I went to see a film and a cool ad broke out.

These days the most engaging creative you experience at the cinema may not be the film.

Heineken and 13th Street are just two brands that have recently sought to engage the audience in an unexpected but very strategic way.

Make that three with this great live stunt for St John Ambulance. Who says talking about first aid has to be boring



Kudos to BBH/London and St John Ambulance.

Interactive of the now.

Film + Interactive. Could there be a more engaging coupling? Okay, maybe The Captain & Tennille.

But still, please do check out this new branded-entertainment project by the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Together with TBWA/Vancouver they've created a short film, "The Warden",  which is cut up into sixteen segments that viewers and users have to piece together to create the complete story.

In effect, it's an uber-cool, highly creative brain-teaser where you have to unscramble scenes to create the film.

Kudos to TBWA/Vancouver and the folks at the Vancouver International Film Festival for finding a new way to actively engage the audience.


(Sharing credit to creativity)

Branded entertainment/education of the now.

I do love this. Inspired writing. And Jeremy Irons provides the right tone. A far cry from his evil voice as Scar in "The Lion King".

Kudos to director Jeremy Konner and environmental action group Heal the Bay, even if there is a dispute as to whether they lifted the idea from these guys.


(Sharing credit to creativity)

"Is it real?" viral of the now.

I'm not a big fan of the "Is it real?" viral genre, even though I've dabbled in it myself. Here's a good exception for Yellow Pages out of England. It's unexpected and actually communicates a new, real selling point. Dare I say it's really an ad posing as a viral.

Kudos to the creatives behind this, whoever they are. Especially since, and here comes the opportunistic self-promotion, I came up with a viral idea while working on a business pitch for R.H. Donnelley (one of the largest Yellow Pages publishers) a couple of years ago.

Their new books for Chicago and Tampa were much thicker than their competitors, which meant more listings. Our viral idea was to demonstrate just how fat these books were by having people use them as body armor while being shot at. The idea was shot down instantly.

"Dead Ideaville"

Alive and kicking one minute. Dead as a dodo the next. It's tough being an advertising idea. Case in point, this recent pro-active branded-entertainment idea for Christian Dior.

Yes it was pro-active so it's chances of survival were less than North Korea's at the World Cup, but it was presented to people who knew people who knew the people at Christian Dior so......Okay it was dead on arrival.

Eau Noir (Dior) - "Lady Killer"

Christian Dior in 2009 began a major branded-entertainment push for its Lady Dior Brand. They commissioned high profile directors to create short films to showcase Lady Dior. David Lynch has just created the third in the series.

There is no similar initiative for the men’s brand. The idea was to take advantage of the opportunity and create branded films for some of the men’s products? Eau Noir cologne seemed like good place to start. 

The five-minute story (a film noir, obviously) is a literal play on the term, "Lady Killer." It follows the police investigation of a mythical man, dubbed the “Lady Killer” who is responsible for the “falling” of a number of beautiful women.

It should be pointed out right away that there is nothing violent about the fate of these women. Essentially, they have just “dropped dead”. So there will be no injuries or marks on their bodies. No hint of any violence whatsoever.

This will be the “Lady Killer’s” M.O. He leaves these women with happy, satisfied expressions on their beautiful faces and the strong scent of a man’s cologne on them. Who is the Lady Killer? And what is the mysterious scent on these women? All is revealed.

Well not yet, anyway.

Are you ready for some branded-entertainment?

Here's some spanking new branded-entertainment for Orbit gum. It's the brainchild of Jason Bateman and his "Arrested Development" co-star Will Arnett. A high profile studio has given them a budget to write, direct and produce their own branded-entertainment ideas. Not a bad gig.

Given the hype and talent surrounding this project, it is far from stunningly brilliant. But it's definitely a lot more engaging than Orbit's current television campaign.

Grrrrr.

A few months ago (March) I pro-actived a branded-entertainment idea to support ESPN's coverage of the World Cup.

It involved creating a web-based reality series, where one fan from each of the 32 teams competing in the World Cup would live in a house for the duration of the tournament. The kicker being, as their team is eliminated so are they.

I shopped it around to various agencies relevant to ESPN without any takers. Just as well. For while I was the initial phase of formulating said idea, Budweiser was already in the middle of producing it. And instantly I went from genius creative with uniquely original idea to copycat hack.

