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Philips have put a promotion team on foot at the Garuda mall in Bangalore. Literally on foot, the team walks around the mall in t-shirts that have the Philips logo back and front.  Each one of the team member is carrying a flat panel display like a backpack. Advertisements of different Philips products run on these displays. In all the time I spent at the mall yesterday evening, i saw none of the Philips promotion team approach anyone. They just walked around and hung around like everyone else.

I approached one of them to find out what they were upto? My chosen candidate was super happy when i asked him "so, what are you doing with this tv on your back?". He was so happy it took him a while to react.

From the Q & A that pursued, i understood that its a new 'brand awareness' initiative from Philips. I was quizzed about Philips and its product range. I got all answers right. Damn, they did not give me a prize! Atleast a discount coupon? To help my decision of buying a LCD tv. Nah! This was only a brand awareness initiative. Too bad, if I knew about Philips already.

For a promotional event, a mall would charge rent for the floor space - whats the deal with this? Did Philips get away doing a promotional event without having to pay? Cool!

Its an innovation and my list of reasons for calling this an innovation. 

1. The Philips brand awareness team maybe saved on rent.
2. The team approached no one, just hung around individually at different locations raising curiosity. Each of them stood out, the backpack displays helping.
3. Philips probably used an existing inventory of TVCs to run on those displays. I paid very little attention to that.

A good effort to remind consumers that Philips is still around, innovating and introducing new range of products.  I have been running into some outdoor hoardings as well, more on that later.