Barbara Lippert's Critique: Silver-Screen Spots

I'm looking forward to watching Jon Stewart host the Oscars this Sunday—if only to see him execute that exquisite signature triple Lutz of his. (Insert standard bad-joke-rim-shot sound here.)But seriously folks, coming off the Olympics, with its disappointing ratings, athletes and ads, and before that, the Super Bowl, with its generally nonsuper spots, it would be nice if the Oscars achieved advertising gold—you know, something to make us proud to be associated with the biz. I'd give the Diet Coke spots, with the new tagline, "Light it up!" a silver. "Haircut" is surprisingly bold and edgy, at least for Coke. "First Date" is typical romance, but gets pulled off rather sweetly. The earlier work carried the tag, "It's a Diet Coke thing," which, while not genius, uses familiar pop-culture lingo and seems less random and ADD-y than "Light it Up." But the "Light" line is more positive and celebratory, and works better with the dramatic build of the latest spots.I'll admit that at first, I was not so much into the whole bubble thing. To me, the 2004 Adrien Brody spot was kind of cool, for his Travolta-like swagger and suit (yo, Adrien! No Ermenegildo Zegna here) and its music. But I never got why the bubbles had to be so literal, yet still disconnected. It's a metaphor for effervescence, sure, but all soda pop has bubbles. Are these special magic bubbles? That's even worse than scrubbing bubbles, or Michael Jackson's chimp, Bubbles. Those first two spots were followed by "Rollergirl," featuring a maniacal female on wheels, and "Loft," showing a guy dancing around in said open space in red socks, as if possessed. Bubbles aside, the Diet Coke-as-emboldener thing is the bad part. (See, life is pure spunk and ca-raziness with the right soft drink!) What's the connection to the viewer? It's not grounded in anything we can identify with. No cola that I know of puts that sort of spring in your step.The latest spots contain a narrative, rather than just characters jumping around with bubbles, so we can find universal moments of truth—or universal moments of loathing or annoyance. Either way, they're more memorable. Especially "Haircut." I'm impressed with the risk Coke took on this story line—it could be alienating for some audiences. (It'll get the TransAmerica fans, for sure.)A great-looking woman with long, sexy hair who just happens to be drinking a can of Diet Coke at the time she passes an old-fashioned barbershop. On the spur of the moment, she decides to go in. No orchid-filled salon, this place has the full-on comb-in-the-Barbasol effect. The haircuts on the chart could be called The Floyd or The Earl. She lets the barber have his way with her; the cuts are nicely juxtaposed with "Oh La La" by Goldfrapp. I thought this would result in a cutesy do that she would then transform to fab with her fingers. But instead, the result is severe and quite jarring—a real man's do. What does this mean? Well, for one, that she's a decisive, not-afraid-of-change person, a real I-cola-clast. For another, it could be that she just wanted her Audrey Hepburn moment, or perhaps, that she's bi-curious (not that there's anything wrong with that). The line "Live like you started it" comes up as she walks along the street, proud and shorn. Then we see the tagline, "Light it up." The new tag works well here, because after her reverse Samson experience, she's empowered, and her face is indeed lit up. Also, I like that the action is not bubble-based—little pink ones appear only over the can with the final title card."First Date" is the spot breaking on the Oscars, and it's set, aptly enough, outside a movie theater. An attractive couple has just seen a film. (The spot will also run in-cinema.) Though they are obviously attracted to each other, it's awkward as hell. He hems over thanking her for a good time, she (an actress with before-the-barber hair) agrees too eagerly, and, to quote another movie, what we have here is a failure to communicate. He gives her a quick kiss on the cheek and walks away. As the dude leaves, he opens his bottle of Diet Coke (no can-man) and inhales the bubbles; we get the distant-but-building stomping sound of an audience waiting for an encore. (OK, that part is hokey.) He turns and runs in her direction—Elvis is back in the building! He catches her, and they stop for a real Hollywood kiss. "Live like they want an encore" comes up on the screen, a nice sentiment. "Light it up." It's much more mainstream than the other spot, but is saved from being too saccharin (or Splenda-ish, as the case may be) by excellent acting, and the fact that most people have had a sweet moment like this.They say that Hollywood is like high school with money. But for the fortysomething females in the audience who are addicted to Diet Coke and can see themselves in that out-of-cinema experience, dating is like high school with wrinkles. Never mind the bubbles—this gives us hope. Take it away, Jon.'First Date,' 'Haircut' AgencyFoote cone & Belding, New York Creative directorGary Resch Art directorMark Warfield, Todd Eisner CopywriterGreg Wikoff Agency producerKelly Fagan DirectorRobert Logevall

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Barbara Lippert's Critique: Silver-Screen Spots

Barbara Lippert

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Barbara Lippert