I love this idea… Mr. Kipling is a big brand in the UK – so if you already eat their cake this is a bonus, and if you dont, no better way to create a new customer than by giving away a free sample.
Perhaps the truly amazing thing here is that this cake dispenser operates automatically – you push a button, you get cake – and on the honor system. Nothing can stop me from pushing the button 20x and selling cake on the bus for example. Perhaps that is just the skeptical NYer in me looking at the angles since I have seen the honor system go to hell in the past when there was a loophole. On the other hand, nothing will keep you in line faster than a crowd of people behind you waiting for their free cake, and watching to make sure you arent abusing the system. This is really new so Im sure there will be follow ups on the campaign as well as “cake hoarding” as described below.
In the meantime – It’s cool, it’s FREE cake, and its PRINT… so a win, win, win in my book!
One Sweet Ad: London Billboard Gives Commuters Cake
Outdoor advertising just got a whole lot more delicious.
via: One Sweet Ad: London Billboard Gives Commuters Cake
To promote its new cake-to-go products, British sweets brand Mr. Kipling launched a campaign that dispenses cake to Britian’s commuters at the touch of a button, Advertising Age reports. The automated fixtures, built into bus shelters, will distribute 500 free cakes a day.
(MORE: Technology Finally Gets Useful: ATM for Cupcakes Invented)
In addition to the individually wrapped snacks, passers-by will also enjoy the sweet aroma of freshly basked cake thanks to a spray device. (We assume it will be similar to another London billboard that let commuters smell baked potatoes.) The first of the cake-doling units, located on central London’s busy Tottenham Court Road, was unveiled Wednesday, and an additional 18 will debut in England and Scotland on Monday, March 19. A “cakemobile” is also in the works and will tour the U.K. from March 27 to May 9.
The press release describes the campaign as a “media first,” although there is no word on how the company will prevent cake hoarding.
