The Advertising Lessons of the Violinist

With the news that YouTube plans to offer pre-roll ads this summer, I fear for the looming onslaught of online video. It seems the advertisers are lazy, and need all this "new" to feel like the old way. Only then will they be comfortable enough to spend the money. And we get screwed.

Three minds points us to this story about a Washington Post experiment gone depressing. Violin virtuoso Joshua Bell engaged in a test of context, or at least our collective morning consciousness. One of the most incredible musicians in the world played some of the most fascinating classical pieces ever written, for free, in the DC Metro. He wore casual clothes, and left his case open for tips in normal street musician style, while he bowed his 3.5 million dollar Stradivarius.

Interview magazine once said his playing "does nothing less than tell human beings why they bother to live."

Yet, only 7 people of over a thousand even stopped. He only made a little over 32 dollars.

Why? Context. He was largely ignored because someone standing where he was, looking like he did, didn't deserve attention, no matter how well he performed.

So, as we work to preserve our same old context in these new video surroundings, maybe we should ask ourselves why. We should try a little harder to surprise and delight, not necessarily preserve and make more palatable.

Because the 30 second commercial, the newspaper ad, the billboard, the radio spot, you can make them just as good as Joshua Bell, but they'll still be ignored. You can't fight complacency with context. You'll just fail more quickly.

Below is the hidden camera video of the experiment.

Comments

[Katie Chatfield]

Damn this is good Paul!!

[Valeria Maltoni]

Paul:

While I cannot view the video (firewall at work, dial-up at home… I know, I know) this post of yours inspires a thought. Perhaps in addition to context, we are dealing with perception.

If Bell had dressed the part, what would have happened? People would not have expected to see him dressed to the nines and playing with flair at a Metro stop -- they would have stopped for the treat. The dress code and theatrics would have invited some sort of permission. The rags communicated interruption.

Then let's consider why the YouTube spontaneous stuff wants to be that way -- it's a reaction to the packaged stuff and another issue of perception, only reversed. The halting piece here is the feel of home made, genuine. It communicates a true desire to connect or at best the lack of need for approval – and the reason why it becomes popular is that it doesn’t want to be at first. It’s an experiment.

I think it's worth for marketers to ask themselves the question: is my campaign an attempt at honest conversation or is it an attempt at something else? People object to the something else.

[Mack Collier]

I think we also need to consider relevance. The manager that's due at a meeting in 4 mins and he's 7 mins from work could care less who was playing there, and would likely never notice them. Then again, when he's looking for a concert this Friday night, and sees that Bell is performing, he might willingly plop down a C-note to hear him, when earlier he could have for free.

[Paul McEnany]

Thanks, Katie!

Valeria- Definitely a good question to ask. Is this authentic? But, even if he was tuxed up, maybe a few more people would have stopped, but I doubt too many more. This is one of the greatest musicians to ever live, it might even be a little depressing if garb actually plays into our perception so much.

I think there's a bigger point here, somewhere. I guess being the best just doesn't matter when you're talking to a crowd who doesn't care.

And, that brings up your point about relevance, Mack. Which, I agree with. If everyone in the metro were regular concert-hall attendees, then of course many more would stop. So, relevancy is still the most important message, be relevancy in new context makes you more likely to be noticed.

Interesting to think about, that's for sure.

[James-H]

Context is a good argument. I'm not sure if I'm making an altogether different one if I say "Target." For instance, if he was playing in the same metro but at a stop frequented by the art crowd (say the Foggy Bottom stop, underneath the Kennedy Center, on a symphony night) he'd make more money than if he was playing outside a Redskins Game.

Mack: If I'm a symphony fan, and I'm seven minutes late, but I hear flawless Rachmaninov being played by some plain-clothes kid in the metro, I'm going to be late. And I can probably tell you how much the strad. is worth too.

Context probably also saved this guy's life. If anyone in that subway knew there was a 3.5million dollar violin in there, I think some disreputable folks would have probably hung around to case the case.

[Paul McEnany]

Ha! No Shit. I didn't even think of that.

But, you guys are right, it's definitely a combination of context and relevance. It's still depressing though. Makes me wonder if I'd stop...

[Sean Howard]

Insert slow, amazed clapping here.

One of your best posts, Paul.

Brilliant.

Love the connection you drew between advertising and context.

[Paul McEnany]

Thanks, man!