‘ShapeShifter’: Are Short Films the Future of Advertising? http://tinyurl.com/4ehcq3k
Long term readers will know I’m not a fan of advertising: it’s usually intrusive and irrelevant. That is to not to say that I hate the idea of sponsored media. It is just that, when I’m watching a program, I don’t want to be interrupted every 8-10 minutes with something irrelevant to the program. That should also disturb content creators who are trying to invoke a mood or emotional feel because every ad break disrupts the very intent of the creator.
That’s why, if we’re going to have to continue with sponsored/advertising supported media (instead of a simple and fair payment mechanism which would be my preference) then at least let it be in the form of branded media, or sponsored product. That way the “advertising” component will at least be relevant to the programming content and integrated with it in an non-disruptive way. These are both net positives.
However, the story here is the future of advertising. You may have seen a few advertisements that disguise themselves as short films in the pre-roll at your local movie theater. There is a popular one currently running that explores the history of Barilla as a staple in family kitchens for decades. It is a beautiful shot short film with a great sense of history.
ShapeShifter takes an even more subtle approach, by only briefly showing a car at the beginning and end of the film. The rest of the short is an atmospheric journey through nature as exhibited through a series of CGI animals. All the adjectives a car company would hope to supplement their latest vehicle with are present – elegance, power, speed and grace. But new media has given us an unprecedented look at what engages audiences from an advertising perspective.