He’s the Boss.
i just saw a :30 tv spot for a local dairy/ice cream chain that featured the chairman dressing in various holiday-specific costumes. Easter, Independence Day, Mother’s Day, etc. I think the point was to get viewers to serve more of their ice cream to celebrate these holidays. But it made me wonder how the agency got stuck having to feature the chairman in their spot, instead of a more creative solution.
You see it a lot in spots for local car dealerships. Almost every one of them features the owner (or worse, the owner’s offspring) singing, shouting, or aggressively promoting their amazing deals. I guess what bothers me is the assumption that we, the viewers, will find them compelling simply because their name is on the door. None of them can act. Most of them can barely read the script. And NONE of them are good-looking. One of the keys for driving interest in TV is a provocative/memorable/attractive point of view. It’s a real stretch to assume that the owner of any business is also a funny/interesting/attractive spokesmodel.
There’s a men’swear radio spot that airs in Chicago featuring the owner’s daughters (grown women, by the way) singing the ad copy to the tune of b-i-n-g-o. I’m trying to find statistics highlighting the number of traffic accidents caused by listeners stabbing themselves in the ears to avoid having to hear the girls’ wretched shreaking again.
Putting an amateur, even if it’s the client, as the focus of the advertising makes the message more confusing, causing the viewer to stare at the indulgent, look-at-me owner rather than hearing what the offer is. Where I come from that’s called bad advertising.
i can only think of a few cases where it works: the brewmaster guy from Sam Adams has great radio reads; Orville Redenbacher, back in the day (and certainly not the recent “i’ve risen from the dead” incarnation); and Dave, the Wendy’s hamburger guy, who set the bar for humility and credibility.
All the other stuff is based on either the owner’s arrogance or the agency’s inability to push back. Believe me, I know how hard that can be. A couple of years ago my agency was asked to develop the name and identity for a new professional hockey team. Thirteen rounds of creative later we wound up with a golden retriever as the team logo. The OWNER’S golden retriever. Lousy logo. Happy client.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Unfortunately, a happy client with his/her face all over tv doesn’t last long when the ads don’t work, or worse are off-putting. Sometimes putting a face to the business — especially small business does form a connection. But it needs to be well executed and as with Dave of Wendy’s, humble and credible.
August 25th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
When I was in the ad agency business, the conventional wisdom was that whenever business was down or the agency was in jeopardy of losing an account, the joke was that we should put the client on the air. How could the client not like that suggestion?
I agree that it almost never works and if you look at the body of work that Dave Thomas did for Wendy’s, the first 40-50 weren’t really that great. As he did hundreds of commercials, he was able to get comfortable enough in front of the camera to deliver scripts that were written to mine his engaging personality. Most brands don’t have the luxury of doing that amount of production so it generally is an expensive lesson.
If a founder wants to be on TV, do an audition tape and intercut it with Cal Worthington and Dave Thomas. Let the founder determine how he stacks up….
August 25th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Consumers do buy products that can be identify with a real person. Ford has been using this for years. Buyers do buy Fords because Ford is identify with an actual Mr. Ford of Ford Motor Company. There is no more Mr. Chysler, Mr. Buick, Mr. Olds, Mr. Chevolet, Dodge Brothers, and Chief Pontatic that could be identified with the product. When Lee Inecala became CEO of Chysler, he used this marketing identity, keeping a high public profile, especially going on the radio and telivision, pushing his automobiles and Chysler Corporation. A lot of consumers bought the car because they were buying a car from Lee Inecela, not because it was a Chysler product.
Mr. Carvelle also was heavylly identified with his products. He would personally narriate all his TV and radio commercials with one of the worst voices going. It sold.
Agreed, the voices and projection of the commerical characters can be repulsive. There is a healthy balance between perfection and ad lib. A blopper ad can be entertaining and ammusing, if not over expposed. Before filming, it might be advisable for the participants to take acting and, voice lessions, and do a coached reheraseal.
Also, becomming identifyabe in public, sort of a celerberity status, people may just partonize the business because they see the owner around and he is visable.
August 25th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Remember David Ogilvy’s doggerel?
“If your client moans and cries,
Make his logo twice the size.
“If he should still prove refractory,
Add a picture of his factory.
“But only in the gravest cases,
Should you show your clents’ faces.”
Almost needs a “Burma Shave” at the
end, doesn’t it?