Rules Thrown Out the Window: Ogilvy & Mather's Scrabble Trickster Video Spot

Despite the controversy over Scrabble Trickster across the word world, Mattel's modern take on the classic crossword board game is out in stores— but not in the United States. It's only available in and around the UK, but you can snag your copy just in time for Christmas from Amazon UK. You can also visit the official Scrabble Trickster website. I imagine this is going to be a hot item in the United Kingdom this holiday season, but as for me— it's the one Scrabble game I refuse to add to my collection. I've never been keen on the idea of an uneducated version of an educational game.

Scrabble is a game that teaches new vocabularies and promotes lexical expansion. Scrabble Trickster is a game that encourages players to become lexicologically lackadaisical. Basically, it's unchallenging, unlike every other word game on the market.

They've thrown the rules out the window, and they're not afraid to admit it— or rub our faces in it—

When it comes to Scrabble adverts, no one does them better than Ogilvy & Mather. And that's why Mattel uses them. Ogilvy & Mather's past print ads are borderline controversial, but have never failed to spark new interest in the game. Now, if only Hasbro would follow suit, Scrabble may be more popular in the US.

Ogilvy & Mather's video campaigns tend to be more accessible, with a Europop sensibility aimed at a youthful generation of word whizzes. It's what "The Beautiful Word" campaign is all about, and they continue this technique with the newest Scrabble TV spot, The Block Project.

Since Mattel has "thrown the rules out the window" in Scrabble Trickster, it's no wonder The Block Project advertisement does exactly that.

During the video (which is over 3 minutes!), people, gorillas and monsters interact oddly with each other via the front of large apartment building, while pedestrians on the street below watch in confusion and amazement. Eventually, a slew of pink rock princesses throw furniture out of the windows of the seventh floor, smashing it on the ground— essentially breaking all the rules.

It's a great ad, but would be a fantastic ad... if it weren't promoting Scrabble Trickster. Watch it below.

Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, Paris

Creative Director: Chris Garbutt

Creatives: Baptiste Clinet, Florian Bodet, Nicolas Lautier

Production Agency: Laure Bayle

Board Director: Marie Charlotte Lafront

Production Company: Paranoid

Director: Les Vikings

Music: Apollo Studios

Related Articles:

• The Complete List of Scrabble Video Commercials
• Ogilvy & Mather's Scrabble Prints
• Ogilvy & Mather Scrabble Video Ads: Syphilis... Constipation?!?
• All of the Other Scrabble Prints & Posters
• A Step Back-"words" — Scrabble Trickster Hits UK Stores

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