Hello
We've updated our newsletter format this month to focus on our big summer campaign for Toshiba and Transformers the movie!

• Notebooks in Disguise
• More than meets the eye
• Autobots, roll out

We've listened to your feedback and in this edition, you'll find more detailed information about how we produce our campaigns than we've ever published before. You've also said that you'd prefer our campaign emails to be at the beginning of the month, rather than at the end; so our next edition will be in your inbox early September.

When Toshiba told us they would be tying up with one of the big summer blockbusters, we we're hoping it would be Transformers!

So, when we got the call to attend a briefing at Toshiba HQ, the childhood dreams of the lads at Persona came well and truly to life.

We've produced an interactive campaign web site in Adobe Flash that highlights their featured notebooks and promotes the tie up between the two iconic brands.

Optimising a Prime time experience

Using the movie footage as inspiration, we've used choice cuts of film, stills and sound to produce an intro sequence that sets the mood for the site concept.

The site then features an interactive, 360 degree viewpoint of a Satellite notebook that users can 'Transform'. Browsing through the site, visitors can also take part in a competition to win a Helicopter flying lesson - a direct reference to the new movie Transformer 'Blackout'.

On a more technical level, the site uses ASP.NET to provide 'send to a friend' functionality and also process the competition entries.

Under the bonnet

The intro sequence was edited together and sound synced in Adobe Premiere, with Adobe After Effects used to add the atmospheric lighting. Finally, this was exported as Flash Video and added to the main site without needing any additional browser or plug-in software for visitors to view it.

For the competition, our ASP.NET code validates entries and posts them as XML to a remote web service on Toshibas contact database; in a format that complies with their specifications. The web service then returns XML instructions that we use to re-direct visitors to the right page; either a message highlighting any problems or a confirmation that their entry has been successful.

To keep a smooth user experience, we've also used AJAX for the navigation, so the page isn't reloaded when moving between sections.

Toshiba and Transformers are both iconic brands in their own right; so how do you start to blend the two together in a partnership?

After being briefed by Toshiba, we worked with the Paramount Pictures footage, image library and usage guidelines to ensure both identities were given the right balance.

In our creative brainstorm, we came up with the concept that just like the Transformers robots, we needed to show that there can be more than meets the eye.

Other than highlight the more obvious brand synergy of Technology between the brands, we wanted to do something different.

For the site, everyday features such as USB connections and Keypads have been shot in an abstract style; suggesting they could be parts of a Transformer. By focusing on areas often taken for granted, we've created a mood that emphasises that the difference with a Toshiba notebook is that style and technology are equally important.

Using the All Spark

Using our in-house photography studio, we had full control of the lighting to create the right artistic style. We then put the shots through digital post production to add the Blue lighting - a common feature in footage from the movie.

Producing a site is only the first part of a campaign - the challenge is to get people to it. Toshiba have used a number of promotional channels to market the site, including:

• Press Releases to the media
• Banners on the main Toshiba Computers web site
• Send to a friend email
• Viral seeding and link building

With the campaign being time-critical (it's only being ran for the Summer), it is important that the PR activity focused on outlets of quick turnaround; specifically weekly publications and online media. Press releases have been sent to the design, IT and brand media to bring awareness of the campaign to the more effective audiences.

Toshiba have also agreed page sponsorships with Tiscali and have promotional material and signage in Dixons and Toshiba retail stores around the country.

The site features a send to a friend feature, that is branded as either Autobots or Decepticons depending on the users choice. The email sent is branded in the same style as the site, so recipients are enticed to visit the campaign to find out more.

Finally, the site has marketing analytics installed to track visitor levels, user journeys and conversion goals for the competition.

Avoiding Decepticons

Targeted traffic is being sourced and driven to the site using viral marketing. This was chosen over Pay Per Click advertising, so that the word-by-mouse effect would spread fast and search marketing budgets could be reduced - giving more creative freedom to the production side of the project.