The Guardian "Three Little Pigs"
Advertisement presentation
Agency: Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) London
Creative team: David Kolbusz, Matt Fitch, Mark Lewis
Production: Rattling Stick
Director: Ringan Ledwidge
Creative team: David Kolbusz, Matt Fitch, Mark Lewis
Production: Rattling Stick
Director: Ringan Ledwidge
Date of first release: 19th February 2012
Country of creation: United Kingdom
Support: Video
Platform: YouTube, Television
Rationale for advert selection
The complexity of the Guardian advertisement lies in its creativity. Indeed using a worldwide known fairy tale such as the Three Little Pigs to demonstrate the multiple political, economical, social, technological and legal aspects generated by social media interactions nowadays is genius.
The multidimensional proportion and magnitude are greatly depicted by the pace of advertisement as well as the tremendous amount of informations provided on each sequence, suggesting multiple views for the audience to deeply understand the purpose of the advertisement.
Indeed throughout the scenes, many additional online publications are added to the original sequence to highlight the importance and value of gathering as many insights as possible in the management of public affairs in the digital area we live in.
The multidimensional proportion and magnitude are greatly depicted by the pace of advertisement as well as the tremendous amount of informations provided on each sequence, suggesting multiple views for the audience to deeply understand the purpose of the advertisement.
Indeed throughout the scenes, many additional online publications are added to the original sequence to highlight the importance and value of gathering as many insights as possible in the management of public affairs in the digital area we live in.
Advertisement's goals
Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of Guardian and Media Guardian publisher describes the advertisement's philosophy's "as a way of doing things that is based on a belief in the open exchange of information, ideas and opinions and its power to bring about change" while Andrew Miller, chief executive of the Guardian Media Group explains "the aim is to reach progressive audiences and show them why they should spend time with us." (2012)
"The Britain's Guardian newspaper wants readers (and potential readers) to know that it excels at covering the day's news stories from a multitude of angles and on a variety of platforms." (Sanburn, 2012)
The advertisement aims to promote the Guardian's 'open-journalism approach' (Burgoyne, 2012) and demonstrate the relevance and efficiency of its coverage throughout the platforms via its news level of engagement in accordance with the public's participation.
"The Britain's Guardian newspaper wants readers (and potential readers) to know that it excels at covering the day's news stories from a multitude of angles and on a variety of platforms." (Sanburn, 2012)
The advertisement aims to promote the Guardian's 'open-journalism approach' (Burgoyne, 2012) and demonstrate the relevance and efficiency of its coverage throughout the platforms via its news level of engagement in accordance with the public's participation.
Campaign effectiveness
Apart from the tremendous amount of awards and prizes received -listed below- the advertisement efficiency is measured by the word-of-mouth created, the number of views (1.697.447 on YouTube) and Richard Furness' (head of sales and marketing management at The Guardian) pride to "deliver a film people enjoyed, debated and shared." (ThinkBox)
The advertisement's creativity is rewared by many prestigious communication and advertising competitions such as the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2012, the TED Ads Worth Spreading list for 2013, AdWeek's best commercial of 2012, the British Arrow Craft Awards of 2012, the Grand CLIO Awards 2012, The Eurobest Awards, Business Insider's 10 Best Ads of 2012, Grand Prix of the 2012 European Festival of Creativity and Time Business & Money's Top 10 Commercials of 2012. In addition, Burgoyne (2012) describe it as "the [Guardian]'s first major TV spot for 25 years." (Creative Review)
The Three Little Pigs is considered by many professionals as 2012's greatest piece of work, all communication area included.
The Three Little Pigs is considered by many professionals as 2012's greatest piece of work, all communication area included.
Dollar Shave Club "Our Blades are F***ing Great"
Advertisement presentation
Agency: In house
Date of first release: 6th March 2012
Country of creation: United States of America
Support: Video
Platform: YouTube
Rationale for advert selection
Excellence of Dollar Shave Club advertisement lies in its simplicity, comedy and originality as the advert entertains the audience while communicating on the product's and service's benefits.
Excellence of Dollar Shave Club advertisement lies in its simplicity, comedy and originality as the advert entertains the audience while communicating on the product's and service's benefits.
