Is it Halloween, April Fools or both? That was the question I asked myself after I watched the LG advert by SuperHeroes Amsterdam online. The new advert by LG promotes the new IPS monitor as the new reality of television. The product basically offers viewers a color visual that is identical to that of the original image. In the campaign, LG installed a grid of its IPS monitors on the floor of an elevator to create an optical illusion that made it appear as though the riders were about to fall to their deaths. Through successfully documenting the emotional reactions from riders, the advert demonstrates the product's visual superiority and showcases the difference between the IPS monitor and a regular television monitor. In a television market where the products are similar, this advert highlights the product's differentiating factor in a fun and candid way. In other words, LG doesn't say what it can do; it shows what it can do (Note that throughout the advert there is no voice-over).
By presenting the advert as an amateur candid camera show featuring real people, it gives the campaign a sense of authenticity and presents the product as something to be experienced physically and emotionally. I think LG and SuperHeroes Amsterdam used this art direction in order to lure the viewer into expecting what was going to happen next. The encouragement of voyeuristic curiosity in the viewer is further strengthened by the input of 'reality TV' elements into the campaign.
From a personal viewpoint, I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw an advert for a television monitor. Furthermore, I have noticed that my television has been dominated by adverts for tablets and smartphones. In the midst of technological advancement and the ongoing debate of television's place in the future of entertainment and advertising, I think the LG campaign is timely in its message and forthcoming with its product.
From a critical point of view, I wish LG could have used the IPS monitor in a number of creative ways to further demonstrate its visual superiority (perhaps by creating a mini series). By taking this avenue it will enable viewers to see first-hand the product's capabilities in a fun and fresh way, and this could bolster the campaign's potential to become viral.