I don't usually put up a R17 post on Sunday.
But while watching a replay of yesterday's Duke/North Carolina game, I saw a commercial for Red Lobster. A commercial that violated my sensibilities. And in no uncertain terms, let me know I was wrong.
I'm man enough to admit when I'm wrong. In fact, unlike politicians or even other colleagues in the ad biz, I embrace the opportunity to set the record straight.
And so I found myself at the keyboard. Going back in time to 2010, when I was quoted in AgencySpy.
In the piece, I freely speculated what Red Lobster's new agency might find themselves doing. I predicted the new commercials would feature happy, white people in khaki pants and JC Penney era casual wear, biting and smiling their way through a buttery feast of boiled bottom-feeders.
I suggested there would be plastic smiles.
Plastic bibs.
And plastic laughter all around.
The kind of commercial that deftly strikes the right balance of appetizing food shots and product engaged consumers to "ladder up" to a meaningful, robust brand position.
Boy was I wrong.
The new spot does none of that. It's simply wall-to-wall-to-wall food porn.
I've been humbled once again. And now I must eat crustacean.
Advertising, I hardly know thee.
3 comments:
If memory serves, on departure from Crispin, BK went from subservient chickens and kingly snark to McGarry's grill marks—and was roundly applauded for doing so as sort of a "enough with the clever, people buy the food, dammit." Okay, shots of gas flames may not exactly qualify as porn on the lobster level, and while I'm as much a believer in de gustibus non eat etc, your post eloquently serves to remind: Thus, does history regurgitate itself.
If memory serves, on departure from Crispin, BK went from subservient chickens and kingly snark to McGarry's grill marks—and was roundly applauded for doing so as sort of a "enough with the clever, people buy the food, dammit." Okay, shots of gas flames may not exactly qualify as porn on the lobster level, while I'm as much a believer in de gustibus non est etc... your post eloquently serves to remind: Thus, does history regurgitate itself.
If memory serves this is exactly what The Richards Group did as well. Great looking, well shot food porn. Remind me why they changed agencies.
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