Just asking.
Has anyone ever bought tires because the Goodyear Blimp hovers over sports stadiums and shoots totally inconsequential shots of the field and the crowd? And who has bought Minute Maid or Tropicana because they have fields named after them. Unfortunately a lot of people bought Enron before it became Minute Maid Field. Can Charmin Field be far behind?
If only advertisers would take some of their nutty sponsorship money and invest it in making new commercials to replace the worn out ones that run on and on until they are totally ignored. When the viewer recites the copy in a commercial before the voice over does, it's time to retire that spot. Big ideas executed in variety so the viewer is never bored but constantly surprised may help revive the maligned 30-second TV commercial and restore television advertising effectiveness.Remember Emerson; "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." And Andy Warhol once said, "I'm afraid that if you look at a thing long enough, it loses all its meaning."
Humorous commercials wear out the fastest. How many times can you hear or see the same joke?
By the way, do you think Burt Bachrach's latest, " I hope I'll Never Get Hit in the Rear Again." will make it to the charts? Pray for the gecko. Every agency creative person, when looking for a celebrity for a spot, has a list of those who are willing to work for a modest fee. Of course, these are not top stars but mostly has-beens.Geico seems to be using them all. A celebrity will never take the place of an idea. A good idea does not need celebrity added value.
A neat sign on a bus stop,"Other airlines fly over the same countries as we do. We just land at more of them." for Continental. One of the best plays on words and wholly relevant is "The Wetness Protection Program" for Arrid Extra Dry. Bless the theme lines that express ideas in memorable ways.
One of the most effective spots I've seen recently shows an EMS vehicle, siren blaring, hopelessly boxed in standstill traffic while the voice over tells how long a damaged heart can survive without outside stimulation, a matter of precious minutes. This commercial for the Phillips Home Defibrillator. An arresting demonstration.
If ever there was an oxymoron it's " global local" a phrase I see bandied about in describing new advertising campaigns.
Internet advertising success is measured in "hits". But if "hits" don't convert to sales they're "flails".
Isn't it warming to know that S.C. Johnson is a "Family Company" So are the Gambinos.
Men now have a new vibrator. You turn it on and your hand tingles as it hums.This new thrill is called Fusion Power and comes with five blades that have no relationship to the new vibrations.Many men think that Trac 2 ,with no vibrations and three fewer blades gives you the same shave as Fusion Power. Not to be out bladed by the competition, Gillette is now considering a six bladed razor, called Fusion Hari-Kari.
The more things change department....
Years ago all advertising in the so-called main media, print, TV, radio, outdoor, had counterpart sections related to the main campaign but taking it in unexpected new directions. We even had a department devoted exclusively to yesteryear's version of buzz marketing. It was called the sales promotion department and even then there were those who believed that without sales promotion traditional advertising would be half as effective. I agree. I grew up in sales promotion and I am convinced that it made me a better copywriter.
In the recent debate between the White House and the Senate over torture versus Geneva Convention rules, torture was defined as being confined to a cell and subjected to 24/7 of Mentos commercials.
The new bill passed by Congress permits harsh interrogation as in "are you gellin?" over and over while the innersoles keep sellin' and sellin' and profits keep swellin' and swellin'. No wonder old Doc Scholl is kvellin' And the detainees? They can't keep from tellin'.
fun. and sounds like you're having fun doing this stuff.
Posted by: peter | January 16, 2007 at 03:56 PM