jtherkal: BEHOLD! The first irateads-branded ad posted on YouTube. And the ad just happens to be from one of my associate’s favorite campaigns. Ever since Charles let Dwayne into his top five, I’ve been a fan. This might be my favorite yet. “They have a statue of Rocky, and he’s not even real.” Classic. A.
sjbooher: This one doesn’t make me laugh out loud, like some of the others, but who am I to hold my sense of humor as the end-all-be-all? A.
First, I’m amazed I could find this on YouTube. Who the hell would want to watch this of their own free will? I bet I’ve unconsciously seen this ad about 50 times, but until my roommate pointed it out during Law & Order last night, I’ve never been aware that I’m watching it. Something about the music, the graphics, the whole treatment, tells my brain, “you can think about something else now, this doesn’t concern you.” This revolutionary phone, designed especially for old folks, promises: “Bigger buttons, bigger numbers.” And, “You don’t need a 400-page manual to use it.” How simple is Jitterbug? One version of the phone comes with only three options:
It would be hard for even the most technology-ignorant old person to be confused by that. I am a bit concerned though, as at the end it offers a free car phone charger with purchase. If you need a phone with only three options because you can’t figure out a normal cell phone, you shouldn’t be operating a motor vehicle. They’re slightly more complicated and entirely more dangerous than a mobile phone.
A third version of the phone has an ASSIST button, which when pressed slowly administers lethal medication to the user, allowing them to peacefully slip away during conversation. If you happen to accidentally press the button, you’re in luck, you can use your Jitterbug to call 911 or the operator for help. Or you can call home to say goodbye.
It’s difficult to grade this, as I think it’s probably doing it’s job: turning off the brains of young consumers and singing its way into the hearts of our elderly. But because I’ve noticed it and I’ll now be tortured by it during my many hours watching Law & Order, and because I think advertising takes advantages of the impressionable and feeble minds of our elders, F.
The Hawk: I’m neither here nor there on this one. It’s an informational ad the describes the product well and I do like that “Jitterbug” jingle in the background. All-in-all it just exists, so it gets a C. Average.
Sorry, this one just isn’t for me. First, what’s the point of it? That these guys use Boost Mobile? That’s they’re successful and therefore are authorities on cool phones? Granted, I’m probably not the target audience, but I like hip-hop. And who is that third person? A man or a woman? What? I don’t really like any of the people in this or the song. I officially hate “now I’m at the tippy.” D.
The Hawk: The Mouth needs to recognize and realize on this one. Jermaine Dupri and Young Jeezy are southern Hip-Hop institutions. This ad plays just like a music video, and honestly the beat and lyrics are good enough to rock it as a song, until… whatever that thing at the end is, happens. Mickey Avalon, I guess? Horrid. Cringe-worthy. Ruins the whole commercial. It’s a classic case of ad guys not knowing shit about Hip-Hop. The culture has so many applications to advertising, but rarely is it utilized well. From A to D, just like that. Our paths are vastly different, but I to arrive at D for this one.
I guess it was supposed to be the follow up to this one, but with slick effects and supers trying to fill the void between star and song quality:
This I liked, although I wouldn’t have been able to tell you which company it was for. They went from Kanye, Luda and Game to Dupri, Jeezy and Avalon? Talk about a drop in quality. At least this one showed the functionality, dudes talking coast to coast in real time, rhyming over a Kanye beat. And the song is actually good. And is that B Davis making an appearance in the background?! Or is it Black Thought…I’m not sure which is better, a commercial I don’t like, but remember the company, or a commercial I do like but can’t remember who it was for. A-.
The Hawk: Just to reiterate: Avalon=drop in quality, Dupri and Jeezy do not. Jermaine Dupri is one of the most successful, versatile music men of all-time. With that out of the way… I love this one too. Great song, great stars, fits the Boost brand to a tee… and somehow, maybe subconsciously, I always realized whom this ad was repping. A+.
Update: After re-watching, I realized it was the incessant Boost chirp used throughout the ad that tipped me off to the brand. Nice placement.
I was singing that all night last night, so if we’re grading for stuck-in-my-headedness this is a winner. However, I think the concept of Fav Five is dumb and would never, ever cause me to buy a phone or switch carriers. Unless Dwayne and Charles were in my top five.
The Hawk:
Love it. Great song, great “busted” moment… Fav Five is awesome… not really. I agree on B, but mine is a positive B, whereas The Mouth gave a negative B.
I couldn’t find the ad I just saw, but to sum it up: terrible. Not only do I hate each commercial in this campaign, but until I decided to review this should-have-been-aborted effort, I had no idea which company it was for. I knew it was mocking the other carriers, but since I had no idea who was doing the mocking, what’s the point? Here’s one I hate as much as any of the others:
I understand the concept; personify the other mobile phone companies as inept nerds, while casting yourself as the cool, hip, savior of the common person. The problem is, we don’t know who you are. You spend half of your commercials talking about and “showing” your competitors, who, in my mind, are more evil, theiving bastards than bungling losers. And in my mind, Alltel doesn’t even exist as an option. This campaign doesn’t really help to change that. In my mind.
