Yesterday I was emailed out of the blue by someone from an agency working with Virgin Media on its "Powerful Stuff" campaign, and asking for feedback on the commercial embedded below. I personally think that with reviews it always pays to be careful what you wish for. As a piece of creative it's fine - nicely shot, etc., but it's an elaborately staged yet unimaginative pun (50 Megs, get it? Get it?). Cute, but pointless, and it does nothing to convey the sort of message this company should be telling regarding its competitive strengths.
Despite telcos' repeated attempts to make it something other than an enabling utility, ultimately broadband should be as sexy and thrilling as electricity, water or a tin of Ronseal. The benchmark of success is that it is available and reliable when people need it, and hopefully reasonably priced yet profitable as a business. You turn it on, and it works. And that's certainly something customers should be thankful for, but not excited about. It's a pretty sad comment on broadband development to date that, much like the British rail transport system, people express excitement on the rare occasion when it actually works as intended.
Null points!
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4 comments:
I see what you're saying but I disagree! Broadband IS a utility however it isn't just a case of "is it available or not available", it's a case of how quick is it and how reliable, ie how long will it take me to download this video/ music track etc.
With utility companies the only difference between Npower and EDF is price and service. THe difference between Virgin and BT is that and speed and quality of connection, therefore more imaginative advertsing can work and be relevant...
OK Edward so what does this advert have to do with how quick and reliable the service is?
Typical 'modern' advertising that Virgin's ad agency seem to love so much really.
qhar the hell, all i get from this is advert is
"people FAKE the real thing"
are Virgin media trying to tell us they also Fake their 50Mbit/s package and you DONT atually get ANYTHING like what you expect ?
are these highly payed executive PR types so far removed from reality, they cant even see the obvious, its not just about the entertainment value of an add, its the many underlined sub messages they hove Got Totally Wrong here.
were the real innovative thinking, they have a potentially good future hardware base, its a shame about the exectives Total Lack in real innventiveness, thats all been lost apparently.
All the agency wants you to remember is "Virgin 50 Meg". That's it. That's all.
As for Connotations, I am surprised no one has commented on the fact that they are obviously saying, "Vigin - Better Porn". :)
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