Last year’s Adidas House Party film turned a lot of heads, including those of us at Sportscentric. We thought it was pretty smart. And very cool. So did lots of lots of hipsters.
The folks at Sky One in London did as well. So much so that they almost frame-by-frame (respectfuly) ripped it off. The original:
The homage:
You can also go to Adidas Originals’ page on Facebook and check out the comparisons. It’s a nice simple page and 1.5 million fans agree (PS, about 150,000 more fans than Nike).
It makes sense that one of the most original shows in the history of television, which got that way by hilariously lampooning just about every film, music and tv genre known to man, would faithfully copy an instantly classic film that touts originality. There’s a hornets nest of logic there, but it all makes sense because the Simpsons is at the heart of it.
And the biggest beneficiary is Adidas, whose coolness level gets a boost without spending a dime.
That is, until Nike makes “Bart Knows.”
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Rock the boat, just don’t capsize
“There are over 400,000 NCAA athletes. And just about all of us will be going pro in something other than sports.”
How many years have ads for the NCAA been using these words in their ads? The same words, mind you, but always with different stories wrapping themselves around that interesting thought.
In contrast to the many many brands that come up with a smart idea and move away from it way too soon because a fiesty young creative gets bored with it, the NCAA is sticking to this very smart platform and keeps coming up with interesting ways to craft stories around it. Like this.
This new work is some of the most surprising they’ve done, a tribute to whoever’s the guardian of the brand at the NCAA, and to Y&R in San Francisco, who produced these ads. Same copy they’ve been using for years, and in this case, a strikingly arresting (and different) visual story.
Stick with it, all of you guys doing these ads. You’re proving that you can keep your hand on the tiller, not make any sharp turns, and still stay in uncharted waters that deliver surprising adventures. Well done.
How many years have ads for the NCAA been using these words in their ads? The same words, mind you, but always with different stories wrapping themselves around that interesting thought.
In contrast to the many many brands that come up with a smart idea and move away from it way too soon because a fiesty young creative gets bored with it, the NCAA is sticking to this very smart platform and keeps coming up with interesting ways to craft stories around it. Like this.
This new work is some of the most surprising they’ve done, a tribute to whoever’s the guardian of the brand at the NCAA, and to Y&R in San Francisco, who produced these ads. Same copy they’ve been using for years, and in this case, a strikingly arresting (and different) visual story.
Stick with it, all of you guys doing these ads. You’re proving that you can keep your hand on the tiller, not make any sharp turns, and still stay in uncharted waters that deliver surprising adventures. Well done.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
The Blue States Prevail Again
Red or blue, if you’re a sports fan, you’ve gotta love the Prez. Especially if you’re a basketball fan. Not only is he still hooping at the age of 46, he picked tall advisers and a cabinet full of tall guys so he can have a game nearby whenever he gets a little downtime.
And he appeared on ESPN last week to do his Barack-etology, filling out his brackets for the NCAA tourney. He gives some expert commentary while staying diplomatic, picks a few minor upsets, and mostly goes with the favorites. He shows off his basketball knowledge in general by calling out certain players like DeJuan Blair and Ty Lawson. And he injects a little sports guy humor into it as well, warning Carolina “Not to embarrass me again” since he picked them last year too. No surprise there. It's a blue state.
Nothing against W, but I'm not sure he could remember any school except for the Aggies of Texas and the Missouri Sooners.
And he appeared on ESPN last week to do his Barack-etology, filling out his brackets for the NCAA tourney. He gives some expert commentary while staying diplomatic, picks a few minor upsets, and mostly goes with the favorites. He shows off his basketball knowledge in general by calling out certain players like DeJuan Blair and Ty Lawson. And he injects a little sports guy humor into it as well, warning Carolina “Not to embarrass me again” since he picked them last year too. No surprise there. It's a blue state.
Nothing against W, but I'm not sure he could remember any school except for the Aggies of Texas and the Missouri Sooners.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
You had me at "Pavement"
Sometimes things that are awesome in small doses don’t translate so well to the longer format. Just ask The Ladies man, Stuart Smalley, Pat, and the guys at the Roxbury.
In that same vein, this new Nike spot is proof that a great print ad doesn’t automatically turn into a great TV ad just by turning on a moving film camera.
As much as I love language, and stand and cheer for smart, inspiring, compelling headlines, I wince when people try to turn a great headline into more than what it is. The headline “The road to State is paved with Pavement” is genius. When you have words that so beautifully nail a strategy, it’s tempting to want to build a campaign around them. To the very talented people at Nike and Weiden, I’d suggest more self-discipline and less self-love.
