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The Moon Unit

The Moon Unit

Insight
2nd Dec 2024
No budget? No problem; how AI is levelling the playing field

No budget? No problem; how AI is levelling the playing field

Big ideas, big stars and big productions have been the sole preserve of big budgets since the dawn of advertising. But, says The Moon Unit, with the advent of artificial intelligence, technology is now allowing Goliath-like ideas to be made by David-sized budgets. Can AI strike a blow for equal creative opportunity?

Insight
14th May 2024
When capitalism ends, what happens to advertising?

When capitalism ends, what happens to advertising?

When it comes to advertising, many people would say the most important 'c' involved is creativity. But what if it's not? What if capitalism holds the key to the future of the business? And what happens, asks The Moon Unit, if capitalism crumbles?

Insight
19th Mar 2024
Thinking about shooting a short film? Try a long ad instead

Thinking about shooting a short film? Try a long ad instead

Short films can be incredibly impressive and hugely artistic, but can they kick-start a career in advertising? Not according to The Moon Unit, who argue that if you're looking for a calling card, have a spec spot to hand.

Insight
22nd Feb 2024
Does Sora mark the end for directing as we know it?

Does Sora mark the end for directing as we know it?

With OpenAI's new text-to-video software leaving slack-jaws around the industry, The Moon Unit speculates if we're looking at a new chapter in filmmaking.

Insight
19th Feb 2024
Why no one cares about ads any more (with one significant exception)

Why no one cares about ads any more (with one significant exception)

Collective experiences can super-charge an ad but, says The Moon Unit, with the advent of streaming platforms and the fragmentation of viewing habits, those experiences are increasingly hard to come by... but not impossible.

Insight
30th Jan 2024
Prompt Engineers; the new wave of emerging talent

Prompt Engineers; the new wave of emerging talent

This month we've been talking about new talent; emerging creatives and directors honing their skills in order to find a place in the industry. But what if those skills are changing? What if there's a new job role that will supersede the more traditional advertising ones? The Moon Unit investigates...

Insight
24th Nov 2023
Christmas ads: where are the ideas?

Christmas ads: where are the ideas?

When the time comes to unwrap the festive filmic treats bestowed upon us each year by brands we are, too often, receiving gifts we've already been given. At least, that's the view of The Moon Unit, who believe brands are 'rifling through the same box of tricks'.

Insight
12th Oct 2023
Will animation companies still exist in five years' time?

Will animation companies still exist in five years' time?

It can be creative, distinctive and has the potential to work brilliantly for clients but, says The Moon Unit, animation is also facing a trifecta of troubles which present an explosive risk to the medium and the companies that facilitate it.

Insight
11th Sep 2023
Is it possible to work in advertising and have a conscience?

Is it possible to work in advertising and have a conscience?

Would you work on a campaign for an arms company? Probably not. A tobacco company? No, it's illegal. At least it is in the UK, but how about elsewhere in the world? And what about fossil fuel? Or sugary drinks? Or alcohol? Moral decisions can sometimes be a maze of 'ifs and buts' and, as The Moon Unit outlines, while a moral framework is incredibly important, it's also fraught with dilemmas.

Insight
19th Jun 2023
Cannes; the festival of insecure overachievers?

Cannes; the festival of insecure overachievers?

As the advertising industry decamps to Cannes The Moon Unit asks whether the success of the festival is because advertising harbours so many brilliantly creative and successful people who are, at the same time, unsure of their own worth.

Insight
15th May 2023
The rise of AI companions; advertising’s final frontier?

The rise of AI companions; advertising’s final frontier?

For advertisers, consumers developing an emotional attachment to their wares is the Holy Grail. But what if emotional attachment isn't just a consequence but, seemingly, the whole point of a product's existence? Here, The Moon Unit examines an artificial intelligence anomaly which has brought ethical confusion and governmental oversight into the arguments over AI.

Insight
2nd May 2023
AI is an opportunity to remind ourselves what creativity really is

AI is an opportunity to remind ourselves what creativity really is

Artificial intelligence is here to stay, but how scared should we be? Will computers take our jobs? Will technology render creative people obsolete? No chance, according to The Moon Unit, who, as we begin this month's Tech Focus, argue that there are two things which set human creativity apart which AI will never be able to replicate.

