While three weeks technically remain on the calendar first developed by Rome-based insurance salesman Stephanus “Stevie” Stephanius (“Life. Home. Chariot.”) in 24 B.C., I feel comfortable in revealing this year’s Worst of the Worst in TV advertising. This spot originally broke (as far I can tell) in March of this year. And in the nine months since, nothing has come close to beating it. Note even the entire Kay Jeweler’s Christmas campaign. Impressive.
Enterprise Rent-a-Car has been using the same “we’ll pick you up” shtick in its ads for years now. The writing is on the nose, the acting generally terrible and the voice talent sounds remarkably happy for being part of such a forgettable (if only I could) campaign – obviously, he’s pumped to have been riding this gravy train for so many years. Good for him.
But just when you thought that Enterprise couldn’t roll out a spot worse than the one that prominently labeled a repair shop as, yes, Repair Shop (watch an “homage” here), they busted out this little tripenugget. Let’s all watch it together before continuing my assessment:
Wow. Sers. This spot is so chock full o’ wrong it’s amazing that they squeezed it all into a scant 15 seconds. The couple for whom a night of marital intimacy is so rare that it requires a night at the bestest Best Western ever. The need for this couple to travel from suburbia in style as they saunter the 15 miles downtown their weekend of urban adventure. The use of the same old voice talent who was obviously told to “put a wink in your voice” at just the right moment. The only thing missing is a cross promo with Cialis, although that’s implied with the “get you going” line.
Basically, this ad is wrong on every level. Strategy, concept, writing, execution, media placement. (Running during March Madness? Against Nike, Gatorade, et al.? Bravo.) Its only redeeming quality is that it isn’t a skanky Carl’s Jr. ad. But since we don’t have Carl’s Jr. (and hence its ads) in my neck of the globe, this spot wins as my pick for the Crème de la Crap of 2009. Salut!
Later,
Fox
Enterprise Rent-a-Car has been using the same “we’ll pick you up” shtick in its ads for years now. The writing is on the nose, the acting generally terrible and the voice talent sounds remarkably happy for being part of such a forgettable (if only I could) campaign – obviously, he’s pumped to have been riding this gravy train for so many years. Good for him.
But just when you thought that Enterprise couldn’t roll out a spot worse than the one that prominently labeled a repair shop as, yes, Repair Shop (watch an “homage” here), they busted out this little tripenugget. Let’s all watch it together before continuing my assessment:
Wow. Sers. This spot is so chock full o’ wrong it’s amazing that they squeezed it all into a scant 15 seconds. The couple for whom a night of marital intimacy is so rare that it requires a night at the bestest Best Western ever. The need for this couple to travel from suburbia in style as they saunter the 15 miles downtown their weekend of urban adventure. The use of the same old voice talent who was obviously told to “put a wink in your voice” at just the right moment. The only thing missing is a cross promo with Cialis, although that’s implied with the “get you going” line.
Basically, this ad is wrong on every level. Strategy, concept, writing, execution, media placement. (Running during March Madness? Against Nike, Gatorade, et al.? Bravo.) Its only redeeming quality is that it isn’t a skanky Carl’s Jr. ad. But since we don’t have Carl’s Jr. (and hence its ads) in my neck of the globe, this spot wins as my pick for the Crème de la Crap of 2009. Salut!
Later,
Fox
[…] Read more here: The AdHole Presents the Worst Television Spot of 2009 Posted in Home Insurance | Tags: calendar, first-developed, insurance-salesman, rome-based, stephanius, stephanus, the-calendar, three-weeks […]
Yeah, it’s pretty stale stuff. They placed it in March Madness for Alumni viewers, no doubt…but damn, even they’re not THAT old. Run it in Lawrence Welk! “Put a wink in your voice”…HA! Love it.
hi.. to keep it short and sweet.. we at http://www.desicreative.com/ have your site on our blogroll. how about adding us to yours? (we are an indian advertising community forum. you can visit our site to see if you like it).
cheers
paramvir singh
[email protected]
i wanted to check your blog to read your super bowl ad commentary and saw this post that i missed in the midst of my diaper changing marathon known as maternity leave. it feels so good to have someone whose opinion i value so much agree with me on this. i have been panning this spot since the first time i saw it. i can’t help but groan every time i see it. worst spot ever.