View source for Cog (advertisement)

{{Short description|British television and cinema advertisement launched by Honda in 2003}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox TV advert
|name=Cog
|image=Honda cog commercial.jpg
|alt=a flat board strikes the tread of a car tyre at a 45-degree angle. The tyre is balanced on top of a smaller piece of machinery on a wooden floor.
|caption=A [[film frame|frame]] from "'''Cog'''"
|client=[[Honda]]
|product=[[Honda Accord]]<br /> [[Honda Accord Euro]]
|agency=[[Wieden+Kennedy]]
|director=Antoine Bardou-Jacquet
|production company=[[Partizan Midi-Minuit]]
|producer=James Tomkinson
|post producer=Fi Kilroe
|starring=[[Garrison Keillor]] (voiceover)
|released= 6 April 2003 (television)
|runtime=120&nbsp;[[second]]s
|music=[[The Sugarhill Gang]] ("[[Rapper's Delight]]")
|sound design=[[Johnnie Burn]]
|language=[[English language|English]]
|budget=£1m (production)<ref name="Enc">Caso, Frank; "Honda UK: ''Grrr'' Campaign"; ''Encyclopedia of Major Marketing Campaigns, Vol 2.'', Thomson Gale, pp. 745–749. {{ISBN|978-0-7876-7356-7}}.</ref><br/>£6m (campaign)<ref name="Qletts">[[Quentin Letts|Letts, Quentin]]; "[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/1427400/Lights-Camera-Retake.html Lights! Camera! Retake!]", ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', 13 April 2003. Retrieved 19 July 2009.</ref>
|country=United Kingdom, Australia, Worldwide
|preceded_by="Play"
|followed_by="Sense"
|website=http://www.honda.co.uk
}}

"'''Cog'''" is a British [[television advertisement|television and cinema advertisement]] launched by [[Honda]] in 2003 to promote the [[Honda Accord (Japan and Europe seventh generation)|seventh-generation]] [[Honda Accord|Accord]] line of cars. It follows the convention of a [[Rube Goldberg machine]], utilizing a chain of colliding parts taken from a disassembled Accord. [[Wieden+Kennedy]] developed a £6&nbsp;million marketing campaign around "Cog" and its partner pieces, "Sense" and "Everyday", broadcast later in the year. The piece itself was produced on a budget of £1&nbsp;million by [[Partizan Midi-Minuit]]. Antoine Bardou-Jacquet directed the seven-month [[Filmmaking|production]], contracting [[The Mill (post-production)|The Mill]] to handle [[post-production]]. The 120-second final cut of "Cog" was broadcast on British television on 6 April 2003, during a commercial break in [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]'s coverage of the [[2003 Brazilian Grand Prix]].

The campaign was very successful both critically and financially. Honda's [[.uk|UK domain]] saw more [[web traffic]] in the 24&nbsp;hours after the ad's television debut than all but one UK automotive brand received during that entire month. The branded content attached to "Cog" through [[interactive television]] was accessed by more than 250,000 people, and 10,000 people followed up with a request for a [[brochure]] for the Honda Accord or a [[DVD]] copy of the advertisement. 

The high cost of 120-second slots in televised commercial breaks meant that the full version of "Cog" was broadcast only a handful of times, and only in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Sweden. Despite its limited run, it is regarded as one of the most groundbreaking and influential commercials of the 2000s, and received more awards from the television and advertising industries than any commercial in history.<ref name=Sweney07>{{cite news| last = Sweney | first = Mark | url = https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/nov/08/advertising | title = Guinness ad topples record | work = [[The Guardian]] | date = 8 November 2007 | accessdate = 29 March 2011 }}</ref> However, it has also faced persistent accusations of plagiarism by [[Peter Fischli & David Weiss|Peter Fischli and David Weiss]], the creators of ''[[The Way Things Go]]'' (1987).<ref name="Mark">"[http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/181026/Honda-cog-ad-centre-rip-off-debate-1987-film/ Honda 'cog' ad at centre of rip-off debate over 1987 film], ''[[Marketing (magazine)|Marketing]]'', 27 May 2003. Retrieved 29 March 2011.</ref>

==Sequence==
"Cog" opens with a [[close-up]] on a [[Transmission (mechanics)|transmission]] [[Bearing (mechanical)|bearing]] rolling down a board into a [[Manual transmission#Synchronized transmission|synchro hub]]. The hub in turn rolls into a gear wheel cog, which falls off the board and into a [[camshaft]] and [[pulley|pulley wheel]]. The camera [[tracking shot|tracks]] slowly from left to right, following the domino chain of reactions across an otherwise empty gallery space. The complexity of the interactions increases as the commercial progresses, growing from simple collisions to [[zipline]]s made from a bonnet release cable, scales and see-saws constructed from multiple carefully balanced parts, and a swinging [[Mobile (sculpture)|mobile]] of suspended glass windows. Later sequences begin to make use of the Accord's electronic systems; the automated water sensors attached to the windscreen are used to make wiper blades start crawling across the floor, and a side door with a door-mirror indicator lowers the automated window to let a part pass through.