Insight
20th Mar 2023
How advertising falls into fight, flight or freeze... and what to do about it

How advertising falls into fight, flight or freeze... and what to do about it

Faced with fear, humans generally have three responses; run and hide, play dead, or come out swinging. But those responses evolved from a time when danger was almost always life threatening. So, how do they relate to today's fears? The Moon Unit reevaluates our fight, flight and freeze responses for a modern world.

Insight
24th Feb 2023
Sensual satisfaction: make them lick the screen

Sensual satisfaction: make them lick the screen

What’s the secret to producing a great food and drink ad? The Moon Unit suggests we can stoke desire in the kitchen by drawing on what creates desire in the bedroom.

Insight
23rd Nov 2022
What do this year’s Christmas ads tell us about society?

What do this year’s Christmas ads tell us about society?

What might the release of this year's crop of Christmas ads tell us about the world we're living in? From being sad and lonely to having doubts about the economic engine of capitalism, The Moon Unit examines some festive fears.

Insight
12th Oct 2022
Parody ads that hit harder than the real thing

Parody ads that hit harder than the real thing

Things aren't always what they initially seem, particularly with parody ads where shocking satire can hide behind a mask of normality. The Moon Unit explores the evolution of spoofing and examines why, in the world of parodic advertising, comedy has given way to culture-jamming.

Insight
16th Sep 2022
The lure of the new… and how to hack it

The lure of the new… and how to hack it

Like magpies attracted to shiny things, humans are attracted to the new. This, as The Moon Unit examines, is a hardwired, evolutionary phenomenon that could save your life or help you sell deodorant, because emphasising new is one of the oldest tricks in the book.

Insight
15th Jul 2022
Break taboos... win awards?

Break taboos... win awards?

Half of the battle, says The Moon Unit, is to attract attention, and breaking taboos can certainly do that. Whether it's admitting your product was terrible, bulldozing women's health barriers or alluding to defecating your pants, it'll get you noticed and possibly win you an award or two. But things don't always go to plan... especially if you're conjuring images of incest.

Insight
22nd Jun 2022
What will Cannes be like in 100 years?

What will Cannes be like in 100 years?

What categories might there be in the next century, and how will those messages be delivered? Will the Lions festival as we know it still exist and, crucially, will there still be rosé? The Moon Unit cracks out its crystal ball to investigate.

Insight
23rd May 2022
The secret politics of the shoot

The secret politics of the shoot

Politics is just the art of getting things done, but has come to mean so much more. The Moon Unit look at the push-and-pull of a commercial shoot, examining who's really in charge, the tricky question of tribes and the ultimate conundrum of how to foster good communication.

Insight
22nd Apr 2022
Want to make great commercials? Try 'sadvertising'

Want to make great commercials? Try 'sadvertising'

If there's one thing guaranteed to bore a consumer, argues The Moon Unit, it's relentless positivity, because the ebb and flow of emotions is what creates a connection. Clients don't always see that, but mixing negativity with something more positive is a proven path to success.

Insight
18th Mar 2022
Why the public hates the ads we love

Why the public hates the ads we love

If authenticity in advertising means being true to your brand, and to your consumers, then should the industry be more in tune with what those consumers actually like? The Moon Unit explores the disconnect between industry professionals - be they in advertising, movies or art - and the audiences they serve.

Insight
7th Mar 2022
Manifesto ads; has ‘corporate poetry’ outstayed its welcome?

Manifesto ads; has ‘corporate poetry’ outstayed its welcome?

When advertisers switched from concentrating on unique selling points to focussing on feelings, a monster was born. Manifesto ads with their earnest voiceovers, tinkly piano tracks and podium-like posturing have become client cat-nip. But, asks The Moon Unit, are they a force for good or actively evil?

Insight
18th Nov 2021
The Christmas ads and what they’re really saying

The Christmas ads and what they’re really saying

You may think festive ads are all about expensive gifts, overfed families and gaudy decorations but, says The Moon Unit, there are hidden depths to these Christmas confections that tackle human concerns such as the fear of isolation, the desire for freedom and meaningfulness, and our fear of death.

The Moon Unit

The Moon Unit

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