Sharks. Kodiak bears of the deep. Nightmare machines. Eaters of...Snickers. Yeah buddy. As if there weren't enough reasons why sharks gave you the screaming heebie-jeebies, now they're coming after your snack food. Specifically, after you've already eaten it.
Snickers now comes in a dual-square package, apparently, and they've decided to test this product out on focus groups full of the deep-sea predators. The ad has a gaggle of them in a conference room discussing which of two different people they ate was more scrumptious. The consensus, of course, being Steve. The one who'd just eaten Snickers.
We think the concept for the ad was brilliant. In large part, ads for Snickers have been hit and miss; trying for but never quite getting that laugh generated from the completely random comedy that's worked so well for companies like Doritos. However, shark focus groups have been dynamite for the Snickers business plan. In fact, we can see other companies following suit: your next cell phone tested for durability by a pride of lions, perhaps.
And really, our eyes have been opened to what sparkling conversationalists sharks can be. And so polite! Why, one of them even said "please" after asking the next hapless intern that stumbled into the room to eat both squares.
So reader, now that we've gotten you into the mood (what?), this week we'd like you to weigh in on the issue of comedy in advertising. There are no limitations on medium; we won't force you to discuss strictly television ads.
Do you think its an effective tool? Does it make you remember the ad any better? If you've heard a funny one on the radio or something in your favorite magazine made you giggle like a little schoolgirl, let us know about it. Until next week, stay the hell out of the water.
Comedy in advertising is good for the soul. Well.... advertising is never actually good for the soul, but comedic adverts don't leave a sour taste in my brain like those of corporations that take themselves too seriously. Like, say, the old TV adverts for Gillette Fusion razors from a few years ago.
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Particle accelerators being used to create razors is utterly retarded. Using sharks to taste-test people who taste-test Snickers is also utterly retarded, but at least it's also amusing.
Good lord I almost forgot about those Gilette commercials. They contain a criminal level of melodrama. I do agree that comedic ads don't trigger the hatred that I feel when advertisers seem to assume we're idiots right off the bat. I prefer it when there are no "may"s or "should"s, just laughing.
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