December 12, 2007
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It's surprising these days how often advertisements....particularly television commercials....have essentially nothing whatever to do with the product ostensibly being promoted.
As an example, take two of the currently-running Jack-in-the-Box ads. One amuses me tremendously, one annoys the living daylights out of me, but neither actually give me a reason to eat at Jack-in-the-Box, at least not for the food served there.
The amusing ad is the one with two men riding to work, where one of them has a Holiday Jack antenna ball stuck to his forehead, since his car is lacking a suitable antenna. Completely deadpan he explains, "Just trying to show some holiday spirit."
The first time I saw the ad I was struck dumb, unable to imagine what would be his companion's reply, for I most assuredly wouldn't have been able to think of a thing to say.
The companion stared at the driver for a moment, then turned and looked doggedly straight ahead. "Mission accomplished," he said.
Excellent response. For whatever reason, that ad cracks me up, it's played so straight. Neither man shows even a hint of humor, which makes it simply hilarious (at least to me).
Doesn't give me much of a reason to eat at Jack-in-the-Box, unless of course I want a Holiday Jack antenna ball of my own, which I don't, but by jingo, the commercial's entertaining, and I appreciate that.
Unfortunately, the other commercial is not entertaining in the slightest, and in fact leaves me wondering what sort of idiots are running that company, anyway. This is the one with a company meeting that Jack's trying to hold, only a newly hired employee keeps interrupting it by interjecting stupid suggestions. Finally Jack punches a button on the phone in front of him, instructing his secretary to get the new guy ("A corner office?" the NG cracks) a severance package.
Irritating ad, as the NG is a royal jerk, and I keep thinking "So who hired him?"
This ad not only provides no reason to purchase food at Jack-in-the-Box, it's just plain aggravating.
ISTM that company's marketing department could stand some tweaking. If you're not going to promote your product, at a minimum be amusing, and as a rider it'd be nice were you to not show jerks and fools as being those who buy what you're selling. Why would I want to lump myself in with jerks and fools by using the stuff they use?
Comments (5)
That first one would crack me up, too.
The thing about having to do "stupid" ads instead of focusing on what you actually sell, is that it can backfire with thinking people, who might actually wonder why this ad DOESN'T talk about what you're selling. "Must be somethin' wrong with their products. I'm not buyin' them!"
me<><
They aren't promoting the product so much as they are appealing to a certain type of person to see them as a company in sync with that person's worldview. If you're a slightly wacky person with a cool, deadpan sense of humor, you'll probably like Jack in the Box, is what they want you to think. The product isn't particularly special, but the ambience of the place might be different from what you're used to, so maybe you won't feel like you're McLunching so much by getting your lunch from Jack in the Box. You can be different than the McDonald's crowd. They're selling hip-ness and individuality.
Gee, and here I thought they were selling hamburgers.
Seriously, I expect you're right, Eleanor. Didn't think of it like that.
It may be simpler than that, though.
Say you're hungry, or might be hungry soon.
And you haven't thought about what to have for dinner, or whether you might just run out and grab something.
And then you see a Jack in the Box commercial. Now McDonald's and Chick Fil A are a little farther back in your mind, and JITB is further front.]
I don't disagree that the thing about making you think about the place in a certain way that fits with who you want to be is part of it, but for a product like Jack in the Box, where everyone knows what it is, and nearly everyone already knows whether they like it or not, just reminding you that they exist at what might be a sales-critical point, is probably a lot more important than talking about how great their burgers are. After all, if you like their burgers, all you need is a reminder that they exist, for you to start thinking about whether you want one. And if you don't like them, all the glowing descriptions in the world probably won't sway you.
When I see commercials that don't make sense to me, or annoy me, I always say, "Oh well. Another case of an old person Viewing With Alarm. So much of the world has passed me by as far as taste and common sense go, I always blame it on myself. I'm just hopelessly passe.
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