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Sony paint the town.

It isn't enough to simply make a great commercial anymore. You have to market it.
The buzz surrounding the Sony Bravia TV Balls commercial was literally phenomenal. It launched Jose Gonzales from being a well known Swedish performer to becoming a global one.

In many regards the commercial is an absolute expression of the tried and true concept of a single minded proposition - Colour Like No Other. There is no evidence presented to support the proposition, none is needed. We trust the Sony brand. Its Trinitron technology was ground breaking in the 70s (and it too was supported by buzzworthy commercials). We also accept that technology 'just works' now. No convincing is required. So, 'Balls' is a happy marriage of convention and innovation. Knew meets New.
Rationalism marries existentialism.

How do you create the sequal to something a popular and fully formed as 'Balls'? What more is there to say? Well, nothing really. Colour like no other remains the proposition. If you remember nothing else from the communication then the advertiser has succeeded. But sequals are tough. Can you remember a movie with 2 in the title that was better than the original. There is always the sense that expolitation of a 'franchise' is the true object, rather than creating a great work. Could Speed 2 even come close to the artistry of the original?

Joking aside, it took balls to follow up Balls. The ad agency Fallon in London had the job. Their response to the brief from Sony was to come up with 'Paint' in which a glasgow tenement is treated to an explosion of colour.



It's quite a production. In fact it even comes with its own trailer.



Oh, and The Making Of mini documentary.



It's no surprise that Fallon were also behind the ground breaking BMW Films campaign - which launched the career of the actor Clive Owen. The agency have a knack for cross pollinating from entertainment industry models.

While I like the Paint commercial, I personally prefer 'Balls'. I find the original more watchable, while the sequal reminds me of the quote from Samuel Johnson. "There is much to admire and little to enjoy." Though you've got to love a commercial where the only sign of life is a clown running in slow motion. for a split second, with no further reference. Was the event his handiwork?

Balls

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