Dollar Shave Club's founder and CEO, Michael Dubin defines its business not as "a razor blade company but as a lifestyle company" therefore it is not surprising that the video is considered as a serious "YouTube sensation" and "masterpiece of video viral marketing" which business can compete against worldwide known brands such as Gillette. (Scott, 2013) The specificity of this artefact is the ability to reach customers without spending more than $4,500 on its realisation and spreading through social media word-of-mouth. (Dahl, 2013) Indeed the filming took place in Dollar Shave Club's authentic warehouse in Gardena and was shot by friends.
Moreover the funny and unrefined aspects of the video (i.e. global irrationality, company's unofficial tagline being 'Our blades are f**king great') are the main reasons why it went viral. Indeed humour helps social media to fight against traditional advertising, as viewers were entertained and amused, they decided to share the video and wanted to test the product with small financial risks.
Advertisement's goals
To get the business started, Dubin spent hours connecting with influential bloggers and creating the advertising internally. The goal was to reach customers "without spending anything on marketing." (Dubin, 2013) Dollar Shave Club's advertisement brings to light absurdity of expensive marketing operated by its competitors.
Moreover, the focus is not made to the product (indeed we only see a razor once in the advert) but to the company's identity and personality behind the spot.
Moreover, the focus is not made to the product (indeed we only see a razor once in the advert) but to the company's identity and personality behind the spot.
Campaign effectiveness
The advertisement success lies in the digital marketing background of its founder and CEO which implemented his knowledges into a brand new business idea, communicated through silly and light video.
"The traffic attracted by the video, which has now been watched almost 10 million times, crashed the company's server in the first hour" and 12.000 online payments were made within the first 48 hours. Following the concept's success spread through the advertisement, Michael Dubin (CEO of Dollar Shave Club) needed to increase its staff to 24 full-time employees.
The campaign effectiveness went beyond any expectations as Dollar Shave Club is now running radio advertisements and is working on television and online campaigns with a second advertisement. (Dahl, 2013)
LG "Smart thief caught on cam"
Advertisement presentation
Agency: Y&R
Date of first release: 28 December 2011
Country of creation: The Netherlands
Copywriter: Andrew Maaldrink
Creative directors: Lionell Schuring, Sheldon Bont
Art directors: Theo Korf, Nick Plomp
Director: Hans Knaapen
Production company: Electric Zoo
Copywriter: Andrew Maaldrink
Creative directors: Lionell Schuring, Sheldon Bont
Art directors: Theo Korf, Nick Plomp
Director: Hans Knaapen
Production company: Electric Zoo
Support: Video
Platform: YouTube
Rationale for advert selection
Cleverness of LG's advertisement lies in its simplicity and creativity. Viewers must undergo a 1 minute silent wait with "no background music, no overstated special effects, nearly no logo. Just a creepy looking guy walking backwards in an electronics store, and one minute of silent CCTV feed." (LG blog UK, 2012) The suspense generated by the lack of information and therefore lack of understanding from the audience, is clarified by the use of humour and surprise in the video's last seconds. The key product's message delivered i.e. the new LG TV is really thin, light and portable, has therefore more impact and will be remembered easily has it has been communicated using humour and suspense. (9Bytz, 2013)
Moreover, important social media sharing of LG's advertisement is due to the surprise (as most viewers do not notice the TV in the first time) and "a very high rewatch factor making the view count of the video even higher and making you want to share it with other people." (Ricardo, 2012)
As for Dollar Shave Club's advert, social media sharing operated quickly and did not need marvelous investment in the realisation's costs. (Nudd, 2012)
As for Dollar Shave Club's advert, social media sharing operated quickly and did not need marvelous investment in the realisation's costs. (Nudd, 2012)
Advertisement's goals
LG's brief could not be simpler: demonstrate the new TV's features i.e. world's slimmest TV screen, through a short and clear video surfing on the online popularity of intelligent and stupid thieves CCTV videos, meeting great successes on social media platforms. (Most Watched Today, 2013)
Campaign effectiveness
LG gathered 1.5 million views in the first three days of its advertisement's release and currently concentrates over 50.000 online social media sharing via various networks. (Digital Strategy Consulting, 2012) Viewers were engaged to the advertisement, indeed they were intrigued and reacted as if it was a real camera recording and some asked "what happened to the thief?"
Few awards received such as SpinAwards Inspiration days and Creative pick of the day by AdAge.
