If, like me, Apple’s bludgeoning repetition of commercials for its video-enabled iPod nano featuring the original version of this Feist’s “1 2 3 4 ” permanently turned you off to the song, you can breathe easier now. But who knew the prescription would be so simple? Add a klatch of cute monsters, interpolate the lyrics for the kiddies, and I’m right back on board.
Separately, because you need to hear it, check out the Boys Noize remix of the dulcet-voiced Canadian’s song “My Moon My Man” below.
A history of the Wilhelm Scream here. I hope this doesn’t change the way I watch action movies. Apparently, later in his career Hitchcock moved his cameos earlier in his films so that people would focus on the story instead of watching for the cameo. Because the Wilhelm Scream strikes randomly and at the whimsy of the director or sound editor, it is impossible to predict which films will use it. One thing is for sure, however, the film geeks will have their say.
If the US Department of Transportation stepped through a looking glass to hire someone from Runwayland, who would it be? While considering this deep thought, I realized that Karl’s personal style (sunglasses/gloves/tie/wearing lots of Hedi Slimane) may have greater mass culture fame than the garments he himself creates. The visage outpaces the artist. This is the Karl that we see in Grand Theft Auto IV, and while I doubt that many gamers know his body of work, they recognize his body and assent that yes, indeed, he is a fashion icon.
The ad world just received a huge bonus last night.
Kevin Garnett has been as reliable a performer in commercials as any athlete. By turns his stunning physique, comedic talent, and sheer charisma vibrate from the screen; no athlete has starred in as diverse a reel of spots. In fact, Garnett’s participation in high-profile campaigns has been, I dare say, Jordanesque. All with the niggling caveat that he had yet to become a champion.
The thread running through all sports commercials, of course, is the attraction to that most addictive of binaries: winning. And while it is probably the dream of every commercial director to work with a singular kind of screen talent such as Garnett (and certainly the budgets that advertisers are willing to attach to his likeness), all are ultimately inconsequential with respect to his own dreams. Dreams we do not live, but experience as if they were our own through Gatorade, Adidas, and nba.com. In winning a championship last night Garnett has been able to pay back the promise of all of those ad dollars spent. And, uniquely to his profession, we were able to witness that great screen talent unleash his perspective on winning in as compelling and dramatic a fashion as the camera allows.
Here follows a brief recap in spots and ESPN’s authoritative document of The Moment:
“You have no idea,” Garnett mumbles midway through the above interview. Congratulations to you, Kevin. We don’t.
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Here’s Garnett splitting time with the other athlete-king of commercials, Peyton Manning.
On the northeast corner of Park Ave and 23rd Street, a massive advertisement for the new Batman film is being painted. It’s an event that’s been unfolding over the last few weeks at the speed of slow food. And therein lies the genius – the film is advertised by the creation of its advertisement. This media buy could have been easily achieved by unfurling a banner one morning, though days later that space would be just another part of our city’s commercial tapestry. But instead of being static, the painting’s progression is a daily reminder to passerby that The Dark Knight soon comes to Gotham.
This meta-act of an advertisement’s creation being part of the ad has been done by Sony with both success (Balls) and a thud (Foam). But so far this billboard has only an air of paint-by-numbers calm. Too calm? Given this film’s brilliant ARG themed marketing campaign, will there be some disruptive activity toward the end of this painting? Have we Gothamites been lulled to sleep, prey in the hands of a Joker?
Our friends The Internet Celebrities just released their new short Checkmate. Ad industry people take note, their Ghetto Big Mac clip served over 1 million on YouTube, and creator Dallas Penn’s blog gets 6K uniques daily. Give a shout if you want an introduction, the dude is a wicked copywriter.
How much loot did Lando stack for this local spot? His clip below is part of a brilliant commercial suite for the Brondes Ford dealership in Toledo, Ohio. Beyond Billy Dee, the campaign focuses on the efforts of star salesman Rico to lure customers via sumo, midgets and underwear.
This is the type of work that can easily ‘go viral’, but that ain’t yet happened, YouTube views haven’t even cracked 1000. So I do wonder if in the planning of this campaign, was there true time and money slotted for an online seed + bleed? Cause while they’re :30s, the buy should be built to go well beyond regional TV.