The Lounge Blog

This blog has moved!

2011-04-18T15:45:00.003+01:00

Hey there, You've arrived at The Lounge Group's old blog. We have now moved home to our shiny new website that integrates our blog, tweets and latest case studies. Nice to have everything in one place! The Lounge Group's new blog Please go there for all our latest posts. You can read the old ones over there too if you fancy. See you there!

Death of the brand website? A Lounge perspective...

2011-02-22T13:11:00.011Z

There's been a lot of discussion about this lately. Of course brands have been setting up camp on Facebook for years now, but to date a branded Facebook page has normally been as a side offering alongside a separate brand website. However, the more sophisticated Facebook brand pages become and with brands like ASOS is championing Facebook ecommerce (allowing users to buy through their

Hendrick’s Refined Courtship Clinic

2011-02-18T17:15:00.009Z

The Lounge recently ventured out to experience Hendrick’s Refined Courtship Clinic. The free pop-up was open for the second year running to offer etiquette tips to both singletons and couples looking to woo potential suitors and develop their relationships just in time for Valentine’s Day. We found out about the courtship clinic online and immediately decided to register for the opportunity to

Trend for 2011: Making the Mundane Fun & how brands are responding

2011-02-17T14:08:00.004Z

We have identified 3 trends that we predict will be big for 2011. We will be posting each over the next few days with examples of how brands are already using them to engage consumers. Last week we blogged about Planned Spontaneity. The second trend is... 2. Making the mundane fun: As consumers increasingly seek new forms of escapism (as identified for nightlife in Planned Spontaneity

Ever thought which smells draw you in?

2011-02-14T15:06:00.005Z

Either through one’s travels or simply from hearing about others' cultures you begin to build up a picture of what a country may be like. Therefore, if you were to stop and think about what a country might smell like, I’m sure it would not be that hard to pin point. Take Italy as an example, we all believe it to be the home of great pasta and pizza and for that reason if anyone where to ask us to

Social Media Week London: The Future of the Social Web

2011-02-11T09:26:00.018Z

There have been a lot of exciting conversations going on for Social Media Week #smwldnYesterday The Lounge got down to The Social Web: Have We Arrived? at the Design Council in London. It was hosted by Meebo, a social platform (already big in the USA) that allows users to share content with all of their social networks from any site on the internet.Elaine Wherry, co-founder of Meebo, introduced

Trend for 2011: Planned Spontaneity & how brands are already responding

2011-02-09T10:41:00.013Z

We have identified 3 trends that we predict will be big for 2011. We will be posting each over the next few days with examples of how brands are already using them to engage consumers.The first trend is...1. Planned spontaneity: Consumers are increasingly seeking exceptional experiences when they go out. Since the recession they are working harder and going out less often, meaning that when

Lynx angels fall to Earth

2011-02-07T09:30:00.003Z

The Lounge Group's Lynx angels have fallen from heaven and are descending upon cinemas all over the country this month looking for 'the one'. Can you tempt them?Meet the angels and experience the new fragrance Lynx Excite at the following cinemas this February & March:Fri 11th, Sat 12th, Sun 13th February - Showcase Cinema Bluewater, Water CircusFri 25th, Sat 26th, Sun 27th February - Showcase

The greatest ad BMW never made

2011-01-28T09:58:00.002Z

We spend a large part of our lives connecting with our favourite brands. They’re a part of defining who we are. I’ve also spend a large part of my own life developing ways to create a connection between brands and consumers. However, this film says more about that connection than any advert I care to remember. It’s probably the most effective piece of communication never written.- Martin Homent,

Immersive gaming

2011-01-24T11:15:00.009Z

Immersive games, also called Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) take place in the real world using everyday life as a gaming platform. Players work together to solve a puzzle or challenge with the adventure lying in the sense that the game's events could be real. From a marketing perspecitve, it's a great example of social media integration with offline marketing.The first true ARG was created by

Cooler than the iPhone: Line Phone

2011-01-20T12:37:00.011Z

Ok, well maybe it would be but it's a concept at this stage.The Line Phone (video below) is, in essence, an ultra-sleek touch phone & therefore not wildly different but it's pretty damn awesome...It won gold at the Furong Cup 2010 'Digital Product & Service Design Competition' (info via TNW)Also worth checking out for some tech-geekery is Hitachi's gestural interface, unveiled last July, which

Floxx - FitFinder is back!

