Remaking a classic
November 29, 2006
There’s a fine line between creativity and blasphemy. I’ve especially found this to be the case when using classic and commonly revered pop-culture icons in the field of advertising. And over the past week, I’ve discovered two examples that prove the existence of this fine line.
First, we have the Office Space/World of Warcraft mash-up. I like this one.
Then, we have the A Christmas Story/Cingular spoof. I hate this one.
What’s the difference? How can I be so fickle, throwing one spot to the wolves while praising another for it’s clever application?
To me, both of these films are classics. One is a spot on account of cubicle life, complete with stapler wars and TGIFridays. The other is a cult Christmas institution of epic proportions, a movie that has transcended all other Christmas movies to take the place of “The Best Holiday Movie Ever Created.”
When you mess with a classic, it needs to be done carefully, with an importance placed on preservation of the overall idea. If you subtly drop a product in, and it makes perfect sense to connect the two ideas, then you have a success. If you try to cram a product in, regardless of the connection, you end up with a disjointed and nearly insulting effort.
Office Space is about office culture. It’s about wasting time while you’re supposed to be working. It’s about fiddling on computers. And it connects with people who enjoy subtle and smart humor. It matches the World of Warcraft crowd perfectly. It seems logical.
On the other hand, A Christmas Story is a movie about quirky families, character-driven relationships, and the art of getting what you want for Christmas. It is often held up as an example of holiday values – of family and caring and the old-time sensibility that Christmas can, at times, still conjure.
It has nothing to do with cell phones. You could sell bb guns, promote a kinder, gentler Santa at your department store, or develop an “Eat more Turkey” campaign around it. But not cell phones. It just doesn’t work. It’s insulting. It’s like using It’s A Wonderful Life to sell credit cards or other greedy vices.
Using a classic movie, even if it’s done well – shot for shot, word for word – needs to be done to accentuate the product, not just because it seemed like a good idea in a creative meeting, and not simply because it matches the season.
The World of Warcraft spot helps promote the product by creating a logical connection between computer games and cubicle workers. The Cingular spot misses this target, and instead instills a feeling of betrayal, as if someone took your favorite book and changed all of the characters.
Is nothing sacred?
Comments
5 Responses to “Remaking a classic”
Leave a Reply
- BuyMoreCoffeePlease3Euro
- Holidays at HenkinSchultz
- Jetpacks in South Dakota
- The Difference Between the Colas…
- Happy Election Day
- HS Happenings
- E-mail Subscribers…
- The Good, the Bad, the Nike
- Saying what you mean. Showing what you say.
- When the audience helps. Or not.
- jetpacks: Just doing my job, ma’am. Enjoy your Thanksgiving.
- jetpacks: Very niceTM (Especially shot #2.)
- Sharon: I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I...
- bg: This election is too important too not vote early—and often!
- Paul: Worthington, MN is the Turkey Capital of the world. Much love.
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- January 2008
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
About HenkinSchultz
HenkinSchultz is an agency. An advertising and marketing and branding and design and production agency. All of those things, and then some.
But, underneath all that, we're really a bunch of thinkers. As in, we think about stuff, both pertinent and not, with and without boundaries, as if our lives depended on it. And this right here, Post Haste, is where we write about it.
Visit us at http://www.henkinschultz.com.
You hit the nail on the head. It’s all about preservation of the overall (original) idea. The Cingular ad is horrendous. It’s not funny, clever, or original. The character actors are obviously close resemblances of the original “Christmas Story” cast, but not close enough. The thing is, NO ONE would be close enough. If the original movie footage and audio had somehow been cutely used, it MIGHT have worked. Like you said, if they were selling a BB gun, it would’ve had more impact.
Corey…you must admit to your readers that you’re not an ordinary “A Christmas Story” fan…come on…tell ‘em, tell ‘em that you recite each line of the movie word for word…and speaking of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” have you seen the Kay’s commerical? Sheesh.
That may be true — Yes, I am a huge fan, with Christmas ornaments and the original Jean Shepherd book adorning my home already this year — but it doesn’t dillute my point. It helped bring it to my attention, however.
Though, I guess I did get my name on American Copywriter’s radar by reciting ACS dialog. So you’ve got me there.
I haven’t seen the Kay’s commercial. I count myself lucky.
This is my favorite Christmas remake: http://www.starz.com/features/christmasstory/.
Interesting how the superspeed bunnies began at angryalien.com and, presumably, were acquired by starz!
These remakes are a great reminder of how much can be accomplished in thirty seconds.
Clara
Oh, I wasn’t implying that it diluted your point AT ALL. I hear ya’.