Narrative Ads Part II: Toyota Camry

Lee Min ho is one of the most popular actors in South Korea. His popularity rose after he starred in Boys Over Flowers. Boys Over Flowers is the third Korean adaptation of the popular manga, Hana Yori Dango, by Kamio Yoko. 

Because Boys Over Flowers already had a steady following before the Korean adaptation, it was not difficult for this show to get a new following. Especially when the Korean F4 looked very similar to the manga characters. After the show, Lee Min ho became a household name in Korea.

Toyota released this four-part web series in 2011 for Toyota Camry 2012 The One & Only campaign. Word of warning: Turn off your brain because none of the episodes make sense that you'll only use your eyes and ears. Or you can skip the car sequences and shots because they're just everywhere (which is understandable, because this is a Toyota ad).

Now you understand why I hate it? Seems like the ad only focused on the visuals (cinematography and Lee Min ho) and main actor that the team didn't consider the plot and (horrible) script. I followed this web series two years ago and I remember that they released one episode per week. It kept the audience on their toes and they anticipated when the next episode will be released to know what happens to Lee Min ho's character (because at the end of the day, it's because of Lee Min ho why this web series has views).

Despite the confusing plot and nonsense, cheesy script, this ad appeals to the target market. Why? Because of Lee Min ho. It's very common in Asia for well-known actors to appear in ads. Actors in washer and dryer ads, hair styling products, fastfood restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, and instant noodles. It doesn't matter what the product is, as long as the actor is in the ad. 

And while I was doing my research for this blog post, I discovered that Toyota released a second season (!). I didn't expect that. Although, maybe I shouldn't be surprised because it was up to Lee Min ho's contract with Toyota. I know it's not Min ho's fault because it's his job, but ... I just can't. The script. The acting of the second leads and extras. 

So here's the first episode of The One & Only Toyota Camry Season 2 if you hatg ro :

And of course I'll watch the rest of the season. I'll still cringe because of the cheesiness and terrible script and acting, and then that's it. 

So what do you think about actors featured in ads that one would never see in Western ads? 

Next week, I'll write about my favourite hair styling product ad endorsed by the most popular actors in Japan.

Narrative Ads Part I: Nestle Philippines

Because I watch YouTube videos everyday, I come across related videos where some are interesting while some are boring. I rarely watch television these days so good thing there's YouTube. If it wasn't for YouTube, I wouldn't discover ads from Asia that run for five minutes or more on tv. 

This month, I will feature advertisements from Asian countries that has a narrative. They may also be a series of ads with a theme or story.

This week's ad is from the Philippines.

Two weeks ago I was looking at YouTube videos of my favourite Filipino artist (i.e., Up Dharma Down). One of the related links on the sidebar was a Nestle Philippines ad. I became curious so I watched the 12-minute video. It was worth it. Some were longer than 10 minutes, while some were shorter. Some where cliche, while some were funny. Some were heartwarming, while some were fluffy. 

Obligatory New Year Post (2013 edition)

If I wrote this post a week before the new year, it would be all sappy and emotional. It would be just like any typical blog post about the new year. So I'll keep it short and simple. No new year's resolutions (because I don't really have one) and no reminiscing of the past year (because I've done it already).  

Thank you.

(and)

This is going to be a great year. 

Need more time to sink in

I still find it hard to believe that my high school friend Kim passed away. It was all very sudden. Her passing felt unreal. When I heard the news about her being in a coma, my instinct told me that she would survive the ordeal. I believed that she would. But she never did.

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I received a notification on my high school's Facebook page asking for prayers. Kim was in a coma Saturday due to ruptured aneurysm and low blood pressure. The hospital she stayed in didn't have the proper equipment for better treatment. She couldn't be delivered to a better hospital because her condition was unstable. Family and friends started posting messages on her Facebook wall, telling her to wake up. All these people were posting messages on her wall post, praying for her, asking for prayers, and telling her to wake up. But she never did.

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My friend posted in our high school section's Facebook page that she passed away on Dec. 12, 2012, at 7 a.m. Reading it the first time felt unreal, like it was all a dream. But I knew he would never lie or joke about it. I just couldn't accept the truth. We all couldn't. It was all too soon.

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When she was in a coma up until her burial, I checked Facebook everyday to read updates. I relied on photos to see who visited her at her viewing. I look her up on Facebook and read wall posts from her family and friends. Nadine, one of my high school friends, posted this touching poem that was in one of the mass cards. Reading her wall posts and this poem would make anyone cry. 

I'm Free

Don't grieve for me for now I'm free.

I'm following the path God laid for me.

I took his hand when I heard him call.

I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day,

To laugh, to love, to work, or play.

Tasks left undone must stay that way,

I've found that peace at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void,

Then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,

Ah yes, these things I too will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow:

I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life's been full I've savored much,

Good times, good friends, a loved one's touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all to brief,

 Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your heart and share with me,

God wanted me now, he set me free.

author unknown

Who am I?

How do you write a personal brand? This was the assignment in my Advertising class. I found it hard to write because I had to think of the audience first and at the same time be honest about myself. When I wrote my personal brand, I was honest and sincere in answering the questions. 

