Have you seen the recent Toys R Us commercial using SORA? SORA is a text-to-video product that allows users to create up to 1-minute video clips?
This commercial sucks.
The issue isn't just the bizarre aesthetic—though it certainly doesn't help—the real problem is the storytelling: it's cheap and uninspired.
Consider the aesthetics of early computer-generated movies. Remember the first Toy Story? The visuals have aged like milk, especially Sid, but the movie is still perfect storytelling.
It's not fair to compare a $30 million production to a rinkydink commercial by Toys R Us. While SORA's development might have cost in the billions, Toys R Us isn't exactly a Pixar writer's room.
I’ll make my point a different way. When I poll fellow marketers, we find that the best-performing ads on social media are user-generated. These ads are low-fidelity and home-made. They’re so CHEAP to produce, but they work because they're relatable.
Brand managers and art directors aren't fans of this trend. It becomes difficult to manage a brand’s aesthetic.
At Chomp, our experience mirrors this trend. Our most effective video ad begins with a selfie at my messy desk, shot on an iPhone 11.
Ultimately, people connect with people. They're drawn to relatable stories. Make cheap marketing, not cheap storytelling.