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Fosters continue with their uniquely Australian advice line with this nifty little engagement tool. A chance to name and shame your friends and bikini-clad Aussie ladies is naff, but a winner.
A new frontier for TV – and TV advertising – as Amazon will begin making original series with the same quality as “real” TV shows, with production budgets to match.
The Independent recently chimed in on the trend for popular music in advertising, claiming that “in the world of advertising, the fey, unassuming cover version has become remarkably effective, with recent campaigns by John Lewis, Nissan and Twinings much lauded within the industry.”
Somewhat cynically, it is claimed that the “sugar-coated” approach, whereby familiar tunes are stripped down to a harmless acoustic version with breathy vocals, is yet another example of big brands trying to humanise themselves – and often with irritating results. John Lewis’ Christmas campaign’s use of “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” may have sent the cover and the original Smiths’ track shooting up the charts, but it also led to a wave of indignation on social media.
This use of the cute, comfortable, sepia-tinged familiar ties into wackaging and has similar potential gains – but also the same high risk annoyance factor. As brands and agencies try to come up with unassuming and likeable ways to engage with consumers, they tread a narrow line between being welcomed into their users’ lives and becoming another overplayed or overused cultural blimp.
Certainly music in advertising has come a long way – the first recorded jingle for Wheaties in 1926 is a relic from a charming bygone era – but using music to convey that a brand is “vulnerable, human, just like you” has really risen to prominence in the Noughties. As always, Apple led the charge with their use of Feist’s 1234 in 2007, but indie, acoustic, folk-y music is everywhere – and being used by some of the world’s biggest brands.
Despite it feeling like most brands are jumping on the ‘Innocentese’ wackaging bandwagon, the trend for happy-clappy acoustic tracks shows no sign of subsiding. However, there is a definite movement to push the ties between music and advertising even further. In July 2011, Coca-Cola bought a minority stake in a company called Music Dealers, which links lesser-known musicians with companies looking to use their writing skills or performances for commercial purposes. The partnership provides Coke with a shortcut through the reams of red tape it takes to work with many artists signed to labels – and moves musicians and brands closer together outside of sponsorship.
Most impressively, however, is how brands are now integrating themselves with music, musicians, and the immersive aspect of the listening experience. It is said that brands and account execs are the new trend breakers in the music scene – and Chevrolet has certainly invested a lot in this area, and if Ok Go!’s video shows, the cool cachet can work both ways.
