Something to talk about vs something to do together

This is brilliant. No, really. A fantastic bit of creative from the ad industry. I do urge you to watch it. You'll be entertained.

And if you watch it in the context of the Vimeo takeover I first saw it in, you may even rave that this is the 'future of internet advertising' or 'pure innovation' - judging from the 367 comments in the last 12 days.

It works on so many levels.

Trouble is, it doesn't work on the one that counts.


Honda Insight - Let It Shine from Honda on Vimeo.

ok. If you saw the sheep thing from Samsung (at least I think it was Samsung... and we'll come back to that) you might not think the content is that much of a breakthrough.

The point is it is really well executed and a neat idea and people are talking about it. But almost every one of the comments is about the wonder, impact and technical achievement of the advert (and a broadcast advert it most assuredly is, no matter how 'interactive' some may describe it. There ain't no two-way flow going on here).

Anyone mention Honda in all this? Honda Insight? Hybrid Prius rival? er... all quiet there.

Well... all quiet apart from a smattering of relatively negative stuff. For example:

‘honda, how about coming up with some real solutions for the obvious problems, instead of this feel good, lifestyle eco shit?’ … totally not impressed by the car.

‘it's baby steps in the right direction - research Honda's FCX for a real life-changing car’

'If your selling point is being environmentally-friendly, I don't think it's a good idea to have a commercial that drives a hundred cars out into the desert just to make a light show.

 Honda's ad agency has given people something to talk about. The ad is also used for TV (at least, it has been in the UK). So make your guess about the response to the TV ad too.

A big spend on a neat piece of entertainment. And?

And for many that's job done. But the connection between something memorable and the behaviour changing thing they'd like you to remember has not been made.

I wonder if they may have had more success in this regard by creating not something for people to talk about, but something for people to do together - something truly interactive.

For example: Perhaps a way of creating your own versions of the movie, spelling out your name, drawing pictures that matter to you, so that you might be willing to share your personalised versions with people you care about and who care about you. The result becomes yours to share - not theirs.

It would have been a start.

But greater impact comes when the creative is led by the purpose. And the purpose here is a greener world.

Instead of the broadcast entertainment experience, think of ways of bringing people together to make a greener world which the Honda Insight could make a valuable contribution to. Build from there.

Less shock and awe - more shared and sustained relationships.

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