Lab coats, ties & musicians sell cars?
I’m intrigued by what seems to be a recent trend in high-production automotive advertising. The number of commercials containing either an orchestra or a large group of people similarly dressed in a stereotypical factory worker or scientist get-up is fascinating. The newest spot continuing this trend is the Audi A4: Strings 1:30 spot by DDB Barcelona.
I could dig deep and analyze conceptual execution, soundrack choices, and overall production value, but what piques my interest is all of the people wearing lab coats. Who are they? Why are they this experienced at playing with string? And if they are Audi designers, is there any reason they’re all wearing matching lab coats? The only good answers I can come up in my head involve either the visual simplicity it creates or the pseudo-scientist-authority figures it yields. Either way, I still want to know how they got that skilled with string games.
I probably wouldn’t take much notice, but the Audi spot certainly isn’t the only recent advertisement to use the lab coat. The recent Problem Playground spot by W+K London for Honda has a plethora of scientists, construction workers, office execs, and other similarly dressed official-looking people taking part. Do they bring any authority to the message Honda is pushing? Or is it just some visual variety and I’m attempting to read too much into it? And then what of the Ford Focus Orchestra? Does having a musician play an emissions system of a Ford really make me any more likely to purchase a Ford? I’m by no means complaining. I think all the new spots are stellar in their own ways. I just find it interesting the direction that automotive advertising is going. We’ve definitely changed a bit since Joe Isuzu.
And for your viewing pleasure, I’ve embedded the “Problem Playground” and “Orchestra” spots after the jump.
Ford Orchestra (O&M London)
Problem Playground (W+K London)
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You ask how did the actors become so skilled at string figures ?
I am the guy in the opening shot and did the teaching of the string
figures over two days, with my son as assistant.
Each group of actors/ dancers could make one game (object) really well after a couple of hours intense instruction.
The designs were worked out using traditional string figure methods but
often using multiple loops to simplicty of construction to those
relatively unfamiliar with string figure making.
The ISFA ( International String Figures Association was
founded by myself and Dr Noguchi a Japanese Professor of Maths at Waseda University in Tokyo some 30 years ago.
There are some great designs, lots of information about string figures on their site.(www.isfa.org)
The TV company contacted me through the www site and though it is the first commercial I’ve been involved in, it all seemed to go very smoothly.
Asylum model and effects London (www.asylumsfx.com) and the Agosto TV Barcelona prodction team were just a joy to work with as were the willing ’students’.
It was a lot of fun.
yours,
Philip D. Noble.