Browsing February, 2012

Viral Video Ad Weekly Round-Up: February 27, 2012

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Seedwell Creative Studio

Audio-Technica – “Audio 911”

Audio-Technica knew what they were doing when they brought in Marquese “NonStop” Scott for their Solid Bass headphones ad. The brand is a perfect match for the dance phenomenon whose Pumped Up Kicks Dubstep video has over 35 million YouTube views. Scott and his dancing have already been featured on the Ellen Show and CBS but it was only natural for NonStop to team up with a bass heavy brand like Audio-Technica. We like how subtly and cleverly the brand is used in the Audio 911 commercial. The headphones are perfect as a spoof defibrillator in the E.R., but it’s the music (dubstep to be precise) that is needed to bring Marquese back to life after having “no beat” left in his body. At over 3.5 minutes, this advertisement is meant for the web. There’s a clever introductory plot, but the focus of the video is on Marquese Scott’s dancing, a smart move considering that’s what has made him a success. One YouTube comment sums it up: “Wow, I didn’t even know this was a commercial.”

Dallas ADDYs 2012 – “The Mural”

There was a whole series of ads for this year’s Dallas ADDY awards, each one hilariously “ad obsessed.” It’s not surprising that the advertisements for an ad industry award show were entirely on point, but Dallas outdid themselves. Take a look for yourself at the array of disturbing depictions of our fellow advertising minds here.

We had to narrow it down however and the dad in “The Mural” is just too good … Or too wrong might be more like it. A mom finds her adorable toddler scribbling an interpretive masterpiece on the wall. When daddy comes in the room, we expect him to be peeved about the mess but, while the father is definitely disappointed, he isn’t upset about the wall. He approaches the child seriously, berating his sloppiness and lack of talent at 4 years old. The poor boy loves his daddy but, alas, has no knowledge of print advertising concerns like kerning, ligature, and typeface and so the intensely sarcastic father is sure his son has no future. “Keep it up and you’ll end up a copywriter,” he says. Ouch.

Another gem from the series is “The Sneeze.” It’s a straightforward depiction of a an ad-obsessed woman who desperately needs a tissue (we repeat, desperately) but the only paper she has is a napkin with mock-up notes scribbled all over. She continues to ride the bus, committed as she is, with snot dripping down past her mouth.

Hyundai Azera – “Modern Life”

Hyundai played it pretty low key for the Super Bowl this year. Their Rocky themed ad didn’t receive much attention at all after Chevy, Honda, Kia and Volkswagen pulled out all the stops. This leads us to believe that rather than get lost in the circus of Super Bowl spots, Hyundai waited in the wings for a far less expected Academy Awards debut. They produced a clever and colorful pair of ads for Oscar night that beloved director Wes Anderson shot for the brand. The spots would have been underappreciated by a football audience but they’ve instead been applauded by the film-loving crowd of the Oscars. Both are beautifully shot in the director’s signature style. In “Modern Life,” Anderson’s uses his knack for scenes of perfectly orchestrated chaos to depict a father trying to prepare what looks like a five-course dinner in a house full of rambunctious kids and retro clutter. His wife calmly gives him instructions over the phone whilst a brood of creative children bang drums, slam doors and run around dressed like it’s Halloween. Pan to the serene driveway setting just outside where mom is relaxing in her Azera, pretending to be stuck in traffic as Hyundai muses that they may have made the new car a little too comfortable.

“Talk To My Car” is everything Anderson. We see all of the retro colors, childhood scenery and chopped-up-doll-house camera work for which Anderson is known. Classic imaginary machines like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s flying contraption, an underwater craft that also serves as a nod to Life Aquatic and a Knight Rider knockoff each play a part in this kitschy commercial for Hyundai’s Blue Link technology that allows drivers to live the dream and finally talk to our cars.

Miracle Whip – “The Village”

We think this brand’s self-aware approach to changing consumer opinion is the best way to go. The ad is a literary spoof on the Scarlett Letter, using the well-known fact that Miracle Whip lovers are often forced to be ashamed of their brand loyalty. Miracle Whip is a brand who doesn’t take themselves too seriously. After Stephen Colbert dissed the sweet and tangy mayo alternative, they bought every ad slot during an episode as if to say “We will not be ignored.” In their Oscar ad debut, Miracle Whip urges viewers to “keep an open mouth” but they also spark up the decades old debate over the differences between mayonaisse and Miracle Whip which is just as successful a tactic. So I could sit here and defend Miracle Whip for the ways it pairs with avocado and bologna like no other, but why fight with you, stubborn, judgmental, fatty-mayo-lover … when I could be at lunch?

