Here Be Monsters|blog

Today's lovely idea

Again simplicity itself

Best fashion ads, ever, dah-ling

To be honest, even though I am of course a most stylish of individuals, elegantly attired at all times - Today I am writing in an emerald green smoking jacket and velvet slippers - I do find the whole world of fashion a little too up it's own arse.

And then I saw this, fun, stylish and rather wonderful ad campaign for Mulberry. 

As the great Stefan G Bucher so rightly pointed out to, the more hidden the monsters the better, the less you see of them, the more personality they seem to have.

You can see the rest of the ads in the campaign and read about how they took the look through to the catwalk during LDN  fashion week here at the Stylist.

Mawh mawh. Air kissy kissy.

More retail wonderfulness

A lovely execution of a famililar idea.

Korean Emart recently placed 3D QR code sculptures throughout the city of Seoul that could only be scanned between noon and 1 pm each day — consumers who succeeded were rewarded with discounts at the store during those quiet shopping hours.

Dubbed “Sunny Sale,” Emart’s effort involved setting up a series of what it calls “shadow” QR codes that depend on peak sunlight for proper viewing and were scannable only between 12 and 1 pm each day.

The video below explains all this in more detail in a frankly, pretty chee-zee way, pity.

Wonderfulness

A live feed of geo-tagged instagrams from major cities arund the world as they're posted.

This for me is what the web is all about. Sure brands need sites and the like, but if you're really serious about increasing your web footprint then you could do better than to work with these guys. Perfect for an drinks co, make up brand,  or any number of way more inventive associations.  Enjoy the site here

 

Who'd of thought, weapons and data are cool

 

Pity it's for weapons. But this site is really cool, just goes to show presenting data doesn't have to be dull

Brilliance

A great piece of work thanks to LV of all brands

A cracking ad

You're in for a treat. A smartly written, brilliantly acted ads. Why oh why can't we Brits do work like this?

But wait, what do we have here? The same ad edited by a fucking moron.

And the rest of the campaign is nowhere near as good either.

Utter brilliance or am I giving them just too much credit?

I like the Ikea cat commercial from Mother. Personally I think It's a long awaited return to form for them, having got fat and lazy and rested on their laurels for too long.

And then today I got to see this. Okay it's patchy, in part, very funny, but then loses it's way at the end,but hey-ho, let's give credit where credits due.

Anyway I'm really hoping that this is from them as they try and get a Downfall Rant style consumer campaign going. If that is the case then this is probably the best work they've done in years. A really smart approach to consumer generated content. And idea for the Ikea brand

Does anyone know if that is the case, I'd love to know the truth. Although long may it continue

Thanks to Tony Snow for the nod.

2 well crafted commercials

While the pay off is perhaps obvious. The bumper -the line after the joke that's there to get the big laugh - works really well. Nice performances too.

Then there's this one. I thought this worth commenting on for the quality of the writing and the fact that they've made the assumption that the viewer will get what's going on without any heavy explanation - we're made to discover at the same time as the guy at the bar does. (That said, the strapline so doesn't work.)

Some of the best writing in an ad - ever

I promise you that is not an exaggeration. 'His personality is so magnetic he can't carry credit cards' - quality. This is a compilation of the campaign. Enjoy. Apologies about the cropping - probably best viewed here.

Smart example of transmedia storytelling

Regular readers of the blog will know that I'm a big fan of transmedia storytelling as one of the ways forward for brands to engage more with their audience.  So of course I was going to like the idea that Coronation Street actors will be appearing on Jeremy Kyle tomorrow. I think it's inspired. Congrats to whoever came up with the idea.

if you were to advertise travel

I think this film does a wonderful job explaining the rewards of travel. Beautiful in lots of way, by mainly for it's heart.

If only all ads were this good

One of the reasons I'm bored with most ads is because they're just not very good.

And then something comes along and changes all that. This is one such ad.

Are these some of the smartest Ads ever?

I thought these were very smart. Very smart indeed.

Major props to BBH

You gotta hand it to them, when it comes to grown up quality TV commercials, BBH are in a league of their own. Enjoy this 6min film for Johnnie Walker.

Thanks to a Faris tweet for the nod.

Gotta love VCCP

It's one of those campaigns people either love or hate, but everyone's noticed regardless. It's also become part of the wider culture. Why? Well apart from the freshness and attention to detail and downright lunacy of the idea they've also added some smart touches to give the campaign some more depth.

Stuff like showing bloopers and getting Aleksandr, the main character/spokesman, interviewed by the press.

Long may it continue. Big props to Compare the Market too.

