psa

June 4, 2015 By Bon's Eye Leave a Comment

Bigger Selfie Sticks Equal Bigger Pizzas

Taking pictures of ourselves is indisputably now an integral part of American culture. Even on a particularly average day, you can still feel compelled to snap a picture of your “duck face” in a bathroom mirror or of your #ootd, meaning “outfit of the day.” The invention of the selfie stick has only increased this obsession. But with selfie sticks growing longer and longer, Pizza Hut finally decided to speak out.

Their latest advertisement takes the form of a PSA, attempting to garner attention from those “ego-tastic specimens of visual self-obsession” who are in danger because of the selfie stick. The ad sarcastically points out that the selfie stick shifts the focus of the picture from the person to the entire scene. As the anti-selfie-stick spokeswoman points out, this can only lead to disaster.

The ad continues with crowds of people and selfie sticks, unable to live their regular lives because of the attachment at the end of their arm. The commercial ends with a plea to help those individuals whose lives are forever changed because of the selfie stick.

So how is this a commercial and what product is being promoted, one may ask? It’s very subtle, but Pizza Hut is the company behind the advertisement. In one scene depicting the catastrophe, a Pizza Hut delivery man speaks out about how the selfie stick has negatively affected his job. As the length of the selfie stick has grown, so has the demand for bigger pizzas. His life is more difficult now because he has to deliver pizzas that are two feet long.

The subtlety of this commercial is what makes it shareable. Technically, Pizza Hut is still promoting their two-foot-long Big Flavor Dipper pizza, but they go about it in a way that is creative and entertaining. Part of the reason the commercial is so likeable is because it was created to be more of a viral video rather than a promotional video. The goal was to start a conversation, not push a product message in consumers’ faces. We’ll see if the commercial is effective in improving Pizza Hut’s business and “the greater good.”

December 25, 2014 By Bon's Eye Leave a Comment

A Year’s Worth of Creativity

As the year comes to a close, it’s common to take time and reflect about the happenings of the past 365 days. This week, Bon’s Eye is taking a look at some of the year’s more creative marketing ideas.

Do you remember what you did for Valentine’s Day? It might be pleasant to think back to time spent with your significant other – or painful depending on your relationship status this holiday season. If you were in France when The Flower Council of Holland pulled this lovey-dovey stunt, your memories would definitely be one-of-a-kind. They installed 1,500 red emergency boxes for victims of love at first sight. The box told the love-struck man or woman to break the glass, which was really just cellophane, and take the single red rose inside. There’s no doubt these flowers made the day for countless couples.

A few months later, a bar in Japan decided to take an impromptu approach to a trend called “sleeping drunks.” When Japanese men and woman drink too much and end up passed out and literally sleeping in the street, they earn the title of “sleeping drunk.”

Instead of accepting another crazy trend, a bar called Yaocho scoured Tokyo for the intoxicated individuals and turned them into PSA ads. These people woke up inside a white boxed outline with the hashtag #NOMISUGI, which translates to “too drunk.” Passers-by were encouraged to share pictures of the spontaneous billboards on social media and essentially shame them into behaving. In a culture where honor is tied to status, campaigns like this one could have a huge effect.

France was home to a creative, more social, marketing ploy in October. To introduce Netflix, the streaming service took GIFs (pronounced “jiff” or “ghif”) from social media and put them in an outdoor digital platform. Looped videos from more than 100 Netflix shows and movies, including Orange Is the New Black, Breaking Bad, and The Mentalist, appeared in subways and on the streets. Some of them even reacted in real time. As you got rained on, so did the warriors in 300. As you rushed to get the best deal on your Christmas gifts, so did the people in The Walking Dead. And of course, all the GIFs pointed out how much better it would be to curl up under a blanket and watch Netflix.

These few examples are some of the better cases of original marketing. But as good as this year has been, a new year offers more opportunities for you – and for even better marketing.

April 22, 2014 By Bon's Eye Leave a Comment

Red Balloons for Syria

Marketing is an ever-evolving process that has evoked many unique strategies and seems to have a hand in every action a business takes. From men running around in full work suits with a logo attached to their backs, to turning chemotherapy into superhero training, marketing now has a use for almost any talent – even if that talent is defacing public property.

World-renowned graffiti artist Banksy is known for his satirical images in the United Kingdom, France, Italy and the United States. His work denotes the political atmosphere of the country at the time and often mocks popular culture as well. Unlike other trending artists, Banksy’s stenciled designs are usually discovered as opposed to being announced. Recently, he used his art and pseudonymous fame for more than just the public’s entertainment.

Banksy decided to let his opinions on the Syrian war be known by creating a YouTube video. Modeled after his unique style of graffiti, the #WithSyria video raises awareness for the current national crisis. The country is approaching its third year of civil war, leaving citizens in need of support. Banksy’s design of a young girl with a red balloon illustrates how the Syrian war affects the children. The video begins as the little girl is lifted into the air by her balloon, allowing her to see the effects of civil war from a rare point of view. When a young boy joins her in the sky, followed by other figures clutching red balloons, it becomes clear the balloons are the escape many Syrian children have been unable to find.

Although Banksy has very little formal experience in marketing, he found a way to use his unique skills to promote a movement. Through the video, it is clear that he chose a cause he is passionate about. He received help from many professionals – the video was created by Sunshine Creative, directed and produced by RSA Films, voiced by Idris Elba, and set to music provided by Elbow. However, Banksy was still “the man behind the mask” who generated the idea.

When creative people like Banksy see a vision and team up with other professionals to bring the vision to life, the number of people they can reach is seemingly limitless. With Banksy‘s creative power and the support of the partnering businesses, maybe the Syrian children will receive the red balloons they are waiting for.

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