Dippy Drano Couple
There are some products out there that just can't be marketed tastefully in a television commercial. It's just not possible. Just about any product having to do with personal hygeine or bathrooms walks that fine line between tasteful and tasteless. But even toilet paper commercials can be presented in such a way that we forget where that toilet paper is eventually going to end up. And then there's Drano. I do pity the ad firm that has to come up with the Drano commercials. Trying to sell Drano must be like trying to sell toilet plungers or something. Just how are you going to show how cool it is on TV, without grossing everybody out? You can't.
One of the company's latest commercials features an average-looking couple who seem to have nothing better to do than to pour some of the Leading Brand's sink unclogger into their sink and... to stare at it. The whole process seems to puzzle them so greatly that you'd think they were trying to solve the weekly Crypto-Quiz or something. The two of them pour, then stand there and discuss the effects they believe the unclogger stuff is having on their sink. The guy laments that, since this brand is all liquidy, that it can't really be "grabbing the clog." Cut to a shot, or a demonstration, rather, of how liquid uncloggers do their job and how Drano does such a better one, because it is thick and grabs the clog.
Grossed out yet? I am. Especially when I consider what that clog these people have consists of... it's your own fault there's a clog, guys. Stop shedding so much and you'll all be happier.
The bottom line: The grossness factor drags the commercial down, points-wise, but considering the product that they had to advertise, I'll cut them a little slack. It earns an extra point for featuring both a male and a female in the ad (as opposed to just a female, as many cleaning-product commercials are wont to do), and an additional point for having the two of them be equal in terms of intelligence. The use of a completely dippy-looking couple doesn't really help sell the product, however, as we get the sneaking suspicion that their "I don't think this stuff is catching the clog!" epiphany is the deepest thought they've had in weeks.
Effective? No
Overplayed? Yes
Obnoxious/Loud Music? No
Sexist/Gender Stereotyping? No
Extreme cheesiness? No
Repetition of annoying catch phrase or tune? No
Use of talking animals or other things that shouldn't talk? No
Use of disturbing images? Yes
My rating: 3/10
Unofficial Wendy's Dork
It's one thing to like a restaurant in an unnaturally scary way. It's quite another to go around, giving away their food... food you bought with your own money. It's even scarier when you don't appear to have any source of income whatsoever. Your wife hates you. Your boss hates you. Everyone in town thinks you're annoying, and the only reason they haven't killed you yet is because you keep bringing them free food. Congratulations. You've officially become the town putz.
The Wendy's guy is so far around the bend, that there appears to be little help available for him. I could sit here and make comparisons to the Taco Bell dog, but at least that was sort of cute. I mean aw, a dog. Not some escapee from the local asylum.
Okay, I'll admit it. I have a problem with commercials that show people acting stupid and try to make us believe it's cute or funny. And this campaign actually started out kind of funny... but they keep doing more and more commercials with this guy. (Update: I have no problem whatsoever with the actor, but his character is highly loatheable.) I'm beginning to wonder if Wendy's angle is, See this guy? Look how pathetic he is. Feel sorry for him and uh... buy our food. Sorry, I'll only buy your food if part of the proceeds go toward this guy's treatment.
Eh, whatever. Anyway, the most recent commercial features a blond secretary who spends the whole commercial trying to track the Wendy's guy down. He has sneaked into her building somehow and she wants to kill him. The commercial ends on a sad note, however, as the Wendy's guy evades her. Damn. Oh well, maybe next time.
The bottom line: Augh.
Effective? No
Overplayed? Yes
Obnoxious/Loud Music? No
Sexist/Gender Stereotyping? Yes (at least in this one, with the secretary)
Extreme cheesiness? Yes
Repetition of annoying catch phrase or tune? Yes: "Not officially."
Use of talking animals or other things that shouldn't talk? No.
Use of disturbing images? Besides hamburger? No.
My rating: 2/10
Update 27 August 2004: Okay, so some of the commercials are cute... I've seen more that haven't been as bad as the damn secretary one. Go figure.
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