May 18 2012

The answer is actually quite simple. According to the “Le jeu sérieux en Belgique francophone” annual conference (French for “the serious game in French-speaking Belgium”), the development of games has become more and more common in “serious” contexts, such as public-awareness campaigns, marketing a new product or service, or even for educational purposes. Every year, during the “Serious Game” event (which took place last week), prizes and awards are granted for outstanding so-called “serious” games.

The new game developed by Emakina for Electrabel has just been recognised as such, winning the Bell.Now award for the best “adver-game”. Participants of the “Serious Game” conference were asked to rank the best examples of the past year.   The Electrabel “Switch Off/ Smart Energy Game” was thus voted as the best case for marketing purposes. As suggested by the category name, the purpose of the game, developed entirely in-house by Emakina, was to promote the new Electrabel application which is part of the company’s wide-scale campaign.

The organisers might think it’s very “serious”. We still think it’s fun…!

Tweet

May 14 2012

But in order for Brice to win the ‘Wow Effect’ award he still needs your vote…

What is that all about? Well, the Belgian Direct Marketing Association (BDMA) runs a competition for selecting the person who had the greatest contribution to the direct marketing sector. One of the four candidates for this year’s award is Emakina’s Chief Visionary Officer, Brice Le Blévennec.

That’s all you need to know. Now go execute your democratic right and vote (for Brice)!

Tweet

Apr 13 2012

Who will be the last survivor in the Wild West (or rather south east…) of Brussels? We’ll know in a few months because a GOTCHA murder game will be launched next week among Emakina’s Brussels-based employees. From next week on, everybody is a potential killer!  So be vigilant…

What’s the game all about? Well, it’s rather simple. Each employee will receive the name of their target victim. “Killing” is done by spraying a tiny bit of water over her or him. Small syringes will be distributed to help us amateur killers do an elegant job. If you are able to wet your victim with NO witnesses watching, you succeeded. Your victim’s (failed) target will now become your next, and the game continues until there is only one person left. She or he will off course gain eternal fame and will forever be remembered as Emakina’s Jack the Ripper. And oh yeah, for us “material girls” out there, don’t worry! The winner will also get a nice prize to enjoy while resting on her or his laurels…

Impossible to know at this point how long the game will last or who will turn out to be the best shooter. Nothing is certain here! The only thing we know is that if you hear someone shouting “GOTCHA!”, there is one competitor less. And you can only hope it isn’t you…

Let’s play!

Tweet

Mar 27 2012

It’s not easy, knowing that we were yet again winners of such distinguished prizes, and to have to remain silent about it… But now that the organisers of the Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) gave us their OK, we can proudly announce: we did it; Emakina won two IACs this year!

Our first prize was for the “Test-Achats 50 Avocats ” campaign, under the Best Magazine Online category. The original campaign was supported by social media activities and a viral clip on protecting consumer rights. It generated a record number of citizens engaging with the organisation, thus making it more relevant than ever before.

We also won the Outstanding Website award for Belgium Rollers’s new home page, designed by Emakina. Thanks to its original funky characters and marvelous design, the website presents to its visitors the fun urban universe in the Roller Parade spirit. All that’s left is scrolling and clicking around this dynamic website in order to learn about the event!

Tweet

Mar 13 2012

Patrick Acken, the renowned photographer of Pub.BE and a one-man institution of commercial advertisement, is working on his first exhibition, presenting some 70 leading figures of Belgium’s communication world. Titled, “Face2Face: A Sample of Belgian communication personalities”, the new exhibition will present extreme close-up photos in black and white of Acken’s communication “dream team”.

Emakina’s Xavier Bouillon and Brice Le Blévennec are among the lucky ones to have their photos presented to visitors of this exceptional artistic initiative. The exhibition will be displayed at Seed Factory starting this Friday, Mars 16^th and will remain open until the end of May.

Tweet

Dec 9 2011

By Antoine Wellens – Emakina.BE

November has flown by. And once more the great concept of Movember came to life.  Come again? Movember? During the month of November each year, Movember asks men across the world to grow a moustache with the aim of raising vital funds for men’s health issues.

The formula is simple: take a good cause, add a fun challenge and limit the timeframe to participate: shake up well and you get “Movember”. While growing a Mo is left to the guys, Mo Sistas (women who support their men) form an important part of the action, by recruiting Mo Bros, helping to raise funds and attending Movember events. Movember, as in ‘Mustache and November’, also aims at educating as many as possible on men’s health questions and illnesses such as prostate cancer.

Born in 1999 in Australia and recycled in 2003 by the Movember association, the movement this year crossed all borders and went global. Teak a peak at www.movember.com and see what it’s all about.

Why does it work so well ?

The campaign is viral in many ways . In addition to a universal idea that it can be introduced in all countries – including Pakistan, Movember has managed to combine three elements that ensure its virality:

1. A good cause you really want join

Values you share ​​on your wall can bring respect and credibility from your friends. Even if Facebook would have been called MyBellyButtonEgoBook, it would still be a positive thing to share a good cause with others. By doing so, you suddenly feel useful and proud, when you can share: “you see, I do not only think about Me, Myself, and I !”

