What will they think next?
Why, a hashtag to supply (not very much) electricity, of course.
Havas Media Group Asia Pacific is investing in a social innovation called “Heartbot” – a machine that turns a set of identified hashtags into generated electricity.
Launched at Festival of Media Asia, Heartbot is an acronym for Havas Engagement Activated Response Technology Robot, aimed at forging connections between brands and consumers through “deeper engagement and participation.”
Vishnu Mohan (left), CEO of Havas Media Group Asia Pacific says: “We are constantly looking for new ways to create meaningful connections with our brands. Heartbot is the first of many regional initiatives in this space.”
The machine functions by detecting a programmed set of tweets, then produces electricity for at least 10 seconds (depending on the number of tweets generated). It can power small scale to large scale equipment such as light bulbs and heat generating billboards.
Tony Sarmiento, Regional Creative Integrator at Havas Media APAC and Managing Partner and Chief Collaborator at Havas Media Ortega said: “In marketing it’s not just about the want to succeed, you need a lot of research, determination, passion but you also need a lot of heart and I guess that’s the cool thing about this innovation. It’s bringing together the two coolest things in the world – innovation and meaning.
“We are ready to roll up our sleeves to create customized versions of the Heartbot. This is just the beginning, we see Heartbot powering different machines, protocols and social engagements globally.”
Perhaps Havas chairman Vincent Bollore is planning to use this to power his electric cars, currently in use in Paris and about to take over in London from Boris Johnson’s spectacularly unsuccessful effort to get people driving electric in the capital?
Math Men indeed.
