Free Colts Ring Tones vs. Free ING Toilets

This week at the agency, we extended Huntington Bank's Indianapolis Colts affinity program (see AdFreak story) online with this snazzy little Web site featuring the spots, free ring tones and sundry silliness.

But, just when we thought we'd pushed a financial brand to the near-limit of consumer engagement and real-guy zaniness, well, ING launched a free toilet ...

If you haven't been to the ING site, I definitely suggest a visit - if only for the transition to the sponsoring brand at the end of the, uh, bathroom experience.

ING's is really a very controversial approach for anyone managing an advertising  budget. The  viral part of the experience lives entirely separately from the brand sponsorship - at once making pass-along more likely and making the eventual brand impression less assured.

Comments

[Christian]

Oh, okay.
So no we didn't "intertwine", she just basically explains "her" service is free because: only online, so no paperwork, no personnel costs etc. Then in the end the viewer realizes (or I hope so anyway) that everything she says is also true about the checkings account because of the same reasons.

Oh and yeah, Bruno at ING is brave, he's my favourite client.

[Leigh / Advergirl]

Hey, Christian. Thanks for your comment. Clarification: By totally separate all I meant was it's a fun experience and then you move to the brand. Often, marketers will make what is essentially a funny brand spot (meaning the fun and the ad are intertwined for the entire experience)and expect that to quickly go viral. I think it's a brave thing for a marketer to approve a project where the brand literally sponsors the content instead of being a part of it. Cool approach. Cheers-

[Christian]

I'm the creative behind ING's campaign.
It's weird to have it show up on a blog I've been reading for so long.

Anyway. I dunno if things got lost in translation or if I just suck (the latter I guess). But the viral part being entirely separate from the brand sponsorship is untrue. At least to me. The whole "idea" is that the bathroom site is "next to" the ING site, and that's what she says: "The site next door.." which is a surreal suggestion of course.

Maybe it's typical local humor, but the campaign is quite the success in Belgium.