Phenomenal Campaigns: Chevy Sonic ‘Let’s Do This’ Campaign (Part 2 of 2)

Further building into the campaign that Chevy created for the 2012 Sonic comes three additional portions. Starting with…

The World’s Largest Claw Game

Executing pieces of the campaign in Arizona and Long Beach, the Sonic’s next part took place at The Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. Coined as “The World’s Largest Claw Game”, the game was exactly what the title conveys. Conceived in 2010, the game was inspired by the old school games that you find in grocery stores and arcade joints. As the world’s largest interactive 3D projection, participants had the chance play the game by pressing the gas pedal control and a joystick in the shape of the gear shift. Players could win any prize they grabbed including anything from an HD camera to an actual Sonic. The beauty of the game is that “when someone grabs the car and wins it in the digital world….it goes through this prize shoot and comes out the bottom of the building [is] a real live Chevy Sonic.” This game is amazing because it takes the Sonic directly to its potential consumers, gives people the chance to interact with the product, and lets them win exciting prizes!

Chevy Sonic: The World’s Largest Claw Game

OK GO Music Video

With work on the virtual and interactive side on deck, the Sonic’s next maneuver was to create a musical initiative. Working with the Grammy award winning Chicago band OK Go for their song “Needing/Getting” the boys went to make a music video where they sang the music while the Sonic played the instruments. Driving on top of keys, banging on the piano, and strumming guitars the Sonic appears to be a musical genius. The best part of this is that you can download the song for free. Thanks Chevy, you exactly what I want!

“OK Go – Needing/Getting – Official Video”

Super Bowl Commercial
The final piece to the campaign is the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI commercial that pieced together the prominent components of the Let’s Do This campaign. In the 1 minute spot, Chevy gives you the best parts to its campaign on top of the track “We Are Young” by Fun. ft. Janelle Monae. I actually only found out about this song thanks to Chevy (thank you by the way) and I absolutely love it! It’s a perfect anthem to narrate the stunts and an even better addition to my iTunes library.

Chevy Sonic “Stunt Anthem”

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Chevy Sonic images: Let’s Do This website
Chevy Sonic videos: Chevrolet YouTube channel
OK Go “Needing/Getting” music video: OK Go YouTube Channel

The Love Project: Lil Wayne, Love, and an LA Subway

Need to find a way to get people to understand love? Give them a song. Not sure which one to choose? Why not pull one from rapper Lil Wayne’s rotation? While he may not be the first pick for many looking to define the concept, he did come to mind when the Culver City, CA marketing agency Muse Communications devised The Love Project campaign. In the project, CEO Jo Muse explains that the goals are to “explore culture and share it with a broader audience” and have love as the common denominator. As an interactive experiment, The Love Project connects directly with people of the community asking them what they think love is. Questions of, “What the hell is love, anyway?” and “What’s the difference between making love and having sex?” allow people to share their perspectives and get to the heart of love.

But how does Lil Wayne get involved? Muse Communications combined Weezy’s 2011 track, “How To Love” with a unique spin on a flash mob. Instead of a group dancing for a brand or product, the group sings to encourage a concept. On Los Angeles’ Red Line train (Union Station to North Hollywood), a group of young adults and even a little girl belt out “How to Love” to the unsuspecting passengers. Having the group sing a capella alongside a single guitar and beat boxer from stop to stop had to be a surprising yet pleasant experience. Instead of going through the day in routine, the impromptu ballad interrupts the ordinary ride and brings the notion of love to the minds of the passengers. Through their harmony you see the project is about creating and building relationships with love. It’s simple, unconventional, and it can create an impact from person to person at any point in time. In a nutshell, I love it.

“The Love Project – How To Love Flash Mob on LA Subway”

Ice Cube Celebrates LA Architecture and Innovation through The Eames

Let’s play a little game. I’m going to say something and I want you to think about what comes to your mind. Ready? Ok. Los Angeles. What did that make you think of? If it was enhanced bodies, picture perfect weather, or the entertainment industry then you’re right. Only thing is so much more to LA than just that. There’s a world of art, creativity, and design housed within LA that so many don’t know about. If you happen to fall into that category, then rapper Ice Cube is here to show you what lies under the superficial in the City of Angels.

Ice Cube is the South Central (LA) born rapper who gained respect and notoriety as a member of N.W.A., with tracks from his solo career such as “It Was a Good Day”, and as an actor in Boyz in the Hood and the Friday series. What can be seen in his music and films can give insight to his personality and perspective, but after watching Pacific Standard Time’s “Ice Cube Celebrates the Eames” you understand the boundless impact inspiration and creativity can have on someone, especially from an unlikely source.

