"The fact that we had 27 proposals for the first round of People Dancing and six pilot Community Games happening this year is a tribute to Kerry's energy and ability to deliver."
Paul Kaynes, West Midlands Creative Programmer, London 2012Being a trained communications marketer I understand advertising. I mean I know it’s annoying how, just when they are about to reveal the winner of the X Factor, they cut to a commercial break, but I also know that advertising done well really does work. What I’ve never done though is liked advertising….that is until now.
I, like many other people, am of course raving about the new T-mobile advert set in London’s Liverpool Street Station. If you haven’t seen it click here to see the full ad on youtube. It’s a brilliant and amazing concept which features 350 dancers, including four T-Mobile staff, suddenly breaking into choreographed ‘guerrilla style’ dancing to a number of music tracks, whilst being filmed by 10 hidden cameras to capture people’s reactions.
I’ve questioned why I love this advert so much and think it is a combination of things. Firstly it’s that you see how art brought to the masses in an inventive and inspiring way can engage and motivate people to participate. I particularly love a section of the advert when an elderly lady carrying shopping bags is encouraged by the dancers to shake her stuff to “Do you love me – I can mash potato” from Dirty Dancing, fantastic!
Secondly its how art brings people together and breaks down barriers. We found this with The Big Picture when people throughout the West Midlands shared over 112,000 photos and the stories behind them. As a nation we don’t talk, let alone dance, with strangers, particularly in a major London train station, but that’s exactly what this experiment showed; people chatting and joining together to share an amazing experience.
Finally on a business level I’m thrilled that the arts is being recognised and used as a way for businesses to connect with their customers and prospects. For so long now it’s been a hard sell to get organisations to realise the value the arts has commercially, but it seems the message is gradually sinking in and this high profile example (which must have already paid for itself in editorial coverage) can only help inspire more businesses to do the same.
Some may call it a gimmick but whatever the motivations, I personally feel that anything which raises the profile of the arts in such a creative and positive way (to date over 200,000 people have watched the video on youtube) can only be a good thing.