Anthropologize

I almost didn’t go to the British Ad Awards at the Walker in Minneapolis this year. Not because I hate advertising. Because last year they were TERRIBLE.

I wasn’t optimistic. New branding for the whole show. Arrow Awards? Am I supposed to know what that means? I’m not British. Is that why I don’t get it? And then the program. Yellow? With weird graphics that look all spray painted/someone’s teenage kid monkeyed with them with the “neon” filter in photoshop? But I went. And I watched. And 2011? They were better than 2010 by ad TWO. Rapping organic farmers followed by fallen angels with wings and sparkle halos? I’M IN. And those are jus the first two honorable mentions. Finalists. Whatever.

What I noticed:

The Miss:
Virgin Airlines is still trying to out-cool everyone. Does this work in the UK? Do they not have frequent flyer programs? I don’t get it. Virgin is cool. On Delta I fly First Class. Sorry. Maybe I’m too American for you??

Agency:
Almost every ad not only had agency credits (with no names), but a production house and a director (sometimes semi-famous). The big name agencies often had “sub-titles” – to make us think the ads came from some really really really cool “thinktank” inside the agency? Nice branding.

Other Ads:
There were a few ads that referenced other winner ads from years past. That’s a cop-out, folks. Someone won an award with cars made from sugar and cake? Let’s make one from hot girls, tattoos and venom. One of my favourites fits into this category tho.. (and see what I did there?)… the ad for ad people. I didn’t catch on until the weird lego people were kids with rhythmic eyebrows. And then there were lots of bouncy balls. And a car made of cake. And a gorrila playing the drums… oooooohhhhhh. GOT IT. AND I’M YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE (minus the britishness). GOT IT.

Devices:
Lots of montages. And people moving through online and offline worlds seamlessly. And “lifetime in 60 seconds” ads.

Themes:
Technology. Apparently Intel thinks we live in the internet. So does Nike Football. And pretty much everyone talking about phones believes in Utopia. Especially Utopia with knitted things and bees (which, to their credit, are going extinct or something. So that’s actually pretty clever).

Food. Apparently food is important. To farmers. And kids. And rappers.

Audis. Apparently the new the shit.

Dogs. Apparently still cute.

The UK: Apparently still classist. Even the Beckhams aren’t rich enough. Like, A LOT not rich enough.

Emotions. Apparently humans have them, and it’s good to remind them of this. Burn their houses down. Beat up people’s wives. Kiss them at the airport (didn’t Love Actually already cover this one??). And people who are crippled, wheelchaired, or “mentally challenged” but motivated/naughty, have them in spades. Also, it’s very poetic to love a woman for her whole life. You know, because women are amazing- they should shop, and you should shop for them, at John Lewis. Like, FOREVER.

Verdict:
My almost favorite was the ad for a new intel processor. SNOOZEFEST you say? Well, I didn’t get it at first. Woman with envelope? Spys want the enevelope? Wait, now she’s a facebook photo? And now she is running and sweating? And, hang on, now she’s a video game player in a MMORPG? Huh? Oh. Wait. OOOOOOHHHHHH. Internet. Life. Seamless. Life. Internet. Well, shit.

My favorite ad of the night, tho? The Coulour Project from Dulex. Yeah. It’s PAINT. And it’s the dreaded “cause marketing.” But as someone who has seen the effects that a little paint can create (sidebar: colorfully painted LATRINES in Sierra Leone became a source of pride and status, were taken care of, were coveted even, because they were painted. In a place where people can’t afford to paint their homes, and where colors like pink and aqua are scarce, a bright pink latrine really MEANS something…oh, and then there’s the way that a simple coat of paint on my freshman dormroom brought together my parents and my roommates parents and we’re still connected, and talk about that night from Home Depot to egg shell white, 15years later… and the room felt like it was OURS…), I loved this concept. Not to mention the visual tapestry created by weaving together scenes of people painting structures they love, their own neighborhoods, all across the whole world… omg. LOVE.
I may only remember this ad because Bravia “did colour” first. But I’ll remember it. I already checked the website.

My takeaway for the biz? People had budgets in 2011. And from the calls I’m getting this month, I’d guess they have them again in 2012. Also, people still spend money on “TV.” Or. Mini-movies. Web content. Whatever. Apparently it’s got a good ROI as long as you have a big agency with a thinktank, a cool production company that sounds like a rap group, and a “director” for your “branded film.” GAME ON, I say.

Them’s my thoughts. Go see them! Let’s discuss!