The Edge: What Makes A Video Viral Part 2

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Seedwell Creative Studio

In our previous installment of The Edge we tackled the question “What Makes a Video Viral?” The first step we took in explaining the elusive “viral factor” was addressing the most common attribute of viral videos: view counts.

It’s useful when quantifying the success of a video’s view count, to do so relative to the rest of the videos on YouTube. Looking at the competitive landscape of video views on YouTube is actually a bit surprising.

A reasonable way to define “viral success” for view counts is similar to how teachers define getting an “A” and that is performing in the top 5% of the class. Guess how many views you need to get to be in the top 5% of YouTube? 10,000. Probably less than you expected, right? Yeah. Kinda makes you feel better about your last cat video …

Most would say that a video with over a million views is without a doubt a viral success, but how common is that? It turns out that only the top 0.3% (take note of that decimal, folks) of total videos uploaded amass over 1 million views. The thing is, these views don’t tell you the whole story of virality.

That is precisely why we urged you to stay tuned for this second installment, so that we could properly explain: There is more to going viral than view counts.

Many people don’t realize that the true glory of the Internet lies in how interactive it is. It’s a better democratic system than our government (God bless America).

Feedback such as ratings, comments and subscriptions from viewers are very important metrics for ranking viral content. Surprisingly, only about 50% of YouTube videos receive any sort of feedback from “the community.” If content is king, then feedback is the kingdom.

(Example of Burger King missing the mark with their audience here in their memorable but not so likable “Wake Up With The King” ads).

Comments and ratings are a direct representation of viewer sentiment. Nothing is easier to interpret than a thumbs-up.

When a video has been viewed, liked and commented upon, well now you’ve got something. In fact, you’ve probably got something worth sharing. This, for us, is where real virality happens.

Viral Video Chart is an esteemed and useful site that tracks … well, you may have guessed … viral videos. The site also happens to rank all uploaded content by the number of shares, not the number of views. Upwards of 300 shares in 24 hours will put a video in the top 100 viral hits of the day.

The site also tracks sharing over time, displaying past and current popularity as well as the number of comments and blog posts the video has acquired. Lots of videos get views, but like we said in the last blog, just because it’s been seen, doesn’t mean it was enjoyed. Sharing is a much more accurate representation of a video’s success.

When the content of the video is funny, true, interesting, likeable, laughable or quotable enough to warrant being shared, it strikes a chord with viewers and you’ve created something that people enjoy. It’s a blessed phenomenon … Have we mentioned we love the Internet?

And apparently we arent’ the only ones. Of AdAge’s top 100 advertisers, 98 have used YouTube as a marketing platform. Why? Because video is the most engaging platform on the web. The ability for viewers to interact with content has given Internet marketing the edge (see what we did there?) over traditional advertising in the last 5 years because unlike commercials, viewers choose to watch and even better, they choose to share.

We want to talk to you! Submit questions for future installments of The Edge at twitter.com/seedwell and let’s chat.

Viral Video Ad Weekly Round-Up: February 20, 2012

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Seedwell Creative Studio

Google – Valentine’s Day Doodle

Google’s animated ads have become increasingly clever and cute over the years. Like the ever-changing Google logo on the search page itself, the “Doodles” are also always related to current events because Doodles like this Valentine’s Day short are a fun way for the search giant to keep current. The little boy in the ad searches online to find gifts for the jump-roping girl he wants to woo, but she turns her nose up at everything he comes up with. Finally he returns with a jump rope of his own and she sees him in a new light. To be even more topical, Google added cute animated couples at the end including a dog and a cat, a cookie and some milk, and a man and man. For the soundtrack, Google used the song “Cold, Cold Heart” by Tony Bennett, an artist whose name was also trending on Valentine’s Day. It was quickly the top trending ad online, garnering over 30,000 shares in 24 hours.

Sharpie – The Wedding

Sharpies are an office staple almost as much as staples themselves. This brand didn’t need to introduce their product or protect its credibility, so instead they chose to use the ad to highlight (no pun intended) the kind of shenanigans that their indelible markers are not intended for. The church full of wedding attendees are all displaying very un-wedding like emotions. The father of the bride is so angry his wife has to hold him back, the bridesmaids are irritated and shaking their heads, the groomsmen are doing a terrible job trying to hold back their laughter and the bride is wringing her fists around the bouquet as she says “I do.” Finally we see the groom, his face covered in Sharpie, the word ‘boobs’ scrawled across his forhead. If this were real life, we all know what would be drawn on his cheek. Drawing on friend’s faces with Sharpies is classic college humor (not recommended for bachelor parties) and a brand that recognizes the sillier side of their product is a brand that people feel good about using. Way to go, Sharpie.

