Browsing January, 2012

Viral Video Ad Weekly Round-Up: January 30, 2012

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Seedwell Creative Studio

Thursday afternoon a curious little tease started going ‘round the web featuring Matthew Broderick as none other than the most highly anticipated reprise role ever: Ferris Bueller. It was ever so mysterious. No brand. No product. Just Bueller in his bathrobe looking out from the curtains of a Manhattan hotel and asking the camera, “How can I handle work on a day like today?” Cue “Oh yeahhhh” theme music and thousands of hungry film fans drooling over an unreleased commercial. It’s a phenomenon that owes to the viral quality of media on the Internet that has made ad teasers like this one and last week’s Volkswagen Super Bowl tease extremely effective in hyping viewers up for an entertaining ad.

Honda released the full ad earlier this morning and it makes our retro hearts so happy we’ve already watched it twice. The Honda CR-V takes the place of Cameron’s dad’s Ferrari, which is a funny and fairly seamless product placement into a classic film but more importantly, the car plays second fiddle to Bueller’s jokes and day-off antics, allowing the ad stand up to repeat viewings. The spot also plays off of how interconnected Broderick and Bueller’s personas are to all of us. The actor calls in sick to his agent and the valet repeats his last name almost as dry as Ben Stein. Honda did an extremely good job playing close to the heart of a movie that everyone cherishes and misses (thank heavens – NO MORE STAR WARS!) and puts a new twist on many, but not all of the classic jokes from the movie. An ad for an ad that left us wanting more ad? We don’t think it gets any better than that.

The next hot viral hit this week comes from the Brazilian language school CCAA, encouraging young men to learn English because otherwise how will they communicate with the throng of Megan Fox clones on Megan Fox island? Two ship wrecked young men find themselves on the kind of island all sorts of dreams are made of but, alas, they’re exiled once the babes disappointedly realize they can’t communicate and what’s worse is where they wash up next: an island full of nutty Mike Tysons. It’s hilarious and whether or not talking to Megan Fox motivates people to learn English, this viral ad has been making people laugh and share internationally all week.

No one will argue that Twitter has a concrete place at the front of social media marketing. They’ve changed modern communication and in the past three years they’ve hired over 600 people, but when it came to marketing themselves, Twitter took a deliciously cheesy behind-the-times approach and released a recruitment video that stunk in the best way possible. The joke is that Twitter CEO Dick Costolo may or may not have asked his team to produce a video about the joys of working at Twitter. Regardless, employees Ian Padgham and Jeremy Biggs bring back a dated, cheesy production filled with flubs and awkward moments that turns out to be really effective in convincing us that Twitter is a ridiculously silly work environment.

The most heart-warming ad of the week award goes to Energizer who teamed up with Filipino non-profit Manikako to produce an oh-so-sweet video about classic toys falling in love. Manikako funds art workshops for less fortunate Filipino children and this ad does a wonderful job highlighting the importance of love and play. Manikako’s server was so busy with traffic this week after this ad went viral that their site was temporarily down. The simple chords of the music-box track might as well be heart strings and the shooting is equally perfect. The toys are always still and pieced together in sun-soaked shots that take viewers through the love and lifetime of two very sincere playthings.

We love creative, new tactics and think that First Bank hit the mark this week with their non-ad Super Bowl ad encouraging viewers to take a bathroom break. We thought that was what the football part was for, but now, when we see this commercial, we’ll know what to do. The viewers initial reaction is a frozen stare off with the sponsor, wondering what will happen next. No, nothing? Ok, next time we’ll feel free to go pee.

The Edge: Discussions in Advertising & Social Media

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Seedwell Creative Studio

AdAge.com: Can Industry’s New Ad Campaign Convince the Public of Behavioral Targeting’s Merits?

The article linked above is from the Ad Age website, introducing The Digital Advertising Alliance’s new campaign. It is an effort from the industry to persuade the public of the benefits of behaviorally targeted advertising or, in laymen’s, ads based on a user’s Internet browsing.

