Identical Ads

by Michael Roesler from i am playing outside

The Multiple Sclerosis fund raising commercial goes like this:



The Phillips Arcitec Shaver commercial goes like this:
(apologies for bad video quality, but this is the only full-length version on the web. Go here for higher quality short version.)



The two cents from Michael:

I saw these two commercials within 24 hours of each other, both on CNN. How the hell did this happen? My best guess is that one ad agency is lacking ideas. Did the MS people need a cheap commercial [since they're trying to raise money, not spend it], so they just stole Phillips' idea? Did Phillips think 'Hey, lets be assholes? Razors are way cooler than stopping MS?' And why is CNN dumb enough to be airing identical commercials? Haven't they noticed that something is up?

Whatever the outcome, I think its pretty tacky that a razor is putting itself up against fighting a disease.

Tsk tsk.

And two more cents from the Editor (Katrocket):

The people who schedule commercials work in a department called "Traffic". I used to be a Traffic Manager, and I assure you that the staff at TV networks don't actually view any ad content before scheduling airtime, so they would never know that the scripts for these two ads are similar. Scripts are read and approved ahead of time by Advertising Standards Councils (a sort of censor board), and given a pass or fail based solely on their national broadcasting regulations. If it's good enough for them, the network will air it until a complaint is filed.

Because MS is a registered charity, their time slot is usually donated by the network whenever there is low ad inventory (i.e.- not enough paying advertisers to fill up commercial breaks). It's a wild card situation where schedulers try to give all charities their fair chance at viewership, so they rotate PSAs (Public Service Announcements) as equally as they can, and absolutely no consideration is given to the content of the ad itself, or any other ads in the cluster (a not-so-fancy word for "commercial break") because all spots are labelled by client or product.

There's a few exceptions. They would obviously avoid running a beer commercial right after an ad for Alcoholics Anonymous. They try not to put car commercials, beer commercials, and "don't drink and drive" PSA's in the same cluster. But these poor schedulers have a dozen other more important criteria to consider, like meeting broadcast regulations and advertisers' demands, so occasionally something slips through the cracks.

I guess I'm just saying that CNN isn't that dumb, at least not in this case. They're just automated to the point where computers can't make the same kinds of creative or moral decisions that humans can. It's all monkeys and machines, baby.

The Shammy Showdown: Vince vs. Billy Mays

by Katrocket from Rocketradio

Last month, BeckEye warned us to never buy a product with "Sham" right in the name, and asked the question on everyone's minds: "what company wants some coke-addicted, fast-talking douchebag as its spokesperson?"

I'll tell you who: ShamWow's main rival, Zorbeez!

But the clever folks at Zorbeez didn't hire just any slick-talkin', headset-wearin', carpet-stainin' creep. They hired the biggest, loudest, most annoying voice in the informercial universe: the Legendary Billy Mays.

After a head-to-head examination of these two in action, I've determined that they're likely hawking the exact same product, albiet one is made in Germany, and you know Germans make good stuff. But when two powerhouse pitchmen are selling the same item with an almost identical script, it all comes down to the craftsmanship of their delivery:


So let's compare, shall we?

	VINCE (ShamWow)	BILLY (Zorbeez)
Appearance	Moe Syzlak	70s porn snatch with teeth
Delivery	Smarmy; aloof; he can't do this all day.	Loud; really loud
Personal touch	towelling off like a real Olympic swimmer	sponge smelling
Target Demographic	Younger (late nite stoners, flea market enthusiasts)	Older (OCD housewives, chronic cola spillers)
Gimmick factor	"Made in Germany!"	"amazing X27 fiber technology!"
Pricing	8 for $19.99 - 10 yr warranty	10 for $14.99 - free replacments for life
Bonus offer	more Shamwows!	free Zorbeez for life! plus some kinda fringed shammy on a stick that cleans under your doors or pleasures your wife after everything else you've tried has failed.
He thinks you use too many paper towels	$20 a month is "Throwin' yer money away."	2 rolls a week! "That's cash in the trash!"
Final Verdict	Superior German technology and years of carny training help Vince hold his own against the Legend.	No one fucks with Billy Mays, punk.