Curated by Stuart Fogarty stuart@admaticallycom for AFAO'Meara Advertising, Streamabout The Video Agency and Admatic Ireland.
All comments will be posted - promise!
Whilst this link shows 162m views, I've seen the video reposted on YouTube so many times with one repost receiving over 20 million alone. It just shows too, the style of video people want, to be entertained and that applies equally, to brands. Tell them a story and brighten the day. It also shows what can be achieved. There's no media budget that can achieve 200 million views. None. Except online digital video.
You may or may not, like Walmart. But you'll find it hard not to like them when you see this online video. Because it's storytelling - the best way to use digital video - and because it's real. Nobody is trying to sell you anything here except to feel good. About jobs. About American products. About Walmart. People might say that it's using people with Special Needs to promote Walmart. Exploiting them. We have Special Needs in our family and I can assure you it's the opposite - people want their voices heard and for so, so long we refused to use them in Advertising. Now we can and now they can be heard with online digital video. Good on you Walmart. And with 1.3 million views already, you're going viral which you could never do on TV. Deservedly.
What is The Suzuki Jimny pulling? This was posted 2 days ago and nearly a million views. Which just shows ya, the power of online video! (Hard to beat with an Advertising campaign, isn't it?)
Heineken have a large sign, like a 48 sheet poster, at JFK Airport, Terminal 9, that asks people who are travelling (passengers who have come through security on their way to the departure gate), to 'Drop everything, push the button'.
When they do, they're faced with a roulette of many destinations where they're sent to. But you have to be ready to commit, drop your existing travel plans and go there and then to wherever Heineken sends you. One guy got sent to Alaska. Interestingly, most refuse to push the button. It's creating a stir because of the audacity of it and in some cases, given the needs for Visas, that it has all "been staged". But it's bringing huge PR gains. The idea however, behind the stunt, is YouTube. Once you decide to push the button, your trip is filmed all the way for a video series on YouTube, which is where the real audience is. It shows the power of video online so much so, that Heineken would design an elaborate stunt such as this, just to get good watchable video. Or more importantly, good viral video. Much like Pepsi have done recently, to encourage 'home made' prank video. The cost of this Heineken promotion is huge and will be extended to other airports. They understand though, that it has huge video potential and consequently, it's worth it. Online video is huge and getting bigger. But to stand out, you need video that's watchable, shareable and it starts with a stunt like this.
Really lovely piece of work from Honda. "Let's see what curiosity can do" is an online video rather than a TV commercial per se and shows the heritage of Honda starting with The Honda 50. It's a lovely piece of work given the massive difficulties this type of transitional video causes. It is tricky in the extreme. It comes as no surprise to me that it was produced by Wieden + Kennedy London http://wklondon.com/work having produced the original "domino" Honda commercial. I was going to say that they're a traditional Advertising Agency but of course, they're not. They're a creative Agency which understand that good work is good work no matter where it is.
They also created the incredible Honda "grrr" idea which you can see on the link below.
"Hate something, change something, make something better....." Inspired voice over/singer choice by American writer, Garrison Keillor ('Lake Wobegon Days' etc). http://wklondon.com/work/view/honda_grrr#!prettyPhoto. Inspired copywriting too. Ridiculously good. Nevermind their work on Nike, Tesco and others. What makes this great though is its simplicity. Honda have a story to tell about where they've come from and where they're going and this tells that story in a visually interesting and entertaining way. Magnificent really.
Super Commercial/Viral Video for Turkish Airlines which has just passed over 110 million views and quickly. Actually faster than 'Gangnam Style'. Kobe Byrant (he's a Basketballer of some note) Versus Lionel Messi (he's a footballer seemingly) vie for the attention of a kid on board. But the key here was by using such well known celebs, piggybacked their own following and so the Video immediately had traction amongst fans. And critically, it was shared because of who they are. Having said that, the spot is clever in itself and a good use of the talents on board. Unusually too for Turkish Airlines, not known for strong creative. Developed too, by a local Turkish Agency and local creatives, it shows Turkish airlines as a comfortable way to go - and celebrity endorsement does no harm. Lovely idea and yes, the talent fees would be high but the shoot itself doesn't have a real expensive look about it. Still, if both players got a million each to appear and it has reached over 110 million people, that represents cracking good value. In fact, at 5 million each, it still does. Celebrity can be worth it.
As we come to Christmas, I'll take a Blog Break until January 2 full time but a few posts in between. As you might know, I blog every day but I need a hollier (!) But firstly thank you very much for reading this Blog. I enjoy doing it but without a reader....I wouldn't. It'd be like talking to yourself. So genuinely, thank you very much.
And this is the viral of the minute which thanks to Mashable, is doing the rounds. And rightly so, it's a beautiful piece of work. Stunning.
Called "what brought us together" it's a wrap-up of 2012 - Hurricane Sandy, Kony, Sopa, Costa Concordia, Felix's jump, Gangnam style, Whitney, Mars Landing, Olympics and the tragedy of Amanda Todd. Tragedy isn't a big enough word for Connecticut's children.
Look after yourself.
Have a cheerful, peaceful Christmas. And think about those who don't because of war or money.
And if you pass them on the street, say hello, don't walk by. We're all in this world together.
