Who is this ad created for & why does it exist? I don't understand, bewildered, must get nap. Who thunk it?
OK, I'm back. I like these two ladies, they are funny on VH1 with their witty repartee and trashy banter on irrelevant 80's facts. But now that they've been sanitized for someone's protection the Ha-Ha factor goes way down. What's with that wardrobe? When will general market agency's expand their repertoire of what they imagine Black people wear? The funny part is; you know everyone on the set sensed these quasi-rap inspired monkey get-ups from Hip Hop Harry's hell closet tour were dead wrong. If they didn't then someone should be reprimanded for lying about their "street cred" and uncontested urban fashionista style story. You know there was a question of wardrobe and they went for the lowest uncommon denominator. Baggy Tees and baseball cap flailed askew. Yep that's the breadth of an entire culture's fashion range.
As always the real question is will it sell Olay leg grease? Will it help the legacy of the brand? This obviously is the ill-prepared General Market (White) agency trying to do the multicultural thing and failing miserably. I really think it will alienate most of potential buyers. It's just so damn wacky. It's also blatant that they are trying to rep women of real sizes and actual American norms but, this makes them look a little silly and not to be taken seriously. It's almost as if speaking to this market means 'slumming' and shuck & jive is the order of the day.
I like those two ladies, but are they serious, is this a gag product? Only in a general market agency would they force the actors to say, "...and we're talking about all the ladies, all the black ladies, all the white ladies, latinas, asians..." As it turns out the general market agency doesn't generally know how to address the, well, general market. I'm not surprised. P&G has maintained a stylish and elegant voice for this brand over the years. Now in order to lump a bunch of ethnic types together they eschewed the brand language and image all-together. Why? It seems to also put a big ol' dent in the brand. Olay has been know for years as a higher end brand, not ultra-high end, but not a Sauve price-buster brand either. This campaign certainly seems to take it there. And "there" when laced with wigger wrap styles, hollow hip-hop, campy fashions & insipid conceptual work is simply no place to be.
Diversity now!
8 comments:
Fuzzy Draws sez:
Who did it it? For real, who did it? Can I kick them up and down the Ave two times for that heinous wack shite? Talk about the bullshit frat boy humor! They need a beating. By the by, I'm on a freelance assignment right now and yesterday one of the ideas the all-white creatives came up with before I came in was Yo MTV Raps for a liquor account. I had to hold my tongue and swallow back barf. I think that they think it's cute. Bastards. Like Biggie said "Somebody got to die."
I really wanted this to be a joke. I'd be surprised if the Madison Ave. Project doesn't gain traction with evidence like this just popping up. Funny, many of the other bloggers I googled about Quench only talk about the offer. There's no mention of the campaign. Black, white, latina asian- this is an equal opportunity embarrassment.
@Fuzzy, I think it was done by either Saatchi& saatchi or Gray (Grey?) It's most egregious
@Clif, my thoughts exactly! This is evidence of a need for more diverse hiring practices, but maybe not enough there for any legal action. #sad.
When I first saw this as a banner ad on YouTube, I in total honesty, thought it was some kind of JJ Fad comeback. I apologize.
Not only does this not motivate me to buy Olay products, it makes me want to knock all that cheap ish off the aisles in the store next time I see it. And I didn't even play the videos, the screencaps of 2 Tons O Fun are enough to annoy the hell out of me.
dang, Blutopaz! LOL, don't knock it off the shelf. Vote for or against with your dollars. Bit I feel your pain.
i'm a white middle age woman. not the typical one by far. my daughter is black and i have traveled around the world. when i saw this ad i was shocked. my mind said salt and pepper song and olay. wtf!!! so i showed this to my teenage daughter. she was shocked too. she didnt even think it was a real ad. olay got some issues.
m.a.w. That seems to be the consensus, most people think it's a fake ad or a spoof. Sadly, it's real... real embarrassing for such a reputable brand.
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