Another wonderful, wonderful ad from Kenny motherfucking powers*
The advent of the internet has given us many great things, and yes, some of them have even been ads.
But since BMW films showed us that web-only advertising meant that you could dispense with rules and regulations there have not been enough corporate messages that have really pushed the boundaries.
Well, the K-Swiss Kenny Powers work has really taken things to the next level.
Swearing, violence and plenty of product.
It’s what a sports shoe ad should be.
Let’s face it, most of us don’t really get the full benefit of an Adidas trainer vs one from Nike or Asics. They’re all pretty good, so the purchase decision just comes down to which brand you like best. Before the Kenny Powers campaign I thought of K-Swiss as the lowest of the low: dreadful name, awful design, terrible advertising. But in one fell swoop they have jumped to the front of mind when it comes to trainer choice (I must admit I still haven’t bought a pair, but that’s mainly because they look like shit) and as far as I’m concerned that’s advertising job done.
And this latest spot is just another great addition to a great campaign.
*It’s just coincidence that the last two ads I’ve really loved have featured loads of senseless violence.
Great stuff.
Ben, do you think ‘uncool’ brands give you a greater opportunity to do some brilliant work? Are these clients more suggestible to great advertising – because they’re less risk averse?
I’m thinking K-Swiss (ugly basketball shoes), Old Spice (fusty Dad’s deodorant), Boots (before the girls came) and probably some others.
i agree ben.
advertisers have been rather slow to take advantage of the freedom offered by the web. Perhaps it’s just a case of old habits dying hard.
Kenny Powers makes everything else in the category look as milquetoast and bland as they really are.
Like that Paddy Power ad about chavs. Provocative and potentially, ahem, “offensive”. but not really. not in the real world. just funny
Vinny, thank you for reminding me of one of my favourite words: milquetoast. And yes, the Paddy Power thing is dozens of times funnier than it would have been on normal TV.
And Blah: I think it makes the task harder, and therefore the good result more impressive. A Nike ad might be just as ‘good’ but we then judge it down because it’s easier to make a good Nike ad (in theory).
I love this campaign, and it hasn’t won a cracker in any award show, to the best of my knowledge. I wonder why that might be? Borrowed interest perhaps? Seems odd.
It’s amazing that you wankers are still impressed by the use of bad language.
I don’t mind swearing/violence etc.but I just don’t find these funny enough to justify time spent watching. They are the sort of gags my brother would make.
Someone showed me ‘Terry Tate’ the other day. It’s from 2006 but it has passed me by for 5 years. It’s pretty good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzToNo7A-94
it’s not the bad language that’s impressive here. though that is a landmark.
it’s the fact that this has some connection to the real motherfucking world bitches! it actually sets out to entertain on a level that competes with everything else out there in 2012. it doesn’t live in the pretend world of advertising.
@hmm. advertising awards shows don’t live in the real world and are increasingly irrelevant as a result. I would take doing this campaign over winning any advertising award.
Maybe the agency didn’t even enter it.
It highlights the central truism of advertising well, in that no matter how good the ads, if the product is shite, nothing will shift them. K-Swiss remind me of those shoes that were supposed to help you walk better and were everywhere a year or two ago, but they looked like calliper boots. Also Kenny Powers is a caricature of the type of person that might wear K-Swiss. So it’s basically a massive own goal because on a subconscious level we’re interpreting this as ‘total cocks wear K-Swiss.’ Maybe?
I love these, but I love Kenny too (3rd series just out I think!)
But anyone know about the writing behind these? How much agency/client involvement Vs. how much (if any) Kenny/Eastbound team bring to the party?
Also, are K-Swiss actually perceived as badly in the US as over here, Ben?
Questions, questions….
Have to agree with #5 and #6. The shoe reminds me of the very first ads for the VW Beetle. It was as ugly as can be, but the ads made a point for it. Same could’ve been done for this product. Instead we got some douchebag with second grade humour unleashing a verbal diarrhea on us. And people still wonder why ads are so bad nowadays.
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