At The Do Lectures this year I was introduced to a video entitled the Girl Effect. It’s now a very short video that I can’t watch without a tear in my eye. It’s incredibly powerful and makes me want to do something to help. I owe Duke Stump a huge amount for introducing me to it.
[youtube=youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIvmE4_KMNw]
So it was a bit strange to see a carbon copy used by Starbucks on a UK TV advert this evening. It was supposedly for a good cause, but I couldn’t help but have mixed feelings about a mega-corp nicking something creative that was purely for the benefit of others.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4JI-5hmKIw]
What do you think? Should they have taken 30 seconds to develop a new concept of their own? Or am I just being a bit “over-protective” of something that’s not important because as long as good stuff comes out of it it’s not important?
I don’t think they’d ripped off the ‘Girl effect’ video.
They’ve just used a very similar effect in the video. And if they’re promoting the same end goal then let’s not complain. 🙂
Very true, Ben.
I think it’s good that they’re doing something, but I’m always cautious that they do it in a cynical fashion (purely to gain brownie points and karma).
But then, as you say, if the end result is the same then maybe it doesn’t matter?
There’s some discussion of this on various blogs, e.g.
http://philanthropy.com/giveandtake/article/771/did-starbucks-borrow-a-charitys-video-campaign
I think they have ripped it off, but perhaps that will help to promote the original, so I don’t think it will do any harm, and hopefully the end result will be more good.
the starbucks isn’t as typographically adventurous as the first one – the nature of mass media advertising constrains legibility etc etc
but isn’t this all very similar to the nike adverts of about 10 years ago – the just do it ones? I cant find an example at the moment but if/when I do I’ll post a link…
the sentiments of the GIRL piece though are spot on…
Thanks Dave. I don’t remember those ads. Would love to see them if you do manage to find an example.