Japanese camera manufacturer Canon launched this emotionally charged ad as part of its ‘#whatdoyousee’ campaign. The campaign revolves around the notion that every individual sees the world in a way that is completely unique to them, and challenges viewers to capture their unique perspective of the world.
The ad shows a series of eyeballs with different scenes reflected in them, representing what the ‘owners’ of the eyeballs are looking at. At first, the notion of an ad consisting entirely of a series of eyeballs may seem somewhat creepy. But upon paying closer attention, it becomes clear that the ad does a fine job depicting how the world reflects itself in people’s eyes.
The series of shots in the ad show reflections in the eyeballs of people looking at different things, ranging from celebratory fireworks to a funeral pyre. One particularly poignant shot shows the image of a newborn baby reflected in the eye of an old person shedding a joyous tear.
Clearly, the #whatdoyousee campaign is a telling example of how seemingly over-the-top sentimentality and unconventional visuals can add real value to a TV ad, when accompanied by stellar writing and stunning production.
Emotional Eyeball Reflection Ads
Canon’s #Whatdoyousee Ad is Both Moving and Visually Stunning
Trend Themes
1. Emotional Advertising - This trend suggests that businesses can disrupt the traditional advertising model by leveraging emotionally charged storytelling to establish a deeper connection with their audience.
2. Personalized Campaigns - This trend suggests that businesses can create campaigns that challenge audiences to capture their unique perspective of the world, resulting in a more personalized and engaging experience.
3. Visual Storytelling - This trend suggests that businesses can disrupt the traditional advertising model by creating visually stunning ads that leave a lasting impact on their audience.
Industry Implications
1. Photography - As Canon has demonstrated, the photography industry can leverage emotionally charged storytelling and visually stunning ads to create more engaging and memorable campaigns.
2. Advertising - The advertising industry can benefit from incorporating more personalized campaigns that challenge audiences to capture their unique perspectives of the world, thereby creating a deeper connection with their audience.
3. Film and TV Production - The film and TV production industry can leverage visually stunning ads and emotionally charged storytelling to create more compelling content that resonates with their audience.