Meet Imran Behlim, Senior Interactive Producer at BBH, who shares insights into his 2 favorite campaigns: the Despicable Me YouTube Takeover and the Axe Angels Google Map Ad.


What is your favorite brand experience?
For 2010, I have to go with the Despicable Me page takeover. It shows that when you have great elements – like the cute and mischievous minions – and access to the best assets – cgi direct from movie renders – you can create very memorable and effective campaigns. Second was the Axe Angels Google Map Ad.


What was the brief for the Axe Angels campaign?
The brief was to illustrate the above-the-line idea that if you use Axe Excite, ‘Even Angels Will Fall’. The user is prompted to put in their location/postcode and upon pressing ‘spray’ to use Lynx Excite, an angel drops to the user’s location. MediaMind helped us go even further by helping to realize a non-interactive state that used a bespoke MediaMind component – this allowed the banner to ‘locate’ the user by using their IP address and sending an Angel to them automatically.

How was this particular format chosen?
We used the MPU format as in this case it translated the above the line creative and video assets more effectively. The MPU unit also conveys the ‘premium’ quality of the assets.


How did you come up with the creative idea?
We looked at ways of doing something more dynamic and changeable. The Arcade Fire’s use of Google Maps and Streetview was a key inspiration and helped us see the feasibility. Allowing the user to ‘spray’ and select locations to receive Angels was the next logical step.


What feedback/results have you received?
The campaign has just started to go out but already it is gaining recognition and reputation amongst the online/advertising community. BBH are very proud of the work and are eager to get as many eyes around the world on to it – with a planned 88 countries using the campaign, there will be no getting away from it.


What is your idea about the perfect working day?
The perfect working day has to be getting on the tube just AFTER rush hour and getting into work fresh and relaxed, ready for a day’s work. A coffee from Flat White on Berwick Street. Many agencies are good enough to provide free breakfasts to help you get energised.


Your muse best comes when?
I feel I’m most inspired when I can see a project in its entirety and find creative yet elegant solutions to any potential problems.


How did you start working in digital advertising?
I worked as a designer in the boom days of online and moved into producing. Advertisers were always pushing to explore online and it is still one of the only areas that has a business requirement for the highest level of digital output. They are always at the cutting edge because they are driven by creativity and innovation in an industry where you need to stand out from the crowd.