Here, first give it a listen.
Okay, where do I begin? Maybe I should start by listing this commercial’s good points:
Um…Well, eventually it does end.
Now for the Less Than Good Points.
The first question we must grapple with is, “Is the biggest problem with this spot that the message is garbage, or is it that the garbage is delivered so incompetently?”
Pretty much a toss-up.
We might as well begin with the garbage:
What the heck is this commercial trying to communicate? What is its sales message? What problem is it solving for the targeted listener? How does it intersect with that listener’s life?
Answers: I dunno. No idea. Beats me. It doesn’t.
What is this commercial’s Core Message — the one thing they want the targeted listener to hear, to understand, and to remember? I guess it’s:
Pacific Sales is growing all across Southern California.
That’s a Core Message worth advertising?
…growing all across Southern California.
What is it, a fungus? Should some civic minded listener call the EPA?
What’s the Call To Action? What is the action the targeted listener is supposed to take to act on this non-existent sales message?
There is none.
On the other hand, they did give the advertiser’s name six times. That must have made the client feel all warm and fuzzy.
Here Is The Message Communicated By This Commercial:
“Look at us! We’re so great!”
And the tag at the end?
Beat the price increase with only a 20% deposit
What the heck does that mean?
See store for complete details.
Good idea. I’ll just hop into the car right now and drive to one of Pacific Sales’ many locations throughout Southern California and ask an expert, trustworthy and non-commissioned employee to explain it to me.
But hey, why focus on the negatives? Sure, there’s no actual message here. But when we look at the skill with which that non-message is delivered, we can’t help but be impressed.
There’s a reason Pacific Sales is growing all across Southern California. Would you like to know why? I’ll tell you…
Normally when you hear people speak like that, they’re “vamping.” This sounds like the voice talent lost the actual script and was trying to fake it.
It also reminds me of a disc jockey desperately trying to “talk up the vocal” on an incredibly long song intro. Here, let me help:
There’s a reason Pacific Sales is growing all across Southern California. Would you like to know why? Would you like to know why Pacific Sales is growing all across Southern California? Really? You’re sure you want me to tell you the reason that Pacific Sales is growing all across Southern California? Okay, then I’ll tell you why Pacific Sales is growing all across Southern California…
I’ve heard lots of bad commercials, but that opening is astonishing. They have elevated incompetence to an art form.
It takes them 14 seconds to give us a clue about what the heck they’re selling: kitchen appliances and bath fixtures. Oops, at :16 we learn it’s “home theatre,” too.
They have huge 30,000 square foot showrooms. Glad to hear that. Don’t you just hate those teensy-weensy 30,000 square foot showrooms?
Not only do they have displays of the products they sell; you actually can see them! That really sets them apart from their competitors, who no doubt keep their displays hidden behind steel curtains.
More brands than you can imagine.
Really? I can imagine 10,000 brands. How many you got?
The Pacific Sales staff is expert
HOLD THE PRESSES! You guys say you have an expert staff? Never heard THAT in commercial before. It really differentiates you from your competitors who boast about their “know-nothing employees.”
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if your staff are friendly and knowledgeable, too.
You’ll find everything you need
Great. Which aisle has the No-Doz?
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I think the thing I found most annoying about this commercial is that the “attitude” of the talent made feel as if I was being talked down to.
I’ve never been a fan of the “Tell them what you’re about to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you’ve just told them” school of advertising.
I think I’m a little smarter than that, and most listeners are as well.
At first, I thought we were listening to a Leprechaun. I was in the mood for some kind of April Foolish shenanigans. Instead of a pot of gold, we got a crock of ____.
~DeVill
Power98
Guam
The writing’s the problem by far on the Pacific Sales spot. The talent—I’d guess an aging doyenne of “the theatuh”, with Mirren and Dench getting all the good gigs, just needs the work. When they hand out Clios etc. the writers get the credit. Talent rarely gets mentioned. So this clunker should be “credited” to the writer as well. Leave the poor old girl to cash her scale-at-best-cheque in peace.
Christina Pickles is the voice. You know her as Ursala’s mom in George of the Jungle with Brendan Fraiser and she’s also Charlie Sheen’s mom on 2 and a Half Men.
She is far more capable of delivering a great read.
This is definitely the fault of an idiot writer and lousy CD at the agency that produced this bag of yuck.