Brands test out longer ad formats online

Chipotle, a Thai phone company, and a novelty item are all vying for customers with longer attention spans.

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That’s the question marketers are facing these days with the proliferation of short-video sites like Vine and Instagram making it easy for brands to find and engage with fans in quick-hit content.

We recently told you about a few using Vine, but here are some companies that have gone long-form with mixed results.

Chipotle had a big win with another animated, music-driven “commercial” featuring Fiona Apple and a Willy Wonka theme. Two years ago, the company took a similar approach when it animated a commercial to the sounds of Willie Nelson covering Coldplay’s “The Scientist.” Their videos have a heavy message and the feel of something important happening. Here’s their latest edition, titled “The Scarecrow”:

Another long-form commercial had Reddit going nuts a few days ago. This one was from Thailand, from the TrueMove H phone company. The message is simple: The best communication is the act of giving. And the video? Well, try not to cry:

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