Ta Da! Debuting Our New TV Ad.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:01 am | posted by Virginia SimmonsNext week ONE debuts our new TV ad nationally, but we’re debuting it to our
members as soon as we possibly can - right now!
Check it out at one.org/voices.
For more than a year, ONE members have been trailing the presidential
candidates asking them to go on the record with their plans to combat global poverty. Now we’re taking our message to the airwaves with this major new TV ad. The spot spot features Matt Damon with different Americans’ voices - among them Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain and Mayor Bloomberg.
Share this online sneak preview with your friends now, and then watch for it on TV nationally starting Sunday, August 24th.
You can learn more about the ad here.
-Virginia Simmons
August 21st, 2008 at 9:59 am
Great spot!
August 21st, 2008 at 10:50 am
Sounds like Matt Damon’s going through puberty! J/k and great ad.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Wow, guys, I’m not sure if I think this is an effective ad. What do you all think?
August 21st, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Brilliant, brilliant piece.
Thanks, Matt. I like them apples!
August 21st, 2008 at 6:58 pm
GinnyD, I would be interested in your expounding on your statement. What did you find in the TV spot that wasn’t effective?
AS ONE, debbie
www.mpwn-uganda.org
August 21st, 2008 at 7:40 pm
i absolutely love it!!!!
August 21st, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Debbie, I found it distracting to see Matt Damon’s mouth moving and hearing a woman’s voice. I’m not criticizing the ad, I just found it distracting, and really lost much of the meaning of the ad. I showed it to some of my friends and family to get their reaction, and they laughed at it, and when I asked them what they thought of the message they said they didn’t pay any attention to it once they heard the voices. I hope that my reaction and theirs were the exception. I really love One and the people involved in it. I mean no disrespect to Matt Damon, who I like.
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:52 am
I think that any ad with a celebrity is going to get peoples attention. It is fantastic that One is able to utilize that to bring awareness to the really important issues at hand. The best part is that pretty soon people will recognize the One logo on the shirts and not so much the celebrity to know what the subject of the ad is. I think that it is a great spot. Any spot is a great spot! Getting the word out, making people take notice. Bravo! Matt Damon and every one else that is taking a stand against poverty. I hope that he volunteered his services for free of charge. That would make him even more exceptional to me.
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
It would be advisable for the next ONE ad campaign that ONE actually engenders some suggestions from us, the members and hard-working volunteers for the organization, who actually are out in our communities talking to the public about ONE and our movement to end AIDS and extreme poverty in the world and signing folks up to this organization.
We might actually have some insights into what the American people are thinking and feeling (and ultimately what might be the most effective way to reach them about ONE) - much more than any NY, DC or LA ad agency that is hired to produce these spots.
AS ONE, debbie
www.mpwn-uganda.org
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Debbie K makes a bold and true statement. In today’s day and age, the people doing the work know what is needed most and what is realistic.
Not every nation sees equality as a good thing. Nor are they willing to allow someone else to force it on them. As much as there are those who long for world peace, there are those who do not.
There are those who will continue to do what they believe is right. It is a struggle as old as time. The “one” that is made to make the difference will, but it won’t be done by throwing money at it. It is the spirit that must be healed for peace to rise.
Keep up the good work Debbie, you are right in spirit, don’t ever be bought.
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I wish they’d do something showing the names of the speakers in the background - it wouldn’t have to be intrusive, but I see that these are well-known people, but I didn’t really recognize their voices, esp. in such small doses. Reinforcing the idea of the disparate folks (Mrs. McCain and Mrs. Obama, for instance) coming together against poverty is the idea. Make sure that the idea isn’t lost.
August 23rd, 2008 at 7:56 am
I agree with the above commenter - the only way this ad makes sense is for the names of the people speaking in the ad to have been somewhere on screen so that the public knows whose voices that they are listening. That is the only way that this ad will make sense to American people who do NOT live in DC and who do NOT eat, drink and sleep DC politics.
The majority of the American people are worried about three things: the economy (including the healthcare fiasco in this country), the environment and the war on terror.
When an ad begins to bring together the American people’s concerns for these issues with our issue - then the public pays attention.
This is Marketing 101.
As for my spirit - it can’t be bought…or sold. In the words of ONE’s co-creator “What no man can own, no man can take.”
THANK YOU, Right in Spirit - whoever you are. You’ve resto(red) my faith that there are independent thinkers.
I REMAIN….
ALWAYS FOREVER, ONE - debbie
www.mpwn-uganda.org
August 23rd, 2008 at 1:46 pm
I certainly agree with Robespierrette and Debbie. As someone who doesn’t watch television, the voices didn’t resonate at all with me, until I was told who they were.
(In fact, it wasn’t until I passed a TV with Obama speaking a couple of weeks ago that it even occurred to me that I’d never heard him speak. I remember thinking: “Wow, I had no idea he had such a good speaking voice. He could be a news anchor,” haha. I’m a reader, and my TV is for the occasional movie.)
But I also have to say, the identity of the voices doesn’t over-concern me. I spent some time working in marketing, for an ad agency in particular, and the prevailing theory of marketing is that any ad that generates any sort of controversy or _engenders conversation_ is an effective ad.
So I do think the ad works well on that level. (It opens questions is people’s minds.)
My only suggestion:
I wish there had been more a focus on _branding_ the campaign by showing the ONE logo for the length of the piece, somewhere in the letterbox.
I agree with GinnyD that, at the end of it, I would benefit from a better idea of what I’ve just seen.
If the logo were shown more consistently throughout the ad, the next time I saw a ONE t-shirt or logo posted somewhere, I would be more likely to make the connection, “A-ha” ….
But there are so many difficult creative choices in an undertaking like this, I admire the work of those involved. And (obviously), I do hope the ad generates a lot of buzz for ONE.
August 23rd, 2008 at 1:54 pm
On the other hand, the logo does last awhile at the end, so maybe my comments aren’t particularly incisive (big surprise, haha) ….
Off to share my wisdom with others *cough*, wishing everyone a nice day
August 23rd, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Thanks for everyONE’s comments in this thread - I think that as an organization that is fighting for democratic governments in Africa, that DEMOCRACY NEEDS TO START AT HOME.
With two and a half million ONE members, we will never agree with each other on everything. So there needs to be room in ONE for those opinions which are not in the majority - and there needs to be room in ONE for the people who may express ideas which are not in the majority.
How are we ever going to be convincing to the public and other governments that we are a democratic, transparent and accountable organization and then try to silence or, at least show official disapproval for, viewpoints which are not in the majority?
It simply won’t work.
We are all committed to ONE and to the accomplishment of its goals but we, as an organization, must be mature enough to WELCOME NEW IDEAS and new people and really begin to MODEL for others the changes that we want to see in our world!
It’s obvious from those of us who took the time and the interest to comment in this thread that we TRULY CARE about the success of ONE and that’s why we’re pointing out areas for improvement in the ad.
That’s a healthy thing and I hope that our leadership will look at our comments as such.
Take very good care, everyONE. Blessings always.
LIVING POSITIVELY, debbie
www.mpwn-uganda.org
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Maybe Jimmie Kimmel will have enough time for Matt on his show with this. Vote4hope08