NORTHERN PLANNER

I love films and I think it’s important to pay to see them as often as possible, since the more you go see the films you like, the more they’ll make. A downside is being forced to sit through the ads. Not because I hate watching ads (most cinema ads seem to reward the captive audience with something worth watching, while TV ads – where you can go do something else –  don’t, curious) but  rather I start thinking about how they’ll work and what I would have done – sad I know.

But when I went to see ‘The Queen’ last week, not only was the film great, I got to see a new ad for Ben and Jerry’s Climate Change College. Not rewriting the advertising lexicon, but THE FACT THAT IT DIDN’T LOOK LIKE AN AD really got my attention. It was more a short documentary on young people going out to see the effects of climate change and passing on what they’ve learned. They wanted me to go to the website, which I did, and consider signing up for the next wave. Unfortunately I can’t since I’m over thirty (so Mrs Hovells can relax about me doing some grasping , at youth expedition for now)  but the site and the blogs kept me reading for quite a while.

I’m not sure how I feel about Ben and Jerry’s doing this, but since they started doing the happy natural stuff long before some brand called Innocent came along, I’m sort of okay about it. How many brands could do this and appear sincere?

Anyway, I just liked the media approach and the way they involved me. I’ve talked about this to quite a few people, and not just in professional capacity. These days, any brand that can create that kind of conversation must be doing something right.

I’m not fussed for Ice cream, but looks like mine’s a Phish Food……