Ad critique 2

HTC: You Are Different from You – YAY

Two things have recently become unbearable: ads reminding us of the economic recession and ads overemphasizing individualism. Yes, we enjoy being individuals. After all, that’s what it means to be an American. But while advertising’s emphasis on the individual is relevant today, we don’t need Captain Obvious as our source of repetition.

HTC does a good job of emphasizing “you,” but does so in a new way. Traditionally, ads have said something along the lines of “which means more ____ for YOU!” or “giving YOU more time for _____.” What HTC does it illustrate these things in action. Instead of saying (at 0:25) “leaving you worry-free,” for example, this ad shows the woman worrying. This humanizes the voiceover, and shows just the alternative instead of the alternative and the solution. In other words, instead of weighing the bad (worrying) and the good (being worry-free) side by side, this commercial implies the good by using the bad. Captain Obvious is nowhere to be found.

Aside from all that, the music and voiceover are bouncy. The commercial moves quickly but isn’t forced. And most of all, the punch line at the end is flawless. The entire spot leads into the tagline and then the company is introduced creatively with “…and we, are HTC.”

 

Carlsberg: Bathtub – NAY

Aside from the awkwardness of this print ad, creating something like this is risky because it can easily offend women. It is somewhat similar to Snicker’s 2007 Superbowl ad where the offensiveness isn’t completely there, but it’s to the point where it shouldn’t have made it past the creative director.

This Carlsberg ad could have gone in so many directions. The concept itself has legs. In fact, I briefly remade it (see below) with the same strategy in mind. Excuse the visuals.