Don't have time to write a longer post right now as I'm in the middle of a mindblowingly awesome campaign to advertise IKEA's most recent catalogue but I just saw this over on the Creative Criminals blog (which is a great blog that I highly recommend checking out if you don't know it already) and I had to post it here.
It's a pretty straightforward idea but I just think it's really cleverly written.
Enjoy
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Slow Down Everything
Public Service Advertising is a tricky kind of area. Road safety ads, anti-drugs ads, alcohol awareness ads and all other public service ads are often accused of being ineffective or talking down to audiences or a whole host of other things. The truth is it's really difficult area to advertise. It's hard not to talk down to people when you're trying to encourage them to change their long-term habits. You're also trying to convince people that you, or more specifically the government, knows better than they do. Who likes being told that they don't know what's best for themselves? Of course there are excellent and successful public service ads out there but so many ads try to communicate to people on their own level but fail miserably.
This ad from the State Government of Perth, created by 303 in Perth, takes a very simple and straightforward approach to advertising road safety and I think they've done a great job:
You could argue that this one is just as ineffective, and maybe you'll be right, but I'd have to disagree. I like the way they've taken a very rational, level-headed approach. It's beautifully shot and the music is just perfect and I think it's a really really good way of getting people to at least think about the way they drive. It doesn't talk down to people or treat them like morons. It doesn't need to shock and disturb people. It just speaks simply to people in a non-patronising way. Even if you ignore the message about slowing down on the roads it promotes a nice way to go about your daily life, something which most of us don't really take the time to think about. Bravo I say, bravo.
This ad from the State Government of Perth, created by 303 in Perth, takes a very simple and straightforward approach to advertising road safety and I think they've done a great job:
You could argue that this one is just as ineffective, and maybe you'll be right, but I'd have to disagree. I like the way they've taken a very rational, level-headed approach. It's beautifully shot and the music is just perfect and I think it's a really really good way of getting people to at least think about the way they drive. It doesn't talk down to people or treat them like morons. It doesn't need to shock and disturb people. It just speaks simply to people in a non-patronising way. Even if you ignore the message about slowing down on the roads it promotes a nice way to go about your daily life, something which most of us don't really take the time to think about. Bravo I say, bravo.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Who are the Blackberry Boys?
So if you've been listening to a radio or watching a TV for even just a few minutes recently you'll have come across Vodafone's new ad for the Blackberry Smartphone. It's impossible to avoid it as it's being played non-stop. I haven't seen any posters or press ads for it, which I'm honestly quite thankful for. The bombardment from radio and TV are just about bearable.
I just don't get the ad. What's the point of it? Obviously I understand the message that the Blackberry is more than just a business phone, it's got something for everybody, so everyone can be a blackberry boy (I guess it's tough luck if you happen to be a girl and fancy owning a Blackberry). I think it seems like the creators of the ad thought that they were being clever and creating a jingle that would be different to other ad jingles, almost like they were making fun of ad jingles. Well if that was the intention then I think they've failed. Of course I could be wrong. Maybe they decided to shamelessly use a jingle to promote their new offering. If that was the intention then fair enough, but they've ended up with a lousy ad either way (in my humble opinion, of course).
Regardless of my opinion the ad seems to be very popular. It's creating quite a lot of discussion online and I've lost count of the number of times people have asked me "Have you seen that Blackberry Boys ad?" So I guess the people at Vodafone and Ogilvy and Mather Mumbai will be happy.
Anyway, here's the ad. What do you think?
I just don't get the ad. What's the point of it? Obviously I understand the message that the Blackberry is more than just a business phone, it's got something for everybody, so everyone can be a blackberry boy (I guess it's tough luck if you happen to be a girl and fancy owning a Blackberry). I think it seems like the creators of the ad thought that they were being clever and creating a jingle that would be different to other ad jingles, almost like they were making fun of ad jingles. Well if that was the intention then I think they've failed. Of course I could be wrong. Maybe they decided to shamelessly use a jingle to promote their new offering. If that was the intention then fair enough, but they've ended up with a lousy ad either way (in my humble opinion, of course).
