Questionable Bits
Jun 23, 07:50 PM
Club Orange’s latest TV ad is so, so disappointing. The 2001 ad campaign struck a perfect balance between humour and taste. Even the ad in which Tom Hickey asked the question “Should I take my bits out, or would you rather I left them in?” skirted the border of taste, but the delivery and overall tone of the campaign tipped the scales in the right direction.
Chemistry’s latest offering is tired and uninspired. Firstly I can’t believe that C&C signed off on this (dare I say) idea. Secondly I can’t believe that they travelled all the way to Columbia to shoot this. And thirdly, I’m surprised that Chemistry are happy with this ad. In my own opinion Chemistry are one the better creative agencies in Dublin, but this is a real black spot on their CV as far as I’m concerned.
Of course it will, and already has, gained a lot of attention in the media. Much like Ray Coyle’s Hunky Dorys campaign. But advertising shouldn’t be judged on media coverage and sales alone. In Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This Luke Sullivan quotes Norman Berry, an ex-creative director at Ogilvy & Mather:
“I’m appalled by those who judge advertising exclusively on the basis of sales. That isn’t enough. Of course, advertising must sell. By any definition it is lousy advertising if it doesn’t. But if sales are achieved with work which is in bad taste or is intellectual garbage, it shouldn’t be applauded no matter how much it sells. Offensive, dull, abrasive, stupid advertising is bad for the entire industry and bad for business as a whole. It is why the public perception of advertising is going down…”
I agree with the sentiment. Chemistry had the ad up on their blog, but have since removed it. Food for thought. Here is the ad in question. See what you think yourself.
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