Clever Creative: Clothes Minded

Posted Thursday January 05^th, 2017 by Caitlin Artigliere in Creativity + Art.

You may know John Malkovich as an award-winning actor, producer and director. In today’s “Clever Creative” from Squarespace, we watch him take on his most difficult role to date: fashion-designer. If you didn’t know, Malkovich studied costume designing in college, does costume design for the theater and also debuted a clothing line at New York Fashion Week in 2010. He may be known for his acting skills, but he also has some serious sewing skills. Check out Squarespace's latest ad that helps clothes-minded John Malkovich turn his dreams into a reality, despite some close-minded people:

Why our GEMites liked this Clever Creative:

Since it’s a new year, there’s been a lot of talk in our office, as there is everywhere, about what we want to get out of 2017. As we learned from this timely ad, John Malkovich wants to become a fashion designer this year. We love this creative because of its relevance to the new year. People are looking to reinvent themselves during this time and this ad plays to that fact. Malkovich’s drive and determination to pursue a different passion is something that most entrepreneurs (Squarespace's target market) experience.

However, the main reason we love this ad is its well-done cinematic storytelling. We don’t just see Malkovich as an actor one day and a designer the next. The ad takes us through his journey in an artful way. From Malkovich’s realization that he wants something more, to his triumphant walk down the runway with his designs, at the end of his very own fashion show. This ad is sewn together like an elegant tapestry, and is as beautiful and fluid as the music playing in the background — which is why we love it.

Why our fellow creatives should like this:

Besides getting to watch a well-known actor experience the trials and tribulations of every entrepreneur, our fellow creatives should like this ad because of its ability to sell a service without really selling it. A lot of companies think ads need to throw the product or service in consumers’ faces, but that’s not the case. This ad from Squarespace is the perfect example of how you can sell your offering without even showing it. Squarespace is not just trying to sell a service, they are trying to sell the experience and support you get with them.

The message in the ad is simple: When you feel like no one else is supporting you, we will. This is something that’s applicable to any entrepreneur, which just amplifies its effectiveness. The ad shows that it doesn’t matter if you’re a famous celebrity, or an average Joe starting a business, there will always be people trying to put you down, or crush your dreams, but no matter what Squarespace will support you.

Let us know what you think, and look out for next week’s installment of Clever Creative!

If you’re looking for some clever creative of your own, feel free to contact us.

Clever Creative: Clothes Minded

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