Let me say from the outset - I avoid ads like the plague!

That could be because of my BBC and ABC background perhaps, but maybe it’s as a result of being in Australia for the past ten years where the commercial TV network use programs as an excuse to hammer their audience with ad after ad! Showing utter contempt for your audience isn’t a recipe for a sustainable business in my view.

So, with all that said - now I want to draw your attention to an “ad” that I think you’ll find really interesting!

Why? Because it’s incredibly clever, smart, intelligent, beautifully made and very subtle. I don’t feel like I’m being sold to and I feel a greater connection with the company behind it! I know that’s a little strange given that as man this isn’t a product I have a need for! But, let’s just imagine this campaign had been all about a food or drink product - and as a company they were keen to explore the issues in the video, then that might make me see that product in a different light and potentially lead me to making a purchase in the future:

This is seriously clever. In my opinion though it’s classic content marketing and not advertising. It’s clearly part of a well thought out strategy that’s got people talking about it in social and traditional media in ways that a traditional ad would never come close to. They’ve taken the product and then instead of “shouting” about it and it’s qualities/price/features etc, they’ve focused on an issue. An issue that is easily relatable to the product but isn’t all about the product! I think they’ve shown their audience respect and created something “useful”! How many ads do that?

And what about the video production budget? Sure, there are quite a lot of people on the shoot (I think that could be for effect though) but there’s no Hollywood blockbuster approach here…just very smart thinking and a slick engaging style! They’ve paid for brain power rather than technological bells and whistles! They’ve connected hearts and minds!

So, next time you feel the urge to blow a small fortune on an advert that “interrupts” just stop for a minute and think…is there a better way to connect with your audience? Could you create something useful, something that people actually choose to watch and engage with? We think you can!

Just imagine - an “ad” that adds! Now that’s something for the future!

James Lush