Apr 9 2013
Emakina/Interactive, one of Emakina’s four core activities, is about developing activation campaigns which take place across a multitude of channels. From strategic consulting to the implementation of … bla bla bla!
You’re not really listening, are you? Of course not! Why read about it when you can WATCH for yourself!
Apr 8 2013
Far too early, on a lazy Sunday morning, my excited 6-year old came into the master bedroom, carrying the family iPad. (This was the Sunday morning of the infamous internet failure.)
He shouted: ‘Daddy, the iPad is broken’. Still half asleep I responded that the battery was probably dead… but no, it was still very much alive. The wireless connection icon was there. But many of the applications gave a “could not connect to the Internet” message.
So there I was, 5 minutes later, in my pajamas, staring in disbelief at the blinking light of the modem (that I had reset 3 times already). The status page on my smartphone (phew, 3G still worked!) finally confirmed my worst suspicion: ‘we are no longer online’. We are NOT connected to the Internet anymore. And now?
Apr 4 2013
Springtime brings us Fred & Ginger’s new online platform, filled to the brim with colourful kids clothes and a newly added mum-friendly web shop.
Every day a growing number of customers find their way to online shops and the new Fred & Ginger website is right on trend! The FNG group continues its cross-channel story when online purchases can be picked up or returned and refunded in one of the 30 shops – the improved shop locator will tell you exactly where to go.
Behind these novelties, lie the creative minds of Design is Dead, a proud member of the Emakina Group. Their design for the Fred & Ginger’s site focused on creativity, playfulness, wonder and humour. The Antwerp-based agency also produced a stop motion video that adds movement to the collection and to the site, giving mums a direct link from the featured clothes to the webshop. In short: not a cliché catalogue but a young and playful representation fitting the Fred & Ginger collection.
*Adapted from a post on the Design is Dead News section.
Apr 2 2013
Emakina’s strategic partner SinnerSchrader is Germany’s leader in digital communication.
But it also is the host of one of the most exciting conferences on tomorrow’s topics of the digital economy in Europe, the NEXT Berlin conference.
The central theme of the 2013 conference is “Here be dragons!”
The concept is related to ‘Fog of War’, well known in video games. Unknown areas are often covered in fog. In the Middle Ages, the term ‘Here be Dragons’ was used to describe these areas on maps. The digital world still has a lot of these uncharted territories yet to be discovered.
Join NEXT Berlin and connect with international business innovators, tech wizard and digital entrepreneurs!
On 23 and 24 April 2013, talks and workshops held by more than 100 internationally renowned digital pioneers will invade the land of digital dragons and inspire more than 2,000 participants from around the world.
Experts will address the topics invisible technology, new interfaces, the importance of context and the makers. Startups receive a lot of attention at the event, with a competition and presentations on a separate stage to look for the most promising European seed start-ups founded within the last year.
Matthias Schrader, CEO of SinnerSchrader and NEXT Chairman: “Digital innovations have – now more than ever – a radical impact on each and every sector, be it commerce, finance, media or telecommunications. NEXT Berlin looks at trends before they become mainstream, and offers the chance to address them and network with experts at a very early stage. ”
Mar 29 2013
Should we all look gloomy and feel depressed?
Not according to Elle Belgium. Their editors think tomorrow will be a better day. So they asked 5 visionary people to let their light shine on the matter and look into the future. A food writer, an entrepreneur, a fashion creator, a scientific researcher and a pro digital communicator.
As their ‘pro digital communicator’ they chose no other then Emakina’s Brice Le Blévennec.
Image: Elle Belgique
It’s not as much about good news or bad news, it’s more about change, Brice says. Record stores are gone, but you have access to your music wherever you are. And consumption moves from the material to the digital world.
The bigger trend then is that culture becomes ‘dematerialised’.
When you consume digital experiences instead of physical ones, you can access different worlds more easily, at lower cost and creating less pollution. The senses and the intellect can be fully active, without being hindered by the weight of material management issues. Less storage and maintenance, no more outdated versions, technical failures and environmental damage.
This opens up the door to a new civilisation, where the public has access to a whole world of creation and content, and creators can reach their audiences without obstacles and filters.
Creativity, collaboration, altruism, new digital experiences and sustainalbe food… there is hope for a better future. And for positive ideas and action!
