Want to see a campaign starring real-life, talking, moving bags of tile grout? Course you do.

By on Monday, July 28, 2014

Taking what is possibly the dullest client product in the history of marketing briefs – tile grout – an agency called Hybrid Studio, based in the Czech Republic, has created something that certainly makes it stand out on the shelves.

Forgetting the cringeworthy headline-friendliness of dubbing it ‘the world’s first talking tile grout’ (SERIOUSLY WE NEED TO STOP THIS IT’S GETTING BEYOND RIDICULOUS), Hybrid has developed a moving, talking version of the product’s packaging that deserves a look. It’s all a bit Pixar, really.

knauf tile grout pr campaign

The talking bags were placed alongside the tile grout range in a DIY store and, using motion sensors, were able to both intrigue and frighten the bejeezus out of passing shoppers.

See it in action in this case study video here:

According to the video, the campaign took more than 150 hours of development and prototyping, 56 hours of 3D printing and more than 1,200 parts to allow the movement to synchronise with the narration.

I doubt the talking bags helped Knauf’s tile grout shift enough units to warrant the spend and the relevance to the client itself is limited. As such, Knauf might get lost in the idea here rather than being remembered for it, but it IS a good idea and has been well-executed from a tech point of view.

I also stand by the free PR idea I threw out there the other day that a bank (or similar) could create a campaign around money that actually talks. Think about it – Her Maj talking up at you from a filthy fiver or similar. Blippar can have that one for nothing.

Update: turns out… according to fellow campaign connoisseur Matt Muir, the whole ‘money talks’ has been done*:

*Horribly. It evidently needs more – a reason to exist beyond ‘oh look it’s the Queen talking’ – directions to the nearest cashpoint, for instance? OH I DON’T KNOW. Even that’s horrible. You’d just use your phone without faffing. Forget I ever said anything.

Involved agency: Hybrid Studio

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