The majority of "Cog" takes place in complete silence, the only sounds coming from the collisions of the pieces themselves. This is broken with the activation of the [[Compact disc|CD]] player from the Accord, which begins playing [[The Sugarhill Gang]]'s 1979 single "[[Rapper's Delight]]". The sequence ends when the button of an electronic [[Key (lock)#Car key|key fob]] is pressed, closing the [[hatchback]] of a fully assembled Honda Accord Wagon on a carefully balanced trailer. The car rolls off the trailer, and stops in front of a [[Tonneau|tonneau cover]] bearing the "Accord" marque, while narrator [[Garrison Keillor]] asks "Isn't it nice when things just work?". The screen fades to white and the piece closes on the Honda logo and the brand's motto, "The Power of Dreams".<ref>{{Citation |title=Rapper's Delight performed by The Sugarhill Gang - Pop Culture Cross-References and Connections on @POPisms |url=https://www.popisms.com/Song/6323/Rappers-Delight-The-Sugarhill-Gang-1979 |access-date=2023-11-23}}</ref>

==Production==
===Background===
[[File:Honda Accord front 20080521.jpg|right|thumb|alt=A blue saloon car parked in a bay in an empty car park. The licence plate is blank.|"Cog" was released to promote the seventh-generation [[Honda Accord]].]]
Honda's share of the European [[automotive industry|automotive market]] had been in decline since 1998, and the company's position as the number two Japanese automotive company, behind [[Toyota]], had been taken by [[Nissan Motors|Nissan]]. European consumers perceived the brand as staid and uninspiring, and the cars to be of lesser quality than those produced by European manufacturers.<ref name="Enc"/><ref>Manning, Jeff; "Mechanical Marvel", ''[[The Oregonian]]'', 29 April 2003.</ref> In one survey, one quarter of respondents "wouldn't dream of buying a Honda as their next car".<ref>"Which brand has the best advertising? Honda", ''Creative Review'', 22 September 2004.</ref> It was in this climate in 2001 that advertising agency [[Wieden+Kennedy]] proposed to Honda a new advertising strategy based on the company's Japanese motto, "Yume No Chikara" ("Power of Dreams"). The stated goal of the campaign was to increase Honda's share of the UK market to five percent within three years and to change the public image of the brand from "dull but functional" to "warm and consumer-friendly", all on a lower marketing budget than its predecessor agency had demanded.<ref name="Dob">Dobele, Angela; Toleman, David; Beverland, Michael; "Controlled infection! Spreading the brand message through viral marketing", ''[[Business Horizons]]'', Vol. 48, No. 2, March 2005, pp. 143–149.</ref>

The first series of promotions in the United Kingdom adopted the [[advertising slogan|strapline]] "What if...?", and explored various "dream-like" scenarios. The first television campaign explicitly introduced the premise of the campaign by asking what would happen if the world's favourite word ([[Okay]]) was replaced with "What if?". The next few pieces of the campaign, "Pecking Order", "Seats", and "Bus Lane" for television and "Doodle", "Big Grin", and "Oblonger" for radio, became progressively more surreal, and featured oddities ranging from a traffic cone draped in leopard fur to trees growing traffic lights from their branches.<ref name="Enc"/> In 2002, W+K Creative Directors Tony Davidson and Kim Papworth and creative team Matt Gooden and Ben Walker, proposed a new television and cinema advertisement to promote the [[Honda Accord (Japan and Europe seventh generation)|seventh-generation]] [[Honda Accord]] line that had recently been rolled out in Europe and Japan. The advertisement, based on a complex chain reaction of moving parts from the Accord itself,<ref name="MGBWint">Wynne, Christopher; "Interview with Matt Gooden and Ben Walker", ''Advertising'', 28 May 2004.</ref> was approved and given the working title "Cog".

===Pre-production===
Gooden and Walker had been working together since 1988. By 2002, their portfolio included a [[Guinness World Records|Guinness World Record]]-holding one-second advertisement produced for [[Leo Burnett Worldwide]], and a [[Major depressive disorder|depression]]-awareness booklet for the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust.<ref name="Adweek">Parpis, Eleftheria; "[http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/4202298-1.html Ben Walker On The Spot]", ''[[Adweek]]'', 21 June 2004. Retrieved 2 August 2009, via AllBusiness.com.</ref> Wieden+Kennedy approached Honda with a rough, low-budget 30-second trial film, inspired by the children's board game [[Mouse Trap (board game)|Mouse Trap]], [[Caractacus Potts]]' breakfast-making machine in the film ''[[Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (film)|Chitty Chitty Bang Bang]]'', and a 1987 Swiss [[art film]] by [[Peter Fischli & David Weiss|Peter Fischli and David Weiss]], ''Der Lauf der Dinge'' (''[[The Way Things Go]]'').<ref name="MGBWint"/>

The Honda executives were intrigued, but demanded a cut using actual automotive parts before giving permission to go ahead with the full-scale project.<ref name="Mae">Anderson, Mae; "[http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising/how-sell-strange-idea-6566 How to Sell a Strange Idea]", ''[[Adweek]]'', 14 July 2003. Retrieved 27 March 2011.</ref> "Cog" was approved with a budget of £1&nbsp;million, and Gooden & Walker recruited a London-based team to go through the logistics of the shoot in detail.<ref name="Enc"/> The team, which comprised engineers, [[special effect]]s technicians, car designers and even a sculptor, spent a month working with parts from a disassembled Honda Accord before the design for the advertisement's [[Set construction|set]] was even finalised.<ref name="MGBWint"/><ref name="Guardmay">"[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/may/09/2 The new Honda Accord – isn't it nice when things just... work?]", ''[[The Guardian]]'', 9 May 2003. Retrieved 2 September 2009.</ref> Approval for the script took another month. Honda insisted that several specific Accord features, such as a door with a wing-mirror indicator and a rain-sensitive windscreen, appear in the final cut. The company planned to highlight these features in sales brochures.<ref name="mad">Lucas, Gavin; "Disassembly Line", ''Creative Review'', 1 April 2003.</ref> Antoine Bardou-Jacquet was hired to direct the piece.<ref name="MGBWint"/> Bardou-Jacquet was mostly known for directing several award-winning [[music video]]s, including Alex Gopher's "The Child", [[Playgroup (band)|Playgroup]]'s "Number One", and [[Air (French band)|Air]]'s "How Does It Make You Feel".<ref name="Partizan">"[http://www.partizan.com/partizan/commercials/?antoine_bardou_jacquet/biography Profile: Antoine Bardou-Jacquet]", ''Partizan''. Retrieved 26 July 2009.</ref><ref>"[http://www.partizan.com/partizan/commercials/?antoine_bardou_jacquet/awards Awards: Antoine Bardou-Jacquet]", ''Partizan''. Retrieved 2 August 2009.</ref>

