From CANNES, France—A collaboration between two global giants, Coca-Cola and Google, reeled in the Grand Prix in the inaugural year of the Mobile Lions contest here today [June 19, 2012].
The winning execution, developed by Grow Interactive in Norfolk, Va., was an app that allowed consumers to send Cokes to unsuspecting strangers at specially outfitted vending machines around the globe. The app was part of Google's larger Project Rebrief (led creatively by New York agency Johannes Leonardo), in which the company reimagined classic ad campaigns for a modern digital audience. In this case, it was Coca-Cola's classic "Hilltop" commercial that was being recast. In the original commercial from 1971, a group of people sang that they'd like to buy the world a Coke; in the remake, they actually could—with a few taps on a smartphone through Google's AdMob network.
Grow Interactive Takes Mobile Grand Prix for Google's Coke App Buy the world a Coke, with your phone By Tim Nudd, a news editor for Adweek
In all, 54 Mobile Lions were handed out. U.S. agencies did well in the contest, winning two golds (JWT for Band-Aid, and Goodby, Silverstein & Partners for Chevrolet), six silvers (R/GA for Nike + Fuelband; Turner Broadcasting for Nokia and CNN; Team One for Lexus; Ansible Mobile for Intel; @radical.media for Gagosian Gallery; and @radical.media for KSM), and three bronzes (Grow Interactive for a different Google app; Deutsch, New York, for PNC Bank; and Anomaly for Captain Morgan).
Editor's Note: Grow Interactive, along with global open source business management software developer xTuple, is headquartered in the Innovation Corridor of Downtown Norfolk, Virginia. More on Grow.
Missy Schmidt
Since early 2012, Missy has directed marketing for xTuple business management software, including the global user conference, inbound and outbound content marketing, lead generation, sales campaigns, website design and digital strategies. She has ties to the business and economic development, startup and entrepreneurial communities in Virginia and nationally. Prior to joining xTuple, Missy was VP of strategic communication and marketing for Hampton Roads Partnership, a public-private corporation that worked to improve the region's economy within the international marketplace. Before that, Missy spent 25+ in sales, including product development, within the industries of telecommunications, retail, industrial food service, government contracting, contract packaging and manufacturing. Missy holds a B.S. from James Madison University. She and her husband, Bert, who is president and CEO of WHRO Public Media, reside in the "innovation corridor" of downtown Norfolk.