With all the creative, brilliant, and funny people in the world, why do most commercials suck?!
This blog analyzes standout commercials (both great and terrible), mourning their idiocy or applauding their unusual nonlameness.
Most commercials deserve some scorn, and the few that don't deserve some accolades!
Plus I watch a lot of TV and I'm bored.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
As a chef, we don’t need grammar
[Thomas Keller for the American Express Membership Effect]
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The first line of this commercial bugs me so much, I can hardly even hear the rest of it.
“As a chef, we are always committed to our suppliers.”
I hate this awkward linguistic construction anyways — why not say “Chefs are committed to their suppliers”? Much more concise.
But if you’re going to use it, at least get the grammar right. “As a chef” = singular. “We are” = plural. Do all professional cooks, collectively, form one single chef?! It should be, “As chefs, we are always committed to our suppliers.”
I know this is beside the point of the ad, but if you’re going to spend hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars on creating and dispersing a commercial, then surely you can spend $10 to hire a professional editor to check the three lines of text! Come on!
The rest of the commercial (once I forced myself to watch it) is lackluster. The script continues: “You know, those farmers, those forgers, those fishermen… For me, it’s really about building this extraordinary community. American Express is passionate about the same thing.”
Kinda lacks the ring of truth. Amex is passionate about making money by getting people to spend money, mostly, and they probably don’t give a specific darn about fishermen communities. If McDonalds wants to use Amex, pretty sure Amex would be thrilled.
Clever: 1/5
Avoidance of obvious mistakes: 1/5
Not too annoying, even after the 17th time: 4/5
(There’s nothing specifically grating — no stupid jokes, loud noises, irritating voices, kitchy music, etc. It’s just a soothing voice and soft music, so after you get past the grammar goof, you can ignore the commercial pretty easily.)
Overall: 2/5, Crappy Commercial
You bring great shame upon this coffee hut!
[Intel Ultrabook TV Commercial / Ad]
Is it just me, or isn’t this ad really racist??
If it wasn’t for that last line, though, it’s pretty funny… I’ve definitely experienced that metaphorical ninja-fight for outlets in a coffee shop, lol.
I’m kinda bummed, because I usually adore Intel commercials. Or, to put it a way the company might understand, I am disappoint.
Funny: 1/5
(Good concept, but the racism ruins it for me)
Clever: 4/5
Not too annoying, even after the 17th time: 3/5
I actually remember what the commercial is about: 3/5
(I knew it was for a computer, but couldn’t remember what computer until I looked it up…)
Overall: 2.5/5, Crappy Commercial
Woah, I’m in a river!
[American Express / Amex Kayaking TV Commercial / Ad]
This might only be funny only if you love Aziz Ansari (Tom Haverford from Parks and Recreation), but it’s my absolute favorite commercial right now.
How does he make kayaking look so ridiculous?! (Does he even know what kayaking is?) And yet he’s so full of joy and life that he makes it charming.
The other guy is also great…. the way he says “ok” cracks me up.
Hulu plays this over and over, but it still makes me laugh. That big, goofy grin on Aziz’s face as he does his little Nutcracker-fairy-cum-kayak-enthusiast dance… Can’t get enough of it.
It’s really only marginally related to Amex, but it’s fun enough that I remember it anyway.
Funny: 5/5
Clever: 4/5
Not too annoying, even after the 17th time: 5/5
I actually remember what the commerical is about: 4/5
OVERALL: 5/5, Clever Commercial