2011-01-18T12:40:00.015Z

Back in August we blogged BRING BACK FITFINDER: Student social netflirting isn't over yet, on Brand Republic's The Wall.We were right when we predicted that FitFinder wasn't over. The student social network (a cross between Twitter & the 'I Saw You' pages of a newspaper) that swept universities across the country like a craze last summer, has indeed returned. Apparently this is thanks to

Kit Kat: Have a breakism

2011-01-17T14:24:00.008Z

Kit Kat continues to offer consumers a break - this time from abstract art.For some, abstract art can feel like a heavy topic but Kit Kat lightens it up with this playful parody, using unexpected humour to reinforce their brand message in an original way.Ubachswisdrun/JWT created a blank red canvas 'with no meaning whatsoever' for Kit Kat. It's installed into the Abstract USA exhibition

MD James steals angel's wings

2011-01-14T13:02:00.006Z

This is The Lounge's Managing Director, James, looking very happybecause NOT ONLY is it his birthday today, he also gets to model the angel wings our Brand Ambassadors will be wearing for the next Lynx campaign.Birthday cake gives you wings!

Sol Cinema: cinematic caravan powered by the sun

2011-01-12T10:12:00.017Z

Lounge Trend Hunter Lily (20) has brought The Sol Cinema to our attention this week. It's a 1960s caravan turned into a mini solar-powered cinema that seats 8 adults. It's a non-profit project created by the charity Undercurrents.The Sol Cinema, or a a similar vehicle, would be a great component in experiential campaigns. Not only is it creative and fun, it is also bang-on trend reflecting both

Amnesty campaign makes the invisible visible

2011-01-07T16:48:00.007Z

Sometimes the choice of media is as much a part of the idea as the words and pictures. This is proved here by this wonderful piece of work for Amnesty International.Created by Brothers and Sisters and Mentalgassi the campaign highlights the plight of Troy Davis, on death row in the USA for a murder he's always claimed he didn't commit and for which there is no physical evidence.Davis' face

Unhappy hipsters

2011-01-07T09:24:00.005Z

Happy Friday everybody!In celebration we thought we'd share the latest witty blog post from Unhappy Hipsters that our Trend Hunter Kate (Chicago & London) has shared with us...The Ikea room so overwhelmed her that she abdicated all possessions (save a woven basket) and embarked on a journey of suburban foraging.(Photo: Joao Canziani; Dwell)

We love Facebook but...

2011-01-06T09:19:00.005Z

...can't ignore that there's a bit of a backlash.Of course this anti-feeling is coming from a minority. With 27m users, Facebook is the UK's second most popular website after Google, so hardly at risk of a mass exodus. However, there is currently some kudos attached to deleting your account.Part of the reason for this is Facebook's own success. So many people use it it often feels compulsory to

The Lounge predicts trends for 2011

2010-12-22T16:17:00.005Z

The Lounge was trend forecasting in The Evening Standard this week, From 11 for 2K11: Trends to watch out for in 2011 (Mon 20/12/10) :Anti-social networksForget having 1,576 Facebook friends. James Layfield, director of The Lounge marketing agency, predicts that 2011 will be the year we begin to personalise our online friendships. "We will choose to tighten our friendship circles, turning to the

Chromaroma - turning mundane journeys into a game

2010-12-14T11:58:00.018Z

Chromaroma is a new immersive game that aims to make your real-life journeys around London more fun by using travel details logged by your Oyster card. It maps visualisations of your journeys around the city online in your account and encouraging competitive gameplay with others.Brought to our attention by Lounge Trend Hunter Rachel, 23, the real fun lies in joining one of four online teams and

Timberland and the gift that keeps on giving

2010-12-13T14:49:00.005Z

As Jack Frost was just about to start doing his rounds, The Lounge hit the streets to raise awareness of Timberland’s range of Earthkeepers footwear.Our trusty Brand Ambassadors were deployed onto Oxford Street and Regent Street armed with Timberland jackets and shoes (which helped to avoid the bitter elements!) and were tasked to hand out Timberland's specially made ‘bags for life’. In line with

Nokia's ice touchscreen

2010-12-10T10:54:00.006Z

Martin Homent, The Lounge Group's Creative Director comments:Six years ago at a D&AD lecture, I was told that my entire world would fit in my pocket. My photos, videos, friends, diary, entertainment, music and games. And not just that. It would all be on one device. Six years on it seems to be something we take for granted. But at the time, this was the vision of Frank Nuovo, the Chief Designer

Can you handle 33 HOT girls?

