Looking back on the week's highlights in the online and social realm, from a creative standpoint. Creative Inspiration T-Shirts that do good Projection mapping adds water Nike never stops running Chevrolet does extreme sports Will zombies make you run faster? LA Kings gamify their website Nature Valley brings street view to national parks Peugeot waxes on print ad Trend Spotting Johnie Walker talks to important men everywhere Sony shows off its new tablet with a beautifully designed website Rainn Wilson's taco Twitter fail Electric Ireland's Twitter caf_ Barak Obama starts a Tumblr account Nokia helps the Taiwanese order a cab via NFC Coke partners with Google Wallet for vending machines X-Factor fans can vote via Twitter Platform Updates Jux's publishing platform cames to the iPad Twitter rolls out new timeline features

Vancouver is making it easy for residents to send postcards to their friends and family with their new website: Invite The World. The site allows users to choose from beautiful Vancouver imagery (or upload their own photographs) and add a personal message before it mails the physical postcard off to the recipient. A community engagement program will support the initiative in November and December, and will send 'Invite The World' ambassadors to local Vancouver 'hot spots' in an effort to promote the micro-site and encourage public participation. The street teams will be armed with iPads allowing for instant access to the site, and will engage and inspire the citizens of Vancouver to share their favourite experiences along with a photo through the website on location. To encourage additional participation there are also weekly prizes, and a grand prize that will bring four friends to the city, plus accommodation, and $3000 spending money. Head over to www.invitetheworld.com to make your customized postcard, and best of all, you don't have to pay for postage!

With the 'digital wallet,' customers can leave their cash and cards at home. But it's not just shoppers who will benefit: mobile payments open up a wealth of opportunities for marketers as well Why the heck am I still carrying around this monstrosity?" asks Rob, a software engineer at Google during a two-minute YouTube video that explains the benefits of the search engine's digital wallet, which recently launched in the U.S. He's holding a brown leather billfold that's stuffed to the brim with receipts, cards and cash evoking George Costanza's exploding wallet from a 1998 episode of Seinfeld. Rob goes on to say that with the Android-powered Google Wallet application, consumers can store credit cards, loyalty cards and gift cards, and redeem sales promotions all on their mobile phone. And soon, users can use it for transit cards, boarding passes, tickets and more. The app runs on wireless technology called near field communication (NFC) that allows shoppers to purchase merchandise by simply tapping the phone on special readers at checkout. While several other companies including Visa have announced plans to launch their own digital wallet later this year, Google is first to market in the U.S. The technology is already in place in thousands of retailers across the country, including Subway, American Eagle and Macy's. Google's Canadian launch dates have yet to be announced, but on this side of the border mobile technology company EnStream (which is co-owned by Bell Mobility, Rogers and Telus) is said to be readying its version of the digital wallet for a 2012 launch. But with credit cards and one-click online shopping sites, do customers really want or need another way to spend money faster? Apparently, they do. A study conducted by Leger Marketing on behalf of PayPal Canada shows that 56% of Canadians are comfortable with never having to handle cash to make a purchase. Many would prefer the use of a digital wallet to give money to others or pay for items when shopping, according to the study. (PayPal has its own non-NFC-based mobile payment solution in the works.) Given the choice, 34% of respondents said they would rather carry a mobile phone to make a payment than a pocketful of change, and 36% of Canadians would use their mobile device to buy something as expensive as an iPod or as inexpensive as a latte. But the benefit of the NFC chip, or whatever PayPal comes up with, isn't only its ability to replace an overstuffed wallet or loose pocket change with a device most people carry with them everyday - though the thought is pretty appealing. More importantly it's the opportunity to provide the user with a better, more personalized shopping experience. "We need to treat the mobile wallet as a [marketing] channel and not just a device for payment," says Nikolas Badminton, director of digital strategy at Tribal DDB in Vancouver. "If we treat the mobile phone as a wallet in isolation, we're not progressing much," he says. "But if we start treating it as a gateway into loyalty and using it for gamification in retail environments where you can mix couponing with fun initiatives, you can create a really good conversion to sale and start building great customer relationships." NFC technology is the QR code on steroids-it can provide product information, like QR codes, but could also help negate the use for a check-out, says Badminton, who sees retailers and marketers one day placing tags on posters or products in-store (see Newad Does NFC, p. 40). NFC tags throughout stores could allow retailers and marketers to instantly reward consumers who are using their mobile phone in-store to interact with brands. For instance, a drugstore chain could partner with a shampoo manufacturer to offer special discounts in-store once a product has been scanned for purchase, says Badminton. Or, by scanning the product the consumer is directed to the brand's website where they can learn more about the item or see a list of complementary products also available for purchase. This ongoing conversation between the retailer and consumer builds a cycle of brand loyalty. "The likelihood is [the consumer] will see more product and they'll buy more product as well, and that's where this becomes really exciting for retailers," says Badminton, pointing to Urban Outfitters Inc. as a good example of how to use multiple channels, including mobile, to interact with consumers. The retailer, which also owns the Anthropologie and Free People banners, has smartphone applications for its brands and uses mobile technology to enhance the shopper's in-store experience. The company conducted in-house research and found that multichannel shoppers spend two to three times more than single-channel shoppers, and consumers that engage with the brand across three or more channels spend six times more than the average customer. Glen Senk, CEO of Urban Outfitters, shared these findings during his keynote at the Shop.org conference in Dallas last year. "Mobile may ultimately impact the in-store experience more than it impacts the online experience," he said. "Consumers will be able to walk in store, scan a product, read reviews, share via their social networks and walk out with the product in hand and it automatically gets charged to their mobile device." And if the digital wallet application has tracking capabilities, retailers can follow the user's shopping activities to tailor sales promotions around the products they most often purchase. "You can analyze when people are most likely to shop and then target offers to people at a certain time of the day or certain time of the month, and that can be powerful as well," says Badminton. However, the convenience of shopping in a cashless world could come at a price. Since the digital wallet stores private information, security is a significant issue-one that Google and Visa are working hard to address. On its site, Google says it offers security functions that go beyond what's possible with traditional wallets and cards. With the Google Wallet, users must enter a PIN before each transaction. Visa promises its "open wallet" concept (allowing users to store competing cards like American Express) will be well-protected, and will be included under the company's "Zero Liability" policy to ensure users aren't responsible for unauthorized transactions. To make a purchase, users are required to enter their e-mail address or online ID and password. "Over the decades, we've established a significant level of trust with consumers and that obviously will be aligned to our digital wallet as well," says Derek Colfer, business leader, global mobile product innovation, Visa Canada. As Badminton points out, most cellphones are password-protected, which adds yet another level of security. "You're going to be carrying very sensitive information around in your phone but we carry very sensitive information in our wallets anyway," he says. Badminton says retailer should be careful not to miss out on the opportunity to interact one-on-one with digital wallet carriers. "Even though it's going to cost money for them to roll it out, they're going to see a significant uplift in sales." As financial institutions and retailers jump on board, perhaps credit card company Capital One Canada will need to revise its long-running tag line to: "What's in your digital wallet?" This article appeared in the October 24, 2011 issue of Marketing Magazine."

