Friday, November 6, 2009

Repackaging the familiar for a novel view

Anything, no matter how plastic, ubiquitous or overstated, can be framed purposefully to evoke something different or new.  This photo was taken at night, with a phone, while waiting in line for the drive-up window....

As I was writing the graph above - I  saw a very clever  TV ad by American Express that uses this 'reframing' idea. In it,  more than a dozen or so common scenes and/or objects were reframed as smilie faces or smilie frowns. The audio featured a gorgeous cello line, no shouting or flashing, and many of the changing pseudo faces required watching the screen intently.

The process was oddly involving, surprising, delightful - intriguing even, more than most shows these days.  I have a better impression of the advertiser for mounting such a clever ad campaign.   Reframing is a neat trick. Well done.

-- Mar Walker

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