For today's commercial, I'll be taking my first ever request: Red Bull's Zebra.
By now we all know the basic concept of Red Bull commercials: By drinking Red Bull, the consumer gains superhuman strength and abilities allowing him or her to perform an extraordinary feat.
So early on, we can kind of see what's going to happen here: The zebra is going to get the upper hand. If that was the entire basis of the commercial, it would have been somewhat bland.
The commercial gives us an extra payoff at the end by showing that not only did the zebra win the fight, but that the alligator has been made into a purse
The big question that the commercial raises is whether or not the zebra's actions were intentional. Was this a preconceived plot to gain a new handbag, or did the zebra simply stumble into a perilous situation, and ended up ahead thanks to the power of Red Bull?
When she puts on lipstick at the beginning of the commercial, I'm not sure if this is done to merely indicate that she is female (it would be weird to have a male zebra carry around a purse) or that she is a fashionable zebra.
If we are meant to see that the zebra is fashionable, then we have to assume that her encounter with the alligator was not accidental, but rather planned. She knew that the alligator would attack, and thanks to the Red Bull she would be able to overpower it, and make it into a purse.
On the other hand, she might not have realized that the alligator was present, and their encounter was unintentional. She might have just been planning to take a relaxing swim, not knowing that there was any danger. Notice that she seems to let out a surprised gasp when the alligator had her by the neck.
Of course, it is possible that even if she did plan the encounter, she might have underestimated the ferocity of the alligator's attack. I'd have to guess that the zebra had never fought an alligator before, and she didn't know exactly what to expect from him.
By the end, we see that regardless of how the encounter came about, an alligator is no match for a zebra on Red Bull. Especially if she has her eye on a new purse. Rating: 3.5 TVs - The payoff at the end makes this rise above the standard Red Bull commercial. I gave it an extra half TV because it features a zebra, and I like zebras.
Up until now, all of the commercials I've reviewed have been for large corporations. They were obviously created by a professional advertising agency and had a sizable budget.
But there are many other ads out there which don't quite live up to these lofty standards. These are not the ads that air during prime time network shows or NFL games. No, these commercials typically air in less prestigious time slots, like during daytime game shows or talk shows.
I call them the Daytime Delights.
The first Daytime Delight I will look at is the Forever Lazy.
By now, we're all familiar with the Snuggie. Snuggies (along with imitators like The Slanket and Comfy Throw) have been widely mocked, but eventually accepted into our lives. My family actually owns three of them: One in basic blue, one in zebra stripes, and one licensed by the Philadelphia Eagles.
From what I can tell, one day, an aspiring entrepreneur took a look at the Snuggie and thought, "Hey, that's pretty good, but I think I have a way to make it even better!" And so, the Forever Lazy was created.
I like how they show images of money as the woman is adjusting the thermostat. Because without those images, we would have no hope of getting the point that heat costs money.
Then we see people having problems with blankets. By the way these people are dramatically reacting, it is clear that these are not just minor issues. They are EXTREMELY unhappy with the situation. I never realized that blankets were so difficult to use, but I guess there's a large portion of our population who just can't figure them out.
Fortunately, we have a solution to this crisis: The Forever Lazy.
I'm not going to lie to you. Those people do look mighty comfortable. If they had just marketed the FL as something to wear while lounging around the house, we'd probably be OK with it.
But no, Forever Lazy has greater ambitions. Apparently, the FL isn't just for hanging out at home. It's also very useful for social events too.
They show a group of friends watching TV, and I have to wonder: Did the friends come over and bring their own FLs? I can't remember ever going over to a friend's house and bringing my own blanket, but maybe that's because I've never had a FL. Maybe if I had one, I wouldn't be able to bear the thought of going anywhere without it.
But assuming that they did not bring their own FLs, that meant that the host had enough of them to share with his guests. That guy must REALLY think that it is a special product to not only buy one for himself, but to also buy enough for any guests who might stop by.
And while it is mighty nice of him to share, I think it probably would have been better to just turn the heat up if he was having guests over.
Did he say to his friends: "It's really cold because we turn the heat way down to save money. But don't worry, I have this Forever Lazy for you to wear." I don't think I would be going back to that friend's house after that.
Then we learn that the FL isn't just for indoor use. Are you tired of your deck or patio being wasted during the cold weather months? Now you can enjoy them all year long thanks to the warmth provided by the FL!