Pacific Standard Time is a region-wide initiative of The Getty museum that brings together art between 1945 and 1980 from various institutions throughout Southern California. Working with TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles and production company @radical.media, Ice Cube contributes to the celebration of the  LA art scene by discussing his love for the architectural and design work of husband and wife duo Charles and Ray Eames.  The Eames have made significant influences in both modern architecture and furniture design by revolutionizing items such as wire mesh chairs and fiberglass and creating the Eames Sofa. In the advertised video (below) Ice Cube describes their innovations and relates it to rap by saying, “They were doing mashups before mashups even existed”. Creating unexpected pieces, combining green resources, and going against the grain in architecture and design was normalcy for the Eames and Ice Cube helps show that. What I love about this short video, aside from learning about the work of the Eames, is that Ice Cube is the one promoting it. Seeing Mr. “Check yo self before you reck yo self” eloquently and lyrically describe the structure and detail created by the designers and how it influences him creatively help make art and design better accepted and appreciated by those who thought they shouldn’t. Ice Cube as a part of Pacific Standard Time’s initiative is a great way to bring in those unaware of the art scene and can give them a reason to embrace and celebrate it.

“Ice Cube Celebrates The Eames”

For more information about the event, check out the ad below!

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Ice Cube Image: Pacific Standard Time YouTube Channel
Pacific Standard Time “Ice Cube Celebrates The Eames” AD: Pacific Standard Time website
Ice Cube Celebrates The Eames Video: Pacific Standard Time YouTube Channel

The Cooler Collective—The Definition of Fresh Apparel

This past weekend I went to Unique LA, an independent design showcase at the California Market Center, to get an up close look at the merchandise and work of some of LA’s local businesses. From artwork to furniture, Unique LA brought a plethora of unique items into one locale. Prior to stepping onto the penthouse show floor I ran into a woman on the elevator with whom I had a casual conversation. In the short seconds from the lobby to the 13^th floor we briefly talked about a few things; to be honest, I only heard bits and pieces of what she said because I was distracted by her cool shirt. While drifting in and out of listening she invited me to check out booth of the company she worked for, The Cooler Collective (right). After parting ways, I thought to check it out. Somewhere in the turns and confusing silos of the event I finally found them. The Cooler Collective had their graphic tees on display at their nicely light and well staged booth. When looking through their merchandise of shirts, mugs, and pillows I fell in love with each one of their shirts. I was drawn to the “Live Run LA” (bottom) mainly because of its reference to Tupac’s track “To Live and Die in LA” and bought it right there. I flipped through the look book of merchandise and saw so many shirts that I wanted to get right there such as “Yeezy Taught You Well”, “Nails Done”, “Wonderland”, “Geek Row” (below).

The Cooler team was so cool and proud about their work (which is often rare) that I felt like I had to know more about them. After scrolling through their website, I found that The Cooler Collective started out September 2010 in LA and their team of designers and creative minds have been coming together to make shirts that turn heads and make people laugh. With over 200 products of tees, hoodies, and posters, The Cooler Collective is the company to go to if you’re looking for that shirt that represents you, hip hops hottest tracks, or simply funky art. All in all, The Cooler Collective has something that will catch the eye of the individualistic consumer. With a goal of creating progressive merchandise and the motto “Keep it Fresh”, it is easy to say that when you wear their shirts or drink from their mugs you’ll be feeling fresh to death.

To check them out or to add them to your collection, visit them online.
The Cooler Collective
The Cooler Collective Facebook
@TheCooler

“Introduction to Hip Hop” Series Part II of III—The Golden Era (1980s)

The second of the three part “Introduction to Hip Hop” series led by Bob Santelli progresses from the roots of hip hop and into its golden era. It is in this class that Santelli and the audience move through hip hop during the 1980s to explore its various forms such as call and response, unlikely yet highly successful collaborations, the introduction of white rappers, and hip hop music’s controversial language. The call and response style started by Curtis Blow in “The Breaks” to the advocacy style of Africa Bambaata with “Planet Rock” brought forth the musical change and dismissal from disco. This would soon be the catalyst to the stylistic endeavors of some of the greatest rappers in hip hop.

Those great hip hop rappers would be the ingenious trio who combined to create Run D.M.C. Arguably the most important group in terms of their great music overall and their ability to change the style of hip hop Run D.M.C. created the most significant mark in the world of hip hop history. This mark was made with the collaboration that many are familiar with when Run DMC joined forces with Aerosmith for of “Walk This Way”. The collaboration set a new avenue for music exploration because it brought together rock and hip hop without either group selling out. The two sides that were initially oil and water combined together to successfully take music somewhere it has never been before. It is also thanks to Run D.M.C. who we attribute the transition in the style of youth clothing from platform shoes and glitter to Adidas sneakers and gold chains which ultimately gives hip hop its own fashion identity.

Finally, the golden era saw the integration of white rappers such as the Beastie Boys who brought the blend of the punk mentality to hip hop’s rebellious nature. Alongside this, hip hop began to not only speak its mind but push the envelope. This was done with overly sexual lyrics, images, and videos through the songs of 2 Live Crew. While it brought outrage, blatant lyrics, and the parental advisory label it gave hip hop music a bit more complexity that would take it to a place where gangsta rap, conscious rap, and samples and would reign supreme.

