:: adgruntie :: AdChemistry, Coke & Live Ads

+Check out ihaveanidea.org for their recent AdChemistry at VCU. Quicktime films feature Dan Widen and David Kennedy (with a great film on Dan Widen done by David Kennedy), Jeff Goodby and Andy Berlin, Steve Hyden and Lee Clow (with a film on the making of Apple's 1984). Some very funny moments. Definitely worth viewing. (to get there head here, then click on the watch videos on the adchemistry banner near the top).

+ Bloomberg reports that Coke is failing to make sales with their new advertising campaign, "Make it Real". Is it any big surprise? They certainly turn me off with their lame Diet Coke "Tingle" ads. Coke's advertising for the last decade has been very bland especially when you compare it to what Pepsi, their main competitor, has been doing. The line "make it real" does have potential but their spots don't push the idea far enough for consumers to really make the connection. There's a definite sense of disjointment between that thought and how it's executed in the creative. Take the spot where a teenager can't decide if he should take the last Coke or give it to his dad, which he decides to do. Where does that fit into the "make it real" concept? Sure it's a nice sentiment and all and a 180 from the usual concepts of people fighting over a product, but I just don't see the connection. Hopefully their new creative will be better.

+ ThisisLondon reports that Leo Burnett, London is bringing live advertisements to the stage.

The cast of Saturday Night Fever will act out advertisements for products including McDonald's, Heinz and Kellogg's during breaks in the performance on 1 March at the Apollo in Victoria. The script of the musical and lyrics to some of the songs have even been changed to plug the brands.

Very strange. The aim is to sell tickets to raise £30,000 for Comic Relief.