Regardless of my opinion the ad seems to be very popular. It's creating quite a lot of discussion online and I've lost count of the number of times people have asked me "Have you seen that Blackberry Boys ad?" So I guess the people at Vodafone and Ogilvy and Mather Mumbai will be happy.
Anyway, here's the ad. What do you think?
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Advertising - the Root of all Evil?
I'm very aware that I'm embarking upon a career in an industry that deeply divides public opinion and towards which quite a lot of people feel a considerable amount of hatred. Bill Hicks has a really funny piece about advertising and marketing, and it is guaranteed to make you laugh, but deep down you can tell he really fucking hates advertising, everyone who is associated with it and everything it stands for. And he's not alone.
This is something I've thought about a lot and I've often questioned whether or not I'm doing the right thing by getting into advertising. I don't disagree with a lot of the reasons people have for disliking the advertising industry. I'm not in this to sell greasy burgers to overweight kids. I'm not interested in making a living out of conning people into thinking that 'light' cigarettes aren't as harmful as regular ones. I don't care for using pseudo-science to convince people that they need to guzzle expensive yogurty drinks everyday just to keep their gut happy.
But I also don't buy into the notion that we don't need advertising, and that the world would be better off without it. I think there is an important role for advertising that is honest and up-front with people (I nearly typed 'consumers' instead of people there but I hate the way that word labels people and strips them of a personality). Advertising appeals to our emotions, and so it should. We are, by nature, emotional beings. How often do we rule with our hearts rather than our heads? As long as advertising doesn't take advantage of that then I see no problem. Whether or not that's possible is something I'm still trying to figure out. At the moment I think it is.
Maybe I'm naive, I probably am, but for me advertising is ultimately about creativity. Sure, there's a whole load of crap that goes along with, but is there any industry, or any aspect of modern life that can claim to be completely bullshit-free? I don't think so. I love telling stories, I love creating new ideas and I love how people interpret, use and re-invent those ideas in their own unique ways. Advertising does all that, and working in advertising allows me to do all that too.
Rory Sutherland has been in advertising an awful lot longer than I have. I doubt he has all the answers, but I like what he had to say at TEDGlobal 2009. He also makes me excited about working in advertising, which makes the long, difficult hours of study a little easier.
When it comes to morals and ethics there are ultimately more questions than answers. I haven't even come close to answering all of my own questions about the advertising and marketing industries and this blog isn't an attempt to change the minds of people who abhor advertising and everything it stands for - if I can't even make up my own mind how can I begin to make up the minds of others? But I really do think there is a middle ground between a utopic world free from advertising, where all decisions are made based on rational analysis of facts, and the world of greedy, capitalist, exploitative marketers. I guess I'm just trying to find that middle ground and, hopefully, build a career on it.
This is something I've thought about a lot and I've often questioned whether or not I'm doing the right thing by getting into advertising. I don't disagree with a lot of the reasons people have for disliking the advertising industry. I'm not in this to sell greasy burgers to overweight kids. I'm not interested in making a living out of conning people into thinking that 'light' cigarettes aren't as harmful as regular ones. I don't care for using pseudo-science to convince people that they need to guzzle expensive yogurty drinks everyday just to keep their gut happy.
But I also don't buy into the notion that we don't need advertising, and that the world would be better off without it. I think there is an important role for advertising that is honest and up-front with people (I nearly typed 'consumers' instead of people there but I hate the way that word labels people and strips them of a personality). Advertising appeals to our emotions, and so it should. We are, by nature, emotional beings. How often do we rule with our hearts rather than our heads? As long as advertising doesn't take advantage of that then I see no problem. Whether or not that's possible is something I'm still trying to figure out. At the moment I think it is.