Sometimes, motivating yourself to get off the couch and out the door for a run is a difficult proposition. We know the benefits of exercise, but more often than not a lot of us choose to spend our time watching other people run, jump, throw, and dance with the stars. Nike+ made running more immersive by motivating runners to track their runs, highlight personal bests, and share their results with their friends. That suits the runners just fine. What there's something more that should motivate everyone to get running: Survival! Zombies Run is an immersive mobile app that gamifies the act of running, delivering orders by voice and giving hints when zombies are approaching and helping the player find medicine, batteries and ammo, then delivering them to other virtual team members while running madly through the streets. All the while, the player will collect documents, piecing together the mysteries of the undead and freeing everyone from the zombie menace for good. The Wii got people off the couch and got them gaming. We think Zombies Run could signal a new direction in physical gaming, and are excited to see what comes next. Get Running: Zombies Run

Using Bunchball's Nitro gamification platform, the NHL's LA Kings are one of the first professional sports teams to incorporate full gaming elements not just across their social channels -- but into their website, as well. Through the LA Kings' United Kings Family initiative, fans will receive incentives such as signed merchandise, access to exclusive video content, private arena tours and online badges/points by partaking in online activities - many of which they already do (e.g. watching videos, posting comments and sharing content). The back-end analytics and digital fan leader board provided by Nitro allow for customized user experiences and rewards based around not just fans, but employees and partners as well. This recent announcement follows the LA Kings's already active social presence -- including a popular blog, Pandora channel and Facebook page with its own built-in online store. Visit the LA Kings