Image: Elle Belgique
Mar 28 2013
Making plans for Easter? Going on holidays? Visiting frieds or family? Wherever you will be, we have some fun news for parents and their kids…
CE-E, the little robot is back. On his Facebook Page, you can say hello to this sweet digital character who watches over the safety of toys, and become friends.
And now for Easter, CE-E launches a brand new version of his Robot photo Booth (with a little help from Emakina and the European Commission, of course). He invited the Easter bunny to join in the celebration. So be part of the Easter spirit and Download the app. Then you can take your fun photo with CE-E, but also with the chocolate bunny and the colourful Easter egg that accompany him!
CE-E likes both Apples and Androids (just like him), so you can download the app on both platforms!
The app is developed by Emakina for the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry (DG ENTR), as part of their European Toy Safety Campaign. It allows you to take cool pictures with the CE-E Robot camera while learning more about toy safety.
You simply select one of his five fun robot postures, strike-a-pose and snap your photo! So star on a picture with CE-E, the singing video phenomenon and Facebook star and Download the free Robot Booth ap!
Mar 28 2013
One of the most apparent discrepancies between the developing and the developed worlds is access to ICT skills. Yet those are vital for improving people’s educational and economic prospects.
Close the Gap is an international non-profit organisation which collects computers from donors, arranges for the hard disks to be cleaned, and the hardware to be checked and configured according to the requirements of the end-users. The computers are then shipped to their destination by sea or air, where a support and maintenance programme ensures good usage and sustainability of the computers. This prestigious organisation is supported by the United Nations and by a (never-ending) list of international celebrities, Nobel prize winners, and world leaders.
For us at Design is Dead, a proud member of the Emakina Group, digital is not only our business and our passion, it’s also our way to make a difference! That’s why we became the new marketing agency of Close the Gap, a nonprofit organisation for digital education in the Third World.
Stay tuned for more news from Design is Dead!
Mar 25 2013
Emakina’s Exective Director, Tim Wolfs, reports back from the SXSW Conference in Austin, Texas.
“Go check it out to see if it’s any good first.” That’s what my Managing Director, Brice, told me when I suggested skipping Cannes this year, and only going to South by South West (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. “Why not”, I said to myself, “with a bit of luck, I’ll manage to convince him when I come back…”.
But first thing first, what is this Texan festival anyway? SXSW was started in the mid-80s as an indie music festival, gathering some 700 participants. Over the years it has grown and developed, becoming a Mecca for anyone interested in the American music, film and interactive industries.
So every spring, the Texan capital is taken over by hordes of young (or young in spirit) enthusiasts of films, music and interactive content. This year the event reached an all-time record of over 30,000 participants (note to myself: book the hotel for next year well in advance…).
The SXSW Interactive Festival featured approximately 150 independent speakers in the course of 4 days. With so much happening, to choose is to lose…! Yet, a few trends clearly stuck out and are worth special attention. Read the rest of this entry »
Mar 22 2013
Congratulations to the team of PKA Wanabe, the agency of the Emakina Group in Waterloo that is now reborn as ‘Your Agency’.
Find out all about “Your Agency” on the brand new Your Agency website, on Facebook and on Twitter…
Or just drop by! They are are a small, agile, curious and passionate team, with a strong expertise in customer behavior and expectations, mastering the engagement and loyalty funnel, bridging added value and creative approaches.
More then a logo, a signature
After a successful re-launch in 2012 as part of Emakina Group, the team confirms with its new name and branding its belief in the power of real relationships with its satisfied agency customers. The clients are truly placed at the center of all activities, together with the shared focus on their customers and the specificity of their interests and needs.
Managing Director Elsa Neyman and her team wanted the new brand to reflect their profound customer orientation. Values such as proximity, humanity, service, simplicity and trust are at the heart of it.
Customers first
Your Agency develops and manages engagement programs, CRM, loyalty and after sales programs, brand activations and social campaigns. The team’s mantra is that existing customers are the biggest potential for companies.
Mar 21 2013
Emakina today announces a Strategic Partnership with Germany’s leader in digital communication, SinnerSchrader.
The geographical match between the two groups, in combination with their common digital expertise, makes this an important positive step for both organisations.
Emakina is a leading European full service Digital Native Agency with offices in Belgium, The Netherlands, France and Switzerland, while SinnerSchrader has offices in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Hannover and Prague. The partnership will be further developed in the next months, to offer new synergies for both groups’ clients in international digital marketing.
