T2+Back Alley Films | T2 + Back Alley Blog

Latest Tweet

December 15th, 2010
by T2 + Back Alley Team
, , , , ,
1 Comments
Retweet

Google Demo Slam-Get Creative with Google’s Clever New Marketing Contest

Google Demo SlamAs a motion design agency with a passion for user experience design, when something truly creative crosses our path, we like to share it, share in it, and let our creative juices flow. An inspirational, creative, social, and just plain fun new competition has descended upon us. Google Demo Slam is really an innovative approach to marketing from the Search Engine’s viewpoint. But from our perspective, as motion design agency with a film production offshoot, it is a golden opportunity to flex our digital filmy fingers and create.

The Demo Slam has invited anyone and everyone with a little “maker juice” –not just motion design types–to be an advocate for one of the search giant’s products. You can choose to highlight the incredible user experience design and nifty features of:

    Google Goggles
    Google Voice Search
    Google Instant
    Google Translate
    Local Search
    Google Realtime
    Google Image Search
    Universal Search
    Custom home page
    Other Google technology

Basically you create a video showcasing why a product is cool, upload it to YouTube, then submit it to the contest. Every week two Slams compete against each other and users pick the winner.

Other motion design studios and filmmakers have already jumped on the contest. The range of ideas and creativity is incredibly inspiring. Not surprisingly, the amateurs using just their handheld cameras and an idea have really stepped up to the plate and shared their smiles.

The Search Mogul has hit a home run with this user experience design. A clever little old fashioned microphone swings with your mouse pointer while you decide which Slam contestant to watch and then which one to choose as the winner. The winner will actually be put into a Champion’s Hall of Fame.

This is Google’s way of getting you to “get the people who would never watch a tech demo — the people who ironically need them most … to not only watch them, but like them and share them with their friends.” Talk about a user experience design that engages!

So far the interest seems to still be in mounting phase…in other words we haven’t seen much in our motion design studio social networks…yet. But we expect that, just as Google hopes, Google Demo Slam will become “a place where boring tech demos become (hopefully) gotta-show-my-friends awesome–thanks to the creativity of Google users like you.” Once again, an incredible user experience design from the big guys with the weird name.

September 17th, 2010
by Teri Rogers
, , , , , , , , , , , ,
3 Comments
Retweet

Interactive TV – ABC’s “My Generation” iPad App

My Generation iPad App

I love my iPad. And so when I read AdAge’s piece about ABC launching an iPad app in conjunction with the premiere of its “My Generation” series, I was intrigued. Now, instead of being annoyed by pop-ups on the screen, viewers can participate in polls, trivia, social networking features and other interactive elements on their iPads. This is yet another innovative step in brands’ quest for the oh-so elusive, yet highly sought after “engagement element.”

The My Generation Sync app will keep up with the series, whether or not you’re watching live and the “sync to broadcast” app is part of the magic that everyone seeks – value for both advertisers AND viewers. So far, this app goes a little further than others out there, following along with the episodes intuitively.

ABC isn’t alone in their quest to bring interactivity to the TV viewing experience. Some networks have partnered with companies like GetGlue and Miso and feature all the social connectivity, rewards for checking in (similar to Foursquare and Facebook Places) and perhaps even couponing and other specials.

Bottom line, devices are front and center in our lives today. Interactive TV, whether served up on the iPad, SmartPhones or via social networking is here. It will be exciting to see what develops in the coming year.

August 12th, 2010
by T2 + Back Alley Team
, , , , , , , , ,
0 Comments
Retweet

Android Tablet To Challenge iPad

Android Tablet to Challenge Apple iPad

The new rumors of an Android-based tablet from Motorola and Verizon have surfaced claiming the 10-inch device may be on store shelves by the fall. Motorola’s tablet would be a direct competitor to Apple’s iPad. But unlike Apple’s tablet, you would be able to watch television on the Motorola device thanks to integration with Verizon’s FIOS digital TV service, according to the Financial Times.

