One of the unavoidable side effects of working in Advertising is that you view commercials with a very jaundiced eye, to say the least. When I watch a commercial, I don't just see the commercial on the screen; I see the whole back story; I can picture the client meetings...the pitch...even imagine the focus group feedback that influenced the final concept (usually for the worst). More often than not, I can easily guess the Creative Strategy and the "core idea". It's usually pretty obvious; most commercials are no more than thinly-disguised Strategy statements.
It's also easy to spot a client with a "branding problem". For whatever reason, the client has decided that their brand name has lost its former luster, or that their brand is losing market share to the competition. One time-honored solution - favored by many clients - is to mention the brand name often, and in as obtrusive a way as possible, in their tv commercial.
My favorite current example of this syndrome is the new Glade air freshener campaign. I'm fascinated by this campaign in part because of its retro, 1950s "Happy Housewife" feel. In the spots, a perky suburban housewife introduces her less sophisticated friends to the joys of a fresh, Glade-scented home. When her buddies drop by for yoga practice, they are greeted with the wonderful scent of "Apple Cinnamon", "Jasmine" and "Clean Linen" wafting through their host's home. Glade Lady's smug secret? Glade Scented Gel Plug-Ins, of course. A few, strategically-placed "Plug-Ins" have transformed her domicile into a fresh-smelling oasis (presumably just in the nick of time, before her sweaty friends get going on their yoga poses).
What intrigues me most about the spots is their blatant "branding device"; at the end of every spot...after we've heard the name "Glade" mentioned at least a dozen times...Glade Lady turns directly to the camera and winks, "And yes, it's Glade." I'm always fascinated by the "And yes" part of the line. Were we doubting that these wondrous new air fresheners were from Glade? Did a focus group, upon seeing the air fresheners, express surprise that Glade, of all people, turned out such delightful and effective products? Was Glade getting a reputation for dragging their feet in the innovation department? I always thought Glade was synonymous with "air fresheners"...but who knows, maybe Air Wick has been cleaning their clocks.
The latest spot in the campaign is by far my favorite. It's for Glade's new, "Sense & Spray" Motion Sensor plug-in. Yes, you heard that right. Obviously, consumers didn't like the idea of their air fresheners working continuously - even when they're not in the room. Glade to the rescue! This new item only emits a puff of fragrance when you walk by. It's like a mini, plastic Mount Vesuvius, magically emitting a puff of fragrant mist from the top of its white, plastic cone-like container...but only when needed. Let's hear it for American ingenuity. The R&D team at Johnson & Johnson must have been working overtime on this one...it's pure genius! Who says America is out of good ideas?
I can just picture the poor Creative team when they were handed this assignment. By this time, they had already established "Glade Lady". What to do? The solution: have her sneak around her own home, peeking in windows, and around corners, trying to outsmart the Glade Motion Sensor. Will she catch it working when she's not in the room? Of course not! Ample proof the precious, Glade scented mist isn't being wasted on an empty bathroom - thank God - it's only there when you need it.
And yes, at the end of the spot, we are reminded once again who makes this irresistible new product. "And yes, it's Glade", chirps the knowing, slightly smug, odor-fighting housewife. How do I know she's a housewife? Who else has time to stay home all day, sneaking around the house, checking on air fresheners?
Yeah, but you gotta love "Clean Linen."
Posted by: bob hoffman | March 30, 2009 at 11:07 AM
Beats "Dirty Shower Curtain" and "Litter Box"
every time.
Posted by: Marcie Judelson | March 30, 2009 at 11:47 AM