Saturday 30 June 2007

Keeping it real

I do hope the new Sheila's Wheels ads are successful for them. To me, they come under the 'kitsch' category – so bad, they're good!

What's more, they've recently s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d that long pink car to include real women, in pink spangly dresses, singing along with that catchy song.

I approve.

I might even get a quote from them, next time I renew my car insurance...

Wednesday 27 June 2007

Too good to be true?

As a Christmas gift, Threshers (the off-licence chain) emailed a 40% off voucher to a selection of their suppliers.

Seems like a good idea.

But of course the recipients forwarded the discount details to all their friends.

Threshers website crashed with all the visitors trying to access the offer (they estimate half a million vouchers were printed), and their 2,000 stores were braced for a Christmas rush.

It could have been avoided if they'd simply added the words 'limited offer' to the voucher design.

Mind you, they received lots of media coverage as a result. And there is speculation that the whole thing was a marketing ploy – even at 40% off, they were not selling at a loss.

Cheers!

Monday 25 June 2007

Waste of money?

Car ads could be the most expensive of all to make!

Take the new Citroen ad with the cars leaping through the ocean driven by dolphins, to the tune 'Somewhere beyond the sea'.

I'm sorry, but I just don't get it.

Friday 22 June 2007

Knit-wits

I rather like the new Shreddies ads, with the factory full of old ladies knitting each little square.

It's unique to the product, it's humorous, it sells, and it celebrates old folk.

How many other ads knit that many layers together?

Thursday 21 June 2007

GetTING the emPHASis wrong

The model in the new ad for L'Oreal hair dye starts by saying:

"In MY home, I love the light. I also love it in my hair."

She should be saying:

"In my HOME I love the light. I also love it in my hair."

Why should the writer be invited on set to brief the actors properly? Because we're worth it!

Tuesday 19 June 2007

I love the Nationwide, but...

I really like the fact that the Nationwide is a building society, not a bank. I like them leading the campaign for free ATMs (in the UK and abroad). And I like their 'mutual' status.

But I don't like them taking longer to clear cheques than banks do. I don't like them sponsoring football. And I don't like their advertising – devoted to the 'nasty bank manager we are not'. Because when you see that 'nasty bank manager' you think of the Nationwide. Which is probably not the impression they were after!

Mind you, their end slogan is better now. Instead of just 'Proud to be Different' it also explains 'because we have no share-holders, only our members'. It may not be catchy but it is important. Because I bet most people don't understand the difference.

Saturday 16 June 2007

Perfect Product Placement

I've written below about Café Switch sponsoring the Loose Women lunchtime chat show. That's now changed to a shoe brand.

Inspired!

Although I hate shoes (my feet are too wide to wear most of the lovely styles on offer), I do like looking at them.

And the shoes they show are fabulous!

I bet they get loads of customers. And those customers will be envied by loads of women like me.

Sunday 10 June 2007

Water, water, everywhere

I can just about live with the Evian slogan 'Live Young'. Said in a French accent it almost rhymes with the brand name. And it does make some kind of sense i.e. water is good for you. And Evian is 'naive' backwards.

But I just can't stand those naked synchronised swimming babies!

OK, so they're in water to go with the product. They're young to go with the slogan. And babies are one of the few images that allegedly appeal to all (along with other 'cute' things like kittens and puppies).

But those airbrushed alien Evian babies are so creepy!

Thursday 7 June 2007

Positive thinking

A business group has taken a full-page ad on the back cover of my local glossy magazine.

Could be a good idea.

They provide office space, and the visual shows 5 images of a seed sprouting to a seedling, with the headline: 'Want room to grow? Maybe we can help.'

OK so far.

The body copy explains they are: 'the largest provider of office space in South London. No matter how big your business becomes, we will try to accommodate you.'

That's fine too (except the word 'try' – I might talk about that another time).

But they end with this big, bold, italic message before their logo and contact details: 'You shouldn't ever have to move again, that is, unless you go out of business.'

What a negative thought! Surely they should be selling the idea of business success through the convenient and affordable office space they provide, not the idea that they will kick out their tenants if/when the business fails!

Oops.

Wednesday 6 June 2007

Never underestimate a chocoholic!

This Easter, Thorntons made a giant chocolate billboard in Covent Garden.

Comprising 10 chocolate bunnies, 72 chocolate eggs and 128 chocolate panels, it took three months to plan and 300 hours to be built by a team of 10 chocolatiers.

The sign was supposed to last a week, but passers-by ate it in just 3 hours.

Fortunately for Thorntons, the memory of the media impact will last much longer!

Saturday 2 June 2007

SFX sells!

Sound Effects (SFX) can be extremely powerful, especially in radio ads.

There's an ad for a mint running at the moment – it starts with the sound of a firework going off:

'Wheeeeeeeeee...'

And just when you're expecting the big BANG!, it ends with a little 'eek'.

What a great way to demonstrate that the mint has a milder taste than you'd expect.

Friday 1 June 2007

Nice lines

Talking of car ads, I love the new Audi A5 animation, with nice piano music, nice graphics and nice colours. All in all, it's very nice. A fine example of a simple proposition, beautifully constructed.

I'd guess the car is too.