Films Called Ads
Movies, products, brands…
Whatever the format, the strongest content is always that which evokes a feeling. Movies have long held this power: they tell a story and weave emotion into the narrative, and isn’t that exactly what ads (at least the good ones) aim to do?
Structurally, the industries have more in common than not. Both sell through ideas, deal in the currency of creativity, and stack the deck with the best and brightest talent for the job – all while hoping the content lands with audiences in a timely and relevant manner.
Brands can draw so much inspiration from filmmaking. The burden of an ad to accurately portray the brand, deliver the message, and ultimately sell a product becomes much more surmountable with compelling content. Just as you can tell a story a million different ways, you can also show the many facets of a company with various interpretations of the brand through ads.
There is no shortage of the Hollywood-Mad Men crossover. Whether the melding of the two worlds is explicit, as in the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-inspired Visa commercial by Ang Lee, or discreet, as in the Sofia Coppola directed spot for Dior, the love affair between the two art forms is longstanding.
For audiences’ sakes, let’s hope the source of mutual inspiration persists.
Photo credits: theglassroom.org (top post) and Jakob Owens (bottom post)