SinnerSchrader develops strategies, platforms and applications that create far-reaching relationships between the consumer and brand. More than 400 people work for the SinnerSchrader Group, for customers including Allianz, comdirect bank, Holy Fashion Group, REWE, simyo, ŠKODA, Tchibo and TUI.
Some of SinnerSchrader’s exciting recent projects include TUIfly.com, the elaborate digital presentation of Ferrari’s fastest and most powerful road car, LAFerrari, the online shop-in-shop for Bosch and a website for REWE Feine Welt (Exquisite World), showcasing gourmet specialties.
Common DNA
SinnerSchrader and Emakina decided to sign a strategic digital communication partnership, inspired by their very similar DNA. Both are ‘Digital Native Agencies’ that went through the same growth process, developing from technology and web experts to leading full service digital communication partners, servicing large clients in multiple sectors.
As part of their strategy to strengthen their service offering, SinnerSchrader and Emakina found each other quickly. Both groups capitalise on the switch of consumers and businesses to the Internet and mobile tools as their central destination for information about products and services. In this revolution, consumers go online to establish relationships with brands and companies. Both SinnerSchrader and Emakina offer their clients the required services to fully profit from this radically changed marketing environment.
A good ‘click’
Both groups join the vision that they are true digital agencies for the interactive age. They understand digital consumers and their needs. They both produce high performing tools and mechanisms to create, drive and monitor rich interaction and boost sales for their clients.
Mar 20 2013
No, she probably didn’t. But if Trustbox had existed earlier – she definitely would have!
Trustbox is a new app, designed by The Reference to allow (conscious) consumers to find out what’s in their food by simply scanning items’ barcodes. The app then lists the ingredients, displays nutritional values, and even warns allergic people of potential hazards! The data presented to the user is entered and/or validated by the manufacturer to ensure high accuracy of the information.
Mar 18 2013
Thanks to The Reference, a proud member of the Emakina Group, Flemish public libraries now enjoy a renewed website, with a beautiful and responsive design. Bibliotheek.be is the gateway to zoeken.bibliotheek.be, a special library catalog shows all items available in more than 200 Flemish public libraries.
This website creates the overview of what is happening in the Flemish public libraries. On its renewed version, you will now find the addresses, contact details, websites and opening hours of all libraries in Flanders. It also collects the blog posts created by all Flemish libraries and offers them in chronological order on this one spot on the internet. Along with UitinVlaanderen.be, the new site will keep you updated with all that is happening in Flemish libraries.
Mar 14 2013
Emakina’s Asian Partner Digital Jungle is a leader within the Chinese digital marketing sector. They follow every movement in social media in this immense market up close. A recent spectacular trend in China is that picture sharing platforms have taken the social networking universe by storm.
So Digital Jungle brought together their experience and research in the Free eBook: “How to Triumph in the Chinese picture Sharing Universe.”
Find out how Pinterest and over 30 Pinterest style picture sharing sites are changing China’s communication landscape. And how marketers can utilize these platforms to their advantage!
Like SNS sites such as Weibo and Renren, the picture sharing sites in China have a huge following. However, they have progressed from the initial Pinterest model, many incorporating ecommerce. This has presented new opportunities for marketers in a nation of consumers driven by online shopping and a love for visual content.
Mar 13 2013
Do you ever get that feeling that wherever you go, you see Emakina?
No no, not just hearing about another successful project or satisfied client, but literally SEEING Emakina all around you? It might have started a few months ago when every time you watched David Guetta’s latest video, you could swear recognising the Emakina logo!
It then got worst. Even a random topic, like NASA’s mission to space, made you immediately envision those parallel and perpendicular bars of Emakina. What scientists now call the “Emakina Syndrome” seems to be triggered by almost anything; even an innocent acuity tests for pilots…
Mar 11 2013
The Chancellery of Belgium’s Prime Minister invited Emakina’s experts to speak to its communication and policy officers, at an event, called ‘Media Day’. During this original initiative, Emakina’s Director of Media Relations, Luc Malcorps hosted two workshops on digital opportunities within a cross-media strategy. He presented real examples of institutional campaigns, executed by Emakina.EU for the European Commission, such as the European Toy Safety campaign, fight against food waste, food control and programmes for better collaboration among SME’s across EU borders.
