Not long ago, I wrote posts about the sad state of the industry as it operates in today's sad state of the country. Since a certain schmuck descended a certain escalator in a certain flea bag of a condo complex in NYC, sadness has had its day.
I rarely write about advertising today, partly because I don't want to get in hot water where I work, where I've ruffled a few feathers with wisecracks about: earlobes, 10 lbs. babies, Brazilian Bum Bum Cream and Nicki Minaj's cousin -- the one whose testicles swelled up after getting the Covid vaccine.
The other reason is there frankly hasn't been much to talk about.
When was the last time you saw something that blew you away? Or merited lively water cooler talk, you know if we were still working in offices and spent some non-billable time milling around a water cooler?
The Cannes Advertising Festival was just a few weeks ago. Does anyone recall any of the winners? Apologies to my friend Greg Collins who took home much metal, but I just don't know what's newsworthy in the biz anymore.
Then along comes an idea that snaps me out of my hesitation and has me throwing caution to the wind -- and really how cautious does a 64 year old man need to be?
The genius idea pictured above comes from Pereira O'dell. I'd link the Adage article that explains the case study in more detail, but I'm not paying for any industry rag that has contributed (by omission) to the demise of our business via the Holding Company evisceration of creativity.
Quick aside, P J Pereira and I had a digital encounter years ago through a headhunter. We never got past the first stage of the dance but I know he liked my portfolio and promised the headhunter he would hire me one day. That never happened but I have enjoyed watching his boutique agency grow, do amazing work and thumb their nose at the BDAs.
What I love most about the work cited above is that it is not Small Ball.
So much of today's "work" is. We spend hours, days, weeks, fiddling over the tiniest details, for stuff no one will ever see: disposable tweets, invisible instas, or spammy spam that fills up so many digital trashcans.
This effort for Pereira O'dell client Midea, maker of fine air conditioning units, is 180 degrees from Small Ball. Moreover, it's timely and unlike many stunts (see Heineken making a beer filled sneaker?) it's refreshingly relevant.
In case the idea needs any further explanation, it is exactly as it would appear. A 90 minute film in an air conditioned theater. I don't know what is on screen -- again, screw you Adage -- nor does it even matter. It's simply about a brand finding a new and meaningful way to talk to new customers and plant a seed for any of their future HVAC needs.
I am in awe of this kind of advertising. It reminds me of what big idea thinking was all about. But, apparently I'm in the minority because in 99.99999999% of the time, a high-minded strategic concept like this is destined for failure before it has taken one step up the Corporate Ladder of Mediocrity™.
"I like it it, but how would we do some A/B testing on something like this?Can we make this a banner ad instead?"
Ugh!
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