An Entirely Different Campaign

Today is Election Day in the US… but instead of calling you to action, or reminding you of the prophetic guidelines found in D&C 134, I'd like to discuss a campaign of an entirely different stripe: an advertising campaign — for the Church.

The campaign, entitled Truth Restored, is described thusly in a press release:

[The church,] known in the past 30 years for its cutting-edge public service ads on the family has now redefined ways to share its message in a major multimedia campaign.

In ads being run in three test areas throughout the United States, recent converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints share their experiences unscripted and in their own words.

The campaign is decidedly different from the (effective) schmaltz of earlier campaigns. Its tenor and approach is documentary, and the players come from diverse racial and socio-economic backgrounds (also in stark contrast to other campaigns).

In this billboard (one of several) , the typography is definitely "mormon", but the lighting and framing of the family is light and airy — very modern. And note the use of mormon.org.

The campaign also features a number of video spots that are optimized for both television viewing and web site embeds, à la YouTube (I, II).

This is an exciting new direction for the Church, and it's great to see them capitalizing on the their experience with the web. But what are your thoughts? On their design, the concept, the campaign in general… Would you consider embedding one of these videos in your personal web site?

NB: This entry is cross-posted from Nine Moons: An Entirely Different Campaign, please join us over there to comment!

Go Wild!

The Wildlife Conservation Society — who own and operate New York City's zoos and aquarium — are hoping to capitalize on the avatar craze in its outreach efforts. Yes, it's a bald marketing gimmick… but it's a fun, bald, marketing gimmick.

So what are you waiting for? Build your wild self!

Lost in Milk Wood

Volkswagen has launched a campaign to coincide with the debut of the new Golf — which features Richard Burton reading from Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood. It's called Night Driving, and the site features user-recommended night drives from around the world. I think I'm going to add a few of my own.

Hat tip: Prolific

And Now... a Word from Our Sponsor

A little YouTube goodness...





And, of course, a public service announcement to cap it all off...

Another Football/Soccer Post

Watch the adorable soccer kid commercial above... then, when you're in the mood to buy some sporting equipment, buy it from Fairtrade Sports. Leave the irony of buying children's toys made by slave children in the past.



( Hat tip: Seth Godin's post on Fairtrade Sports )

The Snowman... and His Evil Twin

Have you seen The Snowman? The British, animated short featuring a boy and his snowman? It's one of my favorite holiday treats... but nothing that good stays un-tarnished. Marketers love a good hook, and the folks at Irn Bru ( a not-so-soft-drink from the UK ) found theirs.

See a grainy snippet from the original ( you really ought to buy the full short ):



And now, for your delectation, the advert from Irn Bru:

Watch-out, folks, there are Mormons afoot!

So, it would seem that Deseret First Credit Union — a credit union chartered to serve members and employees of the Church — has finally discovered its funny bone... now if only someone could discover a brand identity specialist to give it a modern logo.

* sigh *

Ads found via a heads-up over at Times & Seasons.



The fourth video is for us old farts who remember Cheers when it was in first runs.

Can I Buy You a Coke?

Looks like the geniuses behind Coke's adverts have done it again.

Welcome to the Happiness Factory!



My favorite part? The snow people getting fargoed.

Heh.

YouTube Link.

Soccer Commercials... Better than Beer?

As a nod to the opening of the 2006 World Cup, I bring you SoccerCommercials.com.

The demon one is a classic.

: )

( Oh, and here's a little on why Americans don't like soccer, from an old friend... who's not all all that old. )

I'm such an iTool.

So Apple has some cool new iMac ads.

Which means I'm beholden to share them with you all... even though you've probably already seen them.

It's in my contract.

( Author's note: Check-out this delightfully contrarian view from the brilliant comic, PVPOnline. )