As soon as the demo started, it was all over. An iPhone screen hovered above a Heinz ketchup bottle for a split second before the label came to life—an interactive cookbook appeared, offering recipes and prizes with each turn of the page. A Bud Light label was scanned next, then a Justin Bieber album cover.
More than once, audience members actually gasped.
The scene was “Dunkin’s Startup Turbo Shot” at the Hynes Convention Center during MITX’s FutureM, an annual event that showcases and applauds tech and marketing innovation. In front of a mixed and attentive crowd, three startups were vying for one colossal piece of business: the chance to spearhead Dunkin’ Donuts’ bid to become “the most social brand in America.”
Three challengers pitched their cases. After less than two minutes of deliberation, the decision seemed unanimous: Blippar had stolen the show.
“Blippar is beyond excited to be working with such an iconic brand as Dunkin’ Donuts,” said presenter and Blippar account associate Liz Boufford. “We cannot wait to get Americans blipping!”
It’s pretty hard to create a unique piece of app-based marketing technology these days—not to mention a brand new noun and verb—but the London-born company has raised the innovation bar with its image-recognition software capable of “instantaneously converting anything in the real world into an interactive wow experience.”
Admittedly, I was skeptical. I’ve seen AMC’s The Pitch, so I know a thing or two about delivering fancy presentations loaded with smokescreen buzz phrases like incremental synergistic brand alignment. But presenters Boufford (an Ipswich, MA, native) and Alana Kalin were fantastic in their casual, lighthearted approach, cracking jokes while wowing the crowd with real-time demos.
[Tip: To see for yourself, download the app and scan a $5 or $10 bill for an election-themed surprise.]
The event’s premise is pretty innovative in its own right. Hill Holliday—the advertising goliath behind the “America Runs on Dunkin’” campaign—began the Project Beacon initiative a year ago in an effort to connect the worthiest marketing startup talent with the most deserving brands.
“One startup, one client, one brief,” explained Hill Holliday EVP Adam Cahill.
After 70 startups submitted three-minute pitch videos for Dunkin’, the field was narrowed to 12 before the final three were chosen, which in addition to Blippar included DailyBreak and myIMPAX. The contenders had 15 minutes each to convince the judges—comprised of reps from Dunkin’ Donuts and Hill Holliday—that they were the best choice.
I joked with Liz and Alana after the event that I could have delivered their presentation to the same result, and it’s probably true (no offense, girls). Not that they weren’t great, but the technology was truly the star of the show.
I’ll be interested to see how Blippar helps transform the Hub’s beloved coffee-cranker into a more social, community-based brand.
First thing’s first though, Blippar gets to decide how to spend their $5,000 prize money. Something tells me she hasn’t run this by corporate yet, but Liz had one idea: an office puppy.
Only if you name her Dunkin’.
Image courtesy of Blippar.