The Times doesn’t provide any detailed specs for the tablet, but does say it would support Flash video–another feature the iPad lacks. The 10-inch device would also have a rear-facing camera for taking snapshots and a front-facing camera for video conferencing. You would also be able to turn the tablet into a Wi-Fi hotspot, according to the Times, suggesting the device would likely have 3G connectivity provided by Verizon.
Reports have been circulating for some time that both Verizon and Motorola are planning Android-based tablets. In May, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam told The Wall Street Journal the carrier is collaborating with Google to produce an Android tablet that will compete directly with the iPad. McAdam did not say anything about a partnership with Motorola during the interview.

The tablet market is considered the next battleground in the mobile devices war and it will be interesting to see what transpires in the coming months. One thing for sure, we find more uses on a daily basis for our iPads.

June 1st, 2010
by Teri Rogers
, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
2 Comments
Retweet

These Days, I’m An Online Content Producer

Online Content Producer Image

As the CEO of a creative services company, there are no shortages of networking events or conferences or even cocktail parties that I attend where the conversation inevitably goes the route of: “So, tell me what you do.” As my business has grown and evolved, so have my responses to that question. If it’s local to Kansas City, T2 (taketwo) is pretty well known — so I inevitably say that I’m sure you know us best for film and video production — both corporate, commercial and entertainment projects — but you may not know how we have evolved in the past few years into a multi-platform creative services company.

These days, what I say I do is — “I’m an online content producer.” Sometimes they look at me blankly — but my guess is that they won’t for long.

With the advent of Google TV, which I mentioned in a post last week) and Apple TV and other online viewing options, consumers can have online content delivered via their television set. As a result, being an online content producer is where it’s at. The Diffusion Group did a recent study called The Economics of Over-the-Top TV Delivery: How Television Networks Can Shift to Online Content Delivery predicting that by 2020 more Americans will be watching online video than TV. There’s more, in a recent study by Edelman, the Internet IS entertainment – especially among 18-34 year olds, rising from 27% in 2009 to a whopping 42% thus far in 2010. These days, the Web is literally where people go for entertainment, information, gaming and more – and Edelman’s study supports that. In the U.S., 32% of 18-54 year olds head to the Web for entertainment, which compares to 58% of that same age group watching TV. As an aside, a weekend poll called Will You Buy a Google TV, indicates that some 30.9% of respondents are at least interested in investing in the opportunity to stream the web to TV, which is a trend smart marketers – and smart business people will be paying attention to.

Bottom line — it’s clear that consumers are interested in online content and, whether they view it online or opt for Google TV or some other solution, I’m happy to be in the business of creating and providing it to them. For years, we’ve been in the business of telling stories through beautiful imagery and strong messages and, ultimately, compelling consumers to action. We still do that –- and lots of other things – but we also are in the business of producing content – for any platform out there. Things are now changing faster than we can come up with ways to describe it. Anybody think it might slow down anytime soon? Hmmm.

April 22nd, 2010
by Teri Rogers
, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
1 Comments
Retweet

I Kill 15 People Every Minute

Solidarités International: Water talks from La Boite Concept on Vimeo.

I love it when a video or film post just takes my breath away. The editing on this piece was unbelievable — and I loved it even more when I realized it was created for a great cause that has been near and dear to my heart for quite some time. My friend and colleague, Linda Buchner, has a business all about Cause Marketing — and she shared this Vimeo clip on the T2+Back Alley Facebook page. I checked it out this morning and thought I’d share it too. And if you’re not yet “liking us,” we’d love it if you did!

Conceived by BDDP & Fils, directed and partly edited by LesJandJ and written by Emmanuel de Dieuleveult, this piece is a stellar example of experiential design at its very best. The fact that the message is tied to a cause makes it even more impactful and it’s hard to watch this without feeling compelled to share it with others. And that, after all, is the whole idea behind viral marketing — and advertising of any kind, isn’t it? To compel your reader (or, in this case, your viewer) to action?

Big time kudos to the creators of this fantastic piece. Job extremely well done.

What do you think?