So.

Orange mobile is the biggest European cellular company (maybe largest globally but I am too lazy to research).

And they have inspired me to write about something I actually know something about (advertising in case you were guessing).

They have developed a brilliantly well written funny campaign to talk about themselves through borrowed interest (Darth Vader, Lord of the Rings, Snoop Dog, Wicked Witch).

Now.

I am not a big borrowed interest campaign fan but this is good stuff. It is actually category leader type stuff.  Slight arrogance but tongue in cheek.

And what makes it really good stuff is the well known fact to us in the advertising industry – a company always wants to talk about itself in its advertising (and it is almost always boring & never the right thing to do).

Well.

Orange has figured out a way to talk about themselves and what is important to them.

And humorously all they want to do is say “it’s all about me.” But.  If you are the category leader you want to show you are a leader (and not just through fancy innovations).  You want to do it on occasion through attitude and brand character and tone.

And Orange does.

And it works.

Similar to the Dos Equis campaign the writing for these ads is brilliant.  Any time you play back a commercial to hear one line you know it is well written.

–          Darth Vader

The opening …

“darth, I thought you were dead.”

In the dialogue …

“the force is strong here … no .. the phone is strong here.”

Darth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbtlv2cImxM

–          Snoop Dog

Any time you have white guy executives trying to be cool black rappers it is funny … especially if it is well done. The nuances in this television spot are frickin’ brilliant.  It shows that attention to detail … the little things … make a good funny tv spot into a great interesting tv spot you want to see again.

Snoop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNUrkG-H6z0

–          Lord of the Rings

C’mon.

First. Who thought of Lord of the Ringtones as the tie in? the creative person should get a raise.

Second. the dialogue in this one is frickin’ brilliant.

“how about we make the 4th in the trilogy? …

–          it’s a trilogy, that’s 3 …

“free your mind .. get out of the shire …”

Lord of the Rings(tone): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYcXHp5MtpM&feature=related

–          Wicked Witch of the West

It’s worth it just to hear the Wicked Witch laugh in a common every day setting with her best friend.

Wicked: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU8D9QugbiM&NR=1

Its advertising like this that reminds us in the industry you can do good stuff (entertaining) that works (generates results).

Written by Bruce