The talking, sophisticated cheetah who just couldn’t seem to get enough of the tonic water was all over the prime time during my childhood. After all, which boy wouldn’t beg his parents for a drink which he’d just seen relished by a cool, deadly predator?

“Schweppes created five short films, and showed segments of them on the air. The shorter ads for TV were crafted in a way to tickle the imagination to the maximum, leaving the viewers craving for the full stories. They were all centered around shady characters with some kind of a secret, an intriguing past, or a rich inner world.”

But then suddenly the cheetah actually got enough of the drink and disappeared from the air. Disappointed as I was, it wasn’t long before I forgot all about him, and not just because of the child-like fleeting nature of my interests. The wild cat got replaced by Schweppes’ next campaign, and it was on a completely different level from any piece of advertising I’d seen before. Schweppes shifted their efforts towards a more mature audience, and thus changed their storytelling approach. And as their brand identity developed, so did my concepts about advertising.

The shift of Schweppes’ advertising vision was sudden, yet refined and masterfully carried out. The company maintained their classy, gentleman-like, subtle “schh” vibe, but also added a generous dash of mystery and noir feel. It made for a combination that hit the sweet spot, stepping on their playful and sophisticated image and placing it within the frames of more serious, mature scenarios.

Schweppes created five short films, and showed segments of them on the air. The shorter ads for TV were crafted in a way to tickle the imagination to the maximum, leaving the viewers craving for the full stories. They were all centered around characters with some kind of a secret, an intriguing past, or a rich inner world. In the moment of the flash, the dramatic revelation, or in this case — the “Schh moment” — viewers were invited to unveil the full story online. Cliffhangers didn’t get much better than this.

And the website which hosted them was a work of art itself. It was designed as if you were walking into a fancy lobby of a beautiful film theater, and managed to recreate the atmosphere Schweppes was already known for, even as viewer sat in their homes. The films made it feel like I was being let in on a secret, something special not everyone was privy to. After all, their slogan stated Schweppes was meant for people with a past.

In this way Schweppes separated itself from the drinks for the masses. They became a brand with a story, meant for people with stories of their own. The same way detectives from noir novels drink bourbon, Schweppes became the drink of choice for edgy, mysterious, dubious, or poetically troubled characters from real life. Or at least for teenagers who liked to think they were cooler than they actually were. I’ve posted two of my favorites below.

Signs
Signs’ protagonist wasn’t exactly mysterious, or classy, or bad-ass, or any kind of cool for that matter. However, the character’s kind innocence is as tangible and disarming as a kitten in the rain. The film’s all-round haunting lonesomeness exudes from the very first frame and creates the signature for the campaign luring vibe. Signs is an endearingly pure depiction of loneliness, faith, love, and how easily it can slip through our fingers. If we let it.

Consequences
In my humble opinion, Consequences is the most powerful movie of the five. Without a doubt, it is by far the most dramatic. It encompasses everything that is great about Schweppes’ more mature brand identity. A mysterious vibe that pulses with melancholy and tension, a questionable protagonist and his rich backstory that might still take its toll on him. All that, delivered with an elegant pace and vibrant storytelling makes for a film that lingers, as do some consequences.

Schweppes upholds a legacy of creative advertising of the highest of classes. Even better, it demonstrates that when your identity is founded on a solid, crisp and vigorous idea, your story will remain authentic as it develops over time.

The post Advertising as Fine Art: The Short Films of Schweppes appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Today the slogan is an international symbol people perceive as an artistic pillar. It stands for strength of character, overcoming adversity, relentlessness, leap of faith, progress, and anything else you interpret it as. Ultimately, it has become an inspiration for people from all strides of life to Keep Walking, past whatever might be holding them back, and towards whatever they might have their minds set on.

Johnnie Walker’s advertising legacy lifts the bar extremely high in terms of storytelling. This only makes the success of Dear Brother even more impressive. The spec ad by the two German film students at the film academy of Baden might be the best ad/short film to portray the concept of Keep Walking. It’s a tale of childhood, freedom, nostalgia, loss, heartache, and moving on by embracing this painful, yet beautiful mix of memories and emotions.  And to make things even more romantically heroic and moving, it all unfolds on the dramatic awe that is Scotland’s isle of Skye. “Dear Brother” is a feast of rich, but point-on cinematography, concise, yet enigmatic and touching storytelling, all happening at a masterful pace that makes it all linger in our hearts like sweet misery.

The 90-second film became a viral hit on Reddit and amazed millions of people around the world. Not only, it introduced two names that might become ( if they haven’t already) complete game-changers in the already dynamic and imaginative world of creative advertising.

Short ads have become a whole new outlet for creative expression and inspirational messages. They often stay with us far longer than many films and can even influence our outlook on life. Many commercials are packed with meaning, atmosphere, plot and cinematography that leave us more fulfilled than cinema. A brand identity is constructed by a few key elements, and when they all come together in perfect harmony within a short, but powerful storyline, it can leave people speechless. In the end of the day, this is what stirs consumers’ choices a great deal of the time. Unless you have the taste buds of a master blender, Dear Brother can make up for anything you might have against Johnnie Walker as a whiskey.

For those of you who haven’t seen Dear Brother by Daniel Titz and Dorian Lebhertz , you should really mark a minute and a half in your calendar and fix that oversight. The ad does in 90 seconds what most films can’t do in 90 minutes. It breathes overwhelming nostalgia from the first frame – from its lyrical monologues, elegiac music, beautiful cinematography and heart-warming brotherly moments. It’s what film experts would best describe as a video poem. A bitter-sweet reminiscence, it strikes a beautiful chord, made up of very complex and different notes. It`s a letter, filled with memories and guidance, a tribute to the past and a road map to the future. And a jaw-dropping twist that will make the lump in your throat keep growing long after you finish watching.

Funnily enough, Dear Brother remains only a spec ad. The creators never approached Johnnie Walker since the brand has shifted their campaing goals. Nevertheless, it shows us the most beautiful and nuanced perspective of what it means to Keep Walking yet.  After all, that is exactly what the talented film students’ goal was.

The post Advertising as High Art: Keep Walking with Dear Brother appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.