March 2010

When is an ad not an ad? When it’s so ambiguous the viewer doesn’t know what’s being advertised – then it’s just a super expensive exercise in time wasting for everyone – the brand, the agency and more importantly the viewer. I have been pondering this since I saw Microsoft’s TV ads for Bing. The first time I saw the ad I was convinced it was for a different completely unrelated brand – until Bing was mentioned 22 seconds in. I’m thinking of course of Rowntree’s Randoms. Comparing and ad for a search engine with an ad for sweets should be like comparing chalk and cheese – but in this case it’s more like comparing Royal Galas to Pink Ladies. The confectioner has been running a series of highly memorable ads for some months now, using everyday scenarios such as asking for directions and having the respondent reply in nonsense. The campaign encompasses TV, offline, online, outdoor media and is instantly recognisable. The Bing ad is almost identical – a woman stops and asks for directions to be met with a barrage of gobbledegook. Although Microsoft may have hoped to create brand awareness for their “decision engine” surely if a consumer gets all the way through an ad believing it’s for something else the activity is somewhat counter-productive.

Another example which springs to mind is McDonalds’ spot for its CBO burger. The first time I watched the whimsical ad I was convinced it was for mobile network 3 – until a shot of chicken burger appeared on screen, when I assumed it was for KFC. Again, it was not until the very last shot that I learned the brand behind the ad was Maccas. On one level the ad achieved its goal – remembered it – but only because I was confused. A straw poll amongst my friends revealed no-one else remembered it was for McDonalds – if they remembered it at all because they do not have a vested interest in advertising.

So I beg the question – what exactly is the point? Why bother going to the expense of creating ad campaigns if you do not clearly differentiate yourself and force consumers to remember you – or at the very least recognise the ad is for your brand and not a competitor. These ads prove creativity is not difficult to come by – but originality sure is.