to work for. First of all Onitsuka always seems to give its agency carte blanche with respect to coming up with truly creative stuff. Secondly the brand proposition ‘made of Japan’ allows AW to draw inspiration from the rich Japanese culture. Every year the agency creates a giant sneaker with a special Japanese theme. Last year it was the Zodiac calender. This year the agency created an integrated campaign around the traditionally crafted ‘Tansu’ (a chest with box shaped drawers). It took a team of Tansu masters four months to handicraft the shoe shaped ‘Kaidan’ (step) Tansu, using techniques that date back from the time of the Samurai. Back in the days these chests were used both as a cabinet as well as a hidden ladder that made upstairs lofts look inaccessible – and thus not taxable – to the tax collector. But there’s more; the Onitsuka shoe works like a puzzle; the boxes must be unlocked in a specific sequence to unveil its hidden treasures. For those who cannot admire the real chest – on display in Onitsuka’s flagship stores – AW made an online version that invites the consumer to solve the puzzle. The project is topped off with special instore Tansu-themed materials. Talking about craftmanship…