A growing number of brands both big and small are turning to OpenAd.net when they need fresh ideas for advertising and marketing strategies and campaigns.
For brands, having access to the world's biggest creative department gives them the chance to see a wide range of ideas from around the world, to have those ideas delivered quickly when there are tight deadlines to meet, and to see how some of the industry's brightest creative brains view their brand or product. OpenAd.net's global perspective is its key advantage. Great ideas can come from anywhere and anyone.
FHM
FHM, the international men's magazine, have become regular users of OpenAd.net since they launched their first pitch in December 2004. On that occasion, they asked creatives to come up with an inspired PR event/stunt to help launch the career of Natalie Pike, their newly-crowned 'High Street Honey'.
The competition was won by the UK-based creative team of Amanda Wallace and John Paul Li with their PR stunt ‘Judas Kiss’, which was staged on 12 February 2005.
FHM were delighted with the response, impressed by the whole OpenAd process, and said they looked forward to using us again. Which they did, three months later, by launching a pitch for a PR event to recruit the next 'High Street Honey'. The winning idea was supplied by London-based creative directors Stephen Timms and Matt Williams.
Then, in August, FHM launched their third pitch, this time asking creatives to supply an integrated multimedia brand campaign for the launch of FHM Mobile, a new content service for mobile phones. The winning idea, 'FHM To Go', which likened the convenience of FHM Mobile to that of a takeaway (in line with the brief's requirement that ideas should emphasise the snack-like nature of the service), was submitted by Avinash Sampath, senior creative at Saatchi & Saatchi, Dubai. FHM have licensed the idea and plan to use it as part of a press, online, radio and TV campaign, and via Emap’s internal network.
The outcome of this pitch was a perfect expression of our desire to see creatives from all parts of the world contributing ideas. Brands can only benefit from the breadth of reach of OpenAd.net's global creative community.
'Who would have thought that a writer sitting in the middle of a 50-degree desert might have his work on a continuously rained-on billboard in London?' said Avinash.
DaimlerChrysler's Slovenian division (AC Intercar) turned to OpenAd.net when their own Smart ForFour pitch failed to deliver ideas of sufficient quality. The pitch ran for two weeks in February 2004 and attracted 52 entries.
The winning idea, 'Kmalu' ('Soon'), was created by an agency that had previously been invited to respond to the client's own pitch. Not only was the idea developed and later used for the relaunch of the Smart ForFour model, it was voted best print ad in Slovenia and led to the agency acquiring the Smart ForFour account for future campaigns.
Tina Malesic, then head of Smart sales at AC Intercar, was particularly impressed with the fact that OpenAd.net was able to deliver a large number of high-quality ideas in a short space of time, in contrast to the classic client-agency pitch process. This is something all brands that have held pitches on OpenAd.net have benefited from.
When lastminute.com, the online brand best known for travel retail, were looking for ways of raising their profile as a gifts supplier through a Christmas 2004 viral campaign, they turned to OpenAd.net.
Although there were only six days from pitch launch to deadline (the tightest deadline and shortest lead time of any pitch so far), over 30 ideas were submitted by creatives from the UK, India, South America and Central Europe. The company were impressed by the quality and speed of response, and chose Alan and Sandy Cinnamond's idea to develop as part of their Christmas campaign.
Neogen, the Romanian personalised-content information site, were looking for print and web design ideas to increase awareness and clarity of the brand.
The award of USD 415 was won by Ariel Molina, a creative working in Cordoba, Argentina. Thrilled by the whole OpenAd.net experience, Neogen licensed the idea for use in their advertising campaigns, and plan to use OpenAd.net again to explore ideas for future marketing strategies.
Ariel also won the ‘Gloss and Shimmer’ pitch held in 2004. Delighted that OpenAd.net had once again recognised his talent, he wondered how many other creatives working in under-acknowledged markets and small cities across the world might benefit from submitting their ideas to OpenAd.net.
Mercedes-Benz have held a number of pitches on OpenAd.net, for their A-Class and E-Class vehicles. The E-Class pitch was launched in February 2005 and asked creatives to submit print, web design or direct mail ideas for the launch of the E-Class Exclusive in Slovenia. The winning idea, a print ad entitled 'Feature-Packed E-Class', was submitted by Indian creative Jithin Vennengotte Jayaprasad.
Two further pitches followed in quick succession. The first, for the A-Class, was won by Frane Gorjanc from Slovenia with a radio ad entitled 'Mercedes A Cheaper'. The ad has featured in special A-Class promotions aimed at the Slovenian market.
Etam
In November 2004 British high-street fashion retailer Etam launched a pitch for ideas for their Tammy Spring Fashion line. Amanda Wallace and John Paul Li submitted the winning idea, becoming the first UK-based creative team to win a pitch competition on OpenAd.net and winning GBP 4,000 in the process.
Etam were impressed with the quality and professionalism of all the ideas submitted. Their decision was a tough one, with three other strong contenders for the award.
Matador
The first Slovakian company to make use of OpenAd.net'spitch facility, Matador asked creatives to produce a logo that would best reflect its move into the general automotive industry from its established position as the region's best-known tyre manufacturer.
Winner of the pitch and EUR 1,500, was Romanian freelance designer Catalin Iulian David.
Bliss
Britain's fastest-growing teen magazine held an OpenAd.net pitch in March 2005, inviting creatives to submit ideas for a viral SMS campaign to coincide with the Easter holidays.
Bliss were delighted with the response, eventually choosing 'SMS Psychic Pulling Tips', an idea submitted by London-based Marina Crook, who took home an award of GBP 500.
Gorenje
Slovenian company Gorenje were looking for a new corporate identityas part of their vision of becoming one of the top five manufacturers of household appliances in Europe.
After receiving a number of persuasive entries, Gorenje decided to split the EUR 2,000 award between two winners: Luciano Contigli, creative director of his own design studio in Buenos Aires; and the creative team of Zare Kerin and Marusa Kozelj from Slovenia.
Gorenje posted another brief on OpenAd.net shortly afterwards, this time for a viral movie idea for the launch of their Premium Line washing machines. Slovakian copywriter Radovan Grezo, who works in Bratislava, was the winner of the EUR 1,000 award for his two viral ideas, 'Washing the Cat' and 'Dirty Sport'.
