Time is on our side

It’s only a matter of time. Literally.

According to articles from both Ad Age and the New York Times, advertisers are unveiling daily update ads and promotional events and Oreo, in celebration of its 100^th anniversary is no different.

From last June through Oct. 2, Oreo and its ad agencies have used historical subjects, hot topics and ideas in a symbolic Oreo cookie – known as the Daily Twist Campaign.

“Shark Week”, “the invention of the yo-yo”  and “Mars Rover lands” are only some of the 99 ads that have or will be done to commemorate a recent or well-known event depicted by this cookie.

But it is on Tuesday, in Times Square, the “Crossroads of the World”, where the birthday celebration reaches a crescendo as a real-time final ad – the 100^th one – will be created and unveiled before consumer eyes. And you can be the creative genius behind this ad.

Whether your idea is presented to representatives at a temporary ad agency set up on the famous street or you want to send your idea through social media to the ad moguls, you will have two hours on Oct. 2 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. to do so.  Kraft Foods and its agencies will then narrow the field, sketch proposed ads and three finalists will be posted on Facebook and on an outdoor billboard/sign (American Eagle Outfitters on B'way and 46^th Street).

Vote via Facebook and Twitter by 1:45 p.m. and the winner will be announced at 2 p.m.

It is the immediacy of this creative – not days or weeks,  but hours and seconds --that is challenging and unheard of in earlier eras.  Most times ad agency creative teams could be working ideas out for months at a time, carefully developing the “big idea” and getting its approval from agency heads and the client before scheduling and budgeting the campaign for production. Now, everyone is a creative type who can provide ideas. What’s more “live event” is a happening that is becoming that much more accessible via mobile media.

Why wait weeks? Why wait even days? The message is not only shorter (thanks to 140 characters) not even verbal (thanks to Instagram and Pinterest) but most importantly the message can truly be yours in an instant.