Mike Insley Creative Advertising Applied Technology Applied Research and Assignment 2 8/2/8

1. Mike Insley • Creative Advertising • Applied Technology • Applied Research and Assignment 2 • 8/2/8 • Branded websites vs Virals

2. Introduction Pretty much every large brand these days will have a website, and it is becoming more and more common for these websites to carry on a campaign that integrates through the media from television, print, ambient media solutions, and most prominently through the internet. These through the line campaigns, although growing in demand all the time and affecting the way advertising is being executed, may not be the most effective advertising solutions as they stand. Although the importance of the internet has never been so strong, in this time of massive change for advertisng it is very apparent that it has still not fully found it’s feet. I wish to look through some recent campaigns to show how the internet is both succeeding well in some areas of advertising but also falling very short in others.

3. Guinness • Guinness Tipping Point ad: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HERW6QHQHdc • It’s a shame that Guinness have this as their big campaign of the moment. It seems to have nothing to do with the feeling of the traditional Guinness brand, and follows only the slightest connection with the recent campaign. Although nice to look at and with amazing production values, it seems to have forgotten all that Guinness was previously about [the wait for the perfect pint, Ireland and its monochrome aesthetics] it’s now according to it’s website all based around a man in South America! What is more the website seems to be completely pointless. I cannot really see the appeal of searching for missing clues in a South American Guinness world. A loss of attention straight away… • www.guinness.com

4. Toyota • Even though this website has quite a fun game featured on it, it may not be the right application for it’s target market of car buyers, it might be that kids are more suited to interactive branding. Another problem is what if you don’t have the required plug-ins. Small things like it not working will limit your enjoyment of the site. It is also conceivable that the people looking at the site are maybe more interested in stats about the car! • Toyota game: • http://www.mofunzone.com/online_games/toyota_corolla_joy_ride.shtml

5. Lynx • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suZZiXU9Z98 • The dark temptation advert is strong but overall the integrated campaign again doesn’t give any more substance to the campaign ideas. The ‘chatting up girls’ videos are quite fun but would maybe work better as a viral to be sent around to all your friends via youtube, facebook or any of the other popular social networking applications. • Lynx Dark Temptation ad: • http://www.lynxeffect.com/

6. Viral advertising • It seems that maybe the use of the compulsory use of the internet is maybe best suited to going another direction – that of viral advertising! • Why virals work: • http://www.rebelvirals.com/viralexplained.php

7. Sony Bravia • A good example of using the internet through a campaign is shown in the Sony Bravia adverts series ‘Colour like no other’. • Bravia Bouncing Balls ad: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bb8P7dfjVw&feature=related • Bravia Paint Explosion ad: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GURvHJNmGrc • Bravia Play Doh ad: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLUAbkRUvVQ&feature=related

8. Not only are these adverts hugely popular with their strong visuals and soundtracks, but also through the leaking of footage on location shoots, the real life hype that surrounded the filming of the commercials began to generate immense interest. • Bravia Paint ad making of footage: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WP7okEAgf-w&feature=related • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1D6Ju2TdZM&feature=related • Pictures on flickr: • http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=bravia%20glasgow • From the Blog coolz0r: • http://blog.coolz0r.com/2006/07/29/whoah-bravia/

9. Spoof Adverts • This natural public interest and discussion through the internet also meant that spoof adverts started being generated and distributed on Youtube, as well as emulated in the mainstream [Tango; ‘Refreshment Like No Other’]. Imitation is, after all, the sincerest form of flattery. That being said, the soundtrack is recycled from an Imac advert in 1999. • Spoof after ‘Paint Explosion’ ad by www.rebelvirals.com: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC65uIu0j-Y • Refreshment Like No Other - you know when you've been tango'd: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjHzS_twDVY • Imac’s Think Different • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcBpXYI1r3Q

10. By the third ad in the series Fallon had really taken this public interest idea on board and were using the making of the ad as a selling point from the outset shooting. Many others have since followed documenting the filming process. • First post blog article showing the making of Play Doh article: • http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/?storyID=9115

11. The mass acceptance and instant approval of the spoof advert in all its simplicity has found its way through many advertising campaigns. • Youtube is saturated with every sort of reworking or tribute acts to pretty much every successful commercial every aired. This is highlighted very well technically in the starwars spoofs. Here the reworking of existing footage and or soundtrack is the key to the fun. This, sometimes self-parody [as in the citroen ad], or simple highlighting of an original idea [Cadbury’s Gorrilla] is key to a good viral. • Darth Vaders hidden talent: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3_r86xDy-k • Glass and a Half of Joy: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy52yueBX_s • Ass and a Half: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUnIvwyrfLg • Citroen 2cv Spoof: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIdDZSo-n5s

12. Sony Playstation • This viral assault was exceptionally well done with the playstation’s series of wildlife styled ads where a tried and tested format is borrowed for the ridiculous. • Playstation: Golfers and Pornstars: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scICOe1nRkE • Playstation: Boyband Fans and Mascots: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUox0OXS6mU • Playstation: Ventrilquists and Athletes: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihFBtdeB4fE

13. Nike • Nike Run London: • http://www.runlondon.com • Contrary to most brand websites this integrated campaign has a genuine purpose, in this case an event. This means that the website works for the advert completely and serves an important role, rather than being there simply for the sake of being a brand site.

14. Conclusion • It seems that a website only really works when it fulfills it’s role giving genuine and relevant information on a product. So far any extra advertising time and media spent on developing games etc in intricate and complex websites might be considered misplaced. While user generated content is all well and good [see Lynx uploads] Youtube is a much more effective way of viewing, distributing, and sourcing this material, whilst facebook spreads the word – as it were.

15. Overall the subtlety of virals means you are entertained first and foremost. The viral ad gains your respect and this in turn lends it credibility, creating an interest in the product that increases the desire to be associated with it further. • Quiksilver Bomb Surf: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhFCJ2W3e-E • I feel that the internet, and the website in particular, is presently a tool that is best used simply in providing information on products, rather than as a selling device. Time and money spent designing and pushing over-complicated websites is, in my opinion, the wrong way to go. Virals on the contrary seem to be a more complete medium to advertise - utilizing the networking capabilities of the net and spreading the word best.

16. Finally • I’d like to finish with one of the most memorable and influential adverts around from the viral genre. Here creative Paul Silburn [at Leo Burnnett] and director Daniel Kleinman demonstrate the formula perfectly to sell and entertain simultaneously. Enjoy. • John West Salmon: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FARnbRBWKGg