My mind is being assaulted by a number of very silly radio commercials:
1. The wheels of the bus go round and round (Arpico advertising some promotion)
2. 100 items lower than the lowest price (Keells claiming they have lower prices)
3. Dulux half a litre free with every four litres.
4. Airtel's long cock-and-bull story about a marriage proposal (international phone calls).
These tell me a few things:
1. Sheer desperation on the part of the companies, some gimmick, any gimmick to try and push sales. The reasoning seems to be: 'the war's over, lets tap the optimism and get the sales up'.
2. A complete lack of ideas as far the agencies responsible for the production of the ads. Reasoning on the lines of 'we need to get the ad done by xx, whats the first thing that comes to mind....'
Incidentally, all the above have to do with price. I keep telling marketing guys if cutting prices is the only way you can grow, then why do we need you???
TGIF.
23 comments:
"100 times lower than the lowest price"?
LMAO that kept me laughing! Hahahahha!
And, I'm not marketing expert or anything, so pls enlighten me, what's the problem with half a letre free with four?
well said..
have a great weekend
talk about it!
Some of the radio commercials reflect badly on agencies and companies and honestly sometimes I wonder what the minds behind these projects were thinking..
Some radio commercials - a story of a kind I tell ya..
the Dulux one was so..... I don't even know what to say..
BUT some brands do have some good ones too..:)
Sach, thanks for dropping by. It was actually 100 items lower than the lowest price.
The commercial goes like this: one guys keeps repeating "100 items lower than the lowest price" then another guy asks him what he is talking about.
Then he says there are a 100 items lower than the lowest price.
Then they both keep chanting "100 items lower than the lowest price" until the commercial fades off.
Very often such ads are a result of the agency creative guys having to 'dumb down' their original concepts cos the marketing guys don't get the ideas.
I'm personally in the position of having to do that with a client that's launching a new 'service'.
Just saw the Uthuru Mithuru commercial done by Triad. What on earth possessed them to do that? Mikey I thought would ensure better executions.
Who's the Tritel Agency?
KRP - Machan can't blame clients all the time no? I believe the agency also must be responsible for ownership. You know I practice what I preach. I am not saying ask them to f'off but a proper mix of agency business that keeps the billing ticking and the other to highlight the agency creative is important. I strongly believe that relationships and understanding the client at management level is important.
BTW: why the silence?
the dialog ads are terrible. right now i hate the one where two women discuss another woman's latest catch being from india. surely whoever was responsible for it could've found a pleasanter way to advertise lower idd charges.
and that stupid commercial bank debit card ad - "all i ever wanted, all i ever dreamt about was a debit card". wtf?
OMG Pissu, you are so right, they are pretty terrible.
I had forgotten to include them.
"100 times lower than the lowest price? "
Er.. where's d logic in it?
Creativity = Stupidity in the land like no other.
Do you realize Kottu is an Idiots' joint bcoz many of its members are either Admen, Journos or NGO bootlickers, three professions i would never want to be in SL.
Admen lack common sense. So do the Journos in SL. Stupidity is contagious in paradise.
agree with KRP. I've seen it happen so many times. the agency brings a really good one and mgt says...ohh noooo....that's too graphic/ suggestive...blah... -_-
i liked the Free mug with pizza hut tho. chaar and I used to sing it in the car...borrrrnnn freee..i'm free...i'm freee..hehe ok, i'll stop now.
Dumbing down does tend to happen. Also, you've got to keep in mind that all these ads represent extremely competitive industries and with the market taking a fresh outlook and spending going up, mass use products like these HAVE to use penetrative strategies like this in order to entrench oneself in the market.
Also, repetitive and 'boring' does often succeed in creating a mass impact especially in a market such as hours where 'creative' English ads may usually pass over the heads of the people listening in
NB aka Court Jester, you are hiding behind this bog eh honey? Come out come out my boy. Your HATRED for lankan admen couldn't be contained for so long ne? come out come out. Cocky you are. Indi please disable this account from Kottu. Apparently court jester is none other than our little village weirdo NB.
Shame on you bastard. Why do you keep hiding behind many bogs and still accuse the Ad industry? Shame Shame. Get a life bugger.
ViceUnVersa, KRP, did'nt think about the dumbing down, probably plays a part and after all the customer is king eh? Especially in these lean times.
the dumber commercials are also due to equally dumb clients dude...sometimes they just INSIST on certain things.
dialog - they do most of their ads inhouse
pizza hut, born free - tis the voice of the better half! :)
Our radio ads suck. Big time. Doesn't matter who’s to be blamed, the result is pretty dumb and annoying. The advertising great Jeremy Bullmore once taught us: “If you don’t know how to be creative on radio, just sing it..!” and that’s exactly what he never wanted us to do as creatives.
In terms of ingenuity, we haven’t gone far from age-old “viridu kaaraya” – have we?
And where are the morals? Where’s the truth (100 times lower than the lowest price)? Where’s the integrity? Where’s the respect for the consumer?
Sad to say but we haven’t cracked the radio yet.
Sigh... I have to take these everyday because whoever is giving me a life (dad, Bro, Hubby) all listen to stuuuu..pid yes fm. I suppose other stations air the same commercials...
sigh...
Angel, the Shaq and Shay morning show is pretty good, which is why I listen to it but the commercials are a pain.
well, as dumb as they are, the recall on these ads must be pretty high for everyone to remember them so well and talk about them.
however, i don't believe the ad industry lacks good talent, it is the client who believes that today's consumer is dumb. if you want better radio commercials and other things then i suggest you gang up on all your friends in the marketing industry and tell them that you aren't as stupid as they think you are.
that'll help us ad people a lot more than you'd know. we don't revel in giving you crap with every commercial we produce, we simply lose many creative battles to those who take you (the consumer) to be dumb clucks... their words, not ours.
peace.
well, as dumb as they are, the recall on these ads must be pretty high for everyone to remember them so well and talk about them.
however, i don't believe the ad industry lacks good talent, it is the client who believes that today's consumer is dumb. if you want better radio commercials and other things then i suggest you gang up on all your friends in the marketing industry and tell them that you aren't as stupid as they think you are.
that'll help us ad people a lot more than you'd know. we don't revel in giving you crap with every commercial we produce, we simply lose many creative battles to those who take you (the consumer) to be dumb clucks... their words, not ours.
peace.
Anon, agreed, will raise the issue the next time I meet a marketing crowd.
what about that Apple Soda radio ad eh, love the way they mock jingles and the tv ad... lol
Sorry Anon, have not heard the Apple Soda d, will keep an ear open for it, though.
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