Month: October 2010

From my perspective, this is a successful commercial. It has several characteristics of an effective commercial. In the first place, it uses a popular singer of that time, Robert Palmer, who was still alive when that commercial appeared on TV. Secondly, the ladies in the song convey harmony and energy. Most importantly, the name of the song, Simply Irresistible, really makes Pepsi irresistible. A popular singer is singing it. The singer is accompanied by his usual dancers. In other words, every aspect of the commercial is positive and intriguing. Using a controversial singer like Britney Spears might attract some and repel some others. However, as far as I know, Robert Palmer had a positive image among people at that time. He was popular with different age groups, so people from all walks of life would be encouraged to have a Pepsi. In short, utilizing great music, good voice, and beautiful dancers makes this commercial truly irresistible.

This commercial that aims at promoting the famous Dutch beer, Heineken, is funny or even hilarious. It can make the viewers laugh or at least smile. However, I doubt it if it can encourage beer-drinkers who are not familiar with this beer to purchase it. Why? Is there something wrong with the production of the view? Not at all. In fact, the clip is amusing but misleading. Well, there are two reasons why I believe this beautifully and professionally produced commercial is a failure in terms of marketing. In the first place, it degrades ladies. It implies that old ladies are ugly, and we need to drink beer to see them beautiful. Secondly and more importantly, the end of the commercial implies that the effect of this beer is extremely brief. The man in the commercial rubs his eyes for a second, and then he sobers up. I don’t think beer drinkers would want to try or buy a beer whose effect disappears in a second. A successful commercial is one that encourages potential customers to purchase a product, and I wonder if people would buy a product that acts well but only for a few seconds. Durability of a product is a very important factor for customers.