Ad Trend: Generic Commercials That Literally Could Be For Any Product.
Brands are now trying to please everybody by saying nothing.
This “movement” has been propagated by the specious “Purpose” advertising trend (much more on that in the near future). Brands feel like they have to be bigger than themselves. And they’re doing this by, not talking about themselves or their products, and certainly not by hyping the possible benefits of their products—how fucking capitalistically crass that would be.
No, they’re talking about “Life”. How to better accept how great your life is. How to get off the sidelines and live life “Bold”. How to be a “Star”. How to live an “Excellent” life. How to live your “Impossible” life. How to live your best life.
Six recent examples. (I have many more bookmarked, but this’ll do.) Any of these ads could be for any of the other brands.
Bulldog Gin (Italy)
This is not an ad for a gin brand. It is an ad for clichés. It doesn’t just work (or not work, really) for any product. It works for anything. Ad agency: Ogilvy, Milan.
COPY:
“I used to watch life from the sidelines. I am done fearing failure. No more illusions. I quit standing in line. I begin to create my own path. To find my vibe. To focus on here and now. To stand up from the crowd. I begin to rise and shine. To make things happen. I follow my rhythm from day til night. Whatever you begin, begin bold.”
Adidas (Worldwide)
Adidas has adjusted their long-running “IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING” (tell that to gravity) campaign with the strategic placement of an apostrophe: I’MPOSSIBLE. Also, they’re using their logo as the “M”. Fancy.
The effort launched last month features volleyball player Tiffany Abreu, basketball player Asma Elbadawi, model Ellie Goldstein, Squid Game actor HoTeon Jung, runner Fatima Ibrahimi, skateboarder Momiji Nishiya, and yoga instructor Jessamyn Stanley.
This ad could be for any sports brand, of course. (It feels exactly like a Nike ad.) But it could also be for any fragrance, any liquor, any fashion label, etc. Ad agency: 180/TBWA.
COPY:
“It’s impossible. To take hold of the world’s spotlight overnight…Create your own uniform…Be a cover model…A powerful athlete…Or compete as a trans woman. Impossible? No. I’m possible.”
Lancome (Spain)
“Empowering”. Brands now want to empower the bejesus out of you. This two-minute Lancome “film” is an ad version of Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman”. It could be for any woman’s product; shit, any man’s product, just replace the insecure hero woman with an insecure hero man (though this probably wouldn’t fly in Spain).
From the press note: “Based on studies that suggest Spanish women are the most unhappy in the world, the ad asks the question, If you saw your life from the outside, would you realize how happy you really are?”
In the ad, Andrea (an actor) goes into a movie theater, expecting to see a movie, but instead is shown (fake) vignettes from her (fake) wonderful life filled with wonderful (fake) friends and a wonderful (fake) family. She cries (fakely).
COPY:
“1 out of three women are unhappy with their life. Andrea is one of them (no she isn’t). Lancome presents: Are We Happy? (Andrea to herself): ‘Sometimes, contemplating the beauty of life is all you need to be happy. Now close your eyes and think. If you saw your life from the outside, what would you see?’ La vie est belle (Life is beautiful).”
Ad agency: Havas, Madrid.
Remy Martin (Shanghai)
Heads up, another “influencer” ad. Remy Martin taps Chinese actor Yifeng Li, who dutifully holds a glass of the cognac in almost every shot. Let’s reads the generic-as-crap-on-a-cracker copy (seemingly read by Li):
“Good things in life take time. But most of us don’t like to wait. We want to enjoy life, live for today. Is it too much to ask? Are we too impatient? Excellence doesn’t stand still, waiting for us. It’s up to us to go create these moments together. Time is precious. We should make sure we’re only spending it on the best. Living our best years now, rather than waiting for them. Excellence takes time. Taste it now.”
HashtagTeamUpForExcellence. Get this boring folderol the fuck out of my brain. Ad agency: Fred & Farid, Shanghai.
Amstel (Brazil)
Amstel is a beer brand. This is not a beer ad. This is an ad about YOU. Insert any brand logo at the end—well maybe not Hobby Lobby’s—and it “works”. Anybody remember REEBOKS LET U.B.U.
On screen copy (which is ALL CAPS):
I AM WHAT I AM. I AM A STAR. I AM PERSISTENT. I AM INTENSE. I AM POWERFUL. I AM A CREATOR. I AM ART(E). I AM RESISTANCE. YOU ARE WHO YOU WANT TO BE. I AM PROUD. I AM FREE. IAMSTERDAM. IAMSTEL. EVERYONE IS WELCOME.
See: some genius noticed that the first two letters of “AMSTEL” are “AM”. Boom: “Concept”. Ad agency: Wunderman Thompson, Brazil.
Colgate (Thailand)
Colgate’s new worldwide tagline is: “Made for Greatness”. Which means absolutely nothing. The spot features an “influencer”, Jimmy Chin.
COPY:
“What is greatness? It is constantly reaching for perfection. Knowing you could always become stronger. Pushing you to go further. To aim higher. And never give up. And reaching past your limits to rise above. It’s what’s inside that makes you great.”
This generic tripe would work for Adidas, Bulldog Gin, Remy Martin…almost any fucking brand in the world. Anyway: You know what’s of utmost importance to any mountain climber? Making sure you have clean teeth in case you wanna make out with a goat. Ad agency: Red Fuse, Thailand.
'...make out with a goat'. Very funny.