The following Q&A article was originally published in Communication Arts "Insights" on October 25, 2011. If you have a degree in what field is it? I have a diploma in graphic design from Dawson College in Montreal. What's the best site you've seen lately? What's so great about it? Tough one. I like the stuff the National Film Board of Canada is doing; I love that they're exploring digital ways of evolving storytelling. If you were to change professions, what would you choose to do? Something that combines the smell of wood and fresh cut grass. Design or technology? Which is more important? Why? Design. They both require great creativity to be successful but it's not just what something can do, but how it does it that gives it its meaning and relevance. When done well, design can take technology beyond utility or even its original intention and change how people do things as well as how they feel about doing them. From where do your best ideas originate? I think my best ideas come when I have a great insight to work against and I have someone to jam with. I don't like working in isolation. I also love having lots of reference material and I find that often the best material comes from random stuff I've stumbled across, been inspired by and somehow managed to store in the back of my brain. How do you overcome a creative block? It's easy to say "walk away and take a break from it," but that's not always easy to do and sometimes deadlines don't allow it. That being said I think having a life that's not just about work helps a lot. It creates a rhythm where you occasionally check out because something like your children's bedtime story forces you turn things off for a bit. But, an unfinished problem is always there looming in the background and until it's cracked I'll just keep hammering away at it. In one word describe how you feel when beginning a new project? Excited. What well-known site is most desperately in need of a redesign? eBay. Do you have creative outlets other than Web design? I used to take a lot of video of anything I found beautiful, things like jellyfish or ice forming on the tip of a plane's propeller; now it's more photos and they're mostly of my kids. What music are you listening to right now? Neutral Milk Hotel, In The Aeroplane over The Sea. What product/gadget can you not live without? You can take everything except my motorbike. What's the strangest thing you've bought online? My wife does all the buying :). She bought the leg lamp from A Christmas Story as a gift for her brother; I don't think it made it one night before suffering the same fate as it did in the movie. What's your favorite quote? Not the most profound lesson or insight to pull from the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, but there's a line something along the lines of, "you can't make anything of quality if you don't care." It's such an obvious statement but I love the importance it places on needing to care about the things you do; it's easy to walk through life cynical and not trying too hard at anything, but if you care then you must put in the effort to make that thing you care about all that it can be. Do you have any advice for people just entering the profession? Know that if you stick it out you will make it... but, approach your career as if you're entitled to nothing and must earn everything. What's one thing you wish you knew when you started your career? Everything happens for a reason and the path is a winding one. Originally from Montreal, Josh Fehr is creative director at Tribal DDB Vancouver . He began his career in interactive after graduating from Dawson College's graphic design program in 1991-back when it was called multimedia and the Internet didn't yet "exist." Josh eventually found his way to San Francisco, where he lived for seven years while working in the digital space for a purely interactive shop, Arc Worldwide, and advertising powerhouse, Goodby Silverstein & Partners. After the birth of his first daughter, he decided it was time to head home to Canada; he became creative director at Blast Radius in Vancouver and in 2008 joined Tribal Vancouver. Josh's work has been recognized by Communication Arts, The FWA, The Webby Awards and Applied Arts. Among other things he loves motorbikes (he currently rides a 1994 Ducati 900 SS) and making quirky videos.

Here our look back at the week in social media: Creative, Trends, and Platform Updates. Enjoy. Creative Inspiration * Take This Lollipop * The Amazing Typewriter * Panoramic Camera Ball * Pro Infirmis wants you to Get Closer with a Bear Hug * Regiowall-Stuttgart Interactive Tourism Screen * Multi-touch World Cup History Trend Spotting * A Duet With Siri * Apple Store Geo-fencing * Reddit Comment Will Be Made Into A Movie Platform Updates * Google+ to allow pseudonyms * Klout changes the way it ranks social influence * NYTimes uniques on the rise despite paywall * YouTube Merch Store

Getting viewers to engage with banner ads can be tricky, even with excellent creative. To get around the issue of convincing people to click on their ad unit, McCann Lowe in Belgium built a file transfer service directly into their banners ads for Opel Movano vans. Opel Movano's vans are built to transport heavy goods, so offering to transport people's files (up to 2gb) seems like a natural online extension of their brand. Users using Movano banner ads to transfer files, and the file recipients, also receive additional information about Movano's range of vans through a notification email, making the additional messaging stickier. With rich media always improving, we are looking forward to seeing more creative utility implemented in banner ads.

Take This Lollipop is a vivid and disturbing interactive website which uses Facebook Connect and Google Maps to pull user data such as photos, relationship details and location. The story follows a man in an undisclosed location, as he slowly browses through the user's personal Facebook account - caressing the screen when their photos appear, and scrolling through their real friends' status updates. He then proceeds to look up the user's city of residence - and hops into a car, presumably to take the online stalking offline. The attention to detail and numerous touch points which incorporate the user's personal data can be seen as jarring. This website launches just in time for Halloween -- but does not appear to be tied in with any specific campaign or brand initiative. According to The International Business Times, director Jason Zada has confirmed that the site was a personal creative collaboration. Earlier this year, we saw equally compelling microsites incorporate Facebook Connect to pull data from individual profile accounts -- most notably, Intel's Museum of Me. In both cases, the users who have active and populated personal profiles are more likely to access the most engaging online experience. Take This Lollipop