Carolime Time

That ad series I love, forgot the company

My dad and I just realized we both love the exact same ad: The incredulous fat kid with the red truck! I love him! I posted it on my Facebook a few weeks ago and it turns out a lot of people like and have noticed this video, too. If you haven’t seen it already, check out the clip below.

Apparently, I am my father’s daughter! We obviously share the same taste in more than just music:) I was so entertained by these ads that I wanted to see how advertising critics reacted to it: I came across an “ad of the day” for this Ally Bank series in AdWeek this past spring, discussing these Ally Bank commercials. Though I agreed on some aspects of the opinions shared in the article, I also disagreed with the UGC responses! This seems to be an ongoing issue with me, where I usually click thumbs-down on user comments on articles. It seems everyone has sticks up their asses on this comments section in particular.I agree with AdWeek in that the ad presents the negatives of the other option more than it does present the positives of Ally Bank itself. My dad and I also agreed, however, that the ad is so distracting in its entertainment factor that it is easy to let the company name slip by multiple times.. honestly I’ve watched this ad series so many times that I should remember  the company name inside out!! but in this case, there is little attempt at image branding. Focus in this case is moreso on entertainment fodder.

On a positive note, the ad has had great viral popularity on the web and I think in general conversation. It is memorable and recognizable. It just takes awhile to recognize and digest the company name. I also appreciate the excellent acting and pace of the ads for pure commercial enjoyment. I wonder, like many of the YouTube commentators (who differ value-wise from the AdWeek audience, it seems– AdWeek fans are obviously very conservative and cranky!!), if this was literally videotaped on the spot and presented as a real encounter so as to capture authentic expressions from the children. Well-done as a piece of video but not sure if it meets the goals of Ally Bank. Any PR is good PR, right?:) my favourite line..