M-Net debuted the M-Net channel's (DStv 101 / 170) first new brand TV ad in years last night at 19:00, entitled "My Life as a Movie" - and as a TV critic I desperately wanted to like it.
Purportedly highlighting M-Net as a channel of magic, the "My Life as a Movie" ad instead invoked a feeling of ... depression and gloomy sadness for me.
M-Net's new "My Life as a Movie" brand ad created by M-Net and Ogilvy JHB with director JB Beetge starts for me like a public service announcement (PSA) against drinking and driving, or drugs or nihilistic lifestyle, life-wasting experiences. It starts with and continues with sad, downtrodden, disappointed faces - the tonality is gritty, dark and gloomy.
Although movies are also sunny, funny, bright and adventurous, the new brand ad makes me feel more down than up - an exploration filled with heavy melodrama.
For me it's like M-Net and Ogilvy JHB decided to focus on the more dark, sombre and depressing elements from movies in its hyper-realistic portayal from movies, than the great, larger-than-life and exuberant moments from movies which is what one would conceivable rather see or want to see as a viewer as part of the escapism brand promise from M-Net. And honestly I've replayed it now almost 40 times.
The very last frame of the iconic M ribbon-device, spotlight-ed from above and swirling sparklies is great. That second or two is what for me truly embodies the mystery, promise and allure of what M-Net is and can be.
Why a brand ad for a premium general entertainment TV channel which has as its value proposition escapism to a world of enjoyable entertainment would embody dark overtones, gritty images of solitary figures walking, lots of people with their backs to the camera and walking away from the viewer, broken glass, blood, "negative" emotions of crying, a scruffy-faced main character and rain - while its really winter outside, seems odd.
Sometimes TV promos are better when they take you away from the real world instead of enforcing and reminding you about it. Since M-Net is as aspirational brand, upbeat and aspirational messaging with more glamorous content and high-gloss content simply works better.
For film savvy metamedia critics there's also an unintended funny: Actor Emmanuel Castis is shown standing in the rain as the voice-over goes: "I fought with the director ..." Hopefully no actor was hurt during the making of this TV commercial because someone really fought with the director and was ordered to stand in rain!
Taken on its own (listen to it without looking), the soundtrack is great - real dramatic movie mood music there. The voice-over script is also good - until 45 seconds in when it suddenly changes from being about the archetypical narratives of stories found in movies to being about making movies. Huh?
All in all, a bit ... odd.
