Advertising - 2010: Tippex YouTube Sensation

I was casually checking my Friday email's last week and regularly scroll through FHM's Weekly email. Most of the time the links are average, but every now and then, there is a gem. It's been a while since an advertising campaign has caught my eye like this, but when I saw "NSFW. A hunter shoots a bear!" I was intrigued to say the least. On the whole, if videos make it on YouTube, then they are bound to be funny, rather than gory, so another reason to click.



Watch the advertisement below and see just how shocking this video is!



Well, I bet you weren't expecting that! I can tell you I wasn't. On a Cross-Platform Group Project at Bournemouth University, a group of friends and I developed a very similar concept called iDunno.co.uk, for children, and not too dissimilar to Microsoft's Miss Dewey. Miss Dewey has been discontinued, but was a very intelligent website with thousands of responses. Tippex have done a phenomenal job in integrating this concept with YouTube, and in my opinion is the first of its kind. iDunno.co.uk was a safe interactive search engine for children and hopefully will be developed further in the future.

Anyway, back to Tippex... The advertisement was developed by Buzzman in France and you have the ability to rewrite the story however you see fit (hence the Tippex link...obviously). How many different videos can you find? I'll put up the one's I've found, so just add away!

1. Shoots
2. Erases
3. F***s (come on, I bet you put that in first)
4. Punches
5. Photographs
6. Rides
7. Marries
8. Dances
9. Teases
10. Farts
11. Feeds
12. Eats
13. Finds
14. Sings
15. Couch
16. Football

I think that's enough. Find some for yourselves and let me know if you find anything new! I know there was a film camera one but I can't find it anymore!

Enjoy!

James

Advertising: Shock Tactics - Safety Belts

My second post on this blog covered Australian Vs UK road safety government advertisements, and I would like to take the opportunity to extend this section into safety belt advertisements. Again governments like using shock tactics to convince people to look out for not only their safety, but of those their friends and families as well as means of getting their messages across more effectively.

Before I divulge into advertising from a purely British perspective, advertising of which you are more than likely to have come across, I would also like to bring you an advertisement from Lebanon which literally made my hair stand on end. This is an advertisement which should be played around the world in my opinion:

Heaven Can Wait



Heaven can wait is a message which sent shivers down my spine and gave me goosebumps, which if viewed with full attention, I'm sure was the same for you as well. The fact that the "ghost" was trying to release the soul by pressing the belt-buckle unsuccessfully due to being a non-entity, was in my opinion, shudderingly effective.

The following advertisement is one which you will have come across on television in the UK regarding a scenario of pre and post buckling up in the car:

Seat Belts In Reverse



I find this advertisement extremely effective for youngsters who have just passed their tests or are not paying attention in their entirety when driving with friends. Everyone, myself included, can admit to being pre-occupied when friends are present in the car and only due to being brought up with a strict "have you got your seat belt on?" policy, have I made sure that all of my friends "buckle up" before I set off on my journey.

One of the most effective at the time in my opinion was the following seat belt advertisement:

Julie's Killer


What made this advertisement really hit home when I first witnessed this advertisement as you do not expect the outcome due to the narrative process. I found myself sitting there, watching and wondering who this killer was in the suspect van following the family. Was it their father, uncle, aunt or dodgy neighbour? Alas, it was simply the lack of seat belt and I feel that how the narrative deters the viewer from the actual cause of death was extremely realistic and powerful in its nature.

More recently, the following post-watershed advertisement is one which those that live in the UK will have come across and were probably shocked by:



This advertisement in my opinion is less effective than the Lebanese advertisement in the sense that, although it was graphic and made me take notice, it had less stopping power.

Which of the advertisements were the most effective to you?

Advertising - 2009: Retro Vs Brand New

When I the following Milky Way advert came on TV for the first time since I was a young child, it sent me back to where I was when I first watched it at my grandad's house whilst visiting the UK for holidays. British television was a God-send compared to the Greek dubbed American television programmes, so I took every opportunity to watch Biker Mice from Mars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Thomas The Tank Engine. The following links compare between the original and new version of Milky Way's Red Car v Blue Car retro advertisements.

Milky Way Statement: "Milky Way is bringing back its iconic Red Car v Blue Car ad after almost a 20 year absence from our screens. The ad features an animated race between a Red Car and a Blue Car and the memorable jingle is remembered fondly by the late eighties / early nineties generation."

