Customer As Jerk
Some ads, in order to
make a point, lose sight of the hidden messages the viewer sees. If the viewer is a potential customer of the
product, he pictures himself in the spot. If the character using the product is
seen as a jerk, he reacts as though he, himself, is being insulted. If the character
makes bad judgements or does something stupid, the viewer loses identification
with the situation, and along with it, the product.
A recent commercial for
Taco Bell Chicken Tacos does just that.
A girl on a walk with her
boyfriend runs into her father and a business associate. She introduces the
boyfriend who is eating the taco. The father extends his hand to shake, but the
boy has his hands full with the product and decides, instead, to kiss the
father on the eyebrow, astounding the girl as well as the dad who promptly
leaves.
That bad judgement leads
to the question of how good is his judgement in buying this product. No one
wants to think of themselves as that stupid. And thinking of this spot might
discourage them from trying it, rather than inspiring
them to try it.
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