The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

Hi,
It’s really nice. In a world where everything is trying to get as ‘gadgetry’ as possible you have a technology brand that has a human face. It depicts life!

Wizard

As I said – it’s a starting point – there is much to do if we are to stand a real chance of getting the brand back where it belongs.

I think everyone knows, especially us, that ads alone won’t do it … it needs all aspects of the brand to be looked at – including product, packaging, distribution, R&D etc … but to be honest, that’s the bit I am most excited about because I truly love the SONY brand and really like the idea of helping them re-embrace people from the ground, up.

The prop was/is ‘SONY Makes Technology You Feel’ [based around a core idea of ‘Emotive Technology] but we’re not saying SONY technology gives people feelings [that would be both arrogant and unbelievable] … it’s saying that in this fast-changing World – where we often live fragile, superficial lives – SONY creates technology that helps re-awaken the feelings that lie dormant within … the feelings [whatever they might be] that makes people feel alive again.

During the pitch phase, I spoke to a rather famous horror film director, who gave me this great quote about how he believed ‘feelings’ were the foundation for humanity … “I make people feel alive by scaring them half to death!”

He seemed to believe that society today is so disconnected to the World around us, that the only way to experience ‘life’ was to expose ourselves to exaggerated situations which basically ‘shocked us’ into humanity.

Another thing we did was get video taken in multiple countries of commuters at 8am on a Monday morning and then at 6pm on a Friday night – and the difference between the two was astounding.

It literally was as if on the Monday they were Robots, going on with the monotony of their life, ignoring all that was around them and focused on simply ‘getting through the day’ … and then on the Friday, they suddenly transformed into humans again – happy, excited and embracing the lights, colours, sounds and smells that surrounded them.

Of course there’s elements that were changed in the ad – elements I don’t agree with – but the reality is that this is a starting point and compared to where SONY Asia-Pac have been, I think [hope?] it’s a pretty good step forward, haha.

As long as you realise the music made the robot come alive because it was played on a Walkman [superior sound] then I’ll be happy, hahaha.

Talking of Walkman … the stuff we’re working on is fucking great – fingers crossed we can get the idea through ‘the system’ because if we can, it really will give Walkman a territory to fight the iPOD on.

Mind you, we don’t want to do something too great – because then Russell at OIA wouldn’t get to help rebuild the brand, something he told me he’d LOVE to do and something I promised I’d try to get him involved in.

I guessed so yes. Shame that the whole Atrac (or Acrap as I call it) thing spolied the walkman brand in Mp3 playing.

That bit reminded me of the scene in Garden State where the girl lends the guy the earphones and the song makes him think. Which is a good level of emotional resonance.

It would be great to have you AND Russell working on Sony. Maybe we can get the brand back after all…

Pete are you trying to get into my pants? Are you like that Minister who is married but gay? You are very kind mate and given you are doing truly great, innovative work, it’s a case of me saying “I’m not worthy”

Real men don’t compliment other men. Or have I been watching too many Clint Eastwood movies?

I am guessing George showed you the print because it isn’t finished or approved yet. I don’t know if I’d say it’s better than the TV, but I do like it alot. However, the Bravia print we’re doing is fucking lovely – and hopefully that should come out soonish.

I soooooooooooo agree with you about the Bravia work – infact I had a ‘discussion’ about it with Mr Mortimer [it’s on his blog http://www.ad-pit.com] but for all it’s executional differentiation [as you put it], it’s still a lovely ad that does stand out from the masses of techno-babble communication spouted by the competition. And yes, the US Sony work is unbelievably bad – especially their Bravia work which is possibly one of the worst things I have ever seen. Compared to that, the Fallon work is multi-Oscar worthy. Sod the SONY America ego – the fact is they NEED to change their agency and/or their marketing people – because what they’re putting out [I’m talking that Pink and Blue monstrosity] should NEVER see the light of day!

Have to be careful what I say about PS3 – it does have an enormous amount of pressure on it to succeed but given it is also going to be one of the cheapest Blue Ray players you can buy [and the difference in movie experience is astounding] I think it will achieve it’s expectations – just maybe in a longer timeframe than first thought.

As for getting you involved in Walkman – sorry, I asked Russell first … not only that, you work for the hotshit agency who is taking on the big boys – if I so much give you a sniff of this client, it’ll probably be in your stable faster than I can say “e-Gay”.

Have to go now – I bought 33 DVD’s while in Sydney [yes Pete, a high % were doco’s!] and need to feed my mind. [Though I’ll be watching Series 3 of Peep Show really, ha!]

Rob, you don’t have to worry about us stealing your client, there is no way any work we do would ever get made in Asia, that is why I am so impressed you got your Sony work made.
Can’t wait to see the Bravia print because you’re right, the US stuff (Pink & Blue) is a blot on the advertising landscape, let alone the Sony brand.
I cannot tell a lie, GEORGE was the one who showed me the brand print work. What’s there to finish, it’s great, get it out there man. Now I’m going to leave you to your Peep Show (Ooer) but lets try and catch up soon and not because I am e-gay.

