insights, ironies and idiosyncrasies in communication and design

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Sunday 3 October 2010

A waste of energy.




Like many, I found 10:10's No Pressure film offensive – but unlike most my contentions were its weak creative mechanism and the advertiser's u-turn rather than its supposed bad taste.


For ads with vignettes such as these to have any true relevance they need to be linked to a strong and specific end line that leaves a clear takeout for the audience – not open-ended, throwaway gags or comedy shock tactics. Such, I suppose, is the gulf between TV and TVC. Richard Curtis directed.


Add to that the equally totally inexcusable explicit, public admittance of having “missed the mark” (not part of a pre-planned PR stunt as the initial pulling of the film perhaps was) and you are left with the biggest waste of energy I've seen in a long time.


(Worth seeing just for the controversial blood and guts though obviously.)