Spec ads, unofficial and proposed advertisements to ad agencies, restore our faith in the little guy in the big bad world of advertising -- the creative, "regular dude" who sits down to his or her computer and bangs out an ad so much better than anything the suits could dream up.
Perhaps you may remember that sweet iPod Touch ad with the killer soundtrack by CSS? Well, that was created by an 18-year-old student attending Leeds University. So how did Apple latch onto it? Via YouTube, of course.
Such is the nature of the spec ad -- edgy, fresh ad videos circulate the Web until they simply can't be denied. Love 'em or hate 'em -- they're everywhere -- and they test how we make the distinction between seller and consumer. Plus, ya know, they're usually pretty entertaining.
Thus, we've scoured the Web to give you our list of the Top Ten Spec Ads of the Year.
- 1. iPod Touch
- 2. JC Penney
- 3. Kohler
- 4. Doc Marten's
- 5. Adidas
comments
What a great collection! These are just a few examples of the power of a brand - it is not owned by the corporation, rather, it is owned by the customers. If their emotion is strong enough, they will create a "commentary."
And corporations who don't appreciate the power of social media may look to these spec ads (perhaps, video commentaries) as positive examples of its strengths.
by:// Michael Sater - May 2nd 2009