Motion Theory for NYC Tourism

This new spot from Motion Theory designed to promote the The Big Apple has been making the rounds, but it’s with a little hesitation that I post it here. MTh did a bang-up job as always. Various illustrative and 3D styles are tossed together in a visual salad that holds together nicely. But there’s something amiss in the underlying concept.

The best thing about visiting New York is the way the city surprises you. A dingy door at the end of a hidden alley turns out to be the greatest salsa bar in the universe. An impromptu parade through Brooklyn sweeps you and your kids away in a cacophony of noise and music. It’s the things you can’t plan about New York that make it worth a visit.

And while this spot does focus on surprise, it feels more like the kind found in pop-up books: in your face and lacking subtlety. The complete lack of narrative feels like a real lost opportunity to explain what makes New York a truly magical place. It’s the about the stories you tell when you come back, not what you see when you’re there.