Dove "Real Beauty Sketches"
Advertisement presentation
Agency: Ogilvy & Mather Toronto
Date of first release: 14th April 2013
Country of creation: United States of America
Support: Video
Platform: Television / YouTube
Rationale for advert selection
Dove's 'Real Beauty Sketches' interest belongs to sensibility and reality implemented to its script, which mission focuses on revealing consequences of women's negative perceptions of themselves. Regardless of the many positive and negative reactions generated by the viral advertisement -described in Campaign effectiveness section- the power of its content could not let viewers impassive: they either are touched and emotionally moved or annoyed and furious by the elements of the advert. The difference in feedbacks and opinions led to tremendous social media sharing figures with more than 2 million views in less than one month for the long version.
Advertisement's goals
The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty is a worldwide campaing launched in 2004 which goals are to celebrate people's natural beauty regardless of stereotypes and therefore encourage them to feel confident and comfortable with their bodies.
The brief stated "Make women feel better about themselves" (Ramos, 2013) Dove provided "a significant change in redifining the standards of advertising and the unrealistic ideals for the way women look." (Brinded, 2013)
The brief stated "Make women feel better about themselves" (Ramos, 2013) Dove provided "a significant change in redifining the standards of advertising and the unrealistic ideals for the way women look." (Brinded, 2013)
Campaign effectiveness
The short video version instantly went viral with 51 157 898 views in less than a month and strong reactions from the audience and the media. Young described Dove's advertisement as the "most thought provoking film yet [...] moving, eye opening and in some ways saddening, this is one campaign that will make you think, and hopefully, feel more beautiful" (2013) in addition, AdWeek describes it as "one of the most original and touching experiments to come from the Campaign for Real Beauty in ages." (2013)
However reactions were not always positive, as some articles denounce the lack of diversity with mostly "Caucasian, blonde with blue eyes, thin and young" women, indeed "out of 6:36 minutes of footage, people of color are onscreen for less than 10 seconds." (Brice, 2013)
Furthermore, the advertisement is contradictory considering the fact that "when it comes to evaluating ourselves and other women, beauty is paramount" while the evaluation should be based on other, more meaningful aspects such as "intelligence, wit and ethical sensibility, not just our faces and bodies." (Friedman, 2013)
Other reactions generated by the viral advertisement are reproaches made to the message itself, as the advert blames women's reprensentation of themselves rather than society for judging every small physical imperfection which is due to "growing up in society that enforces rigid beauty standards" explains Keane (2013). Finally Kilbourne denounces hypocritical strategy of Dove's communication which is owned by Unilver "a company that makes a business of marginalizing women in Axe campaigns." (Stampler, 2013)
However, focusing on the direct reactions Machado explains the Dove's YouTube channel's reactions are "overwhelmingly positive, with 90.000 likes and just 2000 dislikes. Which is a 45-to-1 ratio as well as 'uplifting' and 'inspiring' comments on Dove's Facebook page and 40.000 share." (2013)
To conclude, Grose states that many positive as well as negative articles and parodys created around the Dove's advertisement "is a real mark of Internet success when even your backlash gets press." (2013)
However reactions were not always positive, as some articles denounce the lack of diversity with mostly "Caucasian, blonde with blue eyes, thin and young" women, indeed "out of 6:36 minutes of footage, people of color are onscreen for less than 10 seconds." (Brice, 2013)
Furthermore, the advertisement is contradictory considering the fact that "when it comes to evaluating ourselves and other women, beauty is paramount" while the evaluation should be based on other, more meaningful aspects such as "intelligence, wit and ethical sensibility, not just our faces and bodies." (Friedman, 2013)
Other reactions generated by the viral advertisement are reproaches made to the message itself, as the advert blames women's reprensentation of themselves rather than society for judging every small physical imperfection which is due to "growing up in society that enforces rigid beauty standards" explains Keane (2013). Finally Kilbourne denounces hypocritical strategy of Dove's communication which is owned by Unilver "a company that makes a business of marginalizing women in Axe campaigns." (Stampler, 2013)
However, focusing on the direct reactions Machado explains the Dove's YouTube channel's reactions are "overwhelmingly positive, with 90.000 likes and just 2000 dislikes. Which is a 45-to-1 ratio as well as 'uplifting' and 'inspiring' comments on Dove's Facebook page and 40.000 share." (2013)
To conclude, Grose states that many positive as well as negative articles and parodys created around the Dove's advertisement "is a real mark of Internet success when even your backlash gets press." (2013)