Just like in Lord of the Rings, where the One True Ring needed to be unforged in the fires of Mount Doom, the horror that has been "fun with faces" must end where it began: Office Max's "Elf Yourself" campaign, which is now in its third year. Today, agencies argue over who should get credit. Tomorrow, they will each be blaming each other for the debacle. Let's discuss:
There was a time (2006) when putting your face (!!!) on the body of a puppet was new and exciting. It was a great way to use the web to engage audiences. It had the power literally to give them a starring role in your brand's story. But it ain't 2006 no more. It's 2009 (rounding up), and it's time to move on.
It's not Office Max's fault, but this meme has been done to death. An Adweek editorial (that we tore to shreds) from this past year accused the Internet of failing at being a storytelling medium. We wouldn't accuse an early adolescent at failing at life, yet the editorial accused the Internet, in its early adolescence, of failure in what is going to be the most important skill in the post-advertising age: the ability to tell stories. Yet, if we get hung up on gimmicks like "fun with faces," the Internet may not get a chance to succeed as a true storytelling medium. And, honestly, aside from some very NSFW situations, I don't need to see my face bouncing up and down like a yo-yo on a string in any new settings, thank you very much.
(But if you feel the urge, go here to participate in round three of Office Max's Elf Yourself campaign. New features have been added, including new dances and ways to save and share videos.)