Same idea, two treatments

Just saw 2 ads in as many ad breaks with basically the same concept - that the client's standard service is so good, the customer will assume they are being given special treatment. Not a hugely original idea, but it makes a valid selling point, so let's see how they compare.

First up is Staples, with a script that has "first draft" and "will this do" and "I really haven't made any progress since I left college, have I?" written all over it. Clunky exposition and a total absence of wit are the chief ingredients. This ad *might* have been produced by McCann Erickson, but I can't be sure. Once again, the duds seem to find their way onto the internet as poor orphans, unwanted and unloved.

Meanwhile, DDB London produced this spot for Kwik Fit, and stands up reasonably well to the client's imposing heritage in the ad world. The take on the concept is believable and the voice over explains the story in a way that is far less contrived than the tortured dialogue and Staples. The acting and editing, too, are a class above.

Planet of the Apes - Flip Reverse It

Dear me, a 5 day gap in posting. I need to get back into this, especially with the holiday coming up. There'll be fewer posts then, but I don't want it to lie entirely fallow.

Anyway, ads during the X-Factor final. Most had already been extensively scheduled, but one was new (to me at least) - the trailer for Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes on DVD and Blu-Ray.

The problem they had was that the cinematic release had already been heavily promoted on TV with action-packed trailers, and the audience could easily ignore another advert - especially if they'd already been to see the film.

So the advertisers (not sure if this was agency work or in-house) came up with 2 simple devices to get the viewer's attention and signal that this was something new. The first was to play the footage in reverse. The second was to have soothing music ("Sad Eyes" by Bat For Lashes) playing over it.

OK, so the second device was a bit cribbed from McCann SF's ace advert for Gears Of War (see second video), but it worked very well nonetheless.