Category Archives: Advertising

Come out like a Top Gun

Posted on February 18, 2012 | Leave a comment

I just watched this video below (don’t ask why) and something hit me about the structure of both music and video. They both go full throttle, travelling hell for leather. In the very first scene, a jet fighter takes off. We know this will be full on airforce porn. Secondly, Kenny Loggins’ song is breaking every speed limit to get to its chorus (0:29), which is pretty catchy and very repetitive.

Now here is my point: most YouTube pre-roll ads are unaltered television edits, and do the opposite. They build up slowly, and reveal the product after 0:05 – 0:10 at the earliest. The problem in this environment is, every user can skip an ad after 0:05.

Lesson for videos on online pre-roll? Better come out all guns blazing, like Maverick and Iceman. Edit the story so that the first scene  gives viewers a jolt, by being funny, emotional, mysterious, suspenseful or shocking. And in under 5 seconds, make clear what this is all about. Or you risk that the whole ad gets fatally ejected like Goose.

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Posted in Advertising, user generated content, Video

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20 Creative Agency Planets in Sydney

Posted on February 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

Whenever you bump into an old colleague (now working at a competitor agency), you might go: ‘Hey, what a small world!’.
That’s what we think as well and were therefore inspired to create these 20 small agency planets.

A big help was Ryan Alexander‘s web app ‘Street View Stereographic’. It creates a “little planet” using photos from any Google Street View. Simply type in the geographic location in the search bar. As we did in the below for our own ‘little’ agency Publicis Mojo.

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So you think you know the agency scene in Sydney? Not like this you don’t. Try to recognise as many of these 20 creative agencies’ neighbourhoods and buildings. Write them with their # into the comments section and be recognised as a real connoisseur of our small agency world.

#1

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#2

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#3

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#4

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#5 (it is around the corner – no Streetview exists)

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#6

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#7

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#8

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#9

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#10

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#11

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#12

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#13

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#14

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#15

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#16

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#17

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#18

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#19

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#20

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Original link via Design Taxi

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Posted in Advertising, design, Locative Media, user generated content

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Add a motor to it – on YouTube

Posted on February 8, 2012 | Leave a comment

I spent an interesting lunch at the IAB Creative Showcase where the last quarter’s winners explained their work. For me The Monkeys ‘Put a Motor To It’ for coffe milk drink ‘Ice Break’ stood out. The campaign documented people adding engines to all kinds of unusual devices – think ‘Top Gear’ meets ‘Mythbusters’. Here is the Ice Break YT channel and below is the campaign’s case study:

As Ben Cooper from The Monkeys explained, the staggered release of videos over 7 weeks allowed the agency (to a small degree) to creatively react to the audience’s viewing behaviour and also integrate fans into the edits. Professional seeding, careful uploading (naming, descriptions, inter linking, meta data etc) and special attention to the inner circle of brand adorers/ambassadors were key. Paid media (e.g. featured video on YouTube’s homepage) actually kicked in only later and formed a second stage.
Other experts like Josh Spears of Undercurrent favour an immediate release of all material. After all, the user doesn’t ‘have all minute’ and probably won’t return to your channel anyway.

In any case, The Monkeys definitely succeeded in bringing a brand that previously aired the same TVC for 9 years in a row to take a leap into the wild world of online video and content.

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Posted in Advertising, Social Media, Strategy, Video

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Old Spice reveal: Fabio challenges Isaiah

Posted on July 26, 2011 | 1 Comment

It seems like I and a lot of other interweb folk have been truly had – see my last post. In a very clever way W+K and Old Spice are pulling our leg: Fabio, the usurper of the scented throne has been copying the famous Responses with mixed results. But now is throwing down the gauntlet, challenging Mustafah to step up.

Respect to the creatives for reinventing the game and playing with social media in a new way. Because naturally Mustafah accepted the challenge and there will be a showdown.

As you can see from the Mexican wrestling-style announcement, it will be hand to hand combat in the bath (mano a mano in el bano). I am expecting a duel of wits, long flowing hair versus presidential abdomen, taking place in the ‘Internet Arena‘.  It is about to go down in a good 7 hours (high noon EST in the US). Now ask yourself, who do you want to win ?

Addition:
The rules of this video combat are easy. Go here and by watching, sharing, commenting and tweeting the support-video of either camp you contribute to the outcome. My choice is the incumbent, no surprise there.

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Posted in Advertising, Social Media, Strategy, Video

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