I recently saw a showing of the Academy Award-nominated animated short films – you know, the films you hear titles and view clips of on Oscar night, but rarely get to see. I imagine this would be everyone’s favorite category if the general public had access to these vignettes. The stop-action, claymation, cartoon, and 3-D mini comedies and dramas were pure enjoyment and artfully done.
One in particular had me thinking, though. A French film entitled Logorama depicted a modern day scene in a world made entirely of trademarks and brand names. Michelin Man cops violently pursue a criminal Ronald McDonald while Big Boy, a devious school child, is kicked out of the Animal Cracker Zoo by the Green Giant guard and finds himself in the midst of catastrophe. This world of Hot Wheels rollercoasters, North Face-carved mountains, and big box store buildings cracks open in an X-Box shaped chasm and is drowned, leaving only a Nike swoop-shaped island.
Amidst the adult content and language in Logorama, the message is clear: We’re being inundated with name brands and mass produced products that aren’t good for us. While the film negatively expressed this message, I walked away thinking “Quality. Not quantity.”
Whatever you’re selling, providing, or creating, think about it as a representation of you and your company, and something of which you can be proud. That way, when your logo or name comes up in conversation – or an animated short film – it will illicit positive thoughts and respect from your consumers.
