Saatchi & Saatchi, New Zealand has created a controversial campaign to promote the TVNZ premiere of the cult thriller, American Psycho. One of the ads show a close up on American President George W. Bush with a big and clear “American Psycho” printed under it. Another ad shows the American flag creatively created by using a dark blue tie with white dots representing the stars and red blood smeared on a white shirt representing the stripes. Art director of the ads was by Tim Howman with Mike O’Sullivan as an executive creative director.
The original Psycho movie by Alfred Hitchcock continues to be an inspiration in our culture. Recently Marion Cotillard posed for Vanity Fair (see picture below) in a recreation of the infamous Hitchcock movie:
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Controversial Advertising Campaigns
- Creating ads that push boundaries and cause controversy can get people talking and generate buzz around a product or brand.
- Cultural References in Advertising
- Drawing inspiration from classic films, iconic figures, and other cultural touchstones can make ads more memorable and impactful.
- Alternative Uses for Everyday Objects
- Using a tie as a symbol for the American flag and blood on a shirt as the stripes shows that creative and unconventional thinking can lead to standout advertising.
Where This Applies
- Advertising
- As seen in this article, advertising agencies are constantly striving to come up with new and innovative ways to promote products and brands.
- Entertainment
- The American Psycho film and other cult thrillers are a part of the entertainment industry that can be marketed in creative and unconventional ways.
- Fashion
- As seen with the Vanity Fair photoshoot, fashion is often inspired by iconic cultural touchstones and can also be utilized in advertising campaigns.
