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Noodles get pimped

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You’ll never look at instant noodles in the same way again. Launching a bold new integrated marketing campaign, Fantastic Noodles is giving cooking noodles an ‘extreme makeover’. Involving a fictitious TV show, Pimp My Kettle, the company will have professional ‘kettle pimpers’ turn kettles from hell, into working pieces of art. The campaign is a parody of the popular MTV show, Pimp My Ride, where a run-down viewer’s car is customised by a team of experts.

Pimp My Kettle has captured the imagination of several celebrities including Harry Kewell, Powderfinger, Jimmy Barnes and Sophie Monk, who have all customised their own kettles which will be auctioned with all proceeds going to Father Chris Riley’s Youth off the Streets charity.

When complete, the works of art will be displayed on www.pimpmykettle.com where TV episodes can be seen and visitors can create their own ‘virtual pimped kettle’. The website has already attracted more than 500 members with more than 50 professional kettle pimpers, including well known artists Ben Frost, Cupco and Jeremyville.

Anouska Thomson, category brand manager, Fantastic Snacks says the campaign was meant to be a bit of fun and something that they’re target market, mainly young guys, would appreciate

“We’ve also pimped-up a van, The Pimpmobile, which is touring Australia handing out free noodles so people can find out firsthand how fantastic our noodles taste”, Ms Thomson says.

She also says that “The Pimpmobile is also giving away Australia’s first 100% biodegradable lanyards and forks as well as quirky car deodorisers that smell of chicken noodles – we are pretty sure this is also an Australian first.” So the next time you’re stuck in traffic, you’ll know where that faint, vaguely delicious smell of chicken noodles is coming from.

The pimped-up kettles will be auctioned on eBay from August 21st and on September 16th at a VIP, invitation-only party at the MTV Gallery. A limited number of tickets are available via a competition on the website.

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The trailer for the Pimp My Kettle campaign

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Episode One of the Pimp My Kettle series

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7 Comments

zacmartin
  • Wrote on 14 Aug, at 10:34PM
You have got to be kidding me. I'm willing to call this the worst 'social media' campaign of 2008, just in front of NAB's blog spamming kerfuffle.

Of those 500 profiles, how many have been made by Clemenger BBDO, the agency behind this?
simonsays
  • Wrote on 14 Aug, at 11:15PM
Haha, funny stuff.

Whats up with you zacmartin? Sounds like you didnt get a job there or something?
Editor | Scotland
  • Wrote on 15 Aug, at 08:08AM
I'm with Zac on this one - it's another attempt by an essentially low-involvement product to be 'cool and edgy', and I just think the social media aspect comes off as a little weak.

I don't know about Clemenger doing all the vids themselves, although I'm not naive enough to think that this doesn't go on (where do you think half the 'letters to the editor' come from in a good deal of the magazines and newspapers out there?)

I'll be posting on Monday about another FMCG product using social media and user generated content to try and differentiate itself in the market. When it's up I'd love to hear from you about your thoughts on the campaign.

What do you think? Should these brands even bother, or are they better off focusing on point of purchase innovations and packaging?
huh?
  • Wrote on 15 Aug, at 02:17PM
Wow - very tenuous connection to the brand.

It just feels so fake - and fake doesnt work in this space.
mattgranfield
  • Wrote on 15 Aug, at 02:18PM
Its a nicely executed campaign, but I think the online component is fatally flawed in that theres really not much of an incentive for members of the public to get involved. It didnt need a social media component and the use of Ning was mis-giuded, but, it looks great. More info at http://www.e-cbd.com/zakazukhazoo/pimp-my-kettle if anyone cares ...
zacmartin
  • Wrote on 15 Aug, at 02:24PM
@ simonsays

I wouldnt want to work at an agency who doesnt understand this space, unless they are willing to change.
Editor | Scotland
  • Wrote on 15 Aug, at 03:38PM
Great commentary Matt - I'm with Julian, you rule!

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