Vasakronan copies Fat Boy Slim

OOOh, will you look at that, someone has a serious case of demo-love it seems?

Or, do you really think that the team behind the dancing actor Michael Persbrant for Vasakronan never saw Christopher Walken strut his stuff in Fat Boy Slim's video "weapon of choice"? 

Researcher thought the Vasakronan ad was great, because you so seldom see big bombastic ads in Sweden. True.

But it wasn't long before a commenter named Martin muttered "so frickin' stolen from Fat Boy Slims video". Aye.

 

After watching both, I have to agree - this seems more than just a little inspired. Got the famous male actor/bad boy? Check. Got him dancing? Check. In an empty office building at night? Check. Got him flying around at the end? Check. Lets see now, what's missing? Oh yeah, dancing talent in Persbrants/Vasakronan's case. At least Christopher can move!

 

See and judge for yourself. Go here to Resumes filmrum to watch the Persbrant/Vasakronan dance. Or here in the commercials archive: Vasakronan - 9 to 5 Michael Persbrandt (2006) - (Sweden)

 

 Update Saturday 9th of December

 

From Resume advertising magazine comes this quote (see bottom of the article):

 

The Concept and feeling is a lot like Spike Jonze awarded video Weapon Of choice with a dancing Christopher Walken. - "Yes, we've been inspired by that, We saw it this summer together and it has the same feeling that we want to portray", says Bengt Möller Information Director at Vasakronan

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deeped's picture

I love when you slap me like that dab ;)

Plywood's picture

Did the creative team base their spot on the video?

Fuck, who knows?

If you really want to ge to the bottom of it, then why don't you ask them?

Unless you're willing to go the distance and actually find out the truth, then I would prefer if you just pointed out ads that look similar without any editorializing and just leave them as "interesting coincidences". Otherwise this just sounds a little catty and gossipy without any facts.

Just my 2 cents. (on each and every this-ad-looks-like-that-ad post you make)

Dabitch's picture

I stand by my catty comment that Michael Persbrant can't dance. As for the rest I've asked you to "judge for yourself", which you have. Bravo.

MaryWills's picture

I heart Christopher Walken. I think you are right Dabitch, this has to be a case of at least inspiration. I think I knew of this video before I even knew who Fat Boy Slim was as it got lots of exposure.

deeped's picture

And who cares? Do you really think that Felix Herngren and the other ones on SWE would say "oh yes, we had no idea of our own so we took Spike Jonzes idea"... my god your freakin' na

caffeinegoddess's picture

Geez, it's like the Groovecutter/French Connection deal from earlier this year. Maybe they saw all the press that got and decided to go for broke.

aiiobo's picture

It's a bit like the Lynx vs New Found Glory, only reversed video to ad, ad to video. Plywood calls that one a rip-off.

Pilo's picture

M

Dabitch's picture

He still dances about as well as a can of baked beans.

Plywood's picture

To aiiobo:

Yep I did call that a rip off. But I'm kind of changing my tune on these incidents.
Similarities happen all the time, and I think to begin the discussion with the assumption of plagiarism is dangerous, not to mention a bit cheesy and easy, as opposed to having the balls to find out the truth, which isn't so easy to do.
But hey - what the fuck do I know.

deeped's picture

And the little tiny problem you avoid taking under consideration is that the truth isn