It’s apropos that the London agency behind this AOL U.K. campaign is named Grey. That’s because the campaign devised by the ad shop brings us smack dab into gray area by showing us the potential good and bad of the Internet in “Black” and “White” terms. The intent is not only to promote AOL but also to spark discussion about the Web, its virtues and drawbacks.
The spot extolling the Internet’s power to do good is titled “White” and is the second entry in this week’s “The Best Work You May Never See” gallery (see below). The lead entry is the flipside, “Black,” because it shows the evil that the Internet can facilitate, the kind of message you wouldn’t expect from Web mainstay AOL. This brand of creative risk taking makes it a standout.
We open on a schematic maze as a voiceover relates that some people think that the Internet is “a bad thing.” This is followed by scenes of people at their places of residence as the voiceover tells us of identify theft whereby people can have their “homes invaded” and their “savings robbed” without anyone setting foot into their houses.
The dark mood continues as the voiceover describes the Internet as “one of the most dangerous weapons ever created….A way for the unhinged to spread evil free of supervision or censorship.” This is accompanied by a rapid succession of images that include skinheads, Ku Klux Klan members at what looks like a cross burning, and a picture of Osama Bin Laden.
The Internet is then positioned as, “An open market where you can purchase anything you want.” Assorted goods for sale flash across the screen, ending with a baby being sold on the black market.
We’re then taken to a porn shoot where a naked woman is being filmed as the Internet is referred to as “a place for mankind” to indulge “its darkest desires.”
“Orwell was right,” continues the voiceover as we see security-type cameras mounted seemingly everywhere and numerous scenes of people being watched through the lenses. “Everything we do is watched, monitored and processed without us ever realizing it.”
“Some people think the Internet is a bad thing. What do you think?” concludes the voiceover.
A tag identifies the sponsor, AOL, who brought us this message, accompanied by a Web site address, which we can visit in order to express our opinions (www.aol.co.uk/discuss).
“Black” and “White,” both :60s, were directed by noted filmmaker Errol Morris of bicoastal/international Moxie Pictures for Grey, London. Dawn Laren produced for Moxie. The DP was Bob Chappell.
The Grey team included executive creative director David Alberts, art director Nick Rowland, copywriter Lee Brook, head of planning John Lowery, and producer Steph Wellesley.
Editors on the campaign were Karen Schmeer of The Globe Department Store, London, and Rick Russell of Final Cut, London. Colorist was Tareq Kubasi of Glassworks, London. Audio engineer was Aaron Reynolds of Wave Recording Studios, London. Composer was London-based Peter Raeburn.
