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There are very few products out there that are incredibly hard to market and differentiate using video as a medium. Video is so versatile it allows for endless possibilities in motion, graphics, and music allowing you capture the use of your product and attach emotional appeal. Until the rise of Tivo, it has been seen as a surefire, indestructible medium where a very small number of products find it difficult to utilize. Paint however, is one of those few products. It is no easy task communicating the texture and brilliance of your paint’s colors on a standard definition TV or monitor. That is why the newest campaign for European paint company Dulux is so great. After six months of planning, working, and editing they have finally launched an amazing television commercial/community project that is both memorable and motivational. The “Let’s Colour Project” is their worldwide initiative to transform ugly grey spaces covered in dirt and graffiti in urban communities around the globe with colorful paint. By rallying the community’s support with over 500 volunteers and 1,800 gallons of Dulux paint they took to the streets to brighten neighborhoods. They recorded the community event over a four month period in the UK, France, Brazil, and India and using time lapse photography developed an unforgettable two minute commercial.

Not only did they produce a brilliant TV commercial but the meat of their campaign is the real places around the world that have been completely transformed with their vibrant colors. The commercial is just the beginning for this ongoing campaign; they plan to release a documentary and other web based content. This campaign is a great achievement on many levels; it is excellent PR for the paint brand, they have facilitated unforgettable neighborhood events with their brand as the centerpiece, have literally left their mark all over the cities, and have participated in a large scale urban renewal project. It will be great to see how the campaign continues and if they take on another similar project in other cities but for those four months the world truly was their canvas.

Today Nike premiered a controversial new ad featuring a sad, tired, vunerable looking Tiger Woods and a voice over by Earl Woods, Tiger’s recently deceased father/coach. The 30 second spot was shot in black and white and is airing to kick off Tiger’s return to golf at the Masters. The ad is very dark and besides being shot on location at the Isleworth Country Club course has nothing to do with golf. Earl Woods’s voiceover seems to be asking Tiger to reflect on his recent actions.

“Tiger, I am more prone to be inquisitive, to promote discussion. I want to find out what your thinking was. I want to find out what your feelings are. And did you learn anything.”

I am also inquisitive to what exactly Nike is trying to accomplish with this ad? Was bringing Earl Woods into the commercial the best idea? His recent death could make this ad seem in bad taste along with previous claims that back in his day he had affairs of his own. Does using the voice of his deceased father taken out of context to sell a product cross the line? I understand that they are trying to re-launch the Tiger Woods brand but I expected Nike to steer clear of the entire incident rather than address it head on in the first ad. But maybe this ad is just one small part of an entire campaign aimed at Tiger’s redemption. It will be very interesting to see how the ad is received and what will follow in the re-branding of Tiger Woods.