Maybe I'm naive, I probably am, but for me advertising is ultimately about creativity. Sure, there's a whole load of crap that goes along with, but is there any industry, or any aspect of modern life that can claim to be completely bullshit-free? I don't think so. I love telling stories, I love creating new ideas and I love how people interpret, use and re-invent those ideas in their own unique ways. Advertising does all that, and working in advertising allows me to do all that too.
Rory Sutherland has been in advertising an awful lot longer than I have. I doubt he has all the answers, but I like what he had to say at TEDGlobal 2009. He also makes me excited about working in advertising, which makes the long, difficult hours of study a little easier.
When it comes to morals and ethics there are ultimately more questions than answers. I haven't even come close to answering all of my own questions about the advertising and marketing industries and this blog isn't an attempt to change the minds of people who abhor advertising and everything it stands for - if I can't even make up my own mind how can I begin to make up the minds of others? But I really do think there is a middle ground between a utopic world free from advertising, where all decisions are made based on rational analysis of facts, and the world of greedy, capitalist, exploitative marketers. I guess I'm just trying to find that middle ground and, hopefully, build a career on it.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Now that's how you do digital!
We're always hearing that digital is the way forward and that the future of the advertising industry lies in digital, almost to the point that other media are beginning their slow trudge towards oblivion. Of course that last bit is an exaggeration but what the hell do people mean when they say 'You have to do digital'? I'm not sure most people know what they mean and certainly for me, as a student, trying to get my head around the whole digital thing is proving more than a little difficult.
Clearly I'm no expert, and most of the time I really haven't a clue what I'm talking about, but I do know that 'going digital' is about far more than creating a branded Facebook profile and Twitter account(although they certainly can be beneficial and productive activities) or getting people to tag themselves in photos featuring your brand. It's about coming up with new, unique, clever and creative ideas like this one:
This really blew me away. It's so simple but it illustrates the selling points of the car perfectly. It's also quirky enough to grab people's attention and it shows that the traditional media aren't as terminally ill as originally diagnosed. Bravo Volkswagen.
Clearly I'm no expert, and most of the time I really haven't a clue what I'm talking about, but I do know that 'going digital' is about far more than creating a branded Facebook profile and Twitter account(although they certainly can be beneficial and productive activities) or getting people to tag themselves in photos featuring your brand. It's about coming up with new, unique, clever and creative ideas like this one:
This really blew me away. It's so simple but it illustrates the selling points of the car perfectly. It's also quirky enough to grab people's attention and it shows that the traditional media aren't as terminally ill as originally diagnosed. Bravo Volkswagen.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Theses and Fleas - The Perfect Combination
Yes it's that word that strikes fear into the hearts of students worldwide, that brings even the most studious and diligent of academics out in a cold sweat - it's time to start thinking about my thesis.
Busy and difficult as this semester has been, and boy has it been busy at times, it has, for the most part, been quite fun. We're actually getting to work on campaigns right now. We're doing what we came here to do - write and devise ad campaigns. No more long evenings in the library reading article after article on the benefits of IMC, or late nights at home writing essays on whether sales promotions are a strategic or a tactical tool. Everything we're doing now us purely practical based. And that's the way I like it. Sure, I've gotten bad feedback on an ad of which I was truly proud. And of course there have been times when I've felt like tearing my eyeballs out just to avoid having to stare at that blindingly white page that just won't go away. But that's all part of the learning process.
But that's all about to change. Today I had my first meeting with my thesis supervisor. I can feel all those academic articles creeping up behind me, just waiting to pounce and wrestle me to the ground. Over the past month or two I've become so used to college life without the essay writing and the article reading that I almost dread the thought of having to get back into it. But I guess it must be done.
On the plus side I'm researching a topic I really enjoy -viral advertising (although while we're on the topic I have to say that I disagree with the terminology used to describe this kind of advertising - a viral is not something you can plan. A viral happens spontaneously and unexpectedly. Viral advertising is neither spontaneous nor unexpected. But perhaps that's just semantics). I think I'm going to get on well with my supervisor too (even if I have to trek all the way out to Sandyford to see him). He's not an academic, he runs his own communications company, so his attitude towards the whole process is quite different than someone who works in a university. I think this will really suit me but I'm also a bit worried that he might be too laid back. Sometimes I need someone who's going to give me definite deadlines and make me stick to them, otherwise I just get lazy and put stuff off as long as possible.