You can see the ads here, naturally.

A slightly interesting aside are these ads, alongside the bloopers. Pity they didn't make them smart. Competitive business, insurance comparison.

Great tone of voice for a charity ad

So, nice to see a charity doing something a little different. No less effective for it in my book. I find a real energy in the piece too.

Unfortunately, no idea who did it either. Sorry

Where Madison meets Vine

I've been aware for a while now, about this trend appearing. The Americans have a name for it,of sorts, Madison and Vine, it's the combination of advertising and entertainment. And the rightly awarded and previously commented on here back in January, The Queensland Best Job in the World campaign is the latest example.

This Thursday at 9pm the BBC are showing an hour long programme covering the final round of the competition, when an English lad called Ben is selected from the final 16.

Currently, I haven't been able to find out much behind the production company behind it, but if this wasn't conceived and made by, or at the very least pitched to production companies by CumminsNitro then it bloody well should have been.

Either way, a smart conclusion to a smart campaign.

With TV desperate for content this is definitely a trend that is going to go from strength to strength and yet another example of the return to a pre50's ad/comms model.

It's the long cuddle of the law

I like this, it's a little whimsical and odd, but why not. I like the fact that I don't know if it's an 'offical' ad or some quirky personal film. Either way I think it approaches the subject matter in a very fresh way - which is always a good thing. I also love the fact that it gets the message across very clearly without using words.

Many things of beauty

Jessica Hische is a designer, illustrator and typographer from Brooklyn, she's also very talented. enjoy.

 

New ads coming your way #6

This is just one of those lovingly executed ideas that is so going to have it's heart ripped out and end up in an ad. My money is on mobile communications, or maybe a broadband offering, but don't be surprised if you see a car logo or the COI dangling from the end of it.

wii/google mash up

I guess in someways this is a pointless/useless post. (It's amazing what spending a week in the company of a 6 year old will do to your brain. - it being Easter hols here in London and all).

Anyway, the picture is of a wii and google's street view mashup. The deal is, you go jogging on the wii via a road route shown through street view. The best of both worlds.

The pointlessness being that it's only available in Japan - and I have no idea where I found this out. Sorry.

But what I will say, is that I get as excited about stuff like this as I use to get about the latest Cunningham ad.

Another lovely idea

 

I love this. It doesn't try too hard, it doesn't scream seasonal promotion, it just quietly and simply goes about connecting the product with its audience in a relevant way and trusts their audience to spread the word.

Grown up comms

This is a lovely site from honda. Currently it holds 3 films, my favourite being mobility 2088. There's much I like about them, not least the fact that I feel better of the company than I did previewing. It's intelligent communications and a perfect example of where the net and film can work well together.

Are advertising creatives just not good enough?

When was the last time you saw a genuinely funny ad? Not an ad that was funny, but 30 seconds of something genuinely funny, as funny, say, as 30 seconds of Bill Bailey, Peter Kay, Seinfeld, or The Simpsons?

Can’t think of one? Me neither.

When did you last see an ad so emotional, or so poignant, or so honest that it moved you to tears? Okay, I’ll settle for, a smallish lump in your throat, when was the last time you saw an ad that did that? Never, of course because they don’t exist either.

What about a commercial with the drama, tension, visual brilliance, narrative drive, dramatic structure, or precise characterisation to rival Citizen Kane, The Insider, Toy Story (take your pick, 1 or 2), A Clockwork Orange, The Sopranos, The Wire, or The West Wing?

So what about copy then? Have you ever read a piece of copy that was as insightful, as wise, as illuminating or as revealing of the human condition as something written by McEwan, Roth, Heller, Steinbeck, Orwell or Hemingway?

As for radio, I think it’s best we past over the shameful content that clutters up the airwaves in the name of advertising and not even bother insulting Radio4’s understanding of the medium, by mentioning them in the same breath. (Damn, I just did.)

“Stop being stupid!” one or two of you might now be shouting. “What good is making the comparison between 30 seconds of film and 90mintes? 500 words and a 400-page novel?

Well, consider these.

“Go ahead make my day.”

“You can’t handle the truth.”

“Frankly my dear I don’t give a damn.”

“How am I funny?”

“I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

“You talkin’ to me?”

“I steal your milkshake.”

Each one a single line, delivered once, taking up seconds of the film and yet remembered forever.

Likewise, these scenes appear briefly and yet leave a lasting impression on the viewer.

And for those creatives who are screaming, “But that’s not our job! That’s not what we do!”  I say bollocks. That’s exactly what you try and do. You just fail at it. Time and time again.

