All Posts By

Sarah Prince

Facebook Connects Music Lovers

If you want to star in a music video, there’s no need to respond to a semi-sketchy casting call posted on Craigslist.

Derek Blais, art director at Tribal DDB, helped lead the creation of a music video that suits today’s narcissistic culture and sedementary lifestyle, where people want to invest minimal effort to become stars. Thanks to the “Facebook Connect” function, anyone with a Facebook account can star in Young Empires’ new music video, alongside young actors who look like tastefully dressed Abercrombie models.

I won’t bore you with the details of how the music video works. Slow internet connection? Try playing it on another computer. Director Miles Jay’s vision ensured it’s just that spectacular.

I first learned of Young Empires when fashion retailer FCUK named them artist of the month, following a competitive event promoting unsigned Canadian bands in September 2011. Little did I know that months later, they would achieve international buzz thanks to a creative interactive music video.

Behind the Books: Kim Izzo

Photo: The Globe and Mail
 

Name: Kim Izzo

Best Known ForThe Jane Austen Marriage Manual (2012), The Fabulous Girl’s Guide to Decorum (2001)

Education: Screenwriting, York University

Employment: Deputy Editor/Beauty Director for Zoomer Magazine

Favourite mobile app: My Fitness Pal

Favourite magazines: Vanity Fair and Tatler

Professional role model: Suzanne Boyd, Editor-in-chief of Zoomer Magazine

Describe Jane Austen’s influence on your life in 140 characters or less:

Jane Austen made me understand at an early age the importance of manners, subtlety and being witty.

How do you choose your outfits for public appearances?

I try to pick colour because it’s better for television. I like dresses because it adds a touch of glamour and that’s never a bad thing.

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Girls On Film

Below are a few of my favourite picks screened at the TIFF Bell Lightbox tonight for the Packaged Goods series, where aspiring filmmakers, tastemakers and moviegoers celebrated women’s talent in film.

HTC “One, Freefall”

Director: Sara Dunlop

Take your phone, get outdoors and go on an adventure. Bottom line: have fun.

Dove “Growing Up”

Director: Kathi Prosser

As a loyal advocate for Dove’s Self Esteem Fund, it’s great to see a female director furthering the brand’s vision to help girls with body image and bring an important issue to light. Girls are indeed “growing up” in a turbulent time with too much pressure on appearances and this spot thankfully continues the conversation.

“Skyscrapers” – OK Go

Director: Trish Sie

This music video could easily double as an ad for Joe Fresh or Benjamin Moore. Great colours. Great music. Great choreography.

Dave Matthews Band Shines In the Rain

Hillside fans’ experiences with umbrellas aside, Dave Matthews Band’s sold-out show at Molson Amphitheatre on Saturday night was outstanding. In addition to the VIP experience I enjoyed thanks to American Express (seriously, follow them on Facebook), the band ensured no one left disappointed.

Rock bands as talented as Dave Matthews Band don’t need flashy costumes or fancy choreographed dances to convince the crowd of their greatness. Their undeniable raw talent led me to focus on their music and appreciate how well the onscreen season-appropriate imagery of roller coasters, flowers and birds fit the outdoor atmosphere.

Blind Pilot’s intimate encore performance above a patio inspired me to delve into their tracks online and reinforced how fortunate I am to live in Toronto, where such treats abound all summer long. Though I was disappointed that “Funny the Way It Is” was missing from Dave Matthews Band’s setlist, I had such a good time that I felt if I got a mosquito bite, it would be worth it.

Eager to attend an upcoming show this summer? Dave Matthews Band tour dates are listed here.

Less Than Impressed: Cottonelle

“The Name Generator”

Goal: Encourage consumers to use Cottonelle Ultra Comfort Care* Bathroom Tissue and Cottonelle Fresh Care* Flushable Wipes, as part of a personal hygiene routine, which supposedly needs a cheeky name.

How It Works:

To enter contest, entrants submit name suggestions for the routine. The names are then voted on and the highest voted names are added to “The Book of Names.” How unncessary clever.

Otherwise uninspired entrants can develop an idea using 1 of 3 tools in the Cottonelle Facebook app:

The Randomizer: Simply click to get a name instantly

The Personalizer: Answer a few questions for a personalized name

The Customizer: Create a name to add to our Book of Names and enter for a chance to win a year’s supply of Cottonelle products.

 

How It Fails To Impress:

– Supplies and information provided to mommy bloggers to create sponsored posts led to bland content.

– The white text on the aqua blue background is unclear, while the rest of the site is nothing special.

– The commercial (where I first learned about it) is super cheesy. How many families discuss toilet paper while standing in the kitchen? Yuck. It really irks me when people don’t think of social context.

Personally, I’m still amazed that Secret has acquired over a million Facebook fans. As an example of Cottonelle trying to compete with other personal hygiene brands for online engagement, let’s hope they spend more time at the drawing board for their next campaign.

Cottonelle’s Name Generator app is one of the cheesiest advertising ideas I’ve seen in a long time. Personal purchases aside, I prefer toilet paper commercials featuring cuddly bears and cozy robes.

Consider this for a mini competitive analysis:

Charmin promoted another routine by featuring the Old Spice guy, and their video received close to 2 million views.

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