2. A fun challenge you always wanted to be part of

Proud of his three day facial hair growth, modern man seeks to distinguish itself. And what if I tried a mustache for a change? No, seriously…that would be  ridiculous. Enter Movember…and now you have a great reason to try it. It’s not for me, it is to campaign against prostate cancer!

3. An effective online activation with massive offline impact

A change of look, obviously, that’s a topic that gets talked about.  And in this lies the gene for the genious idea. Even if you ‘like’ the Movember page on your Facebook, Movember’s success is mainly achieved around the coffee machine . So the true virality, is not just the one we share just as soon forget. It’s the one that stays in the mind, and grows (like a mustache).

Tweet

Oct 12 2011

Emakina again made a big ‘splash at the DMF this year.

Lots of colleagues and invited guests joined the lively discussions, presentations and good times, celebrating the 10th anniversary of Emakina. It was a very exciting first decade, from garage startup to listed company, with a broad, international management team, great combined knowledge and experience and lots of exciting clients and projects… smiles all around and positive vibes.

When the fair was closing down, Emakina and guests just got started up…

Lots of people, animated discussions and fun….

Denis Steisel and Brice Le Blevennec, looking forward to 10 new great years

A celebration dinner with valued clients and friends

Making new plans together

Tweet

Oct 10 2011

Emakina is lighting 10 candles…

A project that started in the best web tradition in a garage 10 years ago grew into a listed communication company with well over 300 people working there.

Regardless the economic stormy weather in the past decade, Emakina booked success after success and recorded positive results … reason enough to celebrate and look ahead towards the future.

The intense team spirit and collaboration inside Emakina no doubt explains part of the growth and continued success of the Emakina Group. In opposition to some agency networks where different parts behave like loose atoms, Emakina teams work together closely and create potent synergies. Meetings in Brussels can evolve into skype calls to Antwerp or Paris, or joint online and real world presentations including colleagues from Gent or Rotterdam.

At digital Digital Marketing First 2011 Emakina shares its enthusiasm and combines the mood for celebration with dynamic knowledge exchanges…

Co-founders of Emakina Brice Le Blévennec and Denis Steisel will give a 10th Anniversary Presentation, in the main auditorium and raise a glass on the future…

Several of their colleagues will shed their light on burning communication topics:

• Digital changing the creative process. How to creatively answer the new customers needs? 
  Xavier Bouillon, Creative Director & David Grunewald, Head of Emakina/ Agency
• CRM & Direct marketing services… Introducing Emakina’s success stories
  Sammy Colson, Head of Emakina/ Direct
• Find out your brand’s character – Play the social media role game
  Karima Wardak, Amélie Sainthuile & Sophie Graillot, Strategy team of Emakina
• Mobile Matters
  Thomas De Vos, Head of Emakina/ Mobile
• What about Social media … Should we talk? 
  Audrey Benoit, Head of Emakina/ Social

So it’s going to be an exciting and busy day. And bubbles all around at 17h…

Tweet

Aug 23 2011

Emakina organised an original staff event at the Apéros de Saint Gilles.
The social meeting combined a fun get together with a positive AIDS awareness action.

Emakina’s agency developed several actions for the Sida SOS association (www.sidasos.be). This organization  tries to create awareness amongst young people about aids. So the drink was a good opportunity to give the campaign a symbolic ‘thumbs up’.

A 1 euro coin is the symbolic element of the campaign. It wants to encourage young people to be screened for aids. At the drink, each participant received a 1 euro coin to pay for their drink.  As this coin then  travels from hand to hand, it touches all. This symbolizes the fact that we can all be infected by aids without knowing it.

Tweet

Apr 7 2011

Emakina has just released a great iPhone application for ING Belgium.

Pigmalion is an Augmented Reality brain-teasing game in which the player has to guess a four colour code in only five tries.

Play this code breaking game and let the funky Pigmalion pig make your talent shine. The Pig will be there to coach and push you to your best score as you guess the right order of the icons. Aim for a high score and test your potential Are you interested in joining this exciting adventure? Maybe the Pig will bring out the Lion in YOU! Now available on the App Store.

Tweet

Mar 3 2011

For Emakina and Troy, love at first sight was inevitable. On the occasion of Valentine’s Day, Troy and Emakina said “Yes” !

On February 17th, their union was celebrated at The Saint-Cross Church (Flagey, Brussels). Enjoy the movie of the wedding.

Tweet

Feb 5 2011

This Friday, Emakina hosted this year’s Drupal Code Sprint. During the day, a group of international developers got together to get their hands dirty and work as a team on certain topics like Views 3, Services 3, Drupal 7 core, HTML 5, Glossary for D7, Sharepoint and Dita. Pictures by Didier Mission :

Tweet

Jan 28 2011

This was 2010 for You ! Happy 2011 from Emakina.

Tweet

Nov 8 2010

This year, Emakina transformed it’s DMF stand into a real movie set : stage sets, makeup, traveling, lights, basically all the Hollywood glamor with professional directors, cameramen, editors, motion designers and sound engineers working all together to create live “The seas are rising – Squeetchy Bad”. Check the behind the scenes pictures on our Facebook Page.

Tweet

Nov 5 2010

And it happened … They hit the world where it would hurt the most ! Chaos ensued, the world became a different place, everything was about survival, flashmobs became ancient history, one single thing was in the mind of human kind : “Error 404″ … they had destroyed the Internet !

Tweet