As I read, there was an ad for cell phone services at the top of the page. It caught my eye immediately because I spent most of last week querying providers about their services and pitting them against each other. But that was last week. This week, I’ve already committed to a contract and I’d really prefer not to be reminded of my newly signed shackles by Verizon or At&T and especially not by Boost Mobile. Lucky for me, I know what to do. I already watched the video introducing the Ad Choices icon that appears in the corner of most ads now and the first thing I thought was, “Sweet! Now I know how to get rid of those!” I was a fool. This is the ad industry. I should have known better.

The Ad Choices icon (triangles are so hot right now) does not go away and neither do the ads themselves because that is how websites keep running, people. Buuuuut it is a user friendly addition to browser ads that allows each of us to opt out of targeted advertising or adjust which of our interests are used for marketing purposes.

The Ad Choices campaign definitely chose the right time to reassure users about their privacy and control. People are concerned with marketers storing their personal information online but their even more worried about their browsers. Have you seen the recent tizzy over Google’s new privacy policy? The concern is understandable, but not as reasonable as you think.

Did you know that you risk identity theft every time you register with a school, employer, or swipe your ATM card? But checking your account balances daily (and yes, we mean, online) will help you catch abnormal activity and prevent further damage. Unless you were thinking you’d just avoid the Internet altogether … Yeah, we couldn’t do it either.

Had we been given some input on the DAA campaign (what’s up, guys? Seedwell!), we would have focused more on the persuasive similarities and differences (like control and relativity) between online ads and all other forms of marketing.

Browsing history – how different is that from the shows you watch on which channel and at what time? If, for example, you’re watching the late night dirty stuff, you’re gonna get late night dirty ads. It was just an example, sheesh! But with that nifty little three-sided guy, you can scoff and say to yourself “I’m not interested in such trash!” before changing your preferences or turning Ad Choices off by opting out.

Unlike commercial breaks, junk mail and telemarketer calls, the user is in control of their browser ads. They can also clear their browsing history regularly and delete their cookies in order to be a smart web surfer who is even more in control of their privacy. Your search history stares at you while you sleep … So poke its damn eyes out. Safari’s not going to do it for you.

That is, unless you’re like me, and – gasp! – you actually like having your preferences remembered sometimes. You like your ads to apply to your interests; you even like your browser knowing from page to page what you’re trying to get done. A consumer’s actions speak louder than words and as the web becomes a more personal experience everyday, many users actually enjoy the streamlined capabilities more than they abhor releasing their information.

When I clean out my e-mail box, I sift through a lot of ads. Most are immediately trashed, but some I read. If I read them, they’re not junk. And which ads do I read? Well, the one’s I’ve requested of course. Local coupons, airline deals, doggie tuxedos etc. Whether you choose paranoia (what exactly have you been searching, anyway?) or personalized ads, there will still always be advertisements. The way we see it, this is the most effective in cost and content that consumer, advertiser and manufacturer have ever been, but the Ad Choices campaign may still have a ways to go to convince everyone else.

Viral Video Ad Weekly Round-Up: January 23rd 2012

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Seedwell Creative Studio

Prior to January 19th 2012, Megaupload was the most widely used file sharing site in the world. Its content accounted for 4% of the entire internet’s traffic despite little to no advertising presence on the internet. When this Megaupload ad was released on YouTube December 9th, the legal battle that ensued between the company and Universal Music Group was only the beginning … of the end. Upon UMG’s insistence, YouTube immediately removed the mega-star-powered Megaupload song but, as it turned out that the song featuring will.i.am, Kanye West, Macy Gray and Kim Kardashian (to name a few) did not infringe upon any copyrights, the site has since returned the ad to the web just in time to say farewell to the file-sharing behemoth. This simply shot ad, with the support of so many celebrities, would have been a very effective image adjustment for Megaupload, convincing users that the artist’s whose work they download don’t actually mind and in fact, they use the site too.

