Notorious Beam Team

From the Publicis Contagious Newsletter:

"Traveling abroad can be tricky; coping with language barriers and jet lag puts us in a state of almost constant confusion. When touring for sporting events, these effects can be multiplied, thanks to the heady potential of victory -or dramatic failure - mixed with alcohol and adrenalin.

In a nifty and insightful campaign to mark its sponsorship as the official beer of the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament, Guinness, through OgilvyOne Worldwide, Hong Kong, has launched a mobile application to help the estimated 20,000 overseas visitors to navigate the city and cope with the language barrier.

The campaign, supported by mobile experts the Hyperfactory and mobile city and phrasebook creators XS2TheWorld, offers a ‘passport to greatness’ containing useful information about the tournament to be accessed via mobile. Fans can use their mobiles to discover match schedules, team selections, stadium information and a city guide to Hong Kong, as well as reviews of matches and maps, with locations of Guinness-serving establishments highlighted.

But all that is nothing compared to the application’s top feature, broadcasting key phrases in Cantonese through mobile handsets’ loudspeakers, to help visitors make themselves understood. The pre-progammed phrases include asking for numerous addresses around the city, including key stadium locations, directions to ATMs, and, of course, another round of Guinness please.

The passport can be downloaded from www.guinness.com.hk/xtra and then Hong Kong is your oyster."