The Starburst Effect. Mouth Watering AI.
Edition 24 - Live-action mixed with AI strikes the right balance for DDB and Starburst.
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Annie Larimer, DDB’s new HOP, didn’t waste much time to make some noise. The new spot package for client Starburst strikes an engaging balance in making the “real” look “real” by being real. AI doom scrollers will be comforted by live-action scenes set up with actual human humans transitioning through whimsical worlds in each spot courtesy of Starburst. Everyone seems to have a proper number of fingers accounted for and it is well-executed.
Four different versions are derivative beginning with a similar scenario in each setup beginning with the same live-action couple. They eat a Starburst and the fun begins.
Published in Ad Age (today) May 7, 2024
STARBURST JUMPS INTO GENERATIVE AI WITH ‘DIFFERENT EVERY TIME’ BRAND CAMPAIGN
From Ad Age:
Mars is fully embracing generative AI in a brand campaign for Starburst in which the endless visual outputs of artificial intelligence mirrors the “joy of endless possibility” offered by the product itself.
A series of spots focuses on a woman and man who sample different combinations of the product (the brand says there are more than 479 million ways to enjoy one pack of 12 original Starburst) and are transported to surreal AI-generated worlds. The tagline is “Different every time.”
Surprisingly, what I like most about the executions is the edit. Transitions are quick, minimal bounce, and you’re onto the next Starburst “world.” And Easter Eggs abound. It smartly avoids the electric kool-aid paradigm that would have been easy to ooze into. The sound track keeps the pace uptempo without much notice.
More from Ad Age:
Bobby Louise & Brig handled the live action and Ezra Paulekas as the AI creative director.
Want to see all four? Press the button.
Critical Mass is in on the fun to help scatter the 300 assets across social/digital, as well as the ever present programmatic component.
Summary: If this work was marginal or average I would say so. In these times, all eyes are still on anyone leveraging new production toys. Just waiting to pounce on the f’up. There have been a few. I found this work to be smartly done - using AI as an arrow in the quiver among other tools; not THE tool like a Sora approach. They could have and most likely had 2D motion design and other compositing pulling this together.
The AI work took some chances and they pulled it off. Examples? They banked the entire payoff on AI 12 times in four spots and succeeded. Probably left you wanting more.
Well done. No haters here.
So, who got next? And BTW hit the “Share” and send it to three friends. Many thanks.
Bonus Track
This has nothing to do with AI that I am aware of. It’s a different kind of awesome. Just when I think I’m done with Liquid Death’s endless pandering for our attention, they come out with …
This is a new category of anti-hero. From the good folks at Liquid Death:
Introducing The Adventures of Murder Man! We worked with Will Carsola (co-creator of Mr. Pickles) and award-winning animation studio Titmouse to develop a concept for an animated series centered around Liquid Death’s beloved mascot: Murder Man.
Seem like a show you'd want to watch? Use the comments to tag the network or streaming service you'd want to air Season 1 of Murder Man. 📺
Have a comment for Liquid Death? Want to cast your vote? Push da button.
Happy mid-week people.
For Starburst, see Ad age for the complete list of credits, including creative and prodco.