Tiense Suiker – Home Sweet Home

Belgium sugar company Tiense Suiker created this very sweet (the puns are unstoppable today) ad depicting the journey of their sugar cube hero, T-man. A (careless) family out on a holiday ends up leaving many of their picnic supplies behind, including their sugar cubes. Lucky for them, these sugar cubes truly care. They transform into the T-man who hikes across forest, desert and pavement, walking and hitch-hiking until he finally gets sent in a package to his home address. The video is well produced and features beautiful shots of the country and poignant shots of the T-man in his travels. We love how polite he looks while sitting in the passenger seat, hands crossed, listening to the truck driver who picks him up. The upbeat ditty about coffee and tea is also a nice touch that keeps the viewer interested for the full minute and a half and also keeps the ad lighthearted. Sure the sugar would’ve dissolved in the rain he trudged through and sure we wouldn’t want the weathered, dirty T-man to slip back into our box of sugar to drink, but reality checks have never been good for storytelling and ‘Home Sweet Home’ is a great little story.

Ecotricity – Collapsing Cooling Towers

Ecotricity is a British renewable energy company that we wonder how many people had heard of before their ad went viral last week. Their motto, People:Power, encourages consumers to vote with their energy bills. The ad takes the ugly cooling towers of nuclear power plants and makes them into cute, British characters drinking tea and catching some zzz’s. We did wonder why Ecotricity would make the entities we’re meant to hate into adorable cartoons but that didn’t stop the ad from catching more than a million views nor did it stop anyone from getting the very clear message of the ad. The tea and operatic soundtrack do give the impression that the towers are meant to be cute but outdated. By the end of the ad, all of the cooling towers have collapsed and are replaced with the cleaner alternative of wind turbines. The “Big Six” energy companies have a reputation for being involved in ethical violations and an unwillingness to move forward with alternative energy solutions and Ecotricity’s ad is a call to action for the public and their potential customers.

Central Institute of Technology – It’s a Snap!

Henry and Aaron are an Australian comedy duo who have long been working towards notoriety on the web with their funny videos for the last couple of years now. They teamed up with Perth’s Central Institute of Technology to create this ad as spoof on the prototypical university ad. The result is undeniably funny and also more than just a bit disturbing. Aaron uses the “It’s a snap” advertising cliché to transport Henry and himself around campus, showing off CIT’s feature’s and departments until Aaron hits a bit of a snag with his travel technique. The commercial (probably NSFW) has already been featured on popular viral websites like Dooby Brain and Viral Viral Video and it looks like Henry and Aaron might finally get the fame they’ve been joking about dreaming about.

Viral Video Ad Weekly Round-Up: February 13, 2012

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Seedwell Creative Studio

After more than a month of Super Bowl super ad hoopla we are feeling a bit gluttonous and very bloated. A hundred meaningless million-dollar spots and even more meaningless Clint Eastwood controversy? We needed a cleanse. So this week we combed the web for the more cultured side of commercials and we’re quite pleased with what we found.

Field Notes – “Red Blooded”

This web-based ad introduces the tried-and-true Field Notes notebook in its newest color: RED! What would usually be a fairly mundane debut of a new color was made instead into a sweet and genuine love note from Bryan, a Field Notes employee to his wife, Tracie. It’s simply shot and understated, with the camera focused solely on Bryan’s hands and the notebook itself in a medley of incarnations. The creative use of each page is actually an impressive display of Field Notes functionality, while the graphics and décor in the background add cute additional flair. Although we love the ad, we did make sure the Mrs. didn’t see it since Bryan is likely to make us all look like schmucks. Way to go, buddy.

Field Notes: Red Blooded from Coudal Partners on Vimeo.

7 For All Mankind – “Behind James”

We’re going to skip the “Behind James” jokes and instead coin an all new term in honor of this 7 For All Mankind ad teaser: Hipsterdelic. First of all, it’s directed by James Franco yet the actor is in almost every shot. Second of all, it’s non-stop, washed-out, camera-in-the-sunshine shots of frolicking well-dressed models set to an Italian western soundtrack. And finally, it ‘s a denim ad with James Franco. That being said, we think it’s entirely appropriate for the 7 For All Mankind brand which is known for laid-back good taste. The teaser has already generated buzz for the full-length film titled “Episodes of an Untitled Film.”

