Thursday 6 August 2020

AdvertTime



When I worked for a large organisation and we planned a TV advertising campaign there was a lot of work and time spent to get it right. We had to decide what was the exact message we intended to advertise. Was it the company name and its good standing as a business, or a particular product we made? Who are we aiming the advert to: teenagers, young married couples with family, older couples, middle-class relatively affluent people, richer people with more disposable income ... and so on.

We then prepared the advert on large pieces of cardboard just like a cartoon sequence. Scene one, man enters from left. Scene two man says to woman blah blah blah. Scene three ... and so on. So we could visualise the whole advert scene by scene as a cartoon script and discuss changes or improvements.

Then we hired the film crew, actors, did the filming, editing and so on.

An advert lasting a couple of minutes on your TV screen would take us perhaps six months of planning a good successful campaign.
These days I pay more attention to the TV adverts than the programs which intersperse them. And I ask who are the idiots who make these adverts these days?

Some adverts are so incomprehensible you don't know what the product or service is, because they failed to tell you often enough in big letters. Other adverts just repeat a word, like "Victor", and expect you to know that "Victor" is a brand of men's after-shave lotion, or perhaps a new computer program, or a new washing machine or whatever. If you don't know what "Victor" is from the long advert with incomprehensible singing  and dancing girls and cars, and various sceneries and so on; then they expect you to Google it. As if many people would really bother.

I've decided to stop buying a product, or do business with a company, whose adverts I dislike. So far there is a very limited number of foods I can eat. If I continue with my self-imposed boycott I will soon be eating the carpet and table leg.

Meanwhile, here are some good honest adverts which I would have made in times gone by:
OUR HUGGING DRESSES WILL ACCENTUATE YOUR CONTOURS
AND DRAW ATTENTION TO YOUR AMPLE FEATURES
FIT YOUR PET WITH VICTOR GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM
AND YOU'LL NEVER LOSE HIM AGAIN
(UNLESS YOU LOSE THE REMOTE CONTROL!)

VICTOR MEN'S CLOTHING
YOU'LL BE A SEX SYMBOL
FOR THE WOMAN WHO DOESN'T CARE

PREPARE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

EVERY ADVERT MUST HAVE GOOD MUSIC

 

19 comments:

  1. Dearest Victor,
    Well this is funny and above all about the ‘lost’ puppy!
    Got a smile out of your video as well, with the apple chuckle a day.
    We all need the Vitamin C and also a generous daily dose of laughter and humor!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mariette. It's great to see you visiting here. Thanx. Please call again soon and often.

      Some of my funny books are available FREE from www.holyvisions.co.uk

      God bless.

      Delete
  2. AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! Hands-down, my most enjoyable job was the 10 years spent (assisting) in network television's advertising department. Terribly fascinating to study demographics and target audiences. And what you said about product retention? I once had an old professor who told of production goofs some make trying to be so terribly clever: "Wasn't those dogs soooo cute? Yes, but what were they selling? Um, I've no idea!"

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    Replies
    1. Whoops! Should be, "Weren't those dogs ...."

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    2. Exactly my point, Mevely. Today's adverts have nice scenery, lovely animals and pets, singing and dancing but you miss the point at what it is they're advertising. Adverts for cars are all the same these days - that's because cars are mostly all the same anyway. Petrol, (gas), diesel, hybrid, electric ... OK ... I want a car that runs on chicken poo! How about making and advertising one!

      God bless you, Mevely.

      Delete
  3. Hilarious, Victor! I'd take your ads anytime, anywhere.
    Blessings!

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  4. I like the old ads where there was a little jingle to sing. :)

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    Replies
    1. Now they use old songs instead - it's cheaper.

      God bless, Happyone.

      Delete
  5. I agree that many commercials do a horrible job of selling whatever they're supposed to be selling.

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    1. Not like my commercials. Honest and to the point.

      God bless, Kathy.

      Delete
  6. Heeheehee! Some of the adverts are so silly now, i am glad i only watch TV once a week or so with Grandma.

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    Replies
    1. Good point, Mimi. There's nothing good on TV these days, is there?

      God bless you and yours.

      Delete
  7. Where did yesterday go.... I missed your post. Don takes the "power pill" Metolazone every 12-14 days and it take care of the fluid build up, but wipes him out.
    Any way.....I'm here and enjoyed another glimpse into your life of advertising. Such a fun post, and so agree about not knowing what your buying by the ads. The gal with the pet caught in the crack...reminds me of a hilarious "church" story...but that's for another time. HaHa. Take Care.

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    Replies
    1. So glad you enjoyed my version of adverts, Wanda. I hope you'll enjoy this post too:

      http://timeforreflections.blogspot.com/2018/09/going-to-church-with-rain-man.html

      God bless.

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