Santelli’s Tracks to Check

1.      “The Breaks” by Curtis Blow
2.      “Planet Rock” and “Zulu Nation” Africa Bambaataa
3.      “Walk This Way” by Run D.M.C. feat. Aerosmith
4.      “License to Ill” by Beastie Boys
5.      “Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer
6.      “Me So Horny” by 2 Live Crew

To hear the class itself, press play

“Introduction to Hip Hop” Series Part I of III—The Roots (origin, not the group)

A few weeks ago I went to The Grammy Museum at LA Live and absolutely loved it. I loved it so much that I became a member and started to check out all the events and programs the museum offers. On the list of available programs, the museum’s “Introduction to Hip-Hop” series caught my eye. The free event is a three part class led by cultural and music historian Bob Santelli (right). Santelli is the former vice president of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum and now is the executive director of the Grammy Museum. With experience as an author, music journalist, and music historian (primarily in African American music) Santelli has a profound understanding of the music world and specifically the hip hop industry.

For this series, Santelli divided the classes into three parts: the roots, the golden era, and gangsta rap to today. Within the first class (audio below), the roots, Santelli explained the unique attributes of hip hop as a cultural movement with its inclusion of trends, fashion, colloquialism, and emotion—all things that genres such as rock and roll or pop do not fully contain. Santelli describes hip hop as “astonishing” and states that “there is no comparison anywhere on the planet as to the amount of music that was created, the number of new music forms that were created, the brilliant artists that come of age, and the overall impact it makes…on the entire world” . To substantiate this idea, Santelli takes the audience though the hip hop world starting with with the first hip hop record “Rappers Delight” by Sugar Hill Gang (1973) in Bronx, New York. Not to disregard the world of Motown, soul, or funk music of the 1960s, Santelli and historians alike note the introduction of “Rappers Delight” as the point in time where hip hop landed on the map. Starting with the Sugar Hill Gang to discussing the epicenters of hip hop and continuing to the innovative style brought by Jamaican Clive Campbell (aka DJ Kool Herc) the first night gave a detailed introduction of how hip hop started and highlights the immediate fathers.

What makes the series a hit is that it is not the type of class where the teacher speaks until he turns blue. Instead it’s an interactive class where the audience can interject with questions and comments, where videos and tracks play alongside the dialogue, and where the subject matter is presented in order for the audience to create their own judgments. Contrary to the ordinary, this class offers a great platform for discussion to give listeners a better understanding of the essence of hip hop, the innovators of the genre, and the music that gave us a majority of what we have today. It’s the type of event to go to if you feel you know everything, need to know a bit more, or know absolutely nothing about hip hop. If you fall into one of those categories, you definitely need to sync it to your Outlook calendar. The last class is Tuesday, April 12, 2011; 7:30pm, RSVP with programs@grammymuseum.org or 213.765.6800 to get on the list.

Santelli’s Innovators to Know

1.        Gil Scott Heron
2.       The Last Poets
3.       Marvin Gay
4.       Grand Wizard Theodore
5.       Grand Master Flash

Santelli’s Tracks to Check

1.        “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” by Gil Scott Herrin
2.       “When the Revolution Comes” by The Last Poets
3.       “What’s Going On?” by Marvin Gaye
4.       “Disco Inferno” by The Trammps
5.       “Saturday Night Fever” by The Bee Gees
6.       “Love Train” by The O’Jays
7.       “Rappers Delight” by Sugar Hill Gang

Turn Up the Volume!

If you weren’t able to attend, you can listen to the audio of the entire class below.

The Grammy Museum

The other day I checked out The Grammy Museum at LA Live. I heard about this museum early back in 2009 and told myself I would visit it as soon as I got the chance. Apparently, that chance would come 2 years later. The museum is a part of The Recording Academy and its collection of all things Grammy related: The Grammy’s, Grammy U, Grammy 365, and so on. The Grammy Museum opened December 2008 by curator Ken Viste right in time for the 50^th Grammy Awards.  As the museum of music, Grammy artists, and the Grammy’s the museum was created to show the birth and maturation of music over the years and its many unseen sectors. While it is in no way grandiose in size, it packs a great deal of information and interactive stations in its four floors. Starting at the fourth floor and making your way down you get to check out everything Grammy related consisting of:

• žFourth Floor: Grammy awards from its start to today, The Grammy award reel, genre listening station, Jon Lennon exhibit (until March 31^, 2011), music epicenters by city.
• žThird Floor: Instruments, The Grammy red carpet most memorable outfits (e.g. Andre 3000, Jennifer Lopez), recording stations, excerpt of lyrics from musicians and artists.
• Second Floor: Clive Davis Theater, Hip Hop exhibits, gift shop.
• First Floor: Entrance, introduction, and elevator.

This museum is quite possibly my favorite simply because of its devotion to music. It is the perfect place for kids, family, solo excursions, and dates. You get to explore music and artists, go through the recording process, and watch the greatest moments in the Grammy award show history. The only negative of the museum is you can only take pictures in certain areas. So none of the great electronic equipment, none of you playing on the drums, and certainly nothing of you next to an actual award. But you can take pictures of the giant boom box (left). That counts for something right?

This is the museum for anyone who claims to be a music enthusiast, has a couple of CDs, or still plays music on a record player. Whether you claim to be an expert or only listen to music in the elevator, The Grammy museum is the place to go.

Wanna Check ‘em Out?

800 West Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Sunday to Friday- 11:30am to 7:30pm
Saturday 10:00am-7:30pm