Hasta La Creative!

I spent the weekend moving, which took a good bit out of me, both physically and mentally. In my semi-exhausted mental state, some of the more complex thought processes and mental connections just aren’t happening, and I’m fully willing to acknowledge that. The same can be very true for any communication, advertising included. While I’m not always in the midst of catastrophic brain flatulence, sometimes the simple ideas are just easier to grasp. I’m all for complex, multi-stage campaigns that ask for a good deal on the part of the viewer/reader, but it’s important to realize that it isn’t necessarily the best course of action, and sometimes the complexity overrides the effectiveness of the message. Convoluted and deep might just yield more confusion (or complete lack of awareness). On that note, I wanted to point out a recent commercial I stumbled upon while surfing the internet that’s aimed to the young Japanese audience that speaks well to the idea of “simple,” and amuses me in my exhaustion.

The spot, done by Australian commercial production company Plaza, is so simple, it works. I got it. And the message sunk in. Quickly. Which is the ultimate goal, especially when promoting for groups like The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. It could just be the classic Godzilla fan in me (and my mental exhaustion), but there’s something about the simplicity, the creativity, and the slight weirdness that just makes everything come together. And I payed attention. That simplicity and effectiveness doesn’t need to be reserved for children’s communication and simple messages. Sometimes the most complex ideas can be communicated unimaginably simply.

Full creative credits @ youtube, via Osocio.

In a gaming landscape that seems to be focusing more and more on relationships and connectivity, it’s no surprise to see greater emphasis put on features like xbox live and the communal aspects of the Wii (”wii would like to play“). At the same time, differentiating one on-line gaming service from another in the eye of the non-initiated public is no simple task. While it may be the gaming wave of the future, getting more people to jump on board takes some skill, and sometimes a slightly different approach.

This newest spot for Sony’s Playstation Network definitely sits outside of the traditional gaming system mold. The art direction, filming style, and soundtrack all give it an atmospheric quality not usually seen with video game systems. It’s certainly a different answer to the question of online gaming.

In today’s environment, with technological advances, marketing strategies and celebrity endorsements, shoes have become much more than just footwear. Brands are scrambling to assert their top-dog status, and today finds Nike is in the midst of launching one of their broadest multimedia campaigns to date, including a :60 spot to air on American Idol and college basketball tournaments asserting that “my better is better than your better”:

The emerging Nike campaign is in direct response to the Under Armour Superbowl spot proclaiming “The Future is Ours,” announcing their entrance into the cross-trainer marketplace. Under Armour quickly rose to dominance in the “compression fitting apparel” category, and after entering the market less than a year ago, has taken a 1/5 market share of football cleats. An interesting article in today’s Oregonian has some interesting info and quotes regarding the Nike campaign and the shoe/athletic apparel battle:

“This was definitely an all-out attempt to stop Under Armour in its tracks,” said John Horan, publisher of trade newsletter Sporting Goods Intelligence. “They want to make sure they don’t get surprised on this category.”

Follow the jump for the Under Armour spot, a bit of Adidas, and some Pony action

The other day I mentioned the possibility of billboards with head tracking in the future. Well, this isn’t exactly the same thing, but the end result may be just as effective. Placed in Beijing’s Fang Zhuang passage back in December, the WWF billboards by O&M Beijing were removed after only one day due to the alarm they raised. Effective would probably be an understatement. An interesting and creative way to turn the traditional billboard into something more powerful – without a whole lot of effort. [click the image above to enlarge]

Jokk Juice is made from berries from far far away. This Swedish ad from Saatchi & Saatchi highlights how hard it is to get the berries that go into Jokk Juice. But what’s really hard is finding information on Jokk Juice on Google. If you type “Jokk Juice” in your search bar you will be shown links to the ad in blogs and advertising registries. Most people have good things to say about the advert, but what if you wanted to know more about what’s in it and you don’t live in Sweden? When you type “Jokk” in Swedish Google your results will be a little better if you can read Swede. Saatchi did a good job of creating an ad, but did not plan for the viral effects that are so common today. There’s a disconnect between broadcast and digital that can be solved by planning digital scenarios. If the ad is being seen and appreciated around the world, perhaps a multinational splash page could be created to provide basic information. Even if the product is only sold in Sweden, people outside the market are becoming familiar with the ad but not the brand. A simple page and some search engine tweaks could save millions in the long run if there are plans to expand internationally. But then again I don’t know much about the brand or its plans for world domination.

