The plan is we have no plan

A couple of months ago, the Italian fashion company Diesel decided to throw a 30th birthday party.

The idea was to hold the event in 17 different countries on the same day. And everyone was invited. You could apply for a ticket to a gig near where you live or you could join in online.

Bands lined up to play included N.E.R.D, Mark Ronson, Pedro Winter, Mr Oizo and M.I.A. Called The Dirty 30 Party, the invitation was a viral video which took old porn movies and animated over them to give a new and innocent meaning to the naughty scenes you see.

At exactly the same time the viral was pinging its way around the globe, so too was a rumour about a special limited edition pair of birthday jeans for just €30. So, Diesel didn’t forget product while supporting the brand. And the results? Well, Diesel are keeping those to themselves at the moment. Be warned, if you’re conservative, mature in outlook as well as years, this video can offend.

But altogether less controversial, though equally lovingly made, is another recent Diesel video which has just won a Gold at the EPICA awards. It’s an adventure story and shows off Diesel Kid’s range beautifully and appropriately. You can see the whole 7 minute film on Youtube if you key in Diesel Kids Explorers.

Ten years ago, Diesel made brilliant TV ads. Now they don’t make TV ads at all. They make videos like these, which their audiences actively seek out and pass on to their friends.

You can’t put together a traditional media plan when you think about advertising on the internet. You can’t do predictive sums about frequency and reach. But you know what? Diesel don’t do these online ads because they’re modern and they’re fun. They do them because they work.