The video below was made by folks at Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions (they call it a movie) to show the disconnect between traditional monologue advertising and the so-called new “conversation” marketing consumers seem to want. Despite playing off the stereotype that men don’t listen to women (that is a stereotype right?), it won a 2007 MIXX Award for brand awareness. The message is “Bring the love”. Yeah, rah-rah, we get it.
Funny thing though, when I visited their site to Learn the Secrets of 40 Successful campaigns, the first video ad campaign they took pride in making was for AXE Vice Deodorant which “turns nice girls naughty“. The message there seems to be “Bring the sex”. Yeah, that’s some creative 2.0ish, conversational, non-traditional advertising. (Or maybe the MSN adfolk can’t tell the difference between love and sex.)
Interestingly, Microsoft promoted the “Break Up” video in their toilet stalls “to engage as many people internally”. Hmm… not sure how much internal engagement is happening in your stalls– not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Knowing the backstory, the video loses some of its credibility and becomes what it is– a clever video to get companies to hire Microsoft to produce internet video. Reminds me of another old school marketing technique– tell a girl you love her to get in her pants. You Microsoft dudes are smooth operators. What other bloggers fell for the line and put out for this video? (It is good though)