Cookie cutter houses and neighborhoods are as common as cookie cutter Realtors in pant suits. They have mean handshakes and aren’t afraid to use them. A single sale can produce generous margins, enough to stock up on bland business cards that feature stock image houses and  executive photos of themselves. Some agents are bold. They’ll even create magnetic calendar versions of their cards just in case we forget what month it is when we’re reaching for a midnight snack. Why not create a huge billboard identical to your business card? Because when I decide to buy a house, nothing says “buy” like a yearbook photo and a phone number. I have nothing against these peddlers of the American dream who provide a much needed service. I do have something against business as usual. The housing market is where it is because of lender over-speculation and loan baiting. Real estate agents aren’t bad people, just bad marketers in the advertising award show sense. Now that people are buying less square feet if any at all, real estate agents have to work harder for their cut. Those in the know will work smarter. There is some hope for the industry. I found a real estate ad that appeared to have a concept and even appealed to a specific target.

I found the ad in RVA magazine, a local Richmond artsy community publication. They have designers who create ads that fit the magazine’s image. In this competitive landscape (wink wink) agents around the country can benefit from a little creative risk, at least until the market gets better. In an unrelated note, Richmond area home values are on the rise.

Great time waster, courtesy of the Swedish telecom giant Tele2 is something called BeatBox that lets you record your own beat box tune with a basset hound DJ.

This is the sort of fun, not-available-elsewhere-in-a-superior-format toy that brands should strive for online. It’s a quick little hit, has enough of a connection with a telecom company to be relevant, and is very well-done: you don’t have to speak Swedish to get it. Perhaps one of our European readers could fill us in on whether the basset hound figures in their advertising at all.

While the Toyota Corolla Superbowl ad received a fair bit of praise, I wasn’t entirely satisfied. Fortunately, I stumbled upon the new microsite for the car, dubbed “Corolla the X,” complete with an impressively elaborate crest. The site is a fairly bold yet unobtrusive mix of animation, audio, video, and games, managing to do a fairly impressive job at showcasing the features of the Corolla with some humor and without the usual buy-this-car spiel. The site even makes me appreciate the superbowl spot slightly more. My only big question (and maybe slight hesitation) is whether or not “Corolla the X” can really work. The Toyota Corolla has never been in the upper echelon of the automotive world. Can its image reflect it effectively? Will it be able to persuade buyers? Then again, it IS the Corolla… not exactly an unknown in the field.

I’m intrigued by what seems to be a recent trend in high-production automotive advertising. The number of commercials containing either an orchestra or a large group of people similarly dressed in a stereotypical factory worker or scientist get-up is fascinating. The newest spot continuing this trend is the Audi A4: Strings 1:30 spot by DDB Barcelona.

I could dig deep and analyze conceptual execution, soundrack choices, and overall production value, but what piques my interest is all of the people wearing lab coats. Who are they? Why are they this experienced at playing with string? And if they are Audi designers, is there any reason they’re all wearing matching lab coats? The only good answers I can come up in my head involve either the visual simplicity it creates or the pseudo-scientist-authority figures it yields. Either way, I still want to know how they got that skilled with string games.

I probably wouldn’t take much notice, but the Audi spot certainly isn’t the only recent advertisement to use the lab coat. The recent Problem Playground spot by W+K London for Honda has a plethora of scientists, construction workers, office execs, and other similarly dressed official-looking people taking part. Do they bring any authority to the message Honda is pushing? Or is it just some visual variety and I’m attempting to read too much into it? And then what of the Ford Focus Orchestra? Does having a musician play an emissions system of a Ford really make me any more likely to purchase a Ford? I’m by no means complaining. I think all the new spots are stellar in their own ways. I just find it interesting the direction that automotive advertising is going. We’ve definitely changed a bit since Joe Isuzu.

And for your viewing pleasure, I’ve embedded the “Problem Playground” and “Orchestra” spots after the jump.

Storytelling is an art that is slowly fading away. There are even groups dedicated to the preservation of stories and of storytellers. With with new technologies and advancing digital techniques, the story is often lost. There are still those occasional stories that get told with passion and care, and they are truly beautiful. Adidas, founded 60 years ago, is one of the most iconic brands today with a logo that speaks for itself. Yet 180 Amsterdam has crafted a beautiful animated short about the history of Adi Dassler and the beginnings of Adidas. Simple, beautiful animation, but most important, an incredible and uplifting story from a true storyteller that speaks louder than any logo could. It’s nice to see a real story every now and then.

And you can check out the :60 version on YouTube here.

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