Interesting Commercial

starixiom wrote on 11/24/2003, 2:52 PM

Here is a pretty cool commercial that i came across. I was wondering what computer programs the editor used for the fx work such as the floating text and graphics. It reminded me of the scene in Fight Club where Ed Norton was reading out of the catalog and the items appeared in his apartment.

Here is the link DUX Commercial

Scroll down to the link entilted Dux, you need Quicktime to view it. I would like to try something like this in Vegas.

Comments

JonnyMac wrote on 11/24/2003, 3:47 PM

Interesting visually and aurally, but as a former Marketing Manager I would have tossed it for being messageless. I had to read the tag on that page to tell me the ad was for beds -- I certainly didn't get that impression from the commericial, especially the ending.

busterkeaton wrote on 11/24/2003, 4:20 PM

JonnyMac,

I think DUX is more well known as a bed company in Europe. So the target audience is probably already familiar with the name.

Kevin

starixiom wrote on 11/25/2003, 7:17 PM

Yeah, I think DUX is pretty known throughout Europe. Escpecially toward the end where they highlight the wholesalers throughout the world.

Im not in the market for a new bed, but I really like the commercial. Im thinking who ever edited used a 3d application such as Cinema 4d or Maya. I dont know though.

I would really like to replicate the "style" of this commercial. Any insights on what programs I would need to recreate the text and graphics?

-THanks

Sol M. wrote on 11/25/2003, 8:11 PM

From what I saw, it didn't look like a 3d program would be necessary. Basically, everything is animated text/shapes. Therefore, programs like After Effects or Combustion would be especially useful for this as they have the ability to animate and transform objects in 3d space. However, the big deal with the graphical elements is that they matched the motion of a video element. Thus, if you could do without the single 3d-ish shot in the ad (where the text spins around the lady), then even a compositer like Commotion would be great.

These all have great motion trackers and can animate vectors and masks. That's all that this commercial seems to use, so the style could be replicated easy.

Honestly, this ad looks very much like the style made popular by ad firms like the WDDG, VIR2L, and 2Advanced. Check out what I consider to be the WDDG's opus here:
http://www.wddg.com/anamorph

BillyBoy wrote on 11/25/2003, 10:08 PM

I agree with Jon. Not knowing the brand name I had no idea what the commerical was about. It could have been for a bed, bedding a mattress, or codoms or sleeping pills. Dumb. Commericals like that automatically make me click the remote. If I watch a commerical I want to be informed, not sit there guessing what it is they're trying to get me to buy.

If you can make the commerical entertaining, that much better. The recent run for Sealy mattresses for example were clever. They played off the counting sheep stick, with cartoon sheep. From start to end you knew what the commerical was about.

Maybe its just me by lately in the states there are few good commericals any more. Rarely anything to hold your interest. One exception; AFLAC medical insurance. That duck they use is a scream and its a clever way to get your company name multiple times without being annoying. Not only entertaining to watch, the commerical does its job. You REMEMBER the company name.

riredale wrote on 11/25/2003, 11:29 PM

Oh, man, don't forget the "Yo" commercial. We love it every time we come across it, which is not very often any more. Timing was perfect, as was the inclusion of Yao Ming (I think that's how his name is spelled) and Yogi Berra.

Sol M. wrote on 11/25/2003, 11:36 PM

I'd have to disagree with NEEDING to know what the commercial is about in order to enjoy it. Sure, from a marketting point of view, a meaninless commercial is rubbish, but in general consumers don't look to commercials to be informed. Commercials have always been just filler in between what tv viewers really want to be watching (actual shows). Therefore, entertainment is the name of the game to keep viewers watching.

It was a cool commercial pretty much taking place in a bed the entire time. Sure it was hard to tell what it was about, but that seems to be the case with many euro commercials. That's why they can make whole hour-long tv shows about "the best commercials" where they're entertaining, but you generally have no idea what they're about.

Grazie wrote on 11/26/2003, 12:52 AM

Thanks for sharing this . . . . got me awake and outta bed! Superb artwork . . . seems like DUX are trying to say they are of the NOW! - must be wanting to change/shift gear into the "younger" market . . . . anyway that's the message I got . . . now who's gonna buy these beds/covers? I thank you . . my case rests!

Nice camera and artwork . . . . strong and clear.

Grazie

TorS wrote on 11/26/2003, 12:59 AM

A rather large group of European consumers (big spenders, many of them) expect to be delighted by a commercial, not entertained, not informed. If they feel they are being spoonfed, they turn away. If the message is not subtle enough, they turn away. And if it is entertaining or funny, it's got to be brilliant. This is why so many European commercials don't look like commercials. But they ARE. They sell stuff.
Tor

Thierry wrote on 11/26/2003, 12:32 PM

Another very intersting commercial, no special effect just time, skills and patience. I love this commercial just for the fact that it was complicate to make but the result is impressive.

http://multimedia.honda-eu.com/accord/ for the video
http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/features/051303.asp for the explanation

Thierry

kameronj wrote on 11/26/2003, 3:10 PM

DUX....wow!!

Nice.

Grazie wrote on 11/26/2003, 11:19 PM

Yes, Thierry, when the Honda Accord ad came up on my TV about 8 months back. . my jaw dropped! Apart from the "cleverness" it is just truly beautiful. Now if that wasn't enough, to have Garrison Keillor's voice AS the voice over - stroke of genius, all round.

I'm on the horns of a dilemma: Do I go to the site which tells me "how" it was done OR do I stay with the magic? I'm leaning 80% to the latter - I don't want my appreciation of the piece somehow ruined by knowing the techie bit. Yes, yes, yes, somebody is gonna say, "But Grazie, if you knew how, it was done, you could appreciate it even more!" - Hey, probably the kid in me still believing in Father Christmas!

In any event, this commercial deserves an award for this work . . .

Grazie