In that same vein, this new Nike spot is proof that a great print ad doesn’t automatically turn into a great TV ad just by turning on a moving film camera.
As much as I love language, and stand and cheer for smart, inspiring, compelling headlines, I wince when people try to turn a great headline into more than what it is. The headline “The road to State is paved with Pavement” is genius. When you have words that so beautifully nail a strategy, it’s tempting to want to build a campaign around them. To the very talented people at Nike and Weiden, I’d suggest more self-discipline and less self-love.
Monday, March 16, 2009
R-E-S-P-E-C-T? No, it's Tush for AVP.
Have you ever watched Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor play volleyball?
OK, yes, they look hot. They’re tall and muscular and wear thin pieces of fabric some would call clothes, others would call illegal in 12 states. Little boys in California stash volleyball magazines under their beds in anticipation of some pre-bedtime alone time.
But c’mon. That’s not what makes Kerri and Misty spectacular.
I mean, have you seen them play volleyball?
These women aren’t just incredibly talented athletes. They’re incredibly competitive talented athletes. If they were up 20-0 in a match they wouldn’t let up, and if they gave you and your really tall friend Karch a 19-0 lead they would still find a way to crush you. I never saw them play a match where I wasn’t sure they were going to win.
So I can’t imagine they’re happy to see the AVP’s new campaign, which Darren Rovell mentions in his Sports Biz blog. As a sports fan, and a supporter of equal rights for women-—especially in sports--I have to wince, too. This sets women back a few decades.
Somewhere, Kerri Walsh is wincing. And Bobby Riggs is chuckling.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Puma sticks to its knitting, wins
Why do I like this commercial? Well, it’s not a new theme.
We’ve seen many many iterations of the passage of time told through the eyes of a sexy young couple. Often, it’s for a fashion related product. This classic for Levi’s, for example. Directed by an up and coming young director (at the time) named Michael Bay.
And a different way in, and surprise, again, for Levi’s.
So it’s been done before. Benjamin Button kind of does it in reverse (and three hours and forty five minutes) and was, oddly enough, directed by another former commercial wunderkind in David Fincher.
So here, Puma gives it a shot. And I like it. Extremely fresh telling of the story. Everything is just so different. In a good way.
A story told through modern dance, done by two dancers who aren’t the archetypical gorgeous, model bodied Broadway hoofers. He’s skinny and lanky, she’s muscular and sexy.
A wonderfully odd music track with the lyrics “A pretty girl/boy in his/her underwear...”
The mix of post effects and real staging to create many different fantasy worlds that combine with the dancers’ movements to tell the story.
And a great ending with the tag “light injected airness” and the product featured in an understated way that one-ups Nike, by showing the trademark jumping Puma as well as a pretty cool looking shoe.
And that’s what they’re selling, right? Coolness. Cool track, story, movements, backdrop. Not performance. Not show features. Have you ever worn Pumas? They're not real big on support. I think “light injected airness” is a cooler way of saying “Fashion over function.” A smarter way.
Puma isn’t trying to be anything but exactly who they are: a fashion brand for hipsters. Sell the shoe to them and the rest of the world will follow, from the time you meet til the day you die. Or at least until you need better arch support.
We’ve seen many many iterations of the passage of time told through the eyes of a sexy young couple. Often, it’s for a fashion related product. This classic for Levi’s, for example. Directed by an up and coming young director (at the time) named Michael Bay.
And a different way in, and surprise, again, for Levi’s.
So it’s been done before. Benjamin Button kind of does it in reverse (and three hours and forty five minutes) and was, oddly enough, directed by another former commercial wunderkind in David Fincher.
So here, Puma gives it a shot. And I like it. Extremely fresh telling of the story. Everything is just so different. In a good way.
A story told through modern dance, done by two dancers who aren’t the archetypical gorgeous, model bodied Broadway hoofers. He’s skinny and lanky, she’s muscular and sexy.
A wonderfully odd music track with the lyrics “A pretty girl/boy in his/her underwear...”
The mix of post effects and real staging to create many different fantasy worlds that combine with the dancers’ movements to tell the story.
And a great ending with the tag “light injected airness” and the product featured in an understated way that one-ups Nike, by showing the trademark jumping Puma as well as a pretty cool looking shoe.
And that’s what they’re selling, right? Coolness. Cool track, story, movements, backdrop. Not performance. Not show features. Have you ever worn Pumas? They're not real big on support. I think “light injected airness” is a cooler way of saying “Fashion over function.” A smarter way.
Puma isn’t trying to be anything but exactly who they are: a fashion brand for hipsters. Sell the shoe to them and the rest of the world will follow, from the time you meet til the day you die. Or at least until you need better arch support.
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