Originality in advertising. A subjective view

I still recall the stark print advertisement, years ago, which sparked my love of advertising.

Done well, advertising grabs your attention, stimulates your emotions and is highly memorable.

However, emotions are also aroused within the advertising world on the issue of originality.

According to Campaign China, advertising agency DDB Group Hong Kong has succumbed to criticism and re-edited a current Towngas television commercial, after clamour over a perceived lack of originality by the public and claims of conceptual theft by competitor agencies.

The 30-second TVC launched in June to celebrate 150 years in Hong Kong, and showed a series of Towngas technicians standing or walking through a multitude of Hong Kong locations, from historic to contemporary. As a one-time resident of Hong Kong, the film generated in me the clearly intended sense of pride in the city and the contribution of The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited.

The action within the spot has been likened to the videos of idiosyncratic dancer and world traveller, Matt Harding. The “Dancing Man” videos had become a viral phenomenon and Matt’s travels were subsequently sponsored by Visa as an advertising campaign. Strangely, the degree of originality in that campaign has not been questioned!

The rationale for the claim of plagiarism is that, like Matt, the actor remains centred in frame while intercutting between different locations. Centre-frame is hardly an original placement and was understandably necessary for consistency.

As a professional film-maker and someone who had seen the “Dancing Man” videos, I made absolutely no correlation with it while watching the Towngas spot.

If centre-frame was the focus, then why not identify the source as the online campaign for Johnnie Walker, in which actor Robert Carlyle narrates the history of the brand for over six minutes, as he continuously walks toward a receding camera?

The concept is not unique. In fact the very first television commercial on which I worked, (in 1983), consisted of a male model, centred in frame, walking toward a reverse tracking camera on multiple locations!

An adman from a competitor agency commented on the Towngas concept, “While there’s nothing strictly criminal .. ” !! What an inference! Some may consider that if a lack of originality in advertising concepts was criminal, there would be precious few creatives not ‘doing time’.

Originality is mostly demonstrated in the clever ways in which existing elements are perceived or recombined, and only very rarely in the components themselves.

I would be levelled with claims of unoriginality if I reverted to famous quotations, but there are many which reflect upon the difficulty in creating anything original, more so than ever today, with the immediacy and immense volume of content generated.

In today’s dynamic media environment, it is an entirely impossible task for any creative to absorb all motion picture media (advertising award entries, publicly aired spots, dramatic shorts, feature films, music clips, online videos). With YouTube adding more than a day’s viewing material every hour, how can anyone realistically expect to be exposed to all current and past creative concepts. How could they possibly remember all these, and guarantee no similarity between their work and a existing concept?

There is a vast difference between lazy duplication and a thematic resemblance.

Naturally, where there are agencies competing for big accounts within declining TVC markets, and individual creatives whose egos, professional reputations, awards and commercial successes are based on the concept of originality, debate will continue.

 

 

Sources:

Campaign China

The original Towngas TVC

Dancing Man videos

Robert Carlyle for Johnnie Walker

The best ads on TV

Towngas 150

From Our Clients

Quotation Mark

Thank you for the development of an updated brand image for Wah Yuet in China.

While originally contracted to produce a video highlighting Wah Yuet's manufacturing capabilities, it was apparent very quickly that your understanding of our requirements, combined with your experience, were the perfect fit to create a new logo and style guidelines for the company. While relatively small in scope, you were dedicated to the success of the project and I am pleased to say that you hit the bullseye!

Stephen Pollack
Marketing Director
Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Quotation Mark

I worked with Andrew on a photography project that involved a high level of visual complexity for a multinational client. Andrew was clear and professional in his briefing, but at the same time, was open to other ideas and approaches.

Chris Shain
Photographer
Sydney, NSW, Australia
Images for Business
Quotation Mark

We are very pleased with the end result. It was good to have you pushing us along for material in order that we met the agreed completion deadline - you certainly are good project managers!

Mike A Rawbone
Managing Director
Hong Kong
HR Associates
Quotation Mark

Our take-away menu advertised TamarindThai.com.au, even though the site didn’t exist.

Digital Tsunami offered great ideas and design to set up a professional website that matches our name, ideas and style of the restaurant.

Andrew is very knowledgeable IT professional and he never hesitated to see and consult us in the restaurant.

Amy & Gabriel Rey
Restaurateurs
Sydney, NSW, Australia
Tamarind Thai
Quotation Mark

Andrew and his team at Digital Tsunami were the developers behind our micro site for Fearless.

I like the way they work (efficient, effective) and delivered a great site, on time.

Suzy Jacobs
Founder & Chief Inspiration Officer
Sydney, NSW, Australia
She Business
error: We appreciate that you value our content. You are welcome to link to this page, but content is copyright protected.