Kodachrome by Xander Robin

Our world is becoming more digital and more impatient every day. This short documentary, created and directed by Xander Robin, is a very necessary tribute to the life and death of Kodachrome, the first ever color film. Kodak discontinued the film (around the same time you downloaded Instagram) and will now specialize solely in digital printers and digital cameras. To create this poignant eulogy to the iconic color film, Robin uses beautiful Kodachrome shots, a soundtrack of Motown and opera and a very enlightening interview with the owner of Dwayne’s Photo, the last shop committed enough to develop the film.

KODACHROME 2010 from Xander Robin on Vimeo.

Social Media Week – “Future Hipsters”

The best viral advertisements are effective because they’re funny enough to get shared organically and often. We’re definitely glad to see Social Media Week succeed in making a spot clever enough to stir up viral buzz considering the International gathering is all about being savvy. The “Future Hipsters” video uses soft focus and mock interviews with elderly hipsters referencing trends from dubstep to kitty videos and suggesting that the Internet and social media allow us to know the future before it happens. It’s a funny, light-hearted take on where we’re headed culturally. We especially like the old conspiracy theorist insisting that everything that goes viral is rigged. YouTube promoted videos – we’re onto you …

Chipotle – “Back to the Start”

This animated commercial from Chipotle came out late last year but has started trending heavily since the Grammys. We’re impressed by just how effectively the spot uses Coldplay’s title song to depict Chipotle’s farm-raised message and also just how much more we loved it when sung by Willie Nelson. The ad starts with cute little piggies in confinement and uses some jarring, 1984 style imagery on the dark road to industrialist society before one conscientious farmer leads us all back to happy, free-range farm animals. Chipotle is already considered a friendlier brand in contrast to burger chains and Chinese take out. Their clever messages inscribed on take-away packaging and T-shirts are good enough to get customers sporting their schwag and we think this ad will further boost positive brand sentiment.

The Edge: What Makes A Video Viral – February 10, 2012

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Seedwell Creative Studio

Here at Seedwell, we specialize in the production of viral videos. It’s kind of our thing. Typically, the first things that come to mind when people hear the term “viral video” is some amateur uploading rainbows and anthropomorphic cats onto YouTube.

Fair enough. Those certainly count. Videos become viral because they’re what the people like and goshdarnit people love cats.

Seedwell, however, is all about quality productions. Our videos are created, often for a brand, with the intent of going viral and when we discuss our content with peers and potential customers there is always one inevitable question. Everyone is curious: How many views does a video need in order to be considered viral?

“Well, simpleton,” we say, “it’s not just about views.”

Okay, you’re right. We don’t call anyone “simpleton.” I’m just feeling snarky this morning.

It’s true that view counts are the most common measurement of virality. The number of views a video garners is definitely the first sign of how popular it is, but it’s not the only sign. View counts are also not as straightforward as you’d think. There are a few different metrics, layers of sorts, that when combined create the ultimate viral video.

But first, I know you’re concerned about view counts. How many does it take to be viral? A lot of people assume content is viral once it has reached 1 million views. Well, those are definitely viral, but it’s important to think of views within the entire landscape of YouTube.

There is a world of content uploaded to YouTube daily. An average of “48 hours of video a minute, 8 years of content a day” according to the site. Over 50% of YouTube content has less than 500 views. Tons of videos never get more than 100 or more than even 10 views in their little video lifetime.

So a video with a million views is obviously viral, but it’s also only in approximately the top .3% of all content on YouTube. Upwards of a million views is not at all common and it’s also not easy. According to Business Insider, with 10,000 clicks a video has reached the top 5% of YouTube. The crème de la crème of content: 10,000 views.

So the video has some attention. It’s a strong swimmer in the YouTube sea. Now what? You can boast that you’re video racked up 1,000 views, but did anyone enjoy it or find it interesting? Maybe the title was deceptive and viewers clicked because they expected to see Lebron James dunking, not a 14-yr-old dribbling. Maybe they didn’t even stick around for the whole video.

Part 2 of this discussion is where the Internet get interesting: Engagements (as in likes or comments, not marrying bacon) and sharing are both essential aspects of viral content. We’ll continue in our next installment of The Edge on Friday February 24th.

Til next time … Here are 10 of the wierdest TV ads ever: Would these have gone viral???