2010-12-10T09:48:00.007Z

Take a look at this fab Lynx Top Trumps game which launches on Facebook today.The stunning Alex is but one of a selection of 33 hot Lynx Mynx’s who make up Lynx Top Trumps. Each girl is rated on a set of key pulling criteria – curves, kissability, brainpower, naughtiness, stamina and Lynx Factor.The first 1,000 guys to prove they can handle a bevvy of Lynx Mynx's by ending up with all the cards

Imagine... a boat like this as part of your campaign

2010-12-01T16:46:00.008Z

This is fantastic - a 'capsized' yet fully functional half-boat, made to look like it's full-sized and sinking. Imaginative and playful, it certainly makes you look twice and could generate great publicity for a campaign.Created by the French artist Julien Berthier.Submitted by Lounge Trend Hunter Lily, 20, Venice.

Europe loves cycling, but what does this mean for brands?

2010-11-29T14:45:00.012Z

Cycling may be particularly trendy at the moment but it's more than just a fashion. It's an integral part of many people's lives - an alternative to the gym or the train; a 'green' statement and a hobby. There are opportunities for brands to build loyalty by becoming the facilitator or innovator of this lifestyle passion.Naturally Barclays cycle hire scheme is one obvious - and high budget -

BE A LEGEND ON CAMPUS WITH RED BULL

2010-11-26T17:30:00.004Z

Do you go to every social event or do you make an appearance? Are you kitted out in style or do you set the trend? Are you always up for a good night out or do you make the party?Have you got what it takes to be a part of the Red Bull Student Team?We hope so because we have heard on the grapevine that our good friends at Red Bull are looking for the nation’s finest students to represent them and

We're recruiting!

2010-11-26T14:07:00.015Z

The Lounge are looking for people between the ages of 18-35 to be part of a European community for a famous global brand.Do you have a passionate interest/or work in any of the following areas; music, photography, action sports and urban art?We are looking to recruit fluent English speakers living in/originally from Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Denmark, Norway and Sweden to be part of

Brylcreem Boy Kevin Pietersen in blindfold cricket

2010-11-23T17:54:00.007Z

The viral takes players on a tour of the seductive city of Randyville, where the character battles with saucy

SKYN IT TO WIN IT!

2010-07-01T17:11:00.004+01:00

The game we created for Ansell (Mates) SKYN condoms is now live!!! It's been a gruelling day at the office and now it's time to make your way home for a night of passion with your partner. Not just normal sex - Skyn on skin sex! Sex the way it's meant to feel. Race the clock as you make it across town, through the shopping centre to meet your lover at the local nightclub, stocking up on SKYN

Spare a thought for those at Glastonbury this weekend...

2010-06-25T14:04:00.004+01:00

BEWARE THE FLIP-FLIP CHALLENGE!!!!!!This has been making us all laugh in The Lounge this afternoon! Turns out flip-flips become a complicated, athletic challenge after a few too many...Happy Friday Everybody!

EastEnders reaches out to the “the endz”

2010-06-21T17:31:00.008+01:00

In celebration of the BBC1 prime time soap's 25th Anniversary, this year EastEnders launched a series of youth orientated webisodes known as E20. The show, written and starred in by 17-25 year olds was first transmitted on the EastEnders website in January. The show identified immediately with young people from the title as the E20 is the make believe postcode of the endz (area) EastEnders is

Lounge trendhunter Matthew discusses the top 5 uses for the iPad!