So kudos to Budweiser and DDB/Chicago for a great idea. At least I don't have to say, "I really wish I thought of that."

Phoning a friend.

How many times haven't you watched a character in movie about to do something perilous and wanted to warn or help them. Well now you can, sort of. If you lived in Germany that is.

A cable channel in Germany called 13th Street has been running an interactive film trailer in movie theaters that allows audience members to directly interact with the movie characters.

Check out the case study video below, but to surmise at some point in the trailer the female protagonist calls a member of the audience for help. (Audience members supply their cell numbers at the beginning of the screening). The "help" provided then controls the direction of the trailer.



Now this is a very cool, smart interactive promo for 13th Street. And just one more example of how mobile interactivity can make our our daily lives a little more entertaining. So kudos to 13th Street, Jung von Matt/Spree, Berlin, Powerflasher and director Chistian Mielmann and for their breakthrough vision.

That said one has to question the long term practical value for this kind of experience beyond the realm of promotions and trailers. For one, I'm not sure if serious film directors and writers will tolerate their creations being manipulated by an audience. In other words don't expect Oscar-caliber films to go down this path.

Similarly, I doubt whether audiences will want their experience of cinema viewing to be constantly manipulated in this way by just one person. Or a group of people. Unless it's for a campy film in the vain of "Rocky Horror Picture Show", perhaps.

And thirdly, there will always be limitations as to how much the audience can actually manipulate. Having tried in vain to get the "Subservient Chicken" to do really despicable things I know the kinds of sick and twisted commands an audience would like characters to obey. Once they realize that this kind of manipulation only goes so far they will get bored very quickly.


(Sharing credit to theinspirationroom.com)

"Dead Ideaville"

This death is so fresh the next of kin haven't been informed yet. I recently had the pleasure of working with a London based collective of creatives and strategists on a project for the Royal Opera House. 

The brief was to connect with the 18-24 set, not exactly Opera goers, via a viral film. Add to the mix some notable barriers, like the pricey tickets and the perception that the Royal Opera House is the playground of snobs and old farts, and you get a good idea of the challenge.

Royal Opera House - "Interactive Soundtrack” 

One useful insight into this audience is their love and appreciation of music. As a result they are likely to open their ears to different types of music. But they are unfamiliar with the music of opera. They probably don’t realize the many different types of genres there are, e.g. comedy; tragic; romantic; ballad; grand or epic.

So the idea here was to introduce them to opera through the music by letting them play with and experience the power of the music behind the various types of opera genres.

How?
We would create an interactive film with an operatic score. At various stages during the film, the viewer is given the choice to change the genre of the score. The choice of score directly alters the direction of the movie. For instance, let's say a movie starts out as a comedy with a fun, light operatic score. The score then is changed to “tragic” and as a consequence the film gets darker.

In this way the viewer becomes the Director/DJ controlling all the action and sound at the same time. So, not only could we produce an engaging viewing experience, but it also could be a very instructive one as the user learns to discover and appreciate the power of operatic music.

At the end of film we would ask the viewer to visit the ROH website to learn how to experience more of these various Opera genres live.

Ashes to ashes....

"Dead Ideaville"

It's not often you get two bites at the cherry. But that's the opportunity I was afforded when I got a second crack at Viagra. The first time I stayed within the confines of conventional thinking and came up with some very mediocre ideas. Not so the second. Unfortunately this wasn't for Canada or Europe.

Viagra - "The Return of Studs 'Giant' Turtle"

The brief was pretty clear cut. Banish the haunting memory of the "Viva Viagra" barn singing rock band forever with a memorable, engaging idea. If that didn't shout out for branded-entertainment I don't know what will. 

The idea was to create a web series sponsored by Viagra called, "The Return of Studs 'Giant' Turtle". It would be a humorous series that follows an aging former porn star who returns to the industry after a very long absence.

The back story. In the early eighties, Studs Turtle ruled the porn world. Young, athletic, charismatic, good looking and let's just say his nickname "Giant" wasn't ironic. He was the one actor every actress wanted to work with, every director wanted to shoot and every voyeur wanted to watch.

