My YouTube ad of the week: Martin Bailie, Glue Isobar
Martin Bailie reviews Honda
Martin Bailie, executive planning director, Glue Isobar
Why I like this
Honda USA thought that teasing people with the prospect of a sequel to the adored Ferris Bueller's Day Off would get them talking and looking forward to the Super Bowl ad breaks. They were right. Pre-Super Bowl, the excitement was palpable. It's just that when the sequel turned out to be a Honda commercial, a vast outpouring of loathing spilled out on to the internet.
As an ad, it's well-shot, has lots of hidden references to the original (for the bloggers), is entertaining and tells a story. But it's the wrong story. What made the original a cult film was the joy of watching the worldliness, guile and luck of a high-school student. Who wouldn't have wanted to be him? Now, we are told a story of a middle-aged man with a facelift driving a sensible family car. No girlfriend, no kooky mate, no teachers, no Ferrari.
Wish I had thought of
Perhaps the most unfortunate element of this campaign is the strategy. Honda forgot the golden rule of "under promise, over-deliver". Doing the opposite is risky indeed. But at least the marketing team have nerves. You've got to applaud them for that.
