How would you advertise an electric fan?

Posted on: June 4, 2008

If your electric fan happened to be a tiny avatar in Second Life, you'd do it like this:

The prolific Miyaoka Hitchcock highlighted this fine creation at the recent Tiny Avatar Convention I blogged about. Yes, he used my piano music — a pleasant surprise which I didn't realize until after I clicked the info-panel.

When I was young in Thailand, I used to talk into fans and change the speed by clicking buttons. The oscillations modulated my voice robotically, and streamers hanging off the fans have come to life again, here as flexiprims.

This ad gets many things right:

  • It communicates the benefit of the product and its ambulatory uniqueness, which really doesn't get revealed until halfway in. Aha!
     
  • It does so in the cohesive, beautiful, natural environment of HPMD. (Showing that mechanical devices and woodland critters need not be at odds.)
     
  • The camera motion is smooth and delicious — Miyaoka is one of Second Life's flycam masters. Somewhat unsung, so it bears repeating: HE ROCKS WITH THE FLYCAM!!!!
     
  • It sticks to the points in less than 90 secs, but isn't afraid to add some imaginative flourish.

Because of all of the above, it's memorable. After seeing this ad, I knew I wanted a Tiny Electric Fan Avatar. I never had a desire for one before, but that's successful marketing. In other words, it's a superb example to be inspired by.

Full disclosure: Miyaoka even made special watermelon-colored versions for me! That makes me like it only more: a great product by a nice person with a lovely color scheme! There is only win within.

7 Responses to “How would you advertise an electric fan?”

  1. Ipenda Keynes Says:
    June 4th, 2008 at 5:29 PM PDT

    This ad, and this avatar proves that avatars inworld *don't* have to be living creatures/people. I loved it too!
    (on a side note, I just bought a new box fan, and the first thing I did after plugging it in was sing into it on the different speeds…)

  2. csven Says:
    June 4th, 2008 at 9:59 PM PDT

    Nicely done.

  3. Shadoe Landman Says:
    June 5th, 2008 at 1:06 AM PDT

    Torley, based on flickr blogs, I wouldn't even put FLICKR and AD on the same site. (er, oops, I just did) They seem to be getting delete happy. : ) (currently locked out of flickr myself. bummer. accidently blocked their cookies) Keep up the awesome tutorials and sl pix!

  4. Aimee Trescothick Says:
    June 5th, 2008 at 3:09 AM PDT

    That ad says "quality" from start to finish. Reminds me a lot of Pixar's Luxo Jnr.

  5. Shadoe Landman Says:
    June 5th, 2008 at 3:15 AM PDT

    (Sorry, off topic)
    YIPPEEE! I'm back in flickr using an ancient version of Netscape. (posting this just in case anyone else who reads the above comment has the same problem).

    Torley, I used the one-prim barstool trick to make a great table. Made the top semi-transparent. Thanks again for the tip. (I'm pretty sure I thanked you somewhere else, who knows where, but if I only meant to thank you somewhere else: double thanks.)

  6. Charles Says:
    June 5th, 2008 at 7:06 AM PDT

    yip I have to go get me one now ty for all u do for us torley

  7. Torley Says:
    June 8th, 2008 at 9:56 AM PDT

    @Ipenda: LOL! I want to see a parody of Kraftwerkian vocoders done with electric fans.

    @Shadoe: 2xThanks for watching my tutorials! :D

    @Aimee: I like all the injokes that Pixar includes, and reused models. One of the most fantastic posts I've seen on that is:

    » http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2007/12/09/a-special-where-s-wall-e-edition-of-why-for.aspx

    @Charles: You're welcome.

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