This morning on the radio I heard a commercial that I thought would be for Kulula airlines. It started off the same way the Kulula spots do, with a typically South African voice explaining in rhyme why they are such a special person. These spots are usually beautifully written and always good for a laugh - even if they don't particularly make me want to pick up the phone and book a seat - and I never complain if someone wants to pay a small fortune to entertain me for 30 seconds.
So, imagine my surprise when it turns out the spot's not for the jokey airline at all, but for a software company...an accounting software company! The ad attempts to sell VIP Payroll Software.
Maybe it's because accountants aren't generally regarded as the most creative kids in the office that the agency decided to rip off someone else's idea instead coming up with something original.
The thing is, when Kulula do it, it's funny. When VIP Payroll do it, it's embarrassing.
No doubt some bright spark in the agency thought that it's time to change the image of the accountant from dull, grey, bean counter to scintillating, bon vivant comedian. Instead, they've entrenched the perception of accountants as unoriginal and boring.
Thursday, 16 April 2009
Wednesday, 10 September 2008
More drivel polluting the airwaves
I'm not sure why, but radio seems to be uppermost in my mind recently. Perhaps it's because I'm hearing so many ads, but so few voices.
It's not any one ad specifically, but a sort of genre, let's call it the "I'm a small business owner and I'm just like you..." style of advertising.
Sometimes the voices are supposed to be speaking "local", that is, pukka S'effricun, but they just don't crack it. We just know these are pro voices, and because we know, a bit of believability goes down the drain.
Fleet Steel springs to mind. Not only a naff script, but not great acting, either. Worse, today I heard one for Outsurance. This company was running some quite good testimonial ads recently. Clearly however they are battling to get business owners to extol their virtue as they've now reverted to carefully scripted and obviously acted spots.
The one I heard today revolves around a woman who owns a nail bar and whose greatest sense of achievement comes when she creates a perfect French nail. Outsurance then tell us that they are as passionate about insurance as you are about your business.
Poppycock.
Outsurance used to have a real point of difference but as they days go by they are beginning to sound like everyone else.
Their recent TV ad stretches credulity to breaking point as a family, depressed by the current state of the world (demonstrated by newspaper headlines on street poles) is suddenly cheered up by the sight of an Outsurance billboard advertising that one in every two Outsurance clients is happy with their insurance rates.
One in every two? That's only 50%. I don't know about you, but I don't find much to cheer about in that statistic. It doesn't say much about their premiums, that's for sure.
Instead of trying to foist dull advertising on us, Outsurance should be trying to come up with great, innovative products. Then great advertising would follow.
Nonsense from Nedbank
Another spot I heard today from Nedbank touts their business credit card. The bank claims that they really do understand your business needs and their card reflects this understanding. How? By giving you 55 days free credit.
In other words, it's the same as any other credit card. What's so special about that? Nothing. It's just more meaningless puffery.
If they really did understand business, especially small/medium business maybe they'd offer 90 or 120 days free credit. THAT would be something.
It's not any one ad specifically, but a sort of genre, let's call it the "I'm a small business owner and I'm just like you..." style of advertising.
Sometimes the voices are supposed to be speaking "local", that is, pukka S'effricun, but they just don't crack it. We just know these are pro voices, and because we know, a bit of believability goes down the drain.
Fleet Steel springs to mind. Not only a naff script, but not great acting, either. Worse, today I heard one for Outsurance. This company was running some quite good testimonial ads recently. Clearly however they are battling to get business owners to extol their virtue as they've now reverted to carefully scripted and obviously acted spots.
The one I heard today revolves around a woman who owns a nail bar and whose greatest sense of achievement comes when she creates a perfect French nail. Outsurance then tell us that they are as passionate about insurance as you are about your business.
Poppycock.
Outsurance used to have a real point of difference but as they days go by they are beginning to sound like everyone else.
