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

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 Facebook page as well as their site) it begs the question over whether there's a need for separate brand websites and how much longer they may last.

One of the latest discussions around this is The death of the brand website? on Brand Republic.

Our MD, James Layfield, offers a Lounge perspective...

Ever thought which smells draw you in?

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 imagine its smell we would probably say something along the lines of “pomorodi” (tomatoes), “warm bread” and “dashes of olive oil”. However, it could be more difficult to sum up other countries with a scent alone.

In the case of Lithuania that no longer needs to be a worry. Lithuania is pioneering a new type of national symbol to convey the character of the ex-Soviet Baltic state – perfume. The idea behind such ploy is to communicate a unified front to its public in a very innovative way. The perfume "Lithuania" is a blend of sandalwood, cedar and musk with the designer saying the smell of wood fires has been added, reminiscent of pagan rituals. Lithuanian soldiers in Afghanistan have also received it and it is soon to be rolled out in embassies, hotels and airports. However such forms of symbolism are not only left to those looking to unify their country.

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

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 they do go out they want something different from the same old bars and clubs. Many consumers want to do something more memorable and imaginative, but due to time constraints they are looking to others to organise this for them. Brands are responding by providing consumers with fun, frivolous and immersive experiences.

Branded examples:

ABSOLUT Vodka: Limited Edition Experiences

Held in in Nov 2010 in London, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh & Leeds to celebrate the launch of limited edition ABSOLUT Glimmer, 'turning the ordinary into the extraordinary'.

I went along to the London experience at a disused warehouse in Shoreditch. Publicity had been primarily WOM and no one knew exactly what would happen, creating a feeling of suspense and intrigue. I ‘experienced the exceptional’; firstly with fantastic cocktails and then exploring rooms full of quirky installations (moving mirrors, a maze of string, ping pong tournaments, an office with a militant secretary typing away…)

We love Facebook but...

...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 have a Facebook profile now, especially for under 35 year olds. When a Facebook invite is often the only invitation to a party, it leads people to question if they want to rely on a networking site to organise their real-life relationships.

There is also some disillusionment as an increasing number of people start to wonder if there is any real value in having 500+ 'friends' (see our previous blog post about anti-social networks). Any majority behaviour is always going to encourage some 'rebellion' in the opposite direction, so there's also an element of a minority looking to distance themselves from the crowd.

We came across this video on YouTube the other day, You need to get off Facebook. Nicely produced, it summarises a lot of the reasons some people are choosing to leave Facebook. See what you think!

The Lounge predicts trends for 2011

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 networks

Forget 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 likes of Path, which allows a maximum of 50 contacts, and Diaspora, which sorts your connections into aspects so that any private information you post will only be shared with the people you really know," suggests Layfield.

Timberland and the gift that keeps on giving

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 the range of footwear, the bags were made from recycled products and were a gift from Timberland to the lucky Christmas shoppers.

After an amusing start to the day where the general public thought we were handing out free Timberland clothing whilst we were getting the staff their uniforms (“You can’t blame me for asking!” said one person), the bags literally flew out of our hands and by the end of Sunday we had made 64,000 people a little happier and a little greener.

- Anthony, Operations Manager

Nokia's ice touchscreen

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 at Nokia. He referred to it as the 'digital pocket'.

It's easy to forget just how pioneering Nokia are when the handheld market today is seemingly dominated by Apple and Blackberry. But it's this kind of thinking that has set Nokia apart from the competition and given them numerous 'firsts' in the world of technology. (I was lucky enough to see a museum full of them at their headquarters in Finland - a gadget geek's dream).

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

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?

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 - example. It demonstrates the bank's generosity and adds value to the activity itself: it frees cyclists from the worry of theft or the hassle of where to leave their bike.

Another concern for cyclists is arriving at work sweaty and bedraggled. Brands could encourage consumer love by taking inspiration from the Adidas Runbase in Tokyo. The 'Runbase' is a concept store where runners can shower for free, rent lockers and borrow Adidas running gear.

It's not difficult to imagine a branded 'Cycle base' in Britain. Not all offices have showers so this could be a generous way of a brand enabling more people to cycle to work.

We're recruiting!

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 this project.

Brylcreem Boy Kevin Pietersen in blindfold cricket

A video of our favourite Brylcreem boy, Kevin Pietersen, went viral today. Basically it shows him batting blindfolded and he's still awesome!

