The Challenge

At the start of 2010 Canon launched a branded, user-generated HD video contest on video sharing community Vimeo.com. The contest, entitled “The Story Beyond the Still”, is an eight-month contest consisting of eight chapters. Each chapter will produce a winning video which will serve as part of an ongoing exploration of peoples’ visions beyond still photography. Pandemic Labs was tapped to connect Canon with potential entrants, fans and consumers, track the brand’s online impact and maintain a steady stream of buzz surrounding the contest until its conclusion.

The Solution

Pandemic Labs is implementing a detailed outreach strategy aimed at creating a sustainable air of excitement surrounding “The Story Beyond the Still” for the entire eight month period. The initial objective is to increase awareness and attract submissions, then shift the focus of our outreach to engagement. We supplement our outreach efforts with targeted ads on Facebook and extensive use of our proprietary network for social media promotion. Throughout the program we will continue to measure the effects of the contest on the Canon’s digital footprint.

The Results

Though the contest has just begun, there have already been significant results. The second chapter of the contest received over 110 entries and has attracted the attention of AgencySpy.com and several influential online photography communities and blogs. A strong organic discussion of the contest is continuing to build online due to the high number of entrants we were able to involve.