Month: September 2017

Advertising

Overdramatic Edeka Grill Commercial

By Delphine Hirasuna |

Berlin-based ad agency, Jung von Matt, has produced a wildly over-the-top ode to grilling meats that could be a scene from “Game of Thrones.” Made to promote the German supermarket chain Edeka, the ad titled “Men of Fire” relates the affinity of fire to meat through the ages. British actor Christopher Fairbank narrates with Shakespearean gravitas the importance of fire as he walks us through the centuries. “In the beginning there was fire kindled by lightening from heaven,” he roars, taking us past cavemen gnawing on “slain” charred meat. Fairbank’s scorns the modern barbecue fare – the “ridiculous sparkling drinks, the fussy pretentious artisanal salads, breads, and sweet dips too.” The one eternal truth he tells us is that “meat was meant to be charred.” The ad was a wonderful spoof, although since Edeka isn’t an American brand, it was unclear what the ad was plugging. Still it was memorable and fun.

Advertising

Stella Artois Ice Skating Priests

By Delphine Hirasuna |

This two-minute commercial for Stella Artois Beer, shot in 2005, is as engaging to watch as a Harold Lloyd black-and-white silent comedy from the 1920s. Directed by UK-based Jonathan Glazer for Lowe London, the Stella Artois “Ice Skating Priests” ad says a lot about the history and reputation of this Belgian pilsner beer without actually saying a word. We get the idea that Stella Artois has been around since the 1920s by viewing the action in grainy bxw. The film imitates the look and feel of an old silent picture with its use of flat, even light in every scene and the minimal use of camera angles. The soundtrack is the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Listz.

The exclusivity of Stella Artois is conveyed by the sight of humble priests surreptitiously pooling their funds to send a young priest off to buy a case to make their ice skating outing an extra special occasion. The ad campaign’s slogan simply reads “Reassuringly Expensive.”

Information Graphics

Color-Coding the Weather

By Delphine Hirasuna |

To understand how unprecedented and extreme Hurricane Harvey was, consider this: The National Weather Service ran out of colors on its rainfall scale and had to add two more shades. The old rain gauge had 13 colors, starting with light green to indicate 0.1 inch of precipitation and ending with dark purple, to indicate 15 inches, the most rainfall it could envision in a single storm event. The over 40 inches of rain that Harvey dropped on portions of southeast Texas was unfathomable – until it happened.

The NWS quickly added two new shades of purple to its rainfall maps, but even the two new colors only show rainfall that exceeds 30 inches. Harvey has been called a once in a millennium rainfall event (let’s hope so).
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