Ad Watch: Westin’s Out of Office Generator misses the mark

Andreas Krasser
Head of strategy and innovation
DDB Group Hong Kong

HOT IBM Bitcoin Rain
**** 4.5 out of 5

Don’t you hate it when weather forecasts keep getting things wrong? Well, in case of IBM, they got it more than right.

With a special weather app created for Brazil’s largest technology festival Campus Party, IBM made it literally rain money – bitcoins, to be more precise.

A very clever and very targeted activation that not only created positive predisposition towards the brand (who wouldn’t like a brand that gives away money?), but also demonstrated the performance of the product: IBM’s cloud service.

NOT Westin Out of Office Generator
** 2 out of 5

Non-default, creative out of office messages certainly can put a smile on one’s face. But could they also encourage people to actually go on vacation? Doubtable.

While clever and entertaining in nature, Westin’s Out of Office Generator misses the mark. American white-collar workers apparently only use about 76% of their annual vacation days.

If the goal was to cure them of their ‘vacation phobia’, something more compelling than a quirky email generator will be needed.