Viral Video Ad Weekly Round-Up: February 6, 2012

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Seedwell Creative Studio

We woke up this morning to a world without football and, more noticeably, a web without new ad teasers or automobile buzz. Car companies were the biggest winners of Super Bowl 2012, with ads from Honda, Acura, Chrysler, Chevy and Volkswagen ranking highest among game-day and YouTube views alike.
Considering these game day ads cost upwards of $3 million, the automotive industry is either very desperate or doing better at the bank than they’ve led us to believe. Not only did most car companies release ad teasers in advance of the game but Kia, Volkswagen and Honda also released extended, 90-second versions of their game day spots for YouTube. More is more. Afterall, it is the Super Bowl.
Chrysler’s simple, sentimental approach was a stark contrast from the beer-and-chimpanzee spots that prevail throughout half-time. The automaker used black and white still shots of mixed-race America and pans of hard-working Detroit to strike a chord with our pride and patriotism. Clint Eastwood was at the heart of the ad, rallying nationalist optimism for what is apparently America’s “second half.” Eastwood is a guaranteed win for most machismo football fans and while we’re sure there are many viewers who’d rather not be reminded of reality while filling up on salty snacks and terrible pop music at half-time, the ad’s sincerity was more refreshing than Pepsi for sure.

It’s fair to say that starting off last week with Honda’s Ferris Bueller reprise set the bar pretty high. The 5-second teaser for Matthew’s Day Off garnered over 5 million views on its own and was a perfect example of how successful the mini-ads for extended-length ads have been. Honda didn’t even brand the teaser and that bit of mystery effectively lit up the web with curious chatter.
We weren’t amused by the Acura ad featuring Seinfeld and Leno which just seemed like NBC had too many bored celebrities on their hands and Kia’s over-the-top ad was only a smidge of an improvement. The saving grace for their everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach was it’s self-awareness made most obvious by the 5-HOUR TEASER featuring scantily-clad Adriana Lima waving a flag in slow motion. The full-length ad depicted a less-than ingenious dream sequence (rhino excluded) with every simplistic, man-pleasing staple thrown in. For us the winner of Super Bowl 2012 wasn’t the NY Giants, it was the Internet. The ads circulated virally, the half-time circus is already up on YouTube, NBC even gave streaming Super Bowl content a go. Which is why last week’s highlights were web-based viral videos.

Volkswagen’s teaser/extended ad combo was interesting, risky and almost as cute as Honda’s … almost. “The Bark Side” raised our interest in a reprise of last year’s Darth Vader hit from the auto company and it also turned out to be a very necessary tool in tying Volkswagen’s two incongruous commercials together. The Volkswagen Beetle in the Super Bowl spot motivates Bolt the dog to get up off of that thing and get in shape. It’s a classic, cute ad, which happens to be playing in the intergalactic Star Wars Cantina where a motley crew (much preferred to the aged band in Kia’s ad) is watching the game and rating the ads. The dubious Darth Vader looms nearby and doesn’t take kindly to hearing his ad come in second to Bolt the dog. The company took a leap making such a self-aware spot, but it worked in the rankings and also in the push for repeat viewings, if only to better understand the ad.

Old Spice was the funniest, most creative ad in circulation all week. In case you missed it, Wieden+Kennedy ingeniously combined two Proctor & Gamble products into one ad – twice! Terry Crews is back, he smells like power (lol) and he’s selling Old Spice in typically mundane ads for Charmin and Bounce now too! This random and ridiculous ad was by far our favorite from the web this week. Having Old Spice’s Terry Crews crash other, more run-of-the-mill P & G product spots made for an incredibly laughable and quotable advertisement. Old Spice pretty much owns the viral ad market and the added touch from Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show Great Job continues to direct Crews right into hilarity.

Chevy took the importance of virality to heart and created a teaser and web-based ad with the band OK Go in the driver’s seat. OK Go has had huge success releasing quirky music videos on YouTube. The video for their song “Here It Goes Again” had more than 52 million views and was the most favorited music video on the web before it was removed from their site. Chevy capitalized on the band’s specialized web success by letting OK Go create a music video using their car as a myriad of instruments. It’s another fun music video for the band and a fresh form of advertisement for Chevy. Everyone’s a winner.

We also have to give a mention to Denny’s restaurant who opted out of the Super Bowl and went for a cheaper and much more creative route releasing their ad this week on Funnyordie.com. Not only can you find the video on Funny or Die, but the ad is featured in banners and backgrounds of many parts of the popular comedy site run Will Ferrel’s production company. (Side note: Did you know Ferrel did a Super Bowl ad of his own? No? That’s probably because it only played in Nebraska and, even there, nobody drinks Old Milwaukee). The video is a funny spoof on Cesar Milan’s reality series The Dog Whisperer. It features Milan assisting a hungry family terrified of their hot, spitting Denny’s skillet. It’s shot in the overly serious docu-style of the show and Cesar uses the same tips he uses on middle-America’s disobedient pets and even takes the skillet rollerblading “to release some of that pent up energy.” “Is there a chance that the meal just cooled down enough to eat it?” “Not a chance,” says Cesar.
Check out the full spoof at here at funnyordie.com.