Nearly a year ago, BBDO New York launched its “Unimpossible Missions” campaign for General Electric with three spots rooted in expectation-defying scientific experimentation. Now the agency has rolled out a new pair of “Unimpossible Missions” for a follow-up campaign, “You Can’t Unring a Bell” and “Fighting Fire with Fire.”
In “You Can’t Unring a Bell,” GE engineers and student Chris Nguyen attempt to do just that, in a manner of speaking. For the residents of Yangon, Myanmar, the bell at the heart of the city plays an important role in their lives and can be heard throughout the surrounding neighborhood. But not everyone is always a fan, such as a mother who has to deal with the bell waking her sleeping infant. So GE engineers decided to conduct an experiment, utilizing acoustic equipment to cancel out the sound of the bell in a designated quiet zone via destructive interference.
Beautifully shot and intriguing, the educational approach of “Unimpossible Missions” continues to inform and entertain. The spot ends with the message, “If we can unring a bell, imagine the other impossible things we can do,” tying the content back to the brand and its philosophy of innovation.
“Fighting Fire with Fire” utilizes 360 degree viewing to immerse its audience in another experiment. This time around, GE’s scientists utilize the sound of a roaring fire to extinguish a flame. While not quite the production that “You Can’t Unring a Bell” is, it’s another fine addition to the campaign, which seems ripe with more opportunities for BBDO and GE to take on “Unimpossible Missions,” and provide viewers with more interesting branded edutainment.