Brand Demonstrations
From Linear Thought To Lateral Thinking
Creative assignment briefs that state the communication objective to be a demonstration of the benefits a particular product, brand or service has to offer, are often viewed by creative teams as being uninspiring and that by definition the brief calls for a linear creative approach restricting any lateral interpretation.
However, nothing is further from the truth. Product or brand feature demonstrations can be entertaining, informative, sometimes humorously so, and inspiringly focused on a very single-minded consumer proposition or brand promise.
The following BMW commercial is a case in point. It memorably demonstrates the benefit of power steering in a charmingly lateral way.
1. BMW Mouse and Strauss
Advertising Agency: TBWA\HUNT\LASCARIS, Johannesburg
The commercial was directed by Keith Rose of Velocity Films and is the first ever by a South African filmmaker to be selected by the Clio Awards for inclusion in their Advertising Hall of Fame.
Demonstrating Corporate Brand Diversity
A creative brief requiring to demonstrate in one commercial the vast product range a company employing 290,000 people has to offer, seems like an almost impossible creative assignment.
It has to impress shareholders, future investors and consumers with its technological diversity and innovation, a tough job.
However, Weiden+Kennedy’s captivating Honda ‘Hands’ commercial successfully achieved exactly that and received many accolades from corporate stakeholders, consumers, and the automotive and advertising trade press.
The commercial won a One Show Advertising Awards gold pencil for Video Direction, another gold pencil in the Consumer Television category, and Silver for Cinema Advertising.
2. Honda Hands
Advertising Agency: Wieden+ Kennedy
Demonstrating Product or Brand Options
One way of making product range advertising more engaging is to go beyond merely being informative, to being entertaining thereby increasing consumer brand preference likeability.
That requires building memorable scenario around the demonstrated options a brand offers. The Mercedes-Benz ‘Investigation’ commercial for example, cleverly integrates their new range of ‘compacts’ into one storyline.
3. Mercedes-Benz, The Investigation
Adverting Agency: BBDO Paris
Demonstrating A Competitive Product Feature
A specific product feature is rarely exclusive to only one brand. For example, the advantages of a quiet vacuum cleaner are obvious to all and there are several to choose from. But how quite is quite? Bosch conducts a ‘Silent Test’ demonstration in an entertaining commercial directed by Enrico Trippa Lattanzio to dramatise their superior product performance.
4. Bosch Vacuum Cleaner, The Silent Test
Advertising Agency: Iloveremo Madrid, Spain
5. IKEA, Recipes for Delicious Kitchens
Advertising Agency: BBH (Bartle Bogle Hegarty) Asia, Singapore.
This commercial is an entertaining approach in demonstrating the many options on offer in their brochure that are available to be discovered in IKEA stores.
6. Kia K900, What Luxury Feels Like
Advertising Agency: David&Goliath, Los Angeles.
I can imagine a brief landing on my desk with the assignment of demonstrating the competitive luxury features of a Kia K900. I’m not sure I would know where to start.
For Los Angeles Advertising Agency David&Goliath however, that was not a problem. They came up with a creatively lateral and visually dramatised version of what true luxury feels and sounds like that is hugely entertaining.
Demonstrating the Emotional Benefit of a Product
We all understand the practical benefits of noise reduction headphones. This commercial however, featuring dancer and performer Maëva Berthelot, insightfully demonstrates the very personal and emotional benefit to be derived from the Bose noise-cancelling headphones and a recognition of the importance their target market places on their uninterrupted musical enjoyment.
7. Bose QC 35, Get Closer
Advertising Agency: Grey London