Creative agency Atlantic New York is reminding everyone that Blockbuster Video is still alive with a brand new spot that honors the store's past locations.
Promoting the defunct video rental chain's last remaining store in existence, a short 30-second spot titled "Signs of the Times" features new businesses that took over old Blockbuster locations but kept the shape of its iconic signage.
According to Atlantic New York Senior Writer AO Baker, the campaign highlights the many businesses using the old Blockbuster sign silhouette to remind people of the brand's final location in Bend, Oregon.
The agency previously worked with Blockbuster Video to launch a campaign in February 2023, imagining the branch in a post-apocalyptic world at the end of the "streaming wars."
Sandi Harding, the manager of the last remaining Blockbuster store, briefly described the campaign in a statement, highlighting its significance for those who remember the brand's heyday.
"No matter who tries to close us down, or replace us, the Blockbuster brand will always be here," she concluded.
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The quirky campaign is as creative as it is memorable, positioning the defunct brand as a relic of a past age.
It's an excellent example of brand storytelling that creates a compelling narrative for a brand that people have mostly forgotten.
Utilizing an 80s-inspired sound design and VHS effects, the spot was able to capture the same mood of that era.
Remnants of a Bygone Era
Following the lead of its predecessor, "Signs of the Times" is made to look like it was recorded on VHS, with the nostalgic medium's trademark crackle and fuzzy overtone.
It begins with a montage of repurposed Blockbuster signs advertising different businesses, playing over a sad piano score.
The spot cuts to a blue screen that says: "One way or another, we'll still be here," before flashing a shot of the classic Blockbuster Video sign.
It ends with a simple shot of the last Blockbuster store in the world, which is located at 211 NE Revere Avenue in Bend, Oregon.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang
