“IT departments will be able to manage both desktops and notebooks reliably and deal with what plagues them most–security threats, cost of ownership, resource allocation and asset management–and do so wirelessly,” Intel says in a press release announcing its new vPro and Centrino computer management products.
That’s a mouthful that isn’t easy to communicate in an advertising message–unless you do it with rock music. Which is just what Intel is doing with “Everything Has Changed,” a music video playing at www.itgetseasier.com and YouTube. The video features soft rock and hard rock musicians who sing a compelling song, rich with lyrics IT managers can identify with–“Almost overnight it seems, no more pbkacs in my dreams.” A pbkac is a ‘problem between keyboard and chair,’ or a user, according to Gary Rose, executive producer/partner of GO Film/bicoastal, which produced the video for MRM Worldwide and McCann Erickson/New York.
“This is the first time these features for managing PC fleets are embedded into hardware,” said Duncan Mitchell, senior VP/creative director at MRM Worldwide. “We wanted to make it fun and interesting, so we had the soft rock singer who represents software and the hard rock singer who represents hardware come together in a song and now that they’re together it makes it better for IT managers.”
The 2:33 video was shot in an office, where the musicians perform amidst desk-bound employees (the soft rock singer pulls the hair of one of them). The soft rock singer has an acoustic guitarist behind him, while the hard rock singer plays electric guitar and is supported by a bassist and drummer. The two sing separately, then jam together near the end of the film to celebrate the new world Intel has created, where “the power’s where it should be, with IT.”
The film was directed by Christopher Guest, director of This Is Spinal Tap and other mockumentaries, whose talent for making humorous musical films is legendary. He wrote the lyrics using IT terms MRM provided with music by CJ Vanston/The Treehouse, Rose said.
The film was shot in Los Angeles in February with a 16mm camera.
There is some print and online advertising in the campaign, but Mitchell called the film a stand-alone piece. It runs with a second film, “Set IT Managers Free,” on the website. “It has a kind of humor we thought IT managers would be into,” Mitchell said. “It’s a surreal piece; we’re trying to charm a little more than sell.”
The film pays tribute to IT managers, who are “unsung heroes who keep the whole world running and every business would collapse without them,” Mitchell said. “We wanted to do something special that shows how big their task is.”
Using a film at the forefront of a campaign is risky, because there’s no guarantee it will be watched. “People have to seek out your piece, there’s no captive audience. They choose to see it so you have to make sure it’s something they enjoy watching,” Mitchell said. A Chrisopher Guest film starring rockers singing about IT technology is something every IT professional will want to watch.
Beyoncé’s Halftime Show Highlighted Netflix’s NFL Debut On Xmas Day
Beyoncé provided more excitement than either game during Netflix's NFL debut on Christmas Day.
Riding into her halftime appearance on a white horse, the 32-time Grammy winner rocked her hometown Houston crowd with a nearly 13-minute performance on Wednesday.
She surprised fans by bringing along Shaboozey to perform "Sweet Honey Buckiin" and Post Malone joined her for "Levii's Jeans."
The action on the field didn't live up to expectations as the NFL showcased four of the AFC's top five teams.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce exposed a glitch in Pittsburgh's defense during Kansas City's 29-10 rout in the first game.
The broadcast itself went off just fine, quickly becoming the second-most popular live title on Netflix to date, according to NFL Media.
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens led C.J. Stroud and the Texans to 17-2 at halftime before Beyoncé stole the show.
Mariah Carey opened Wednesday's doubleheader with a taped performance of "All I Want for Christmas is You" and then the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs trounced the Steelers to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
There were no signs of any major streaming issues during the game after Netflix experienced minor blunders at the start of the pregame show. The broadcast opened with roughly 10 seconds of silence because it appeared studio host Kay Adams' microphone wasn't turned on.
Beyoncé's live performance at NRG Stadium was supposed to be the biggest test for the streaming giant and it seemed to go off without a hitch.
Mahomes threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns and Kelce had eight catches for 84 yards and one score as the Chiefs (15-1) earned a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. The... Read More