Marketing democracy on YouTube
Having spent 7 years working in advertising agencies I can attest to the fact that the ad business has a pretty warped concept of what the 'truth' is. Agencies don't often lie, they just choose to focus on points that mislead people about the products they are selling. Of course good advertising (the kind that I produced ;)) never bullshits anyone, but unfortunately good advertising is not the majority of what gets produced.
I have always been a big fan of work from citizens or groups that aim to talk back to brands in public spaces and attempt to set the record straight. Adbusters call it subvertising, but usually it just involves someone climbing up on a billboard and changing the text or image on an ad to make a statement.
Unfortunately changing a billboard takes a lot of effort and the threat of going to jail or getting a hefty fine puts people off.
One way I'm increasingly seeing people talking back to brands is on YouTube. Lately I've noticed more people using advertising spoofs, which have been going on for a long time, to make statements and sometimes present some truth about what is being advertised in the original ad. Subvertising on YouTube is less work than a billboard, less dangerous and if you do a good job you have the opportunity to reach many more people.
Here is a simple example of an ad for an energy company in New Zealand being jammed with some 'truth'.
The original ad:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw8QJWdC650]
The 'fixed' ad:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i12qJ-Nejgk]
About Pema Hegan
A Kiwi living in Canada.
I love music, obsess over architecture, ride my bike most days and miss the ocean.
I'm a partner and managing director at Rethink Toronto.
Before that I founded and then sold GigPark, a social web startup. And before that I was the founding editor-in-chief of the Canadian media company, Dose.
Find me here
pema.hegan (at) gmail (dot) com
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May 4th, 2007 - 13:39
CALL FOR ENTRIES
CREATIVE COMMERCIALS
Deadline: JULY 1, 2007 entry fee: $275
Submit online at http://www.lashortsfest.com
323-461-4400
The 11th annual Los Angeles International Short Film Festival is proud to announce the return of our creative commercial competition. Last years commercial competition was a big success- in all 53 of the finest commercials from top ad agencies around the world screened at the 2006 Festival. ADWEEK sponsored a panel discussion moderated by ADWEEK’S creative editor Eleftheria Parpis that included creative directors, commercial directors and producers discussing the possibilities and pitfalls found in advertising today. The winner of the competition was “Love Story” submitted by ad agency: The Furnace / Client: Herringbone.
The deadline for entry is July 1, 2007. Entry fee is $275 and the entry form and submission guidelines are available online at http://www.lashortsfest.com
“Commercials are short films in their own right and should be looked upon not only as a selling mechanism, but as works of art and be recognized and awarded as such!” –Robert Arentz, Executive Director, LA Shorts Fest
About Us
LA Shorts Fest is the largest short film festival in the world. The Festival is accredited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Festival winners in the primary categories are eligible for Academy nomination. The festival boasts an outstanding past record of 25 Academy Award-nominated films, including the last 8 Oscar winners. Through a variety of yearlong activities, LA Shorts Fest educates, entertains and honors those who have mastered the craft. The Festival has honored some of Hollywood’s legends of the past: Charles Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, and Robert Wise; along with actors Martin Landau, James Woods, Gary Oldman and directors Jan de Bont, Tim Burton, Bryan Singer and Paul Haggis. The Festival annually attracts more than 10,000 moviegoers, filmmakers and entertainment executives looking for the hottest new talent as well as brand name sponsors looking to connect with the trendsetters in Hollywood.