FrontRow doesn’t just make teachers’ voices louder, it makes them clearer.

And Mortar helps FrontRow make themselves clear with a shiny new website, GoFrontRow.com, is live.

Click through to marvel at:

– Embedded quicktime movies featuring real teachers extolling the benefits of wearing a mic in class. Other than looking like j-Lo, we mean.

– Play Mootown match-up – Jeremy and Hugh’s very effective attempt to channel the mind of a
kindergartner. Guess, who had to supply the animal sound effects when we ran out of budget?

– The bright, playful colors (oohh, fun) and the complete lack of imposing technology.

Seriously, they are cramming up to 35 kids into the 4th grade classrooms right here in San Francisco. You don’t have to be a parent to appreciate how loud those classes are.

Front Row has a glorious future as long as we insist on teaching our kids in crappy facilities and pack classrooms to the limit.

The website is part of an integrated campaign for Front Row that included a name change (they are the company formally known as Phonic Ear), brand development, PR outreach, and online and offline advertising.

Seen on Advertising Design Goodness.

This is so deliciously ironic.

We’ve seen it on so many ad blogs we had to weigh in and do our bit.

Let it not be said that the Mortar is above this kind of thing.

We’re not.

Obligatory link:
viralcartoon.blogspot.com

William, one of the Mortar’s fine account execs writes: 

TV, radio, print, and online advertising … none of these capture the ‘wow’ of a well-executed guerrilla marketing campaign.

Enlisting the help of poor college kids to hand out t-shirts and brochures while wearing chicken suits can technically be considered guerrilla marketing, but it doesn’t turn as many heads as it used too.

Not so for the outrageous stunts of guerrilla troupe, Improv Everywhere: The NYC-based group dedicated to causing "scenes of chaos and joy in public places through radical and creative public stunts."

Now that’s my kind of guerrilla action.

Do yourself a favor and watch their pieces of art.

Take their recent "No pants on the subway" campaign (pictured).

Their stunts prompts me to offer some ideas for budding guerillas:

1.   Power in numbers: Improv’s executions work so well because of the sheer number of agents involved. Don’t limit your exercises to just a handful of people, get out there with lots and lots of co-conspirators. (BTW Craigslist is a super venue for recruiting talent with time on their hands and low public decency standards…).

2.    Randomness is in: Develop a truly original (and preferably random) concept. The way I see it, guerrilla marketing is all about the person, what he/she does, and what their actions stand for. The exercise itself shouldn’t be so narrowly focused on the products or services being advertised; successful guerrillas will receive attention.  Focus on provoking discussion – publicity will surely follow.

3.    Manage the Program: Not surprisingly, Improv Everywhere ‘s programs are extremely well organized. Chaos is best managed by professional moderators. Don’t forget to synchronize your watch.

4.    Do it, just do it: Don’t hesitate, take the campaign and run with it. Don’t hold out trying to finesse the little details. The best campaigns often produce unpredictably amusing results.