How to Create With What You Have

In a lot of ways it feels like we're all drowning in content each day. But if you're a marketer actually trying to find visuals to build your ads around, the quarantine era has made that tougher than ever.

As we saw when two Super Bowl ads included the same stock footage, there's a lot of demand out there for video without much supply.

But what if you already have what you need? What if your product is even your content?

Streaming service Topic, which specializes in international thrillers and dramas, found a wonderfully creative solution in that vein with its first brand campaign. The work uses real scenes from the service's shows, but replaces the bleak dialogue with funny quips about life in quarantine.

Even if viewers don't catch that the footage is unrelated to the subtitles (I initially assumed it was just footage shot to resemble crime shows, but even my weak French and German were enough to spot the disconnect), it's a relatable and eye-catching campaign.

Check out the spot and see what you think.

And speaking of which, my own streaming queue is a bit dry these days. What hidden gems have you found lately worth watching? Let me know  at the email below or at @Griner on Twitter.

David Griner
International Editor, Adweek
[email protected]

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