The Sony Bravia “Bouncy Balls” advert was a total game-changer for advertising and still feels magical even today, twenty years on. Directed by Nicolai Fuglsig, a Danish filmmaker and photojournalist, his commitment to using real bouncy balls instead of CGI added a supernatural yet romantic quality to the film.
Instead of bombarding viewers with tech specs or flashy graphics, Sony went for something completely different—and it became a ‘viral‘ hit even before that was a thing. They sent a whopping 250,000 real bouncy balls flying down the steep streets of San Francisco, creating this mesmerising, colourful chaos that you just couldn’t take your eyes off. No CGI, no shortcuts—just pure creativity and a commitment to doing something well-executed and unforgettable.
What made it even more special was the music. José González’s gentle, acoustic cover version of The Knife’s “Heartbeats” gave the whole thing this dreamy, nostalgic vibe that stuck with viewers. It wasn’t just an ad—it felt more like a little piece of art. Fuglsig’s masterpiece perfectly captured the idea of “Colour like no other,” showing off the Bravia’s incredible picture quality without saying a word.
For me, ‘Bouncy Balls” was simple, beautiful, and so different from anything else at the time. People still talk about it for a reason—it’s advertising at its absolute best.
WATCH HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_bx8bnCoiU
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Paul MacGregor- Senior Podcast Producer