Will the Star Wars television ads ever end? Not when they’re as viral as Volkswagen’s. Last year’s Super Bowl commercial featuring a determined kid trying to channel “the force” brought on the release of what seems to be a never ending stream of Star Wars themed ads and with so much success we had a feeling Volkswagen would be back for more. This week they released a teaser for their upcoming Super Bowl spot, showing how confident they are that it will be worth the wait. This time a canine chorus barks the Imperial March theme song and, hitting on the recent Internet popularity of Chewbacca and ewok dog look-a-likes, even dresses up some of the pups a-la-The-Empire. The final act features a wandering whippet in Imperial Walker gear. Well played.

Two weeks ago, some local Toronto readers were fans of Type bookstore. Today, almost 2.5 million people around the world have seen and awww’d and shared the viral hit posted by Type earlier this month. Hard work is indeed paying off. The video is shot entirely using stop-motion filming and took a week of working dawn-to-dusk days to produce. Sure, the couple who own the store had some help, but that kind of commitment is impressive nonetheless. The video is not as much advertisement as it is a sentimental homage to the pre-Kindle days, but that’s exactly what makes it so magical. It reminds us of the sweet and quaint comfort inside our local bookstores by using a fun, retro approach. The books look beautiful, each aligned by color and playfully dancing in and out of one another and we predict Type sees a noticeable increase of Toronto tourists popping into their shop while they’re in town.

On a completely different note, we now return you to the rushing hum of the increasingly interesting future. If there was any doubt in your mind that the use of textbooks in the classroom (or anywhere else, really) is completely outdated, this seven-minute long documentary style ad for the release of textbooks for iPad will definitely succeed in convincing you otherwise. Apple uses a slew of interviews and commentary from seasoned teachers, superintendents, techies and even textbook publishers to make the case crystal clear. Most importantly, they show and tell all of the ways that children can benefit from using technology rather than textbooks. We see students interact with new materials, they make notes that can make themselves into flashcards and, no longer deterred by pounds of heavy books, they come to class prepared to learn. The ad is definitely on the longer side, but it reaches out to the older, technologically skeptical core of educators who, by the looks of it, won’t be able to ignore Apple’s advancements much longer. Students, on the other hand, are likely to need little convincing. Hell, we’d go back to high school for an iPad.

Lurpak butter took their branding and turned it around, releasing this spot that actually associates their butter with good health. The video is filled with rainbow-colored close-ups of every sort of vegetable getting chopped and diced and mashed and is incredibly pleasing and interesting visually. The voice-over is also fun as we recognized this guy from the homicidal series Dexter where much more morbid things are chopped and diced. What an ad, what an ad.

Viral Video Ad Weekly Round-Up: January 16th, 2012

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Seedwell Creative Studio

These days, it’s a close call whether television or internet video advertising is more creative or more effective. So close, in fact, that Seedwell has decided to combine our weekly round-ups into one all-star collection from the week in viral videos. They’re funny on TV, they’re funny on YouTube and either way they’re brands that get us talking.

Starbust “Flavor Morph” - This week’s hit comes from Starburst’s new Flavor Morph campaign. You pop an orange flavored candy and are amazed as it changes into orange strawberry, taste the incredible change of cherry into cherry lime, but don’t expect the rest of your life to magically morph as well. In the new spot, sweet Annie tries to convince her boyfriend Larry to get off the mean streets of suburbia. Larry’s temporary tattoo, sweet-ass scooter and loyalty to the tree-lined “streets” are all funny fodder for a brand like Starburst to get attention on the web. Annie wants Larry to change like the new Starburst do, but we all know men don’t change.

Nike “Kobe System” - “Where do you go from the top?” is a very appropriate question for a brand like Nike and for an athlete like Kobe Bryant. Their answer? “Over the top.” And that’s pretty much the best way to describe Nike’s new star-studded spot for the Kobe System line of basketball shoes. Kobe rises from beneath the stage a-la-M.J. and speaks to an audience of media ambassadors like Serena Williams, Kanye West, Jerry Rice, Richard Branson and Aziz Ansari (who must have gotten in by accident, according to Kobe). The ad pokes fun at motivational speaking and hero-worship while doing just that, even making self-help guru Tony Robbins a prominent audience member/Kobe-worshipper. How do you become really really ridiculously successful? Listen to Kobe (and buy the shoes). And, as Kanye asks of him, what if you’re already really, really ridiculously successful? Well, then you should probably thank Kobe. Love it.