===Filming===
Bardou-Jacquet wanted to compose the advertisement with as little [[computer-generated imagery]] as possible, believing that the final product would be that much more appealing to its audience.<ref name="hard">Hardstaff, Johnny; "The Impossibly Real: Green Belting the Imaginary", ''[[Animation: An Interdisciplinary Journal]]'', July 2007 vol. 2 no. 2 pp. 187–201.</ref> To this end, he set two months aside for the creation of hundreds<ref name="Cognizant">Wakelin, Simon; "[http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/magazine/20030601/spot.html Cognizant kinetics] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217020120/http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/magazine/20030601/spot.html |date=17 February 2012 }}", ''[[Boards (magazine)|Boards]]'', 1 June 2003. Retrieved 2 August 2009.</ref> of conceptual drawings detailing various possible interactions between the parts, and a further four months for practical testing and development.<ref name="Guardmay"/> For the testing phase, the script was broken into small segments, each comprising only one or two interactions. Ideas deemed unworkable by the testing crew, such as [[airbag]] explosions and collisions between front and rear sections of the car, were abandoned,<ref name="MGBWint"/><ref name="Cognizant"/> and the remaining segments were slowly brought together until the full and final sequence was developed.<ref name="Cognizant"/>

The final cut of "Cog" consists of two continuous sixty-second [[tracking shot|dolly shots]] taken from a [[technocrane]], stitched together later in [[post-production]]. (The stitching appears during the moment when the exhaust [muffler] rolls across the floor.)<ref>"[http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/classic-ad-honda-cog/ Classic Ad: Honda ‘Cog’]", ''[[The New York Times]]'', 31 December 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2010.</ref> Four days of filming were required to get these two shots, two days for each minute-long section.<ref name="Cognizant"/> Filming sessions lasted seven hours and the work was exacting, as some parts needed to be positioned with an accuracy of {{convert|1/16|in|mm|1}}. Despite the detailed instructions derived from the testing period, small variations in ambient temperature, humidity and settling dust continually threw off the movement of the parts enough to end the sequence early. It took 90 minutes on the first day just to get the initial transmission bearing to roll correctly into the second.<ref name="mm">Boyer, Trevor; "Practical Motion", ''Millimeter'', 1 August 2003.</ref> Between testing and filming, it took approximately 100 takes to film the commercial. (Rumors about 606 takes were later debunked.)<ref>{{Cite web|title=FEATURE: The Making of Honda 'Cog'|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/feature-making-honda-cog/181579|access-date=2022-01-20|website=www.campaignlive.co.uk|language=en}}</ref> The team commandeered two of Honda's six hand-assembled Accords—one to roll off the trailer at the end of the advertisement, the other to be stripped for parts.<ref name="Qletts"/> While several sections of the early scripts had to be abandoned due to the total unavailability of certain Accord components, by the time production finished the accumulated spare parts filled two [[articulated vehicle|articulated]] [[truck|lorries]].<ref name="Qletts"/>

===Post-production===
"Cog" needed only limited post-production work, as the decision had been made early on to eschew computer-generated imagery wherever possible. To further reduce the work required, "Barnsley", a specialist in the [[Autodesk Media and Entertainment|Flame]] editing tool (real name, Andrew Wood),<ref>"The Mill Promotes Flame Artist Barnsley to Board", ''Broadcast'', 9 July 1999.</ref> from [[The Mill (post-production)|The Mill]], spent a lot of time on set during filming, where he advised the film crew on whether particular sections could be accomplished more easily by re-filming or by manipulating the image afterwards. Even so, the constant movement of the components on-camera made it difficult to achieve a seamless transition between the two 60-second shots. Several sections also required minor video editing, such as re-centering the frame to stay closer to the action, removal of wires, highlighting a spray of water, and adjusting the pace for dramatic purposes.<ref name="mad"/><ref name="mm"/>

==Release and reception==

===Schedule===
"Cog" was first aired on [[Television in the United Kingdom|British television]] on Sunday 6 April 2003. It filled an entire commercial break in [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]'s coverage of the [[2003 Brazilian Grand Prix|Brazilian Grand Prix]].<ref name="mad"/> The release was widely remarked upon by the media, with articles appearing in both [[broadsheets]] such as ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'',<ref name=Qletts/> ''[[The Independent]]''<ref name="York"/> and ''[[The Guardian]]'';<ref>Cozens, Claire; ''[https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2003/apr/15/features11.g2 Never work with cars]'', ''[[The Guardian]]'', 15 April 2003. Retrieved 3 September 2009.</ref> and [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid]] papers such as ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' and ''[[The Daily Mirror]]''.<ref name="hard"/> The day after "Cog"'s debut, the Honda website received more hits than at any time in its history, and overnight became the second most-popular automotive website in the UK.<ref name="MGBWint"/>

