Oh! So *that’s* why the skittles ads aren’t much cop anymore
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Here’s the new Skittles ad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j22SfSS9x7c
I’ve been trying to put my finger on why they’re not as good as ‘Touch’:
Or ‘Piñata:
or ‘Sour’:
It’s down to character. All three ads have the same weird situations, but there is a deeply tragic story in ‘Touch’ and ‘Piñata’ and a really dark dynamic to ‘Sour’. 30 seconds of proper story, rather than a vaguely amusing premise and nothing more.
‘Funny’ is one thing, but situations that you can relate to, that touch you more deeply, are something else.
There’s a Twilight Zone feel to the original three. Like you say a darkside where we laugh at the ‘misfortune’ of others. We can all relate to the be careful what you wish for tale. Aside from the ‘Midas’ lift for ‘Touch’ any thoughts as to the origin of thought for the others?
Didn’t they change agencies a while ago? Shame. I could watch ‘Piñata’ every day and not get bored. Brilliant.
Slightly OT, but am I the only one who thinks the new Red Cross spot is a (not quite as good) copy of the ‘Mayhem’ campaign for Allstate?
Allstate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtP-S9OS0o0
Red Cross: http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/thework/1151630/british-red-cross-refusing-ignore-people-crisis/
OK, so characterisation isn’t a new idea. And the Red Cross are justifiably serious about what they do… But it’s just a bit flat compared to the US original, isn’t it?
Pinata Man definitely has something of the Elephant Man about him.
Or the fact they are being made by a different agency now.
Agree. Touch is incredibly sad.
Disagree about Allstate and Red Cross (it was one of our directors so I’m bound to say that). Different films.
part of me is just glad that people make ads like this these days.
We cut to a meeting in London: “So Mr Client, the genius of this idea is that someone is going to sweat your product and then, and you’ll love this bit, another guy EATS it. YEAH, EATS IT!!! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaaaaaaaa”.
“Yeah, I guess we could go again. You know, if you think it’ll save the business an’ all.”
“Oh, and consider those guys fired. Like, you know, totally.”
But yeah, it’s not as good. Dark = Good = Awards. Partly because the rest of us who sit there and judge them, wonder how they sold ‘Touch’ in the first place.
@Original Richard H
Having just watched both commercials I think you’re completely wrong. The Red Cross is far superior…and the Allstate ad is quite lame.
Me thinks you may be one of them agency haters and have a hidden agenda.
Back on topic…Pinata and Touch are such excellent commercials it must be very hard to write something to match their quality…an almost impossible task.
My favourite from Allstate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4JlY4X4FTk
True: getting this sweat ad sold would ordinarily be a miracle, but the bar is annoyingly high for any creative who wants to take on the brief these days.
@Peggy: “Me thinks you may be one of them agency haters and have a hidden agenda” Nope, not at all. I’m an agency creative. No agenda, just an opinion (and they, after all, are like arse holes). The only difference is that Red Cross crammed all the “I am the…” ideas into 60 seconds not lots of different executions. And one one point I agree with you: I would have been really happy to have got that “Sweat” spot away if “Piñata” had never been shot.
@George: Thanks for declaring your interest. Your director made it look awesome; the idea is the same, that’s all.
I just think its not as good simply because..it’s not as good.
Also, the old man on the treadmill has no dialogue, so you get no back story and therefore none of the tragedy.
That’s what I mean. He isn’t a character.
And Allstate vs Red Cross: people have been anthropomorphising abstract concepts for donkeys years.
It’s the old supremacy of the analogy that I wrote about a few years back.
Heres that analogy link case any of you were wondering what Ben is on about http://www.ben-kay.com/2011/05/analogies-good-bad-or-who-the-hell-knows/
Btw Ben when you say years I’m presuming you must be having such a wonderful time where you are presently at that May 2011 seems like years ago?
Incidentally does linking to previous wordage mean I should get out more?
@Original Richard H: “like arse holes”
Our opinions beg to differ…but I would want the Red Cross ad on my reel at the drop of a hat…and all the Skittles ads…but never the Allstate.
@George: Your director has done a fantastic job and deserves to get something for it.
1. Gerry Graf
2. An ‘account man’ that was probably a used car salesman in a previous life.
3. Gerry Graf
The Red Cross ad is even more like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd-s8Qpo1_I