Their recent TV ad stretches credulity to breaking point as a family, depressed by the current state of the world (demonstrated by newspaper headlines on street poles) is suddenly cheered up by the sight of an Outsurance billboard advertising that one in every two Outsurance clients is happy with their insurance rates.
One in every two? That's only 50%. I don't know about you, but I don't find much to cheer about in that statistic. It doesn't say much about their premiums, that's for sure.
Instead of trying to foist dull advertising on us, Outsurance should be trying to come up with great, innovative products. Then great advertising would follow.
Nonsense from Nedbank
Another spot I heard today from Nedbank touts their business credit card. The bank claims that they really do understand your business needs and their card reflects this understanding. How? By giving you 55 days free credit.
In other words, it's the same as any other credit card. What's so special about that? Nothing. It's just more meaningless puffery.
If they really did understand business, especially small/medium business maybe they'd offer 90 or 120 days free credit. THAT would be something.
Saving Electricity...Really?
An ad currently running on radio urges us to explore ways to reduce our electricity consumption.
Nothing new there, except the voice in this one tells us that no electricity was used in the making of the ad - it was recorded on a cellphone.
No electricity, huh? Okay, so how was the cell phone recharged?
Nothing new there, except the voice in this one tells us that no electricity was used in the making of the ad - it was recorded on a cellphone.
No electricity, huh? Okay, so how was the cell phone recharged?
Thursday, 5 June 2008
A CAR FOR DICKHEADS
According to a frequently flighted radio commercial here's where you should buy your next car:
Auto-al penis-rings BMW.
A very strange name for a business.
Didn't anyone listen to this commercial in the recording studio and ask if this is, indeed, the way the client wants to be known? Can't the client hear how stoopid this sounds?
Wouldn't it be better to say: "Auto Alpina BMW, Springs"? After all, most people would be more inclined to look for penis rings at their friendly neighbourhood sex shop. Why confuse 'em?
Auto-al penis-rings BMW.
A very strange name for a business.
Didn't anyone listen to this commercial in the recording studio and ask if this is, indeed, the way the client wants to be known? Can't the client hear how stoopid this sounds?
Wouldn't it be better to say: "Auto Alpina BMW, Springs"? After all, most people would be more inclined to look for penis rings at their friendly neighbourhood sex shop. Why confuse 'em?
THERE ARE THOSE...
who write very dull, pretentious copy
There are those who think this is very creative
There are those who's ads are uninspired, unmotivating, uninvolving
There are those who decide we should hear this irritating "advertising" over and over again
There are those who waste huge amounts of money flighting this crap
There are those who could be using this money to give something worthwhile to their customers
There are those who earn enormous amounts of money flighting this crap
There are those who just don't get it.
There are those who think this is very creative
There are those who's ads are uninspired, unmotivating, uninvolving
There are those who decide we should hear this irritating "advertising" over and over again
There are those who waste huge amounts of money flighting this crap
There are those who could be using this money to give something worthwhile to their customers
There are those who earn enormous amounts of money flighting this crap
There are those who just don't get it.
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
More Pretentious Nonsense
The banks are at it again.
This time it's Standard Bank. Why, oh why, do they really think anyone will believe the things they say, or imply, about themselves.
Do we really think they operate in an environment of "free thinking"? Are they revolutionary visionaries who are enable global competitiveness?
Do we really, really believe that at the end of the day they sit down, maybe over a glass of Black Label, and ask themselves "What next?"
Yes, it's another interminably dull, droning Standard Bank corporate ad for their business banking arm...I think. I'm not sure about that because I can't recall staying awake long enough to see the end of the commercial.
And when, oh when, are copywriters going to learn that vague generalities are no substitute for hard-nosed specifics? I'm probably being unfair. In all likelihood the bank probably never supplied the creative team with any specifics. Did anyone think to ask?
Does this latest offering for Standard Bank make us believe they are inspired, motivated or involved (whatever all that means)?
I hate seeing so much money wasted on so little.
