AUG 21, 2008
What is it with trailers these days?
Rob 
1 comments
Copywriter
We’ve all heard this before: “Let’s get there early, so we can catch the previews.” I hate missing the beginning of a movie as much as anyone else, but catching all seven of the previews often leaves me exhausted before the movie even starts. The last thing I need before seeing a superhero movie is seeing five other superhero movies. They may only be three minutes in length, but they seem to cram in every explosion, joke and one-liner from the entire film. Often after watching a trailer I feel like I already know the characters and their story so well that I don’t need to pay eight bucks and spend two hours to get all that same information again in long form.
It makes sense that a preview is structured the same way a movie is: hook, exposition, climax and resolution. But doesn’t it seem like this formula is maybe too easy? Wouldn’t it be exciting if trailers were more like teasers—where you see just enough to make you want more? I’m sure that previews show as much as they do because that’s what audiences expect, and because it sells tickets. I, for one, am tired of all this handholding.
AUG 11, 2008
What can I say? "Go World" gets me going.
Rob 0 comments
Copywriter
Bravo to TBWA\Chiat\Day. Amidst a swarm of Olympic-themed ads saturating the airwaves these days, the creative team behind the Visa “Go World” campaign managed to accomplish the unthinkable: a tasteful, simple campaign that merely tugs at the heart strings rather than yanks violently at them. In fact, I have to think back to Wieden + Kennedy’s beautiful Nike spot, “Move”—which premiered during the 2002 winter games—to remember an ad that achieved this feat as effectively. By now, I’m sure we’ve all seen the spots: there’s Morgan Freeman’s harmonic voiceover, the warm sepia glow that washes over the footage, some stirring music and exquisitely written copy. Quite the complete package. Take a look.
And while we’re on the subject, here’s “Move.”
JUL 31, 2008
The lowest price? It's in your pocket.
Rob 0 comments
Copywriter
iPhone owners rejoice--the app store is live. And, for the most part, it's everything Apple promised. Among the myriad programs, games and tools, one particular application has caught my attention. It's called Checkout Smartshop. http://www.kigisoftware.com/Checkout.html. This nifty tool lets shoppers read product reviews, compare prices online---it even zeroes in on your location and lets you know if any nearby stores carry your product for a cheaper price. And how do you access this trove of information? Simply enter the UPC code of practically any product into the app's home screen. Marvelous. But the presence of a tool like this begs an important question: As it becomes increasingly easy to find a product for the cheapest available price, how long will it be before brick and mortar stores transform into giant display cases for items that can be bought elsewhere for less? In other words, how will chains like Best Buy continue to woo customers if a visit to their store leads me, in fact, back to my car or onto the web for that TV I've been lusting after? How will stores communicate to customers when they can no longer compete on price? I, for one, am eager to see what happens next.
