Social Media Promotions Of The Week: 12/04/13

The sun finally came out in the United Kingdom this week, perfect timing for the two popular soft drink brands that released viral videos over the weekend. Two of the other social media promotions that stood out this week are also well-timed: the “Bubba’s Hover” video comes just before the Masters, while Nissan’s #Jukeride promotion with ex-F1 driver Johnny Herbert arrives two races into the current Formula 1 season. This week’s SMPW also features a first for the series, with one company, Nissan, having two promotions running in the same week.

1. Oakley – Bubba’s Hover




The Master’s teed off Yesterday, but, sadly, professional golfer Bubba Watson is yet to fly around the course in his custom-made hover-cart.

Bubba Watson teamed up with professional sports eyewear company Oakley to create an alternative to the old-fashioned golf cart.

The 60mph machine can float across water hazards and fairways alike, and can even be taken onto the green without damaging it.

“It takes you everywhere you want to go,” Watson says in the video. “Through sand traps, through water, short cuts into the woods and out of the woods. And my ball likes to go in and out of the woods.”
“The biggest advantage to the hovercraft is that it has a foot print pressure about 33 times less than the human foot,” Neoteric Hovercraft’s Chris Fitzgerald added. “So by hovering across a green you leave absolutely no trace.”

The video already has well over 10 million views on YouTube.

2. Nissan – #Jukeride


Nissan is asking its fans to contribute ideas for a new crowdsourced racing car on Twitter using the hashtag #Jukeride.

The car will have a roof-docking Skycam – a remote control helicopter which can monitor the car from above – and cutting-edge technology to analyse the driver’s performance.

Ex-F1 driver Johnny Herbert, who is the face of the campaign, has said, “This really will be a car like no other. It will have its own helicopter, equipped with cameras, that takes off from the roof to provide a unique perspective on Nismo drivers and give unparalleled insight into their performance. I’m really excited about being involved in this project and helping the Nissan team, along with the apprentices, to create and build something that is genuinely going to improve driving performance.”

3. Diet Coke – Mosaic


To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Diet Coke is inviting its Facebook fans to become part of the Diet Coke Mosaic – a mosaic of the fans’ pictures combining to create a larger image.

The three images that each face could contribute to are all from the Diet Coke ‘Gardener’ commercial: one is of the hunky Diet Coke gardener, model Andrew Cooper, wringing his shirt out after it gets soaked by the sweet soft drink, while another is of the can bouncing down the hill.

A photo booth will travel between 10 Tesco stores where fans can take photos of themselves. The results are posted on Facebook.
4. Irn Bru – Mum


Irn Bru rewarded their Facebook fans with a sneak peek at the brand’s latest advert in the “Get you Through” campaign.

The Scottish soft drink brand is renowned for its irreverent advertising, with the highlights being the take on Raymond Brigg’s “Snowman” and last year’s “Fanny” advert.

The video has since been uploaded to YouTube, gathering over 15,000 views.


5. Nissan – Impress With Sentra


Nissan’s second campaign in this week’s SMPW features ex-House M.D. star Omar Epps talking up Nissan Sentra’s fans to prospective friends, love interests and employers.

Omar offers to tell people that you are either an adrenaline junkie, a hopeless romantic or a business dynamo.

The campaign, which was created by TBWA\Chiat\Day LA, will advertise the 2013 Nissan Sentra.

Have you seen any clever promotional campaigns this week?