Exotica Collections, NO COMMENT.
Exotica Collections, NO COMMENT.
By Admin I : Let me tell you, The minute I saw this campaign I decided not to review it for many different reasons, but then, and like every exotica ad, the visuals went virally, and Facebook timelines started witnessing an active debate between different points of view.
And I still don’t want to comment, avoiding being a hypocrite in a country where criticism is taken personally, where agencies don’t give a damn about receiving constructive feedback, and don’t even acknowledge doing a misstep. I won’t tone down to any agency, to any campaign, to any brand; therefore, I’m not commenting.
Another approach took place this time. We emailed 5 advertising/design experts and amateurs, and we will just feature their feedbacks in this post, trying to provide you with insights.
Guest J : I liked the outdoors visual although it lacks a concept. The one with a portrait format looks too photoshoped; her eyes are fluorescent green and her hair “Haifa black”, it makes her quite vulgar. In general the campaign lacks a concept, but the outdoors are convenient being a breath of fresh air in the visual clutter than surrounds billboards on our highways.
Guest R : The campaign is simple and young but slightly boring.
Guest Z : I don’t really grasp the concept of mixing couture and plants. The campaign seems like a rushed stock photo collage with hardly any clear direction; something I would have been asked to do in a Photoshop course back in school. (@zoozel on twitter)
Guest M : The campaign lacks a second degree layer, “what you see is what you get” and the fashion/flower analogy has been used before by Exotica in last year’s weddings campaign (wedding couture). The visual is poorly processed and using a female body looks tacky in one of the visuals. hinting a silhouette with the use of a plant could’ve been much more interesting.
Guest T : (talking about outdoors visual) It has nothing disturbing for the eye at least, nothing shocking but at the contrary it kind of hits the message directly and the plant actually looks like a dress and specifically a “couture” one which fits the theme of ‘Exotica collections’ .. I loved the outdoors visual!
In the end, and if you’ve been to an advertising/design jury before, you know the ultimate painful comment: NO COMMENT.
It is very true that the visual with the portrait format and the bad Photoshop of the eyes and the whole plant doesn’t quite fit as a dress she just looks like she is coming out of some bushes.
But however, if the campaign consisted on the outdoor visual only I believe it to be simply well done.
Mixing couture and flowers .. I mean I don’t get it .. that’s very clear .. Flowers are pretty much linked to beauty and aesthetics and are one of the main focuses in weddings and in luxury fashion stores and fashion shows and are HUGE now in fashion items like all the flowery patterns . So the whole idea even if it got repeated how beauty and fashion relate to flowers is simply a good point they can and can play on from time to time.
Guest M : You are saying they are repeating last year’s wedding campaign by mixing couture and flowers? Ok I stated my opinion about this above but you suggested that hinting a silhouette with the use of a plant could’ve been much more interesting? I mean you are now suggesting repetition because you were just bothered by the other repetition and you are asking them to do the same? Isn’t it what they did when they pictured the white flower turned upside down giving a sense that it’s the silhouette of the bride in the wedding dress?
So now they are ‘dressing’ the actual person with the leafs. Repetition of a general theme (which seems totally accurate to me) but no repetition in the details.
The campaign is not boring .. I mean whatever exotica campaign you either look at the billboard and smile either you just feel that it’s gone bad.. I don’t think the word boring fits because it’s not a tvc or anything interactive so it can’t really and it’s not its goal to entertain.. it’s just a reminder of exotica’s presence by some nice straight to the point twists and ideas like ‘exotica collections’ here and I simply believe this one works well. (Only for outdoor)
isn’t it just fascinating to sit and watch the decline of the exotica ads from brilliant to irrational?
actually it’s kinda sad…
Leo Burnett?
Yes the campaign is by Leo Burnett Beirut.
I think this is a recruitment ad masquerading as an Exotica billbaord. The line should have read “Leo Burnett is desperately looking for creatives. Apply now”
*billboard
The lack of concept, straightforwardness and poor graphics of the campaign are truly shameful for a company like exotica that used to present one of the most inventive campaigns time after time. I liked the new review strategy u followed and i hope people realize that the intentions of ur blog’s reviews are constructive
i guess that leo burnett beirut felt the need to be bashed
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