The full 120-second version of the advertisement aired only 10 times in all,<ref name="Mae"/> and only in the 10 days after the initial screening. The slots were chosen for maximum impact, mostly in high-profile sporting events such as the [[2002–03 UEFA Champions League|UEFA Champion's League]] [[Association football|football]] match between [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] and [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]].<ref name="Qletts"/> The full version was then put aside in favour of a 60-second and five 30-second variations, which continued to air for a further six weeks.<ref>Christie, Michael; "Now that's a real motion picture", ''[[Daily Record (Scotland)|The Daily Record]]'', 14 April 2003.</ref> These shortened versions made use of newly introduced [[interactive advertising|interactive options]] on the [[Sky Digital (UK & Ireland)|Sky Digital]] [[television network]]. Viewers were encouraged to press a button on their remote control, bringing up a menu that allowed the viewer to see the full 120-second version of the advertisement. Other menu options included placing an order for a free documentary DVD and a brochure for the Honda Accord.<ref>Whitehead, Jennifer; "[http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/176689/Honda-adds-interactive-element-epic-6m-Accord-ad/ Honda adds interactive element to epic £6m Accord ad]", ''Brand Republic'', 9 April 2003. Retrieved 3 September 2009.</ref> The DVD, which was also included as an insert in 1.2&nbsp;million newspapers in the first week of the commercial's rollout,<ref>"[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2847786/Ad-of-the-week-Hondas-stunner.html Ad of the Week: Honda's Stunner]", ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', 1 April 2003. Retrieved 3 September 2009.</ref> contained a "making-of" documentary featuring interviews and [[Making-of|behind-the-scenes]] footage of the production process, a virtual tour of the Accord, the original [[music video]] to "[[Rapper's Delight]]" by the [[The Sugarhill Gang|Sugarhill Gang]], and an illustrated guide to all the parts shown in "Cog".<ref>Fera, Rae Ann; "[http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/online/20030409/honda.html An idea deconstructed for Honda] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217020126/http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/online/20030409/honda.html |date=17 February 2012 }}", ''[[Boards (magazine)|Boards]]'', 9 April 2003. Retrieved 6 September 2009.</ref> The interactive 30-second versions of "Cog" proved hugely successful. More than 250,000 people used the menu option, spending an average of two-and-a-half minutes in the dedicated advertising area. A significant number watched the looped 120-second version for up to ten minutes. Of those who opened the menu, 10,000 requested either a DVD or a brochure, and Honda used the data collected from the interactive option to arrange a number of [[test drive]]s.<ref>"[http://www.thinkbox.tv/server/show/ConCaseStudy.330 Case Study: "Cog"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828112523/http://www.thinkbox.tv/server/show/ConCaseStudy.330 |date=28 August 2010 }}", ''[[Thinkbox]]''. Retrieved 3 September 2009.</ref>

Expansion of the "Cog" campaign to a worldwide market was fraught with a number of logistical difficulties. The cost of airing a 120-second commercial proved prohibitive in most markets.<ref name="Dob"/> This combined with Honda's use of different advertising agencies in different regions and the relative autonomy of its various [[Strategic business unit|business unit]]s in marketing decisions,<ref name="Enc"/> meant that "Cog" screened in only a few selected markets: the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Australia;<ref name="mm"/> and in cinemas in only a handful of other countries. For most markets, including the United States, the only way for audiences to see the piece was via the Internet, or in one of a handful of unsolicited and unpaid broadcasts on news channel review programmes.<ref name="Dob"/><ref>"[https://archive.today/20120723002536/http://www.canneslions.com/lions/videos.cfm?media_id=85 The story of Honda "Cog".]", [[Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival]] (2003).</ref> Traffic to Honda websites quadrupled; in the first few weeks, "Cog" was downloaded by over a million people. By mid-May, the number was twice that.<ref>[[John Battelle|Battelle, John]]; "Downloading the future of TV advertising", ''[[Business 2.0]]'', July 2003, p. 46.</ref> It has been estimated that more people in the United States voluntarily chose to watch "Cog" than any other Honda commercial.<ref>Jaffe, Joseph; ''Life After the 30-Second Spot'', John Wiley & Sons (1 July 2005), p. 193. {{ISBN|978-0-471-71837-6}}</ref>

In financial terms, "Cog" was an unprecedented success for Honda. The £32,000 spent on placements on the [[BSkyB]] network alone achieved a greater response than a previous £1&nbsp;million direct mailing campaign.<ref>Albaum, Gerald; Duerr, Edwin; ''International Marketing and Export Management'' (6th edition), Prentice Hall, 22 May 2008, p. 569. {{ISBN|978-0-273-71387-6}}</ref> Sales of Honda vehicles in the United Kingdom jumped by 28 percent, despite lower marketing and public relations spending by the company and an increase in prices relative to competitors' vehicles. Visits to Honda dealerships rose from an average of 3,500 to 3,700 per month, with 22 percent of these resulting in the purchase of a Honda, compared to 19 percent before the campaign.<ref name="Dob"/> In all, "Cog" has been credited with increasing Honda's revenue by nearly £400m.<ref>Earls, Mark; ''Herd: How to Change Mass Behaviour by Harnessing Our True Nature'', John Wiley & Sons Inc, 24 August 2009, p. 274. {{ISBN|978-0-470-68548-8}}</ref>

===Media reception===
The media reaction to the advertisement was equally effusive; ''[[The Independent]]''{{'s}} [[Peter York (author)|Peter York]] described it as creating "the water-cooler ad conversation of the year",<ref name="York">[[Peter York (author)|York, Peter]]; "[https://web.archive.org/web/20101003131920/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/clickstart-hondas-chain-reaction-is-poetry-in-motion-594254.html Click-Start: Honda's Chain Reaction is Poetry in Motion]", ''[[The Independent]]'', 13 April 2003. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> while [[Quentin Letts]] of ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' believed it was "certain to become an advertising legend".<ref name="Qletts"/>

