Should brands use film to make us laugh or cry?

Should brands use film to make us laugh or cry?

 

In reviewing the Grand Prix winners in the film and film craft categories at the Cannes Lions, we noticed that brands have been recognised for both.

 

The 'It's a Tide' ad by Saatchi & Saatchi NY for Tide used humour brilliantly as a way to cut through, and it's one of our favourites. Watch it here.

 

At the other end of the spectrum, we defy anyone not to well up on watching the excellent and completely heart wrenching 'Hope' by SRA Rushmore for the International Committee of the Red Cross. Watch it here.

 

What both of these do brilliantly is use emotion appropriately. Although we don’t believe that these extremes are right, or relevant for every message, we passionately believe in the power of emotive filmmaking in communications.

 

Sometimes, we might need to shock, anger, delight or make audiences laugh. But whatever we do, we know that emotive content in campaigns is twice as effective as rational content, and films that connect with us on an emotional level are more memorable. So, we should all take inspiration from these clever, creative and effective commercials and consider emotion as a key component of our film concepts.

 

If you’d like to hear more, watch our film about the importance of emotion as part of our seminar on standout films last year, here.

 

Emily Clements, Head of Film.