There’s a new series of commercials for a new disposable razor. They show guys in various situations with only half their faces shaved. Apparently they didn’t realize their condition. No commentary that would indicate what it’s supposed to mean.
So… what’s the point? What’s the joke? What the hell am I missing here???
– Greg, Atlanta
:I am sorry to say that I think I can help you with this:
:very, very sorry:
If you pay close attention, you will notice that at the beginning of the commercial, they are unshaven.
Then, either riding by in a bus (?) or on a moving walkway, they will pass a billboard for the razor being advertised.
Then, they are shaven on the side that faced the ad.
The point is something like, “Our razors are so good, they can shave you even if you are 12 feet away and merely pass by a photograph of them, plus you’ll never even feel it.”
Damn, that’s stupid.
And wouldn’t the company be thrilled to know I didn’t even understand their million dollar campaign, much less be impressed with it?
Thanks for the speedy response.
– Greg, Atlanta
Not to mention that they can shave a perfect hemisphere of your face, as if it were a plane instead of an actual face.
You might not understand the commercial, but you remembered it, which of course, is par tof what they’re trying to achieve. If you remember the name of the product, even better. Most advertising is about brand awareness, meaning as long as you know a product exists, the commercial has done it’s job. The fact that it slices/dices/and even makes fries is an extra bonus.
I took a writing for advertising class in college once, and seem to remember there was a rule of thumb for how many times a product was supposed to be named ina commercial. It was something like 4 times for a 30 sec. spot and 6 for a 60 sec. one. I probably don’t remember the numbers right though.
Personally, I think the ad would be much more effective if, after passing the giant picture of a razor, the unshaven men were missing the entire side of their heads.
Okay, so it wouldn’t sell a lot of razors. But it’d be cool…
Guy, I like your sig quote but it’s a tad off (I know because this wav introduces my Links section of my web site). The correct wording is–“Oh sweet information superhighway–what gem bring you me from the far reaches of cyberspace?!”
Am I the only one who thought of the Pepsi Imp here? Something MUST be done!