I've noted before that I spend a lot of time watching TV commercials. Part of it is because for a large part of my radio career I wrote advertising copy. At one station it was even my primary role. So I have a real appreciation of a nicely thought out concept. Of course the are two primary goals to advertising. First, you want the consumer to remember who you are. Car ads very often fail at this. You get wonderful visuals and long lingering shots of the smooth lines of the car. And at the end of thirty or sixty seconds you have no idea who the car maker is. That's a bad ad. The other thing is that the consumer should have an increased interest in or desire for your product or service.
With that in mind I want to take a look at two ads that I see regularly right now. They jump out at me because both of them go outside the box as the saying goes for their concept. One is the "Man Your Man Could Smell Like" ad from Old Spice. You know the one "Look at him, now back at me, now back at him, now back to me, I'm on a horse". This ad has taken the media world by storm. I hear it being quoted on TV shows, the video gets played all over the place. The ad is like nothing else on the air. It has a little fun with itself and it's product. Old Spice had an image problem. For most of us Old Spice meant our dads or granddads. It was old guy stuff. Not so much any more. My grand dad was never that funny or that cool. You remember the name of the product and it makes it more likely that you'll buy it. It's advertising that works.
On the other hand we have the ads for "Hotel Planners dot com". This one is a rip off of the old Saturday Night Live Hans and Franz routine. You remember, "We want to pump you up". The company does planning for group trips apparently and the ads are clearly done on a very low budget. Characters will complain about where they stayed on their last team trip and these two clowns in what looks like costumes from an elementary school play show up. I suppose the good news is that I do remember their name. The bad news is that there is no chance I would ever spend any money with such a low rent company. They are actually working against their own best interests.
A well done ad will make everyone a lot of money. Whatever ad agency thought up the "I'm on a horse" campaign is getting lots of phone calls right now. The other guys? Even on the tiny budget they have to spend, I'm afraid they've wasted a lot of money.
Call that the View From the Phlipside.
"The View From the Phlipside" airs on WRFA-LP Jamestown NY. You can listen to WRFA online HERE
Copyright - Jay Phillippi 2010
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