We’re ever so slightly chuffed to have won this rather prestigious of awards. Big thanks to our client Pan Macmillian and Lord Sugar for giving us the platform and support to launch the idea. On paper it was not the clearest thing to describe. Pithcing the idea to the man himself was a challenge in its own right. (As you can see from the reaction.)

What the Guardian say
“The Guardian Awards for Digital Innovation 2012 were announced last night (22 March) in the high tech surroundings of the Energy Hall at London’s Science Museum. Now in their fifth year, the awards recognise digital communications and technological innovations that are pushing the media world forward. Guardian columnist (and avid Twitterer) Grace Dent hosted the event, which saw awards presented across 8 categories. Read on to find out more about this year’s winners, and the potential they have to change the shape of the media industry forever.”

A tad lofty but what the hell. We’ll bask in that badboy all day long.

Winner – Best Digital Campaign
The Way I See It – Alan Sugar Hardback Campaign
Agency: Guided Collective
Client: Pan Macmillan
The world’s first Twitter book signing with Lord Sugar and his million plus Twitter followers. Fans could tweet a rant @Lord_Sugar and watch his live personal response.

Runners Up
Kaiser Chiefs Bespoke Album Creation Experience
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy
Client: Fiction Records

National Trust MyFarm
Agency: Public Zone
Client: National Trust

Celebrating the in store launch of Ted Baker’s SS12 campaign The Great Exhibitionist and his Private Views, on Saturday 17th March 2012, Ted collaborated with a host of acclaimed illustrators to create a bespoke fashion portrait service called Ted’s Drawing Room.

The initiative saw 111 lucky customers receive a signed and framed, original, one-off portrait created by one of 11 top illustrators that included Jacqueline Bissett, Niki Pilkington and Michael Frith.

Ted invited customers across 9 stores (7 UK, 2 NYC) to ‘put yourself in a picture’ and become a masterpiece. All they had to do was try on pieces from the new collection and pose for a photo in one of Ted’s ‘Exhibitionist’ photo booths. An image of their Ted look was taken using Instagram and the photograph was automatically beamed straight into the artist’s studio, Ted’s Drawing Room, situated at Ted’s London HQ.

Inside the studio, the illustrators were invited to ‘choose their muse’ and re-create their favoured photos from the hundreds of instagram photos submitted. The 11 illustrators ranged from pure fashion illustration to watercolour portraiture to contemporary graphic art and were seen employing a broad diversity of techniques and styles throughout the day.

The studio, open for only 8 hours from midday to 8pm GMT, also hosted an artwork and framing service with the 111 portraits created uploaded to Facebook on the day and the original, signed portraits framed and sent to their subject in the post soon after.

A film crew were also on hand to capture the illustrators hard at work. Footage was broadcast live via Livestream back into participating stores and to Ted’s Facebook page enabling the public to watch the masters at work and the subjects of the portraits to tune in and watch their portrait being created! Over 2000 viewers tuned in across the day, spending on average 26 minutes each glued to their screens. The stream was viewed in over 23 countries ranging from the UK and USA to slightly further afield such as Japan, Malaysia and Taiwan.

The activity proved a huge success across social media with a 75% increase in Ted’s reach on Facebook and a 70% increase in people talking about Ted Baker on Facebook. Twitter mentions also increased by 1000%.

Customer responses to the campaign were also hugely positive:

“That is just an amazing drawing. It’s so original and I love the captions!! You made my day, Serge!” (Jale R)
“Love this!! STUNNING yay for Glasgow!” – Victoria B
“That is beautifully delicate Jo. I love it. ♥” – Nigel A
“Wow… Jacquline, i look amazing, thank you and thank you Ted” – Ivet D
“What a laugh… An afternoon in ted baker cracking day” – Willie S
“Didn’t expect this when I went shopping today, was great fun and real confidence boost, thanks TB xxx (also mum bought me the outfit as birthday present so win win.” – Emma W

Ted Baker launched their AW11 range under the guise of Worn to Be Wild. Guided was briefed to complement that line with in store activity that would drive traffic to and engagement with their social media assets.

As always with Ted, Guided looked for a fun but fashionable solution – something inherently Ted, but that would democratise fashion, involve the shopper and excite the industry. It was important to build in relevant tech and push Ted further into the social media space – whilst building further relationships with key influencers from the fashion world.

Guided’s response was: It’s Rutting Season – pop in store, don a deer mask and strut your rut…

During October, a competition ran across Ted’s Glasgow, Manchester and London stores allowing customers to try on the collection and pose in a fantastical deer mask within a beautifully illustrated Richmond Park set. They were then ‘shot’ – using Instagram – by a top fashion blogger, with the photos uploaded to a Facebook app. The customer was then invited to impress their mates and get as many ‘Likes’ as possible. Ted was on the hunt for the most adorable Doe and dominant Stag (metaphorically speaking!) in each city – who each won a £500 shopping spree.

The Idea: 19 spheres come to life, as you become a supernatural conductor. Each ball becomes an orchestral instrument that increases in volume as it physically rises. You can create your own soundscape whilst the balls levitate and dance to the music.

This is currently controlled via the touch screen of an iPhone, however, it may soon be naturally controlled with your movement.

It’s proven to be hugely successful in engaging the public of all ages. A fun and engaging experience, that mixes digital technology with the physical world. There’s something intrinsically captivating about a levitating sphere and to have direct control over those spheres is a magical experience.

This revised version of the Floating Forecaster was most recently exhibited in Brighton Dome and filmed in the studio.

Music: Benny Goodman – Sing Sing Sing

poietic.co.uk/​ourwork/​floatingorchestra

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