November
21st, 2005
I am soooo
the wrong guy to rail against shock tactics. We once pitched a
beer campaign that revolved around a group of twentysomething
friends – one of whom just happened to be a face-eating robot.
Every spot basically climaxed like this:
KILLBOT:
Killbot not know true meaning of friendship… until now.
Video: They hug. Then Killbot's bear-trap head
rotates sideways with a whirrrrrr and slams shut on Steve's
face.
Half my hard
drive is scripts just like that. Out of nowhere, WTF-style stuff,
because that's how my sense of humour works. It's beer,
it's humour and nobody gets hurt. Except Steve. Steve gets
hurt pretty badly. But even I have a line.
Using a dying
AIDS patient to sell clothing. Fashion
models brandishing skinned animal carcasses. An infant with
a cockroach crawling out of its mouth.
You know exactly
the ads I'm talking about, even if you don't work in
advertising. They're just that memorable. Here's
the scientific reason why.
The horror
movie cliché of the cat jumping out of the closet with
a screech of violin strings? That works too. Directors still use
it, because it still makes you jump. But nobody respects
it, because it's a cheap trick and the hallmark of a lazy
filmmaker.
You know what
would really shock me? A beer ad with no T&A. A sportswear
ad that actually talks about sportswear. But I'd settle for
a PETA ad that didn't try to rip off my eyelids and rape
my skull.
Patrick Collister
said “You can come to a party with your dick hanging out.
Everyone will remember you, but will they invite you again?”
Well, I suppose that depends on the kind of party. But you are
officially off the guest list for my little girl's birthday.
- Graham
Cast your
vote for shock or talk at graham@wordsandpicturesonline.com
