Dupont: Open Science

Here's a new spot by the Ogilvy, NYC team. They animate a fictional world and try to explain what 'open science' is. I'm not impressed.

Sure, commercials like this are nice to look at. They're visually appealing and have a certain artistic charm, but what else? A good advertisement has to be more than just pristine execution. Any ad agency can make a pretty spot with an endless budget, but a creative idea- something special needs to be added, and I don't think this commercial had it. Check out the dialogue:

"What is open science? It's minds working together to do amazing things. It can rebuild cities, making them safer and more sustainable. It can bring solar power to remote villages. It makes materials lighter, which saves fuel. It can feed a growing planet. Science that's open, opens up possibilities everywhere."

Sounds good, right? They've paid close attention to their audience, by using words and phrases that will be met with agreement, such as "sustainable," "solar power," and "saves fuel." But is this what you're really doing, Dupont? Show me some remote villages that you're providing solar power to. Give me an example of the sustainable methods you employ. Explain how open science can "feed the planet." Oh, what Dupont? You can't. This was all just vague rhetoric you used to accompany some fancy visuals.

Why create this animated fantasy world, where the skies are blue and cities are built in the blink of an eye? Is it because the real world we reside in is so far from that ideal that it seems like an impossibility to attain the things that you promise?

Face the facts. Our planet is in a dire situation, and life is not flowers and butterflies. Instead of lying to the public by exhibiting a perfect dream world, get real and start putting your "science" where your mouth is.

Something like this ad from wecansolveit.org is what I'd rather be seeing from Dupont.