Those eyes. THOSE PIERCING EYES.
For their second project for Walmart since taking over digital AOR duties from incumbent R/GA two weeks ago, the Martin Agency is giving America its new favorite holiday character–a yodeling cat with a love of Christmas. Supposedly, the yodeling, creepy-faced creature is promoting Walmart’s line of internet-ready electronics (with a new spot based around said feline vocalist set to launch later this month), but the video features little in the way of branding save for that little ornament that pops in at the 47-second mark.
So, readers, do you “get it?” Are you wondering to yourself, as many YouTube commenters are, “What the hell?” Well, as the Martin Agency knows (and all other agencies working in the digital sphere should know by now), if you want a video to go viral, all you need to do is put a cat in it. If you think that this is a strategy you might forget, just hum Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” to yourself when sent a creative brief and insert the words “If they like it, then you probably put a cat in it.” It’s a simple and very effective strategy; since the video was posted to YouTube on Monday, it’s already gained almost 50,000 views. Credits, and lyrics so viewers can yodel along at home, follow after the jump.
How to yodel Jingle Bells —
Dashing through the snow-del lodel-layhee
One horse open sleigh-del laydee-layhee
Over the hills we go-oh-oh
Laughing all the way-hee-hee
Bells on bob tails ring-a-ling-a-leehee
Making spirits bright-a-light-a-leehee
What fun it is to laugh and sing a sleighing song tonight
Oh Jing-a-ling a bells.
Jing-a-ling a bells
Jingle all the way-de-lay-de-layhee
Oh-del what-el fun-el it is to ride-el in a one horse open sleigh-hee hee
Jing-a-ling a bells.
Jing-a-ling a bells
Jingle all the way-hee hee
Oh-del what-el fun-el it is to ride-el in a one horse open sleigh-hee
Yodel-odle-lay hee odle yodel ladle lay hee Yodel-odel-lady lay hee hee
Oh Yodel ladle ladel lay hee Oh Yodel ladle ladel lay hee Oh del lay doh lay doh oh hee hee
Yodel-odle-lay hee odle yodel ladle lay hee Yodel-odel-lady lay hee hee
Oh-del what-el fun-el it is to ride-el in a one horse open sleigh-del lay del lay hee hee
Credits: Client: Walmart
Agency: The Martin Agency
Chief Creative Officer: John Norman
Group Creative Director: Joe Alexander
Creative Director: Vanessa Fortier
Copywriter: Bob Meagher
Art Directors: Pat Wittich
Agency Senior Broadcast Producer: Pamela Mahan
Agency Junior Producer: Ross Skinner
Digital Producer: Lalita Koehler
Creative Hybrid: Chaucer Barnes/Jeremy Lind
Animation Production Company: Red Car
Creative Director/Animation Director: Chris Bialkowski
Producer: Courtney Fransen
Animators: Eric Dalimarta, Garret Walter
Managing Director: Mary Knox
Music House: Comma Music (Chicago, IL)
Arranger/ Musician: Larry Pecorella
Executive Producer: Bonny Dolan
Talent/Yodeler: Bob Bowker
Audio/Post: Particle (Chicago, IL)
Mixer: Dominic Morris