A Donkey on the Edge

Interesting, thanks for your comment John:-)

What I need in terms of automotive power and control is a bit different that what I need for demon control

The Pirelli campaigns have always blurred the lines between vehicle and demon control;-)

They (if dodgy memory serves) always had a slightly sinister edge to them...

I was thinking, why don't more brands create storytelling content that entertains and build bonds between people and the brand?

If you put the question like that I'm tempted to say because people aren't interested in brands the same way they're interested in people (why brands can't blog etc.) That's not to say brands can't make great cinema, they can, it's just that the advertising impact is about the same as the Stella Artois interstitials (or whatever those thingies are called) on tv...

I'm with you on babies and bathwater, I agree brands can do this. My complaint with this particular execution is that it's not particularly clever and not really much in cinematic terms either. At the most basic level, it doesn't expectation-manage at all what with all the hype and enormous graphics etc.

Often, when I put my grumpy-old-man hat on these days I'm really complaining about a lack of depth or a lack of effort. It seems like such a waste of everybody's time you know?

Cheers,
Dug

My daughter and friend were watching the last Harry Potter DVD this morning - kind of a holiday treat (otherwise we try to limit TV to the "dark hours" preferring they fill their time with popping sugery snacks and playing videogames during their waking hours). I was thinking, why don't more brands create storytelling content that entertains and build bonds between people and the brand? Everyone brings up BMWfilms as a good example. Not sure if that is the only way to create narrative content. It certainly follows the Hollywood example I just gave. Part of my reaction to HP was the high production value. I love the gritty nature of personal media. But I am also a glutton for high production value. And since brands have deep(er) pockets, they can be the hosts of this new storytelling discipline. So here's a brand - Pirelli - that produces a high production value film. And all I can do is scratch my head and wonder what the connection with the brand is. It's not enough to introduce brand concepts like 'power and control' (more like simple keywords really. What I need in terms of automotive power and control is a bit different that what I need for demon control).
For now, I am going to choose not to throw the baby out with the bath water. Brands can do this. Certain brands. But the brand connection has to be more concrete.