This time it's Standard Bank. Why, oh why, do they really think anyone will believe the things they say, or imply, about themselves.
Do we really think they operate in an environment of "free thinking"? Are they revolutionary visionaries who are enable global competitiveness?
Do we really, really believe that at the end of the day they sit down, maybe over a glass of Black Label, and ask themselves "What next?"
Yes, it's another interminably dull, droning Standard Bank corporate ad for their business banking arm...I think. I'm not sure about that because I can't recall staying awake long enough to see the end of the commercial.
And when, oh when, are copywriters going to learn that vague generalities are no substitute for hard-nosed specifics? I'm probably being unfair. In all likelihood the bank probably never supplied the creative team with any specifics. Did anyone think to ask?
Does this latest offering for Standard Bank make us believe they are inspired, motivated or involved (whatever all that means)?
I hate seeing so much money wasted on so little.
Friday, 11 April 2008
Power Crazy
Surely the worst-managed crisis in South Africa since the notorious "Info Scandal" of the 70s. Yep, that's the current electricity situation.
Though no fault of our own, Eskom is making us pay, and pay dearly, for their gross incompetence. But what really galls is their attempt to lay the blame at our door.
A few weeks back the electricity company began running ads extolling their valiant efforts at solving the problem. Buying in huge coal supplies (which should never have been allowed to run so low in the first place), commissioning new power stations (which should have been commissioned at least 10 years ago) are among the solutions they told us about in radio ads that polluted the airwaves only a little less than a coal-fired power station going full blast.
Of course, we're not as stupid as Eskom would like to believe and I doubt anyone was fooled by their pathetic attempt at damage control.
Now we are told that because we couldn't, collectively, reduce our electricity consumption by 10%, Eskom is left with no choice but to carry out its threat of enforced "load-shedding" (black-outs/power failures). And once again they are polluting the airwaves with their message, this time to induce a sense of guilt in you and me, their customers. The gist of the ad is "listen assholes, you didn't cut your electricity consumption so we'll do it for you. If you suffer blackouts it's your fault. Don't blame us."
Screw 'em. I won't feel guilty. I won't turn off my geyser. I won't switch off my lights. I'll leave my computer on all night. I won't do anything to help this arrogant government-controlled beurocracy haul itself out of the dung which it landed in with absolutely no help from me. They can take their fat, undeserved performance bonuses and shove 'em where it hurts.
I don't think Eskom realizes the damage this little crisis is doing South Africa.
Eskom sucks. Their radio ads suck just as much.
Though no fault of our own, Eskom is making us pay, and pay dearly, for their gross incompetence. But what really galls is their attempt to lay the blame at our door.
A few weeks back the electricity company began running ads extolling their valiant efforts at solving the problem. Buying in huge coal supplies (which should never have been allowed to run so low in the first place), commissioning new power stations (which should have been commissioned at least 10 years ago) are among the solutions they told us about in radio ads that polluted the airwaves only a little less than a coal-fired power station going full blast.
Of course, we're not as stupid as Eskom would like to believe and I doubt anyone was fooled by their pathetic attempt at damage control.
Now we are told that because we couldn't, collectively, reduce our electricity consumption by 10%, Eskom is left with no choice but to carry out its threat of enforced "load-shedding" (black-outs/power failures). And once again they are polluting the airwaves with their message, this time to induce a sense of guilt in you and me, their customers. The gist of the ad is "listen assholes, you didn't cut your electricity consumption so we'll do it for you. If you suffer blackouts it's your fault. Don't blame us."
Screw 'em. I won't feel guilty. I won't turn off my geyser. I won't switch off my lights. I'll leave my computer on all night. I won't do anything to help this arrogant government-controlled beurocracy haul itself out of the dung which it landed in with absolutely no help from me. They can take their fat, undeserved performance bonuses and shove 'em where it hurts.
I don't think Eskom realizes the damage this little crisis is doing South Africa.
Eskom sucks. Their radio ads suck just as much.
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