Rambling and blogging for over 8 years, from good food and drink around town, eclectic electronic music, absolutely anything to do with digital media, throw some sport (more than likely cricket) in and the odd personal experience — as seen through my viewfinder.
I’ve been on a bit of a TVC kick recently. The Gruen Transfer’s probably aided this! I do love this ad, just for the concept simplicity - even though the execution might not have been so simple. Released in 1996, it was an award winner for Y&R London.
Take a world class athlete - Carl Lewis, and get him running on all terrain, over water, steep inclines - you name it. Add Quoth by Polygon Window (aka Aphex Twin) for the abrasive soundtrack.
And you get and you get an advert that makes you stand up and take notice.
The US Dunkin’ Donuts chain has pulled an online advertisement featuring celebrity chef Rachael Ray after critics argued that a scarf she wore in the ad offers symbolic support for terrorism.
Dunkin’ Donuts said today it pulled the ad over the weekend because of what it calls a “misperception” about the scarf that detracted from its original intent to promote its iced coffee.
Critics, including conservative commentator Michelle Malkin, complained that the scarf appeared to be traditional garb worn by Arab men. The ad’s critics say such scarves have come to symbolise Muslim extremism and terrorism.
It’s quite funny, as I remember bringing back a kramah from Cambodia and wearing at as a fashion item for a while before I saw the keffiyeh in start to pick up in use. I think I may have seen it in use in a magazine somewhere at some stage. Why the discussion of the kramah? Because many thought it was a keffiyeh - and as you can see from the picture (left), there are some similarities. Yes, it’s an adornment (er.. scarf!) that can be worn around the head or neck. Yes, this is black and white. The red and white versions of the kramah also became synonymous with the Khmer Rouge. More recently, some friends came back from Berlin, sporting his and hers versions (black and red), and then the fashion item jumped the shark, appearing in low end fashion advertisments for companies like Roger David.
So, what do you think? Is it akin to wearing the Castro cap? Wearing camoflague fatigues that are similar in patternings to dictatorial nations? Or is it a storm in a teacup? It is a scarf after all.
Lastly, when it comes to Dunkin’ Donuts, you shouldn’t be eating that crap anyway! Go and eat a non-extremist carrot!
After watching The Gruen Transfer on the ABC tonight, I hit the website and a thread asked “what ads do you think epitomise the best of the advertising art form?” Now, I’m an online guy, so it seems a little wrong for me to focus purely on TV, but I’m going to, because I do love the format. It’s powerful, it’s on a big screen dominating your living room visually and the audio can still be heard whilst you’re in the bathroom, because it’s been increased by 20dB by the broadcaster.
So, here’s part one of my favourite TVCs. I’m going to focus on one thing that I do love - meat, and Australian produce of course.
Falling in Lamb
Clever. The use of the cinema trailer format is indeed clever, and the first time I’ve seen this, for this type of ad. How do you engage and make meat interesting? Make it in a love story of course. Genius!
Dinner with Tom Cruise
Naomi Watts turns down dinner with Tom. What’s funny to think is that when this was shot, Naomi probably would dream of dinner with Tom and certainly wouldn’t turn it down. Today, she’s probably had several dining experiences with Tom, and could conceivably turn down dinner with Tom to have it with Mum. It’s memorable and says two things to me - spending time with the family is a good thing, and if you’re going to do it, sit down to some quality Australian produce, lamb and of course, a couple of bottles of Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon, or some Coopers Sparkling. Oh, I meant to say South Australian produce.
Serve Lamb on Australia Day
A cracker. I remember when I saw this I laughed. And did I laugh and I asked my friends, especially ones into AFL, “Have you seen the new lamb ad with Sam Kekovich?”. We Australians like to poke fun at ourselves, and this is what this ad does. Reminds us that eating tofu and alfalfa together is a pretty flat combination and wearing your pants showing your boxers is “Un-Australian”. Three years in the running now, we’ll be expecting number four to be released in the week preceeding Australia Day. And again, when was the last time an ad made you laugh?
Whilst the Super Bowl has been won in an upset by the Giants - for those whose team didn’t make the final or those that don’t follow the game, of greater importance are the numerous new TVCs especially created to be launched during the game. Some excellent executions featured, some not so brilliant and thankfully none so poor as the new Commonwealth Bank “Dare to be ridiculedstupidfoolishin the dole queue different” by Goodby Silverstein and Partners. In fact, it’s so bad that Neil Shoebridge has already coined it as the worst ad of 2008, and it’s only the first week of February!
Anyway, back to the good stuff! Here’s my favourite from Audi.
…and here’s another that will make every male wince.
MySpace have just set up a page that allows you to see all the ads and vote on your favourite. All the TVCs are here plus the FOX/NFL promos. What’s your favourite?
Drambuie have taken a bold, and somewhat brash approach with this video. Instead of showing people endorsing your product, they’ve gone the other way - displaying people who completely dislike, even hate your product. It’s a clever approach as it truly illustrates the type of people who will not be seen drinking it.
The website that ties in with the campaign is a wee bit naff. However, the executive summary is worth a read - tongue in cheek and telling it like it is.
Much respect to the bloke who says “It’s not for a rough bloke like me.” Now is that a Bentley in the background for added effect? Not at all… more likely a Chrysler 300C.
A market research session I’m attending tonight has requested that I pull together two examples of brand/marketing comms that have impressed me in recent times. I’ve singled out a selection of TVCs here, there’s many more that come to mind that are certainly brilliant, however the product that they are advertising doesn’t appeal to me (viz. Pure Blonde beer).
Snooze have recently rebranded from Cap’n Snooze. Losing the “Sale! Sale! Sale!” approach of years gone by, they’ve changed tack and pursued the viewer from an emotive angle. Sleep is something we all need, and whilst we are sleeping, we’re both completely oblivious and defenceless to the world around us. An apt choice of music with “Mad World” by Tears for Fear, sung by Gary Jules - however, the use becomes perhaps unintentionally interesting due the association with the cult-film Donnie Darko.
Tourism Victoria have it nailed. I continually love the campaigns that are produced. Their almost Bohemian approach to enticing people to their wonderful state is displayed through their chic, yet esoteric television commercials. Run Rabbit Run was an ad you either loved or hated. The backing soundtrack to this piece was a quirky piece of 1930s fun (incidentally, the song was popular during World War II when the lyrics were changed to Run Adolf!) orginally poking with a butler who has a somewhat creepy or cheeky disposition - depending on your point of view. The second, The Labyrinth (losely based on the Greek story of Ariadne and Theseus) isn’t as in your face as the first, but it takes a walk through the streets and alleys of Melbourne - however it’s the music - Joanna Newsom’s “Sprout and the Bean” that once again brings this ad to life.
