"Music is this ghost ship we all sail in"
This week's most interesting videos, made by and for organisations.
It’s been nice to know you all, but this will be my last newsletter as I embark on a new celebrity life. Last week I went lo-key viral on Dutch LinkedIn, with a short post about the direct communication style we encountered, and came to love, in the Netherlands.
It all got a bit silly – there was support, backlash, backlash to the backlash and a tonne of new connections, who I worry will soon become disillusioned with my usual lack of Dutch content.
Still it was fun to glimpse how these things take on a life of their own. Now back to earth with some videos…
Visit Oslo smashes its new anti-campaign out of the ruddy park (2 mins)
I've said before that tourist boards seem to lack creativity when it comes to marketing their destinations, falling back on oddly formulaic promos. All sorts of kudos then to Visit Oslo for this bold, funny, anti-marketing video.
I think it works so well because the main character is a 360°douchebag, rather than a two dimensional caricature of a douchebag, and the film layers evidence of his douchebaggery in a way that makes Oslo sound all sorts of amazing. (Watch on YouTube)
RC Cola needs you to know that it’s a drink, not a saviour (3 mins)
In a world where lots of brands are utterly convinced of their own self-importance, it's nice to see RC Cola poke fun at its own life changing qualities, or lack of.
This silly, atmospheric short is full of nice touches, not least the best delivery of the line "Bummer" you'll hear this year. (Watch on Vimeo)
The Boston Celtics clap back at the non-believers in style (1 min)
On 18th June, the Boston Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks in the fifth game of the NBA play-offs to win this year's title. Later that night, the Celtics' Instagram account shared this video with the beautiful four-word caption, "We kept the receipts."
It's a supercut of pundits and fans on social media writing off Boston's chances, and it's joyfully, life-affirmingly petty. (Watch on Instagram)
Morning Brew has a nice take on Adobe’s recent legal woes (35s)
There's a very niche genre of videos I always enjoy, which shows how ludicrous many of the behaviours we put up with online feel if you apply them to the real world.
This Morning Brew skit continues that fine tradition, reacting to the news that the US Federal Trade Commission is taking action against Adobe for its hidden fees. I love how self-referential it becomes, with the fire hands a particular highlight. (Watch on Instagram)
Submit to Tuscan charms with Ffern’s beguiling new short (3 mins)
A hearty welcome back to boutique perfume brand Ffern, who you may remember from their heartwarming campaign with a Yorkshire male voice choir. This is more artful, as folk singer Sam Lee cycles around Tuscany, but it's just as enjoyable.
Beautiful, mediative and impossibly summery, it proves again this is a brand that knows what it's doing when it comes to video. (Watch on YouTube)
Glastonbury’s in-house poet brings all the feels (3 mins)
Here in the UK, Glastonbury is just getting under way, and our social feeds will be deluged with posts from festival-goers for the foreseeable future.
This is lovely from the official Glastonbury account, as its poet-in-residence Sally Jenkinson performs her poem, Who Am I This Year? about rituals, change and how we track who we are. (Watch on TikTok)
Accor Hotels gets into the Olympic spirit with epic ice cream jaunt (1 min)
Ahead of the Paris Olympics, all sorts of brands are jumping into the fray with content related to the Games. Safe to say, some contributions are much better than others.
This spot from Accor really tickled me, perhaps because its tongue-in-cheek approach contrasts with many of the self-consciously worthy spots that seem to proliferate around the Olympics. (Watch on YouTube)
"We live in a world where there is more and more information, and less and less meaning."
Jean Baudrillard