===Plagiarism accusations===
Shortly after Cog appeared on television, Wieden+Kennedy received a letter from [[Peter Fischli & David Weiss|Peter Fischli and David Weiss]], creators of the 1987 art film ''[[The Way Things Go|Der Lauf der Dinge]]''. The film was well known in the advertising industry and its creators had been approached several times with offers for the right to use the concept, but had always declined. The letter pointed out several similarities between their work and "Cog", and warned the agency that they were considering legal action on the basis of the "commercialisation and simplification of the film's content and the false impression that [they] might have endorsed the use".<ref name="Bent">Bently, Lionel; Davis, Jennifer; Ginsburg, Jane C.; ''Copyright and Piracy: An Interdisciplinary Critique'', [[Cambridge University Press]], 28 October 2010, p. 329. {{ISBN|978-0-521-19343-6}}</ref> When interviewed by ''Creative Review'' magazine, the pair made clear that they wished they had been consulted on the advertisement, and that they would not have given permission if asked.<ref name="indcopy">Beard, Matthew; "[https://web.archive.org/web/20100109120947/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/artists-claim-honda-copied-their-film-in-tv-cog-advert-539158.html Artists claim Honda copied their film in TV cog advert]", ''[[The Independent]]'', 28 May 2003. Retrieved 3 September 2009.</ref> Media publications quickly picked up the story, and asserted that Fischli and Weiss were already in the process of litigation against the car manufacturer.<ref name="indcopy"/><ref>Cozens, Claire; "[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2003/may/28/arts.artsnews Spanner in the Works]", ''[[The Guardian]]'', 28 May 2003. Retrieved 3 September 2009.</ref><ref>Hazlehurst, Jeremy; "[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article854209.ece Art of the Big Steal]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}", ''[[The Times]]'', 1 August 2003. Retrieved 3 September 2009.</ref>

Comparisons were made between the case and that of [[Mehdi Norowzian]], a British director who complained about [[Diageo]]'s, the drinks conglomerate, for allegedly plagiarising his work in its 1994 ''[[Anticipation (advert)|Anticipation]]'' campaign for [[Guinness]]-brand [[stout]].<ref name="Mark"/><ref name="telemills">"Mills, Dominic; [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/2853721/Art-for-ads-sake-is-a-copyright-fight.html Art for ad's sake is a copyright fight]", ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', 3 June 2003. Retrieved 3 September 2009.</ref> The matter was complicated by the fact that Wieden+Kennedy acknowledged that the film had served as an "inspiration" for "Cog", and had distributed copies of the work to its script-writers.<ref name="hard"/> Ultimately, Fischli and Weiss did not file a lawsuit against either Wieden+Kennedy or Honda UK.<ref name="MGBWint"/>

