SHP+ sat down with some of the Wieden+Kennedy creative crew, Raymond Chin (Creative Director) and Cook Xu (Copywriter) at the W+K Shanghai office as they told us how they created the new commercial for the Momo app.
Momo is a free location based service with an instant messaging application that is used to meet new people, and has gathered a reputation for casual sex just like Grindr or Tinder. The Chinese name of the app Momo “陌陌; mò mò” literally translates to “Stranger, Stranger,” but the aim of the commercial for the app was to change this perception of adult social networking.
In this new ad MOMO is encouraging users to be bold by stepping out of their social comfort zone to meet more interesting people and explore what life has in store for them. The ad is very different from the polished, traditional Chinese advertising; it is random and real. From the script to the casting to the filming, it was all ‘planned improvisation.’
The spot shows many diverse stories in different locations and it took a total of 6 shooting days. Raymond explains how they started off with 15 scenarios and they ended up using around 20 vignettes in the finished piece – only so much could be packed into the commercial due to the budget given.
It’s the third time W+K worked with Director Ralf Schmerberg. Ralf is known for having a very different approach to filming and storytelling and he does not believe in storyboards. To Ralf, it is all about capturing very authentic moments, and very little is staged, His style is best known of his award winning work ‘La Vita’ for Fiat. When shooting began he told the talents to improvise and to be themselves. He wanted to capture genuine and spontaneous moments and that’s exactly what makes this commercial unique.
Almost everyone in the spot are real Momo users.
The bands that make an appearance in the ad actually did a private concert in an abandoned Shanghai building for their fans to film. W+K wanted to prove that there are fun and interesting people on Momo and there is no better way to show that than to let real users express themselves.
Raymond describes the whole experience as controlled chaos because there is still a heavy deal of planning involved to be able to create spur-of-the-moment footage. It worked out perfectly and everything ended up being impulsive throughout the making of this ad.
Raymond “I think perceptions are changing and this ad really helps open up the true meaning of this app. People now understand whom they can meet through Momo. This ad sparks curiosity as more people are now opening up to the brand.”
Title: Interesting Awaits
Product: Momo; 陌陌
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai
Executive Creative Directors: Achilles Li, Michael Simons
Creative Director: Raymond Chin, Jonathan Mo
Copywriters: Cook Xu, Nick Finney
Production Company: Radical Media Shanghai
Director: Ralf Schmerberg
随着上海W＋K为陌陌操刀的新一轮广告片“总有新奇在身边”在电视、移动设备、OOH等各个屏幕上铺天盖地袭来，就以单一移动社交类APP的产品而言，陌陌为了一冼前期落下较为狼狈的名声，在营销上做出的投入和努力是国内同类产品中少见的。这次的新片更是大胆启用了众多真实的陌陌用户参演广告。为此，我们特地走访了上海W＋K的办公室，与背后的创作团队：创意总监RAYDMOND CHIN 与文案COOK XU 聊了一下片子的创作过程。
新一轮的市场活动主要以鼓励用户去走出自己安乐窝，放胆地去认识更多有意思的人，生活里面会有更多的精彩等待着他/她的发现 。有别于中国时下广告片动辄以明星代言，或者动用到海陆空的大制作，又或者是被后期收拾得规规整整的广告片，陌陌的新片带着明显的纪录片风格，显得随意而真实，甚至带有未经打磨的粗糙感。Raymond解释说，从剧本到演员到影片的拍摄，片子追求的就是这样一种真实的即兴。
广告选取了上海与北京的不同的地点，前后共用了六天时间拍摄。Raymond说，原来只打算拍15个场景，但最终拍了20多个情节，在编辑时，剪取了不同的片断成了最终版。如果并非出于预算的限制，成片还可以融入更多的精彩故事。
来自德国的导演Ralf Schmerbergs算得上是“即兴风格”的大师。他这次已经是第三次与上海W+K合作。据Raymond介绍，Ralf有独特的叙事方式，他不喜欢脚本，他喜欢以敏锐的眼光、以纪录片的手法去捕捉真实细微的瞬间。他这种风格在屡获大奖的菲亚特汽车广告“La Vita”最具代表性。在这次开拍的时候，他鼓励演员去临场发挥，以本色出演，例如片中的乐队特地在一个废弃的上海大楼里为乐迷办了一个小型的私密音乐趴。导演在乐队与乐迷的互动过程中捕捉到最真实和自然的时刻，这也正是此片的独特之处。
想要证明陌陌上面到底什么有趣的角色？W+K认为就得先让人瞧瞧现在陌陌的真实用户都是些什么人，以他们的自身说法就最有说服力。
Raymond形容近一周的拍摄过程就像一场精心编排过的混乱 – 所有看似毫无章法的即兴背后都需要周密的策划，最终才制造角色完美的“冲动”。在最终的广告片里，我们看到了各种个性的“肆意发挥”。
雷蒙说：“我觉得这一轮的市场活动和本次的电视广告能使大家对陌陌的看法发生变化，逐渐开始了解到它的真正意义。现在大家可以期待到通过陌陌认识到什么人群。广告引起人们的好奇心，越来越多人开始真正关注起陌陌这个品牌。
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