Yes, this IS a real commercial!
This is a very long form commercial at 3:05. The “performance” itself is unique and incredibly impressive in terms of what it must have taken to stage this event. The sponsoring company is not revealed until the end. I doubt this could air in the U.S., given our high rates for commercial air time. But as a YouTube video, it could score a lot of hits. We shall see. Any thoughts?
How Interactive Media Can Scramble Your Brain
This link takes you to an article from “Strategy + Business” about the mental hazards of multimedia. The article references research by one of my most influential scholars, Stanford’s Clifford Nass. This a good and insightful read. Enjoy.
Christopher Walken’s silent side
This link will take you to a series of spots for a clothing company in which Walken portrays a kind of magical-mystical tailor-designer. There are cgi effects to account for his super powers. A most remarkable features of these commercials is that Walken speaks not one word of dialog! The psychological impact of not using what is arguably one of the most distinctive voices in the TV-film acting world creates a special kind of weirdness that true Walken fans (like myself) can only marvel at.
Gold Lion commercial at Cannes
This video is about one of the most innovative marketing approaches I have ever seen, in terms of marketing to poor people (who, after all, outnumber the rest of us by quite a bit). Have a look and tell me if you don’t think is one of the greatest ideas in many a year! Clearly, this is a case where human behavior and media have intersected in a very positive way.
Media and the mind make a very interesting connection in this Wimp.com video piece. I watch in awe and wonder how this gentleman’s brain is wired, that he is able to do what he does. Watch for yourself. Comments appreciated.
This video was brought to my attention by one of my colleagues. It’s about a group of entertainers who call themselves “Shadowland” for what you will see are very obvious reasons. In a world where it seems we obsess about more of everything, this wonderful group shows us that two dimensions can be more creative than three, that black and white can be more moving than color. Enjoy: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=355595084541603&set=vb.139641396188202&type=2&theater
Compassion for the rapists in Ohio. No mention of what the poor young woman went through. What in the heck is WRONG with these idiots? What do you think?
For over 30 years now I’ve been hearing what seems to be a never-ending debate between “suits” of the research orientation and creatives about how advertising should be done. Creatives always complain that research has a tendency to kill great advertising. Research people point to case after case of bad creative that would never have run if people listened to what the research was telling them. The latest input comes from Adam Kleinberg at Ad Age. Here’s the link:
So, where are we today? Is “big data” going to be the savior that many claim? Will good creative go the way of the Dodo? I’ve seen this play out so many times that I find myself with a foot in each camp. But when push comes to shove, and you have to make a decision, I think you have to trust your gut. It’s a little like the other big question in business, the ongoing conflict between marketing and finance. I once wrote a biography about a self-made multimillionaire who told me his motto was “No guts, no glory.” Finance tends to be risk-averse (like research) while marketing wants to take risks (like creatives). He’d built seven successful companies by taking risks more often than playing it safe.
So today’s Adweek online had a piece on Google Glass, including a short video that’s well worth watching (http://bit.ly/11W14J8) and here’s the thing: Glass is not fully autonomous–it’s a wireless add-on to your smart phone. It relies on your GPS chip and processor and navigation to do what it does. And, of course, you have to wear it, like a pair of glasses. Read the article, check out the video and tell me: Do you think this will really be the next big ad medium?
mediainmind 