Nabisco “WHheat Thins” - Do you know anyone who doesn’t like Family Guy? Neither do we and neither does Wheat Thins whose new ad features characters Stewie and Brian (and Peter’s whine) on the best cartoon couch since The Simpsons. The best thing about this collaboration is that the brand capitalizes on exactly what makes Family Guy … Family Guy. The show is all about using repetition that makes you laugh and then makes you roll your eyes and then makes you slightly uncomfortable until eventually you laugh again. When the joke being repeated is also the brand name? Well then you’ve got gold.

Old Spice “Mind Blown” - After last year’s success with several viral marketing campaigns, Old Spice was crowned the “Most Viral Brand” by Adage. Not resting on their throne, they’ve released a new video to kick off the new year featuring Terry Crews. Some of you may remember him for the off-the-wall, but wildly successful Old Spice virals he did some years back, and if you were a fan of that style you won’t be disappointed by this new ad. After a hiatus (that was much too long in this authors opinion) Mr. Crews is back to blow your mind, literally, with a new body spray product. The term “mind blown” is a common one throughout the internet community and usually refers to something which is so outrageous or crazy or awesome that a person’s “mind is blown” by what they are experiencing. Old Spice, with finger attached firmly to the wrist of the internet, has gathered this pulsing tidbit of information and regurgitated it into an actual event. After Terry Crews’ mind is blown he loses the ability to talk, which is pretty funny, and subtitles pop-up to explain to the viewer his jumbled meaning. With over 370,000 views in under a week this video has gone viral with help of Terry Crews outlandish style, and the absurdity of this ad. It is likely this ad is going to be passed around quite heavily over the next month before it dies down. Doubt me? Look at the 5 million views the previous Terry Crews compilation video has. And that’s not even the official release.

Google “Explore Your World” - When Google+ was first launched it was hailed as the next best thing. A few weeks later critics were questioning its ability to compete with Facebook, and now several months after its launch Google+ is being touted again as a revolution in social networking. Google’s large product and feature base has barely been integrated with Google+, but the possibility of having Google+ featured in every major facet of life makes it difficult to ignore. Facebook has become part of an everyday routine that requires a person to go out of their way to connect to a separate website, whereas Google+ is integrated into the most mundane of activities, such as Google searching. This newest video showcases the next phase of Google+ integration with basic search, offering a personal touch to search results which could include pictures and recommendations from your Google+ network. With an estimated 250 million users, Google+ continues to grow and tap into Google’s full line of features, which could make Google+ an extremely potent foe for Facebook.

If you’re a brand or agency in need of a commercial or viral campaign, contact us here.

TV Commercial Weekly Round Up: January 11, 2012

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Seedwell Creative Studio

Square One Entertainment – Schticky

Vince Offer is back and possibly better than ever. If you don’t know who Vince Offer is, it’s possible you’ve been living under a rock or you simply know him as the ‘ShamWow’ guy. He has definitely had his share of ups and downs but it definitely looks like he’s on the up side of things right now.

Vince gained huge popularity after the ShamWow! infomercials came out, and garnered even more enthusiasm when he backed the SlapChop. Part of his success came from his slightly abrasive style of selling, as well as his funny one-liners, like the one found in the SlapChop infomercial: “you’re gonna love my nuts”. Then came his arrest in February of 2009 for felony battery on a prostitute. It could have been the end for him.

2012 is a new year and the release of Schticky is not only useful, but Vince returned to sell the product well, while also poking fun at himself. The product seems good enough, not that infomercial products ever aren’t, right? It’s nice to see a bit of a comeback story mixed with a touch of humor. He might make a good politician some day…

British Heart Foundation – Hands only CPR

Vinnie Jones may not be the funniest guy in movie land, but he’s probably one of the toughest – at least on the silver screen. I Don’t think you’d want to anger him in real life either, though.

