Hasta La Creative!

Berlin-based Thjnk launched a new spot for Audi, reminding viewersof the importance of going to an Audi dealer instead of a random mechanic.

To do so, the agency makes said mechanics seem downright frightening. The spot opens on a mechanic as he sees a lone Audi driving down a desolate road. Soon the car’s “Service due” light goes on and another mechanic perks up. As the car drives on more and more mechanics emerge, until there’s a zombie-like army chasing the car, which makes it into the Audi dealership just in time, ending with the tagline, “Don’t let your Audi fall into the wrong hands.”

The spot, directed by Sebastian Strasser of Radical Media, does a good job of building atmosphere and mimicking the pacing and feel of a horror movie. Intentionally over-the-top, the ad aims not for the typical message of superior service, but “…the monumental showcasing of the eternal struggle between good and evil,” the agency said in a statement. If that sounds like a bit too much, there is something of a self-awareness to the approach, as Thjnk and Audi seem to be in on the joke.

Credits:

Client: Audi
Title: “Mechanics”
Agency: Thjink Berlin GmbH
Executive Creative Director: Stefan Schulte
Creative Director: Siyamak Seyedasgari
Account: Nicole Bierwolf, Hendrik Heine
Director: Sebastian Strasser
Production Company: RadicalMedia berlin
dop: Roman Vasyanov
Producer: Christoph Petzenhauser, Kathy Rhodes, Yan Schoenefeld
Casting: Julia Kim (US), Francesca Green (UK)
Editor: Paul Hardcastle, Trim Editing
Colorist: George K, MPC London
Score: Robert Cairns
VFX: Time Based Arts, London
VFX Supervisor: James Allen
VFX Lead Artists: James Allen, Sheldon Gardner, Steven Grasso

Never underestimate the power of chutzpah.

Oddly enough, it took a German ad man to prove that point. One of the last stories from Cannes-Lions making its way into the headlines concerns the bold actions of Michael Trautmann, CEO of German-based Thjnk.

ICYMI, Bono was discussing AIDS awareness and his foundation (RED) when he brought Jony Ive, Apple Design SVP, on stage and gave the backhanded compliment heard ’round the hipster nation. Following the applause and passing of the Kool-Aid at Genius Bars, Trautmann did the unthjnkable.

And it worked.

(more…)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

L’agence Thjnk a eu l’excellente idée d’utiliser pour IKEA une surimpression en RVB pour écrire 3 messages différents sur un seul panneau. La marque cherche une nouvelle fois à aménager au maximum l’espace et propose ainsi un concept jouant sur un système d’ampoule, permettant d’alterner les messages.

Outdoor ad geeks, here's your latest bit of brilliance, courtesy of Ikea.

German ad agency Thjnk and production studio I Made This teamed up to create Ikea's "RGB billboard," which—much like Ikea furniture itself—makes the most of some very limited space.

The board features three different headlines superimposed on each other in different colors—cyan, magenta and yellow. At night, the board shines red, green and blue (RGB) lightbulbs on the board, revealing, in turn, the different headlines. Red bulbs illuminate the cyan text; green lights up magenta; and the blue-purple lights make yellow visible.

And that's how you turn nine square meters of ad space into 27 square meters.

It's a delightful little visual trick that embodies Ikea's space-saving message. Now, if only it worked a little better during the day.

Via Mindfields on Tumblr.