===Awards===
{| align="right" style="valign=top; border:2px solid black; width:20%; margin:0 0 0.5em 1em;" class="collapsible collapsed"
! style="font-size:120%; text-align:center;" | List&nbsp;of&nbsp;awards
|-
|
{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="vertical-align:top;
|'''Advertising Creative Circle Awards'''<ref>Sweney, Mark; "[http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/204389/Honda-cog-takes-top-prize-Creative-Circle/ Honda 'cog' takes top prize at Creative Circle]", ''[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]'', 5 March 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2009.</ref>
|-
|
*Gold – Best Commercial
*Gold – Best Campaign or Series<ref name="with">With ''Sense'' and ''Everyday''.</ref>
*Platinum Honour
|-
|'''The Advertising Festival Awards'''
|-
|
*Winner – Best Creative Idea in Sound or Vision
*Winner – Best Use of Television
*Winner – Best Use of Cinema
*Winner – Best of Show (Gold Award)
|-
|'''APG Awards'''<ref>Edwards, Helen; Day, Derek; ''Creating Passion Brands: How to Build Emotional Brand Connection with Customers'', Kogan Page, 3 January 2007, p. 37. {{ISBN|978-0-7494-4762-5}}</ref>
|-
|
*Gold – Most Effective Commercial for an Established Brand
|-
|'''British Television Advertising Awards'''<ref>Hicks, Robin; "[http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/204822/Honda-cog-CHI-top-trophies-BTAA-honours-night/ Honda 'cog' and CHI take top trophies at BTAA honours night]", ''[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]'', 12 March 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2009.</ref><ref name="Chair">Inge, Charles; Inge, Clemmow Hornby; "[http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/204936/ The BTAA Awards 2004: Chairman's Foreword]", ''[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]'', 12 March 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2009.</ref>
|-
|
*Gold – Commercial of the Year (ITV Award)
*Gold – European Advertisements
*Gold – Cinema Advertisements
*Gold – Series
*Silver – Viral Advertisements
*Shortlist – Vehicles
|-
|'''[[Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival]]'''<ref>Editorial: "[http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/183991/EDITORIAL-W-ampKs-cog-brings-home-Cannes-gold/ W&K's 'cog' brings home a Cannes gold]", ''[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]'', 27 June 2003. Retrieved 26 July 2009.</ref>
|-
|
*Gold Lion – Cars
|-
|'''[[Clio Awards]]'''<ref>"[http://www.clioawards.com/archive/ Clio Awards Archives] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813191004/http://www.clioawards.com/archive/ |date=13 August 2013 }}", Clio Awards Authority, 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2009.</ref>
|-
|
*Winner – [[Grand Clio]]
*Gold – Automotive
|-
|'''Creative Circle Awards'''<ref>Sweney, Mark; "[http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/204389/ Honda 'cog' takes top prize at Creative Circle]", ''[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]'', 5 March 2004. Retrieved 2 August 2009.</ref>
|-
|
*Winner – Platinum Award (Best in Show)
*Gold – Best Commercial
*Gold – Campaign<ref name="with"/>
|-
|'''Cresta Awards'''<ref>"[http://www.cresta-awards.com/Results_Archive.aspx Cresta Awards Archive: 2004 (Honda)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110324074844/http://www.cresta-awards.com/Results_Archive.aspx |date=24 March 2011 }}", Cresta International Advertising Awards Authority, 2004. Retrieved 29 March 2011.</ref>
|-
|
*Winner – Grand Prix
|-
|'''D&AD Global Awards'''<ref>"[http://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/archive/search?q=Honda&category=&year=2004 D&AD Award Winners Archive: 2004]", D&AD Awards Authority, 2004. Retrieved 29 March 2011.</ref>
|-
|
*Silver – Television Commercials – TV Campaigns
*Silver – Direction
*Bronze – Sound Design
*Bronze – Television Commercials Over 60 seconds
*Shortlist – Cinematography
*Shortlist – Integrated Campaign<ref name="with"/>
|-
|'''Epica Awards'''
|-
|
*Winner – Automobiles
|-
|'''[[Eurobest European Advertising Festival|Eurobest Awards]]'''
|-
|
*Gold – Cars
|-
|'''First Boards Awards'''
|-
|
*Winner – Animation (Andrew Proctor)
|-
|'''Guinness Book of Records'''<ref name="Partizan"/>
|-
|
*World's Most Awarded Commercial
|-
|'''Gunn Report'''<ref name="Gunn">Gunn, Donald; Wilkie, Emma; ''The Gunn Report and Showreel of the Year'' (6th edition), (Holbrook: FlaxmanWilkie, 2005)</ref>
|-
|
*Winner – Most Awarded Commercial in the World
|-
|'''International ANDY Awards'''<ref>"[http://www.andyawards.com/winners/2004.php 2004 GRANDY $50,000 Award Winner] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109071759/http://www.andyawards.com/winners/2004.php |date=9 January 2010 }}", International ANDY Awards, 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2009.</ref>
|-
|
*Winner – Best in Show (GRANDY Award)
*Silver – Automotive
|-
|'''International Automotive Advertising Awards'''
|-
|
*Winner – Best of Show
*Gold – Passenger Cars Intermediate/Large Television
*Gold – Direction
*Gold – Sound Design
|-
|'''IPA Effectiveness Awards'''<ref>"[http://www.ipaeffectivenessawards.co.uk/Winners2004 2004 Awards] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307013642/http://www.ipaeffectivenessawards.co.uk/Winners2004 |date=7 March 2009 }}", IPA Effectiveness Awards, 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-124137587/ipa-effectiveness-awards-2004.html IPA Effectiveness Awards 2004: Gold Award – The John Bartle Award]", ''[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]'', 5 November 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2009.</ref>
|-
|
*Winner – Gold Award
*Winner – John Bartle Award
|-
|'''Kinsale Shark Awards'''
|-
|
*Silver – Cinema
|-
|'''London International Awards'''<ref>"[http://2008.liaawards.com/2003/winners/tv/06.html Winners and Finalists Archive 2003: TV and Cinema] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713203249/http://2008.liaawards.com/2003/winners/tv/06.html |date=13 July 2011 }}", London International Awards, 2003. Retrieved 26 July 2009.</ref>
|-
|
*Winner – TV & Cinema: Automotive
|-
|'''[[The One Club|The One Show]]''' Awards<ref>"[http://www.oneclub.org/#olb=/_ajax/archive/?action=arc_work%26value=1428 2004 Winners Showcase]", ''The One Show'', 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2009.</ref>
|-
|
*Winner – Best of Show
*Gold – Consumer TV: Over 30 Seconds
*Gold – Consumer TV: Campaign
|-
|}
|}
Despite the lingering shadow of these accusations, "Cog" drew an unprecedented amount of critical acclaim. It received more awards than any commercial in history;<ref name="Partizan"/> so many that it was both the most-awarded commercial of 2004 and the 33rd-most-awarded commercial of 2003.<ref name="Gunn"/><ref>Gunn, Donald; Wilkie, Emma; ''The Gunn Report and Showreel of the Year'' (5th edition), (Holbrook: FlaxmanWilkie, 2004).</ref> The jury for the British Television Advertising Awards gave the piece the highest score of any commercial ever recorded; the jury's chairman Charles Inge commented: "My own opinion is that this is the best commercial that I have seen for at least ten years."<ref name="Chair"/> After awarding "Cog" with several Silver awards, the president-elect of the D&AD Awards, Dick Powell, said of the piece: "It delights and entrances, [...] it communicates engineering quality and quality of thinking, and leaves you with a smile."<ref>Macmillan, Gordon; "[http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/212170/cog-denied-dad-gold-no-black-pencils-awarded/ Cog denied D&AD gold as no black pencils are awarded]" ''Brand Republic'', 27 May 2004. Retrieved 6 September 2009.</ref>

Having swept the majority of award ceremonies within the advertising community to date, "Cog" was widely believed to be the favourite for the industry's top award, the Grand Prix at the [[Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival]].<ref name="Cognizant"/><ref>Fera, Rae Ann; "[http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/magazine/20030601/predict.html ''Boards'' Cannes Predictions] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217020146/http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/magazine/20030601/predict.html |date=17 February 2012 }}, ''[[Boards (magazine)|Boards]]'', 1 June 2003. Retrieved 6 September 2009.</ref><ref>Elliot, Stuart; "[https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/24/business/the-media-business-advertising-addenda-miami-agency-wins-international-prize.html THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING – ADDENDA; Miami Agency Wins International Prize], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 23 June 2003. Retrieved 6 September 2009.</ref><ref name="jun23">Cozens, Claire; "[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/jun/23/advertising Cog slips into third place as Jonze ad triumphs at Cannes]", ''[[The Guardian]]'', 23 June 2003. Retrieved 6 September 2009.</ref> Its chief competition was thought to be "Sheet Metal" for [[Saturn Corporation|Saturn automobiles]].<ref name="jun20">Cozens, Claire; "[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/jun/20/advertising.marketingandpr British fingers crossed at Cannes]", ''[[The Guardian]]'', 20 June 2003. Retrieved 6 September 2009.</ref> "Cog" held a disadvantage in that the chairman of the Cannes voting jury, [[Dan Wieden]], was one of the founders of Wieden+Kennedy, the firm responsible for creating "Cog"; tradition holds that it is bad form for the chairman of the jury to vote for a piece by his or her own agency.<ref name="jun20"/>

