Nine pieces of fake video content that brands pretended were real
So let’s just be clear. I’m aware that ads aren’t real. But at the same time, there’s a grammar behind them. A main point being the principle of truth in advertising – the idea that you can’t make claims that aren’t real. If you can’t prove that your product is 25% better at something than it’s rival, you can’t say so.
Yet when it comes to online video, the principle often goes out of the window. Instead, the joke’s on the consumer. Most documentary-style video doesn’t show what it purports to. Which eventually hurts the whole industry, because consumers become ever more cynical.
And it also almost never results in a good marketing result either.
At which point let’s take a look at nine videos that Look Pretty Fake To Me.
I see nothing wrong with them. They entertain, which is what good advertising should do in order to get viewer appeal. Why would people get upset by this, its all pretty obviously ‘fake’ which, like you mentioned, is advertising. Online is a fantastic new avenue for it and should continue to be exploited. : )
the horror… the coke one was by far the worst though
Bang on the money Tim. People hate advertisers enough as it is. We don’t have to make it this easy for them…
Oh come on – yes there are some dummies here, but the internet provides the freedom we crave to explore different approaches. Australian clients are already THE MOST CONSERVATIVE in the world. Occasionally we can get them to loosen up and go for a different approach, trialling it on the www. Please don’t overthink it – none of the viewers would be.
Warra Spraggon you shouldn’t be in the advertising business because you don’t understand consumers
they have never been more cynical of this kind of BS and all of these ‘ads’ created negative brand perceptions because they treat viewers like idiots
just because you produce entertainment doesn’t mean you have a license to deceive
This kind of thing would work better under the title of “Ad Ideas”, or “Do you believe it?”
when trying to create the appearance of raw reality, you need to let go of the creative side of your talent, look only at the intent and get a novice to shoot it.
Creating so called reality, is a very difficult thing to achieve. Again, anyone who understands theatre should know, that you never, under any circumstances, underestimate your audience; they will fool you ten fold,before you will get away with fooling them once. Shame on you for trying.
Good grief.
I love that Mumbrella have taken this stance – Mumbrella having some integrity here?! Nice one Tim.
I do think that consumers are super smart and a brand has to be authentic about what they’re doing. Entertainment should not be at the expense of integrity and neither should integrity be at the expense of entertainment. It certainly is possible to have both.
Like with that fine line between fantasy and fact in TVC’s there is a fine line to tread. I’m all for some fantasy but agree I like it to be more obvious. The Coke spot for example is pretty obvious to me so i’m cool with that one in this way – not so cool on the ripping off of Mythbusters’ new show though.
Much like the TV campaigns and the so called ‘testimonials’ that are simply actors ad-libbing, this is not a new issue for brands. Having worked on many campaigns with real people it is possible to ensure the client gets what they need and to be authentic in what is communicated, still allowing people to be themselves.
I agree that the McDonalds spot is the biggest lost opportunity. Whilst getting people to make that first move could have been the issue it wouldn’t have been that hard to get some authentic play and have a more honest communication.
I agree with @Richard Moss – never underestimate the audience, but I disagree that re-creating raw reality isn’t that hard. I feel that this is where people go wrong – they think a handycam and some energetic unscripted talent is how you get ‘real’. That’s where most of these videos have come unstuck – the production hasn’t been really thought through in how they can get authenticity at the same time as entertainment – and that’s a real art.
Oak reverse robberies – sheer joy and strategically bang on. Great Monkey business.
Like all advertising, it depends if it’s lame or not. Oak / Coke / Jacket man… freaking lame. Ass-cam, very nice.
I’m sure every one of those people in shot signed release forms however, which throws the whole thing into question.