You write funny sketches and call them commercials, but they’re not funny. Not properly funny.

You raise contributions for worthy charities with heartrendingly painful stories of abuse, neglect, natural disasters but you tell them badly.

You deal with death, birth, love – every aspect of life and yet you fail to connect and move your audiences.

While those remaining creatives stamping your feet as you bellow, ‘It’s not us, it’s the client’s fault!’

Novelist have publishers, Comedy programmes have commissioning editors. Filmmakers have producers, financiers and studios. Comedians have a live audience – They all have clients, and yet.

Yes, it’s only 30seconds. Yes, it’s only a single page of copy.  Yes, we have to sell a product. Yes, the client can sometimes be stupid. You’re absolutely right; they’re all legitimate obstacles.  What they’re not is a legitimate excuse for a lack of talent or plain laziness.
So why is this well-paid industry of hard working, passionate and smart people so…. so average?

I was once asked, ‘Am I in love with the idea of me being inside of art, or the art inside of me?’

Not much of an option, right? But I believe most, if not all ad creatives fall into the former.

They want to do something creative, they want to create something good, but they don’t really have the passion to create something great and so know they will starve. So they turn to the ad industry, the perfect home for the poor writer and the less courageous artist.

Because there’s a lower bar in town where they can become good, maybe even great ad creatives.

Am I being unnecessarily harsh?

I don’t think so. I’ve worked in some of the best creative departments in town and seldom did I find people who grafted at the craft aspect of their job.

They worked hard don’t get me wrong and they were passionate about doing ads, but they had very little interest in the real craft that underpins our work.

It normally extended no further than pouring over other ads, going to see the latest ‘hip’ film, visiting a gallery opening (only if free wine was promised) or just sitting with the art buyer/TV producer and asking to see who was the hottest photographer/director this month.

I can’t once remembering anyone studying their craft.

Take copy, most copywriters today have never written anything longer than a txt msg and have no interest in ridding themselves of this ignorance. Writing copy is viewed by and large as a punishment and a chore. No pleasure is gained from developing a well-crafted turn of phrase, the creation of an authentic voice or a well-thought out argument.

But for the novelist that is the job.

Take TV ad scripts, they are written once, twice, three times at most and nearly always begrudgingly by two people with no interest in character or structure or dialogue, beyond a belief that they’ll know when it’s right.

Now, look at how scripts are approached. Before they’re even written, characters are given extensive back-stories. Interestingly the only creative I know how did this was John Webster.

And screenplays aren’t just written; they’re rewritten - going through many drafts with numerous writers. Sometimes they’re then given to script doctors to polish, writers who will work to a tight brief  - make it funnier, make character X more believable, add more suspense, tighten the structure etc.

And yes, too many cooks can spoil the broth, but only if there’s no one present able to control them. The bigger point is that these are writers who love the craft of writing.

The emergence in recent years in the quality of US TV has in part been created by writers surrounding themselves with better writers, playing to each other’s strengths and sharing ownership.

When was the last time, a creative director took work away from the team who created it and gave it to a better art director to design it?

And why not?  Just because you are gifted with a rich imagination and are able to make fresh connections that then appear blindingly obvious to others when presented to them, it is no guarantee you can string a cohesive argument together, especially when you don’t really see it as an important part of your job.

Instead adland has created the notion, you create it, you own it, from start to finish. Maybe this made sense when writers saw agencies as a day job to finance the early drafts of their novel. Or when art directors saw advertising as a means to getting on a film set.

But today’s advertising creatives are exactly what they want to be - ad creatives. People with such a myopic view that they truly believe the worst crime in their world is copying another ad regardless of whether or not it was done 30 years ago on another Continent, yet think nothing of stealing wholesale from a photographer, film maker, artist they saw the other weekend.

I leave the last words to my personal favourite ad man, Howard Luck Gossage.

“How often so you have to read a book, a news story, or see a movie or play? If it’s interesting, once is not enough; if it is dull, once is plenty”

What a great way to measure our work, but no, instead we substitute the truly memorable for heavy repetition, making it impossible to avoid our work.

And we have invented a new standard where we caveat everything with, for an ad.
It’s funny, for an ad.  It’s well written, for an ad. It’s hard hitting, for an ad.

For an ad is our universal get out clause for simply not being good enough. And we’re no longer fooling anyone.

Callling all students

Love it, well-written, nicely performed and with a great energy about it.

Did leave me wondering where that talent goes when they work for their clients, though. Perhaps that's a little mean.

Congratulations Saatchis, and of course you Mr Senior, for having the balls to take the piss out of yourself.