Al Ameriki Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nationwide (invisible girl): STUPID and INANE
It was interesting.
Given the cost of these ads, I assume the approach - apparently an attempt to recognize and compliment an ethnic niche they'd like the business of - was focus-grouped. But maybe not.
The cab going past the woman and picking up the *black* man - whom cab drivers notoriously avoid - was a rather "edgy" take on a cultural trope -- essentially saying, on the American social scale, Indian women are lower than blacks.
So, she is "invisible" -- a la Ralph Ellison's "invisible man" (i.e., black men in America).
But, recognizing her invisibility, she then proceeds to act like a fool, with no dignity whatsoever -- would this appeal to the (presumably) targeted ethnic niche? (I can't imagine it would appeal to anyone else.)
The whole thing seemed "too clever by half". And of potential appeal only to a hypothetical micro-niche: Indian women with a "war on women" mentality crossed with resentment at, or at least perception of, racist attitudes -- and not especially angry about these things, but rather able to take them in stride, and laugh knowingly apparently both at their own attitudes and the perceived racism (which is exposed as imaginary in the Matt Damon exchange?? Or is Nationwide holding itself out as the corporate equivalent of the liberal, enlightened, non-pandering Damon - the good American?)
Weird. I would be curious to know if it was the product of a creative department that was trying too hard to be clever and edgy, or one which based its approach on insights drawn from focus groups.
> Budweiser: Dumb
Contrived, but likely effective to the non-cynical, sentimental millions in the American heartland.
> McDonalds: Sickening and stupid
It appears that McDonalds has fallen out of touch with the American consumer -- is this an approach that will reinvigorate that relationship? Are they selling "Welcome to Costco, I love you," or fast food?
Too, one wonders whether McDonalds employees have the performance skills to make such offers in a way that is charming and pleasant. It will require rather something more than simply asking, "Fries with that?"
> Fiat: Disturbing. Do we really need ads with a
> hard dick theme?
So long as we're selling viagara, yes, we do -- and big pharma has been pimping these sorts of visual puns for years now. I found the Fiat gag simultaneously grotesque, amusing, and disturbing. I wonder if the ad was aimed at men *and* women?
Gay men?
> And I have no idea what the ad was for with Kim
> Kanye West, other than for her to show off her fat
> ass.
A cheeky appeal to the youthful niche familiar with the KK persona and antics.
> And would someone please ask Hollyweird why we
> need a 4th Jurassic Park, a 5th Terminator and a
> 7th Fast and Furious. Are they just incapable of
> an original idea for a movie anymore?
It's money that matters. Sequels and remakes of established hits is the safest way to spend the multiple millions it costs to make movies.