The result at Cannes was a surprise; after the longest judging period in the festival's history,<ref name="jun23"/> the Grand Prix went to neither of the two event favourites. Instead, the jury awarded the prize to "[[Lamp (advertisement)|Lamp]]", a U.S. advertisement directed by [[Spike Jonze]] for the [[IKEA]] chain of furniture stores. Voted second was a British ad, "Ear Tennis" for the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] [[video game console]].<ref name="jun23"/> Chief among speculated reasons for the outcome was the plagiarism debate surrounding "Cog".<ref name="BBCcopy">Brook, Stephen; "[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/sep/20/advertising.bbc BBC 'tribute' ad drives Honda forward]", ''[[The Guardian]]'', 20 September 2004. Retrieved 6 September 2009.</ref> Ben Walker told ''[[Adweek]]'' "A couple of people on the jury told me the reason it didn't win is 'cause they didn't want to be seen to be awarding something which people in some corners had said we copied."<ref name="Adweek"/>

==Legacy==

===In advertising===
The popularity and recognition received by "Cog" led a number of other companies to create pieces in a similar vein—either as homages, in parody, or simply to further explore the design space. The first of these was ''Just Works'', a deliberate parody advertisement for the [[118 118 (UK)|118 118]] [[directory assistance]] service in the summer of 2003, in which the Honda parts are replaced with such oddities as a tractor wheel, a flamingo and a space hopper, with impetus provided by two moustachioed runners.<ref>"[http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/News/EmailThisArticle/183323/Watch-WCRSs-spoof-Hondas-cog-ad Watch WCRS's spoof of Honda's 'cog' ad]", ''Brand Republic'', 20 June 2003. Retrieved 7 September 2009. (via Mediaweek).</ref> ''Just Works'' was created by advertising agency WCRS. It was written by Anson Harris and directed by JJ Keith,<ref name="118campaign">Sweney, Mark; "[http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/182740/ Honda blocks airing of WCRSs spoof Cog ad]", ''[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]'', 13 June 2003. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> whose previous work included spots for [[Telefónica Europe|BT Cellnet]], [[H. J. Heinz Company|Heinz]], and [[Guinness]], and the [[Academy Award|Oscar]]-nominated short film ''Holiday Romance''.<ref name="10dir">Fera, Rae Ann; "[http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/magazine/20041001/10more.html 10 more directors to watch] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819205142/http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/magazine/20041001/10more.html |date=19 August 2011 }}", ''[[Boards (magazine)|Boards]]'', 1 October 2004. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> Honda refused to give WCRS permission to copy its advert, which, under [[Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre]] guidelines, prevented either the 60- or 90-second ''Just Works'' spots from appearing on British television.<ref name="118campaign"/> Instead, the ad was shown online and promoted [[Viral marketing|virally]].<ref>Whitehead, Jennifer; "[http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/185272/Number-hires-agency-redesign-118-118-site/ The Number hires agency to redesign 118 118 site]", ''Brand Republic'', 11 July 2003. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> ''Just Works'' went on to win a number of awards in its own right, including Golds in several categories at the British Television Advertising Awards and the Creative Circle Awards, a Silver Lion from the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, and a Bronze award from [[The One Club]].<ref name="10dir"/>

In 2004, [[BBC Radio Manchester]] asked for and received permission from Wieden+Kennedy to produce a television advertisement in the style of "Cog" to advertise coverage of football events by local radio stations. The ad, which was directed by Reg Sanders and produced by Tracy Williams, shows pieces of sports equipment such as footballs and team shirts knocking into each other in sequence. In all, 65&nbsp;versions were broadcast, each tailored to advertise the local BBC Radio station. Wieden+Kennedy were pleased to gain the extra publicity and Neil Christie, managing director of Wieden+Kennedy London, commented: "We are very happy that every time the BBC runs one of their adverts, the person who watches it thinks of Honda."<ref name="BBCcopy"/>

[[Campaign (magazine)|''Campaign'']] magazine listed "Cog", along with ''[[Sony marketing#Specific commercials|Balls]]'' for the [[BRAVIA|Sony BRAVIA]] line of [[high-definition television]]s, as one of the most-imitated commercials in recent times.<ref name="cognballs">Bussey, Noel; "[http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/784587/ Advertising: is it just a load of cog and balls?]", ''[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]'' 15 February 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> Among the pieces believed to draw inspiration from "Cog" are a 2003 piece for [[breakfast cereal]] [[Sugar Puffs]],<ref name="BBCcopy"/> ''[[Nearness (advert)|Nearness]]'' for the [[Oslo School of Architecture and Design]],<ref>"[http://berglondon.com/blog/2009/09/15/nearness/ Nearness]", ''BERG blog'', 15 September 2009. Retrieved 20 September 2009.</ref> a 30-second animated advertisement for [[Heinz Tomato Ketchup]], an advertisement for [[BBC Radio Merseyside]] football coverage, and the 2007 ''Tipping Point'', advertising Guinness stout.<ref name=Sweney07/><ref>Lucas, Gavin; "[http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2007/november/tipping-point-the-most-expensive-guinness-ad-ever Tipping Point: The Most Expensive Guinness Ad Ever] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110118233557/http://creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2007/november/tipping-point-the-most-expensive-guinness-ad-ever |date=18 January 2011 }}", ''Creative Review'', 8 November 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2009.</ref> When asked about the similarities between "Cog" and "Tipping Point", Paul Brazier, executive creative director at the advertising agency behind ''Tipping Point'', replied: "I knew the ad was similar in places, but as an executive creative director, you have to look at things like that and make a decision. The fact the TV ad was only part of a huge internet campaign meant that I thought it wasn’t that near "Cog"."<ref name="cognballs"/>

