The power of wind

Wind energy ad wins Cannes award

Posted by David Roberts at 4:10 PM on 24 May 2008

Read more about: wind power | energy | advertising | funnies | Germany

I think I've posted this before, but a quick search didn't turn it up. Anyway, this video, an ad for Epuron energy company created by the Nordpol+Hamburg agency, won the "Golden Lion" in Cannes. Check it out:

For story: The power of wind
9 Comments | Post a Comment

It was posted before

It was posted before
By me.

It is good that you posted it again. The link I gave expired.

by Gar Lipow at 10:21 PM on 24 May 2008

You picked the winner Gar

Congratulations. Wind is the winner already. Second only to conservation as far as cost and GHG freeing ability.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

by amazingdrx at 6:59 AM on 25 May 2008

the Gold[en] Lion

This is proving harder to research than one might have thought, but: The award called "Golden Lion" is associated primarily with the two big cultural shows/contests that take place in Venice, viz. the Biennale and the Film Festival.

The lion is the symbol of Venice's patron saint, Saint Mark, one of the four Evangelists. In artistic representations, the lion is usually depicted in gold (e.g. on the flag of the Republic of Venice he was done in gold on a red background), with a pair of large wings, and his right forepaw on an open book, on which are written the words, "Pax tibi, Marce, evangelista meus," "Peace unto thee, Mark, my evangelist."

But I have no idea if the Golden Lions awarded at the Biennale and the Venice Film Festival happen to look like the Lion of Saint Mark.

The big prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, by contrast, is called the Palme d'Or (Golden Palm). I do not know what that looks like either.

Anyway, at that festival, they do not seem to have a category for judging works such as this Epuron ad.

However, there is indeed an international advertising convention, run by a British group, which meets annually in Cannes, has nothing to do with the film festival, and does indeed judge advertisements, awarding a Golden (or Gold) Lion. The name of the British sponsors is in fact "Lions," and that would seem to explain everything:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannes_Lions_International_A ....

There is also apparently a Golden Lion awarded in Germany for musicians -- ABBA seem to have won one back in the 1970s -- , but that is enough for now.

A puzzle of a different kind is why, in this German-made ad, the voice of the Wind is speaking English, with a French accent.

The Frankensteinoid appearance of the actor is unsettling. But the concept, having him do the kinds of things that bother people in cities regarding excessive wind, is terrific.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 11:55 AM on 25 May 2008

The corporate manipulations continue

caniscandida wrote:

A puzzle of a different kind is why, in this German-made ad, the voice of the Wind is speaking English, with a French accent.

Good question. I hope it's not nationalistic antagonisms at work. Perhaps it's innocent -- the actor is Chaplinesque, and maybe the French touch was an "arts" thing?

The Frankensteinoid appearance of the actor is unsettling. But the concept, having him do the kinds of things that bother people in cities regarding excessive wind, is terrific.

Well put. Though I think the ad seems excessively "anti-nature". That is, it frames "the wind" as something that is usually a bother. But who doesn't love the breeze on a warm day? Or to feel the power of nature in wind storm?

In any case, the ad is yet another a marketing scheme that benefits from rational analysis...

by Colin Wright at 10:37 AM on 26 May 2008

Nod to Chap...

Good question. I hope it's not nationalistic antagonisms at work. Perhaps it's innocent -- the actor is Chaplinesque, and maybe the French touch was an "arts" thing?

Yeah, I think it's just a nod to Chap.

Who, incidentally, also had what was described here as a "Frankensteinoid" appearance (though I wouldn't personally put it that way).

by Tasermons Partner at 10:41 AM on 26 May 2008

Luckily it's only about the movie

Thank God it's only about the movie and not on substance.

Wind is probably not going to make up a significant part of our energy future. Which is sad because this movie looks really good!

by Jonas at 4:44 PM on 26 May 2008

I will assume

that the English voice-over is an over-dub to make it available for a wider audience, and the French accent is a tip of the hat to the character's mime origins, in Marceau of course, not Chaplin. I am curious whether the (original?) German version also uses a French accent.

I also find the ad not anti-nature in the least - it suggests how we can live with the capricious wind, to our great benefit. It is quite beautifully done.

The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.

by spaceshaper at 5:42 PM on 26 May 2008

More than 20%...

Wind is probably not going to make up a significant part of our energy future. Which is sad because this movie looks really good!

Really? The Energy Department seems to think it could make up 20%...and that's without significant conservation efforts. If we conserve enough, that percentage grows quite well above 20%.

by Tasermons Partner at 6:40 PM on 26 May 2008

"our energy future"

does it have tailfins? i love those. also tight-fitting shimmery clothes, with glowing talismans for controlling the stereo... with your mind.

by hapa at 10:36 PM on 26 May 2008

ADVERTISING POLICY

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