When I say creative, I probably mean confusing, deceptive, or downright nonsensical, but hey, whatever works.
I am refering to the recent spate of television commercials which use some pretty weird tactics to suck you in, not so much from it's interesting or attention-grabbing content, but rather because you don't really know what the hell they're advertising until the very last minute... then BAM!
The first 30 second ad showed a woman at a pottery wheel. Classical music played in the background as the woman struggled with the lump of clay on her wheel. We are treated to scenes of failed pot, after failed vase, after failed bowl. Gradually she gets better and better until finally she has a perfect, complete pot sitting on the wheel in front of her. She sits back on her stool, smiling, and obviously proud of her good word as the voice-over lady speaks encouraging words to the effect of "Now you can treat vaginal thrush in one easy step".
And now I have just witnessed a 60 second ad that features a middle-aged couple ballroom dancing against a stary noir backdrop. A Tony Bennett-esque lounge soundtrack accompanies the couple as they dance gracefully across the varied settings: across a sweeping staircase, in front of a beautifully lit waterfall, with the camera panning across hot air baloons lit up like Christmas trees. Finally they arrive at an open stage, striking a finishing pose as the fireworks burst into a dazzling display of saturated colour. The voice over: "Learn to forget your erection problems. Contact us for a free information pack."
I didn't know whether to be impressed by the efforts of these advertising agencies, or angered at their sneaky tactics to get my attention, but in the end, especially since I've grown quite accustomed to subconciously filtering out most forms of advertising, I've really got to hand it to them.