Oh, and Rob – who was that person at Naked who wrote to you? Don’t worry – I won’t cause shit, it’s just so I can mention to John someone there had been in touch. Speak soon.

Toptastic – lets get Naked back on the scene because you are exactly the sort of bloke they need/love there.

As for the ad – well, I’m glad you like it, and I’m not being humble – but compared to where I can see this whole FEEL idea evolving, it’s just the ignition.

God, I’m talking in marketing-wank, gotta go and wash my mouth out with soap.

I prefered your original positioning of “Electronic Ecstacy”? You sold out with “Feel”. LOL

You cheeky bastard Billy … gonna get you put in detention, ha!

As for the FEEL font – I am interested in your comment because I always thought it was quite fresh, vibrant, un-SONY [in a good way]and un-technology like [again in a good way] – but given you are a consumer [and a very smart one at that] I find your comment very interesting.

If you have the chance, could you find a font [regardless of what the letter/word it is saying] that you feel is more apporpriate to the idea. This is not me being bitchy – I am genuinely interested and would really value your input. [but only if you can, I do know you have a job to do!]

Also, if Apple used FEEL in the way we’ve used it [say for the iPOD], would you still feel it is not as relevant? I ask because as much as we’re trying to make the brand more human and youthful, it’s not meant to be in a hippy-love-the-world kind of way, which is why I find your view so interesting.

To be fair, the boys did originally use a smaller type size and less ‘colour’, but along the way it got ‘changed’.

On a completely unrelated matter – don’t you find it funny that the best creative talent tends to work in Marketing Departments … bit like how all the best football tacticians end up being Taxi Drivers or Barmen. Strange World isn’t it, hahaha!

No rush – I am interested in your ‘eye’

Told you – we have been educated to expect music so much in the background of our visual entertainment that when it’s not there – you notice it.

Really find your comment on the Font thing interesting – as I said, it was much more as you orginally described but it evolved/devolved during the process.

As for the LIKE NO OTHER and SONY end-frames … yeah, in a perfect world there wouldn’t be the need to use 3 different supers [or at least put them sort-of together], but it was more to do with ‘corporate protocol’ than for artistic reasons – which is, ironically, why I still quite like the glitter-ball ‘FEEL’ because it makes it look less corporate than SONY are recognised for. Hmmmmm, it’s a hard one – but if you find a font you feel would have been more suitable [if you have time, please don’t kill yourself over it] I’d be very interested.

Don’t forget the Naked person’s name!

Hi Mate … the whole FEEL Like No Other and SONY separation is – as mad as it sounds – a corporate MANDATE. We thought we were being clever putting FEEL and Like No Other together as it gave their global line ‘meaning’ – pity we were the only ones who thought so, hahaha.

Be awkward – that’s what we’re supposed to be about as long as it is with meaning, insight and sense. [Which is why Andy can’t hack it, hahaha – I am so enjoying him being away!]

Hey – our server has had a mental tizz [the by-product of Andy’s [allegedly] buggering about] so your email with the Naked bods name hasn’t come through. Can you send it again – rob@cynical-world.com … ta.

Hi there … glad you like the ad – lets hope it starts the shift we need so we can keep the momentum up.

The music is available as a ringtone I think at http://www.nowifeel.com – but the track isn’t commercial as we developed it for the ad. Who knows, maybe we can start a fan club for it? Ha

Thanks alot for popping in and saying ‘Hi’ …

how do u download the ringtone from nowifeel.com….the walls and screensavers are downloading….but not the ringtone….i need the mp3 version of that for my w800i

how do you download the file??? dats d question….coz after u select mp3 from the dropdown list nothin happens??? so the question again is how do u download the file???

thanx

Hi Akram … let me see what I can do. Unfortunately, because of the Christmas/New Year festivities, the people who can help me/you are vomiting into a tree due to alcohol, so please hang in there and I’ll see what I can do. All the best for 2007 …

Hi Mate – I’m back on Wednesday so I promise I’ll ask them then.

Fahdeen, not heard from you about the track, but it’s been re-mixed and you can hear a much longer version by going here http://amp.channelv.com/celestial [The track is called ‘Electric Road’ and there is a link to the studio website where you supposidly can download it]

Hi Fahdeen …

Yes, it must of been sent straight to our Junk Mail but I have just sent you an email with the ringtone. Hope it’s OK.

R

Hi!

does anybody have a copy of this video? http://www.sony-asia.com/corporate/resources/en_AP/images/Magazine/nowifeel/tvc_nowifeel.jpg

i just wanna know who that girl is.. she hot.

Hi There,

I choose the Sony Robot as theme for a paper in my IMC course. It was interesting reading your comments, especially since I had thought similar things about the fact that the ad is rather non-technological (comment by Rob, Nov 14, 6:42pm), targeting at younger people (before seeing the introduction I did not knew it was for repositionning Sony image).

btw, You can download the song from Celestial page by following the link below:
http://amp.channelv.com/amp/resources/_user/185/XPuPiNLLLuwJFsVwgkRDNLLD.flv#/Celestial_AppFuse_XPuPiNLLLuwJFsVwgkRDNLLD.flv

Regards,