Amazon has run a contest.
All of these finalists could have made these posts with a small amount of knowledge, a mid-grade camera, and commonly available software. Overall they underscore an obsession with the acquisition of things as a creative act and are a bit disturbing. An active and creative life is not a the simple act of having the objects of our desires delivered to our door in cardboard boxes. The undertone of these ads is a magical acquiring solid objects. This magical transformation is done with small energy-less efforts such as lifting a finger or thinking a thought. These ads are very female and most depict the main character as passive. They say; the manufactured things I want will make me happy in life. This is an old industrial trade. The common voice here is.. We do not make the things we use… we purchase them from others who are far better at the creative act than ourselves. Artists are born creative and we are not them. We consume and we should leave the creative act to the corporation. These adverts attempt an association between acquisition and happiness except for the last; Kindlicious.
The Finalists
Not Available – This ad trashes street performers and older brothers. Although it does try to make an argument that there are only a few annoying things not available on Amazon; it does associate Amazon with rejection of anything that cannot be manufactured and purchased in a box. Even such creative acts as drawing on a doll (albeit without regard for a sister’s feeling) has no room on Amazon. Amazon is a warehouse of things. No messing with sales people or anything human. No human emotion… just lots of stuff sans tribulations of life.
Paper Amazon – Because this is shot in first person it paints Amazon as distinctly female friendly. My trouble with this ad is it is just not broad enough. Amazon is simply a wish list. I question the association with Amazon being a paper catalog. Most of the world has grown up without the Sears and Roebucks Catalog. It fails to hit the mark that Amazon will help you make the choices which expand your knowledge of the world and the oppertunities the world has to offer.
Wish List – This is a laundry list. I doubt the premise; to tap into the kid in all of us we just need to have box companies ship the items we lust to our empty rooms.
Proceed to a Better Life – A list ad. This time we see some process of choosing. This looks like as if it were made on a shoestring but with access to common software and just a little creative knowledge. Amazon makes you feel a little god like. Make that little finger-move of clicking a mouse and things appear by magic. Gets closer to the point of all the list ads without the baggage. The star of this film feels more like she is undergoing some interactive problem solving. The choices she makes are not extravagant. These are the basic things to make us comfortable.
Kindlicious – This takes a page out of Apple’s playbook. It associates the creative act of the ad itself as the face of Amazon. Rather than listing objects of desire; it associates being active, on the go, adventurous, fantasy full as a result of the curious knowledge the written word can bring. Animation is often done with the camera pointing down. The ingeniousness of this ad is the scale change. The one act of enlargement creates an opening for association with Amazon. Amazon is the big river full of adventure and imagination. it is Victorian adventurism made contemporary. simply smart