But then a funny thing happened on the way to his next money shot. He fell in love with a Swedish princess, married her, quit the business and entered into a privileged albeit anonymous life of European royalty.

Then twenty five years later in 2008, his princess left him for Steven Twig, lead singer of the ska-punk band, "King Zot and the disciples of pimp". They were divorced soon after and Studs was forced to return to America, penniless. Against the better advice of his friends and family he decided to return to the world he once ruled.

That's where this series will begin. We follow Studs are he struggles to reacquaint himself with an industry that has rapidly moved on without him. Now an out of shape, middle-aged man he finds it hard to relate to the newer, fresher, brasher breed of actors on his comeback film, "No Cunt for Old Men". Will the legend that was Studs "Giant" Turtle be able to stand up to the challenge and mount a successful comeback.

At least he has Viagra at his side to keep him going.

Rest in peace Studs. Or until Cialis comes calling.

Branded-enteractivity of the now.

In a May 11, 20019 post titled, "Interactive film of the now" I shared a very tasty interactive film. It was pure entertainment, no branding attachment whatsoever. Here's what interactivity or enteractivity looks like when you add a brand to the mix.

The brand in question is Lexus and the experience is definitely worth engaging in. Sure it looks and feels like BMW films gone interactive, but still it's a pretty smart attempt at creating excitement for a hybrid sports car that won't actually be out for another year. Think of it as a virtual test drive with a thrilling story, not something one usually associates with hybrid cars.

Kudos to Lexus, Skinny and director James Brown, who may or may not be the hardest working director in advertising.


(Sharing credit to jawbone.tv)

SmArt.

The Glue Society have done some great work over the years, especially in the realm of branded- entertainment.

But its their art pieces that really stir the imagination. Like a sculpture of a man crapping on the head of a giant pigeon. Or a satellite photo of Moses parting the Red Sea. Or this sculpture done in 2006 called, "Hot with the chance of a late storm".

Their work has been exhibited at Pulse Contemporary Art Fairs in Miami and New York.

David Lynch loves handbags.

What do a Christian Dior handbag, Shanghai, the sexy Marion Cotillard, sixteen minutes, a couple of Asian heavies and the incomparable David Lynch have in common?

A new piece of branded-entertainment from the fashion giant. In fact it's the third film in a series of mini-features which Dior began last year. Olivier Dahan ("La Vie en Rose") and Jonas Akerlund directed the first two.

According to Lynch, the Dior people made him an offer he couldn't refuse - "You can do anything you want, you just need to show the handbag, the Pearl Tower and some old Shanghai." Some people get all the cool briefs.

While nowhere near a classic, it is unmistakable Lynch. Just don't expect Frank Booth or "Bob" to make an appearance. Kudos to all involved, especially Christian Dior for their continued commitment to branded-entertainment.





(Sharing credit to ft.com)

"Dead Ideaville"

It's the unexplained deaths that are always the hardest to take. A small Washington D.C. based production company got an assignment from The Travel Channel to come up with a buzz worthy idea. The brief fell into my hands and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for some film making and crowd-sourcing. I still haven't been offered a sensible reason as to why it was killed.

Travel Channel - "Shorts” 

The Travel Channel devotes a fair amount of its programming to food related shows, e.g. Antony Bourdain's "No Reservation"; "Bizzare Foods"; "Chowdown Countdown". In essence the celebration of food becomes the portal through which different cultures are explored and discovered.

The idea was to leverage this emphasis on food in Travel Channel's programming. TC would commission five film-makers from around the world to each make a short film that must incorporate five food related props, e.g. a cucumber, a pepper shaker, a jar of honey, toothpicks and a headless chicken.

It can be extraordinary what kinds of stories are built around food. Remember the erotic "strawberry scene" in "91/2 Weeks". And butter certainly took on a whole new meaning in "Last Tango in Paris"!

Their shorts would be shown during one week of the Travel Channel's prime time line up. As well as showcased on the website. Traditional outdoor and online banners could provide promotional support.

In addition we ramp up viewer engagement by asking viewers to create their own short films using the same five props. The winning film, as judged by the viewers themselves, would be included in the series of films to be aired during the specified week.

A bow of the head, please.

