trapped in the paperless, wireless, timeless and spaceless office

Not too long ago people working in advertising were considered to be creative. But that was before agencies discovered internet. It took them a long while but it looks that they’ve learned the lesson: creative people don’t necessarily wear designer’s clothes, have studios in the trendiest areas in town or work in the advertising industry. Creative people come in all shapes and colors and have the web as a common playground.

So in this internet time, if you want to bluff your way in the advertising industry you just have to find good ideas online before others do, stamp your flashy corporate logo on them and sell them to a big brand. Ideas are important but if they’re for free and you get payed a large sum for them even more.

Three TV commercials that are currently on Spanish TV will prove my point.

Volkswagen Polo copies Kyle McDonald’s story
Kyle McDonald started by trading a red paper clip online for anything. The goal was to get a house in one year. After 14 transactions including a role in a Hollywood movie he got his house.

Volkswagen creates a TV campaign with the same concept (although they’re honest about telling Kyle’s story) and launch a blog written by Kyle. It looks like Kyle is blogging in perfect Spanish and encouraging people to trade stuff to get a Volskwagen Polo. Neat.

Here’s the commercial

Audi copies Brazilian roller
A couple of months ago I saw an amazing video of a Brazilian guy rolling down a long street hitting an endless row of water filled glass bottles tuned to different notes resulting in Mozart’s Symphony n.40.

Obviously Audi’s agency liked it and ripped it off without any problem. I hope I’m wrong and that guy got payed for the idea but I doubt it.

Watch the original idea
Watch the copy

ONO copies the Free Hughs campaign
It all started when Juan Mann got back to his native Australia after a time in London and nobody was there to hug him. He decided to write a sign with the words “Free Hughs” and hug anyone that wanted it. He later created the website freehugscampaign.org and people all over the world started to organize free hugs gatherings.

Again a smart creative saw potential and blatantly turned something spontaneous and non-commercial as Juan Mann’s initiative, into a TV commercial for the ONO telecom. By the way, at the beginning of the original free hugs video you can see a Vodafone shop in the background.

Watch the original idea
Watch the copy

There are probably more examples but I guess I should watch more TV to spot them.