Marketing and advertising are interesting avenues when it comes to products that may initially be considered “bland” or “not exciting”. Creative professionals have such an uncanny and amazing ability to bring these “ordinary” products to life through commercials, motion graphics, visual effects, and more.
I know you’re probably expecting (and hoping) to see hilarious commercials for beer and other products that have proved to be pretty risque. I hate to put a damper on things, but I’ve decided to choose something pretty nonchalant, and show you how clever and well thought out marketing can make all the difference in breathing life into a product.
Vacuums! Here we go-
This YouTube video for Bissell vacuums shows what your vacuum’s personality would be like if it were just a little more human. From the snooty heiress who refuses to pick up dog hair to the heavy and powerful high school coach who keeps screaming “put your back into it,” this Bissell commercial humorously personifies the different drawbacks of other vacuums. The ad begins by asking “Is your vacuum a good match for you?,” then it goes into the advantages of Bissell’s own vacuums, stating that Bissell vacuums are your “perfect match.”
This ad, from good ol’ 1984, reminds you that you have modern appliances all over your house, and that there is no excuse to have an ancient vacuum cleaner that you have to lug around. It then goes on to highlight the advantages of the 1984 Eureka vacuum–the “vacuum cleaner for today, not yesterday.” Eureka has been playing the advertising game for a long time.
Miele produced this humorous commercial about a man vacuuming with a leashed dog nearby. A woman enters the room and removes the dog, leaving the leash behind. The man then accidentally sucks up the leash while looking the other direction. He turns back and assumes that he has accidentally vacuumed up the dog. He bends down and makes whistling noises at the vacuum, trying to get the attention of the dog that he assumes is inside. The brand name and a picture of the vacuum then comes up with the catch phrase “sucking good.”
This Hong Kong commercial for the Electrolux vacuum features a news story about a man who is about to jump off a building, ending his own life. When community efforts and firemen fail to convince him to change his mind, an old woman with a vacuum saves him from plummeting to his death by catching him with the vacuum cleaner’s immense sucking power. It then concludes: “Electrolux – it really sucks.”
As you can see, clever advertising can really make a product interesting. It’s something to consider when you’re working on a campaign for something that you find bland… you can really have a lot of fun with it and get a little crazy. Your viewers will thank you for it.
What are some of your favorite ads?