The last time I was at an outdoor sporting event, I did kind of feel that something was missing As if my experience could have been enhanced somehow. I now realize what I was missing: a full body blanket!
It looks like my days of wearing jerseys and other team merchandise when I go to games are over. From now on, the only team I'll be supporting is Team Forever Lazy!
Best of all, there are convenient zippered pouches for easy use in the bathroom.
That's not gross or anything. I wonder if when that guy offers FLs to his guests if he enacts a "no bathroom" policy. Because I don't think I would be too crazy about wearing one that someone has brought into the bathroom.
Some other highlights of the commercial:
What kind of weird family is this where everyone but the father is into watching the big game? Apparently, falling asleep is what "Dad does best." Is he narcoleptic or something?
So this is FL's impression of what a typical dorm room looks like? I don't think most dorm rooms have those types of desks. And shouldn't that girl be upset that this guy is playing video games while she's trying to study? Maybe she should go to the library since we've seen that the FL doesn't limit one's activity in any way.
When they show the guy getting food out of the fridge: Holy crap, how much is that guy about to eat? It looks like he has enough food to feed a family of four.
In conclusion, I'm left with just one important question: How exactly is this any different from a sweat suit?
Rating: 4 TVs - I have to think that the producers of this commercial knew that this was going to be unintentional comedy gold. They couldn't possibly be serious about this, right?
So yeah, this is cute and all. Because the guy had his AT&T phone, he was able to change his train ticket, meet the girl of his dreams, and the result of their coupling is the future president of the United States.
Cuteness aside, I have a few complaints about this one:
I don't care how great the guy's phone is, there is no way he is able to change his ticket that quickly. Even if he's getting good service in the train station, (highly doubtful) there's no way that the ticketing website can process the transaction in that short of a time.
In real life, he'd probably have to sit through five minutes of "Please wait while we look up your account" screens, and ten prompts to verify his identity and payment information. By the time the switch is done, the train will have long since pulled away, and the guy will have lost his true love.
Moving past the unrealistically fast ticket change, I have to wonder about the guy's impulsiveness. This guy is going to go to all of this trouble just based on looking at the girl from a distance for a few seconds?
What happens if he gets on the train, sees her up close and realizes that maybe she wasn't as attractive as he had thought? Or what if she was fat? Or maybe after talking to her, he realizes that he can't stand her personality? That's going to be one awkward train ride.
And considering that she was riding on a train, there's a good chance that she doesn't live anywhere near him. Is he willing to make the sacrifices necessary for a long distance relationship?
This doesn't even factor in the money this transaction has cost him. Train tickets are quite expensive these days, and not only did the guy change his ticket (I'm sure there are change fees included), but he's now committed himself to buying a ticket back from wherver this new train is headed.
Seriously, it worries me that a guy who is so impulsive and who so obviously does not think things through is going to be raising a future president.
This assumes that she would even want anything to do with him. More likely, she's going to be a little creeped out by the weird stalker guy who jumped on the train at the last minute and sat next to her. I'd guess that she gets up and changes seats at the next stop, and prays that he doesn't follow her.
By the way, have you noticed that these two look an awful lot alike? Like they're one of those weird couples who looks like they're brother and sister?
Hmmm...maybe that explains it.
Obviously, there is an instant connection between the couple. A connection so strong that it convinces the guy to change his ticket and get on the train. But what if the reason for the connection isn't love, but rather because the two of them are long, lost twins separated at birth?
Unfortunately, they never discover that they are siblings, and that means that the future president of our country is the unholy product of inbreeding. Our country is ruined! And it's all AT&T's fault!
Then again, it's not like President Inbred could really be much worse than W, right? Rating: 1.5 TVs out of 5 - Impulsiveness and inbreeding do not make me want to purchase a product
First off, how did that get on top of his car? Was a construction truck driving by and it fell? And the driver didn't even notice? I think that someone would have noticed a giant cement tube crushing a car.
Isn't State Farm kind of setting up their customers for disappointment when their agents don't magically teleport on site whenever someone sings their jingle? If I was a State Farm customer, I think I'd be a little pissed when I had to deal with an automated phone system instead of having my agent magically materialize.
This is assuming that State Farm agents don't really have the ability to teleport. I'm correct about this, right?
Although upon closer inspection, this commercial isn't actually implying that State Farm agents have magical powers, but rather that being a State Farm customer actually gives people godlike powers. After all, the agent, panda bear, and Bob Barker were summoned through the will of the customers.
