Despite being in advertising, I feel like any consumer. When I’m not in the market for something I tune out most commercials. Most times it takes an advertiser hitting the right window of opportunity for me to even pay attention to their ads, let alone buy their product. But I’m a HUGE sucker for bad commercials.
I love bad commercials. Bad as in low-budget, low-quality, poorly produced ones that aren’t funny or witty. I think they’re enormously effective.
Check this one out. It’s my favorite to date. Imagine half-watching TV and half working on your laptop and – in the midst of commercials by corporate giants like Wal-Mart & Bud Light, you see this little goody:
I stared, dumbfounded throughout the entire commercial. And then I pressed rewind on my DVR so I could see it again. I found my husband and showed him. We were speechless. The sound quality, lighting, and acting are so low-budget I can imagine this was filmed in front of a homemade screen by a hand-held recorder at someone’s house. And yet it’s incredible because it’s so noticeable. I love it. My husband has a huge crush on her.
The next example is actually a series of bad commercials by PC Laptops. The owner, Dan, is known to most people in the advertising world of SLC. When I’ve seen him he’s been nice, friendly, and quiet – which is surprising considering his commercials. And has a huge following. PC Laptops has a great brand, and they advertise like crazy But his commercials are terrible. Bad acting and bad scripts that don’t even make sense. And yet, to prove my point, they are so noticeable.
Check out their series of TV commercials that start with “Buying a laptop anywhere else is just as dumb as doing something like this.” They have the Caveman one, the Dance Critics, Worlds Collide - they are all equally bad and nonsensical. Oh they slay me! But no matter how bad they are they are so good because A) you notice them, B) they build the brand and slogan and C) they don’t make any sense so you try to think about them and make them make sense. (E.g. is it dumb to dance or dumb to laser someone . . . nothing is really clear)
The latest series by E-Trade has the low-budget, 80’s style, Look Who’s Talking thing that makes them really noticeable. My husband loves these commercials. It has that home-movies tangibility factor that makes it really eye-catching and endearing. Plus they’re hilarious, so I guess they’re not bad per se…just low-budget.
Ah advertising. How I love thee.
