Can brand advertising be Art?
Not too long ago, Toyota made the case that it most definitely can.
What is the purpose of brand advertising? Is it to sell you on the particular merits of a product or service? I’d say, no, not exactly. That’s an objective of advertising, certainly. But brand advertising ... well, it can be something more. It can change the way you think about what an ad can do. It might even change the way you see the world.
And, in the case of Toyota’s Olympic ad “Upstream”, that is exactly what it has done for me.
The creative choice to have Jessica swim through the formative moments of her life is the kind of inspirational, mesmerizing and, yes, artistic creative direction we have rarely seen in mainstream brand advertising.
Like any compelling work of art, the film (and, let’s face it, it’s a film much more than it’s an ad) reveals more upon each subsequent viewing.
And, no matter how many times I see it, Jessica’s revelatory smile at the end of the spot sends emotions flowing through me every single time. It signals that possibilities are endless when one has the love and support one needs to conquer the obstacles life throws in our way.
Is it art? You bet it is. From a marketing standpoint, here’s the important question. Does it change my opinion of Toyota as brand? It does. It connects me with what it means to be human. And I have to bet, somewhere in the top-secret files of Toyota and its agencies, there’s a brand manifesto that has Humanity as one of its key characteristics.
Postscript
In a way, this spot reminds me of what might be my all-time favorite cinematic moment – the ending of Chaplin’s City Lights. You can get most of the story just by watching the clip that follows, but first, a little extra context.
Early in the film, through a series of comic mishaps and misinterpretations, The Tramp is mistaken for a wealthy gentleman by the Blind Flower Girl. He checks in with her periodically until, one day, he overhears that there is an operation that will restore her sight. But it is, of course, very far beyond the reach of the girl and her family—and of The Tramp, too. He figures out a way to anonymously get her the money ... only it results in him having to go to prison for some time. Until, one afternoon …
That smile, that beam of generous joy ... it’s the same one we see from Jessica and from her mother. It’s a reminder that, despite all the acrimony and disharmony our society increasingly throws our way, there are still those people who live a life of inner and outward decency that exists despite circumstance. It lights up Charlie’s face. It lights up Jessica’s. Thanks to Toyota for letting it light up mine.