At the end Kevin bats Brylcreem Paste. Easy to confuse the two though without being blindfolded - it comes in cricket ball-shaped packaging.

It was covered by The Metro too (23rd Nov 2010), Kevin Pietersen plays blindfold cricket in YouTube clip - and still hits sixes

We're currently working on the launch campaign of the new Brylcreem product, partnering with Bench stores. At participating Bench stores you receive a scratch card with purchase which gives you the chance to win one of the brand new Brylcreem Paste balls (as did Liam from One Direction last week!) or a money off voucher.

Squishies and Silly Bandz: tween playground crazes

Tweens from our Network have been telling us about Silly Bandz, a massive craze doing the rounds at schools. Apparently though, the next big thing in the UK is set to be Squishies.

First with Silly Bandz. They are brightly-coloured elastic bands that come in loads of different shapes, from hearts to dollar signs. You wear them around your wrist where they look like wiggly bands.

Popular product purchasing: Tokyo's ranKing ranQueen

The Lounge have recently been out and about trend spotting in Japan and couldn’t help but let everyone back home know about ranKing ranQueen, a Japanese gift store with a difference.

The concept is unique. Each of the 8 small stores stock and rank the top 3, 5 or 10 most popular products of the moment for easy comparison. They do this through a combination of assessing sales data from department stores and conducting their own independent research with consumers on Tokyo’s busy streets. This data is then used to assign a ranking to everything across a range of categories from the latest confectionary, beauty products and mobile phones to the more weird and wonderful sections that include items such as eggplant toothpaste, jelly toothpicks and wax masks.

The power of brand immersion - drinking Spritz in Italy

Our Italian Lounge Trend Hunter, Lily (aged 20, Venice) has been telling us about spritz...


Spritz is a typical and widespread drinking tradition in Northern Italy. It is a wine-based cocktail commonly served as an aperitif in northern Italy, especially the Veneto region and surrounding areas. However, as of late, the custom is picking up momentum and spreading across Italy and Germany. The drink is prepared with Prosecco, a dash of a liqueur such as Aperol and topped off with sparkling mineral water. It’s served over ice in a lowball glass, garnished with a slice of orange and an olive and a bowl of crisps on the side. Aperol - produced by Campari - has become the most popular type of spritz and in essence is the identity behind this lifestyle.

Film's a driving force - 3D projection mapping for the Toyota Auris Hybrid

The Lounge's creative director, Martin Homent appeared in The Metro this week (Tues 9th Nov) in the D&AD article 'Film's a driving force'.

Martin comments on 'Get your energy back', 3D projection mapping by Glue Isobar for the Toyota Auris Hybrid.

Check out The Lounge's slideshare

...because it's full of insightful presentation slides into the world of under 35s.

If you want to find out more about students, tweens and how your brand can engage them more effectively, visit www.slideshare.net/loungegroup

Can brands still make the cut for students?

Marketing Week's article on 28th October features The Lounge's director, Sara Gil, talking about how brands need to take the time to understand students if they want to build brand loyalty with them.

The article discusses our recent "Freshers Safari" to the University of Surrey, where we observed freshers and older students in their natural environment to gain insight into their worlds and to learn how brands can connect with them better.

(The article says we're a research agency but we're actually a BTL marketing agency, working from research and insight through to activation.)

Excerpt from the article:

'The Lounge director Sara Gil says marketers should take time to understand today’s students to avoid adopting a “back in my uni days…” approach to this market.

What are teens putting on their bedroom walls?

The Lounge has been speaking to The Evening Standard about how teenagers are decorating their rooms.

Posters from Smash Hits magazine no longer seem to cut it as many teens are getting serious about interior decoration, even buying original artwork to pimp their bedrooms and turn them into stylish hideaways.

We questioned members of our Network of 10,000 under 35 year olds about this to find out what teenagers are really getting up to in their rooms decor-wise.

Our 'Digital Social Life of Tweens' event

Yesterday we held an insight event showcasing our recent research study into 'The Digital Social Life of Tweens'.

Experiential vending machines are sharing the love for free

Several FMCG brands are using the medium of The Vending Machine to engage consumers in a new way.

Rather than simply taking the dough and giving up the goodies (or not, as the case may be given the frequent unreliability of the things) these vending machines are providing imaginative and interactive experiences which reward the consumer with a free product.