39 Comments

Fantastic idea. The magic is in the product
davdroga
2011-04-12 16:45:39

Really nice thought. The best ideas always seem so obvious afterwards. My only quibble is that after all the build-up the reveal at the end seems a bit of a damp squib. How many oranges would it take to power the merry-go-round? Quite a lot more I'm guessing but it would be more impactful than a illuminated 6-sheet surely. And wouldn't require the obligatory shots of 'people applauding and videoing with camera phone' (which is fast turning into the ad cliche of our times) to make it seem more impressive.

Still wish it was mine though.
Stu Royall
2011-04-12 17:27:27

Jaffa got there first. Sorry Tropicana

http://www.imperialleisure.com/imperial_leisure/our_work/jaffa-orange-viral-campaign
Mark
2011-04-12 17:47:26

Wowzers, great film. I guess DDB Paris didn't see that we already came up with this idea and shot it last year http://www.imperialleisure.com/imperial_leisure/our_work/jaffa-orange-viral-campaign
Imperial Leisure
2011-04-12 17:58:44

i think that jaffa got their idea from this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CljRc4bN8Ts
jon
2011-04-12 18:35:33

Lovely ad! We did this in school. Not sure if anyone is imitating anyones idea here, but there are loads of these battery films on youtube. Maybe everyone is copying youytube now?????
Monique
2011-04-12 19:14:11

both ads are boring. sorry. i hate how we're supposed to go "wow! oranges?!" it's just all a little too set up for my taste.
james
2011-04-12 21:55:26

Imperial Leisure claim they "came up with this idea" (charging an iPhone with oranges) last year, and have been copied by DDB.
Interesting!
Maybe someone should tell the guy who posted this ('charging an iPod with oranges') on YouTube three years ago????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKjIsBe0CLo
Or maybe Imperial Leisure saw this??? >
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5mpd9XG99E
Or maybe they saw this??? >
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKsrR27cx5w
There are literally dozens of these videos from years back on Youtube.
Shame on Imperial Leisure for making accusations of copying.
Embarrassing schoolyard behaviour!
Everyone has done this experiment, including hundreds of thousands of children.
You can even do it with onions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfPJeDssBOM&NR=1&feature=fvwp
Maybe, just maybe, DDB and Imperial Leisure Googled Oranges and found all these videos. This just shows how bad it is to google for creative ideas.
It was never an original idea in the first place!
BUT, at least DDB did make a very nice film. They interpreted this popular science experiment well.
Get a grip, get your own ideas, and give credit where it is due 'Imperial Leisure' (naff name!).
Rob
2011-04-12 21:59:56

This is a rather blatant rip-off from the Jaffa viral of last year! It even copies most of the shots used in the original.
Casper
2011-04-12 23:17:59

Amazing. Love it !
leouchka
2011-04-12 23:20:48

this is really great! If only tropicana made ads like this in other countries...
julia
2011-04-12 23:21:26

way more interesting than the jaffa vid. this is beautiful
charlie Sh.
2011-04-12 23:26:17

Awesome video. Really like the visualization. And to the crybabies in here... get over it. It's a great film, great minds think alike, get over it.
SanFranciscosFinest
2011-04-13 00:05:28

Its a nice idea. How many oranges would it take to power the merry-go-round? Quite a lot more I'm guessing but it would be more than a illuminated 6-sheet surely. By the way the thought is copied from a viral by Imperial Leisure. I think also. Thank You!
John Smith
2011-04-13 07:21:30

Also, comments from my Mum... (In reference to tropicana ad)

What a waste of Oranges at the end. Think of all the hungry people in Africa she says.

Blatant rip though. Good spot.
V
2011-04-13 09:33:43

Fantastic! great film!
badinicreateam
2011-04-13 09:34:26

Imperial leisure came up with this one 1st last year...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_LLj4_3ZRA...too slow DDB
Katie
2011-04-13 09:36:00

In response to the post above from Rob.

I think you're missing the point here.

The idea of using fruit batteries is obviously a very old one but it's the creative approach that has been lifted from the Jaffa viral.

The Tropicana ad is almost a shot for shot copy of a very good original film idea.
Casper
2011-04-13 09:49:39

ha ha!! As someone from Africa (Egypt) ... Tell your mom to relax if we started to use oranges, there would be less wars over gas, petroleum and perishable resouces and there would be less greed over Africa's and Asia's (for that matter) resources. And these continents would revive their agriculture industry like before in ancient times when they were free and hence rich ...This is ofcourse only if a different form of greed doesnt occur ... which quite frankly is probably only a dream!
Yasmine
2011-04-13 10:27:24

This is classic.
Here is a perfect example of designers and agency creatives all scrabbling for their ideas in the same place.
Simple as that.
But Casper, a shot for shot copy?! Nonsense. The two films, though sharing the same subject matter (oranges and electricity), share barely any shots, and the Jaffa film is seriously awful in its photography and execution.
At least DDB did it well.
This is where Imperial Leisure 'had' their idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKjIsBe0CLo
I bet DDB did too. Oh YouTube!!!
Rob
2011-04-13 10:28:19

It's good to be first, but better to be best. Best to be both.

