Has anyone seen the new Kodak commercials? The super-cute clips chronicle high school girls capturing their world on camera, with tear-jerking results. From the Goth girl snapping subway shots to the student bringing her classmates together on film, the minute-long spots feature kicking soundtracks and some very sneaky marketing tactics.
The advertising department at Kodak has tucked web addresses inside their trendy ads. Check out the poster of poster-child "Suzi"--her bedroom wall reads "foundmyvoice.org." Visit the link on the Onet, and you'll find a fake webpage, complete with reproductions of the commercial pics, plus links to community service organizations, online photo galleries and, of course, Kodak.
The other commercial features a similar plug, a blackboard backdrop that reads "seemyview.com." Stick that one into your browser and find Melanie, the raven-haired high school girl showing us her world. Melanie's page has equally fake-cheesy graphics mixed with professional quality pictures. Her links include the mandatory Kodak plug, a webpage for skate culture, and a site dedicated entirely to Halloween.
The pages have no storyline, no videoclips and certainly nothing comparable to the flawless web marketing displayed during the Blair Witch blitz. Still, the sites are a lot of fun, especially if you dig the commercials. Clicking the Kodak link takes us to the company homepage, where you can examine cameras, check out film and see the future of Kodak advertising. On the company webpage are mini-profiles of Kodak kids Melanie and Suzi, as well as new additions Cody, Brooke, Drew, Joel, Cindy and John. Recess will be looking out for their Kodak moments, coming soon to a TV near you.
--By Faran Krentcil
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