Initiative USA has launched Amphibian, a new unit that personifies the agency’s mission to successfully straddle and meld the worlds of traditional and interactive media, Tim Spengler, Initiative USA President, announced. Drew Corry will lead the unit as manager.
“The Amphibians will proactively pursue ideas and promotions integrated across all of the exploding interactive offerings from traditional media outlets including; online, mobile, digital video and internet television,” says Spengler. “While of course we want everyone at Initiative to be comfortable in both analog and digital communications, Amphibian will be a specialized wing of our successful Activation discipline.”
An evolution and expansion of the agency’s earlier digital extensions division, Corry’s group is composed of Initiative team members with a diverse cross-section of experience with blue chip clients across a wide range of categories.
The Amphibian unit’s expertise has already touched numerous Initiative clients, including S.C. Johnson, Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority, Bayer, and Big Lots! In the past year, the agency has parlayed innovative thinking into new business and organic growth with clients including Hyundai and KIA, Cadbury Schweppes, Bayer, Coors, Big Lots! and Kao Brands.
Examples of Amphibian activation:
• For S.C. Johnson’s Ziploc, Amphibian initiated a partnership with NBC’s hit reality series The Biggest Loser through the network’s first-ever sponsored widget. The desktop application allows fans to track personal weight loss goals and stay updated with fitness and healthy eating tips, as well as follow their favorite team’s status. Brand identity impressions include tips for eating healthy via portion control using Ziploc bags, and frequent logo exposure. Traffic is driven by on-air Billboards as well as co-branded banners across the site.
• Integrating Big Lots! as charter presenting sponsor for USA Networks when the cable channel launched a gaming section within its usatv.com site. Co-branded promotional TV spots drove traffic directly to the site, where the retailer’s branded colors and logo were used in games, puzzles and quizzes that also incorporated the network’s characters, The launch of the section was a major success, resulting in a substantial increase in overall site traffic vs. the year prior.
• Extending Las Vegas’ on-air partnership with the E! Network by pushing customized Las Vegas News reports across multiple platforms: mobile video, broadband video, video on demand and video podcasts. The content – red carpet interviews, new club openings, high profile concerts and A-list celebrity gossip in Las Vegas – is pushed from TV to these multiple channels within a 24 hour period.
