Truth in Advertising … Seriously
As a former ad person (well after Sterling Cooper’s Don Draper) and just before one of the most legendary ad campaigns of all time (Apple’s introduction of the Macintosh, 1984), I have a real fondness for imaginatively conceptualized and well executed ad campaigns.
This one by M&C Saatchi in London for Dixons.co.uk is modestly thrilling. The Dixons’ ads cheekily encourage shoppers to check out products in certain department stores and then go and buy them online instead. Unabashedly clever, I’d say.
The Advertising Rationale is best summed up like this: Eschewing Dixons' usually bland ad approach, the posters acknowledge the brand's position in the electronics market, which is pretty much at the bottom. The ads brilliantly consider a habit that many of us may recognise with some guilt – that we will get advice about expensive goods at a more upmarket store, but then nip online to make the actual purchase, where it is cheaper.
Although we’re accustomed to hearing about how brands are going to be more transparent in the modern age, it is a pleasant change to actually see such candor and self-knowledge put at the center of an ad campaign. Agreed?
It’s certainly canny, but it still wouldn’t make me want to shop at Dixons! I agree it’s imaginative, but there’s something about piggybacking off identifiable brands (in this case Selfridges and John Lewis) that rankles with me. It also conveniently ignores the fact that you can buy online at John Lewis too.
I had questioned the piggybacking as well, but when studies indicate that publicity of any
kind is perceived as more favorable than not, I assumed they (Selfridges etc.) are willing
to give it a go. It remains to be seen if the campaign will be successful, but with Dixon
currently at lowest levels ever, it may prove a panacea.
We’ll see what happens I’m sure! I do suspect though that ultimately it will prove a bit too clever for its own good and the joke will be on Dixons. Why reinforce the idea that Dixons offline levels of service, information, staff quality and atmosphere were so poor (stepping into their stores was the most depressing experience; John Lewis is well-loved because it’s the very antithesis)? And it doesn’t tell us why we should buy online from them. I can just picture the Saatchi pitch….a bunch of ad execs who would never dream of shopping at Dixons online or otherwise throwing their high-risk idea at a sceptical Dixons management. They have a pretty successful online enterprise, so why emphasise everything we hated about the high-street stores & endanger? And Harrods have been threatening legal action to boot!
Wonderful analysis Ruth and I, too, can envision the ad execs making the pitch.
Which may be why they got the Dixon business in the first place. Desperate
measures call for innovative tactics.
[...] Truth in Advertising … Seriously « The Errant Æsthete theerrantaesthete.com/2009/10/07/truth-in-advertising-seriously – view page – cached As a former ad person (well after Sterling Cooper’s Don Draper) and just before one of the most legendary ad campaigns of all time (Apple’s introduction of the Macintosh, 1984), I have a real… (Read more)As a former ad person (well after Sterling Cooper’s Don Draper) and just before one of the most legendary ad campaigns of all time (Apple’s introduction of the Macintosh, 1984), I have a real fondness for imaginatively conceptualized and well executed ad campaigns. (Read less) — From the page [...]
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