Through research and development, I have decided to change briefs. Originally I intended to go down the route of the ebay viral marketing video. After several weeks of going down numerous dead ends, I have decided to look at another brief.
The new brief that I am going to pursue is the Youtube channel. One of the main reasons why I have decided to pursue this particular brief is due to the fact that there are some key elements that fascinated me.
One of the benefits of this particular briefs, is that there are some strong links to the previous research that I have undertaken. This will continue to provide a solid base in which to develop my idea.
The next step will be to begin researching specifically all the different aspects of the Youtube channel, key elements that have been utilised, and to see if I can come up with an innovative concept.
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Sunday, 8 February 2009
Subservient Chicken
“The Subservient Chicken is an advertising program created to promote international fast food restaurant chain Burger King's chicken sandwich and their ‘Have it Your Way’ campaign”. (1)
I think that this is an excellent viral marketing idea. The concept that you can tell the chicken (a man in a chicken suit), to do anything- thus “having it your way” is quite innovative. This gets me thinking in a much wider sense about how a viral marketing campaign can be achieved. It means that its no longer simply limited to purely video clips, or a simple link leading elsewhere.
Another element that I like about the whole subservient idea is that there is a link that allows you to download a mask of a chicken with the instructions “be subservient”. I think that this is a nice play on effect, whereby people can be subservient- film them selves and then upload video- thus spreading the concept virally.
There have been many parodies of this particular theme, all utilising the concept of a subservient character, both in actual video and an interactive environment. Below is a screenshot of the family guy character “stewie” who reacts to a variety of phrases, not only physically, but with audio.
I really like the ideas that have been explored here, and will continue my research and see how far viral marketing can be pushed.
Below is a list of resources used within this post.
Bibliography
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Subservient_Chicken
(2) http://www.subservientchicken.com/
(3) http://www.stewielive.com/
There have been many parodies of this particular theme, all utilising the concept of a subservient character, both in actual video and an interactive environment. Below is a screenshot of the family guy character “stewie” who reacts to a variety of phrases, not only physically, but with audio.
I really like the ideas that have been explored here, and will continue my research and see how far viral marketing can be pushed.
Below is a list of resources used within this post.
Bibliography
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Subservient_Chicken
(2) http://www.subservientchicken.com/
(3) http://www.stewielive.com/
Saturday, 7 February 2009
Sheep Films
“Sheep Films is a website featuring short slapstick comedy films and animations by British filmmaker Dave Packer. The short films often deal with absurd and surreal scenarios in everyday settings, enhanced by special effects”. (1)
Dave Packer has created a wide variety of bizarre situations such as ‘Plant Feed’, which shows an average sized plant being watered; then growing to a humungous size, and in turn watering him back.
I really like the range of work that this filmmaker has created, his underlying concept is always very simple yet effective. The content initially seem to be the same, however there is always a twist- something that the users do not expect, which flips the situation on its head. This is why his clips have become so popular.
This is the same philosophy that I would like to incorporate into my own viral marketing video, I want to have something that users do not expect, or do not believe would happen- and in turn surprise them.
I cannot do Dave Packer any justice on this blog due to the to the sheer quantity of videos that has been created. Too see a wider variety of video that he has to offer, please refer to the bibliography for more links.
Below is a list of resources used within this post.
Bibliography
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheep_Films
(2) http://www.youtube.com/user/sheepfilms
(3) http://sheepfilms.co.uk/
Dave Packer has created a wide variety of bizarre situations such as ‘Plant Feed’, which shows an average sized plant being watered; then growing to a humungous size, and in turn watering him back.
I really like the range of work that this filmmaker has created, his underlying concept is always very simple yet effective. The content initially seem to be the same, however there is always a twist- something that the users do not expect, which flips the situation on its head. This is why his clips have become so popular.
This is the same philosophy that I would like to incorporate into my own viral marketing video, I want to have something that users do not expect, or do not believe would happen- and in turn surprise them.
I cannot do Dave Packer any justice on this blog due to the to the sheer quantity of videos that has been created. Too see a wider variety of video that he has to offer, please refer to the bibliography for more links.
Below is a list of resources used within this post.
Bibliography
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheep_Films
(2) http://www.youtube.com/user/sheepfilms
(3) http://sheepfilms.co.uk/
AnimNation
“AnimNation is run by Brighton-based freelance animator and director Sarah Bird - providing a range of animation and digital design services for broadcast, corporate and online clients”. (1)
I met Sarah, who works for AnimNation, she gave us some inside information about how companies operate in terms of hiring prospective employees. She showed us a wide variety of works that had been submitted to her ranging from highly executed work to poorly created designs. The worked ranged from innovative CD designs, and unique ways of displaying their works to blank CD’s, and cover letters with their ink running out.
Looking at the wide variety of work that is submitted was very informative; it gave me a glimpse, at how to approach the relevant companies, what to do and how to go about it. This talk also made me think deeper about focusing on my specialist’s area, and making sure all of my work were relevant for that particular field.
Below is a list of resources used within this post.
Bibliography
(1) http://www.animnation.co.uk/index.html
Looking at the wide variety of work that is submitted was very informative; it gave me a glimpse, at how to approach the relevant companies, what to do and how to go about it. This talk also made me think deeper about focusing on my specialist’s area, and making sure all of my work were relevant for that particular field.
