(VIDEO) Advert of cordless bungee jump goes viral

The world is saturated with advertising. Adverts are a dime a dozen and it is like a war, with brands doing their utmost to grab a few seconds of the consumer’s attention. We all know that the days of traditional advertising are numbered, even though television ad spend is still leading the pack.

The modern consumer is bored, has a short attention span for nonsense and really doesn’t want to be told that experts with shiny teeth have scientifically proven that bristles at a 30 degree angle clean your teeth better. We are young and savvy and can see through the dung. What consumers need is content, a story, something to tweak their imagination and grip their attention. Consumers want to invest in what they are seeing, and want to believe they are making choices on how to spend their valuable time.

With this in mind, IKEA – the global Swedish powerhouse – took advertising to another level in the digital space. They wanted to advertise a wireless cellphone charger. We can all think of a hundred ways to do this – maybe a kid tripping over wires and cutting her lip, maybe an older man struggling to untangle a clutter of chords or maybe a cool, hip youngster living in an inner-city pad. However, we have seen that and done that. So what?

IKEA Belgium enlisted the services of BBD Brussels to think out of the box and demand attention.

The thought process probably started with a bunch of creatives in a room with the following word on a board – cordless. A cellphone charger has evolved to be cordless, what else could be cordless that currently demands a cord? What better way to take this to the extreme than to imagine cordless bungee jumping – ridiculous but amazingly cool! An extreme sport gone cordless. Brilliant.

And so they created the video that has gone viral and split commentators down the middle. Some people appreciate the build-up and tension built in the fantastical world of awe, while others feel let down by the sell at the end. Either way, IKEA has received exactly what it set out to achieve – it’s wireless charger campaign is viral worldwide.

Watch the video and share your thoughts. It really is worth watching – and as you do, try and analyse your emotions and feelings as you go on the journey. Is this cutting-edge advertising and brand awareness, or is it a cheap shot and letting the consumer down?

Have a look at the excitement it is causing on our sister site Connect!