Ditch first, shop later
One weird message in an ad - well, that's just an ad, and maybe an off day for the copywriter. (And account execs and everyone else who carries the concept through without once saying wtf, but never mind.) But the same weird message in two ads, that starts to look like a trend. And this one is freaking me out.
First, I saw the TV spot - geezer rehearsing his dumping speech in a mirror. Tagline: Chucking them first. It's the latest in the Mars bar "pleasure you can't measure" series, which I used to love, back when it was all "steamy breath"* and suchlike. Things that made me smile and think yes, that's just nice. But this - breaking up a relationship to save your ego? Is that really pleasure? Who exactly is Mars trying to appeal to here? I thought they were trying to reach more women, actually, but here they are featuring a trademark Male Bastard and expecting us to identify with him. Hm.
But this lapse in sense is not confined to the confectionery industry, apparently, because here we have a print ad for Mercedes A-Class (being a compact, I'm guessing they're also targeting at least a few female buyers), and - well, you can't read the text there, but those three little lines are: "The 'It's not you it's me' speech. Prepared in peace with jolt-free Autotronic transmission."
Space to think, okay, I get that the campaign is all about a peaceful place in a stressful life. And yes, breaking up is stressful, but occasionally necessary. But, again: is this generating the emotions they really want their customers to identify with the product? Seriously, is it? Because they must have thought this through. And I'm getting a little worried here. Is dumping getting trendy? Just another fun activity to fit in between, say, shoe shopping and brunch with the girls? Oh, Sex and the City, where have you led us...
First, I saw the TV spot - geezer rehearsing his dumping speech in a mirror. Tagline: Chucking them first. It's the latest in the Mars bar "pleasure you can't measure" series, which I used to love, back when it was all "steamy breath"* and suchlike. Things that made me smile and think yes, that's just nice. But this - breaking up a relationship to save your ego? Is that really pleasure? Who exactly is Mars trying to appeal to here? I thought they were trying to reach more women, actually, but here they are featuring a trademark Male Bastard and expecting us to identify with him. Hm.
But this lapse in sense is not confined to the confectionery industry, apparently, because here we have a print ad for Mercedes A-Class (being a compact, I'm guessing they're also targeting at least a few female buyers), and - well, you can't read the text there, but those three little lines are: "The 'It's not you it's me' speech. Prepared in peace with jolt-free Autotronic transmission."
Space to think, okay, I get that the campaign is all about a peaceful place in a stressful life. And yes, breaking up is stressful, but occasionally necessary. But, again: is this generating the emotions they really want their customers to identify with the product? Seriously, is it? Because they must have thought this through. And I'm getting a little worried here. Is dumping getting trendy? Just another fun activity to fit in between, say, shoe shopping and brunch with the girls? Oh, Sex and the City, where have you led us...
1 comment:
ooooh, you scanner you!
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