Scott G recently watched a lot of car commercials. He was not amused.
It seems lately as if ANY concept can be sold to car companies. This is bad news for the public but great news for ad agencies employing jaded know-nothings in suits and eager no-talents in jeans.
If you have been watching campaigns for vehicles lately, you know what I’m talking about: Improbable promotions that require entering into an alternate reality that could only be called “Reverseland.”
I can’t help imagining the transcripts of ad agency management and creative meetings…
At the agency for Chrysler:
“Hey, I saw one of those weirdo ‘Dr. Z’ spots last night.”
“You didn’t like it?”
“It was fine, but when you guys showed me the storyboards, I just naturally assumed that it was an animated commercial. You know, lame-ass concept, no tie-in with the product benefits, surrealistic dialogue, accents not found in nature…”
“We thought it would be even more annoying and moronic in live action.”
“You got that right.”
“Thanks!”
At the agency for Ford:
“How we coming with the new TV spots?”
“Excellent. We’ve got some absolutely incredibly stupid ads involving Kelly Clarkson and even though she has talent, we’re cutting her out of them even faster than we did with Taylor Hicks!”
“Outstanding. Keep it up.”
At the agency for Hummer:
“Hey, hey, hey, gotta love that new H3 spot in the supermarket check-out line!”
“It WAS good, wasn’t it.”
“Nice casting, too. But mainly, it’s the concept. Especially having the, um, excessively graceful guy become envious of the Neanderthal who is buying meat.”
“Right. Now, everybody who buys tofu will run right out and buy a Hummer.”
(pause)
“Yeah, right!”
(everyone breaks into insane laughter)
“How do we get away with this stuff!?” “Beats working!” etc.
[tags]G-Man, Scott G, Communication Nation, marketing, ad rants, auto advertising[/tags]
