DEEPLY GOOD FAKES

FAKE IT UNTIL YOU…GO VIRAL.

The people are loving fakes. 

It’s true. 

Why go through the hassle when you can whip up something larger than life without leaving the office?

The fact of the matter is that people love CGI campaigns.

@maybelline📣 All aboard the Sky High Mascara Express ✨🚄 After hitting the NYC Streets, we’re taking over London💂🇬🇧 We are on the move with #SkyHighMascara elevating your lash game to new heights🌤️ 🌇 it’s guaranteed to serve limitless lash length 📏 and full volume😍 #Maybelline

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Take the recent viral Maybelline campaign or the internet-breaking Jacquemus version that came first (both from the same creator btw). People are loving fake collabs. People are no longer ashamed of dupes or even good fakes.

@jacquemusGiant Bambino bags heading to the Opéra Garnier #Jacquemus

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We recently were in a pitch for some work and we pitched that the photography and campaign didn’t actually need to be photography. The product was safe and entering a very saturated but slightly stale market and this could have been a great way to differentiate and shake things up.  We wanted to land with a splash. A big computer-generated one. The potential client however, was deeply confused and likely, it lost us the pitch. 

There are other great examples of ‘fake’ work that’s great. What Haruko Hayakawa is doing—stunning. It’s not as stunty but it’s fun and sophisticated.

Obviously, Mid-journey and AI have primed a path for otherworld imagery. Machine-learning has taken up right up to the center of the Uncanny Valley. It was shocking and then it wasn’t. 

This Mission Impossible CGI marble run theme song is also pretty magical (and has over 120M views!)

@victordemartrinFor the secret agent in all of us #MissionImpossible only in theatres July 12 – #missionimpossiblechallenge #paramountpartner #collaborationcommerciale

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What does this mean?

ARE CONSUMERS BECOMING MORE INTERESTED IN POSSIBILITY THAN REALITY?

The Shinola watch that was fake and then because reality is another interesting extension of this. They made a fake watch for April Fools and then ultimately made it in real life.

Fake doesn’t also have to be CGI to get the love. Take this Self-lender ad. Hugely popular.

Beloved Truff brand also has a shining and funny example with this fake news report to announced being stocked at Walmart.

While we’re seeing more and more brands clam up and do the bare minimum because they’re scared or just wholly unsure,  you have to question if they are missing the opportunity of the moment. 

Consumers are also worried, tired, overthinking. 

How can you inject more joy into their world? More whimsical meanderings.  More out of this world imagining. More banality-busting brilliance that stops you in your tracks or at least gives you a few seconds of “what was that?”

Time for brands to embrace possibility. 

✈️ Travel much? Tetris fan? Waste a delightful amount of time here.

🎬 AI Film Festival - The Gold Winner, Checkpoint asks the right question: Is AI the future of collaboration? 

😶‍🌫️ Succession is back. Sure product placement isn’t new but something is happening. I’m fascinated by how cult shows are driving travel trends and (re)igniting brands. Is the TV show the new collab??

🤔 Everything in your brand, even bowls, tie back to positioning.

👩‍💻 For any data visualization lovers: 1 data set, 100 visualizations.