Having worked in a number advertising agencies, I have some sympathy with David Ogilvy’s quote. But who am I to comment. The greater my involvement in the advertising world, the less is my understanding of the people who work in the field.
Indeed there isn’t much in the world of advertising that I do truly understand. There are adverts I like, ones which move me and draw me in. But it’s largely an alien field. I still can’t work out why Mo Farah telling me to eat corn is going to get anyone to rush out and to such tasteless fare.
For me to take note of any advertising campaign, it must reinforce my wish to buy a product and to confirm my prejudices (positive and negative). The Apple adverts hit the right note me. The company connects with it’s customers by creating aspirational, high quality and innovative products. The ads are brilliantly produced and set the mood perfectly. However, without the great gadgets, the adverts be worthless to me.
I’ve come to this subject after watching possibly the most banal, stupid, and vomit inducing advert broadcast on TV. I’m referring to the current nationwide advert. It’s a theme common within the advertising world. The idea that customers stay loyal to the companies and pass on that loyalty to future generations. It’s a simple, sentimental message of safety and reassurance. And it’s crap.
It’s cliched, mawkish and completely pointless. It says nothing about what Nationwide can do to improve the quality of our lives. But then again, I did say I didn’t understand this world. It’s a story of a young boy who dotes on his father. No playing iBox for this kid or running around the streets with his mates. We see the cute boy run from his house to buy the wool to knit a scarf for his dad (I bet his school mates were well impressed). It’s at this point when the emotion really kicks in. He even had the know-how to stitch in a label with the heart warming message ‘best dad’. You see, his dad’s a hard-working fisherman. Yes, that’s right, the scarf is to keep him warm when he’s out on the high seas, making an honest living.
We forward on a generation to see the young boy grow into a man and start his own family. It’s an indulgent, middle class, surbaban love-fest. I wonder who the family voted for in the recent election….. Boy his dad has treasured that scarf. So much so, he hands the scarf down to his son when the latter reaches adulthood. It’s a touching moment. Who couldn’t be moved by this?? So what’s this go do with banking?? Stay with me on this……
The absent minded son only left the scarf on the bus home didn’t he?? He anxiously phoned the bus company but no joy. It’s devastating. The scarf has gone missing. Some low-life from the local housing estate sold it to the highest bidder to feed his drug habit. Life will never be the same. I’m welling up here……the soundtrack playing in the background is called ‘I’ll keep you safe’. It’s nauseating.
But here is where the Nationwide come into play. I did tell you to stay with me. The friendly nationwide employee was only on the bus and being a socially conscious, community inspired person, picked up the scarf. The joy of social media connected the parties and the nationwide employee (proudly wearing her uniform), trapsed across town to hand over the scarf in a scene of unrivalled emotion. Funny, but the staff at my local Barclays can barely muster the energy raise their gaze to meet mine when I visit them. And the strapline for this nonsense is ‘On your side for generations’……wonder how many brainstorming sessions was necessary for that piece of genius…..it’s vomit inducing dross.
So forget about the notion of the financial sector having shafted the country. They really care for our welfare (and concerned about our missing scarfs). I’m a reasonably tolerant and open minded person. But I detested this ad for all it stood for. I don’t bank with Nationwide. I can’t recall being in any of the Nationwide branches. But if I did, I’d be cancelling my account tomorrow……