Is obvious a good thing? Depends.
by asi
In case you missed it take a quick look so you can get what I’m talking about
This piece that got all marketing twitteratis drooling left me with half a smile half a ‘meh’. It’s an idea I bet has been on the minds of half the creative dudes in the world. It definitely was on mine. That’s not to say I’m hot because I don’t think this idea is hot.
It reminded me of an interesting blogversation with Andy on his old blog where he claimed that: “Very clever things on the other hand have become the new obvious”.
Recently I wrote that I fear that in 2010 we’ll see loads of obvious stuff that might work but isn’t really exciting and i think that this is the perfect example.
While I strongly believe in the idea that brands should be generous etc., when I see (or do something like that with my clients) I can’t avoid the feeling that, how shall I put it, this is the kind of stuff you do when you don’t have a better idea to earn people’s attention – you give away free stuff in a slightly cheeky way.
Now compare it to this one that also gives free stuff and as I write this post I think I understand why I liked it so much better than the Coke thing. The obviousness in the Ikea promotion comes as a surprise. It’s a sweet-bitter kind of obviousness you see in a simple original idea.
With the Coke thing there was no surprise, just obviousness.
What say you?
Hey Asi
In terms of obviousness. I know what you mean, but on whom is it burdening this feeling of obviousness? Marketers, maybe. But (assuming this stunt was real) the people given the magic vending machine certainly won’t have found it obvious. And catching them in their own physical environment – opposed to Ikea having pixels at their disposal – creates a very different kind of surprise.
This idea of happiness striking also has serious legs. Or perhaps, happy legs.
That they chose to open proceedings with a traditional, iconic gateway to the Coke product – the vending machine – and make the ‘happiness’ understandable and simple is probably a good thing.
However cynical our industry is, I’ll bet most people that see this have a big smile on their face. I must admit, I did.
I agree to all mate.
The obviousness test was applied to my very own biased snobbish marketeer self.
i’m all for happiness, surprise and generosity so i should be the first one to give it kudos but for some irrational reasons, i can’t
Am in the ‘meh’ camp. However, I also find the flashmob marketing (get a crowd to do something wacky in front of a camera for You-Tube consumption) fairly banal and unimaginative. Reason being: it is a bunch of marketers desparately trying to make the viral ‘happen’. The Coke vid is a bit too-cool-for-words, cleverly edited, with funky students looking impressed (ie. fake).
Something as hokey and cheesy like the Pink Glove Dance [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEdVfyt-mLw], succeeds in expressing brand/corporate values without even trying.
Audiences are highly sophisticated when it comes to viral marketing and can smell a fake a mile away. I doubt Coke brand managers get this.
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