Everything on this blog is a glimpse of the real me. And because I started this blog in July 2009 and I have 104 posts (this is the 105th post! Yay~!), the personal brand is sort of like a summary of the real me. But this is the longer version because I had to cut some parts in the assignment. Here it is:

What are the things that make you different from others? What could be said about you that cannot be said about someone else? 

I am different because of my life experiences. I lived the first 19 years of my life in the Philippines. This was where I built relationships with my family and friends—people that shaped me to be the person I am today. The things I saw, heard, read, and touched influenced me as a person. 

The values I learned and acquired as a Filipino are stored deeply in me because they keep me grounded. They remind me to be the person I want to be. I also surround myself with people who remind me of my values and beliefs. I would never say this out loud, but my family has always been my biggest strength. I grew up in a conservative and family-oriented household, so just being around them reminds me of my roots, my dreams, and values. 

I may be far from my longtime friends, but they're the people I grew up with, and they're the people who remind me of my younger self. And when they remind me of my younger self and the old days, I think about the dreams of the younger me. Here in Canada, I met new people who helped me be a better person. 

The people I met and the experiences I had makes me different from others because they help me realize my values and dreams. 

What do I stand for? What do I value? 

"Lora Quitane" stands for loyalty, honesty, and hard work. I always believe that hard work pays off. If I don't have the strength to do something, I have faith that I can do it—either with hard work or luck. 

What is your vision? 

I don't aspire to be well known or famous. It doesn't matter to me if people don’t know me when they see me on the streets—I prefer to be anonymous and a stranger. I don’t like being in the limelight. I would rather be on the sidelines and do my job. 

I prefer to put my work on the spotlight than me. If I have a project, I will make that project well known because I believe it’s the project that should be recognized. I would rather the project be more famous than me. 

“Lora Quitane” aspires to be a brand that creates projects that ensue talk and publicity. It is the work that matters—not the brand. 

 

What is your story? 

I left my home country, the Philippines, after living there for 19 years. The country where I was born, the country where I grew up, and the country that made me the person I am today. 

I left my family, relatives, and friends for a new and better life. These people were a significant part of my life. I had to leave not because it was the only choice—I had to leave because it was the best choice. 

I left the Philippines—the place I knew well—to live in Canada—a place I am not familiar with. I had to learn a new history and culture but at the same time I had to preserve the history and culture as a Filipino. 

My life experiences shaped me to be the person I am today. The significant people in my life keep me grounded. They remind me to be the person I aspire to be. 

 

“Lora Quitane” would not be “Lora Quitane” if it weren't for the people she met and the experiences she experienced. It was because of her history and the people around her that shaped the story of “Lora Quitane”.  

For my high school friend

This blog post is for my high school friend, Kim, who passed away Dec. 12, 2012, Wednesday at 7 a.m. (Philippine time). I posted this so she'll have another identity on the Internet aside from her Facebook account (and whatever other accounts she had). 

I rarely kept in touch with her since I left the Philippines five years ago. Or maybe more. However, she was a good friend back in high school. High school for me was one of the best times of my life. Even though we weren't close, she was still an important person to me.

Rest in peace, Kim. And I'll surely visit you when I visit the Philippines. Thanks for the great memories. 

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Prayer - Kapatid

click on video for source

Kapatid was a Filipino rock band whose main vocalist, Karl Roy, passed away March this year. 

Note: "kapatid" literally means "sibling" in English, but it is often used as "brother" and/or "sister".

A memory in a shell

"If you could have a memory of anything, real or not, what would it be?"

 

"A fake memory?"

***

Shell is Wong Fu Productions' most visually beautiful short that they have ever made. Written and directed by Wesley Chan, one of the three people behind Wong Fu Productions, an independent production company that makes short films, music videos, and vlogs on YouTube. Their YouTube channel has more than a million subscribers. Their most popular short, Strangers, Again, has more than 11 million views.

I watched most of their videos, but I think Shell is their most beautiful short. Some may not like the dialogue, theme, or actors, but one has to admit that it's really beautiful.


Why do I love this short?

It's lovely to look at. The dichotomy between "reality" and "fiction" is contrasted by the use of colours. In the "reality", the colours are all dark and blue, and the setting is in an enclosed room, as if their actions are limited. In "fiction", the lovely warm colours represent the dream or the man's made-up memory. The characters are outside too, which means that they are free to do what they want. 

I love sunset shots. I'm being biased here, but I think sunset shots are hard to shoot because one has to find the perfect angle to get that perfect light. 

The background music fits the scenes. Soothing and relaxing. Talented Jesse Chui and George Shaw. 

I didn't like Mimi Chao's acting the first time I watched this short, but after watching it again (and again), I have grown fond of her. Chris Dinh's voice is perfect for this role especially when he says the last line. I also like the little details in his acting in the "fiction" scene--when he averts his eyes and gulps because of nervousness. 

Say anything you want about the script, but I think it's very deep and profound. 

Lastly? Because it's a Wong Fu short.

***

"What if we had a chance to remember things that we never actually experienced?"

"What good is it if it didn't happen? No one would believe it."

"You'd believe it. It's about the feeling, that's what matters."

***

Visit the blog for full commentary and behind the scenes footage here.