Once upon a time we noted ad people would rather shoot movies than make boring ads. To illustrate this desperation we get tons of contrived holiday videos. But considering adland’s love of video production in general, you’d think more artists would be thinking, “By gad. I’ll get Ogilvy to position my bikini-clad models!”
Well, U2 did. Nix the bikini model part. For “Window in the Sky” they tapped Modernista, the only agency we know that self-promotes to an audience that perhaps prefers to remain unawares about agencies lurking behind brands. The resulting video is gorgeosity and includes multiple musical influences, icons and audiences.
There are people who don’t think a patchwork quilt of great artists or works is creative but there’s something to be said about this “tribute to the organism [music]” as one Youtube watcher puts it. Who doesn’t appropriate from others to create a unique picture? And where else would you see Sinatra, Elvis, Radiohead and Jay-Z singing to the same tune? There’s poignance in unnatural unity.
Better still, M! demonstrates some talent and a smidgen of class by doing the video in-house, with director Gary Koepke.
