A decision by the city council of Paris to cut the maximum size of outdoor advertising in the city will surely affect the income of outdoor advertising companies, but could also curtail brand exposure throughout Europe.

The ruling will cut display advertising in Paris by 30%, Marketwatch reports.

The site also notes that the Paris city council voted to cut the maximum size of advertisements, to eight square meters from 12 square meters.

There will be no “grandfather clause.” Companies will need to replace any current advertisements that are larger than the new size. Also, the site notes that the council also decided that there needs to be 25 meters between each large advertisement.Continue reading...

It used to be that European brands were all the rage in the US. While they still are to some extent, a global flip-flop (and we don't mean Havaianas) is in the making. Now Europeans are embracing American brands, so much so that a "stampede of American retailers opening in Europe" is occurring, reports the New York Times.

Last year, Gap opened in Milan and will add a location this year in Rome. Victoria's Secret is planning a store next year in London. Tory Burch is now in Rome, and Tommy Hilfiger and Michael Kors are in Paris. Just last month, Abercrombie & Fitch made perhaps the biggest splash of all with the opening  of a 31,000-square foot store on the Champs-Elysees in Paris in May.

In an effort to draw maximum exposure (pun intended), Abercrombie held a publicity event before the store opened, with 100 shirtless male models — the retailer's signature store greeter — in attendance. Apparently, it was too much even for the permissive French — Abercrombie was ordered to tame things down a bit because of regulations against partial nudity on the Champs-Elysees.Continue reading...

Continuing the innovative usage of YouTube by brand marketers, the advergame above claims to be first to use 3D sound. More details here.

Is Apple's "Buddy Finder" patent application a stealth dating service for iPhone users?Continue reading...

Perrier is in the midst of an interactive marketing campaign — one that comes, naturally, with a twist. In what's being billed as a first, the French beverage brand has opened Le Club Perrier on YouTube. As the screenshot above indicates, as more people watch, more of the online experience is revealed.Continue reading...

Even thought it was posted on YouTube almost a month ago, on May 8, the new Lucozade campaign out of the UK is proving that the Evian babies aren't the only ones to achieve viral success with roller skates. Unlike Evian's roller skating babies, the Lucozade campaign may be actually driving sales.Continue reading...

The Evian babies campaign just doesn't get old.

The spot (above) featuring pint-sized roller skating whirling dervishes to promote the water brand's "Live Young" theme has racked up nearly 40 million views, and that's just the international version. It's one of the most popular brand campaigns to ever hit the web.

The challenge: how to top an award-winning, widely viewed, iconic campaign?Continue reading...

SNCF, France's national railway, stages a Coke Happiness Machine-like event in its hometown of Paris, with a French twist... Watch more public reactions here.

Adidas launched its new global campaign with a 3D projection at its kick-off party in France, where it virtually smashed the Palais du Pharo at Marseilles in front of an audience of 1,000 people. Among the performers: the French DJ duo Justice, featured in the celeb-studded campaign. Watch a longer version below.Continue reading...