A Trend Worth Watching

Trend:

1.            a general tendency, movement, or direction

2.            a current fashion or mode

vi: to show a tendency or movement toward something or in a particular direction

In a recent conversation with Backyard partner Roy Skillicorn, we touched on some trends worth watching, and some that are more dubious. Each is a hot topic on Twitter and in the trades, but Roy predicts that some will be a flash in the pan while others will “stick.” Some trends like iPhone technology, change our lives forever.

We asked him about commercials and 3D. “Some people think that 3D is to HD as color TV was to black and white,” Roy says. “I hesitate because I don’t know how many people want to put [the 3D] glasses on in their own homes.” That’s seemingly a small matter, but one whose answer will ultimately determine the future of 3D. He did find a recent 3D display for the out-of-home market (at the Boards Summit) that required no glasses; provocative, but not ready for prime time.  

“Precision Marketing” is a trend Roy feels fits into the iPhone category of relevance: the movement toward marketing to individual customers rather than to a mass audience. “The whole concept of precision targeting – not blanketing the same message to thousands, but addressing people one-on-one, is more respected,” Roy explains. “Precision targeting allows you to convey a richer, more personal touch.” Ironically, the current phenomenon of Facebook actually harkens back to an earlier era where personal relationships reigned supreme. Facebook has spawned a movement – both for baby boomers and for youth – to be “much more apt to experiment with brands that have contacted them individually.”

The last trend we considered is the current movement toward personal reinvention in the marketplace. “Many people have lost their jobs because of belt tightening and/or their age, and they are re-inventing themselves.  Many, facing a dreary job search are even starting their own companies.  I see these people rejuvenated and it is inspiring.”

“There is a trend to tighten up and reduce the amount of waste in the work environment.” Perhaps in business, as in life, anything that doesn’t kill you makes you stronger…

BACKYARD’S PRITTS JOINS THE BATTLE FOR AVATAR AND LG

Backyard director Rob Pritts brings one cell phone shopper knee-deep into the alien world of Avatar in a new :30 “Portal,” for LG out of BBH, Singapore. Promoting the new LG Chocolate phone and the upcoming James Cameron sci-fi epic, the spot features in-movie action as the shopper flees from a vicious creature on the planet of Pandora. Avatar opens nationwide this Friday, December 18^th.

“Portal” opens inside a suburban mall at an LG kiosk. A young man approaches the kiosk where a new LG Chocolate is on display, playing a scene from Avatar in beautiful HD. He picks up the phone, marveling at the HD LCD screen, and is suddenly thrust into an intergalactic wormhole. Transported almost instantaneously to the jungle planet of Pandora, the man stands stunned—and still holding the phone—amidst lush ferns and towering trees. From out of nowhere, a dinosaur-like creature of skyscraper proportions rises above him, ready to pounce. Two azure skin-toned characters from the film appear to scream, “Run! Definitely run!” The young man does, hurling himself off of a waterfall, back through the wormhole returning to the mall kiosk where he stands panting and soaking wet. Passersby stare, unaware of his split-second intergalactic journey. A voiceover concludes, “Feel like you’re there with the 4-inch, HD LCD Chocolate. See things differently.” The Avatar and LG logos appear, accompanied by LG’s tag, “Life’s Good,” closing out the spot.

Credits:

Client: LG

Products: LG Chocolate phone and “Avatar”

Title: “Portal” :30

Airdate: December 13, 2009

Where Shot: LA

Production company: Backyard Productions, Venice, CA

Director: Rob Pritts

DP: Christophe Lanzenberg

Producer: Carr Donald

Exec. Producer: Kris Mathur

Advertising Agency: BBH, Singapore

Executive Creative Director: Johnny Tan

Head of Production: Rebecca So

Creative Director: Kelly Pon

Producer: Krystie Koh

Editorial Company: N/A

Editor: Bob Mori, Santa Monica, CA

Visual Effects Company: Radium, Santa Monica, CA

Exec Prod: Jeff Blodgett

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Backyard Talks China at the Boards Summit

Owner Blair Stribley, Director Rob Pritts and Producer Carr Donald were joined by Exec. Creative Director Johnny Tan of BBH, Shanghai to present a workshop on "Four Things You Need to Know About Working in China" at the 2009 Boards Summit conference in NYC.

The panel gave the audience of prodcos and post attendees a snapshot of the necessary ingredients for a successful venture into this increasingly important market. Transcending cultural differences requires a well-connected local partner and an understanding of the determined work ethic the Chinese advertising industry exemplifies. The result is respected relationships with Chinese agencies -- plus campaigns with American flair for brands including Coca-Cola and LG.

PHIL BROWN’S AMBIEN WINS TOP PRIZES AT CLIO HEALTHCARE AWARDS

Venice-CA based Backyard director Phil Brown and Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness took home the top honors for Ambien “Silence Your Rooster” at the first-ever Clio Healthcare Awards held last month in New York. Winning Gold and the Grand Clio, the visual spot features an insomniac attempting to ignore a needy rooster hounding her in the middle of the night.  For a complete list of winners: http://www.cliohealthcare.com/winners/pdfs/2009_CLIO_Healthcare_Winners_Book.pdf