===Outside advertising===
"Cog" has also inspired a number of other creative endeavours outside of the advertising industry, including an elaborate [[domino toppling]] world record attempt by Robin Weijers,<ref>"[http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/190567/DIARY-Dead-Dutchman-will-recreate-Hondas-cog-true-domino-effect/ 'Dead' Dutchman will recreate Honda's 'cog' for true domino effect]", ''[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]'', 19 September 2003. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> and a three-minute introductory trailer to the BBC show ''[[Bang Goes the Theory]]''.<ref>Wardrop, Murray; "[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/5821646/Bang-Goes-The-Theory-BBC-braves-potential-disaster-with-live-scientific-experiments.html Bang Goes The Theory: BBC braves potential disaster with live scientific experiments]", ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'', 14 July 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> In 2004, the [[United States Coast Guard]] Training Centre in California requested permission to use the ad in its training regime as a demonstration of the importance of attention to detail.<ref>"[http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/216136/Diary-USCG-picks-training-value-cog/ USCG picks up on the training value of 'cog']", ''[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]'', 9 July 2004. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> Discussion of "Cog" as an example of the confluence of art and advertising, and as an example of inspiration versus plagiarism, has been ongoing. [[Mark Leckey]] included "Cog" as part of his [[installation art|video art installation]] "Cinema in the Round", in the [[Tate Britain]] gallery, London, in 2008.<ref>Beale, Claire; [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/advertising/claire-beale-on-advertising-the-real-art-of-an-ad-is-to-make-more-money-959154.html Claire Beale On Advertising: The real art of an ad is to make more money]", ''[[The Independent]]'', 13 October 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> It was also the focus of a panel discussion at the [[Tate Modern]] during a retrospective of Fischli & Weiss' work there in 2006.<ref>Fineman, Mia; "[http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/features/Is-this-theft-or-homage.4291032.jp Is this theft or homage?]", ''[[The Scotsman]]'', 16 July 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref>

The next piece created by Wieden+Kennedy for Honda, ''Sense'', advertised the company's "[[Integrated Motor Assist|Integrated Motor System]]" [[Hybrid electric vehicle|hybrid car]] technology. Deliberate steps were taken to distance the spot from "Cog", using metaphor to make the promotion, rather than focusing on the technology itself.<ref>Eastwood, Allison; "[http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/online/20030703/honda.html Apres-cog] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217020137/http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/online/20030703/honda.html |date=17 February 2012 }}", ''[[Boards (magazine)|Boards]]'', 3 July 2003. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> In 2005, Honda was once again in contention for the Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Film Festival, with the animated 60-second spot ''[[Grrr (advert)|Grrr]]''. This time, it returned home triumphant,<ref>Fera, Rae Ann; "[http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/online/20050627/events.html Cannes Roundup] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217020141/http://www.boardsmag.com/articles/online/20050627/events.html |date=17 February 2012 }}, ''[[Boards (magazine)|Boards]]'', 27 June 2005. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> defeating ''Singing in the rain'' for the [[Volkswagen Golf]] and [[Stella Artois]]' ''Pilot'' to bring home the top prize.<ref>"[http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/482049/Cannes-Honda-grrr-poised-add-Cannes-Film-Grand-Prix-its-awards-haul/ Honda 'grrr' poised to add Cannes Film Grand Prix to its awards haul]", ''[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]'', 24 June 2005. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> Antoine Bardou-Jacquet went on to direct two further Honda advertisements for Wieden+Kennedy. ''Choir'', created with the help of fellow "Cog" team-members Ben Walker and Matt Gooden, was released in 2006,<ref>"[https://archive.today/20120722152637/http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/thework/news/884990/Honda-choir-Wieden---Kennedy/ Honda 'choir' by Wieden & Kennedy]", ''[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]]'', 19 January 2006. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref> and ''Problem Playground'' in 2008.<ref>"[http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/781139/Work-Honda-Problem-Playground/ Honda, Problem Playground]", ''Campaign'', 4 February 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2009.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://alexkinter.com/pages/video-director Video Director]
;Cog
*[http://wklondon.com/work/cog/ "Cog"] – via W+K website

;Derivatives
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE74fPSvoEc BBC Radio homage] – via YouTube <!--Uploader is the director of the piece, permission implicit.-->
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3F-a4aZm-k Making of the BBC Radio homage] – via YouTube <!--Ditto.-->
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120328131710/http://www.boardsmag.com/screeningroom/tvfilm/5119 ''Tipping Point''] – via ''[[Boards (magazine)|Boards]]'' website

{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=''[[Lamp (advertisement)|Lamp]]''}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Clio Awards|Grand CLIO Award for Television/Cinema]]
|years=2004}}
{{s-aft|after=''[[Grrr (Honda)|Grrr]]''}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cog (Advertisement)}}
[[Category:2003 in British television]]
[[Category:2003 works]]
[[Category:Honda]]
[[Category:2000s television commercials]]
[[Category:Viral marketing]]
[[Category:Wieden+Kennedy]]
[[Category:British television commercials]]
[[Category:Works involved in plagiarism controversies]]
[[Category:Advertising and marketing controversies]]