I guess it's good just to be started on the thesis anyway, the longer I put it off the more work I was leaving myself to do later on. Let's just wait and see how it all goes.
Anyway, time for an interesting ad. I found this one online a few days ago. It's a really clever ambient piece for Frontline Flea & Tick Spray. It's from Saatchi & Saatchi, Jakarta and I think it was done in 2009.
Ambient advertising can be so impressive and there are some great examples out there. I'm trying to come up with some for a campaign I'm working on in college and it can be so difficult. It's so hard to come up with something that's genuinely interesting and engaging. For now I'll just enjoy this one:
Busy and difficult as this semester has been, and boy has it been busy at times, it has, for the most part, been quite fun. We're actually getting to work on campaigns right now. We're doing what we came here to do - write and devise ad campaigns. No more long evenings in the library reading article after article on the benefits of IMC, or late nights at home writing essays on whether sales promotions are a strategic or a tactical tool. Everything we're doing now us purely practical based. And that's the way I like it. Sure, I've gotten bad feedback on an ad of which I was truly proud. And of course there have been times when I've felt like tearing my eyeballs out just to avoid having to stare at that blindingly white page that just won't go away. But that's all part of the learning process.
But that's all about to change. Today I had my first meeting with my thesis supervisor. I can feel all those academic articles creeping up behind me, just waiting to pounce and wrestle me to the ground. Over the past month or two I've become so used to college life without the essay writing and the article reading that I almost dread the thought of having to get back into it. But I guess it must be done.
On the plus side I'm researching a topic I really enjoy -viral advertising (although while we're on the topic I have to say that I disagree with the terminology used to describe this kind of advertising - a viral is not something you can plan. A viral happens spontaneously and unexpectedly. Viral advertising is neither spontaneous nor unexpected. But perhaps that's just semantics). I think I'm going to get on well with my supervisor too (even if I have to trek all the way out to Sandyford to see him). He's not an academic, he runs his own communications company, so his attitude towards the whole process is quite different than someone who works in a university. I think this will really suit me but I'm also a bit worried that he might be too laid back. Sometimes I need someone who's going to give me definite deadlines and make me stick to them, otherwise I just get lazy and put stuff off as long as possible.
I guess it's good just to be started on the thesis anyway, the longer I put it off the more work I was leaving myself to do later on. Let's just wait and see how it all goes.
Anyway, time for an interesting ad. I found this one online a few days ago. It's a really clever ambient piece for Frontline Flea & Tick Spray. It's from Saatchi & Saatchi, Jakarta and I think it was done in 2009.
Ambient advertising can be so impressive and there are some great examples out there. I'm trying to come up with some for a campaign I'm working on in college and it can be so difficult. It's so hard to come up with something that's genuinely interesting and engaging. For now I'll just enjoy this one:
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
More Skittles Madness & Pancakes, Everyone Loves Pancakes
Here's another great one from the folks at Skittles. Sometimes you wonder what goes through people's minds when they come up with stuff like this! I guess it doesn't really matter as long as they keep doing it!
I've had to write this post from a horizontal position as I've just consumed dangerous amounts of pancakes. And speaking of pancakes, like any good pancake enthusiast I decided that it would be remiss of me to allow Pancake Tuesday to pass without google-ing pancakes. This utterly bizarre video was one of the first videos to turn up. The mind boggles!
I've had to write this post from a horizontal position as I've just consumed dangerous amounts of pancakes. And speaking of pancakes, like any good pancake enthusiast I decided that it would be remiss of me to allow Pancake Tuesday to pass without google-ing pancakes. This utterly bizarre video was one of the first videos to turn up. The mind boggles!
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