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Sony's new 'Foam City' ad isn't the 'Balls'
When advertisers find creative success, it's hard to stop them before they go back to the well too often. Sony had a certifiable hit with a cool Bravia commercial showing thousands of balls teeming down a San Francisco street. Then, it followed up with a so-so paint effort. Now, it’s officially jumped the shark with foam (above). I guess the ad has something to do with cameras. PSFK is none too impressed, that’s for sure. It calls the spot “all froth,” even after Sony flew one of its contributors out to the shoot, as if it were a movie set. Maybe Sony should hire Christo for its next commercial. —Posted by Brian Morrissey |
Comments
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I would rank them: Balls, Clay, Paint, then Foam. But still, I would not go so far as to say they jumped the shark. It would be GREAT to see a dozen more creative and different ideas, even if they are only as good as Foam. In an ad world where regurgitation is pretty standard (Geico, BK, etc), we're fortunate to see something dramatically different with each iteration and the scale is always impressive. I may not be a hot shot ad-inista, but I say "Bravo, Bravia."
Posted by: Brian | Apr 14, 2008 4:37:21 PM
Well you have to remember that there is a big difference in selling television which is about showing colours and feel and then showing how people are using cameras to share a expires like no other. That is your difference between the foam and the balls.
Posted by: | Apr 14, 2008 5:26:14 PM
Well you have to remember that there is a big difference in selling television which is about showing colours and feel and then showing how people are using cameras to share a expires like no other. That is your difference between the foam and the balls.
Posted by: Nicki Brøchner | Apr 14, 2008 5:26:27 PM
Very true. I should admit upfront, I'm far from an ad critic. I'll leave that to Barbara Lippert. The concept feels a little played-out to me. Balls was cool; this seemed kinda corny.
Posted by: Brian Morrissey | Apr 14, 2008 5:52:33 PM
The dead horse has been beaten. Someone put him out of his misery.
Posted by: That guy | Apr 14, 2008 6:04:37 PM
I don't get it. What's the correlation between the foam city and the cameras? That would be a great ad for a really kick-ass all purpose cleaner.
Posted by: Garret Ohm | Apr 14, 2008 9:45:17 PM
That looks great. Really nice ad. But not with reality.
Posted by: Flash games | Apr 15, 2008 1:07:37 AM
Is it all about capturing those once in a lifetime opportunities/shots? And yes, I am asking. It's at least good for Sony as a brand, and I did see a few cameras and camera flashes in there. Beautiful spot.
Posted by: Dense? | Apr 15, 2008 1:40:32 AM
thanks for the shoutout, Brian!
Um, I didn't even like ``Balls'' that much--beautiful spot for any product having to do with color. So I'm feelin' reasonably superior at the moment.
Posted by: barbara lippert | Apr 15, 2008 12:07:59 PM
let me disagree please. it's original and touching. it simply delivers. i think it's a wrong idea to compare it with the previous stuff they did, because they communicated a different product.
Posted by: tivlepo | Apr 15, 2008 1:00:08 PM
I think this shows that a great ad is sometimes 50% luck. This is basically the same idea as balls, but with about half as much soul. Why? Couldn't it have been just as moving? But something's missing. The right DP? The right director? With the right music on the right day? In the right lighting? And Foam City could have been Balls. It's all a roll of the dice out there.
Posted by: | Apr 15, 2008 1:38:44 PM
