If you follow me at all, you know that I love great advertising ideas. But this new genre of advertising that I call "Reality Pranks" are especially delicious when done well. Today, I bring you an absolutely brilliant Reality Prank in the form of a product demo supporting the LG Ultra HDTV.
Man, this is good.
Here's why I think LG nailed this one.
1. It's strategic, not gratuitous. The entire stunt is geared around a strategic point: the LG Ultra HDTV is as close to reality as you can get.
2. It's smart. The idea to replace a window, the icon of realistic views, with an LG Ultra HDTV is both bold and brilliant.
3. It's convincing. The people in the interviews didn't notice a thing out of place. "Yep, there's a window overlooking the city I just walked through to get here. Nothing to see here." Except a meteor destroying the city. And in their reactions to this illusion comes the prize of a compelling truth: this HDTV is, in fact, just like reality.
4. It's well done. They didn't mail this one in. They took the time to make it great. I'm sure they scouted a hundred places to find the most convincing "office view." They spent the money to properly install the TV and other props to make the wall look natural. And, above all, created a film that builds from the first frame to the last, captures the human drama, and then releases us from the tension with a laugh (well, released everyone except the participant who walked out in a huff). The film was well shot, well edited, well done.
Bravo, LG. You deserve all 1.3 million hits you've earned so far.
Now, who needs paid media when you can just lace your ideas with genius?
