Maybe brands are taking "transparency" a bit too literally. The latest video in the Ray-Ban Never Hide viral video campaign (a campaign that I praised a couple of weeks ago for breaking through the viral clutter) features enough nudity to have been flagged by the YouTube community as potentially offensive. Here it is (despite the YouTube flag it isn't really NSFW.)
And skincare product marketer Elave not only never hides - they've actually got "Nothing to Hide" according to their latest campaign, which features enough nudity to earn a proper NSFW. Check it out and click on the overhead projector for the full effect (seriously though, NSFW.)
[Censored screenshot swiped from Ariel Waldman.]
At the end of the day, both campaigns (and plenty of others like them) leave me wondering if shock value has taken the place of smart marketing -- just as it has in traditional advertising (consider GM's panned suicidal robot and Snickers' banned auto mechanic make-out from this year's Super Bowl.) Is this marketing? Or are these just stunts?
We might pay attention to these campaigns -- hey, I've watched them, I'm blogging about them and maybe that's the point -- but I'd argue that we're paying attention to them for the wrong reasons. Even after a few viewings, I'm still not sure exactly what skincare products Elave actually sells and haven't gotten around to clicking for more info about their line or online store.
So I wonder whether shock advertising like this actually sells any product. Maybe -- but I'd guess that smart, strategic marketing programs would sell more.
