The Cabbage Patch

They’re not just cute, like everybody supposes

Posted by Dave

Hello World.

Do you remember the Sony Bravia ads that have been playing on TV for a while?  The first was made up of thousands of bouncy balls launched down the streets of San Francisco, and the second consisted of a building showering itself in coloured paint.  Well, those ads are not made using CGI or fancy effects, but are actually painstakingly put together by hand and filmed on location, by advertising agency Fallon London.  They’ve just released the next ad in the campaign, and this one is by far the most impressive:

The above ad used 2.5 tons of plasticine, took forty animators three weeks to put together, and is made up of 100,000 images.

It is truly an amazing achievement, but the real question is: Is it worth it?

This kind of effort and expense could produce a fantastic short film, or an art piece of some kind.  There is the argument that an ad like this is a form of artwork, or could be considered a short film in its own right, but the fact of the matter is that it’s still an ad.  A great ad, but an ad nonetheless.

Personally, I feel that these types of advertisements are great when considered within their context - I would much rather watch a few minutes worth of these between shows than the slapped-together, mindless and repetitive stuff that I end up fast-forwarding through at the moment - but in the broader context, should we really be celebrating what is essentially a tool to make us spend money on stuff we don’t really need?

I think I’m split on this issue.  I love creative advertising, and interesting visual works like this in any form should be celebrated and encouraged.  But when I see things like Channel 9’s current “Commercial Breakdown” program, I have to think twice.  This show, for those who haven’t seen it, is one of those clip deals showcasing funny and clever television ads from around the world.  Yes, some of them are very creative, funny, well made etc.  But when you think about it, you’re watching an hour of advertisements, occasionally interrupted by advertisements.

It seems a sad state of affairs when the most creative people are creating things like this.  There is more money (and jobs) in advertising than there ever will be in film or television, and this is nothing new.  But it still feels like a waste.  A pretty waste, with adorable little bunnies.

– [via Gothamist, via Photojojo]

Tags: advertising, bunnies

2 Comments to They’re not just cute, like everybody supposes

1. 

   Dave, nice post.

   Although I must ask, as you displayed these opinions for years particularly about advertising.

   What is it that advertising has to do to be morally justifying? what is it doing that is immoral in the first place?

   If you invented a product and wanted to market it, you would need a large sum of that capital to be invested in promotion.

   Advertisements work in all manner of ways, and I mean no disrespect by this but you are just as much of a pawn for ads and clever marketing as us all, particularly in regards to electronics.
   So I would like to extend tribute to great creativity, particularly one which is so successful in both building product awareness, and extending the possibilities for future promotion.
Max on October 27th, 2007
2. 

   Max, you should give full disclosure I feel. You’re studying marketing aren’t you?

   I guess what Max means to say is that if it weren’t for ads like these, Andrew Daddo wouldn’t have a job presenting “Worlds Greatest Commercials’. And do you want to live in a Daddo-less world? No, you don’t. Well. There’d always be Lachie and Cameron Daddo, but that’s hardly the point. Ever since Daewoo collpased Kane the dog has been out of work…if you take down Andrew Daddo, you take down Kane.

   Shame on you.
TomHB on November 12th, 2007

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