1980′s 10 point Video Marketing Checklist:

1. Smokin’ hot models? Check.
2. … with big hair? Check.
3. Flashdance-style soundtrack? Check.
4. Wicked locations? Beach & Ghost town, check.
5. Incomprehensible video plot? Check.
6. Popular movie to rip-off (pay homage to)? Footloose, check.
7. Disco dancers? Check.
8. Neon? Check.
9. Product? Yeah… it’s butt-ugly but the client wants it in the shots (stupid client). Check.
10. Cultural Reference? It’s a French car, we couldn’t get the guy with a beret on a bicycle carrying a baguette so we went with mimes. Check.

In many ways the eighties were a cultural wasteland. This marketing video for the Renault Alliiance (Convertible) represents that era well. At over three minutes I can’t imagine where this video would have been shown (Disco’s?) but considering the obvious investment in staging, sets, choreography etc. it must have had an audience. It’s fun to watch but I’m not sure why. What’s the opposite of nostalgia?