Scrabble: The Beautiful Word

April 24, 2009 4:28 PM

Scrabble put these out for their 60th anniversary.

"Different words accidentally encounter during a Scrabble game, giving by chance birth to a world as unexpected as enchanting."

posted by gman (31 comments total)

Edgy and indie is the new bland and mainstream.
posted by GuyZero at 4:30 PM on April 24, 2009 [8 favorites]

It's tagged with "viral". Shut 'er down, she ain't makin' any money. The idea is intriguing, but.... not well executed. I'd totally write a story based on a Scrabble board though.
posted by Night_owl at 4:35 PM on April 24, 2009

P₃E₁P₃S₁I₁ B₃L₁U₁E₁
(Actually I haven't clicked yet; I just wanted to type that. Carry on.)
posted by not_on_display at 4:36 PM on April 24, 2009 [4 favorites]

The world needs a new LSD, a catalyst for ignition, a wild, weird wind blowing free to remind us we're alive.

Heck, my parents grew up on commercials like this kind of post Mod psychedelia. Almost all of Gen X/Y did as well, via Sesame Street and Electric Company, and later - MTV.
posted by loquacious at 4:37 PM on April 24, 2009

it is the most sold letter game ever.

What exactly does that mean? That it's sold more copies than Boggle?
posted by roll truck roll at 4:38 PM on April 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

I must not be on enough drugs.
posted by Clave at 4:41 PM on April 24, 2009

SUQ
posted by eriko at 4:43 PM on April 24, 2009 [4 favorites]

Metafilter: Actually I haven't clicked yet; I just wanted to type that.
posted by dersins at 4:44 PM on April 24, 2009 [9 favorites]

I thought they were visually fantastic. Contrary to comments above, I think both the concept and execution were done well, especially with the last video.

Edgy and indie is the new bland and mainstream.
I find this funny, because the animation is more reminiscent of the crazy shit they used to do in the 30s and 40s (as is evidenced by this Betty Boop/Snow White video linked here earlier). And even if you're right, I like edgy as mainstream -- the weirder we all are, the better.
posted by spiderskull at 5:07 PM on April 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

I thought they were awesome. I wish more mainstream products and institutions would step out of their usual groove and try something new.
posted by Foam Pants at 5:08 PM on April 24, 2009

W₄H₄A₁T₁. T₁H₄E₁. F₄ █₀C₃K₅.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 5:23 PM on April 24, 2009 [8 favorites]

Watching these made the Mayan writing system seem less weird to me.
posted by XMLicious at 5:26 PM on April 24, 2009

One to you in the afternoon
And one to me in the evening
Seven years of Scrabble
And we're even stevens.

I know it's a consequence
Of clinging to consonants
But P R L N Q F C
Spells trouble to me...
- The Lucksmiths

posted by nasreddin at 5:59 PM on April 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Other than the Sumo one, those songs were pretty good. Surprisingly so, even. The visuals? Trippy enough to make me wanna watch each one individually.

Anyone know the artists responsible for the music, though?


(please say they're not just made-for-Scrabble tracks. That would make my 30-year-old self feel waaaaaay older than I should)
posted by revmitcz at 6:11 PM on April 24, 2009

I love this.
posted by two or three cars parked under the stars at 6:19 PM on April 24, 2009

It's still not okay that they killed Scrabulous.
posted by EatTheWeek at 6:38 PM on April 24, 2009

Now all the stoners are going to start playing scrabble. There goes my edge.
posted by not_on_display at 6:41 PM on April 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Loved the visuals. Lost me at the music.
posted by katillathehun at 7:01 PM on April 24, 2009

It's still not okay that they killed Scrabulous.

Dude, just play Lexulous instead. It's the same thing. I mean, a facebook app is really an odd place to Take Your Stand.
posted by nasreddin at 7:05 PM on April 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Well done...

Snark is fun, snark is an obsession... ignore it...

these were neat, thanks for the post...
posted by HuronBob at 7:13 PM on April 24, 2009

The videos are pretty, but I do think it is kind of sad and typical that a company like Hasbro would spend so much money killing a facebook app, and then spend a bunch more cash on viral marketing because "Scrabble is mostly seen today as an elitist and outdated game."
posted by drinkyclown at 7:19 PM on April 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

If these viral ads manage to change Scrabble's reputation, I might need to switch to a different elitist and outdated game. Maybe Botticelli? I'm open to suggestions.
posted by box at 7:33 PM on April 24, 2009

I don't see how these artsy as fuck commercials will make the game seem less elitist.
posted by graventy at 7:58 PM on April 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

What, no Scrabble Word of the Day?
posted by rokusan at 8:35 PM on April 24, 2009

Now all the stoners are going to start playing scrabble. There goes my edge.

No way, you'll be fine D₁U₁U₁U₁U₁D₁E₁
posted by rokusan at 8:38 PM on April 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

Better than WinterFresh paying LoveMaestro21 to rip off Group X.
posted by Monstrous Moonshine at 9:54 PM on April 24, 2009

> I might need to switch to a different elitist and outdated game.

Pente
posted by mrzarquon at 9:55 PM on April 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

Now I really miss scrabulous.
posted by betweenthebars at 10:05 PM on April 24, 2009

These advertisements dramatically misrepresent the amount of pleasure that can be derived from a game of Scrabble.
posted by chrismear at 2:53 AM on April 25, 2009

Reminds me of the work of this guy. (possibly seen here before)
posted by Laotic at 3:02 AM on April 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

I think these are for the international version of scrabble, which is actually owned and distribted by Mattel. So it's not the same outfit (Hasbro) which killed scrabulous.
posted by mai at 12:16 PM on April 25, 2009