DDB Paris nor Imperial Leisure (sounds like a bad soap) were 'first' with this 'idea'. We all know how agency's get their concepts but it is clear that the Tropicana commercial is far superior to the poorly executed Jaffa video.

Anyone who takes their ideas from somewhere else and then gets mad when they see them re-appropriated further needs a good kick up their brains arse...
Groucho
2011-04-13 10:37:53

Apparently there are only 6 real ideas/themes in human history. Fighting for originality is a shortsighted battle. Look at architecture, drama, art. originality is all in the detail. Only advertisers think they are original with their ideas, when in fact all they do (and rightfully so!) is to take stimuli from the environment and turn them into commercial ideas.

What I read is this is a beautifully directed, warm, charming film about an orange powered billboard in paris. What more do you want? You may like it or not. All else is inconsequential. Cheers.
Suz
2011-04-13 11:05:53

I don't think Imperial Leisure are saying that they were the first to use batteries as oranges, but just the first to use it to promote oranges. That is all.
SJG
2011-04-13 11:15:37

Apparently there are only 6 real ideas/themes in human history. Fighting for originality is a shortsighted battle. Look at architecture, drama, art. originality is all in the detail. Only advertisers think they are original with their ideas, when in fact all they do (and rightfully so!) is to take stimuli from the environment and turn them into commercial ideas.

What I read is this is a beautifully directed, warm, charming film about an orange powered billboard in paris. What more do you want? You may like it or not. All else is inconsequential. Cheers.
Suz
2011-04-13 11:15:42

Although jaffa used the scientific idea first (first being used very loosely) tropicana did take it one step further by using the idea to power something that they created to advertises the product. Rather than just using the popularity of the iphone to try and accelerate coverage.
Ben
2011-04-13 11:27:02

It's just a lovely film. The track is fantastic. It made me a smile and a little happier when I saw it this morning. I guess this was the intention.
Simon
2011-04-13 12:44:15

Nicely shot piece though some of it is quite similar to the jaffa ad. I think that the end result makes the concept more unique (rather than the batteries thing) as it gives it more meaning. The oranges power Tropicana's billboard, just as 'SJG' says above, the oranges are promoting oranges. Nice and simple!
Alexa
2011-04-13 14:58:06

Calm it guys, it is not illegal to be influenced by others' ideas. As 'Rob' said if the creatives have googled orange fruit batteries then they will have seen the jaffa films and are obviously OK with using the same idea to market the same product. These things happen...
Michelle
2011-04-13 16:03:04

I prefer the original Jaffa film myself. I find the Tropicana version a little too twee.
Frances
2011-04-13 16:46:31

Tropicana or Jaffa? It true that the two films should not both exist for orange brands. The Jaffa film is very derivative of all the orange science youtube links posted above. They all look this way. The Jaffa film did not do anything original at all. The Tropicana film does. Its concept delivers a message. However DDB should have not made the Tropicana film if they knew for certain there was another film out there. Well never mind. The Tropicana film is very different. It has a message and it is beautiful. It communicates and makes you feel good when you watch it. It is good advertising. Simple.
Monique
2011-04-13 18:21:38

What does ripping off an already existing youtube video to make an unbranded "viral" (which obviously is trying to piggyback on the iphone fame) have anything to do with this idea? they are powering their advertising billboard with the oranges, which is way more advanced and actually has an idea in it.
sure, in the beginning some of the shots look similar, but the tropicana film is obviously more of a "making of", than a "viral".
at least they went all the way and actually made this billboard, instead of writing a random number - wanna bet they never got that iphone to charge?
Pete
2011-04-13 18:23:43

doesn't matter who did "it" first, DDB should learn how to make better use of the genius of Johnny Hardstaff
sweded
2011-04-13 18:47:32

I think Monique is right - the Tropicana film is beautiful and has a message. But I think the Jaffa film also has a message. They are different formats, aimed at different audiences and probably have different budgets so they don't work in the same way. You might say they are apples and oranges. Boom... Boom...
jimb
2011-04-13 21:19:22

a lovely Ad.. But what a waste of oranges!
sara scharaf
2011-04-14 07:52:41

isnt the point that tropicana agency should have done their homework before creating a very similar add to that of one of their competitors. DDB should be ashamed for not doing their homework on this one. Imperial leisure should be praised for thinking for it ages ago.
creative
2011-04-14 13:29:24

Look at the image in the blog roll, the type, the billboard, the idea !
Now look at the "viral" that jaffa has made.

One is a really cool idea for a Tropicana billboard.

One just took a science fact and made a poorly executed 'hoax' out of it.

Anyone who has made this experiment in their school days knows that you don't need
to have seen the jaffa crap to come up with that billboard. It's just a really good outdoor idea.

Nuff said
jondoe
2011-04-14 17:42:07

Big agency on the aggressive defensive.... not a good look.
Pierre
2011-04-15 12:35:19

Now I'm sure about what I was suspected. I mentioned it on my previous post. But it's a nice idea. But the question again about-How many oranges would it take to power the merry-go-round?
John Smith
2011-06-02 18:35:12

My question is How many oranges would it take to power the merry-go-round? I am curious about these question because I want to know is it possible or not. And the techniques that is used here is totally speechless. I have known a new thing with this post. Thanks for the post.
John Smith
2011-08-02 11:31:44

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