Still one of the best ever.... (Or should that be two)

Okay this is very recent, but definitely worth reviewing. And while I do think it's another great example of branded-entertainment, it's probably more commentary than entertainment. Let's call it branded-commentary (hey ma, I think I've just invented another term).

Kudos to AOL, Grey/London, director Errol Morris and the brilliant John Hurt for lending his voice. One minute inspiring. The next haunting.

I suppose you want to know where I stand on the internet. I say it's a good thing precisely because it's a bad thing. Case in point. Where else would one be able to find something so cute yet so disturbing at the same time.

David Lynch.

"Baby wants to fuck"; "Heineken! Fuck that shit"; "Bobby Peru don't come up for air".

If you're a big fan of David Lynch then check out this website, created by a fan (not me). It chronicles all the commercials he directed over the years. Many people may not realize that he occasionally, actually more than occasionally, descended from his artist's perch and dabbled amongst us money grubbing hordes.

As a big champion of branded-entertainment I was completely struck by the campaign for Georgia Coffee, a Japanese brand of coffee. The episodic campaign is essentially "Twin Peaks" with members of the original cast, only this time a Japanese man is searching for his wife. It was produced in 1991.

And for something completely different, check out a commercial he directed in 1997 for Clear Blue, a pregnancy test. And major kudos to the makers of Clear Blue for going along!

The website is also a painful personal reminder of the one commercial that got away back in the nineties. It was for the Partnership For a Drug Free America, written by yours truly especially for David Lynch to direct. It was inspired by "Lost Highway".

Alas, it was killed, not by the Partnership, they actually loved it. Nor by the Ad Council, who oversaw all pro bono drug work. No, it was killed by the powers that be at D'Arcy, my agency of record. Their reason: "It may actually encourage kids to take drugs".

Just for the record D'Arcy ceased to be in 2002.


(Sharing credit to jawbone.tv)

Kudos to Adfreak. Part Two.

Here is another gem from Adfreak's 25 best "epic" ads that I missed. It debuted last year. Must have been during my month long sleep-in.

Wego Motel in Taipei, Taiwan commissioned a series of short films to artfully promote the motel, which is a well known "love motel",  albeit  a very luxurious one.

This is pure mini-movie, branded-entertainment magic. A warning though, it will take a little bit of your time. But it's definitely worth it.

Kudos to Adfreak.

The good folks at Adfreak have compiled their 25 best "epic" ads. For epic you can read branded-entertainment.

It was good to revisit some old favorites, like BMW, AIDES and Stella Artois. But the real treat was to discover new ones. "Crysalis" for Pantene, for instance, is quite brilliant. Brand storytelling at its best.



Kudos to P&G, Grey/Thailand and director Thanonchai Sornsriwichai.

Planet of the Apes reprise.

This caught my eye. One, because it's a lovely piece of branded-entertainment with a neat, topical twist on "Planet of the Apes". The monkey returns home rather than humans. The planet is still fucked though.

And two, because I've been trying to push a branded web series reprising "Planet of the Apes" for a while now. Mine is for Coke, but more about that later in "Dead Ideaville". For now enjoy the music video and the message.

Kudos to Leo Burnett/Sydney and musician Ben Lee.


(Sharing credit to jawbone.tv)

"Up There".

If you live in New York or Los Angeles you're probably familiar with the hand-painted billboard. Part art, part selling stuff it hangs above the urban landscape as a sweet reminder to a bygone era while still try to sell stuff.

Stella Artois has created this truly wonderful branded piece (12 minutes, every moment worth it, like the beer actually) that celebrates this dying art. We are introduced to some of the painters, part dare-devils, part artists who share with us their experiences over the years and their passion for this wall painting tradition.

And it documents, here's the branded part, just how painstaking this process is as artists create fifty-foot ads for Stella. It took them three weeks to paint the ads. It's quite a contrast to the heady world most of us live in, where things usually get accomplished at the speed of a click. Sometimes amazing things come to those who take their time. Oh wait I'm mixing my beer messages.

Here's a quick taste.



Lots of kudos to go around. Stella Artois, Mother, Mekanism, director Malcolm Murry and The Album Leaf for creating the perfect soundtrack. "Into the Blue Again" is unquestionably one of my favorite albums of all time.

And of course special kudos to the painters themselves. For more of their work over the years, check this out.


(Sharing credit to psfk)