MY FAVOURITE CAMPAIGN
Which is your favourite campaign and why?
One of my favourite campaigns is “Human After All” by Diesel denim. The seven frames made it stand out and took the audience into a technology-ruled future. It had humour that connected instantly with a clever depiction of things that will change and things that will never change, referring to human nature. The errors and emotions in the video tried to establish a connect between flight delays, car breakdowns, balls breaking glass, ugly breakups, difficulty in assembling furniture and young, beautiful humans wearing sexy jeans.
On what parameters did you base your decision?
Any campaign that brings alive the brand ethos is an honest, winning communication. The terminology — anti-fake — became a call to stay “real”. The campaign simply tricked technology to communicate the “evergreen” presence of Diesel in people's lives. Other than that, the parameters that define a winning campaign includes topicality and reliability. In the case of Diesel, it’s about love or disgust — extreme emotions to depict the youth.
What do you think was the key idea the campaign was trying to drive home?
The campaign tries to establish that there are some things that are part of everyday human life (missing flights, a car breaking down, a fight between lovers). The campaign also triggered a whole new medium of advertising by interfering with the smart speakers at the homes of consumers.
Do you remember the campaign winning any advertising awards? Do you think these awards serve any purpose?
Any ad that gets featured in Ads of the World is a benchmark for me. Awards are a recognition by industry experts and a validation of the creativity, so surely, they are important. Recognition by the community is a confirmation of the ad’s efficacy — in terms of the brand being able to do its job and connect with people who matter. Every time it elicits a reaction from the consumers or listeners, it’s a win-win for the campaign.
Sometimes because of the emotional element in a campaign, there is greater recall for the story than the product or service advertised. Do you feel this was the case with this campaign?
Any campaign must reach a sweet spot to be successful. It has to have the right mix of emotional connect and showcasing the product seamlessly. In fact, it must ensure that the viewer remembers the product because it was set in an emotional situation that was very real and relatable.
Did this campaign inspire any of your work? What are your takeaways from the campaign?
We look out for campaigns that impact perception as well as business. The key takeaway is how one can leverage technology in a way that it works in our favour. Diesel's advertising also addressed important global issues. As time passed there was a shift from global issues to issues that were youth-focused. Diesel managed to succeed in the sea of emerging brands and rendered the key message to the target audience by creating outstanding and eyecatching advertising campaigns every time.
Do you remember some of the names who worked on the campaign?
The campaign was designed by Marcel Worldwide, an agency based in Paris, and David Miami, an agency based in Miami.
More on www.business-standard.com