If that is the case, I'll give the State Farm agent a lot of credit. He was summoned from out of nowhere, but he didn't seem to even skip a beat. He quickly assessed the situation and handled it expertly. I guess since the company's customers have godlike powers, he might be kind of used to this by now. I'm still thinking it would have been an awkward situation if he was on the can when he was teleported though.
I do have to wonder why the girl is the one to call her agent, when it is clearly the guy's car that got ruined. Maybe they're on the same policy? Are they dating? At first, I thought the guy on the left was her boyfriend, and was going to give her the panda as a sign of affection. But based on her complete disgust with him, I don't think that they're an item.
And what can you say about Bob Barker? Is he not one of the greatest people ever? Just look at the girl's face when he appears. He may be in his 80s, and looks like he has spent just a bit too much time in a tanning bed, but she is still ready to bone him.
I mean, they're not even pissed when he blatantly destroyed their bird bath. He could have had the new car appear anywhere, but he chose to have it go right where the bird bath was. Maybe this was his subtle revenge for being summoned?
Rating: 4 TVs out of 5
Anything involving Bob Barker is awesome, and I like the idea of State Farm giving people godlike abilities.
For my first offering, I'll take a look at Bud Light's Close Encounters ad:
I'll give Bud Light some credit. In just about every one of their ads, there is a consistent message: Bud Light is so amazing, that people will go to insane lengths just to get some.
While this does ignore the fact that Bud Light might be the most easily obtainable beer in America, they have managed to stick with this message over the years. Judging by Bud Light's popularity, I suppose that the commercials have to be working at least a little.
In this commercial, the hot female aliens apparently need men to help them repopulate their species. In exchange, they are offering Bud Light.
Now, at first glance, this is a solid plan on their part. I know that the offer of free beer can help convince your friends to do things like move, or drive you to the airport. So getting men to have sex in exchange for beer seems like a slam dunk.
But I do have to wonder if their plan will even work. The aliens are clearly not human (humans do not have antennae) How can they be sure that a human sperm would even be able to impregnate them? Humans are chimpanzees share most of the same genetic DNA, and yet a human can not impregnate a chimp, even though I'm sure there are sickos out there who have tried.
So I have to really doubt that human and alien DNA is compatible. And even if it is, they aren't really saving their race. After all, the children will be half alien/half human, so their race will never be the same regardless.
I've also noticed that the aliens never really promise sex. What if their method of reproduction involves surgically extracting sperm or something painful? I don't think a few bottles of Bud Light is going to seem like adequate compensation for that.
Even if they do reproduce sexually, I have to wonder if there were more than just the three aliens on the spaceship? For the guys' sake, I certainly hope so, or else there are going to be some really awkward moments on board.
When I watched this commercial during the recent BCS Championship Game, everyone in attendance - male and female - had the same reaction to the ending: It is annoying.
Why are the women so happy that the men are gone? Is it because they now had all the Bud Light to themselves? I once again have to point out how easy it is to obtain Bud Light. If I really wanted to, I could have a bottle of it in my hands in five minutes. (Considering my boss is away, I really could)
I mean, I'm sure they all enjoy a good "girls night out" every once in awhile, but I'd think that at least some of the women would be upset by the fact that they were just abandoned in favor of aliens.
Have you ever seen the way women react when a hot, heavily made up girl walks into a bar? There is instant dislike. And if their boyfriend pays the hot girl any attention whatsoever? You can practically see smoke.
No, the women would not be jubilant. They would be super pissed, and probably screaming profanities.
Also, the way that one woman raises her arms is super annoying. It's like she really hated her husband or something, and she was looking for an excuse to get rid of him.
Rating: 2.5 TVs out of 5 -
A promising premise, but too many plot holes and an annoying ending hold it back.
From time to time on my other blog - The Cutter Rambles - I had been doing some analyses of television commercials. In 2010, I decided to make the ad reviews a regular weekly feature of the blog.
And for 2011, I decided that it was time to spin the reviews off into a blog of their own. And so The Ad Pundit was born.
I will try to review at least two ads per week. I'll talk a little bit about each ad, and then give it a rating. Ads can earn from 0 to 5 TVs.
If you have any ads that you would like to see me cover, I am always open to suggestions!
Rating: 3.5 TVs - The payoff at the end makes this rise above the standard Red Bull commercial. I gave it an extra half TV because it features a zebra, and I like zebras.
Rating: 1.5 TVs out of 5 - Impulsiveness and inbreeding do not make me want to purchase a product
