This guest post is written by Allan Johnson, Content Strategist at Sharethrough, a native video advertising company. Prior to Allan's time at Sharethrough, he was Director of Custom Content at Universal McCann.
Brand video content is no longer the playground for innovators and early adopters. Brands like GoPro have been built from scratch on video content, while others like Hot Wheels have been revitalized. A President, who made liberal use of video content, has been re-elected, and charities the world over have used poignant videos to activate volunteerism and increase contributions for causes ranging from clean water to marriage equality. As more successes pile up, more brands will produce video content to achieve their marketing goals.
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The Kia Hamsters have come a long way. In a new, epic 1:30, the Hamsters find themselves on stage in an 18th century opera house livening things up. Entitled "Bringing Down the House" and set to "In My Mind" (remixed by Axwell), the hamsters take over an ornate theater with a shocking (to stuffy 18th century, wig wearing patrons) display of modern music, high-energy dance moves, a laser light show and a balcony stage dive that gets the audience on their feet and digging the futuristic vibe.
The commercial will debut in 18,000 movie theaters inside National CineMedia's FirstLook pre-show program on August 31. Television will follow during the MTV Music Awards on September 6.
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It's not easy to envision a brand as having a heart, a soul and a family history that is as near and dear as, perhaps, your own or that of your loved ones but after viewing this Vans film, Since 66, it might be a bit easier. Directed by Eliot Rausch and narrated by Steve Van Doren, the film tells the story of Vans' beginnings and how, over the years the company has affected both the family behind it and the lives of those it has touched.
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Yes. It is that time of year. The time of year when the quintessential sports publication, Sports Illustrated, drops all pretense and gives men what they really want; incredibly hot women dressed in tiny little bikinis.
But we're talking about advertising here, not incredibly hot women in tiny little bikinis so stick with us. Acknowledging men's desire to see as many incredibly hot women in tiny little bikinis as they possibly can, Ford placed an ad for the 2013 Mustang in the Swimsuit issue that showed the vehicle and a bikini-clad model who is only partially shown.
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Well now. Here's a "liquor ad' that takes an unexpected turn. We've seen many alcohol brands - out of public and political pressure, of course - urge people not to abuse alcohol in a way that results in harm to oneself or to others. But we've never seen a brand do it so honestly and abruptly in the middle of a commercial that lulls you into the beauty and elegance of the brand.
The ad calls attention to the fact one in five parents in Sweden drink too much causing their children to suffer, eight out of ten acts of violence in public places are alcohol related and more than 325,000 Swedes are addicted to alcohol. It's just a good thing that the country has rehab centers where alcohol Addicts can get help from when they need it.
And in a twist on it's own tagline, the commercial closes asking, "How smooth is that?"
We love the ads honesty. We love its fearless deliverance of a sales and safety message all in one. We love the blunt, sudden, mid-commercial shift from the sales message to the safety message. And we love the fact it tricked us into thinking Taman was an actual liquor brand.
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Well now. If this doesn't motivate you to get off your fat ass and achieve glory in whatever it is you do, then you're just a hopeless slob. Check out this Nike spot from Argentina which aired last Sunday during Latin America's Copa America. It's called Voice of the Stadium and it was filmed during a practice at Bombonera stadium. The players were caught by surprise. Brilliant. Cannes Lion?
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T-Mobile makes another cultural coup with its ongoing and highly social "Life is for sharing" campaign. On May 11 in Barcelona, the firm set up a huge live Angry Birds installment inviting people to play.
A few curious stragglers were drawn to a booth, where they found a smartphone with Angry Birds loaded. They'd casually draw the slingshot back (the birth of an addiction) -- and find to their surprise that the result was replicated in real life. It goes without saying that a crowd formed fast.
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You can just feel Michael Bay pumping his fist in the background of this movie trailer-esque video for former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty as it crescendos with patriotic bravado and pulls at the heartstrings. No matter your political beliefs, if you aren't at least moved in some way by this commercial then you are beyond jaded and there isn't much hope for you.
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In what some would consider to be cinematic excellence, director John Cameron Mitchell orchestrates an eight minute film for Christian Dior's Lady Dior during which Marion Cotillard offers inspiration to a crippled Ian McKellen and an artistically stifled painter, Russell Tovey. It's quite touching actually.
The film, called Lady Grey London, has Cotillard performing in front of a spellbound audience and driving men mad with desire. She invites one of her onlookers, a wheelchair-bound Ian McKellen to her dressing room where she works magic on his legs. She then visits the painter and imbues him with intense creativity. Both McKellen and the painter reap the benefits of Cotillard's touch.
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If you haven't seen it, you simply must. It's one of the best commercials we've seen in a long time. Although, because it is so funny, we had to watch it a couple times before we knew which brand was behind it. In the commercial (for Logitech), Kevin Bacon plays his biggest fan. And he nails it. Perfectly. As in fall over laughing perfect.
Created by Goodby Silverstein & Partners, the commercial has Bacon obsessing over himself amidst a room full of Kevin Bacon paraphernalia anf, of course, a collection of Bacon's best works on the Logitech box. And let's not forget Bacon's hairstyles throughout the decades.
Absolutely brilliant work. But the :30 is way better than the :60
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