Insect advertising| Banners on flies

In Microsoft's Imagine09 conference in London yesterday and one of the speakers point forward the view that if you really wanted to get noticed then you need to follow the idea of 'étonnez-moi' ('astonish me') - if you really want to make an impact and stand out, then think big and dream the impossible (so called 'Dreamtelligence'.)

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Out of the multitude of ways a brand can spread its message using insects to do so must rate as one of the oddest. But that is exactly what German publishing house, Eichborn, did when it let a load of flies loose at a PR event.

Initially, flies might seem an odd choice as a marketing medium. They are associated with plagues, have a reputation as a germ carrier and spend most of their life gravitating towards excrement. Seemingly not the ideal brand advocate, but one thing you can say about flies – they get everywhere.

Eichborn, which uses a fly as its emblem, decided this trait would be a major asset in the bustling atmosphere of Frankfurt book fair. Miniature banners were attached to 200 flies using wax; each had ‘The publisher with the fly’ printed on it as well as the location of Eichborn’s stall printed on it. The flies were then let loose around the book fair.

The campaign received a lot of PR attention in Frankfurt and generated a great deal of interest in Eichborn’s stall at the book fair. Eichborn later reported that no flies were harmed during the process.  
The headline reads "Eichborn fly banner at the Frankfurt Book Fair" and the final wording in the video is translated as "The banner was attached with wax and dissolves after a few hours by itself" - may be this is the ultimate in 'buzz marketing?'

BRAND: Eichborn

BRAND OWNER: Eichborn

CATEGORY: Entertainment

REGION: Germany

DATE: Oct 2009

AGENCY: Jung von Matt

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