2010-06-14T09:24:00.022+01:00

iPad, MacBook, iPhone, iPod and MiniMac - Do they count as my 5 a day?You would have had to be living in a cave not to have heard at least some of the buzz surrounding Apple’s new ‘wonder device’, the iPad. I myself (a self confessed Apple junkie) have been looking forward to its release for some time (although I didn’t queue for 20 hours outside the Apple store on the day of its release – I was

The Lounge Group's MD James Layfield talks to Marketing Week about 'how to use youthful brand ambassadors'

2010-06-10T15:49:00.011+01:00

James Layfield is featured in today's article in Marketing Week, Mini Marketers should be treated with Kids Gloves:'With concerns about using children for peer-to-peer marketing being voiced in Whitehall, brands are under pressure to demonstrate they are handling this youth channel responsibly or risk a backlash....James Layfield, Managing Director at agency The Lounge Group, says its research

A SKYN Revolution - coverage in PR Week

2010-06-03T10:00:00.004+01:00

The Lounge's campaign for SKYN non-latex condoms for Mates (Ansell) is featured in PR Week, 'A Revolution Over Skyn Condoms'. The campaign ran across 5 European countries calling for another sexual revolution... to Stand Up For Better Sex!Watch the manifesto and join the SKYN revolution: www.skyrevolution.co.uk

Response from Stephen Fry's people!

2010-06-01T17:05:00.003+01:00

So we sent a link of the iPad launch footage to Stephen Fry's people and got this lovely reply:Dear Louise, Many thanks for this link which I shall forward to Stephen Fry with pleasure. So glad to have seen it - makes me feel I was there, rather than glued to my desk at the time. All best, JoPA to Stephen Fry

iPad launch London UK: Interview with Stephen Fry and the crowds

2010-06-01T10:36:00.005+01:00

The Lounge hit the Apple store on Regent Street, London, on Friday 28th May 2010 for the launch of the new iPad on behalf of Brand Republic magazine.We spoke to some of the 1,000 people who had been queuing for up to 16 hours. And we ran in to Stephen Fry!!According to 63336, the majority of people in the queue - 56% - were buying the iPad based on reviews, international success and pure faith

Full interview with Stephen Fry at the iPad launch on Regent Street

2010-05-28T15:04:00.010+01:00

Here's The Lounge Group's interview with Stephen Fry about the new iPad!We met him bright and early this morning at the iPad launch at the Apple store on Regents Street in London. He talked to us about the iPad, why he loves Apple and the future of online media consumption.The interview's also on guardian.co.uk.

Sell out performance? Bands and brands

2010-05-25T15:53:00.009+01:00

The Lounge's Managing Director, James Layfield, appears in Marketing Magazine today talking about partnerships between bands and brands.Check out the article at marketingmagazine.co.uk

The last word: Dr Martens’ sole music

2010-05-24T07:48:00.001+01:00

Our recent article in the FT last Friday.

The YouTube Generation Hits Jackpot

2010-05-17T08:26:00.002+01:00

All you young-and-fabulous are in agreement that YouTube is fantastic, right? Owned by Google, it has 20 million users in Britain, making the BBC’s 6.5 million viewers seem small-fry in comparison.For a handful of young entrepreneurs-turned-tycoons, YouTube just got a lot better. The latest craze to sweep America is headed for our shores. The ‘haul video’, also known as ‘vlogging’ (video-blogging

The Lounge Group are looking for a new Account Executive!!

2010-05-12T14:06:00.000+01:00

We are looking for a high calibre candidate to work at The Lounge as our Account/ Operations Executive. This role is crucial to the future growth and success of The Lounge and, as such, we are looking for an intelligent, confident, enthusiastic and tenacious individual with a passion for brands, excellent communication skills, at least 1 year’s work experience and a good working knowledge of

The scary power of celebrity endorsement

2010-04-30T13:21:00.005+01:00

The week that Ashley Cole’s ‘sext messages’ were revealed, I walked past a news stand and adorning the cover of every gossip magazine was Cheryl Cole’s gorgeous, troubled face. Whether we admit it or not, we are all intrigued by the lives of celebrities and relish the moments in which their lives are revealed as anything less than perfect. It is for this reason that the

Lounge Trend Hunter Christy looks at the cult of Robert Pattinson & Twilight

2010-04-21T11:34:00.001+01:00

The R-Pattz Saga Recently I asked myself two questions. One, why is everyone suddenly so obsessed with Twilight, and two, who (/what) is ‘R-Pattz’!? I know all you Twilight/Pattz fans are shaking your heads and ‘tut-tutting’ at me, but there must be some who share my bewilderment as to where this came from. Having discussed the issue with friends over the past week, I had mixed responses. Some

Lounge Street Honey

2010-04-20T14:40:00.000+01:00