These days, it seem like when I want to find a topic to write about all I have to do is just turn on the TV and watch local television.
The other day while I was flipping the channels, a particular commercial caught my attention. I saw what was probably the lamest TV ad I have seen in my entire life.
It was an ad for a local dishwashing detergent. From how I remember it, the commercial goes by introducing the product, pretty standard stuff. But then this Chinese looking magician came and magically shows how every purchase of the detergent comes with a free glass dining plate, or as the magician called it “libreng eleganteng platito (free elegant small plate), with so many many uses”.
As the Chinese magician showcased the things you could actually put on the plate, the camera briefly shows a shot of the audience nodding in agreement ala informerical. Though I understand budget constraints and all that, Pinoy commercials just reached a new low.
But it was so lame that it was actually borderline funny. I particularly loved how the ad capitalized on the free plate rather than the actual product. Plus actually showing the viewers the things you can “put on” the plate was also a riot! I mean come on; it’s a frigging dinner plate! I'd be willing to bet that the very first dinner plate that came out the market didn't come with instructions! Don’t you think consumers would probably know what to use it for by now?
I don’t have any figures with me, but I do know that it’s expensive to produce a TV commercial. More so the cost of the actual airtime it would set you back each time it is shown on TV. Not to mention the time and effort you have to put into casting, shooting, directing, and editing the entire thing. So it’s a real enigma for me how we don’t seem to put a lot of thought into a commercial before it is actually shown to the viewing public.
In fairness, some print and TV ad agencies are starting to realize the impact of really trying to get the public’s attention by creating commercials that promote not only the product but also good Filipino cultural values in the background. Some utilize humor, which is really good, because commercials that also entertain have better recall value as opposed to those who don’t.
But then again, there are those print and TV ads that just down right suck! Here’s my stab on what’s wrong with some of our commercials:
QUESTIONABLE ENDORSERS. I realize I’ve already raised this concern in a separate article I wrote, but some ads and commercials just don’t take into consideration the character of the people they ask to endorse their products. Like recently, take big time hotshot movie actor Cesar Montano for instance, dressing up like a construction worker rallying up the lower class masses in his pre-paid mobile phone card commercial. The ad agency probably realized how inappropriate that was so they called in rapper Andrew E to take over Cesar’s place. They did however ask Andrew to remove all his “bling” first before the shoot. How about socialite conyita Kris Aquino endorsing cheap beauty products? It’s a good bet she doesn’t even buy or use this product she peddles. Ogie Alcacid can be seen in a pawnshop ad, and the rest of us wonder how a rich singer-songwriter and TV personality like him could possibly have the need to pawn anything. This last one is just plain stupid. Remember how former model and actor Richard Gomez was in a vitamin commercial while at the same he could also be seen in a cigarette ad?
I know it’s not like Marilyn Manson doing an informercial on the Nativity Cross, but I think its actually insulting how some ad agencies think the consuming public would just mindlessly dismiss this issue.
TOO MUCH INFORMATION: I don’t need to see a sanitary napkin commercial that shows how women are worried about that funky smell they have to deal with when it’s that time of the month. I just don’t. Respect our innocence; men don’t have to know about things like that. If the product has odor neutralizing properties, just let it read in the box and let the ladies read it at their convenience. We don’t think a reenactment of the ordeal is necessary.
UNREALISTIC SCENARIOS: Let me set up a toothpaste commercial that you might have seen already. A guy in a scooter spots a hot looking babe hanging around with a few badass biker dudes in leather jackets. He somehow clumsily stumbles and topples a parked motorcycle causing all of the nearby bikes to domino down. The hot babe, accompanied by a pack of badass bikers suddenly surrounds him. Then, using just one arm, the hot babe picks up the fumbling dweeb by the shirt and raises him above the ground. An animated cartoon mouth appears and tells the scooter guy to “blow her a kiss”, apparently to make atonement for his clumsiness. Scooter guy, while still being raised in the air calmly argues how it would take more than fresh breath to settle everything peacefully, but he tries it anyway. And somehow, by the power of the toothpaste’s freshness, hot babe is blow away by the minty flavor and is persuaded to call off the assault. In the end she rides with scooter guy off into the sunset.
Ok. What’s wrong with that picture?
First of all, it tells us how the toothpaste induces extreme hallucinations. From how I viewed it, only scooter dude could see and talk to the animated cartoon mouth that was just casually floating around everyone as it gives him advise on what to do. Second, while the rest of us would probably run for dear life after wrecking a bunch of parked expensive motorcycles, scooter dude with his fresh breath decides to hang around. Third, I don’t know what hot babes eat during their time in the road, but I’d like to get in that diet so that I could easily lift a person off the ground using just one arm. And lastly, if an animated cartoon mouth pops up and tells me to blow a hot babe surrounded by a gang of bikers a kiss, I wouldn’t just calmly say, “It would take more than fresh breath”. I would wet my pants and scream like a sissy begging for his life! But then again, maybe I’m underestimating the power of minty fresh breath here.
NO SENSE WHAT SO EVER. This is a really old one but I’m including it here because the fact that it was actually made still doesn’t say a lot of good things about the local advertising industry. It’s still one of the worse ones ever made I think. Remember former actress Ruffa Gutierrez in her toothpaste ad where she was dressed as a mermaid? You know, the “kumukutikutitap” toothpaste ad? Who the hell thought of that? I saw “The Little Mermaid” lots of times! I don’t recall a scene where Ariel or any of mermaids head up to the surface to brush their teeth!
OFFENSIVE SLOGANS: Along the South Super Highway I saw a billboard ad that reads “Kalbo Ka Ba?” (“Are You Bald?”). Though I’m sure it’s an ad for a hair tonic, I’m not too sure bald people everywhere would appreciate how the ad pushes for the product.
This one isn’t actually offensive, but it doesn’t send out a moral message either. Have you seen or heard of the ad for this new brand of prophylactics? The one that’s called “The Party Condom”? I know how if we can’t keep kids from having premarital sex the next best thing is to educate them to be safe and responsible. But heck, the tagline “party condom” doesn’t really help nip the issue in the bud. It simply suggests and promotes casual sex. I can’t think of any right now, but I’m sure there are more subtle ways to advertise a condom.
Then there was the controversial ad a few months ago where a brandy billboard ad reads, “Nakatikim Ka Na Ba Ng Kinse Anyos? (Have You Tasted A 15 Year Old?). Though the company who makes the brandy backs up the stunningly obvious subliminal message of the ad by saying it refers to the aged drink and nothing more, we all know it was extremely executed in bad taste. It suggested not only sex, but more gravely, child exploitation. I have a few pervert friends that said the ad was extremely distasteful, and when you start offending perverts; you know you’ve definitely crossed a line!
But like I said, it’s not all that bad. I do have a few favorite commercials that I think hits a soft spot or has actually made me laugh out loud. I just can’t believe some of the crap that comes out of these ad-brainstorming meetings.
Commercials, just like movies and actual TV programs, do play a vital role in the molding (or de-molding) of our youth. How a product is promoted and advertised influences the people who watch it. We’ve all seen how kids imitate scenes and dialogues they’ve seen and heard in commercials. And for parents who can’t keep an eye on their children full time, it’s close to impossible to regulate that. Truth is, there is a good amount of responsibility vested on the people who make these campaigns.
Though there are a few rare good ones out there, the overall standards of the local movie and television industry are bad enough. So please give the viewers something to balance that out while they watch and listen to a few words from the sponsors.