Below is a list of resources used within this post.
Bibliography
(1) http://www.animnation.co.uk/index.html
Friday, 6 February 2009
Post Global Warming Survival Kit
The ‘Post Global Warming Survival Kit’ was one of the interactive installations that had the biggest impact on me. This was set up so that the users entering the space were confronted with a pitch-black environment. Their only method of sight was night vision goggles. The fact that I had to delve into the unknown and discover what lay in front of me was very intriguing.
The room itself was quite spartan, with fumes being projected on the walls and a solitary caravan in the centre of the room. Below is a snippet taken from the transmediale site explaining in detail what the cultural context used within this installation.
“Increasing social inequality, aggravation of living standards, short-sighted environmental policy and the violation of human rights are all facts pointing to the increasing extremes of the conditions of life. These conditions are not cultural dysfunctions, but are fundamentally connected to the processes of global capital to systematically exploit the environment.”(1)
I think that the whole concept of social inequality, and a literal sense of short sighted, used in relation to night vision was quite innovative. I think that actually getting users walking around in an interactive environment, allows them to explore with all their senses, rather than having a film showing the same things. Overall I feel that this was a very successful piece.
Below is a list of resources used within this post.
Bibliography
(1) http://www.transmediale.de/en/re-articulating-scenarios-environmental-catastroph-en
The room itself was quite spartan, with fumes being projected on the walls and a solitary caravan in the centre of the room. Below is a snippet taken from the transmediale site explaining in detail what the cultural context used within this installation.
“Increasing social inequality, aggravation of living standards, short-sighted environmental policy and the violation of human rights are all facts pointing to the increasing extremes of the conditions of life. These conditions are not cultural dysfunctions, but are fundamentally connected to the processes of global capital to systematically exploit the environment.”(1)
I think that the whole concept of social inequality, and a literal sense of short sighted, used in relation to night vision was quite innovative. I think that actually getting users walking around in an interactive environment, allows them to explore with all their senses, rather than having a film showing the same things. Overall I feel that this was a very successful piece.
Below is a list of resources used within this post.
Bibliography
(1) http://www.transmediale.de/en/re-articulating-scenarios-environmental-catastroph-en
The Poster Children
Another piece that made an impression on me was ‘The Poster Children’. This was displayed on a four monitors with a panoramic scene of icebergs floating in the sea. The scene showed polar bears eating meat, and children shooting at random pieces of ice.
“The Poster Children is a suite of animated, multi-monitor pieces influenced by the narrative and cartoon-like formats of Asian screen and scroll paintings. In this panoramic animation, two representative groups at the top of the food chain – people and polar bears – share a dystopian landscape comprised of slow-moving icebergs and piles of e-waste. They both exist next to each other as a symbol of distinct social issues, and both are natural enemies at the same time.”
On my first viewing I didn’t particularly like it, I thought it was slow and dull. Looking at it a second time, it began to grow on me- I liked the colours used, and felt that this was one of the few pieces at this conference that was truly digital media.
Below is a list of resources used within this post.
Bibliography
(1) http://www.transmediale.de/en/node/407
“The Poster Children is a suite of animated, multi-monitor pieces influenced by the narrative and cartoon-like formats of Asian screen and scroll paintings. In this panoramic animation, two representative groups at the top of the food chain – people and polar bears – share a dystopian landscape comprised of slow-moving icebergs and piles of e-waste. They both exist next to each other as a symbol of distinct social issues, and both are natural enemies at the same time.”
On my first viewing I didn’t particularly like it, I thought it was slow and dull. Looking at it a second time, it began to grow on me- I liked the colours used, and felt that this was one of the few pieces at this conference that was truly digital media.
Below is a list of resources used within this post.
Bibliography
(1) http://www.transmediale.de/en/node/407
Six Apartments
One of the pieces that really stood out for me was a video project called ‘Six Apartments’ by Reynold Reynolds. The content in the video was quite shocking due to the fact that it showed graphic footage of objects biodegrading. I thought that this pieces was very interesting, however it resonated with me much more once I found out about the cultural and critical elements the worked behind it.
“Reynolds’s video installation Six Apartments is a poetic narration of resignation and decline which documents the life of six people in their apartments. The inhabitants live isolated, unaware of each other, without drama – they eat, sleep, watch television – even though their lives are overshadowed by mass media generated problems of the larger world and the upcoming ecological crisis.” (1)
I thought that the concept that people are so wrapped up in their own everyday lives that they don’t realise what they are doing, or indeed what was happening around them was very provocative. I think that this has strengthened my belief that a good concept can make anything work.
Below is a list of resources used within this post.
Bibliography
(1) http://www.transmediale.de/en/nominatedworks-main
“Reynolds’s video installation Six Apartments is a poetic narration of resignation and decline which documents the life of six people in their apartments. The inhabitants live isolated, unaware of each other, without drama – they eat, sleep, watch television – even though their lives are overshadowed by mass media generated problems of the larger world and the upcoming ecological crisis.” (1)
Below is a list of resources used within this post.
Bibliography
(1) http://www.transmediale.de/en/nominatedworks-main
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