Milky Way (Original) (1989)



The only difference between this and the original (aside from becoming digitally restored) are the lyrics where the original used to say "Smart Old Blue", compared to the new version saying "Good Old Blue". Furthermore, the slogan in the last frame in the original reads "The sweet you can eat between meals without ruining your appetite", compared to the new version that reads "Lighten up and play". This is probably down to the over-the-top political correctness that has consumed the UK whole, and doesn't look like spitting out any time soon.

Milky Way (New Version) (2009)



However, Milky Way are not the only culprits to this "new" form of recycled advertising. Since 1998 the Milky bar Kid advertisements have been animated due to some controversy over Nestlé's Milky Bar Kid audition requirements included being male, blonde and fair-skinned individuals.

In 2009, the human version returned in the form of a montage (below), and soon after, the new Milky Bar Kid was selected. Some controversy occurred due to the confusion of the gender of this new actor as some thought it was a female (left), thus conflicting with original concepts for the sake of political correctness. However the actor is in fact 14 year old William Ray and was originally employed in 2007.


Which of the Milky Bar Kids was your favourite growing up, and does it correlate with your age group when you were youngest or do the new ones make the cut? For more information on all the Milky Bar Kids, click here.

Milky Bar Kid Montage



Unilever's Persil are also another brand using footage from 1955 and the 1980's, featuring the strapline "What is a Mum", being the first detergent to be advertised on the television. "Persil commissioned its advertisements to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the washing powder in April this year." For the full Daily Mail article click here.

Is "retro" the new "brand new"? It seems to be a running trend recently for long-running companies to bring back advertisements originally aired in the 80's and 90's. Is this a cost-saving issue during uncertain times, or simply a nostalgic tactic to send consumers on a trip down memory lane? I personally think it's a combination of the two, but you can always tell when something is popular, as leading brands follow suit.

Advertising - 2009: Bridgestone Superbowl Commercial

Bridgestone are not always known for their comedic advertisements, yet during the NFL Superbowl and the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2009, the following clip ran. This is potentially one of the funniest advertisements I've personally witnessed in a very long time, and surely the best tyre advertisement ever.



Don't you think you should switch your tyre manufacturer right about now? Look at all the animals you could save!

Advertising - 2009: Ozzy & Samsung

Ozzy Osbourne's latest series of advertisements delve into his infamous lack of spatial awareness in addition to his usual persona depicted in his television reality show "The Osbournes."

1. Samsung Jack:

This is a cracker of an advertisement and was aired during the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs in the USA in 2009.

"Samsung Mobile and Ozzy Osbourne Team Up to Launch the Samsung Jack(TM), the next generation Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone available exclusively to AT&T customers in the U.S and powered by the nations fastest 3G network. The Jack combines the familiar look and feel of a Windows desktop with a stylish, streamlined device ideal for customers looking to simplify and increase the productivity of their business and personal lives."



2. Samsung Propel

This advertisement uses Ozzy's mumbling to texting advantage.



3. Samsung Alias 2

Voodoo magic or just the new Samsung available to Ozzy Osbourne?



I for one, find this series of advertisements very effective and humourous, and believe that Samsung's Ozzy sponsorship will be very profitable for them. Which of the videos did you prefer and why?

Advertising - 2008: Heineken

The following advertisement for Heineken was aired in 2008, but remains in my books as one of the funniest beer commercials in a long time.



The creative department at the advertising agency have really struck gold with this advertisement. Everyone dreams of walk-in rooms with the necessities they don't necessarily need, but definitely want most. What do you think?

Advertising - Australia Vs UK: Shock-Tactics

This is a terrific series of advertisements produced in Australia in order to curb the rising drug drivers on the streets. The video is edited beautifully but must warn those who are slightly squeemish that there is one graphic scene. Perhaps shock-tactics such as these will make people pay closer attention to the consequences of their actions.





Some may complain that these advertisements are not suitable for daytime viewing, however I have to disagree in the sense that younger adolescents need to become more aware about the increased danger they pose to others whilst becoming intoxicated.

The fact that Australia poses a "firm but fair" strategy in their advertising without caring what sort of responses arise from their governmental messages are admirable, and a stance which the UK are starting to increasingly implement with their road safety advertisements, such as the shocking example below:



This extremely controversial advertisement could EASILY have been real footage released by a parent to show the dangers of crossing the road without looking, however it was in fact produced and thankfully noone was hurt in the making of it.

In my opinion this is far more effective than the rubbish drink-driving advertisement's being produced these days such as the one below:



As this post indicates, shock-tactics are regularly introduced to the Australian public. This particular speeding advertisement is shot from the perspective of a young Australian police officer depicting a regular day on the job.



Between the Australian and UK advertisements... which do you feel is the most effective? I know which ones works for me.

James