This is actually a great commercial, filled with dark humor to provide its viewers with helpful information. There are a lot of questions around whether or not an individual can perform CPR if they are not certified. The quick answer to this is yes. Although certification helps understand the procedure, it is commercials like this which can help everyone. Providing quick tips and the knowledge of giving compressions to the beat of ‘Stayin Alive’, while adding humor and a big name star make this advertisement better than most. It’s advertising how to provide for fellow man, not how to spend your money on a different product.

Although this commercial is aimed at the British audience, it is great for any nationality, even if you don’t dial 999 for emergencies. (helpful tip: it’s 911 in the US).

Viral Video Ad Weekly Round Up: January 9, 2012

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Seedwell Creative Studio

LG “Smart Thief” – LG, a brand that hasn’t ever been featured in our round up before, is suddenly the primary contributor this week. This ad begins peculiar, to say the least, with the viewer watching a man from a security camera point-of-view. The man is staring directly into the camera as he is walking backwards through a store. The whole process of the man leaving the store takes a long time, and while watching this guerrilla-style video, I wondered what the point of it was. There is no indication in the video title, YouTube description, or branding during the video that suggests for whom this product is for. After forty or so seconds of wondering what the point is there is a fantastic payoff as the thief leaves the store holding a new flat screen tv, which we can now see because the security camera is looking at the man from the side, not straight on. The slow walk the man had throughout the entire video suddenly changes from annoying and strange to hilarious as the reason becomes clear. In just under two weeks this video has over 1.4 million views, illustrating the strength of the payoff at the end. Another reason for the success of this video could be in how it is shot and labeled. Curious YouTube viewers, such as myself, are lured in by unassuming titles, such as “smart thief caught on cam” and become curious. When there is no obvious branding anywhere the viewer starts to consider if this video is real or not, and they want to see what this “smart guy” is going to do. At the conclusion of the video it is clear (to those looking for it) that this video was made by LG, as the only branding in the entire video is seen in the form of an ad in the window at the end. Overall, both LG ads in this round up have a level of guerrilla-style marketing, but this one is far more successful.

Brisk “Star Wars” – Star Wars themed viral videos are so common that it’s easy to become skeptical over their quality. A previous review of an Adidas Star Wars ad is one such example of a video that attempted to use the Star Wars name to gain views, but the lack of quality left it unable to gain much notoriety. This Brisk ad is not like the Adidas commercial, thankfully, and uses Brisk’s tried and true format of stop motion movie references with humorous writing and actions to create viral gold. As of this writing the video has accumulated 40k views, which isn’t bad for only a few days. The addition of some viral video references in this video, including the infamous Afro Ninja and Star Wars Kid, create ample opportunity for this video to explode in smaller internet circles. The stop motion videos Brisk is known for doing interested me so much I did some additional research and found this video showing some behind-the-scenes work on their video with Eminem (well, in puppet form). Brisk looks to have created this video specifically for the YouTube space, even if it still runs on television. It’s good to see brands continuing to branch out into the viral space but it’s also good to see them take into account what seasoned YouTubers will respond well to.

LG “Fashion Industry Exposed” – LG is taking a stab at the competition in this video which highlights the LG Kompressor Plus’ tremendous suction ability. They directly go after Dyson, a high-end vacuum maker, by making fun of the fashion industry and its unrealistic representation of beauty. The content of this viral is, however, quite sensitive, and has the ability to anger many. Some of the YouTube comments highlight this sensitive subject, but overall the likes to dislikes ratio still suggests this video is being viewed in a positive light. With nearly 600,000 views it’s not nearly as popular as any of the videos from last week’s round up, but it’s still very viral. LG isn’t a regular in the viral video market (and this was likely a television commercial which was uploaded to YouTube as well) but with a massive tech arm of their business they have potential to create numerous viral videos based on their more computer-based components.

If you’re a brand or agency in need of a commercial or viral campaign, contact us here.

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