Imagine going back to a time in your childhood, when the world was a magical, new and exciting place full of new experiences…

 As an adult those new experiences become less frequent as everything becomes too familiar, especially when life can be very routine-based. We become less responsive, there’s a need for a bigger trigger in order for us to engage. It’s prevalent in daily news stories; even though what we’re witnessing is sometimes horrifically traumatic or massively shocking, we become unknowingly blasé.

Marketers seek to find unique ways to feed the imagination, to provide a new experience for the consumer. Behind every marketing campaign there’s a strategy where a bunch of people look to find a purpose to every word spoken, text written and video viewed. Content demands a cause. Marketers are pushing for us to engage and relate with their product through reason. Sometimes, it’s exhausting being on the receiving end.

But how refreshing is it, to be able to just sit back and enjoy the escapism of a well-crafted piece of production without having to think?! I stumbled across this video online, it provides the viewer with a rollercoaster journey of a tour through Barcelona. I have no particular interest in Barcelona and no desire to find out the reason behind it, but I was captivated by the production and spectacle. For those interested it’s 365 hours of work and 26,000 raw camera files!

As an adult it’s invigorating to be shown something novel, it could be something we’re aware of already but if we’re shown it from a different perspective we’re being offered a new experience. I’ve got a fancy dress party this weekend, I’ve been to hundreds in the past but as each is themed different it’s unique each time! In a world full of stimulus-activating content, we’re always looking for a new way of feeding the imagination. Sometimes I think a spectacle for spectacles sake is what is needed.

The videos that catch my attention are those that are repeated throughout share sites, people love to share the enjoyment they felt through viewing, it’s like added enjoyment in giving a present rather than receiving (although this could be debatable!).

Many seem to follow the tried and tested methods of communicating, but each ‘copy’ loses the magic and novelty of originality. When working in radio the old saying that I heard constantly was ‘No idea is a new idea,’ meaning chances are there’s always someone whose executed your idea previously, just with a slightly different angle (quite annoying!). But as long as that idea has a new twist which is capable of captivating the audience, then who cares?

Here’s an example of a video which caught my eye, a guy who wanted a novel way of selling his second-hand banger of a car, he’s taken a tried and tested method but added a clever spin…

In interviews following the release, the creator told media that he was just having fun with it (an expensive bit of fun, it cost 8k!). His reason for the production? No particular reason apart from wanting his beloved car to go to a good home. Ultimately the video advertised his company (Owner of a Digital Advertising agency – clever). But for the audience, unless you’re seeking the services of a digital advertising agency, the video is just pure entertainment, a spectacle for spectacles sake, bliss!

Lucy Helliwell